US3436092A

US3436092A - Collapsible serving cart

Info

Publication number: US3436092A
Application number: US685089A
Authority: US
Inventors: Udo Werner
Original assignee: Bremshey and Co
Current assignee: Bremshey and Co
Priority date: 1966-12-31
Filing date: 1967-11-22
Publication date: 1969-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1986-04-01
Also published as: AT273407B; FR1562000A; CH467602A; GB1154894A; SE326264B; DE1529728B1; NL6717506A; ES348813A1; BE708378A

Description

April 1, 1969 u. WERNER COLLAPSIBLE SERVING CART I of 4 Sheet Filed Nov. 22, 1967 A ril 1, 1969 u. WERNER 3,436,092

CQLLAPSIBLE SERVING CART Filed Nov. 22, 196? Sheet 2 of 4 Inventor:

U010 WERNER b 0M 0%.

his Ahomey April 1, 1959 u. WERNER 3,436,092

COLLAPSIBLE SERVING CART Filed Nov. 22, 1967 Sheet 3 of 4 Udo WERNER 5,.- M (71.

his AHorney Inventor.-

April 1, 1969 u. WERNER COLLAPSIBLE SERVING CART Sheet Filed Nov. 22, 1967 3,436,092 COLLAPSIBLE SERVING CART Udo Werner, Solingen-Ohligs, Germany, assignor t Bremshey 81 Co., Solingen-Ohligs, Germany, a firm Filed Nov. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 685,089 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 31, 1966, B 90,555 Int. Cl. B62d 21/14; B621) 1/04, 3/02 US. Cl. 280-36 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible serving cart wherein table top members are capable of being swung between collapsed, rest positions where they are in vertical planes and horizontal, operative positions where they are in horizontal planes. The table top members are carried by a frame means, and four roller assemblies are provided to support the serving cart for rolling movement. Four arms are respectively operatively connected with the roller assemblies and extend laterally therefrom to the frame means, and a connecting means connects a pair of these arms with one of the table top members to swing the arms outwardly away from the frame means in response to swinging of this one table top member from its vertical inoperative position to its horizontal operative position and for swinging the arms back in toward the frame means in response to return of the table top member from its horizontal operative position to its vertical rest position.

Background 09 the invention This invention relates to serving carts. More particularly this invention relates to serving carts which are capable of being collapsed into a relatively small space when not used and which are capable of being expanded into an operative position when they are used.

The invention relates in particular to a type of serving cart wherein there are at opposed lower ends of the cart swingable, laterally extending arms which are operatively connected at their outer ends to roller assemblies which support the cart for rolling movement. These arms are respectively swingable about vertical axes to displace the rollers outwardly away from the frame means of the serving cart when the latter is to be used and to swing the rollers inwardly to the frame means when the serving cart is collapsed in its position of non-use. The serving cart also has swingable table top members which are capable of being swung from vertical rest positions into horizontal operative positions, and a structure is provided for automatically turning the arms which are connected to the roller assemblies outwardly away from the frame when the table top members are swung from their vertical rest positions to their horizontal operative positions.

Serving carts of this general type have many different uses. They permit themselves to be situated in a relatively small space when they are collapsed in their position of non-use, while when they are used, one or more of the table top members can be swung to a position of use to provide a relatively large surface area available for supporting any desired articles. While a pair of the table top members can be situated in a common plane in their horizontal positions of use, it is possible to turn only one of these table top members from its position of non-use into its position of use, if desired, and in such a case the remaining table top member, which continues to extend vertically, can be used for other purposes such as for supporting a book, for example.

Known serving carts of this general type require a certain skill and experience on the part of the operator in order to displace the cart between its collapsed and ite States Pate O ice expanded positions, and in addition the operator is required to exert a considerable force during manipulation of the part to displace it between its collapsed and extended positions. These latter considerations are particularly applicable in connection with swinging of the table top members from their vertical rest positions to their horizontal operative positions, because during these latter operations it is necessary with the known constructions to overcome spring forces which act to hold the arms which are connected to the roller assemblies in their inwardly swung positions in the immediate vicinity of the frame of the cart. In addition, errors in the operation of the known structures easily occur. During return of the table top members to their vertical rest positions, for example, the springs which act on the arms which are connected to the roller assemblies snap these arms with considerable impact back into their rest positions. This operation results in undesirable stressing of the components of the cart and in creation of undesirable noise, and during improper manipulations it can happen that objects or even limbs of the operator may be clamped between components of the table, resulting perhaps not in a dangerous situation but certainly in an undesirable inconvenience and a troublesome situation.

Summary of the invention It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a serving cart of the above general type which will avoid the above drawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a serving cart which will retain all of the advantages of known serving carts while at the same time avoiding the drawbacks thereof.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a serving cart wherein swinging of a table top between rest and operative positions will result in auto matic swinging of roller assemblies outwardly to their operative positions, so that the positions of the roller assemblies are determined by the positions of the table top members in a fully automatic manner.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a construction of this type wherein it is unnecessary for the operator to overcome any spring forces, except perhaps the spring force of a detent structure which releasably maintains the table top members, for example, in their inoperative positions and which hardly requires any appreciable expenditure of energy in order to be overcome.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction which requires only application of pressure to a table top member in order to place the latter and roller assemblies operatively connected therewith in their operative positions. The same is true for the reverse operation where it is only necessary in accordance with the invention to swing a table top member back to its inoperative position in order to automatically return the roller assemblies inwardly toward the frame of the cart to their inoperative positions.

A transmission which will provide for automatic swinging of the roller assemblies outwardly away from the frame during swinging of the table top member and back to the frame during return of the table top member to its inoperative position requires, according to the known constructions, a complex assembly of elements since the table top member swings about a horizontal axis while the arms which are connected to the roller assemblies respectively swing about vertical axes.

It is accordingly yet another object of the invention to provide a construction wherein this connecting means which interconnects the arms with the table top members is of an exceedingly simple and reliable construction solving the problem of the transmitting movement from the table top members to the roller arms in a very simple and highly reliable manner.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide for a connecting means of this latter type only a single shifta-ble component, in the form of a sleeve, while the remainder of the structure is directly connected with the arm which is connected to the roller assembly.

In accordance with the invention a frame means of the serving cart supports a pair of table top members for swinging movement between vertical rest positions and horizontal operative positions where the table top members are situated in a common plane. Four roller assem- 'blies are provided to support the cart for rolling movement, and four arms are operatively connected to the roller assemblies and extend laterally therefrom to the frame means. A connecting means connects a pair of these arms to one of the table top members for swinging this one pair of arms outwardly away from the frame means in response to swinging of this one table top member from its vertical inoperative or rest position to its horizontal operative position, as well as for swinging the arms back to the frame means in response to return of this latter table top member from its horizontal operative position to its vertical rest position. In particular, this latter connecting means includes a pair of vertically extending rotary spindles respectively fixed at their bottom ends to ends of the arms which are adjacent to frame means, and at the elevation of the table top member these spindles respectively carry sleeves which are prevented from swinging about the axis of the spindles while being vertically displaceable with respect thereto, these sleeves respectively having pin-and-slot connections with the table top member, so in response to swinging of the latter the sleeves will be vertically displaced along the spindles. The sleeves and spindles respectively have threaded connections to provide for rotary movement of the spindles about their axis in response to vertical displacement of the sleeves, and as a result of this vertical displacement of the sleeves the turning spindles will turn the arms which are fixed thereto so as to swing the roller assemblies outwardly away from or back toward the frame means.

It is preferred to provide a construction where the sleeves respectively have the laterally extending projections formed with slots which receive pins which are respectively fixed to the table top member, so that in response to swinging thereof the sleeves will be vertically displaced.

Brief description of drawings The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of one possible embodiment of a serving cart according to the invention, shown in its collapsed position;

FIG. 2 shows the structure of FIG. 1 with one pair of vertically aligned table top members already in their operative positions while the second pair of table top members, which are in vertical alignment with each other, are shown in an intermediate position between their rest and operative positions;

FIG. 3 shows the parts with one pair of vertically aligned table top members in their operative positions and the other pair in their inoperative positions and with an outer covering plate of a hollow end wall assembly removed so as to show the structure therein;

FIG. 4 shows, at an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 3, the structure at the upper part of the latter with one upper table top member shown in its horizontal op erative position and with the other shown during movement between its operative and non-operative positions;

FIG. 5 shows the upper part of the serving cart in the position of FIG. 3 in a vertical end view with the parts being shown in FIG. 5 at a scale larger than that of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is fragmentray sectional elevation taken along the line of VII-VIII of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional plan view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing a different embodiment of the structure of the invention;

FIG. 9 shows one of the connecting assemblies of FIG. 8 in elevation;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional elevation similar to FIG. 7 but showing the structure of FIG. 8.

Description of preferred embodiments The example of the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a frame means composed of vertically extending hollow end wall members 1 which are rigidly connected with each other by way of horizontal tubes 2 which extend between and are fixed to the hollow end wall assemblies 1. In this way a rigid, rectangular frame means is provided for the serving cart. The hollow end wall members 1 of the frame means form at the same time housings for the connecting means which interconnects and transmits movement between the swingable table top members and roller assemblies, as explained below. This connecting means which transmits the movement between the swingable table top members and the roller assemblies is shown in detail in FIGS. 2-5 wherein an outer cover plate of one of the hollow end wall assemblies 1 is removed to illustrate the structure therein.

In the illustrated example the pair of hollow end wall assemblies 1 of the frame means provide a supporting structure for a total of four swingable

table top members

3, 3 and 4, 4. Thus, an upper pair of table top members 3 are respectively in vertical alignment with a lower pair of table top members 4. The upper pair of table top members 3 have a common horizontal turning axis about which they swing, and the pair of lower table top members 4 also have a common horizontal swinging axis situated beneath the common swing axis of the table top members 3. For this purpose each end of each table top member 3 carries a suitable plate formed with an opening through which a pivot pin 5 extends, this pin 5 being carried by an inner wall of each hollow end wall assembly 1, and the plates which are fixed to the adjoining ends of the pair of table top members 3 have overlapping portions placing their openings in alignment and through which the pin 5 extends into an opening in the inner wall of the adjoining hollow end wall assembly 1. In this way the pair of table top members 3 are swingable about the common axis of a pair of pivots 5 carried by the end portions 1 of the frame means, and in much the same way the lower pair of table top members 4 are swingable about the common axis of the pair of pivot pins -6 which are carried by the inner walls of the end wall portions 1 of the frame means at the lower regions thereof. The pins 5 and 6 at one end of the table top members are visible in FIG. 2.

The connecting means which interconnect the table top members with the roller arms referred to below include in each hollow end Wall assembly 1 a pair of vertically extending rotary spindles 7 supported in the hollow end wall assembly 1 for rotary movement about their vertical axes, respectively. The lower ends of the spindle 7 have portions of reduced diameter, for example, extending through openings in a lower wall of each hollow end wall assembly 1, and these lower reduced portions of the spindles 7 are fixed to the inner ends of a pair of laterally extending arms 8 which are respectively connected operatively to a pair of roller assemblies 9. This structure is of course repeated at the other hollow end wall assembly 1. The arms 8 are relatively short and in the form of levers operatively connected at their outer free ends, where they are cranked downwardly, to the conventional roller assemblies 9, respectively. When the serving cart is in its position of non-use, illustrated in FIG. 1, the crank arms 8 are all swung inwardly closely adjacent to the frame means 1, 2.

The connecting means include, in addition to rotary spindles 7, a plurality of sleeves which are situated approximately at the elevation of the upper table top members 3 and through which the spindles 7 respectively extend, these sleeves 10 being axially shiftable along the spindles 7, respectively. These sleeves 10 respectively have threaded connections with the spindles 7. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 the threaded connection between the sleeves and the spindles is provided by way of cross-pins 11 which are respectively fixed to and extend across the sleeves 10, the spindles 7 being of a hollow tubular construction and being formed with opposed helical slots 12 through which the pins 11 extend, so that in this way a threaded, screw-type of connection is provided between the sleeves and spindles, respectively. Thus, each tubular spindle 7 has opposed wall portions provided with a pair of helical slots 12 wound in the same direction about the axis of the spindle 7 and through which a cross-pin extends, this cross-pin being fixed to the sleeve 10 which surrounds the particular spindle 7.

In addition, the connecting means for interconnecting the arms 8 with the table top members 3 includes laterally extending projections 13 integral with and projecting laterally from the sleeves 10, these projections 13 being formed with horizontally extending slots 14 which respectively receive pins which are fixed to ends of the table top members 3. This construction is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. In FIG. 5 the laterally extending projection 13 of the right sleeve 10 is broken away so as to render the pin 15 clearly visible. Thus, each table top member 3 has a pair of these pins 15 respectively fixe'd to and projecting from its opposed ends, and these pins 15 which are fixed to each table top member 3 have a common axis and opposed helical slots 12 through which the pins 11 extend, so that in this way a threaded, screw type of connection is provided between the sleeves and spindles, respectively. Thus, each tubular spindle 7 has opposed wall portions provided with a pair of helical slots 12 wound in the same direction about the axis of the spindle 7 and through which a cross-pin extends, this cross-pin being fixed to the sleeve 10 which surrounds the particular spindle 7.

In addition, the connecting means for interconnecting the arms 8 with the table top members 3 includes laterally extending projections 13 integral with and projecting laterally from the sleeves 10, these projections 13 being formed with horizontally extending slots 14 which respectively receive pins 15 which are fixed to ends of the table top members 3. This construction is illustrated in FIGS. 57. In FIG. 5 the laterally extending projection 13 of the right sleeve 10 is broken away so as to render the pin 15 clearly visible. Thus, each table top member 3 has a pair of these pins 15 respectively fixed to and projecting from its opposed ends, and these pins 15 which are fixed to each table top member 3 have a common axis and this latter axis is spaced from the swing axis of the table top member so that the common axis of the pins 15 of each table top member is situated at a predetermined distance from the swing axis defined by the common pair of pivots 5. The inner walls of the hollow end portions 1 of each frame means are formed with arcuate slots 16 extending along part of the circle whose center is in the common axis of the pivots 5, and the pins 15 extend through these slots 16 and are movable therealong during swinging of the table top members 3. The thickness of the lateral projections 13 of the sleeves 10 is small enough to enable these sleeves to be accommodated in the space between the inner and outer walls of each hollow end wall assembly 1, while at the same time these inner and outer walls coact with the lateral projection 13 to prevent turning of the latter and the sleeve 10 about the' axis of the spindle 7.

Thus, by way of the pair of pins 15 fixed to the opposite ends of each table top member 3, the latter is operatively connected through a pin-and-slot connection with a pair of opposed sleeves 10. Swinging of a table top member 3 will therefore result in axial displacement of a pair of opposed sleeves 10 on a pair of opposed spindles 7 which are carried by the pair of hollow end wall assemblies 1. This axial shifting of the pair of sleeves 10 which are operatively connected in this way with a table top member 3 will result in turning of the spindles 7 which respectively extend through the sleeves, because of the threaded connection provided by way of cross-pins 11 and the helical slots 12, and thus when a table top member 3 is swung downwardly from its upper vertical position to its lower, operative, horizontal position, the spindles 7 operatively connected thereto necessarily swing in directions which will swing the pair of crankarms 8 connected thereto outwardly away from the frame means, to displace the roller assemblies 9 connected to the latter pair of arms 8 also outwardly, and thus provide in this way a support for the cart which is more stable in its operative position. During return swinging of each table top member 3 from its horizontal operative position to its vertical inoperative or rest position, the reverse operation automatically takes place and the arms 8 are swung back in toward the frame means to the position illustrated in EIG. 1 and in FIG. 3 for the upper right table top mem- By proper choice' of the pitch of the helical slots 12 it is possible to provide for the crank-arms 8 any desired angle of swinging in response to swinging movement of a table top member 3 between its rest and operative positions. In the illustrated example the arms 8 are swung through somewhat less than as is apparent from FIG. 3.

The lower table top members 4 are respectively provided with pins 17 corresponding to the pins 15 and extending through arcuate slots 18 formed in the inner wall portions of the hollow end wall assemblies 1, these slots 18 also extending along circles Whose centers are the common axis defined by the pair of coaxial pivots 6. Thus, the upper four pins 15 are respectively located over four lower pins 17.

Each pair of vertically aligned pins 15 and 17 are interconnected by an elongated push-pull bar 19 pivoted at its top end to a pin 15 and at its bottom end to a pin 17. In this way the lower table top members 4 are constrained to move with the upper table top members 3 in such a Way that each pair of vertically aligned upper and lower table top members are constrained to move in unison.

While the drawings described above show only the structure coacting with the front ends of the table top members, as viewed in FIG. 2, and shown within the hollow front end wall assembly 1 of FIG. 2, it is to be understood that an identical structure is located in the hollow rear end wall assembly 1 of FIG. 2 coacting in the same way with the rear ends of the

table top members

3 and 4.

The embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 8l0 difiers from FIGS. 17 only in connection with the construction of the connecting means between the roller arms 8 and the table top members 3, and more specifically in connection with the construction of the threaded connection between the axially shiftable sleeves and the spindles which extend therethrough. According to this embodiment the outer surface of the spindles 7 are provided with raised threads received in thread grooves formed at the inner surfaces of the surrounding sleeves 10. For this purpose the spindles 7 respectively have fixed thereto plastic inner sleeves 20 each provided at its outer surface with a pair of integral raised, relatively steep threads 21. These raised threads 21 extend into thread grooves 22 formed in the inner surfaces of the sleeves 10 which are also made of plastic. Thus, with this construction also the sleeves 10 are prevented from turning about the axes of the spindles 7, respectively, and in response to swinging movement of the table top members 3 the pin-and-

slot connections

15, 14 will change the elevation of the sleeves to act through the

threads

21, 22 in order to turn the spindles 7 about their axes and thus swing the roller arms 8. This particular embodiment has the advantage of providing a simpler manufacturing of the structure of the invention inasmuch as the threads are easily formed on die cast plastic components without any particular machining or the like required for this purpose. Moreover, the play in the threaded transmission is reduced, and the parts operate with a particularly small noise-level.

It is furthermore to be noted that in the structure shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 the push-pull bars 19 are received in slots formed in the lateral projections 13, the latter carrying screws or pins which extend through the upper openings of these push-pull bars 19. These bars are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the pins 17 which project from the ends of the lower table top members 4, as described above.

With the above-described structure of the invention the upper table top members 3 are directly coupled with the arms 8 by way of the sleeves 10 and the spindles 7. It will be noted that with this construction it is only the sleeves 10 which are required to move axially with respect to the spindles 7. It is of course also possible to connect the lower table top members 4 to the arms 8 in the same way through the spindles 7, and in such a case to provide a connection by way of the push-pull bars 19 from the lower table top members to the upper table top members, respectively. However, the structure described above and shown in the drawings is preferred inasmuch as when the table top members are swung the operator will in general directly engage the upper table top members and thus with the illustrated construction the push-pull bars 19 need not participate in the transmission of notion to the arms 8 which are respectively connected with the roller assemblies 9.

In order to prevent the upwardly swung table top members which are in their vertical inoperative positions from falling down as a result of gravitational forces, for example, it is possible to provide at suitable locations simple releasable locking or detent structures which can be released by hand for the purpose of lowering the table top members or which can be automatically overcome when the operator turns the table top members with a certain minimum force which is relatively small. The locking or detent structures are not illustrated in the drawings in order not to complicate the latter excessively.

It is to be noted that a particularly simple construction is provided with the invention at the region where the pins extend into the horizontal slots 14 of the lateral projections 13 in order to convert the swinging movement of the table top members 3 into axial displacement of the sleeves 10.

What is claimed is:

1. A serving cart comprising frame means, a pair of table top members swingably carried by said frame means for turning movement with respect thereto between an operative position where said members are in a common horizontal plane and a rest position where said members are respectively situated in vertical planes, four roller assemblies for rolling on the floor, a plurality of arms operatively connected to said roller assemblies and extending laterally therefrom to said frame means, and a pair of connecting means operatively connecting one pair of said arms to one of said table top members and the other pair of said arms to the other of said table top members, each of said connecting means being connected to one of said table top members and a pair of said arms for swinging said arms outwardly away from said frame means to displace the roller assemblies respectively connected to the latter pair of arms outwardly away from said frame means in response to movement of the table top member from its vertical rest position to its horizontal operative position, so that when a table top member is swung to its operative position the rollers will swing outwardly away from said frame means to provide the cart with greater stability.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said frame means has a pair of opposed relatively narrow end portions beyond which said table top members extend when they are in their horizontal operative positions, each connecting means including a pair of identical connecting assemblies respectively connected with a pair of said arms which are respectively situated at opposed ends of said frame means and to one said table top members for swinging said arms outwardly away from said frame means in response to movement of each table top member from its vertical to its horizontal position.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein the pair of connecting assemblies of each connecting means includes a pair of rotary spindles respectively carried by said end portions of said frame means and extending in a generally vertical direction, a pair of sleeves respectively surrounding said spindles and axially shiftable with respect thereto while being prevented from turning, and said connecting means including motion transmitting elements vertically displacing said sleeves in response to swinging of each table top member, each of said sleeves having a threaded connection with the spindle which it surrounds for turning the spindles and the arms connected thereto about the axes of said spindles in response to swinging each table top member.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said spindles are in the form of elongated tubes, said tubes being formed at the places where they extend through said sleeves with slots of helical configuration and said sleeves carrying pins which extend through said slots to provide the threaded connection between said sleeves and spindles.

5. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said spindles respectively have outer surface portions surrounded by inner surface portions of said sleeves, to provide at each sleeve an inner surface portion thereof surrounding an outer surface portion of said spindle, one of the latter surface portions being formed with a thread projecting therefrom and the other of said surface portions being formed with a groove having a configuration which matches that of and receives said thread, and the outer surface portion of said spindle being fixed thereto, so as to be incapable of rotating with respect thereto, whereby said threaded surface portions provide the threaded connection between said sleeves and spindles.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein each spindle has an outer surface portion from which said threads project, said sleeves being formed at their inner surfaces with said grooves which receive said threads, respectively.

7. The combination of claim 3 and wherein each sleeve has an elongated portion projecting laterally with respect to the spindle and formed with a slot, each top member having a pin received in said slot, so that through the latter pin and slot the table top is connected to the sleeve to form the connecting assembly therebetween which provides for vertical displacement of a sleeve in response to swinging of a table top member.

8. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said frame means include a hollow upright end wall, said connecting means including for each swingable table top member a pair of vertically extending spindles respectively situated in said hollow end walls for rotary movement therein, said spindles respectively having lower ends connected to ends of said arms which are respectively distant from a pair of said roller assemblies, and said connecting means including a pair of sleeves situated at least approximately at the elevation of a table top manner and through which said spindles respectively extend, said sleeves respectively being axially shiftable on said spindles and said hollow end walls coacting with said sleeves to prevent rotary movement thereof, a pair of transmission assemblies respectively connecting each table top member to a pair of sleeves for vertically displacing the latter in response to swinging movement of a table top member, and said connecting means including a threaded connection between said sleeves and spindles for turning said spindles about their axes in response to swinging of said table top members.

9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said pair of table top members are situated one next to the other when in their vertical rest positions and said pair of table top members having a common turning axis with respect to said frame means.

10. The combination of claim 8 and wherein a second pair of table top members are respectively carried by said frame means in vertical alignment with said first-mentioned pair of table top members, respectively, and linkage 10 means linking said second pair of table top members with said first-mentioned pair of table top members for swinging said second pair of table top members respectively in unison with said first-mentioned pair of table top members.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,201,519 3/1961 Germany.

10 LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT R. SONG, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 1081 15