AU598392B2

AU598392B2 - Tables with foldable support legs

Info

Publication number: AU598392B2
Application number: AU21008/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Tom Cutajar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-08-13
Filing date: 1987-08-13
Publication date: 1990-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2008-08-12
Also published as: AU2100888A

Description

PHILLIPS'ORMONDE AND FITZPATRICK SPatent and Trade Mark Attorneys e 367 Collins Street Melbourne, Australia a7 a P17/2/83 K.

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act S9 2 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Ciss Application Number: Lodged: 04 1 4 4 I, 4 444 4444 .444 44ff 4 4C Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted.

Published: Priority Related Art: APPLICANT'S REF.: Complete-after-Provisional of PI 3709/87 Name(s) of Applicant(s): TOM CUTAJAR Address(es) of Applicant(s): 767 Mt. Alexander Road Moonee Ponds Victoria, 3039 Australia Actual Inventor(s): Tom Cutajar O 1 Address for Service PHILLIPS, ORMONDE AND FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne, Australia, 3000 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "TABLES WITH FOLDABLE SUPPORT LEGS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): P19/3/84 L=7I :2_1 rIF1I LLtro Yik. i NI J- L I Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys S367 Collins Street o ,Melbourne, Australia a Tehe invention relates in general to furniture, and in particglar to a table with one or more foldable support legs, as well as to a device for locking the table legs in at least one predetermined po.stion. The invention is applicable to trestle type tables, and it will be convenient to hereinafter disclose the invention in relation to that exemplary application. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to tnat application.

Various arrangements have been proposed to more securely hold folding legs of trestle type tables in an unfolded (and folded) position thus providing a stable support for an item placed on the table. Many of these arrangements require manipulation of complicated support mechanisms for locking the legs in position. As well as making it more difficult to fold and unfold the legs of the trestle tables, complicated support mechanisms and locking devices add considerably to the production cost of the table.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple locking device for support legs of tables which is relatively easy to operate and yet can securely holl the table legs in at least one predetermined position. It is another object of the invention to provide a table having one or more foldable support legs with a simple and easy to operate device for locking the legs in at least one predetermined position.

With these objects in mind, the present invention provides in one aspect a locking device for a table having a table top and at least one support leg connected to the table top for pivoted movement between folded and unfolded positions, the locking device including an elongate strut extending between the support leg and the table top and constructed for pivotal mounting at one end to the suport leg and at the other end to the table top, the elongate strut having a plurality of relatively telescoping sections, each strut section being releasably coupled to an adjacent strut section by a respective coupling means, the or each coupling means including a catch member mounted on one section and a corresponding detent means on the adjacent section wherein, upon pivotal movement of the support leg, the elongate strut is releasably locked at preselected extensions of the sections to securely hold the support leg in at least one predetermined -2-

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position.

The or each catch member of the locking device preferably includes at least one lug extending from a wall of the one section, the corresponding detent means including at least one associated opening extending through a wall of the adjacent section, the lug(s) being adapted to engage the associated opening(s) to lock the sections of the elongated strut at the preselected extension. The or each lug is preferably resiliently biased outwardly from the wall of the one section and is disengaged from the associated opening by inward displacement of the lug.

In a preferred arrangement, the or each catch member includes two aligned opposing lugs extending in opposite directions from the wall of the one section, a resilient means arranged between the two lugs to provide their resilient bias.

The or each resilient means may preferably comprise a "U" shaped spring component, each arm of the spring supporting and biasing one of the opposing lugs. A plurality of openings are provided along the or each adjacent section to allow the elongated strut to be releasably locked at a plurality of preselected extensions of the sections.

The present invention also provides a table having a table top and at least one support leg connected to the table top for pivoted movement between folded and unfolded positions, and a locking device as described above.

The following description refers in more detail to the various features of the locking device and table of the present invention. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made in the description to the accompanying drawings where the locking device and table is illustrated in a preferred embodiment. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of an example table having foldable support legs incorporating the locking device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the table of Figure 1 showing the support leg in its unfolded position and in an intermediate position; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the coupling means of -3the locking device.

Figure 1 shows a table 1 having a table top 2 and at least one support leg 3 connected to the table top 2 for pivotal movement between folded and unfolded positions. The locking device 4 includes an elongated strut 5 extending between the support leg 3 and the table top 2 which is pivotally mounted at one end to the support leg 3 and at the other end to the table top 2. The elongated strut 5 has a plurality of relatively telescoping sections, each section being releasably coupled to an adjacent section by a coupling means, the coupling means 6 including a catch member mounted on one section and a corresponding detent means on the adjacent section. Upon pivotal movement of the support leg the elongated strut 5 may be releasably locked at preselected extensions of the sections to securely hold the support leg in at least one predetermined position.

In a preferred arrangement, the elongated strut is constructed of two tubular members 8 and 9 as best shown in Figure 3. Tubular member 8 is slidably supported within the tubular member 9. It is to be appreciated that the strut ould be constructed from a greater number of tubular members.

Furthermore, members of non-circular cross section may be used.

Preferably the catch member of the coupling means 6 includes at least one lug 7 extending outwardly from the surface of the inner tubular member 8. The corresponding detent means of the coupling means 6 preferably includes at least one opening 10 extending through the wall of the outer tubular member 9, the opening 10 being sized and positioned to accommodate the lug 7. It is to be appreciated that the lug(s) 7 may alternatively be supported on the outer tubular member 9 and the opening(s) 10 located on the inner tubular member 8.

The lug 7 is preferably biased outwards to allow it to engage the opening J10 when the strut 5 is extended to the extension(s) corresponding to the predetermined position(s) of the support leg 3. The predetermined positions may preferably include the folded and unfolded positions of the support legs 3 as well as any intermediate positions as shown in Figure 2.

The lug 7 is preferably resiliently biased so that it may be disengaged from the opening 10 by being displaced inwards. This also allows for relative movement between the tubular members 8 and 9 when the lug 7 is disengaged from the opening 10 as the lug 7 is retained in its inward position by the wall of the outer tubular member 9.

The outer tubular member 9 may include a plurality of openings 10 to allow the lug(s) 7 to be engaged when the strut 5 is an extension(s) corresponding to the predetermined position(s) of the support leg 3. It is also envisaged that the strut 5 may be held at the predetermined extension(s) by a plurality of lugs 7 on the inner tubular member 8 engaging at least one opening 10 on the outer tubular member 9.

In a preferred arrangement, two aligned opposing lugs 7 are provided, extending in opposite directions from the surface of the inner tubular member 8 as shown in Figure 3. The resilient means is preferably provided between the two lugs 7. This resilient means may preferably comprise a coil spring or alternatively a shaped spring component 11 as shown in Figure 3, each arm of the spring supporting one of the lugs 7. Other forms of resilient means are also envisaged. The detent means preferably comprises at least one pair of corresponding openings 10 in the surface of the outer tubular member 9 which are engaged by the pair of lugs 7 when the strut 5 is at the predetermined extension(s).

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Claims

1. A locking device for a table having a table top and at least one support leg connected to the table top for pivoted movement between folded and unfolded positions, the locking device including an elongate strut extending between the support leg and the table top and constructed for pivotal mounting at one end to the support leg and at the other end to the table top, the elongate strut having a plurality of relatively telescoping sections, each strut section being releasably coupled to an adjacent strut section by a respective coupling means, the or each coupling means including a catch member mounted on one section and a corresponding detent means on the adjacent section wherein, upon pivotal movement of the support leg, the elongate strut is releasably locked at preselected extensions of the sections to securely hold the support leg in at least one predetermined position.

2. A locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each catch member includes at least one lug extending from a wall of the one section, the corresponding detent means including at least one associated opening extending through a wall of the adjacent section, the lug(s) being adapted to engage the associated opening(s) to lock the sections of the elongated strut at the preselected extension.

3. A locking device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the or each lug is resiliently biased outwardly from the wall of the one section and is disengaged from the associated opening by inward displacement of the lug.

4. A locking device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the or each catch member includes two aligned opposing lugs extending in opposite directions from the wall of the one section, a resilient means arranged between the two lugs to provide their resilient bias.

A locking device as claimed 4n claim 4, wherein the or each resilient means comprises a shaped spring component, each arm of the spring suporting and biasing one of the opposing lugs.

6. A locking device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein a plurality of openings are provided along the or each adjacent section to allow the elongated herein p in the a support between as claim describe drawings p. ,gR o W 0 'Il 00. #3 #3 #34 p i 4. 0#3 DATED: PHILIPS Attorney, TOM CUTA, f v~~~fj #34 #3 ir i strut to be releasably locked at a plurality of preselected extensions of the sections.

7. A locking device for a table substantially as herein particularly described with respect to what is shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. A table having a table top and at least one support leg connected to the table top for pivoted movement between folded and unfolded positions, and a locking device as claimed in any preceding claim.

9. A table substantially as herein particularly described with respect to what is shown in the accompanying drawings. d DATED: 11 August 1988 PHILIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK S Attorneys for: a. TOM CUTAJAR o *7 0 a 9 0 P- o B -7- t_