GB2044604A - Leg made of plastics material for items of furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

The leg 1 is shown in its stowed position, but may be rotated through 90 DEG in a clockwise direction to bring it into its correct supporting position (Fig. 2). The leg consists of an open box-shaped element 2 attached to the body 4 of an item of furniture to be supported. Opposite side walls 211 of the element 2 are formed with right angled slots 22, 23 and latching recesses 27, 26 to respectively receive pins 33 and 32 formed on a leg member 3, in the stowed and supporting positions, respectively. The head of leg member 3 is formed with a frusto-conical boss 31 which, in the stowed position (as shown) is insertable into a corresponding-shaped aperture 215 in a further side wall of the element 2 and, in the supporting position is insertable in an aperture 216 in that wall of the element 2 which faces the body 4. An extension piece 36 may be used to extend the length of the leg. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Leg made of plastics material for items of furniture The invention relates to a leg made of plastics material for items of furniture and adapted to adjust the height of furniture bodies on standing surfaces, which leg consists of a holderto be secured to the furniture body and of a leg member associated with the holder.

German Patent(PatentApplication P 2839709.3 discloses a leg for items of furniture that can be firmly but releasably connected to the lower parts of furniture. In this case, the leg holder is fitted below the body in the furniture factory, and merely serves to help slide the furniture during transportation and storage. The leg member itself is fitted in the central opening in the leg holder only when final assembly takes place, and it is secured in said opening by means of locking elements.

This divided leg is completely serviceable in practice. However, for certain applications, the two-part arrangement is disadvantageous, and the present invention seeks to provide a virtually one-piece furniture leg that may be fitted in its complete form below the body of the furniture during its assembly in the factory, but is able to take a special form for transportion purposes, so that damage due, for example, to the leg pulling away cannot occur, and the leg, in its form fortransportion, may also serve as a slide element for assisting movement of the furniture.

According to the invention, there is provided a leg made of plastics materials for items of furniture and adapted to adjust the height of furniture bodies on standing surfaces, which leg comprises a holder to be secured to an item of furniture to be supported, a leg member associated with the holder the leg hol derhaving, on that of its outer faces remote from the body of the furniture, a box-like receiving means which is open downwardly and inwardly at two sides and which has, in each of its two oppositely disposed side walls a pair of displacement slots extending in different directions and interconnecting at a bisecting point and latching recesses formed at the edge of the side walls, these slots and latching recesses being designed to receive guide pins and latching bosses respectively, arranged on the outer periphery of the leg member, and wherein openings forthe reciprocal engagement of a tapered boss integrally formed with one end-face of the leg member are arranged in two walls of said box-like receiving means disposed at right angles to each other.

The displacement slots are advantageously formed in the walls at right angles to each other, and at least one of the two slots is expediently extended beyond the point of intersection.

It has proved advantageous if the opening in that wall of the leg holder that is presented to the furniture body tapers outwardly and, at the outer periphery, has a cylindrical boss forming an insertable peg. The depth of this boss may be such as to correspond to further peg elements projecting from this same wall.

The box-like receiving means advantageously has, on the three outer walls extending in the same direction, locking recesses for correspondingly shaped locking elements on additional body-carrying parts.

These body-carrying parts may extend for example below the adjacent body and may fix the level of this body to correspond with the body on which the leg is arranged. The locking recesses in the boss-like receiving means and the corresponding locking elements in the additional body-carrying parts may be of dovetail shape for mutual engagement.

Furthermore, the walls of the leg member may have openings for receiving and securing additional parts. Such additional parts may be bracket-like structures which in turn may serve to secure gapcovering elements, for example.

Expediently, extension pieces can be slid into the leg member, which pieces in turn can be held by the fixing means extending into the receiving openings, e.g. by the above-mentioned bracket-like structures.

These fixing means can thus also serve to secure extension pieces of the leg member and for accommodating gap-covering elements etc. Finally, arranged the free end of the leg member (or extension piece, if fitted), is a setting element which may consist of a set screw, by means of which fine adjustments, for example, are possible.

In order that the invention may be better understood, two embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the assembled leg in the position for transportation; Figure 2 is a view showing the leg of Figure 1 in the final position; Figure 3 is a view of a retaining bracket with means for securing gap-covering elements and the like; Figure 4 is a view showing a leg having a shortened leg part and an additional body carrying part; and Figure 5 is a section along the line A-A of Figure 4.

The leg 1 for an item of furniture illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a leg holder2 and a leg member 3.

The holder 2 has on that of its outer faces remote from the furniture body 4, a box-like receiving means 21, which has, in two oppositely disposed walls 211 and 212, displacement slots 22 and 23 respectively, which are advantageously disposed at right angles to each other, as shown. The displacement slots 22 and 23 are interconnected at a point of intersection 24, and the slot 23 is prolonged beyond this point 24 as an extension 25.

The box-like receiving means has, in its walls 213 and 214, openings 215 and 216 respectively for the reciprocal engagement of a tapered boss 31 integrally formed with the end face of the leg member 3.

The box-like receiving means 21 has at its edges latching recesses 26 and 27 in which can be engaged in turn latching bosses 32 disposed at the outer periphery of the leg member 3. Guide pins 33, formed integrally with the outer periphery of the leg member 3 are engageable in the displacement slots 22 and 23 of the box-like receiving means. In the construction illustrated, the leg member 3 consists of a tube-like structure, in which are formed openings for receiving a fixing means 7. If the leg member 3 is made of a rectangular tube, the openings 34 can be formed in all four side faces of the leg member.

The fixing means 7 may take the form of a bracket as illustrated in Figure 3. The illustrated bracket is a U-shaped structure having pin-like bosses 71, 72 and 73 which are formed on the inner faces and which, in the operative position, engage in the openings 34 in the leg member and, when passed through these openings 34, secure, for example, an extension piece 36 inserted in a central opening 35 in the leg member 3. In addition, socket-covering elements or similar elements (not shown) can be secured to the outer latching elements 74 and 75 of the bracket 7.

In Figure 2, the assembled leg 1 is shown in its final position. Compared with the Figure 1 position, the leg in Figure 2 is turned through 90 . In this position, the leg member 3 is moved from the rest position into the end position by displacing the guide pins 33 in the slots 22 and 23 through 90 . The tapered boss 31 on the leg part 3 now engages in the tapered opening 216 in that outer face 214 of the leg holder 2 that is presented to the body 4 of the furniture being supported. At the same time, the latching bosses 32 are withdrawn, by the application of pressure, from the latching recesses 27 of the box-like receiving means 21, and afterthe leg member 3 has been swung through 90" the bosses 32 are pressed into the latching recesses 26.These latching connections, in conjunction with the engagement of the tapered boss 31 in the tapered opening 216, have the effect of providing twist-free retention of the leg member 3 in the box-like receiving means 21 of the leg holder 2. In the arrangement illustrated, the bracket-like fixing means 7 is inserted in the first opening 34 in the leg member 3; in other words, the extension piece 36 is drawn out from the leg member3 over the major part of its length. The extension piece 36 may be shorter or longer than illustrated.

Figure 4 illustrates an arrangement similar to that of Figure 2 but with a shortened extension piece 36.

Shown in the right hand side of the drawing is an additional body-carrying member 6, which is engaged along the line A-A of Figure 4 as shown in the sectional drawing of Figure 5. The sectional drawing of Figure 5 shows the latching recess 5 formed in the outer wall 211, the latching elements 61, provided on the body-carrying member 6, engaging in this recess.

The latching recess 5 and the latching elements 61 form a dovetail-like engagement arrangement which may extend over the entire length or only over a portion of the outer wall 211. Corresponding latching recesses 5 can be formed in the other outer walls 212 and 213, so that the additional body-carrying mem bers can be fitted on these outer walls if required.

The operations involving the leg 1 described above will now be briefly described: In the furniture factory, the leg holder 2 with the associated leg member 3 is applied to the furniture body 4 by way of the boss 28, formed as a pin, and the additional pin elements 29 projecting from the outer face 214. The leg member 3 is so arranged in the box-like receiving means 21 that the tapered boss 31 projects through the opening 215 into the outer wall 213. The guide pins 33 are located atthe outer end of the slot 22. The latching bosses 32 are fitted into the latching recesses 27. The adjusting element 8 is of such dimensions that, in this position, it bears on the base of the furniture body 4 by way of one of its outer faces. This is the position in which the leg is transported.If necessary, the length of the leg member 3 can be varied in this situation with or withoutthe help of an extension piece 36.

At the place of, and during, final assembly the latching connection of the bosses 32 in the recesses 27 is released by applying pressure to the tapered boss 31. When this happens, the guide pins 33 move in the slots 22 as far as the point of intersection 24.

Thereafter the leg 3, together with the extension part 36, begins to tilt, and the guide pins 33 are deflected slightly into the extensions 25 of the slots 23 until the tapered boss 33 has slid out of the opening 215 and the tilting operation can be terminated.

In the end position shown in Figure 2, the guide pins 33 are disposed at the end of the slots 23, and the projections 32 are latched into the recesses 26. In this position, the tapered boss 31 has penetrated into the tapered opening 216 in the leg holder and from this position provides a solid twist-free seating.

The depth of engagement of the extension 36 can be regulated by way of the bracket-like fixing means 7, the extension 36 being pushed into the leg member 3 until the required height is reached.

Thereafter, the connection between the openings 34 in the leg member3 and the openings 37 in the extension 36 is established by way of the bracket-like connecting means 7 and its fixing pins 71,72 and 73.

Fine adjustment of height can be carried out by means of a screw-threaded adjusting element 8 at the end of the extension 36. As a rule, the extension 36 will only be required in such cases where an additional coarse adjustment of height is necessary and cannot be achieved by means of the adjusting element 8.

The adjusting element 8 can consequently also be provided directly on the leg member 3.

There has been described a furniture leg which may be brought into its final position with minimum effort at the place where final assembly is carried out.

The advantages of the furniture leg described above are that the leg can be fitted complete below the body of the furniture in the furniture factory, without the risk of any appreciable damage occurring during transportation if the furniture shifts because of the application of force, for example.

During final assembly, the leg member is then turned by displacing the guide pins through 90 in the slots within the box-like receiving means, and by firmly latching the leg member in this position.

These displacement and latching operations represend the only movements necessary for finally setting up the furniture.

Claims (11)

1. A leg made of plastics material for items of furniture and adapted to adjust the height of furniture bodies on standing surfaces, which leg comprises a holder to be secured to an item of furniture to be supported, a leg member associated with the holder the leg holder having, on that of its outer faces remote from the body of the furniture, a boxlike receiving means which is open downwardly and inwardly at two sides and which has, in each of its two oppositely disposed side walls a pair of displacement slots extending in different directions and interconnecting art a bisecting point and latching recesses formed at the edge of the side walls, these slots and latching recesses being designed to receive guide pins and latching bosses respectively, arranged on the outer periphery of the leg member, and wherein openings for the reciprocal engagement of a tapered boss integrally formed with one end face of the leg member are arranged in two walls of said box-like receiving means disposed at right angles to each other.

2. A leg according to claim 1 wherein the displacement slots are formed at right angles to each other.

3. A leg according to either one of claims 1 or 2 wherein at least one of the displacement slots is extended beyond the point of intersection to form an extension.

4. A leg according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one of said openings is formed in that wall of the leg holder that is presented to the body of the furniture, this opening tapering outwardly, and at its outer periphery, having a cylindrical boss forming an insertion pin.

5. A leg according to claim 4 wherein the boss corresponds as regards its vertical dimensions to further pin elements projecting from that wall of the leg holder that is presented to the body of the furniture.

6. A leg according to claim 1 wherein the box-like receiving means has, on its three outer walls extending in the same direction, latching recesses for complementarily shaped latching elements on additional holders.

7. A leg according to claim 6 wherein the latching recesses and the latching elements are of dovetail shape.

8. A leg according to claim 1 the leg member has, in its walls, openings for receiving and securing additional parts.

9. A leg according to claim 8 further including an extension piece having openings which can be inserted into a central opening of the leg member which extension piece may be secured by fixing means engaging in said openings in the walls of the leg member.

10. A leg according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an adjusting element is arranged at the free end of the leg member or extension piece, if fitted.

11. A leg made of plastics material for items of furniture, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.