GB2100121A

GB2100121A - Means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2100121A
Application number: GB8202824A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MIDLAND REPETITION CO Ltd
Current assignee: MIDLAND REPETITION CO Ltd
Priority date: 1981-05-11
Filing date: 1982-02-01
Publication date: 1982-12-22
Also published as: GB2100121B

Abstract

Means for aligning and linking together articles such as table tops includes alignment means comprising a pair of spaced tubes 2 which project from one article 1 and a pair of similarly spaced location tubes 14 on another article 13. The location tubes receive the projecting tubes 2 and carry releasable latch members which engage pins 5 on the tubes 2 to link the articles together. The projecting tubes 2 are pivotally mounted so that they can be pivoted into a position wholly inboard of an edge of the associated article 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture The invention relates to means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture.

Where a long table is required it is often convenient to place a number of smaller tables side-by-side or end-to-end to form a row and an object of the invention is to provide means which will enable articles such as tables to be linked together.

According to the invention there is provided means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture including alignment means comprising a projectin to be mounted on one article and location means for the projection to be mounted on another article, and releasable latching means including a latching member to be mounted on one of the articles and a co-operable element to be mounted on the other article so that when the projection is located by the location means the latching member engages the element so as to link the articles together.

Such an arrangement enables articles such as tables to be aligned end-to-end and linked together so that they will not move apart.

Preferably, the projection is pivotable from an operative position, in which it projects in use beyond an edge article, to an inoperative position in which it lies inboard of the edge.

By providing a pivotable projection an article such as a table can be used independently without the projection protruding beyond the edge of the table.

Stop means may be provided for controlling the amount of pivotal movement of the projection so that the projection can be located positively in its operative position simply by turning it unitl it comes up against the stop means.

In order to provide a convenient means of attachment to the article, the projection may be pivotally connected to a plate or other carrying member which can be attached to the article by screws or other fasteners.

The location means may be a tube in which the projection locates. Conveniently, the latch member may be carried by the location means and may engage a pin onthe projection to effect latching. A releasing handle may be provided on the latch member to enable it to be released from the pin when the linked articles are to be separated.

The location means may be carried by a plate or other carrying means which can be attached to said other article by screws or other fasteners.

In one embodiment, two projections carried by a plate or other carrying means may be provided, and two location means in the form of tubes may also be carried by a plate or other carrying means, the plates in use being attached to the respective articles and two latch members being provided on the location tubes for location with pins on the projections for linking the articles together when the projections are located in the tubes, the latch members being releasable simultaneously by means of a common latch release member extending between them.

The inventin will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through two table tops illustrating means for aligning and linking in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the table tops shown in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a cross section similar to Fig. 1 and showing the table tops linked together.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and illustrating an alternative means for aligning and linking table tops in accordance with the invention, and Figure 5 is an underneath plan view of the table tops shown in Fig. 4 shown partly broken away.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a table top 1 is provided with two square cross section members such as tubes 2. Each tube 2 is mounted for pivoting on a screw 3 which is screwed into an insert 4 embedded in the table top. A spacer washer 4a is disposed between the underside of the table top 1 and the tube 2.

Each tube has a pin 5 extending inwardly from one side as shown clearly in Fig. 2. Two stop plates 6 are mounted on the table top adjacent the tubes 2. Each plate has two sides 7, 8 at right angles to each other. The tubes 2 engage sides 7 when in operative positions whon in full lines in Fig. 2 to ensure that the tubes lie parallel with each other at right angles to an edge 9 of the table top. However, the tubes may be pivoted from the full line positions to inoperative positions shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 so that the tubes engage sides 8 and lie wholly beneath the table top 1 inboard of edge 9. The tubes 2 are provided with tapered inserts 1 2 at their right hand ends as viewed in the drawings.

A second table top 1 3 is provided with two square cross section members such as tubes 1 4. The tubes are spaced identically to the tubes 2 on table top 1 and are each screwed to the table top 1 3 by a pair of screws 1 5 engageable with inserts 1 6. A pivot bar 1 7 extends with working clearance through aligned apertures in the tubes 14 and is provided with a handle 1 8 at each end. Two latching members 1 9 are secured to the pivot bar 1 7 and pivotal movement of either handle 1 8 will lift both latching members simultaneously. Each latching member has an oblique front edge 20 terminating at a recess 22.

In use, the two table tops are linked together by inserting the tubes 2 into the tubes 1 4 (the tubes 2, 1 4 constituting the aforesaid alignment means) so that the front edges 20 of the latching members ride up the pins 5.

The pins 5 locate in the recesses 22 substantially as the edge 9 of the table top 1 abuts an adjacent edge 23 of table top 1 3 as shown in Fig. 3. The weight of the handles 18 and the latch members 1 9 urge the latch members normally anticlockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 and 3. To release the table tops, the latching members are pivoted clockwise by means of either handle 1 8 until the recesses 22 are clear of the pins 5. The table tops can then be separated by withdrawing tubes 2 from tubes 14. The spacer washers 4a ensure that the tubes 2 align vertically with tubes 14.

Where it is desired to use the table top 1 alone, the tubes 2 can be pivoted into the Fig.

2 broken line position so as not to project from the table top. Preferably the latching members 1 9 do not project beyond edge 23 of table top 13.

The screws 3 may be locked in position by locking means such as a nylon layer applied to the screw threads. The layer will prevent the crew turning during rotation of the tubes 2.

Reference is now made to Figs. 4 and 5 in which parts corresponding to parts in Figs. 1 to 3 carry the same reference number with the suffix a. The arrangement shown in Figs.

4 and 5 is similar in many respects to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and only the differences will be explained in detail.

The two tubes 2a having pins 5a are pivotally connected to a metal plate 30 which is formed with apertures 31 for receiving fixing screws or bolts 32. The screws or bolts 32 screw into the table top 1 a. The pivot for each tube 2a comprises a bolt 33 which projects downwardly from and which is welded to the plate 30. The bolt passes through a spacer 34 and through apertures in the tube 2a. A self locking nut 35 is applied to the lower end of the bolt 33 to hold the tube 2a in position.

Two stop plates 6a are welded to the plate 30 and locate in right angled cut-outs 36 formed in the spacers 34. The stop plates have sides 7a, 8a at right angles to each other for engagement with tubes 2a when the latter occupy their operative and inoperative positions respectively. The tubes 2a have tapered inserts 1 2a at their right hand ends.

A further metal plate 37 is attached to the table top 1 3a by screws or bolts 38 in the same way as plate 30. The plate 37 carries two tubes 1 4a which receive the projections 2a. The tubes 14a carry a pivot bar 1 7a having handles 1 8a. Two latching members 1 9a are welded to the bar 1 7a. The operation of the alignment and latching means of Figs.

4 and 5 is the same as that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. As in Figs. 1 to 3 the latching members 1 9a do not project beyond edge 23a of table top 1 3a.

The arrangement in Figs. 4 and 5 is particularly advantageous as the plates 30, 37 and components thereon can be attached as complete units to the table tops by simple fasteners. The plates can easily be fixed to existing tables without having to use special inserts and the tubes 2a, 1 4a can be spaced accurately on their respective plates during manufacture of the units. The plates 30, 37 may be replaced by other carrying means such as metal strips or bars.

The tapered inserts 1 2, 1 2a assist in locating the tubes 2, 2a in tubes 14, 1 4a. However, the same effect can be achieved by tapering the tubes 2, 2a or splaying tubes 14, 14a.

Preferably, the table top 1 or 1 a has tubes 14 or 1 4a adjacent an opposite edge and the table top 13 or 1 3a also has tubes 2 or 2a adjacent an opposite edge. In that way, numerous similar tables can be linked together to form a row.

Although specific reference has been made to tubes 2, 14 and 2a, 1 4a the tubes 2 and 2a may be replaced by solid bars which locate in sockets or recesses defined by means other than tubes 14, 14a.

It will be appreciated that the positioning of the tubes 2, 14 and 2a, 14a is preferably such as to align the tables so that side edges E thereof lie substantially in a common plane.

Claims

1. Means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture including alignment means comprising a projection to be mounted on one article and location means for the projection to be mounted on another article, and releasable latching means including a latching member to be mounted on one of the articles and a co-operable element to be mounted on the other article so that when the projection is located by the location means the latching member engages the element so as to link the articles together.

2. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 1 in which the projection is pivotable from an operative position, in which it projects in use beyond an edge of the article, to an inoperative position in which it has inboard of the edge.

3. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 2 in which stop means is provided for controlling the amount of pivotal movement of the projection.

4. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 3 in which the stop means comprises a single stop plate having a first surface engageable with the projection when the projection occupies its operative position and a second surface at right angles to the first surface, which second surface engages the projection when the projection occupies its inoperative position.

5. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the projection carries a pin defining said element engageable with the latch member.

6. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the projection is an elongate tube.

7. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the projection is pivotally connected to a plate or other carrying member to be attached to the said one article.

8. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 7 when appendant to. claim 3 or 4 in which the projection is spaced from the plate by a spacer on the plate having a recess therein in which the stop means is located.

9. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the location means is a tube in which the projection locates.

10. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the latch member is pivotally mounted on the location means.

11. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the latch member has a releasing handle to enable the latch member to be disengaged from the co-operable element.

12. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to any preceding claim in which the location means is carried by a plate or other carrying member to be attached to said other article.

1 3. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 7 which the plate or other carrying member carries two spaced apart projections which are pivotable in opposite directions from their operative to their inoperative positions and two spaced apart location means are provided on the other article.

14. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 1 3 in which the projections are parallel in their operative positions.

1 5. Means for aligning and linking together articles according to claim 1 3 or 1 4 in which said two location means are in the form of tubes for receiving the projections and are carried by a plate or other carrying member to be attached to said other article, two latch members being provided for engagement with pins on the projections in linking the articles together, and the latch members being releasable simulaneously by means of a common latch release member extending between them.

1 6. A plurality of articles to be aligned and linked together by means according to any preceding claim, a first article having a projection adjacent an edge thereof locatable by location means adjacent an edge of a second article and having location means adjacent another edge for locating a projection adjacent an edge of a third article, and at least two latch members and co-operative elements for linking together the first, second and third articles.

1 7. A plurality of articles according to claim 1 6 in which the latch members are provided on the first and second articles.

1 8. Means for aligning and linking together articles such as furniture substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 or Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.