GB2201720A

GB2201720A - Connection for table top

Info

Publication number: GB2201720A
Application number: GB08704147A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Medina
Original assignee: Caplan & Sons Ltd S
Current assignee: Caplan & Sons Ltd S
Priority date: 1987-02-23
Filing date: 1987-02-23
Publication date: 1988-09-07
Also published as: GB8704147D0

Abstract

A connector for connecting a table top to a table base, which connector comprises a support 2 adapted to be secured to one or other of a said table top and a said table base, said connector including a retractable pin 3, resiliently biased into an extended position for reception within an aperture provided in the other of a said table top and a said table base, means 4 being provided for moving said pin from a said extended position to a retracted position and means being provided for retaining said pin in said retracted position. Preferably the pin is notched and has a D-shaped cross-section for cooperating with a corresponding D-shaped aperture in the support, rotation of the pin causing the notch to engage with the support to retain the pin in a retracted position. <IMAGE>

Description

CONNECTOR FOR TABLE TOP This invention relates to a connector for connecting a table top to a table base. and to a table incorporating one or more such connectors.

Tn a conventional table. a table base, e.g. in the form of a pedestal has a horizontal rectangular plate secured lo an upper surface of the pedestal. The said rectangular plate is adapted to be received with a pair of pendant guide members located on an under surface of X table top. The opposed guide surfaces are apertured.

as is the rectangular plate, to receive a coach bolt for curing the table top to the said rectangular plate via lhe said guide rails. In certain circumstances two or more such coach bolts may be employed to secure the table top to the rectangular plate of the pedestal.

Although the arrangement described above can be dismantled, it is nonetheless a relatively permanent form of construction and one which does not lend itself lo simple dismantling of the table for transport purposes. The end result is that the tables tend to be cansported in a fully assembled condition which clearly increases the volume required for each table.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there i8 provided a connector for connecting a table top t.o-a table base, which connector comprises a support adapted to be secured to one or other of a said table top or a said table base. said connector including a retractable pin, resiliently biased into an extended position for reception within an aperture provided in the other of said table top and said table base, means being provided for moving said pin from a said position to a retracted position from a said extended position to d retracted position and means being provided for retaining said pin in said retracted position.

Preferably said means for retaining said pin in a retracted position includes a notch formed in the pin and a co-operating surface formed in the support of the connector for co-operating with said notch. Preferably the pin is of generally D-shaped cross-section and is adapted for sliding movement through an aperture in said support, which aperture is of a corresponding D-shape.

A notch formed in the pin enables the pin to be rotated relative to the D-shaped aperture in the support, thus to bring the respective D-shapes out of alignment and to cause retention of the pin. Two or more such notches may be provided on the pin so as to provide for a number of alternative locking positions: it is envisaged for ex v le that the pin may be locked not only in a rei icted position but also in an extended position, by providing notches along the length of the pin at appropriate intervals.

Ally suitable means may be provided for retracting the pin relative to the support. Preferably a handle is civeted or otherwise secured to a proximal end of the pin, the arrangement being such that the handle cannot rotate relative to the pin. The distal end of the pin may be arranged to be of a generally right cylindrical shape or may be provided with a "bullet nose" thereby to facilitate location of the pin within a said aperture provided for reception thereof.

An embodiment of the connector of the present invention will now be described. by way of example ony, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.l is a diagrammatic side elevation of an embodiment of a connector in accordance with < ; the present invention: Fig.2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a support of the connector of Fig.l; Fig.3 is a plan view of the support of Fig.2; Fig.4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the pin of the connector of Fig.l; Fig.4a is a cross-section along the line A-A ^ of Fig.4; Fig.5 shows the handle of the connector of Fig.l and Fig.6 shows a spring of the connector of Fig.l.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a connector 1 (Tomprising a housing and support 2. a pin 3, a handle 4, and a coil spring 5. The housing and support 2 comprises annular plate 6 apertured at 7 for receiving fixing screws. Arranged axially off the plate 6 is a tubular sleeve 8 adapted to act as a housing for pin 3.

End 9 of sleeve 8 includes a D-shaped aperture 10. Pin 3 includes a first portion 14 of generally D-shaped section (as shown in Fig.4a) and a distal portion 15 of generally circular cross-section. Formed in the D-section part of the pin are spaced notches 11 and 12.

The proximal end 14 of the pin also includes rivet means 13 whereby the handle may be secured thereto. The connector is assembled so that a spring 5 is retained the the housing between said apertured end 9 of the hoiting and support 2 and a shoulder 16 formed on pin 3, thus to bias pin 3 into a position where it extends (downwardly in the drawings) from the housing.

In use, a plurality of connectors as described above are mounted, preferably in opposed pairs, in support rails located beneath a table top. A plate provided on a table base, e.g. a pedestal. is provided with apertures, each for receiving the distal end of a pin of a said connector. To assemble a table top with a said table base the connectors of the present invention are first of all placed in a retracted position, that is to say with said distal ends 15 of said pins located substantially wholly within said support rails. and said table top is located on said table base.Thereafter the apertures in the plate of the table base are aligned with the pins of the connectors and the pins rotated by means of their associated handles so as to move the into extended positions in which they engage with said apertures and provide a secure connection between the table top and table base. Disconnection of the table top from the table base is a simple matter of reversing the above procedure.

It is to be appreciated that the connector of the present invention provides a very simple and convenient means for connoting a table top to a table base, an important feature of the connector being the ability to lock it at least La a retracted position.

The present invention includes not only the connector itself but also coiptises an article of furniture incorporating one or more connectors as defined above; in particular the invention includes a table in which a table top is releasably secured to a table base by means of one or mare connectors as defined above.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting a table top to a table base. which connector comprises a support adapted to be secured to one or other of a said table top and a said table base. said connector including a retractable pin, resiliently biased into an extended position for reception within an aperture provided in the other of a said table top and a said table base, means being provided for moving said pin from a said extended position to a retracted position and means being provided for retaining saidn in said retracted position.

2. A connector according to Claim 1. wherein said pin is of generally D-shaped cross-section and wherein said support has a corresponding generally D-shaped aperture.

said pin including a notch formed therein and the arrangement being such that relative rotation between the pin and the support can cause the notch to engage with the support so as to retain the pin in a said retracted position.

3. A connector according to Claim 2. wherein the pin includes a plurality of said notches formed therein, spaced along the length thereof. so as to provide for a plurality of alternative retracted positions.

4. A connector according to Claim 2 or 3. wherein the pin includes a notch whereby to engage together the pin and the support in an extended position.

5. A connector according to any preceding Claim.

wherein a handle is provided at a proximal end of the pin for retracting the pin relative to the support.

6. A connector according to any preceding Claim.

wherein a distal end of the pin is provided with a bullet-shaped nose to facilitate location of the pin within a said aperture therefor.

7. A connector for connecting a table top to a table base substantially as hereinbefore described. with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An article of furniture incorporting a connector as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.

9. A table comprising a table top and a table base, one of said table top and said table base being provided with a connector as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims and the other of said table top and said table base including an aperture for receiving a said retractable pin of said connector.

10. A table according to Claim 8. which includes a plurality of connectors as claimed in any one of the preceeding Claims1 and.a corresponding number of apertures for reception of the respective retractable pins thereof.

11. A table according to Claim 9. wherein said connectors are provided in opposed pairs.

12. The features hereinbefore disclosed. or their equivalents, in any novel selection.