GB2247612A - Table convertible to a trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A table has one or more table surfaces (10, 12) and at least one wheel (28) mounted to a frame (1). The table has two modes; a table mode in which the table surfaces are fixed in a horizontal position, and a trolley mode in which at least an upper table surface (10) having been pivoted from the horizontal position to a collapsed position, forms a trolley back. When in a trolley mode, the table may be loaded as a trolley and wheeled easily over rough ground. In the table mode a steady table with possibly the wheel or wheels off the ground is provided. A handle (24) may be provided to assist the user in lifting the upper table surface (10) to disengage a member (19) from a notch at the end of a slide (22) and then lower the upper table surface to the collapsed position. <IMAGE>

Description

TABLE This invention relates to a table.

Often equipment requiring to be mounted on a table must be moved from one location to another. Indoors on flat floor this is generally not a problem since there exist many types of tables with wheels or casters permitting them to be pushed along on flat, even surfaces. Moving a table over uneven ground or steps is, however, more difficult.

An example of where this might occur could be where monitoring equipment is moved from a vehicle at ground level to an upstairs location; in such situations it has been convenient to use a trolley, if available or to carry the equipment by hand.

According to this invention, there is provided a table convertible to a trolley having a frame with at least a first table surface mounted to the frame and at least one wheel mounted to the frame for contact with the ground and for wheeling the table when in a trolley mode, the or each table surface being fixable in a horizontal position in a table mode and at least the first table surface being pivotal from the horizontal position to a collapsed position in the trolley mode where it forms a trolley back.

The table of this invention has the advantage of providing a steady table at a monitoring site while being able to move easily over rcugh ground after its conversion to a trolley mode.

One embodiment of this invention has in the table mode two horizontal table surfaces, the upper one of which is attached to the frame in such a way that it can be pivoted down to an essentially vertical position when the table is required to be in the trolley mode, the upper table surface becoming a back-rest and the lower table surface becoming a load-supporting rack. In a free standing position it can now be loaded. Two wheels, which are attached to the back of the frame at a height at which they are not in contact with the ground when the frame is perpendicular to the ground, can be caused to engage the ground by inclining the frame backwards by use of a handle; the trolley can then be pushed or pulled along uneven ground or steps providing the frame remains sufficiently inclined. The trolley can be rested in a free standing position in for example a lift.

Another embodiment of this invention has wheels engaging the ground attached to each of the legs. This embodiment of the invention could then serve to be more easily wheeled if it were required to be moved short distances while in a table mode.

In a further embodiment of the invention the frame is collapsible, all the support parts of the frame being fixed to the table surface parts only by pivotal joints in such a way that the frame would be foldable by means of a scissor action to a flat position for storage when not in use.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table according to the invention, in a table mode; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the table of Fig. 1, in a trolley mode; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the table of Fig. 1, in a trolley mode; Figure 4 is a detail of the table of Fig. 1, showing a slide rail; Figure 5 is another embodiment of a slide rail; Figure 6 is a detail of the table of Fig. 1, showing in cross-section a mechanism for securing the table in a table mode.

In Figure 1 a surface 10 forms an upper table surface while a surface 12 forms a lower table surface. The surfaces 10 and 12 are supported by a frame 1 comprising legs 14 and 16 and supports 20. These legs are preferably held rigid by gusset-plates 30 and crossbar 13, the legs extending upwards to supports 18 and 20 respectively on which are mounted slide rails 22. Support stays 18 are attached pivotally to legs 14 by joints 15 and to slide rails 22 by sliding joints 19, joints 15 and 19 being secured by means of lock-nuts or the like. Slide rails 22 are connected to frame 1 via pivotal joints 21. Lock-nuts 15a and 19a, shown in Figure 6, and which will be described later clamp the stays in a required position.

To convert the device from this table mode to a trolley mode the lock-nuts securing joints 15 and 19 are unscrewed. Any load on the upper table surface 10'must be temporarily removed. Handle 24, which is now free to pivot about the axis of joints 19, is raised so that the upper table surface is lifted slightly to disengage the joints 19 from the notches 23 (shown in Figures 2 and 4).

The sliding joints 19 are then caused to move along the slide tracks 25 between the slide rails 22 by means of handle 24 support stays 18 then pivot about joints 15 in direction A while the slide rails, together with the upper surface 10 to which the slide rails are attached, pivot about joints 21 in direction B. When the support stays 18 and slide rails 22 are in the positions shown in Figure 2, the handle 24 is released and the lock-nuts controlling joints 15 and 19 are tightened so as to resecure these joints and the handle.

In Figure 2 surface 10 forms the back-rest of the trolley, surface 12 then forms the load supporting rack and support stays 18 become side stays. When the trolley is inclined sufficiently by means of handle 26, the wheels 28 which are raised off the ground when supports 20 are vertical, engage the ground thus allowing the trolley to be pushed or pulled along.

To revert the table to the table mode, the steps in the preceeding paragraph but one are carried out in reverse, the movements performed by support stays 18 and slide rails 22 being in the directions C and D respectively.

The handle 24 is easily grasped to raise the upper table surface 10.

Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment of a slide rail 22 upon whose upper surface 11 the upper table surface 10 (not shown) is mounted. When the table is in the table mode, the sliding joints 19 (not shown) reside in the notches 23 of the slide track 25. Thus even if the joints 19 are not secured the table will not collapse to a trolley mode unless the upper table surface 10 is first raised sufficiently so that joints 19 are in the slide track 25. Any accidental load on the surface 10 will enhance the locking effect joints 19 with notches 23.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment of a slide rail 22 in which the slide rail 22 and its upper surface 11 supporting the upper table surface 10 are constructed out of tubular parts.

Figure 6 shows a mechanism which allows the- table'to be secured in a table mode or a trolley mode, incorporating a mechanism which allows the handle 24 to pivot during conversion between modes but otherwise be secured. Handle 24 is mounted on a tubular part 34 which in turn is mounted by means of an insert 36 on a threaded member 19b which is part of the sliding joint 19 of Figures 1, 2 and 3, passing through the slide track 25 when the table is in a trolley mode, and through the notch 23 (not shown in Figure 6) when the table is in a table mode. The threaded member 19b extends from within tubular part 34 through the inset 36 through the slide rail 22 and through a flattened part of support stay 18 to a lock-nut 19a.When the locknut 19a is sufficiently unscrewed, the threaded member 19b may be moved along the slide track 25 via a bush 39 allowing the mode of the table to be changed as described earlier. In addition to this, when the lock-nut 19a is sufficiently unscrewed, the insert 36 in tubular part 34 is in a position such that tubular part 24 subsequently handle 24 may be pivoted about the threaded member 19b. The handle 24 can thus be ra;.

or lowered to assist the conversion between the table mode and the trolley mode. In Figure 6 the upper table surface is shown consisting of a tubular part 10b and a loadbearing surface 10a resting on the upper surface 11 of the slide rail 22. The lower table surface is shown similarly comprising a tubular part 12b and a load-bearing surface 12a mounted on the surface of gusset-plate 30 adjacent to the point of intersection of the lower end of the support stay 18 and the leg 14. The joint 15 of Figures 1, 2 and 3 is shown as a threaded member 15b extending through the insert 38 in leg 14 through the leg 14 and a flattened part of support stay 18 to a lock-nut 15a. When the locknut 15a is sufficiently unscrewed, support stay 18 may pivot about threaded member 15b allowing conversion between the table and the trolley modes, but the lock-nut 15a can be tightened to secure the table in either mode.

By this mechanism, the handle 24 is used to control the conversions between modes in such a way that the support stays 18 move together, remaining parallel, thus ensuring that the conversion is smooth.

Although the embodiment of the invention described relates to a table with two flat rectangular table surfaces, the invention is capable of being put to many uses which may require changes in the geometry of the table surfaces or in the structure of the frame. In addition to this, the frame may be used to support objects other than flat table surfaces. Apparatus requiring to be transported and held firmly in a variety of orientations could be mounted directly onto the frame in place of the upper table surface by means of a rack, or otherwise, and, if clamped onto the frame, need not be removed when a conversion to a horizontal collapsed mode is carried out.

Generally this device is intended to provide an easier method of transporting equipment from a vehicle to a position, for example in à factory or office, where the equipment needed can be off loaded and a suitably equipped working surface can readily be erected.

The invention therefore can be adapted to fulfil a variety of uses, the precise embodiment of the invention being determined by the requirements of each use.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A table convertible to a trolley having a frame with at least a first table surface mounted to the frame and at least one wheel mounted to the frame for contact with the ground and for wheeling the table when in a trolley mode, the or each table surface being fixable in a horizontal position in a table mode and at least the first table surface being pivotal from the horizontal position to a collapsed position in the trolley mode where it forms a trolley back.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wheel or a pair of wheels is mounted to the frame so as to be raised off the ground in the table mode.

3. A table as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the first of the table surfaces is fixed in the horizontal position by means of a slide rail pivotal to a rear part of the frame, the slide rail having a slide track receiving one end of a stay, the other end of the stay being pivotally mounted to a forward part of the frame, whereby the stay acts to support the first table surface in the horizontal position.

4. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the slide track is provided with a notch at its outer end to locate the stay in the horizontal position of the first table surface.

5. A table as claimed in claims 3 or 4 wherein a clamping means is provided to fix the stay in the slide track.

6. A table as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein two said slide rails are provided one on each side of the first table surface, each slide rail guiding a said stay.

7. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein a first handle is pivotally mounted at a position at or near the front side of the first table surface.

8. A table as claimed in claims 5 and 7 or 6 and 7 wherein a said clamping means is provided at the upper end of the or each stay at a pivotal point where the stay engages the slide track and wherein the first handle is pivotally mounted about said pivotal point or points.

9. A table as claimed in claim 8 wherein the or each clamping means acts to secure the first handle.

10. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the forward part of the frame on which the other end of the stay is mounted is bracketed out from the rear part of the frame and wherein a second table surface is provided between the forward and rear parts of the frame at a fixed position below the first table sruface when in its horizontal position.

11. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the or each wheel is mounted to a rear part of the frame.

12. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the frame has a rear part extending from the ground in the table mode to a pivot point for the first table surface and upwardly to a second handle.

13. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein one or more ground engaging support(s) is or are provided on a front part of the frame.

14. A table substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A table substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS.

1. A table convertible to a trolley having a frame with at least a first table surface mounted to the frame and at least one wheel mounted to the frame for contact with the ground and for wheeling the table when in a trolley mode, the or each table surface being fixable in a horizontal position in a table mode and at least the first table surface being pivotal from the horizontal position to a collapsed position in the trolley mode where it forms a trolley back, wherein a first handle is pivotally mounted at a position at or near the front side of the table whereby the first table surface can be lifted from the collapsed to the horizontal position.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wheel or a pair of wheels is mounted to the frame so as to be raised off the ground in the table mode.

3. A table as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the first of the table surfaces is fixed in the horizontal position by means of a slide rail pivotal to a rear part of the frame, the slide rail having a slide track receiving one end of a stay, the other end of the stay being pivotally mounted to a forward part of the frame, whereby the stay acts to support the first table surface in the horizontal position.

4. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the slide track is provided with a notch at its outer end to locate the stay in the horizontal position of the first table surface.

5. A table as claimed in claims 3 or 4 wherein a clamping means is provided to fix the stay in the slide track.

6. A table as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein two said slide rails are provided one on each side of the first table surface, each slide rail guiding a said stay.

7. A table as claimed in claims 5 or 6 wherein a said clamping means is provided at the upper end of the or each stay at a pivotal point where the stay engages the slide track and wherein the first handle is pivotally mounted about said pivotal point or points.

8. A table as claimed in claim 7 wherein the or each clamping means acts to secure the first handle.

9. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the forward part of the frame on which the other end of the stay is mounted is bracketed out from the rear part of the frame and wherein a second table surface is provided between the forward and rear parts of the frame at a fixed position below the first table sruface when in its horizontal position.

10. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the or each wheel is mounted to a rear part of the frame.

11. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the frame has a rear part extending from the ground in the table mode to a pivot point for the first table surface and upwardly to a second handle.

12. A table as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein one or more ground engaging support(s) is or are provided on a front part of the frame.