GB2375473A

GB2375473A - Furniture leg bracket that clamps the top of the leg and has projections for mounting the bracket

Info

Publication number: GB2375473A
Application number: GB0208626A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Staffan Viebke
Original assignee: Kinnarps AB
Current assignee: Kinnarps AB
Priority date: 2001-04-26
Filing date: 2002-04-15
Publication date: 2002-11-20
Also published as: GB0208626D0; DE10217773A1; SE0101464D0; SE0101464L

Abstract

A bracket for a furniture leg has a socket 1 for accommodating and fixedly clamping the upper end of the furniture leg. Four projections 3, 3a extend radially outwardly from the socket and have, in their outer ends 5, screw pockets 6. The projections taper outwardly and are of one piece manufacture with the peripheral wall 2 of the socket, the wall having an axial through-going aperture 8. One of the projections displays wall which straddle the aperture 8 and may be clamped together against one another by means of a screw 12 and a nut 13 whereby the socket may also be clamped together about the furniture leg. The projections are of the same axial extent as the socket. The bracket can be produced by cutting an extruded profile bar.

Description

BRACKET FOR A FURNITURE I,EG

TECHNICAL FIELD

5 The present invention relates to a bracket for a furniture leg comprising a socket for accommodating an end portion of the furniture leg and means Or clamping the socket about the furniture leg.

BACKGROUND ART

1() In the securing of furniture legs, in particular tubular steel furniture legs on the underside of a piece of furniture, for example a table, this is provided with a b 'rder edging on the underside of the table top. This edging may often be produced from metal and then has, in its comers or at other selected positions, brackets for the 15 furniture legs. These brackets may either be integrated directly in the construction of the edging or may also be secured in the edging proper.

Prior art arrangements of this type function well but entail that the positioning of the

furniture legs is restricted to those places where the brackets are disposed in 20 conjunction with the edging. Thus, no free positioning of the furniture legs is possible. PROBLEM STRUCTURE

25 The present invention has for its object to design the bracket intimated by way of introduction such that this may simply be placed in any optional position on the

underside of the piece of furniture. The present invention further has for its object to design the bracket in such a manner that it affords a reliable and stable securing of the leg and that the leg may, in addition, be easily fixed in place in and removed from 30 the bracket. Finally, the present invention has for its object to design the bracket in such a manner that it may be mass produced in an extremely rational and economical manner.

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The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the bracket intimated by way of introduction is characterised in that the socket has wall

5 surrounding the furniture leg and from which a number of projections cxten 1 outwardly which, in their cuter ends, have apertures lor accommodating fixing' elements for mounting tile bracket on the fUIllitUrC.

BRIl7.T; Do sc IllP-rlL).T i o! I lIE.ACt- lI'.:>i- YI NG DW \WIN( S - 1() Ihe present invcnticin will non be descriLcd in rcatcr detail hcTcinbelo\ with rclercncc lo the acco npanvin<T lI)rawin s. In thc. cc; 'mpanyincr On win as: I in I is a perspective view ofthc brachct acc; 'rclinu t ' the Prescott in er1ti<.

1. and I id is an cod clevatic n elf the samt- bucket 1-11 1 SC RIP i lOiN- 0t PJ I: < EKED E^NIB(3D lMEIiiT lo 2() 1 he furniture bracket according to the present invention has, in its central region, a socket I which is formed by circumi erenti l vvall 2 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is of circular-cylindrical c 'nl gur ti<'n. The circun; terential wall has an inner defining surface which is comE iementary to that furniture leg which is to be 25 secured in the bracket. In the illustrated emboclimenL, this implies that the furniture leg which is to he secured in the bracket is of circular-cylindrical configuration.

From the central socket, number of projections 3 extend outwardly which, in the illustrated embodiment, are tour in number and which are preferably of uniform 30 distribution around the socket 1. The projections 3 are formed from walls 4 secured in the circumferential wall 2 of the socket and which converge towards one another in a direction radially out from the socket. In the region 5 where the walls meet, there is provided an accommodation space 6 for accomn:lodating a fixing element, for example a screw, which is used for fixing the bracket on the underside of the piece of

furniture. For example, the fixing element may be a wooden threaded screw for securing the bracket on the underside of a table top made of wood.

The walls 4 have approximately the same material thickness as the circumferential 5 wall 2 and are of one piece manufacture with it. As a result, the walls 4 and the circumferential wall 2 will enclose a cavity 7 which is hardly of any importance as regards the mechanical strength of the bracket but which constitutes a major materials saving in the production of the bracket. Further, the cavity 7 improves the capability of clamping the socket together.

One of the projections 3a is of a different configuration than the other projections and follows the circumferential wall 2 on either side of an axially directed aperture 8 therein The walls 9 and 10 in the projection 3a (see Fig. 2) display radial inner portions which are approximately parallel with one another but which have, in the 15 same manner as the remaining projections 3 in the region 5 where the walls meet, an accommodation space 6 for a fixing element.

In the inner approximately mutually parallel portions of the walls 9 and 10, there is provided a clamping element I 1 whose purpose is to urge the walls 9 and 10 towards 20 one another so that hereby the transverse dimension or diameter of the socket 1 will also be reduced because of the axial aperture 8. In the illustrated embodiment, this clamping element consists of a screw 12 with a nut 13.

The wall 9, where the nut 13 is located, has projections 14 and IS on both sides of 25 the nut which prevent the nut from being accidentally rotated. This implies that the nut is accommodated in an axially directed groove located between the projections 14and 15.

In order to facilitate the clamping of the walls 9 and 10 against one another, one or 30 both of these walls has an attenuated portion 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is disposed'between the accommodation space 6 and the screw 12.

In optional, axial cross sections through the bracket, the cut walls are parallel with one another. This implies that the bracket may be manufactured by the extrusion of a

metal. such as an aluminium alloy, to an elongate profile body whose cross sectional configuration corresponds to the end view of the bracket illustrated in Fig. 2. 'I'he production ol the bracket takes place sut sequcr tly cluite sorrily by crating of this profile her to suitable lengths and thercaftcr drilling the aF'erLures which are needed for passable of' the screw I i. Such a pro iaction of the bracket naturally entails that both the socket] and the projections and:a arc c'f'thc same axial extent.

While the abo -e--described nanutac,ure ol'the bracket enjoys ma for advances, otl cr rnanutacturin< mc hod!i arts also possible, such as caxLin', prelerahlv cornprcssior! rnouldin. hut possibly also: in jection mouldin of plastic.

\s <has r cntioned above, the soel c i is. in tl- c ilh strat.ed ernb:ciirncnr. eircul. r--

evli drical l' - r er opcratior with a l'ur niture lo<.,, of eorrespollclill ' sl ape. IS t'ol cxa n -'le. tl e R rr iture In were in. stc d Lo he rect.l lg,ular in cross section thc s cl;ct 1: must display t corresponding reetan,;ui r configuration in this instance. one c 1rUct :t the inhere its suitably pl. cc l in the region::L the animal aperture it. (:orrcsp:n lin Ji:.

in a Ic i. 'f'rect.an rular- cross section. it applie, that one ot the corners All- the rectan rlc should he pl ecct at Lhe.:xi llv ttirected aperture S. 2() Also in such eases where the Ie,<' is old CTOS.S sc ctit nal COnfi.'Ur:ltiOll which is ti readier polygon, trian< ul r, pentagonal hexagonal etc. one of ttic corners oi'xuel a pr:f lc con(i -rurat,ion should he pincer at the aperture 8,

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIIVIEI) IS:

I. bracket for a furniture leg comprising a socket (1) for accommodating an end portion ofthe furniture leg and means (12, 13) for clampin::, the socket about the 5 furniture leg, characterised in that the socket (1) has a wall (2) surrounding the furniture leg and from which there extend outwardly a number of projections (3, 3a) which, in their outer ends (5), have apertures (6) for accommodating fixing elements for mounting the bracket on the furniture.

10
2. The bracket as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the projections

(3) have an outwardly tapering configuration with walls (4) which, with their inner ends, are united with the wall (2) of the socket ( l) and which, with their outer ends, are united with one another.

15
3. The bracket as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the projections (3, 3a) are of substantially the same axial extent as the socket ( l).
4. The bracket as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the wall (2) of the soclcet (1) has an aperture (8) between the walls (9, 10) in one projection (3a); 20 and that there extends, through these walls, a clamping device (12, 13) for urging the walls against one another and thereby clamping together the socket about the furniture leg.
5. The bracket as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the walls (9, 10) 25 of the projection (3a) are, in the region of the clamping device (12, 13), substantially parallel with one another, the clamping device being a screw (12) and a nut (13).
6. The bracket as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that a portion (16) of the walls (9, 10) to the projection (3a) at the aperture (a) is of reduced wall 30 thickness.
7. The bracket as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it is produced by cutting an extruded prof le bar.