GB2417196A

GB2417196A - A collapsible item of furniture with spring biased stays

Info

Publication number: GB2417196A
Application number: GB0418458A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Souter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-19
Filing date: 2004-08-19
Publication date: 2006-02-22
Also published as: GB0418458D0

Abstract

An article of furniture such as a table (10) that can be folded easily by one person for transportation and storage is disclosed. The furniture (10) has a top member (11) and legs (12), each leg (12) is pivotally connected to the top member (11) for movement between a respective folded and an erected position. The furniture (10) also has biased stays (19), each having one end pivotally connected to a leg or legs (12). Attached to the top member (11) may be cleats 24, each having a locating slot (25) and a cam surface (26). A locating slot (25) may be adapted to secure a free end of a stay (19) to the top member (11) when the stay (19) is in an erected position. A coil spring (21) may be disposed to bias a stay (19) towards the erected position. The legs (12) may be releasably connected to the top member (11) and stays (19) via the use of retaining washers and pins (15 and 16, Fig 3). A cross member (17) may join the legs together and a bracket (18) may support the spring.

Description

1 2417196

FURNITURE

This invention relates to fumiture, and in particular to tables, benches and the like that are foldable for transportation and storage.

Folding tables, benches and the like of which their overall dimensions are able to be reduced for transportation and storage are well known. They range from gate-leg furniture to furniture of which the legs fold to lie adjacent the top surface of the table or bench. Gate-leg furniture tends to remain relatively large even when reduced in size as far as possible, and has very intrusive legs when erected. In consequence, furniture that is regularly stored, transported and then erected does not usually incorporate such an arrangement. Of the latter type, one version is that known as a Pasting table", since it is commonly used to support wallpaper during the application of paste thereto. Such a table has pairs of legs at each end that are hinged upwardly and inwardly to lie inside the table top when not in use. When the legs are positioned vertically to support the table top, a stay pivotally attached to a respective leg is inserted in a recess in the table top to retain the leg in the erected position. However, such an arrangement is insecure and can readily lead to the collapse of the table. This arrangement is therefore not suitable for benches on which people sit, or tables for supporting heavy articles. An alternative arrangement has stays connected to the legs and connectable to the table top by means of clips or similar attachment devices. Such arrangements are more stable than the pasting table arrangement, but tables of this type can be difficult to erect, particularly by one person. In another arrangement, the stays are attached to the legs and to the table top, and are hinged at their centre so as to fold when the table is not in use. When the table is erected, the stays move to a disposition in which the two parts are slightly over longitudinally aligned and abut a stop to prevent further relative rotation. Variations on this type include stays that are telescopic and require a pin or the like to secure the stays in their extended configuration, or stays that are of a length such that when erected the legs are splayed outwardly to resist folding towards the folded configuration. Such arrangements have differing degrees of stability, intrusiveness of the legs and stays, and ease or difficulty in erection and folding. Furthermore, it is usually difficult to repair such furniture if damaged due to incorrect erection, misuse, overloading or other cause.

It is an object of the present invention to provide furniture that can be folded for transportation and storage that overcomes, at least to a significant extent, the disadvantages of the known arrangements.

The invention provides an article of furniture that can be folded for transportation and storage, comprising a top member and a plurality of legs each pivotally connected to the top member for movement between a respective folded and an erected position, a plurality of stays, each having one end thereof pivotally connected to at least one leg, and for each stay releasable locating means adapted to secure a free end of the stay to the top member when the stay is in an erected position and biasing means disposed to bias the stay towards the erected position.

The one end of each stay may be releasably connected to a leg. Two legs may be connected by a cross-member; in which case a stay may have its one end thereof pivotally connected to the cross member. The stay may be pivotally mounted in a bracket attached to the cross member. The biasing means may comprise a coil spring, which may be mounted on the stay with ends thereof engaging the bracket and the stay. A stay may comprise an elongate bar, and may be secured to a leg by means of a removable retaining washer. The free end of a stay may have at least one retaining washer thereon.

Each leg may have a top surface that abuts the top member when the leg is in the erected position. The top member may comprise a bracket to which a respective leg is pivotally attached. The top surface of a leg may abut a lower surface of the respective bracket when the leg is in the erected position. Each leg may be releasably secured to the top member, and may be secured by means of a pin and removable retaining washer. The locating means may be disposed on the top member whereby the free end of a stay is located by the locating means when the top surface of the respective leg abuts the top member. The locating means may comprise a slot adapted to receive the free end of a stay. The locating means may comprise a cam surface adjacent the slot. The locating means may comprise a cleat formed with a slot and a cam surface, and secured to the top member.

The article of furniture may be rectangular in planform, and may have four legs. The article of furniture may be a table.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of one end of a table in an erected configuration, Fig. 2 is a side view of the end of the table of Fig. 1 in a partially folded configuration, and Fig. 3 is an end view of the table of Figs. 1 and 2 in an erected configuration.

Referring now to the Figures, there is shown an article of fumiture. The article of furniture may be a table, seat, bench or the like. In the Figures, the article shown is a table 10 having a top member 11 and a plurality of, in this case four, legs 12. The article of furniture may have more or less than four legs 12 depending on the size and shape of the article. To the underside of the top member 11 are four leg brackets 13 having a lower surface 14 that is partly flat and partly curved or chamfered. Each leg 12 is attached by a pivot pin 15 to a respective leg bracket 13. Each pivot pin 15 has a removable retaining washer 16 on its free end, whereby the pin 15 may readily be removed and the leg 12 detached from the top member 11 for repair or replacement if required. Each leg 12 has a flat top surface that abuts the flat part of the lower surface 14 of the leg bracket 13 when the leg 12 is in the erected position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This prevents the leg 12 from pivoting beyond the vertical erected position of Fig. 1.

However, the curved or chamfered part of the lower surface 14 of the leg bracket 13 enables the leg 12 to rotate, as shown by Fig. 2, about pin 15 to the folded position.

Pairs of legs 12 are connected by a cross member 17. Attached to each cross member 17 is a stay bracket 18. Pivotally mounted in the stay bracket 18 is one end of a stay 19, fommed of a circular bar. The stay 19 is retained in the stay bracket 18 by means of a removable retaining washer 20. A coil spring 21 is mounted on the end of the stay 19, the ends of the coil spring 21 engaging the stay bracket 18 and the stay 19 so as to bias the stay 19 towards the erected position of Fig. 1. The free end 22 of the stay 19 is also fitted with retaining washers 23.

Beneath the top member 11 are cleats 24, each having a slot 25 and a cam surface 26. When the table 10 is in the erected position shown in Figs.1 and 3, the free end 22 of each stay 19 is retained in a respective slot 25. The shape of the slot 25 is such that the stay end 22 will not come out of the slot 25 under nommal loading of the table 10. To fold the table 1O, the free ends 22 of the stays 19 are pulled from the slots 25 and the legs 12 forced inwardly. This causes the free ends 22 to slide down the cam surfaces 26 and then along the underside of the top member 11 until the legs 12 and the stays 19 lie along that underside. Fig. 2 shows the table in the partly folded configuration. A spring clip or other fomm of catch 27 retains the legs 12/stays 19 in the folded configuration until the table 10 is required for use. On releasing the legs 12 from the catch 27, the coil springs 21 assist in moving the legs 12 and the stays 19 towards the erected position of Figs. 1 and 3. The free ends 22 of the stays 19 ride up along the cam surfaces 26 and into the slots 25. The legs 12 are then prevented from further outward movement both by the retention of the free ends 22 in the slots 25, and by the abutment of the top surfaces of the legs 12 with the lower surfaces 14 of the leg brackets 13. In this way, ease of erection for use or folding for transportation or storage of the table 10 is facilitated, allowing one person to effect such erection or folding without undue strain.

Both the stays 19 and the legs 12, together with the springs 21, may be separated from each other and the table 10 by removing the pins 15 and the retaining washers 16, 20. This enables damaged or badly worn parts to be repaired or replaced readily.

Claims

1. An article of furniture that can be folded for transportation and storage, comprising a top member and a plurality of legs each pivotally connected to the top member for movement between a respective folded and an erected position, a plurality of stays, each having one end thereof pivotally connected to at least one leg, and for each stay releasable locating means adapted to secure a free end of the stay to the top member when the stay is in an erected position and biasing means disposed to bias the stay towards the erected position.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one end of each stay is releasably connected to a leg.

3. An article as claimed in claim 2, wherein two legs are connected by a cross-member.

4. An article as claimed in claim 3, wherein a stay has its one end thereof pivotally connected to the cross member.

5. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stay is pivotally mounted in a bracket attached to the cross member.

6. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring.

7. An article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stay is pivotally mounted in a bracket attached to the cross member and the spring is mounted on the stay with ends thereof engaging the bracket and the stay.

8. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a stay comprises an elongate bar.

9. An article as claimed in claim 8, wherein a stay is secured to a leg by means of a removable retaining washer.

10. An article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the free end of a stay has at least one retaining washer thereon.

11. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein each leg has a top surface that abuts the top member when the leg is in the erected position.

12. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the top member comprises a bracket to which a respective leg is pivotally attached.

13. An article as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top surface of a leg abut a lower surface of the respective bracket when the leg is in the erected position.

14. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein each leg is releasably secured to the top member.

15. An article as claimed in claim 14, wherein each leg secured by means of a pin and removable retaining washer.

16. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each leg has a top surface that abuts the top member when the leg is in the erected position, and the locating means is disposed on the top member whereby the free end of a stay is located by the locating means when the top surface of the respective leg abuts the top member.

17. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the locating means comprises a slot adapted to receive the free end of a stay.

18. An article as claimed in claim 17, wherein the locating means comprises a cam surface adjacent the slot.

19. An article as claimed in claim 18, wherein the locating means comprises a cleat formed with a slot and a cam surface.

20. An article as claimed in claim 19, wherein the cleat is secured to the top member.

21. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, which is rectangular in planform.

22. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21, having four legs.

23. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the article is a table.

24. An article of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.