GB2479050A

GB2479050A - Table underframe assembly having inter-engaged foot and stem

Info

Publication number: GB2479050A
Application number: GB1104745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Thomas Cramsie; Clelio Fortes De Sousa
Original assignee: THINKING EGONOMIX Pty Ltd
Current assignee: THINKING EGONOMIX Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-03-23
Filing date: 2011-03-22
Publication date: 2011-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-22
Also published as: AU2011201306A1; GB201104745D0; GB2479050B; NZ591892A

Abstract

The foot and upwardly extending stem of a furniture leg assembly are securely joined together by engaging means comprising: a fastener extending through the foot and engaging with the stem for urging the foot towards the stem; a projection member including a plurality of projections, e.g. castellations, angularly spaced about the fastener; and a socket member having a plurality of apertures, the apertures being angularly spaced about the fastener and positioned to engage a respective one of the projections so that upon tensioning of the fastener each of the projections is securely located in a respective one of the apertures. The projection member and socket member are each attached to a respective one of the stem or foot so that upon tensioning of the fastener the foot and stem are secured together preventing any angular rotation of the foot relative to the upright columnar stem.

Description

A FURNITURE LEG ASSEMBLY

Technical Field

The present invention relates to furniture leg assemblies and more particularly but not exclusively to furniture leg assemblies of tables that support the table top on a floor surface.

Background of the Invention

Tables conventionally consist of a table top which is supported on a floor surface by one or more leg assemblies. Each leg assembly includes a stem and a foot. The upper end of the stem is attached to an under surface of the table top. In some instances a pivot assembly will be provided enabling folding of the table top relative to the leg assemblies.

Known leg assemblies have suffered from a number of disadvantages including not being able to securely attach the foot to the lower end of the stem and/or complexity in assembling, which can add to the cost of the

overall table.

A further disadvantage is that previously available leg assemblies have been vulnerable to damage. In particular should the table be provided with casters and the table moved, it is not uncommon for the foot to impact against other objects. This can cause angular movement of the foot relative to the stem frequently breaking or damaging the connection.

It is therefore desirable to provide a furniture leg assembly, particularly for use with a table that overcomes or substantially ameliorates at least one of the above disadvantages or at least provides an alternative thereto.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a furniture leg assembly including: a stem and a foot to rest on a surface to support the stem, with the stem extending upwardly from the foot. The foot and stem have cooperating engaging means to securely fix the foot and stem together. The engaging means includes: a fastener extending through the foot and engaging means, and engaging with the stem so that upon tensioning of the fastener, the fastener urges the foot towards the stem; a projection member including a plurality of projections angularly spaced about the fastener; a socket member having a plurality of apertures, the apertures being angularly spaced about the fastener and positioned to engage a respective one of the projections so that upon tensioning of the fastener each of the projections is securely located in a respective one of the apertures.

The projection member and socket member are each attached to a respective one of the stem or foot so that upon tensioning of the fastener the foot and stem are secured together.

Preferably, the projection member is fixed to the foot and the socket member fixed to the stem.

Preferably, the foot includes a base to which the projection member is fixed.

Preferably, the projection member and base are integrally formed.

Even more preferably, the projection member and base are integrally cast from metal. In another embodiment, the socket member is welded to the stem.

Preferably, the projection members are castellations with each castellation including an upper part and a lower part joined by an arcuate portion.

Preferably, the projection members and apertures are equally angularly spaced about the fastener.

Preferably, the socket member includes a threaded passage within which the fastener threadably engages to provide for tensioning of the fastener.

Preferably, the socket member is welded to the stem.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG 1 is a schematic parts exploded isometric view of the leg assembly of a piece of furniture; FIG 2 is a further parts exploded isometric view of the assembly of FIG 1; FIG 3 is a schematic sectioned isometric view of the assembly of FIGS 1 and 2; and FIG 4 is a schematic isometric view of the assembly of FIGS 1 and 2.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a furniture leg assembly 10. The leg assembly 10 includes an upwardly extending stem 11 that would typically be attached to the under surface of a table. Fixed to the stem 11 is a foot 12.

The foot 12 is secured to the lower end of the stem 11 by tensioning of a threaded fastener 13.

The foot 12 is secured to the stem 11 by an engaging means 14 that includes a projection member 15 and a socket member 16. The projection member 15 provides a plurality of upwardly extending projections 17 that engage in apertures 18 of the socket member 16. The projections 17 are equally angularly spaced about the threaded fastener 13, as are the apertures 18, so that each aperture 18 receives a respective one of the projections 17.

In this embodiment, there are three projections 17 and three apertures 18. Accordingly, the foot 12 may be located in three angular positions relative to the stem 11 about the longitudinal axis 19 of the assembly 10.

The foot 12 further includes a base 20 that provides a pair of arms 21 to the outer extremities of which there is secured castor wheels 22.

Preferably, the base 20 is integrally formed with the member 15 and more preferably the member 15 and base 20 are integrally cast from metal.

The socket member 16 is a disk formed of metal and welded to the internal surface 23 of the stem 11. In that regard the stem 11 is of a tubular configuration.

The socket member 16 has a threaded central passage 24 that threadably engages the upper threaded length of the fastener 13. In this embodiment, the fastener 13 is an "Allen" type fastener. When the fastener 13 is tensioned, the foot 12 is clamped to the stem 11.

In an alternative embodiment, the projection 15 is welded to the surface 23 and the socket member 16 is integrally formed with the base 20 so that the apertures 18 are cavities that receive the projections 17.

Each projection 17 extends generally parallel to the axis 19 and includes an upper part 24 joined to a lower part 25 by an arcuate part 26.

The above described preferred embodiment provides a number of advantages, including being able to locate the foot 12 in a number of angular positions about the axis 19 relative to the stem 11, and reducing the possibility of damage to the assembly 10 should the foot 12 be subjected to an impact attempting to move the foot 12 about the axis 19.

This is achieved by engagement of the projections 17 in the apertures 18 that at least inhibit angular relative movement between the stem 11 and foot 12 about the axis 19.

Whilst the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings show a furniture leg assembly in which the fastener 13 is an "Allen" type fastener, in other embodiments not shown in the drawings, the fastener may be a threaded bolt or the like that is suitable for engaging with the socket member 16.

Similarly, whilst the preferred embodiment of the invention the foot 12 further includes a base 20 that provides a pair of arms 21 to the outer extremities of which there is secured castor wheels 22, in other embodiments of the invention not shown in the drawings, the base may include any suitable number of arms 21, with or without castor secured to the outer extremities thereof.

Also, whilst the foot 12 is secured to the stem 11 by an engaging means 14 that includes a projection member 15 and a socket member 16, which in the preferred embodiment has three projections 17 and three apertures 18, it is envisaged that any number of projections and corresponding apertures may be utilised by the current invention. In this way, the foot 12 may be located in a corresponding number of angular positions relative to the stem 11 about the longitudinal axis 19 of the assembly 10 to the number of projections and apertures.

Furthermore, whilst in the preferred embodiment depicted in the drawings, each projection 17 extends generally parallel to the axis 19 and includes an upper part 24 joined to a lower part 25 by an arcuate part 26, any suitable orientation and shape of projections may be used.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not limited to those embodiments, but may be embodied in many other forms.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the word "comprising" is not intended to have the exclusive meaning of the word such as "consisting only of", but rather has the non-exclusive meaning, in the sense of "including at least". The same applies, with corresponding grammatical changes, to other forms of the word such as "comprise", etc.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention can be utilised in respect of furniture leg assemblies and more particularly but not exclusively to furniture leg assemblies of tables that support the table top on a floor surface.

Claims

Claims 1. A furniture leg assembly including: a stem and a foot to rest on a surface to support the stem, with the stem extending upwardly from the foot wherein the foot and stem have cooperating engaging means to securely fix the foot and stem together, the engaging means including: a fastener extending through the foot and engaging means, and engaging with the stem so that upon tensioning of the fastener, the fastener urges the foot towards the stem; a projection member including a plurality of projections angularly spaced about the fastener; and a socket member having a plurality of apertures, the apertures being angularly spaced about the fastener and positioned to engage a respective one of the projections so that upon tensioning of the fastener each of the projections is securely located in a respective one of the apertures; wherein the projection member and socket member are each attached to a respective one of the stem or foot, so that upon tensioning of the fastener the foot and stem are secured together.
2. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the projection member is fixed to the foot and the socket member fixed to the stem.
3. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the foot includes a base to which the projection member is fixed.
4. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the projection member and base are integrally formed.
5. A furniture leg assembly of claim 4 wherein the projection member and base are integrally cast from metal.
6. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the socket member is welded to the stem.
7. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the projection members are castellations, with each castellation including an upper part and a lower part joined by an arcuate portion.
8. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the projection members and apertures are equally angularly spaced about the fastener.
9. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the socket member includes a threaded passage within which the fastener threadably engages to provide for tensioning of the fastener.
10. A furniture leg assembly of claim 1 wherein the socket member is welded to the stem.
11. A furniture leg assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying examples.