US1214054A - Table-mat. - Google Patents

Description

HALL, Cizen of the to be placed on nop 19 h@ surface of the ita-bie m" heavy artiles placa; 'da main objaea @itin 1' 'vewtion a. mat which CM1 imno p ss m can ol- .L l5 as @o @regel s nothe object uf #ne nvenfian is "zo plus# vde dl'ng mat which cfm b@ fe d @philly wel." 111 @ber cwecon. 2f!) A funi @meet of e luventlom 3s @LQ T. 's zzccam my mvenuon, and referring figue l is pian vie-Y; compete ma in fiat o1 exteuel pns l10n on a crcuar f 9, is a. side el@ ation of the *ivaba is a section @n 35 in Fig l. is an and View @il me mai m :Edited p @ver mijn er l,

"'cd C h@ mns in contac 'hexe- D 01" Shad. S eli L 1 1 f. u bencxs nenenzh 'd number 2 an@ beneath the hi a and then up and down in 'sha femm Gf a E@ p 10 nehmen saic hinge-strip B uu h@ member l, and than underneah the member l, said hinge-@ f en" Sheet 9 being Secured by ghluor Ohez Wise the botsm faces of the members l, 8 and E2, auf?. im the opposing edge faces of Y memhes El. and 8 ai; the 'loop portion 10. The hinge aps or sheets 9 above described frfa mi; suimh flexible maieraLjO L7 iong i may extend the full length of the hingejoint between the members 1 and 2 or only a portion or portions of such length.

In order to draw the several members of the mat closely together to make a substantially continuous surface, I provide spring means 12 consisting, for example, of a helical spring located within a channel 13 formed at each end of the member 1, and being connected by cords 14 at its ends to the respective members 2. The grooves 13 may be formed in the member 1 by removing or omitting from the edge portions thereof the central sheet or core member 7 and similar channels may be formed in the members 2 for receiving the tension cords 14 aforesaid. 'Straps 15 are provided over these grooves for retaining the cords when the mat members are bent at the joint. Said cords may be secured to the spring and to the members 2 in any suitable manner, for example, they may be looped through the spring near the ends thereof, and fastened to the members 2 by clips 11. A suitable protective and cushioning covering 16 of cotton felt or other soft material is preferably provided as a facing for the edges and bottom of the mat, said material being pasted Ior otherwise secured to the members 1 and 2, and to the lower hingeflaps 9, so as to fold'at the hinges within said hinge flaps. The to of the mat is covered with a waterproo sheet 17 of oil- `cloth or other suitable material pasted to the top of the members 1 and 2 and to the upper hinge flaps 9, and extending down between the said members and the interlmediate hinge-strips 8,in a loop to form a hinge upon which said members swing.

t@ The sheet 17 forms a continuous uncut waterproof surface over the entire semicircular mat and provides a waterproof hinge which enables the members to fold in either direction, this sheet folding within the upper hinges. These upper and lower cover sheets also serve as hinges, the hinge-flaps 9 simply reinforcing the hinge action of these sheets. This waterproof top 17 preferably extends beyond the inner or straight edge of the members 1 and 2 as shown at 18 in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to overlapthe adjacent edge portion of the other half of the circular mat, and this overlapping flap 18 is cut as at 18 to enable the ap to be folded flat, when the mat is extended as shown in Fig. 11, and to enable said Hap to lie 'fiat on said other half of the circular mat.

When the mat is placed on the table the ,several members thereof occupy the positions shown in Figs. 3 and .7, all of the members 1, 2 and 8 lying flat on the table with ,the hinge-loops 10 at one side of the members 8 extending downwardly from the top and the binge-loops at the other side -members 2 may be folded respectively on .top of and beneath the central member 1,

the hinge joint above described permitting either of the end members 2 to be folded on top and the other of said members 2' tol be folded beneath the ember l, so that the person folding the maltncan not damage the same by inadvertently folding it in the Wrong direction. The intermediate hinge strip 8 may be provided with keepers or staples 8 embracing the spring cord 14 to hold it from slipping oif the strip when the hinge is bent.

It will be understood that the mat may have any desired number `of sections or members and that the shape of these members may be varied according to the shape of the surface it is desired to cover.

As shown in Fig. 13, the intermediate wooden strip 8 may be omitted, the portion or strip 20 of the hinge and cover fabrics between the mat members 21 and 22 being connected at the upper edge thereof to the member 21 and at the lower edge thereof to the member 22, so that in folding the' member 22 over the member 21, said members hinge on the junction of the upper edge of this hinge stripv 20 with member 2l and in folding them 1n the reverse direction they hinge on the junction of said strip with the lower mat member.

. What I claim is:

In combination, central and wing members each formed of upper and lower sheets, a hinge-strip extending between said Icentral and wing members, hinge-aps secured to the central and wing members, one hinge- Hap extending on top of the wing member near the hinged edge thereof and extending in a loop down between the hinge-strip and wing member and extending over the hinge-strip and over adjacent portions of the central member, said hinge-flap being fastened to the top faces of the central and rwing members and to the top face of the hinge-strip, the other hinge-nap extending beneath the wing member and beneath the hinge-strip and extending in a loop between the hinge-strip and central member and extending underneath the central member, and said other hinge-Hap being fastened to the bottom faces of the central and Lemos@ f@ the innei adjacent edges 'of the central and wingmembers so astooverlap the adjacent edge portion of'other similarly constructed central and Wing mat, membersv and the overlapping flap being cui; to enable it to be folded fiat when the mat is extended and 1ro enable said flap to lie Hat on saidv other similarly constructed met members.

En testimony whereo, l have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California this 1o 15th day of December, 19l3.

ELBERT V. MENDENHALL.

In presence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT,

LoRRANE E. DURROW.

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