US1215479A

US1215479A - Folding table.

Info

Publication number: US1215479A
Application number: US753?5213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank M Burrowes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1913-03-12
Filing date: 1913-03-12
Publication date: 1917-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1934-02-13

Description

F. M. BURROWES.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I2. i913- Patented Feb. 13,1917.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. Bminowiis a citizen of the'United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in folding tables,lthat is, tables in which the legs, when not vin use, are adapted to be folded up against the bottom of the table. It is adapted to be used in connection with tables having any perilpheral outline, and for the purpose of i ustration', I have shown it in connection with ya table having a vcircular top. Its structure is such, that,

when desired, the. top of the table may be of comparatively small size, the legs being adpted to extend beyond the centei` of the ta e. f

In the drawing herewith accompanying and making a part of this application, Figure 1 is a bottom plan View; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, showing the mechanism for and method of holding the legs in unfolded position; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the relative position of the legs, one above the other, and the method of holding the legs yieldingly locked in folded position; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank for the-spring leg holder; and Fig. 5 is a detail of the brace box and a coil spring for preventing accidental folding of the leg.

Same reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures.

In said drawing A represents the top of a table and B a downwardly extending peripheral flange or skirt. The width o: this flange is preferably such that when the legs are folded across each other, as shown in Fig. 1, the outside of vthe legs will be substantially in the plane of `.the lower edge of said flange. Secured to the flange at suitable points are angle irons C, and to the bottom side of the table a plurality of rigid bars D,

ositioned at suitable distances 'a art.

hese bars extend from the inside o the ange to a suitable oint spaced apart'froni the center of the ta le and have theirinner ends beveled outwardly, as seen at E. Between angle irons C'and bars D, the legs F are pivotally secured', each being I noun on a pivot pinG. Secured to. the side o each arm D is a plate H 'provided with a 4slot adapted to receive and guide the off-set end J of a leg holding spring brace K.

ai. Bwns,

romanas Tanna.

Specication ot Letter: Patent.

Application med Iai'ch 12, 1918. Serial No. 758,@52.

rammed Feb. is, i917.

s lot has a curved portion L being substantlally in the arc of a circle of which the fixed end of the brace bar is a center and the remaining portion offset M in adil'erent arc, the purpose of which will be herein after describe v p One end of plate H is spaced apart from the side of bar D by means of a spacing block N a distance suici'ent to permit the offset end of the brace to move freelyand to enable it to project far enough beyond the plate to prevent it from being accidentally displaced. It is also spaced apart from the leg by means of a spacing block O a sucient distance to permityfreemovement of said brace. Secured tothe under side of the table near the center is a plate P provided with a downwardly extending post Q. Upon this post is mounted a spring R, having a 75 plurahty of leaves S whichy are bent downwardly substantially as seen' in Fig. 3, said -leaves being positioned so that the legs, when folded, press between the leaves and the ends of the bars and are held Iyvieldingly thereby. 80 It will be noted thht t e legs which fold first against the bottoni f the table and the controlling slotted plate are positioned nearer the bottom of the table than those which fold outside. This is due to the fact that the legs fold, one over the other, and it willbe evident that this would not be necessary if the legs extended only to the lcenter of the table. The legs are held yieldingly in unfolded position eitherbyan inherently elastic springbar or by means of a vcoil spring T, as seen in Fig. 5.

Thel operation of my improved deviceis as follows:l l

Starting with the legs in operative position, the legs which fold next tothe table are first released by manually movin the free 4end of each of the brace bars K in its slot outwardly towardthe ed e of the table yuntil the offset end J reaches t e oiset curve. The legs may now be moved into folded position,.the oset in the brace bar moving into the offset curve. When completel folded, the legs are yieldingl engaged an held between the leaves of t e s rin at the center and the ends of the fixed rs The other legs are then folded in a similar manner. To reset the table, it is onlynecessary move the free ends of the legs'outwardl 1n which position they are held yieldinglg' spring Atension inherent inthe brace ar or .in aspring specially provided therefor.

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claim: Y,

1. In a table, a table top provided with legs pivotally attached to the bottom thereof, plates secured to the underside of the table and provided with slots having unequally curved sections and spring braces secured to the legs and terminatingy in olsets adapted to travel in said curved slots, whereby the braces are caused to travel automatically from the outer to the inner portions of the slots as the legs are unfolded and to be held yieldingly under tension in unfolded position.

2.' In a table, a top provided with legs pivotally attached thereto, a central post secured to said table, springs mounted upon said post, radial bars extending outwardly from a point near said post, whereby said le s when folded are en aged and ieldinheld between said barsgand springs. gly

3. In a table, a table to provided with lefgs pivotally attached to tlie bottom thereo n lates secured to the bottom of the table v 19eme@ top rovided with slots having upwardly exten ing curved offsets, spring braces having one end secured to the legs and the other ter- Ininating in an ofset adapted to travel in said slot and springs adapted automatically to cause said offsets to travel to the inner ends of said slots as the legs are unfolded.

4. In a folding table, a top provided with .a downwardly extending peripheral flange four legs longer than the semi-diameter o `the table pivotally attached to the bottom of the table at oints diagonally opposite each other and adiipted to fold against the bottom of the table outside the center thereof, a post located at thecenter of Athe table and providedwith four s rings, said springs being adapted to yiel ingly"engage the legs