US1260941A - Folding table. - Google Patents

Description

Y F. T. P'uiR'soN L w. s. MCNALLY.

FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION vFILI-ID FEB-15, 1917.

Patented' Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETSSAHEET 1.

en e vm...

F. T. PIERSON L W. AS. McNALLY.

. FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED FEBI. 191?.

' Pt'ented Mar.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@5. Afw@ F! incendi.

eric..

FRANK fr. Brunson .ann waeren sr neuerer, or entende, ninrnors.

. romaine TABLE".

Specification of Letters latent.`

Patenten naif. ae, raie.

eppiieation inea reeraary i5, ier?. serial ivo. 148.7%.

To all whom z'z may concern Be it lirnown that we, FRANK T. PIERSQN and WALTER S. MCNALLY, both `citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and 'State of Illinois, have invented certain new `and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to folding tables, particularly to that class in which Aside sections are to be raised into the plane of the -top section or to be dropped to hang down from the edges of the top section.

rllhe object of the invention is to produce improved means for readily permitting op` posite leg structures tol be drawn apart to` support the raised side sections of the table top and to be brought together to permit such vside sections to be dropped. Furthermore, the' objectis to produce improved eX- tensible interconnecting mechanism between the leg structures for rigidly holding the leg structuresin parallelism with each other particularly when the structures are drawn apart, such rigid interconnection keeping the top side sections horizontal and preventfolded.

ing sagging thereof when the table is un- Generally speaking, the invention comprises I-beams secured to the under side of the central section of the-table top, and channel beams secured toy the opposite leg structures for telescopically cooperating with the -beainsto readily permit the leg structures to be separated or broughtv to-` gether. Rollers are preferably provided at the ends' of theI-beains and channel beams to reduce friction.

On the accompanying drawings the various features of our invention are shown en'i- 4bodied in a table structure. In these drawings Figure 1 view of the unfolded table on a vertical plane 'just outside the extensible intercon-v tendngtransversely Yof the top section 10 is a transverse cross-sectional` near its ends andsecured to the under side i thereof are the I-be'ams 15: and 16, screws 17 'being shown passing' `through the beam flanges for securing them in place. The

op-pn'isiteI leg structures a and b comprise respectively the top' beams 18 18 at whose ends the legs 19, 20 and 19', 20" are secured. Associated with the I-beam 15 are two chaniiel bars 21 and 2l" which are secured at their outer ends tothe tops of the leg structure beams and 18 as by means of angle plates 22 and 22". These channel bars project into'theopposite compartments ofthe -beanr with their flanges extending toward the Lbeain web between the upper and lower flanges thereof. At the opposite ends of the -beam 15 and extending into the opposite conipartments,y the pins 23 and 24 are secured to the -beam web and these pins journal rollers and 26 which extend between the upper and lower flanges of the channel bars 2l and 21 respectively. At the inner ends of these channel bars pins 27 and 27 are secured to the webs aud journal rollers y 28 and 28 which eXtendfbetween then upper and lower flanges of the -beam, the ends of the side flan-ges of thel channel bars being` cut away as indicated at 29 to make clearance for these rollers. At the opposite ends of the leg structures a' similar arrangement is provided comprising channel bar`s21 and 21 secured to the beams 18 and 18 to cooperate with the -beain 16 andhaving the roller 2S and 2S" at their ends to engagel between the E-beam flanges, and the Ibeam having the rollers 25 and 2G at its ends for' engaging between the upper and lower flanges ofV the channel bars. Although only two interconnections are shown, each comprising an l-be'am and coperating channel bars, it is evident that any number of such interconnections may' be' provided depending upon the size of the' table. v

ico

tive upper and lower flanges of the I-beams or channel bars, there being just sufficient clearance to permit the rollers to rotate -when the leg structures are shifted. With this arrangement the channel bars will be rio kept parallel with the I-beams and the table legs will at all times be vertical. The rollers could,.of course, be omitted and the channel bars fitted snugly between the flanges of the I-beams, but this would cause considerable friction. By providing the rollers, friction is eliminated and the leg structures on very zontal position.

heavy vtables can be readily shifted with little effort.

When the leg structures are brought together to be within the side edges of the top section 10, the leaves l1 and 12 are free to drop and to hang in vertical position. When the leg structures are separated the leaves will rest thereon and be held in hori- Ve have shown spacer boards or plates 30 and 31 secured to the under sides of the leaves, which boards are i the leg structures when they are separated.. Referring to Fig. 3, when the leg structures are separated the side walls 32 and 32 will engage with and raise the leaves, and the inner edges 0 and CZ of the plates 30 and 31 are preferably beveled to be engaged by the upper edges of the walls 32 and 32 during final outward shifting of the leg structures, such shifting causing the leaves to be lifted to horizontal position, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

lVe thus produce a table of durable construction and neat appearance whose opposed leg structures can be brought closely Vtogether to permit the dropping of the side leaves, or which can be readily separated to support the leaves in horizontal position, the eXtensible interconnecting mechanisms operating freely but keeping the leg structures at all times rigid so that the legs are at all times perpendicular. It is not necessary to use the I-beams shown as any supporting frames can be employed which provide upper and lower fianges or tracks for the rollers von the channel bars.

l/Ve do not, therefore, desire to be limited v to the exact construction and arrangement shown and we desire to secure the following claims by Letters Patent:

1. In a folding table, lthe combination of.

a top, leaves hinged at the longitudinal sides of said top to swing downwardly or into horizontal position, frames secured to the under side of said top providing upper and lower rails, opposed'leg structures, sets of channel bars secured to and extending inwardly from the opposed leg structures and into the opposite sides of the respective frames between the flanges thereof, a roller pivoted at the inner end of each channel bar to engage between the rails of the respective frames, and a roller pivoted at each end of each frame for engaging between the flanges of the respective channel bars, whereby said leg structures may be brought closely together under the table top to permit dropping of the leaves or to be spread apart into position underneath the leaves to support them in horizontal position, the engagement of said rollers with the flanges of the frames and bars keeping theV frames and bars at all times parallel and the legs of the leg structures vertical.

2. In a folding table, the combination lof a top, leaves hinged to the top sides to hang downwardly or to be swung upwardly into horizontal position, I-beams secured to the under side of said topeach affording upper and lower rail flanges at its opposite sides, opposed parallel leg structures each having legs, pairs of channel bars, the barsV of each pair being secured to the opposed leg structures and engaging at the sides of the respective I-beam between its flanges, rollers pivoted at the opposite ends and sides of each, I-beam for engaging between the upper and lower flanges of the respective channel bars, and a roller at the end of each channel bar for engaging between the respective flanges of the Lbeain, whereby said leg structures may be `shifted toward and away from each other to permit downward swing of the leaves or to support the leaves in horizontal position, the cooperation of said rollers with the respective fianges serving to keep the channel bars parallel with the -beams to hold the legs vertical at all times.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe 'our names this 8th day of February, A. D.

FRANK T. PIERSON. WALTER S. MCNALLY.

et this patent y be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratems.

Washington, D. G,

Images