US1583999A - Table tray - Google Patents

Description

May 11 1926.'

'R'. R. SCHEIBE ET Al. v

TABLE TRAY 2 Sheets-'Sheet Filed April 24, 1924 .Iumnl I@ ..-ill

` May 11,1926. 1,583,999 R. R. SCHEIBE El' AL TABLE TRAY Filed'April 2 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l my mn. U MW N u, MHH Mn w um 9i! w 1MM "wu 6.

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A:RALPH n. scHETBE, or soMnRvILLn, AND HAROLD M. scHEIBE, or BELMNT, MASSA- CHUSETTS; SAID HAROLD M. SCEIBE ASSIGNOR 'ro SAID RALPH n. SCHELBE.'

TABLE TRAY.

Appllcationled April 24, 19.24. Serial No. 708,656.

'his invention relates .totrays provided with folding legs and with mechanism adapted, while the tray is held by the hands, to swing down the legs to a position to sup port the tray or to swing them up again when the tray is to be supported directly on a table or other vsurface and our object is to devise leg'actuating mechanism in whichl the depression of a movable part, operable while the user supports the tray Iby its handles, serves to move the legs part-way from their folded to 4their extended position or vice versa, and in which the finalmovement of the legs in either direction is effected by spring action.

A further object is to utilize the spring which assists the movements of the legs as a i' latch to lock the legs in their extended position and preferably to arrange the manually movable part hereinbefore referred to eiiect the release of the latch.

We attain our object by means ofthe construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs. 1n which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a table tray vconstructed in accordance with our invention, one set of legs being shown extended and the other set folded.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the table tray;

Fig. 3 an enlarged sectional detail of the operating mechanism for one of the pairs of legs, the legs being shown in the folded position;

Fig. 4 a similar view, the legs being shown inthe extended position;

Fig. 5 a similar view showing the toggle -with its centers in line; and

Fig. 6 a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification ofy the invention.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is a top, which is preferably, though not necessarily, provided with a rim 2 adapting it for.y use as a tray. -The top is also preferably provided with a. molding 3 forming a depending ange to which, at opposite ends ofthe device. are secured the fixed handles 4. Each pair of legs 5 are connected bya cross bar 6, each cross bar forming one member of a toggle, the other member of the toggle being formed by a link 7 which 1s hinged on the center 8 to a spring lever 9 fulcrumed ou a block 10 secured beneath the top 1. Preferably the spring is embodied in the lever by forming the lever itself of spring steel, though we do not wish to confine ourselves to this construction.'

The central pivot between the members of each toggle is preferably formed throughv the medium of a pin 11 carried by the link 7 and adapted to play transversely of the length of the toggle in a slot 12 formed in a member 13 secured to the cross -bar 6. The purpose ofthe lost motion thus provided will hereinafter appear.

The cross bars 6 are connected with suitable blocks 14 secured to the under side of the top 1 by means of the hinges 15. About the axes 16 of the hinge pins, the cross bar 6,' which forms the upper member of the toggle, swings.

From the above description it is evident that the power of the spring is exerted to either fold or extend the legs according as the center of the pin 11 is at one side or the other of the line joining the pivots 16 and 8, so that assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 5, it is merely necessary to push the toggle either one way or the other to fold or extend the legs. If the legs are in the position shown in Fig. 3, a downward push on the spring 9 will bring the parts to the position shown vin Fig. 5, and if exactly the right momentum is imparted to the legs, the toggle will move past the center and the legs, by the action of the spring, will move to the extended position, or, if the legs be in the extended position shown in Fig. 5, by similarly depressing the spring, the parts may be brought to the position shown in Fig. 5, and if the movement is accurately performed, the toggle will swing past the line of centersv and the legs will be folded.

As, however, there is some difficulty eX- perienced at times in accurately roportioning and timing the force emp oyed, it is preferable to provide operating means for swinging the toggles, which will make the operation entirely reliable. In Figs. 43, 4 and 5 we show an operating member 17 which is pivotally connected with the link 7 and extends up through a slot 18 formed in the top, a slotted metal plate 19 being preferably. provided to take the Wear. This operating member is' readily depressible to bring the parts of the toggle to the position shown in Fig. 5 whether the parts originally were in the position shown in Fig. 3 or the position shown in Fig. 4. If lateral pressure be applied to the upper end of the member 17, the toggle may be swung to bring the center pivot 11-to either side of the line joining the centers 8 and 16, so that the legs will either fold up or be extended. To facilitate the imparting of lateral pressure to the upper end of the operating member 17, it is provided with a T-head 20. Pressure on the right hand side of the T-head, having reference to Fig. 5, tends to move the toggle to fold the legs, while pressure on the other'side of the T-head tends to move the toggle to extend the legs, the power being' supplied by the spring 9.

It is desirable that the legs should be locked in the extendedposition. Each cross bar 6, is, for this purpose, provided with a pin 21 which, when the legs are extended, is adapted to enter a. hole 22 formed in the adjacent spring 9.

The operation -in handling the tray is as follows. Assuming the legs to be folded as shown in Fig. 2, the device may be set on a table and used as a tray. lVhen suitably loaded, the tray may be carried to the place where it is to be used. Then, with the fingers grasping the handles, downward pressure is applied to the T-heads 2O of the operating members 17. This pressure, assisted by gravity, swings the toggles against the action of the springs to the position shown in Fig. 5,. Pressure applied to the inner ends lof the T-heads .2O of the operating members will swing each toggle past its line of centers, after which the pressure of the springs, assisted by gravity, brings the parts to the position shown in-Flg. 4, the pins 21 engaging in the holes 22 in the springs 9. When the legs are to be folded, the tray is lifted by means of the handles and the operating members again pressure this time being applied against the outer ends of the T-heads. The first result of the application of pressure is to depress the pins 11 in the slots 12, thus disengaging the springs from the pins 21. Further presthe pressure of sure brings the parts to the position shown in Fig. 5.. Then provided the pressure of the thumbs is4 exerted on the outer sides of the T heads, the toggles are swung past their'line of centers, and by the action of the springs the legs are folded to the posltion shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and held there by the springs exerted through the links 7 carrying the pins 11 which engage the inner ends of the slots 13.

A modification is shown in Fig. 6 in which the operating member is not provided with a T-head, so that inward lateral pressure cannot be 'so conveniently applied to its upper end. The operating member is thus only easily operable to` fold the legs,

depressed, the

after -dis- 4engaging the springs from the pins 21. To

extend the legs, we provide at each side a the molding 3. The plunger engages the end of the spring 9, and may be operated to depress the spring and to swing the toggle to and, with the assistance of the weight of the legs` beyond the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood, of course, that the construction of the top may be varied as desired so that the device may be used as a table tray or as a. folding table applicable to various uses. v

What we claim is l. In a table tray the combination of a top; a spring ylever fulcrumed thereon; a toggle pivotally lconnected at one end with the top and at its other endwith the spring lever; and legs rigidly connected with the part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and down by the op!l to be swung up and down by the operation of the toggle; and manually operable means for folding the toggle.

3. In a table tray the combination of a top; -a spring lever fulcrumed thereon; a. toggle pivotally connected at one end with the top and at its other end with the spring lever; legs rigidly connected with the part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and down by the operation of the toggle; an actuating member pivotally connected with the toggle; and a guide on the top through which the actuating member is slidable to swing the toggle.

L1. In a table tray the combination of a.

top; a spring lever fulcrumed thereon; a.

toggle pivotally connected at one end with the top` and at lits other end with the s ring lever and provided with means where y it is extensible in length; legs rigidly connected with the part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and down bv the operation of the toggle; and manually operable means for extending the toggle and for folding the same; and means wherebv the spring locks the legs in extended Vposit-ion, said means being releasable on the extension of the toggle. 5. In a. table tray the combination of a top; ar spring lever fulcrumed thereon; a toggle pivotally connected at one end with the top and at its other end with the spring lever; legs ,rigidly connected with the part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and down by the operation of the toggle; an actuating member pivotally connected with the toggle; a yguide on.

v`may be rocked in its guide ltoggle in either direction past its line of ing member is shdable yextended "able on t e and -a T-head er whereby it to swing the is slidable to swing the-toggle formed on the actuating mem centers according as the ressure is applied to one end or the other o .the T,head.

6. In a table tray the combination of a top; a spring lever fulcrumed thereon; a toggle pvotally conne-cted at one end .with the top and at its otherend with the spring leverand provided with means whereby it is extensible in lengt-h; legs; rigidly connected `with the part of the toggle adjacent the. top vand adapted to be swung up and down by the operation of the `toggle; an' actuating,r

member pivotally7 connected with'fthe't-oggle;

aguide on the top through which the `actuatto swingft'lie toggle; means whereby the spring locks the legs in ositions, said means being releas- T-head formed on the actuating member whereby it may be rocked in its uide to,ex

- tend the toggle and to swing t e samejin extension of the toggle; and a either directionpast its` line lof centers according as the pressure isJ applied to oneend or the other of the T-hea'd.\.

7. In a. tablev tray the combination ofl a jtop.; a spring lever I,fulcrumed thereon; a togglepivotally connected at one end with the top and at its other end with the'ispring lexfer, the middle joint of the toggle being formed by a pin and slot connect-ion whereby the toggle is extensible in length; legs rigidly connected with the part 'of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to bevswulng up and down by the operation ofthe toggle; an actua-tingmember` pivotally Connected with the toggle; a guide on the top through whichv the actuating member is slidable to Jextend the togGlea-nd swing' the same; and means'whereb the spring locks the legs in extended positions, said means being releasableonthe extension of the toggle. v i

*Signed at Gambridge, Mass., this 11th clay of April, i RALPH R. SCHEIBE.

' rHAROLD M. SCHEIBE.

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