US1820592A - Collapsible table - Google Patents

Description

5, 1931. w. J. BAUER 1,820,592

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed March 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR W/LL lAM 116,400?

A'T'rciRNEY It has for its invention resides in a 4 These brackets, furthermore,

' best'be understood when Patented Aug. 25, 1931 i a UNITED STA wnmfur .1. BAUER, or NEW YORK,

coL'LArsmnE TABLE {Application filed March 22,

The invention relates generally to furniture construction, and more especially to a supporting member of the for example, a table having supporting legs which are designed to fold underneath said table when the same is not. in use and to be extended substantially at right angles to its top portion when itis desired to place said table in service. i

object 'a simple and inexpensive construction of furniture structure of. this character which may readily be manipulatedin erecting the same as well as in collapsing said article. A further object of the furniture structure legs may securely be,

located in positionto rigidly sustain the top or platform portion thereof. A still further the novel object of the. invention resides in wherein the supporting I leg-supporting bracket whichmay, also, be

reinforcin elements for thetop or platform member 0 the structure. 4 To this end,jthere is provided a plurality of supporting brackets attached to the top or platform .portion of the structure, which. rackets are designed to pivotally support the leg members to thus connect the same with the top. 'Each leg member, moreover, carries means adapted for locking engagement in its respective pivoting bracket to hold the structure as a whole against collapse.

may be provided with .a .wing to which is then-rigidly secured diagonal braces or reinforcingele ments immediately beneath the top or platform portion to sustain the same.

The nature of the'invention, however, will described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: f 1 r [Fig 1 is a perspective underneath view showing a table member, as one embodiment ofmy' invention, in the erected position. Fig. 2 is a' fragmentary lon itudinal section illustrating the manner '0 maintaining the table supporting legs in elevated position,-the dotted line indicating theextend osition. p

3 is a fragmentary transversesection Fig. thereof taken' on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 of arranged to carry collapsible type, i

' they are ed min the downwardly 'frame or platform 1929. Serial no. a49,oe5.

the drawings, and looking in the direction of the arrows' Figs-4: and 5 illustrate, respecti'velyin side and front elevation the upper portion of a supporting leg and pivotingbracket therefor. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a holding bracket.

Fig. 7 is showing a modifiedform of in the erected position. 4

Fig. 8 is a fragmentarydetail vertical section illustrating the manner of maintaining the table-supporting legs thereof in supportmg position. I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken'on the line 99, Fig. 8 of the drawings, I

securing a supportingleg member to its holdmg bracket.

, Referring an enclosing a perspective underneath view table member and toithe drawin s, 10 designates member fora ording'a rame',

- for example of square or other desired shape,

to receive the top or platform element 11; A finishing strip 12 may also beprovided about the frame 10, which frame is made of suflicieut depth to conceal or retain therein, when the table is collapsed, the supporting leg members 13. The latter are, preferably,-hollow as of tubular metal, being designed to support said top when the table is erected for use, as'indicated in Fig. 1. In this condition, the legs 13 extend substantially at right angles to said top 11 being arranged to swing freely downwardly there{ from or, rather, from th frame 10 to which piyotally attached. This attache ment may be efiected, for example, by-means of brackets, such as the U-shape retaining bracket 14, rigidly secured in the-respective v corners of the frame and supporting a pivot pin or' rivet 15 passing through the upper end of a leg pivotallyfitted therein to persame to swing freely thereon andfrom the under-surface of the portion 11 of the table.

The said pin 15 is arranged, 'also,'for a and adapted and transversely of the same. A

"lock in slots 20 limited longitudinal movement relatively to a corresponding leg member, as by providing a pair of slots 16 in its opposite sides at the upper end'and in which the pin is .drawn normally to-the bottom thereof under the action of a spring 17 connected to the said pivotinlg pin 15 and to a further pin 18 w the slots in the g member said leg is provided, also, withpins 19 projecting laterally from the side wall thereof and adapted to provided in the side walls of a corresponding U-shape bracket 14.

These slots extend inwardly from the corresponding lower edges of a bracket; and the bracket itself is, side walls withpro ecting portions hav ng the respective cam e ges 21, and also with the fingers 22, the latter extending inwardly and being turned over the corresponding face of the hollow leg member which, as shown, is square in section,

If it be desired to fold the leg member up mounted be into position beneath the table top 11, it is necessary merely to pull outwardly, against action of spring 17, the particular leg mem-.

her so that its pins 19 will clear their respective slots 20 of the bracket; and there'- upon swing the-leg member "upwardly and into horizontal position until stopped by the.

inwardly projecting fingers 22. These fingers-also prevent contact of a leg member with the undersurface of a top and thus reduce the danger of marring the finish of the same, as by scratchingor knocking ofl the paint therefrom. Moreover, it will be observed that the pins beyond the high point of'the respective cam surfaces or edges 21 (as indicated by the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4) so that any tendency of a leg member to drop downwardly when once in folded position is obviated; and the table ma be freely carried about without danger of these le members dropping from their position. 0 restore the legs to a vertical position in erecting the table, it is necessary merely to exert sufficient force thereon to turn the, same downwardly,

the unti .in's 19 riding over the cam surfaces 21 they eventually drop into the slots 20, drawn thereto by the spring 17. The U-shape retaining brackets may, also, be provided with a diagonally directed wing 25 to which are attached reinforcing members or braces 26 extending diagonally across the underside of the top and immediately beneath the same to sustain the top 11.

When a solid type of leg sired, this lmaybe secured mounting the leg members. For example, reference being had to Figs. 7 to 11, 30. designates the enclosing member for affording a frame of the des'iredshape adapted to receive the top or platform 31, with finishing strip 32 about said frame. The supporting by similarly furthermore, provided at its a corresponding side wall 19 are then also slightly member is deb legs 33 for the table are pivotally mounted in U-shape brackets 34. These brackets are, as in the previous embodiment, rigidly 'secured in the respective corners of the frame as by a supporting pivot pin or rivet 35 which passes also through the upper end 7 of a leg fitted for pivotal mounting therein. When the legs are then extended to sup,- port the top, provision is made for retaining them against movement carrying'bracket member 34 as through a locking lever 36 adapted for locking engagement in the corresponding bracket, each of said leg members pivotallycarrying one of said locking levers. Itis preferred to pivot a lever to its respective leg member as by a shouldered screw 37 passing therethrough and into the leg member, said screw having an unthreaded cylindrical portion 38 designed to fit a corresponding opening 39 of a plate 40 set into the leg member flush with itssurface. Normally, a lever 36 will be positioned substantially in the plane of a leg member under the action of gravity; and, after the said leg members are extended, it is necessary in order to eifect the locking engagement. merely to manually swing said levers about their respective pivoting pins 37 and upwardly to fit in a slot 41 of the pivoting bracket.

Levers 36, moreover, are provided each with a holding tooth 42 so that when the lever is elevated for engagement with. the bracket, tooth 42 may exert pressure against of a bracket mem-- ber 34 to exert a friction hold thereon. This will serve toprevent the various legs from swinging outwardly as the corresponding lever 36' is temporarily lockedtransversely. of a said leg in the slot'or notch 41, provided in the holding bracket 34;'and it is referred, also, to provide the opposite end 0 the lever with a nose 43 to fit into a further and longer slot 44 in the opposite wall of the bracket 34, both of the slots 41 and 44 being cut inwardly from the lower edge and in a direction to accommodate the oscillation of the lever 36.

In order to collapse the table, it is necessary then merely to depress the various levers from their position of engagement with the corresponding pivoting brackets, whereu on the legs-will be free toswing in' said brac ets 34 to a position within the frame 30 which is made of suflicient depth to substantially conceal therein the legs when this collapsed. A wing 45 may also be provided 'on the brackets for supporting diagonally disposed races 46 immediately beneath as in the previously'described embodiment. -The constructions provide for a very rigid support of the table sired to make use of-the table; and withal are.

of simple and relatively inexpensive design.

relatively to their 7 Ill the top 31,,

hereinbefore. described 12$ side walls, a plurality of U-shape brackets attached to sa1d top, a pin secured to each of said brackets and passing through the inner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls, a spring connecting the pin with the correspondin leg, and means carried by the leg for furt er engagement with said bracket for axially positioning the leg relatively thereto.

2. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slots oppositely dis ,osed in their side walls, a plurality of U-s ape brackets, a pin secured to each of said brackets and passing through the inner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls, a spring connecting the pin with the'corresponding leg, and laterally extending pins adapted to fit into further slots of the bracket extending inwardly fromits lower edges. v v

3. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slots oppositely disposed in-their side walls, a plurality of U-shape brackets attached to said top, a pin secured to each of .said brackets and passing through the inner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls, a spring connecting the pin with the corresponding leg, and laterally extending pins adapted to fit into further slots of the bracketand to ride over a cam edge of a corresponding side wall of said bracket to a position beyond its highest-point.

4. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slots oppositely disposed in their side walls,

a plurality of U-shape brackets attached to said top, a pin secured to each of said bra-ckets and passing through the inner end of a legand the slots of its side walls, a spring connecting the pin with. the corresponding leg, laterally extending into further slots of the racket and to ride over a cam edge of a corresponding side wall of said bracket to a position beyond its highes'tpoint, and fingers inwardly turned from the side walls of a bracket to limit the ins. ward movement of a corresponding leg.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM J. BAUER.

pins adapted to fit

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