US1882939A - Folding table - Google Patents

Description

oct. 18, H H ROOT FOLDING TABLE Fild Oct. 8, 1927 V a 33. k? *1 i ,.,,,m 2 ii? t A\\\\\ Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .IHUBER H. ROOT, OF MEDINA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, OF MEDINA,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FOLDING TABLE Application filed October 8, 1927.

Myinvention relates to folding tables and in particular to card tables which as usually made comprise a square or rectangular top with a hinged leg at each of the four corners that may be folded up against the underside of the top when the table is not to be used or opened out to support the table in use. The object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a table having features of construction which will contribute to diminished cost of manufacture and which will render the table as a finished article-better fitted for Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective of the molded rubber corner.

The tabletop, 10, includes a light, rectangular frame of strips, 11, of wood, the

1 strips lapping over one another at each corner, and thus presenting at each corner a -joint which if exposed does not present a 'the corner and a web, 14, of triangular shape which extends between the wings, 13, at the top and laps over the table top at the corner. The rubber is neither soft nor hard. but of a consistency which will make the corner piece an element of strength or reenforcement at the table corner, and yet serve as a yielding striking Serial No. 224,954.v

or buffer surface that will cushion knocks or blows received by the'table at the'corner a-ndadministered by the table toarticles of furniture or other'objects so as to prevent scratching or other injury from the 001-:

lisions or contacts which are bound to occur in the handling or manipulation ofthetable.

When the table is folded up-and stoodon edge on the floor the rubber will 'bein contact with the floor surface and result "in sufficient friction to prevent the table slipping on the floor and falling, and, of course, the contact of the rubber with the floor will 'prevent scratching or inju'ryto the floor surface,

these considerations being of particular im- 1 portance in view of the use of hard wood floors. Contact of the table edge with the floor when placed or leaned against a wall will occur only at the two corners nextthe floor, the intermediate portion of the wood" strip being kept spaced above the floor.

The corner blocks made of rubber'bes'ides other advantages over metal used- 'atthe corners, possess the advantage that there are no sharp edges or corners which'are un-g avoidable with metal apt to catchinto or tear the clothing.

Each corner blockor protector can'be secured in place by brads or small nails, 15, driven through each wing, 13,-two of which ll suflice.

. The table legs, as usual, are: each .asimple straight stick, 16, of wood pivoted '[at each corner inside the frame sides, 11. Each leg, 16, has near its end a horizontal hole, 17, by which it is pivotally mounted upon a horizontal rod, l8, which at one end enters a horizontal hole, 19, in a frame side, 11, and at the other end enters a hole in a right angle bracket plate, 20, secured as by screws to'the inner side of the adjacentframe side, 11.

Between the side of the leg, 16, and the frame side, 11, which has'the pivot hole, 19, is a yieldable elastic take-up and pressure-producing device which preferably is a spring,

and in particular a coil spring, 21, placed around the portion of the rod, 18, between the leg and the frame side, the thrust ofthe spring: against theleg tendingv to movethe leg towards thebracket, 20, and also to move 1.;

the rod, 18, endwise toward said bracket by the provision of a shoulder, 22, on the rod, 18, on the side of the leg opposite that engaged by the spring, 21. To limit the endwise movement of the rod, 18, towards the bracket, 20, the rod, 18, has a shoulder, 23, that engages the car, 2 1, at one end of an obliquely extending b ace bar, 25, whose other end is pivoted to the leg, 16. lhe provision of the shoulder, 23, provides a pintle, 26, which enters the pivot hole in the bracket, 20, which is sufficiently short so that endwise movement of the rod, 18, against the pressure of the spring, 21, will permit disengagement of the pintle from the bracket, 20, and thus the ready removal. of the leg from the table, should that be desired, for the purpose of replacement or repair.

And the original manufacture or construction of the table is simplified and cheapened by reason of the possibility of endwise movement of the rod, 18, because all of the cooperating parts upon the table and legs may be applied thereto before they are brought together and their assembla e involves merely thrusting the pintle that enters the hole, 19, into the latter compressing the spring, 21, sufficiently to clear the bracket, 20, by the pintle, 26, to place the latter in alignment with the pivot hole in the bracket, 20, and then allowing the rod, 18, to move endwlse to place the pintle, 26, in the bracket hole.

Inasmuch as the spring, whether a coil spring, 21, or a flat spring, is an automatically compensating device that takes care of wear which is bound to occur from the frequent swinging of the table legs on their pivots 1t will be seen that at all times sufiicient pressure will be exerted against the leg to keep it tight and snug and prevent lost motion and that looseness of parts which makes the table become rickety and endangers its stability.

It will be observed that the spring besides the other advantages pointed out renders it unnecessary to use any rivet-s or nuts to hold the parts assembled, which is an advantage not only in dispensing with such parts, and thereby saving the cost, but, is also'of ad vantage in making unnecessary the use of tools inassembling the legs and table top, and in the replacement of a leg by a new one.

The diagonal or oblique brace, 25, which extends from the bracket, 20, to the leg with great rigidity and firmness when opened out. To latch the leg in its opened out position,

a latch device, 28, of familiar form is employed.

I claim:

1. A table comprising a top that includes frame bars, independent leg pivoting means comprising a rod passing through a hole in each leg and supportedat opposite ends by the frame bars so as to be endwise movable,

and an elastic member interposed between the leg and an adjacent frame bar tending to press the leg away from such frame bar.

2. A table comprising a top that includes frame bars, leg pivoting means comprising a rod passing through a hole in the leg and supported at opposite ends by the frame bars so as to be endwise movable, an elastic member interposed between the leg and an adjacent frame bar tending to press the leg away from such frame bar, and an obliquely extending brace reaching from said leg to the end of said rod remote from the le 3. A table comprising a top and independently folding legs, means pivoting each leg to the top including an endwise movable rod that passes through a hole in the leg and which at opposite sides of the leg has a pivotal connection with the top and an elastic member situated adjacent one of such pivotal connections to exert pressure upon each leg and a surface on the top, in the direction of the pivotal axis of the leg.

l. A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of the top, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced away from said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation alining with that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said. bracket with its ends engaging said perforations and movable axially therein, a leg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the leg thereto, an elastic member interposed between one side of the leg and said bar, the leg being movable along the rod towards said bar and means to limit movement of the legs along the bar in the opposite direction.

5. A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of the top, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced away from said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation alining with that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said bracket with its ends engaging said perforations and movable axially therein, a leg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the leg thereto, an elastic member interposed between oneside of the leg and said bar, the

leg being movable along the rod towards said ends engaging said perforations and movable axially therein, a leg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the leg, and a molded rubber corner comprising integral wings at right angles which extend over the outer surfaces of the frame bar to close the perforation therein.

7 A table comprising a top that includes a frame bar at the edge of the top, said bar having a horizontal perforation, a bracket spaced away from said bar situated beneath the top and having a perforation aligning with that in said bar, a rod extending between said bar and said bracket with its ends engaging said perforation and movable axially therein, a leg having a hole through which said rod passes for pivoting the leg thereto, a molded rubber corner comprising integral Wings at right angles, one of which extends over and closes the perforation in the frame bar and an elastic member interposed between one side of the leg and said bar and urging the leg away from said bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HUBER H. ROOT.

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