US1903631A - Collapsible table - Google Patents

Description

April 11, 1933. A. J. MORRISON COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed Jan. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 11, 1933. A. J. MORRISON 1,903,631

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed Jan. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1933 g UNITED STATES PATENT FE f1 eoLLArsIBLE TABLE Application filed January 26, 1932. Serial No. 588,929.

This invention relates to a collapsible table and has for its principal object the provision of a table construction which will enable the table to be built of cardboard, boxboard, cor- 5 ruga-ted board, or similar thin light, inexpensive material.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a table construction of this nature which can be easily and quickly erected and which,

when collapsed, will occupy but aminimum of space.

' A further object is to so construct the table that when erected it can be lifted and moved about without falling'apart or collapsing.

'15 A still further object is to construct a table which will have maximum strength with minimum weight. I

Other objects and advantages reside in the 7 detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and effi ciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

7 In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings Fig. lis a perspective view illustrating the complete table erected ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the table with the top removed.

Figs. 3 and 4 are disassembled views illustrating the component parts of the table separated in their relative positions.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 55, Fig. 1, looking upward under the bottom of the table top. The developed or 40 extended position of the table top is indicated in this view in broken line.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the shelf member employed in the table.

Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating how the 45 pedestal may be collapsible.

The entire table is formed from sheets of thin material, preferably corrugated board of the type used for making paper cartons, and is formed witha vertical tubular pedestal '50 10 formed of a single sheet or board folded along vertical lines and joined along its vertical edges. The top'of the pedestal 10 is slotted on each face as shown at 11 and the bottom is similarly slotted as shown at 12.

The upper slots 11 receive two top brace members 13 and 14. The member 13 is provided with three lower vertical slots 15; the middle one of which receives the other top brace number 14, the others being arranged to fit over the upper extremities of the sides of the pedestal 10. The'top brace member 14 is provided with an upper slot 16 for. receiving the number 13, and with two upper slots 17 to fit over the pedestal 10. When in place on the pedestal the upper edges of the brace members 13 and 14 and the upper edge of the pedestal 10 will all be in a common plane as shown in Fig. 2. The extremities of the brace members 13 and 14 are provided with what will be herein designated as top flange slots 18. the use of which will be later described.

The pedestal 10 is supported by two crossed foot members 19 and 20 which are similar in outline and slotting to the top brace members 13 and 14. The member 20 contains three vertical slots 21 for receiving the pedestal 10 and the other foot member 19. The footmember 19 is provided with two vertical slots 22 for receiving the pedestal 10 and with a third slot 23 for receiving the other foot member 20. It is preferred to place wooden bottom strips 24 along the lower edges of the members 19 and 20 to protect them from dam age and from dampness which might disintegrate the material of which they are constructed.

The pedestal 10 is maintained in the erected position by means of a circular shelf member 25 which is shown in detail in Fig. 6. The central portion of the shelf member 25 is slotted on radial lines so asto form tabs 26 which, when fold-ed outwardly, outline a square opening in the member 25 which will firmly hold the pedestal 10 in the erected position. When in place upon the pedestal, the tabs 26 extend downward on each side of each of the foot members 19 and 20 so as to securely brace and hold them in position. When the entire structure thus far described has been assembled, it will present the appearance shown in Fig. 2 and will be ready to receive the top.

The top is designated in its entirety by the numeral 27, and is shown in detail in Fig. 5. When developed or opened out it will present the outline shown in broken lines in Fig. 5, that is it will be provided with four leg flange tabs 28, each of which is slotted as shown at 29; and four intermediate tabs 30. The tabs 28 and 30 are creased so as to fold along the lines indicated at A, Fig. 5.

When placing the top on the table the intermediate tabs 30 are folded under the top proper. The leg tabs 38 are then folded under so they will slide into the top flange slots 18 in the extremities of the top brace members 13 and 14. The slots 18 act to firmly lock the top in place on the table while the slots 39 act to firmly brace the members 13 and 14 against bending.

It will be noted that this construction forms a vertical peripheral flange entirely around the table which stitfens the edges thereof and maintains the entire top rigid and flat. When assembled the entire table can be lifted by means of the top 27 as the latter is securely locked in place by means of the slots 18 and 29. When suitably ornamented with paint, lacquer or varnish the table presents a very attractive end table, and the finish acts to still further strengthen and protect the construction material.

To collapse the table it is only necessary to pull the tabs 28 outwardly from the slots 18. This will release the top from the table. The members 13 and 14 can then be pulled from the pedestal together with the shelf ring% as shown in Fig. 3. The pedestal can now be pulled from the foot members 19 and 20, and the foot members can be separated, as shown in Fig. 4. The pedestal can now be flattened as shown in Fig. 7- so as to occupy but little space. All the members can then be placed within the confines of the top 27.

The particular shape of the top, the pedestal, the brace members, the foot members and the shelf member can be varied as desired. The intermediate tabs 30 can be eliminated and the tabs 38 can be widened so as to form a square top if desired. The pedestal illustrated is square but it could hold in any desired cross section by forming a similar corresponding hole in the shelf member 25. All of the slots in the structure are relatively narrower than the corresponding members they are to receive so that they will functionally engage the latter so as to hold them until considerable pull is required to release them.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is 1. A collapsible table comprising: a pedestal; top brace members extending oppositely outward adjacent the top of said pedestal and provided with horizontal slots extending inwardly into the extremities of said top brace members; a table top; and flange members formed in said top" and arranged to extend downwardly and inwardly into said slots soas to hold said top in place.

'2. A collapsible table comprising: a pedestal,- top brace v members extending oppositely outward adjacent the top of said pedestal and provided with horizontal slots extending inwardly into the extremities of said top brace members; a table top; and flange members formed in said top and arranged to extend downwardly and inwardly into said slots so as to hold said top in place, said flange members being hinged to said-top so that they may be swung outwardly to release them from said slots.

3. A collapsible table comprising: a pedestal; top brace members extending oppositely outward adjacent the top of said pedestal and provided with horizontal slots extending inwardly into the extremities of said top brace members; a table top; and flange members formed in said top and arranged to extend downwardly and inwardly into said slots so as to hold said top in place, said flange members being slotted so that when in place they will extend along opposite sides of said top brace members so as to brace the latter.

4. A collapsible table comprising: a pedestal; top brace members extending oppositelv outward adjacent the top of said pedestal and provided with horizontal slots extending inwardly into the extremities of said top brace members; a table top; and flange members formed in said top and arranged to extend downwardly and inwardly into said slots so as to hold said top in place. and intermediate flange members arranged to extend downwardly and inwardly from said table top intermediate said first flange members, said first flange members being folded under said intermediate flange members so as to support and hold the latter in place.

5. A supporting structure comprising: a tube of relatively thin sheet material; vertically positioned fold creases formed in said tube so that it can be flattened when desired; and means for locking said tube in the tubular position; said latter means comprising a shelf member having an opening for receiving said tube arranged to slide over said tubes so as to maintain it in the tubular position; and outwardly extending foot members for supporting said tube in the vertical position said foot members being received in vertical slots in said pedestal so as to be removable from the latter; and taps extending downward from the opening in said shelf member on each side of said foot members so as to brace the latter.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

ALFRED J. MORRISON.

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