US1903900A - Table attachment for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1933. Q w -rm I 1,903,900

TABLE ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 7, 1952 Patented Apr. 18, 1933 CHARLES W. MARTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TABLE ATTACHMENT FOIt AUTOMOBILES Application filed July 7', 1932. Serial No. 621,157.

This invention appertains to attachments for automobiles, and it has for one of its primary objects the provision of means whereby a table can be readily associated 5 with the rear face of the front seat of an automobile, so that the occupants of the automobile will have an efieotive support for eating, writing, or other purposes.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide an eating or Writing table for automobiles, in which the use of all supporting brackets, legs, or other extraneous fastening means are entirely eliminated, the table attachment being so constructed as to cooperate with the usual lap-robe rail for holding the attachment in position.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a novel table attachment for automobiles formed from a single blank of metal and provided with means at its rear edge for receiving the lap-robe rail and for engaging the front seat and under the brackets of the lap-robe rail so that the same will be held rigidly in a horizontal position against accidental movement during use.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a table attachment for automobiles which can be readily and quickly asso ciated with the rear face of the front automobile seat without any work on the part of the user, and which, owing to its simple construction, can be received within a pocket M or slot formed in the back of the front seat,

when the attachment is not in use. 7

A still further object of my invention is to provide a table attachment of exception ally simple and durable construction, which can be manufactured and placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel construction,

arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing a Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View through my improved table attachment,

showing the same associated with an automobile, the attachment being in its operative 7 corresponding parts throughout the several 5. 7

views, the letter A generally indicates my improved table attachment for an automobile B. i

- The automobile B of any preferred type or make and hassimply been illustrated to show the use of my novel attachment. As shown, the automobile embodies the front seat 5 havingthe back 6, to which is secured in the ordinary manner the lap-robe rail7; The lap-robe rail 7 is of the .ordinaryconstruction and-is pivotally secured to the ordinary supporting brackets'8 therefor. i

My improved attachment A is preferably constructed from a single blank ofmetal and I do not limit myself to the .kind of metal used, as in some cases, where a comparatively inexpensive article is-desired, the same can be made from aluminum, and where a more durable, expensive article 1s desired, the same can be made from sheet steel and 'chrominum-plated to enhance the'appearance thereof. This attachment A comprises a flat body plate.- 10 which forms the supporting surface proper, and which can be used for any purpose, such as eating, vwriting, or the like. This plate 10 extends substantially the width of the lap-robe rail 7 and has its rear edge bent downwardly at right angles,

as at 11, to form a longitudinally extending abutment shoulder 12. Formed on the depending, right-angularlyv extending portion 11 is the forwardly extending portion 13, which in turn carries the upwardly and rearwardly directed inclined front flange 14:.

The edgesof the front flange l lcarry later; 9

ally projecting wings 15 for a purpose which will be later set forth. The formation of the depending portion 11, the forwardly projecting portion 13, and the front flange 14 provide a substantially U-shaped trough in cross section, which extends the entire length of the attachment.

In the use of my improved attachment, the lower edge of the same is placed between the lap-robe rail 7 and the back 6 of the front seat 5 so that the lap-robe rail 7 will engage the abutment shoulder 12. The table attachment is then swung to a raised, horizontal position, and the flange 14 will abut against the rear face of the back seat, and the wings 15 will engage under the brackets 8, or the fastening element thereof, for holding the attachment against further swinging movement. This will eflectively hold the attachment in its horizontal position so that the same can be used for its desired purpose.

Obviously this forms an exceptionally simple and durable table attachment, which can be quickly and easily associated with an automobile without any change in the construction thereof.

In some instances it may be desirable to place the attachment entirely out of sight and out of the way'of the occupants of the automobile when it is not being used. In this instance a pocket or slot 16 can be formed directly in the back 6 of the front seat 5. This pocket can be provided with an entrance slot 17 so that the attachment can be readily slid into the pocket or removed therefrom.

Changes in detailmay be made without departing from the-spirit or scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is 1. The combination with an automobile having the front seat provided with a pivoted lap-robe rail on its rear face, of a table attachment for the automobile comprising a flat plate having a substantially U-shaped trough formed on one longitudinal edge, said trough forming an abutment shoulder for receiving the pivoted lap-robe rail, and an abutment flange for engaging the rear face of the seat. I

2. The combination with an automobile having a frontseat and a lap-robe rail on its rear face, brackets secured to the rear face of the front seat pivotally supporting said rail, of a table attachment for the automobile comprising a flat body plate having a substantially U-shaped trough on one longitudinal edge providing an abutment shoulder for receiving the lap-robe rail, a front flange for engaging the rear face of the front seat, and laterally extending wings formed on the front flange extending beyond the side edges of the trough for engaging the brackets of the lap-robe rail. 7

3. As a new article of manufacture, a table attachment for automobiles formed from a single blank of metal including a flat body consin.

CHARLES W. MARTIN.

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