US2127980A - Supporting member - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 23, 1938; lF. A. NIEMANN SUPPORTING MEMBER Filed May 13, 1936 INVENTOR.

- maw Patented, Aug. 23, 1938 PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING Mamma Frederick A. Niemann,

Chicago, Ill., assignor to Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co., Chicago, lll., a corporationof Illinois Application May 13,

3 Claims.

ject to be supported and another part mounted,

thereon so as to be readily movable to operative or inoperative position and be automatically retained in either of such positions.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a folding leg member having a novel type of `joint which enables movement of the leg from folded to extended position in one motion accompanied by an automatic locking of the leg in such extended position.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a supporting member embodying the features of the invention, .with the leg portion in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken sub- 30. stantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, with the leg portion of the supporting member in folded or inoperative position; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the supporting or folding leg member illustrated comprises a disk II adapted to be rigidly secured in the usual manner to the drawing board, distribution board, `or the like (not shown) which is to be supported, as by means of screws extending through apertures I2 in the disk. The disk II is also provided with a depressed portion I3 and an aperture I4 located centrally thereof (Fig. 2).

Extending downwardly through the aperture I4 is a stud l5 having a circumferential flange I6 at its upper end bearing against the upper surface of the depressed portion I3 of the disk II. The stud I is rigidly secured to the disk II in any suitable manner, such as by welding. The main portion of the stud l5 is cylindrical in shape and is provided with a longitudinal slot Il extending upwardly from its lower surface to a point ,adjacent the flange I6. The stud I5 is also provided with a horizontal bore IB disposed 193s, smal No. 19,504

(ci. 24a-iss) at right angles to the slot I'I and having a reduced portion I9 extending outwardly a short distance from one of the side surfaces of the slot I1 for a purpose to be later described.

A link 2I is positioned with its upper end within the slot I1 of the stud I5, and is pivotally mounted on a pin 22 which is disposed within. the bore I8. One end of the pin 22 is reduced to fit the smaller portion I9 of the bore I8 and to provide a shoulder which abuts against the side surface of the slot I'I. The outer end oi this reduced portion of the pin 22 may then be riveted against the shoulder formed at the outer end of the reduced portion I9 of the bore I8 to secure the pin 22 to the stud I5.y In this manner the pin 22 does not extend beyond the outer surface of the stud I5.

The link 2I is provided with a longitudinal slot 23, and the outer edges of the link are rounded so asto fall substantially within the curved plane of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the stud I5 when the link 22 is in its vertical position oi Fig. 2. A tubular member 24, comprising the supporting leg-proper, is adapted to fit slidingly over the main cylindrical portion of the stud I5, as shown in Fig. 2. A stop pin 25 extends through the slot 23 in the link 2| and is rigidly mounted in the walls of the tubular member 24. Adjacent its other end, the tubular member 24 is provided with a cross-pin 26 to which is anchored one end of a coil spring 2'I, the other end of which engages the slotted end of the link 2l. The tubular member 24 is thus resiliently secured to the disk II and is movable thereto within definite limits.

The lower end of the bore of the tubular member 24 is threaded at 28 (Fig. 2) to receive a reduced threaded end portion 29 of a rod 3l, `comprising an extension of the tubular member 24. The other end of the rod 3| is bored and tapped at 32, and is adapted to receive an insert or plug 33 made of rubber, or the like, to prevent slipping of the support or injury to the surface upon which it rests. It will be readily apparent that the plug 33 may be inserted in the threaded bore 2B of the tubular member 24 and the rod 3| omitted, or other extension membersl similar to the rod 3| added, to provide a supporting leg of any desired length.

The exterior surfaces of the tube 24 and rod 3i are knurled for a portion of their length, as indicated at 34 and 35, respectively, to facilitate movement thereof relative to each other and to the disk l l In use, the instant supporting member is in its extended or vertical position of Figs. 1 and 2 with the upper end of the tube or leg 24 surrounding the stud l5. j In this operative position, the end of the tube 24 is urged into firm contact with the depressed portion I3 of the disk il, to provide a very rigid supporting structure.

When it is desired to move the tube or leg 24 to inoperative or folded position, as shown in Fig. 3, it is merely pulled downwardly away from the disk Il against the tension of spring 21 until its upper end is slightly below the lower end of the stud I5. The tube 24 and link 2l may then be swung about the pivot pin 22 into a substantially horizontal position, that is, into an inoperative or folded position in which the longitudinal axes of the members 24 and 2l are parallel to the plane of the disk il (Fig. 3). The several parts areV resiliently maintained in this position by means of the spring 21 urging the tube 24 into firm contact with the side surface of the stud l5.

In moving the tube or leg 24 back to extended or operative position, it is pulled longitudinally away from the stud I5,- and swung with the link 2i about the pivot pin 22 into a perpendicular position relative to the disk Il, where it will be automatically locked in place by the action of the spring 21. Or, such movement of the leg 24 from folded to operative position may be accomplished by a uni-directional impulse, since pivotal movement only of the members 24 and 2| from their position of Fig. 3 will result in the endof the tube 24 being cammed on the outer surface of the stud i5 until it reaches a position in which it can slide over and surround the stud. This unidirectional impulse may be applied directly to the leg 24 or indirectly by a snapping or shaking movement of the object to be supported .to which the disk Il is secured. y

In'any of the longitudinal movements of the vtube or leg 24 away from the stud l5 and against the tension of the spring 21, the pin 25, in conjunction with the slot 23 in the link 2|, will prevent complete separation or disconnection of the several parts of the supporting structure from each-other.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

y construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a folding support, an attaching plate adapted to be secured to an object to be supported, a downwardly extending stud mounted on said plate, a link pivotally mounted on said stud having an elongated slot therein, a tubular leg member resiliently secured to said link, and a pin mounted in said leg and extending through said slot for limiting the relative movement between said leg and said link.

2i. In a folding support, an attaching plate adapted to be secured to an object to be supported, a downwardly extending stud mounted on said plate, a link pivotally mounted on said stud having an elongated slot therein, a tubular leg member, an extension spring housed within said leg member and secured at one end thereto and at the other end to said link, and a pin mounted in said leg and extending through said slot to limit movement of said leg against the action of said spring between operative and inoperative positions, said leg abutting against said stud to limit movement thereof by said spring in inoperative position and embracing said stud and abutting against said plate to limit movement thereof by said spring in operative position.

3. In a folding support, an attaching plate, comprising a flat portion adapted to be secured to an object to be supported, and an embossed portion spaced downwardly from the plane of said flat portion and having an aperture therein, a stud having a iiange disposed within the embossed portion of said plate below the plane of said flat portion and secured thereto and a body portion extending downwardly through said aperture, a link pivotally secured to the body portion of said stud and having an elongated slot therein.'

a tubular leg member, a. springdisposed within said leg and connected at one endthereto and at the other end to said link, and a pin mountedv in said leg and extending through said slot to limit outward movementv of said leg relative to said link, whereby said leg may be moved relative to said plate between operative and inoperative positions and is adapted in operative position to abut against said plate and completely conceal said stud and said link.

FREDERICK A. NIEMANN.

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