US2132515A

US2132515A - Table

Info

Publication number: US2132515A
Application number: US150477A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oppenheimer Elsa
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-06-26
Filing date: 1937-06-26
Publication date: 1938-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1955-10-11

Description

Oct M 193. E. OPPENHEIMER TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26, 1937 INVENTOR a v aenfi aim) ORNEY Oct. 11, 1938.

E. OPPENHEIMER TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1957 INVENTOR JZSw fl spenfiemer H M m TORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1938 TABLE Elsa Oppenheimer, New York, N;'Y.

Application June'26;

1 Claim.

This invention'relates to tables of the so-called convertible type and" has. for. its object the provision of a table, which; by reason of' its construction, is capable of severaliuses.

Primarily, the invention contemplates atable having atop comp'osed of several leaf elements hinged; or otherwise-movably connected together whereby-thetopof the-'tablemay be reduced in size or, when adapted for a different function, may be oi -increased size. A'further object of the invention is to provide means for raising and lowering the-top,according to the'usesto which the table is tobe put.-

The table to which this invention primarily I8 relates ;is-one which is adapted for use either as a so-called' coffee table*wherein thesame is of relatively small size and 'lowheight, or as a so-called' bridge table 'pr a dining table wherein the top needbe of substantial area and 20 of aconvenie'nt height. from the floor; g

The invention-therefore contemplates the pro vision of a top composedof several hinged-or movably connected leaf elements anda means whereby-said top may -beraised or lowered to suit the several requirements;

Another object of the invention is to provide such a table whereinthe operative means by which the table is converted from one type to another does not in any way detract from the i0 appearance of the table as a handsome article of furniture, said table, in either of its operative positions, presenting the appearance of a piece of furniture specifically designed and constructed to fill that particular function rather :5 than a table of the recognized convertible type.

These objects are attained by the provision of unobtrusive, relatively simple means for converting the table, without the provision of set screws or other mechanical projecting elements of the ,0 kind common in convertible articles of furniture of the same general character.

In the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a table made in accordance ,5 with this invention, showing the table in its folded position and ready for use as a coffee table; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same table with the top opened and elevated, permitting the table to be used as a bridge table or the 0 like; Fig. 3 is a front view of the table in folded condition and with the top in its lowered position, and with parts broken away to disclose construction; Fig. 4 is a view of the table with the top opened out flat, and with the table in 5 its raised or elevated position; Fig. 5 is a view 1937,. Serial No. 150,477

of the underside of the tableshowing the'means which enables the supportingmemberor pedestal to be centrally positioned both While the table is'opened and while in folded position; and Fig. '6 is a sectional view through thetop portion ofthe table showing the manner in which positioning of the supportingleg or-pedestal' may be had.

The top of the table may be made of any desired ornamental outline, and as shown, it comprises the two leaf portions "I and 8 which are-hinged or otherwise movably connected together at 9 to permit the top portion 8 to be folded to overlie the portion I, to thereby reduce the eifectivesize of the tabletop, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The hinges '9 employed for movably uniting the two top leaves! and 8 may be countersunkor of the invisible type so that when the table leaves-7 and 8 are folded out flat, the entire" upper surface of the table top in its opened position "will be flat and smooth;

The supportingmem'ber or pedestal for the table -isshown 'at lfi -and it' is provided with the supportingfeet I.l', said pedestal and feet portion being of any suitable ornamental form known to the table or furniture art. The pedestal I0'is1:holloW-orprovided with a verticallydisposed passage I2 in which a dependent post I3 is adapted to be moved or telescoped. Said post I3 has its upper end provided with a head 25 secured to a plate or slide I4 having its longitudinal edges rabbeted at I5, said rabbeted edges being slidably guided by spaced guide strips I6 screwed or otherwise secured to the under side of the table top leaf I. To limit the movement of the slide I4 in one direction, or away from the guides. I6, a stop I! in the form of a projecting strip is secured to the under face of the table top portion 1 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. To limit movement of the slide in a direction away from the stop member I1, the rabbeted edges I5 of said slide terminate near one end of the slide to provide the shoulders I8 which, when the slide is moved toward the right as indicated in Fig. 5, abut against the ends of the guides I6 and limit the movement of the slide I4 toward the right,

When the table is in its folded position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or is being used as a coffee table, the supporting post I3 and, co-opcrating pedestal II] are centrally located with respect to the top leaf portion 1 of the table as shown in Fig. 5. At this time slide I4 is so located that its end I9 is abutting against the stop member I1.

When the table top is opened out flat or in the position shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, it is then desirable to locate the supporting pedestal in a central position with respect to such opened top. This is done by either sliding the'open top as a whole across the supporting pedestal, or by shifting the pedestal with respect to the open top so that the pedestal assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or in other words, is located centrally with respect to the opened top of the table. As previously explained, the stop portions l8 act to limit the movement of the slide 14 with respect to the guide l6 and incidentally serve toproperly centrally position the pedestal.

When the table is opened out, its increased size permits it to act as a bridge table or the like, and it is then desirable to position the top of the table such a height from the floor to enable the table to be so conveniently used. This is done by elevating the post l3 or drawing it out of the pedestal l to a raised position. To hold the post l3 in such elevated position, a catch member 20 is provided, said catch member being located in a recess 25 in the post and being spring pressed by means of a spring 2| mounted within the post l3. When the post I3 is in its raised position, the lower end of catch member 20 acts as'a supporting shoulder which engages on top of the end of pedestal I0. To limit the telescoping movement of post l3 within pedestal I0, a stop means is provided, comprising an elongated groove 22 formed in the post l3 which engages with an inwardly engaging pin 23 in the pedestal NJ as shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 3 the table is shown in its lowered position and with the top folded, so that the table there shown is suitable for use as a serving or coffee table. To use the table for other purposes such as, for example, a bridge table or a dining table, the top is raised until the catch member 20 snaps outwardly into position over the top of the pedestal as indicated in Fig. 4:. Then the top of the table is opened out by swinging the leaf 8 upwardly on its hinges 9 until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 2 whereupon the entire top is slid to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 to cause he pedestal to reach the central position there shown. The co-operating parts of the table are so designed and positioned that they are rendered unobtrusive, so that the appearance of the table as an artistic, authentic piece of furniture is not detracted from.

It will be understood thatthe table may be made in various forms and styles to suit different requirements, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Similarly, the operating mechanism or means for adjusting the height of the table may also be modified to suit various requirements.

What I claim is:

In table structures adapted for varied service conditions, wherein a table top and a pedestal are operatively connected to permit use of the table top in either of two dimensions, one of which is a multiple of the other and with the pedestal centrally disposed relative to the top in either position, said top being in two sections hingedly connected to be foldable midway of one length of the top to provide multiplied top formation in the smaller dimension, one of said sections having underlying guides extending to the hinging line, said pedestal carrying an element adapted to be slidably mounted within the guides, said pedestal being located relative to the length of the element such that when one end of the element is located substantially flush with the folding line of the top, the pedestal will be central of the folded top and'when the top has been opened and the top and pedestal relatively shifted to place the pedestal beneath the folding line such end of the pedestal willunderlie and support the open top section, the opposite end of the element being of less length and adapted to cooperate with an underlying stop on the lower section to limit the relative shifting movement of the top and pedestal to a point where the pedestal is central of the folded top, and abutment shoulders at opposite sides of saidelement cooperating with adjacent ends of said guides for limiting sliding movement of said element relative to the table top sections for centering the pedestal relative to the table top sections when the latter are in their opened positions.

ELSA OPPENHEIMER.