US2167342A - Folding table - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1939. w. H. YQRK 2,167,342

FOLDING TABLE INVENTOR.

- July 25, 1939.

w. H. YORK 2,167,342

FOLDING TABLE Filed April 9, 1938 2 Sheecs-Sheeil 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 25, 1939 AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

particularly, to improvements in that type of folding table wherein the top comprises hinged sections adapted ltn fold together, and wherein means arev provided for causing the table legs to.

automaticallyV fold and unfold in companyV with the corresponding folding ,movements ofthe table.

top

Y 's invention has as an object to provide, in al folding table of the type above mentioned, an improved means for operatively interconnecting hinged legs with the foldable sections of the table top, whereby the movements of the latter are transmitted to the former and so translated as to cause the legs to simultaneously fold or unfold as the top is folded- .or unfolded.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novelv arrangement and lconstruction of legk moving and controlling means to be actuated by the foldable table top sections, and which additional-ly operate to firmly. hold the legs in either their folded or unfolded condition, as the case may be.

Other objects of this nvention, notv at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the foldable table according to this-.invention shown in open condition; Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on line 2.-2 Vin Fig. 1.; Fig. 3 is another sectional view, taken on line 3--3 in Fig. 2 Fig. 4 is4 a bottom view similar to that shownin Fig.v l, but showing the table in the process offbeing lcollapsed-.to folded up condition; andFig. 5 is a perspective view of the table in folded up condition, this view .being drawn on a somewhat reduced scale.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

The novel folding table according to this invention comprises a pair of hingedly connected table top sections A and B. Each such top sec. tion comprises a rectangular top frame 'formed by an inner rail I 0, an outer rail II, and connecting end rails I2, suitably joined in frame 'forming relation. Said inner rails I0 of the respective top frames are laterally opposed in somewhat spaced apart relation, as determined by spacing blocks I3 suitably secured to one or the otherv thereof, and said top frames are ioldably .wconnected together `by hinge members I4 affixed to and between the opposedinner rails I0 thereof. Suitably secured to the upper sides of said top frames are table top members I5, the inner meetying kmargins of which are preferably provided with intertting portions comprising, a male edge portion I6` at `the margin of one of said top membenandv a female edge portion II at the margin of the other top member; said male edge portion being adapted to enter the female edge portion when said top members I5 are swung into open condition to occupy a common extended plane (see Fig. 2).v v

Leg members I8 are pivotal-ly connected with the top frame of table top section A respectively adjacent to the juncturesof the outer and end rails of said section A. The pivotal connections for said leg members` I8 are provided by pivoting rods I9V which are aflixed to and extend between the inner and outer rails II) and II adjacent to,v thek end rails I2Y .of the top frame of table top section A. Said leg members lI8 are relatively off-set one to the other, so as to pass one another when foldingr to collapsed condition in which they lie parallel to the outer rail II and to each other. Preferably means are provided to form, receiving compartments 20 for said leg members I8 when the same are infolded, such means comprising partition members 2| secured to and extending between the end rails I2 of the top frame of table top section A. In like manner, leg members 22 are pivotally connected with the top frame of table top section B by corresponding pivoting rods I9, and so as tofold into Vcompartments 20 formed by partition members 2I in connection with the top frame of gtheg table top section B.

vThe means for actuating the leg members I8 of table topsection A are connected with and actuated by movements of the table top section B, and, vice versa, the means for actuating the leg members 22,01? table top section B are connected With and actuated by movements of the table top section A. The means for producing outswinging unfolding movements of the leg members I8 of table top section A comprise leg outswinging pull cables 23 which are afXed, by suitable anchoring means 24, to the end rails I2 of -the to-p frame of table section B at points intermediate the inner and outer rails I0 and I I of saidframe, thence to extend to and through stationary guide means or eyes 25 which are aiiixed to the end rails I2 of the top frame of the table top section A outwardly of but substantially opposite the leg members I8 tobe served thereby, to which the outer ,ends of said pull cables 23l are aixed, by suitable anchoring means 26, at points outwardly or downwardly spaced from the fulcrum connections of said leg members I8 with their pivoting rods I9.

In like manner, the means for producing outswinging unfolding movements of the leg members 22 of table top section B comprise leg outswinging pull cables 21 which are aixed, by suitable anchoring means 28, to the end rails I2 of the top frame of table section A, thence to extend to and through stationary guide means or eyes 29 affixed to the end rails of the frame of table top section B, thence passing to the leg members 22 to which the same are affixed, by suitable anchoring means 39.

The outswinging pull cables 23 and 21, for correspondingly located leg members I8 and 22 of the respective table top sections A and B, have por-V tions disposed adjacent one to the other. Embracing these adjacently disposed portions of the pull cables 23 and21 are links 3I to which areV respectively connected take-up springs 32, the latter being suitably anchored to anchoring means 3l respectively affixed to the respective inner rails III of the topframes of the respective table top sections A and B. These take-up springs 32 serve to 'take up the slack of said outswinging pull cables 23 and 2'I when the latter are relaxed by folding the table top sections A and B into closed together relation.

The means for .producing inswinging folding movements of the leg members I8 of table top section A, comprise leg inswinging pull cables 33, which are affixed, by suitable anchoring means 34, to the inner side of the inner rail I0 ofthe top frame of table top section B, extending thence through or across the adjacent innerrails of both top frames at a plane outwardly offset from theV plane of the hinge connections therebetween, thence extending toand through stationary guide means or eyes 35 opposed to the inner sides of said leg members I8 in suitably spaced relation to the latter, and thence to aixed connection with said leg members I8, by suitable anchoring means 36, at points outwardly or downwardly spaced from the fulcrum connections of said leg members I8 with their pivoting rods I 9. Preferably the guide means or eyes 35 are formed by perforations in diagonally disposed bridge bars 3l which are respectively supported between the outer rail and adjacent end rails of the top frame structure adjacent to the outer or upper face level thereof.

In like manner, the means for producing inswinging folding movements of the leg members 22 of table top section B, comprise similar leg inswinging pull cables 38, iwhich are axed,by suitable anchoring .means 39, to the inner side of the inner rail I0 of the top frame of table top section A, extending thence through or across the adjacent inner rails of both top frames at a plane outwardly offset from the plane of the hinge connections therebetween, and thence through guide means or eyes 49 of bridge bars 4I to similar affixed connection at 42 with said leg members 22.

In the operation of the table, assuming the same to be in open condition and desired to be folded to closed position, the operator merely lifts and turns the same upside down, and thereupon folds the top sections A and B toward one another, to thus close one upon the other as shown in Fig. 5. As the top sections A and B swing toward each other, the leg' outswinging pull cables 23 and 2'I are relaxed to themovement of their respective anchor points 24 and 28, as respectively fixed to one section, toward the other section which carries the legs respectively controlled thereby. As the leg outswinging pull cables 23 and 2'I thus relax their pull upon the leg members, the leg inswinging pull cables 33 and 38 are subjected to a pulling tension by the movement of their respective anchor points 34 and 39, as respectively xed to one section, away from theV other section which carries the legs respectively controlled thereby, thus exerting an inward pull upon said leg members which causes the same to swing inwardly about the fulcruming pivot rods I9 to infolded positions within the planes of the top frames to which they are connected. These operations will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 4. It

will be observed that during the described infolding movements of said leg members, the relaxation of the outswinging pull cables will permit the leg members to readily respond to the pulling movements of the inswinging pull cables. The slack of said outswinging pull cables when thus relaxed is immediately taken up by the tension of the takeup springs 32, so that the latter cablesr arezdrawn within the connes of the closed together table top the same time the leg inswingingpull cables 33 and 38 will relax to permit the leg members to fully respond to the pull of said outswinging cables. y

From the above it will be apparentthat a very simple and yet efficient means is provided for translating the movements of hinged together extendible table top sections to leg members attached thereto so that by the single actof folding or unfolding said top sections, the legs will be automatically moved to correspondingly folded or unfolded relations thereto. When the novel table structure is folded up, it is reduced to a very compact bulk, easily handled, and adapted to occupy a minimum of storage space; and at the same time all the operative mechanism will be fully enclosed within the connes of the closed vtogether table top sections. extended, the latter-will be braced by the oppositely directed tensions of the outswinging and inswinging pull cables', which thus balance eachY other and tend to hold'` the legs steady, and the table firmly supported. I

Various changes could be made inthe above described embodiment'of my invention, and many apparently widely different embodimentsl of the same could be made 'without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the following claims. It is therefore intended that all'matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: Y

1. A folding table, comprising a pair of hingedly connected top sections, leg members pivotally mounted adjacent to the outer corner portions of each top section so as to fold parallel to each other and to the side of the top section on which they are mounted opposite the hinged side thereof, guided leg outswinging pull cables attached to each leg member'to extend to anchored'connection with the top section opposite to that which carries the leg members controlled thereby,'and

When the tableis open and its legs guided leg inswinging pull cablesl attached to each leg member to likewise extend to anchored connection with the top section opposite to that which carries the leg members controlled thereby.

2. A folding table, comprising a pair of rectangular top-frames carrying top members on their upper sides, said top frames having their inner rails hingedly interconnected, leg members pivotally mounted adjacent to the outer corner portions of said top frames so as to fold parallel to each other and to the outer rails of the latter, a leg outswinging pull cable connected to extend from the outer side of each leg member, cable guide means in outwardly offset relation to each leg member, means to anchor each leg outswinging pull cable to an end rail of a top frame opposite to that which carries the leg member from which the cable extends, a leg inswinging pull cable connected to extend from the inner side of each leg member, a cable guide means in inwardly offset relation to each leg member, said leg inswinging cables extending across the top frame inner rails in planes upwardly oiset relative to the plane of the hinge connection joining said inner rails, and means to anchor each leg inswinging pull cable to an inner rail of a top frame opposite to that which carries the leg member from which the cable extends.

3. In a folding table as defined in claim 1, including spring means for taking up the slack of said leg outswinging pull cables when the same are relaxed.

4. In a folding table as defined in claim 2, including spring means for taking up the slack of said leg outswinging pull cables when the same are relaxed.

WILLIAM H. YORK.

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