US2214301A - Folding table leg - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 10, 1940. A. o. HENDRICKS 2,214,301 I FOLDING TABLE LEG Filed June 21, 19:58

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J7 Ag imafigwmza ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. 10, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE FOLDING TABLE LEG Alpha 0. Hendricks, Mason County, Mich.

Application June 21, 1938, Serial No. 214,984

3 Claims.

This invention relates to folding'table legs.

One object of the invention is to improve generally upon folding table structures whereby to secure compactness and minimize weight without detracting from the requisite rigidity and durability thereof.

Another object is to provide a practical sheet metal leg structure and locking element.

- With the foregoing and other objects and advantages to be attained, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in the novel general structure and parts and combinations and arrangements of parts thereof as herein-- after described and set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary section of the top portion of a table equipped with a folding leg structure in accordance with a practical embodiment of the present invention, the leg being shown in locked open position;

Figure 2 is a similar view, with the leg folded into closed position;

Figure 3 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, at right angles to that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the locking element for the table leg;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on or about the line 55 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 ma detail view of the escutcheon plate detached.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates a table top which is mounted on vertical apron members II at the opposite sides and ends of the table constituting a rectangular frame, to which members the table top is secured by angle brackets 12.

The table leg as shown in the drawing and designated generally by the numeral I! is preferably constructed of sheet metal. The leg is provided at its upper end portion l8 and on one side thereof with a hinge l9 which is attached by screws 20 to a cleat 2| extending crosswise on the under side of the table top 10 adjacent to a side frame member II. In the vertical opened position of the leg its square end portion 22 abuts the under side of the cleat 2| so as to limit the outward swing of the leg and afford a steadying support for the table.

Associated with the table leg' I! is a locking member 23 which is hinged to the under side of the table top 10, as at 24, to swing in a direction transversely of that in which the leg swings on its hinge l9. This locking member preferably comprises a flat metal plate rolled at one end, as at 25, to provide its hinge attaching portion, said plate being reduced in width towards its opposite end portion with one straight side 26 and an inclined opposite side 21, and both sides being flanged as at 26, 21', respectively, to stiffen the structure (see Figure 4). Adjacent the narrow end of the plate 23 the flanged portions 26' and 21' are of increased height dimensions and they are rebent, as at 28 and 29, and provided with transverse aligned apertures in which a latchingelement 30 is pivotally mounted. Preferably, the latch element 30 comprises a single piece of wire looped at its middle portion, asat 3!, to produce a retaining head, the two adjacent armsof the wire being extended in close parallel relation to each other, as at 32, to provide the shank portion of the element, and the extreme" end portions being turned outwardly in opposite directions to each other and at right angles to the shank portion 32, as at 33, and inserted pivotally in the apertures provided therefor in said rebent flanged portions 28' and 29 of the locking plate 23.

In the folded or closed position of the leg ll, said locking plate 23 is folded up close to the under side of the table top" ill between'the table top and the folded leg as shown in'Figure 2, but in the vertical opened position of the leg ll, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, said locking plate 23 is swung downwardly against the inner sideof the adjacent side frame member 11, in which position of the plate the lower ends of the rebent' flanged portions 28 and 29 are disposed across a horizontal shoulder portion Sligprovided on the. adjacent portion of the leg H, and off-set from its axis.

When the plate 23 is in its locking relation to the table leg the latching element 3!! is projected through an opening 35 in the adjacent side frame member H of sufficient size for the ready passage of the retaining head 3! of the latching member therethrough, and an escutcheon plate 36 is provided on the adjacent outer side portion of said frame member H to cover said opening 35. For the releasable interlocking engagement of the latch element 3!! with said escutcheon plate, the latter is provided with a T-shaped opening 31 through the cross portion of which the retaining head 3! of said latch element 3!] is passed and the shank portion 32 of said element then dropped into the stem portion of the slot so that the retaining head of the element 3! is locked tion as defined by the appended claims.

While the locking plate 23 may rest against the adjacent side frame member I l in its lowered position it is preferable to provide the plate with a lip 38 to engage behind the ledge or shouldered portion 34 of the table leg, by which provision there is a tight tying effect between said lip 33 so engaged with the leg ll and the retaining head 3! of the latch element in its interlocked engagement with said escutcheon plate 35. It is also,here noted that the locking plate 23 may be formed in any desirable manner from sheet metal. 7

By the foregoing it is seen that a practical light weight sheet metal table leg of a foldable character is produced with a simple and effective locking element also of sheet metal, and affording ample stability for the table when set up for use, as well as facilitating the folding of the legs into close compass under the table top when not in use.

Obviously, the structure admits of considerable modification within the spirit of the inven- The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangements shown in the accompanying drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a table including a top and a rectangular frame having its side members supportingly depending marginally from the top, one of said.

frame members having an opening therein and an escutcheon plate mounted thereon and covering the opening, said plate having a T-shape slot coincident with said opening, a leg member hingedly mounted transversely near its upper end to the underside of the top adjacent and swingable in parallel relation to said frame member having the opening, said leg member being-also located adjacent a right-angular side member of the frame so as to swing to opened position in abutting relation to said last named frame member and with its upper end abutting a stop portion on the underside of the table top, a locking member hingedly mounted beneath the table top and contiguous to the frame side member having the escutcheoned opening, the axis of its hinge being at a right angle to the axis of the leg hinge, said locking member in its opened position abutting its contiguous frame side member and lockingly overlapping the adjacent side portion of the opened leg member away from the frame side member which the leg member abuts, and a latch element hingedly attached at one end to said locking member and having a shank portion with a transverse en-' largement to enter through the opening of the contiguous frame side member and into releasable interlocking engagement in the slot of the escutcheon plate covering said opening.

2. A table including a top, a folding leg hingedly mounted beneath the top and opening to a vertical supporting position in abutting relation to stops at the end thereof and at one side parallel to the axis of its hinge, a locking member hingedly mounted beneath thetop to swing from an axis at a right angle to that of the leg hinge, said locking member being swingable across the opened leg to an opened position in abutting relation to a stop parallel with the axis .of the locking member hinge and lockingly overlapping the opened leg, the stop for said locking member having an opening therein, an escutcheon plate located on the outside of the said last named stop and covering the opening of the stop, said escutcheon plate having a latching slot coincident with the opening of the stop, said slot having a latch-holding portion and a communicating latch-entering enlargement, and a latch element comprising a shank hingedly attached to said locking member and having an enlargement to enter the enlargement of of the escutcheon plate slot and movable into holding engagement with said escutcheon plate in the region of the latch-holding portion of the latching slot.

3. A table including a top and a pair of depending correlated stop members disposed at right angles to each other, one of said members having a T-slotted latch receiving and holding portion, a leg member hingedly mounted beneath the table top to swing across said slotted stop member to an opened vertical supporting position in abutting relation to the correlated other stop member, said leg member having a-projected shoulder portion at its side remote from that abutting its correlated stop member and adjacent the slotted stop member, a locking member hingedly mounted beneath the table top to swing about an axis parallel to the slotted stop member and across the leg member to opened position in abutting relation to said slotted stop member, said locking member having alippedextension at its free end portion engaging and overhanging the shouldered portion of the leg member in the opened positionof the looking member, and a latch element comprising a shank hingedly attached at one end to said looking member and having a crosshead at its free end'to enter and holdingly engage in the T- slotted stop member.

ALPHA O. HENDRICKS."

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