US2277341A - Combination box, picnic table, and canopy - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 3942..

A. MANCUSI COMBINATION BOX, PICNIC TABLE AND CANOPY Filed Nov. 28, 19-58 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 amusing-1m a v fimedeo 1% 10 March 24, 1942. A. MANCUSI 2,277,341

COMBINATION BOX, PICNICL TABLE AND CANOPY Filed Nov. 2a, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1942 UNETED fiTATELS PATENT @FFlQEE] COMBINATION BOX,

PICNIC TABLE, AND NOPY 1 Claim.

This invention relates to combination box, picnic table and canopy.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combination box, picnic table and canopy which when in boxed formation may be readily transported in an automobile, the box being provided with a compartment for food and the like, tableware and dishes and another compartment for appurtenances to convert the box into a leg supported table structure with rods for the support of a canopy thereabove.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combination box, picnic table and canopy constructed in accordance with the present invention, the device being in box-formation with the table and canopy appurtenances confined in the box structure;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the'device converted into a picnic table and canopy;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view showing the box structure supported in its elevated table position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper framework for the support of the canopy;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apex of the canopy frame;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, showing the leg supports for the table structure and the rod support for the canopy structure;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 1-! of Figure 2, showing one section of the box divided into compartments for food stuffs, glasses and cutlery and the brace bar connections between the box structure and the table legs; and

Figure 8 is a vertical detail sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 2, showing the box structure in its table formation with the upper and lower compartments of the box, the latter for housing the table and canopy appurtenances.

The combination box, picnic table and canopy is of folding and collapsible construction, the same being foldable into box formation, with the table and canopy appurtenances being confined within a compartment in the box when the latter is being transported for picnic or beach use and is of such a size as to be conveniently carried in an automobile. The device when in box formation as illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a top wall Ill, end walls H, a bottom wall W as shown in Figure 8 and sectional side walls l3 and 14. The upper side wallsections 53 are hinged as at l5 at their upper edges to the opposite side edges respectively of the rigid top wall it while the lower side wall sections M are hinged as at I6 to the opposite side edges respectively of the bottom wall l2 as shown in Figure 8. A horizontal par-- tition l! is arranged in the box structure in the plane of the meeting edges of the hinged side wall sections l3 and I l to divide the box into upper and lower compartments l8 and i9 respectively. The side wall sections l3 and M of the device are normally retained in closed posi-' tion to form the box structure by lock devices 20 indicated in Figure 1. As shown in Figure '7, the upper compartment E8 of the box is provided with spaced transversely extending vertical partitions 2| extending between the top wall H1 and the partition I9 to form separated chambers 22 for the carrying of food stuffs, tableware and the like, one of said compartments 22 being provided with a plate 23 disposed above the partition I! and having openings 26 therein for the support of glasses and an auxiliary compartment 25 for cutlery and the like.

The appurtenances for converting the box structure into a picnic table with canopy thereover are carried in the compartment l9 and such appurtenances include four tubular guides 26, each carrying a pair of laterally extending spaced parallel arms 2'! for detachable engagement with an end wall H of the box by some nut and bolt combinations 28 with the bolts of said combinations passing through the openings 29 in said end walls, a tubular guide 26 being associated with each corner of the box and disposed outwardly thereof as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. A ground leg 38 is adapted to have its upper end located in a tubular guide 26 with the lower pointed end 3| thereof driven into the ground as shown at 32 a suitable distance to provide a stable support for the table construction.

A canopy rod 33 is adapted to have its lower end supported in the upper end of a tubular guide 28 and is locked therein by means of a cross-pin 34 extending through said tubular guide and the lower end of the canopy rod 33, the inner end of the pin 36 projecting laterally of one side of the tubular guide as shown at 35 to provide a support for the adjacent free edge of a swinging side wall section 53 of the table top construction, the cross pin 3 serving to anchor the canopy rod 33 in the tubular guide 2b? with the lower end of the rod 33 engaging the upper end of the ground leg 30 as shown in Figure 6. The upper end of each canopy rod 33 has a clevis connection 36 carried laterally by a tubular socket 31, each socket 31 being adapted to receive the lower end of an inclined roof rod 38 that carries at its upper end an apertured disk 39, the disks on the several roof rods 38 being adapted to be arranged in superposed contacting relation and so retained by a nut and bolt combination 40 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. A relatively short roof rod 4| carrying an ornamental head 42 is adapted to be received in the outer lower end of the tubular socket 31, the shorter rod 4| being further supported by a collar 43. A fabric or other canopy 44 is mounted on the roof rod 38 and has a drop curtain 45 at its lower edge and to which the shorter roof rod sections 4| extend as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The structure thus described, which may be considered as a take-down ensemble and equipment for outing purposes, is so arranged as to provide a number of positive advantages in this particular field. When the various parts are housed within the containerwhich also contains the equipment for dining purposes, etc., for use during the outing, the closed container is of sufiiciently overall dimensions as to be readily received within the usual storage compartment of a motor car, and thus does not detract from the appearance of the car during travel to and from the point of outing; since the container is provided with handles 46 at the opposite ends of the box, the assemblage can be readily carried about and manipulated. When the point of outing is reached, the container with its content is removed from the car space and then transformed into a canopied table surface condition in which the surface can be used either for dining purposes-the dining equipment and edibles within the container being used for the purpose, or the surface may be employed for the playing of table games, such as card-games, etc., the container top carrying the markings of a chess or checker board 41, as shown, as an aid in this respect.

In the service position thus described the ensemble presents several important advantages. For instance, in the playing of card games, there are generally four players, each seated at a side 3 of the table; the set-up ensemble permits this through the fact that plenty of leg room for the players is present when seated at the table, without the table surface being inordinately high,

and because of the fact that the sides of the opened table are unobstructed, thus permitting freedom of action by the player; obviously, the same is true with respect to diners, the four sides of the table permitting four to occupy the table concurrently, with each diner having freedom of movement.

To obtain these results it is essential that certain conditions must be met. With the container capable of being carried within the usual car storage space, the overall dimensions are limited by the space conditions, thus requiring that the canopy and its supporting structure, together with the supporting structure for the table must be made sectional or take-down. If space conditions were unimportant, the supporting struc ture, etc., could be readily fashioned to provide for an efficient assemblage; but inasmuch as the space factor is actually present-complicated by the space requirements for dining equipment, etc.-the specific character of the sectional supporting structures must be carefully considered in order that it may be readily housed within the limited space; the sections must be limited in number and of a form which will require minimum space conditions during housing.

An additional factor in this respect is the depth dimension of the container. While it is readily possible to produce a table surface from the top of a container and the use of opposite swinging side members of a box, it will be apparent that when the surface is thus formed the two sides of the table provided by such swinging sides will afford ample leg-room for diners or game players; but the remaining sides carry the ends of the container, and where the latter is of considerable depth, these sides are more or less obstructed for leg-room, or the table surface is raised to such an extent as to make any occupants of such sides uncomfortable when seated at the table and during use of the surface for dining or game playing. Because of this condition, it is obvious that the depth dimension of the container must be restricted, if comfort is to be had, thus affecting the matter of the space limitations aside from those set up by the space factor of the usual car storage space which tend to affect the width and length dimensions of the container. I

A third condition is set up by the presence of the supporting structure for the table and canopy. With the table surface presenting swinging portions, the table support should be carried by a more substantial portion of the container so as to take stress from the hinges of the swinging portions of the top; with the container top occupying an intermediate position, the presence of supports reaching the ground at the container ends, inevitably renders such table surface sides unusable, thus practically limiting the table surface for concurrent use by two persons, with the remaining sides unoccupied. The condition is complicated by the need for additionally supporting the canopy; in the absence of space conditions, the canopy support could be simply arranged, but with the space factors present, the condition becomes largely complicated.

The present invention meets these various conditions by the particular structure disclosed, which is 50 arranged that the supporting structure for the table is located at the corners of the completed table surface and therefore at the corners of the swinging members of the surface, since the swinging members could not Well support the weights which would thus be suspended, the actual support is provided by the members 2'! which connect a support with an end of the container in parallelism and thereby firmly support the table surface and the weights carried thereby. The members 21 are carried by the guides 26, and these receive the support 33, for the canopy, being anchored to the guide by the pin 34 which is designed to also act in supporting the swinging sides then forming portions of the table surface. Hence, the weight factor is so met as to relieve the hinge connections completely free from strain, while the table surface is made rigid. The canopy support is skeletonized to meet these conditions with a minimum of space occupation in the container,

In other words, there is a particular and definite relationship between the parts of the ensemble such as to combinedly set up mutual relationships which enable these results to be obtained efficiently and with an assurance that the service conditions of the ensemble will provide an adequately-supported table surface at which each of the four sides can be comfortably positioned for dining or for game playing, and in which the entire ensemble with the dining equipment etc., can be properly carried in housed relation within a container readily received within the storage space of a motor car with the container depth sufiiciently limited as to not incommode a seated person at the opened table.

The partitioned division of the container, the compartment l9 at the bottom carries the structural members of the supporting structures, the three compartments thereabove taking care'of other appurtenances, compartment 18, for inpreferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein, provided they come within the scope of the claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a box having a top wall serving as a table, pairs of oppositely extending horizontal straps attached at their inner ends to opposite ends of the box end walls, a perpendicular tubular member carried by the outer ends of each pair of straps, upstanding posts having their lower ends mounted in the upper ends of the tubular members, means for retaining said posts in the tubular members and ground legs having their upper ends mounted in the lower ends of the tubular members, with the upper ends of the legs engaged with and supporting the lower ends of said upstanding posts.

AMEDEO MANCUSI.

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