US2290577A - Eucharistic table - Google Patents

Description

July 21', 1942.

ATTQRN July 21, 1942- M. sTlMsoN v 2,290,577

EUCHARI S T I C TABLE Filed April 14, 1939 2 smeg-sheet 2 15gg@ A za( 7 20 20% QT )sw MM-f k 1 INVENTOR. l /6Q LM, L@ A44/W CEc/LM 5TM/50N ATTORNEYS Patented July 21, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,290,577 EUCHARISTIC TABLE Mary Cecilia Stimson, Pewaukee, Wis. Application April 14, 1939, kSerial No. 267,876

(Cl. 3'l2-33) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a eucharistie and family prayer table, and has particularly to do with an article of furniture arranged to provide a table for the administering of the sacraments of extreme unction and holy eucharist.

Often at home it is desired to administer the sacrament of holy eucharist. In such cases the sacramental candles and crucifix must be set up, and the sacramental spoon and linen secured. Or, in hospitals the sacrament of extreme unction must be administered to those on their death bed, and there too, the sacramental candles and crucifix must be set up and the spoon and linen secured. For such situations small portable boxes have been construed to hold what is necessary, scmetimes in the form of a cross that opens up. However, these require a table of appropriate height on which to set up the necessary articles.

In hospitals, it is desirable to have such things readily obtainable, .in substantial but portable form so that they might be readily moved from room to room. A candle and a crucix are necessary in the administration of the sacraments. Another requisite for hospital use is that the necessary things can be put away so that the patients will not be reminded of what may be in store for them. My invention is designed to fill these needs and requirements in a satisfactory manner.

The invention is a table designed for use in homes and hospitals. While not in use, it presents the appearance of an ordinary table, but upon opening of the top, the required materials and surroundings are immediately-available. For use in hospitals, the table is mounted on Wheels so that the table may be brought immediately to the bed of a dying person for administering the last sacrament.

One object of the present invention is to provide a sacramental or prayer table which is always ready for immediate use and which is arranged to present the appearance of an ordinary piece of furniture when not in use.

Another object is to provide a sacramental table which, because of its portability, is especially useful in hospitals where it may be quickly presented at a dying patients bedside.

A further object ofthe invention has to do with a unique construction whereby the top of the table may be folded to an upright or closed position and present a finished appearance in either position.

Other objects and features of the invention have to do with the pvot construction of thev top and the front piece, and'other details of con- Cyl struction and fabrication as will be brought out more fully in the following description and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the table in a closed position presenting the appearance of an ordinary piece of furniture.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the table in its open position ready for the administering of sacraments.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the table with the top opened, but with the front piece in a vertical position. Dotted lines show how this piece is pivoted to a horizontal position for the administering of sacraments.

Fig. 4 is the section 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is the section 5--5 of Fig. 2, and is a modified form of the invention with a drawer in the side.

Fig. 6 is a top view showing the top open, but With the front piece in a vertical position.

Fig. 7 is the section 'I-'I of Fig. 4 and discloses the details of construction of the top pivot.

The legs 8 of the table are held securely in position by baseboards 9 which results in a strong construction that can withstand hard usage, such as'movable articles receive in hospitals. The legs are provided with swivel wheels I0. These make the table easily movable from one room to another. Y

The upper end of the legs 8 are held together by vertical pieces I2, secured to the legs 8 in a suitable manner. The front piece I2 is narrow and a sucient distance from the top-to allow a drawer I3 to rest on it. A top piece I4 bridges the sides to form a platform thereon. A central portion of the back and front of this platform I4 are cut out 'for purposes which will be evident. To this platform I4, side pieces I5 are secured. AV front piece I6 extends across the platform .between the front legs 8, and extends in height from the top of the drawer I3,to the top of side pieces I5. Across the front of front piece I6, a Y

strip II is fastened of shape similar to the edges of platform piece I4. Front piece I6 is pivoted at I8, allowing piece .I6 to move to a horizontal plane and in such position to be flush with platform piece IlI. A handlev I9 may be grasped to move the piece I6. The adjacent edges of front piece vII and platform I4 are beveled as shown to form a tightrjoint when the front piece is horizontal as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Corner pieces I6a are attacheduto sides I5 to complete the closing of the box Whenkfront piece I6 is in an upright position.

A top 20 is pivoted at 2| to the side pieces I5, Figs. 4 and '7. The pivot is so placed that when top 20 is rotated to a vertical position it is ush with vertical piece I2 on the back. A member 22 is fastened to the top 20 near the back edge and is of such length as to i'lt between the sides I5, and is of such width as to extend from vertical piece I2 on the back to top 20, when 20 is in a horizontal position. This member 22 is so positioned with reference to the pivot 2I that when top 20 is horizontal, it is flush with vertical piece I2 on the back, and when top 2U is vertical, it is substantially flush with platform piece i4. This member 22 moves into the central cut-out portion of platform I4 when the top 2i! is vertical.

Fastened to the inside of top 25 is another member 23 parallel to member 22 and a short distance from it. This member serves as a shallow shelf when the top 20 is rotated to a vertical position and has an ornamental shape for this purpose, Fig. 6. A piece 24 is fitted between the forward edges of members 23 and 22, and may also have an ornamental shape.

On the shelf member 23 are mounted candle holders 25 in which are mounted sacramental candles 26. A figure 2'I of Christ on the cross is mounted on the inside of the top 20 and figures 28 of religious significance may be placed on either side, such as, the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. The candles, crucifix and religious figures should all be firmly aiiixed so that the top 20 may be opened or closed and the table moved without dislodging them. A box 29 is placed between the sides I to hold the sacramental instruments and may be suitably secured to the platform piece I 4. A cover 30 on this box may be of the sliding type or suitably hinged. If desired, this box 29 may be eliminated and the sacramental instruments held in the drawer I3.

The details of the pivot at 2l are shown in Fig. 7. A block 3| is secured at each end of the rectangular opening formed by members 20, 22 and 23 and 24. In these blocks 3| is a hole for a pin 32, said pin being flanged on its inner end and drilled so that screws 33 may hold the pin in place. An insert or socket 34 in a hole in side pieces I5 receives the pins 32, and acts as a bearing.

What I claim is:

1. A readily movable article of furniture serviceable as an ordinary table which may be opened from the top to provide a sacramental or prayer table comprising four legs, wheels on the lower ends of said legs, a platform on the top of said legs, a box formed on said platform using the platform as a bottom, a pivoted front on said box so that said front may pivot from a vertical to a horizontal position and when in said horizontal position lies flush with the bottom of the box, a cover on said box pivoted at the rear and movable to a vertical position at the back of said box, a back to said box rigidly secured to said cover, and otherwise unsecured at any edge, a pin for pivoting said rotatable cover mounted on said cover and pivotally mounted in the side walls of said box, so positioned with reference to the attached back, that said back presents a finished closed aspect to the box when the cover is in a closed position and which lies substantially flush with the bottom when said cover is in a vertical position, the bottom being spaced inwardly from the rear side of the cabinet for space necessary for rotating the back.

2. A eucharistie or sacramental table which has the aspect of an ordinary table when not -in evo use comprising four legs, a strong frame securing the bottoms of the legs in position, flat members extending between the upper ends of the legs and secured to them to form therewith a rectangular frame, said fiat members disposed in the planes of the joined legs, or nearly parallel planes, a platform resting on the top of said legs and flat members, a box formed on said platform, using the platform as a bottom, a pivoted front to said box that may be rotated to a horizontal position, which in a closed position is in substantially the same plane as the flat member below it, and which in a horizontal position, lies flush with the bottom of the box, a cover on said box pivoted at the rear, and movable to a vertical position, a back to said box securely fastened to the cover of the box and unsecured on any other edge, members containing a hole depending from the cover on either side of the inside of the box, inserts each containing a cylindrical hole placed in the sides of the box opposite the holes in said' depending members, and pins inserted through the holes into the insert, said pins acting as the pivot for said cover, and the hole and insert so positioned with reference to the back of the box that the cover in an upright position lies in the same plane as the back ina closed position, and further positioned that the back may be substantially flush with the bottom of the box when the cover is in an upright position, said bottom being spaced inwardly from the rear of the cabinet at this point to allow free rotation of the back.

3. A readily movable eucharistie or sacramental table which when not in use has the appearance of an ordinary table, comprising four legs, a frame securing the bottoms of the legs in position, swivel mounted wheels on the bottom of said legs allowing easy maneuverability; fiat members extending between the upper ends of the leg-s and secured to them to form therewith a strong rectangular frame, said at members disposed substantially in the plane of the joined legs, a drawer opening in one of these flat members, and a drawer mounted therein, a platform resting on the top of the legs and flat members; a box formed on said platform similar in size to the rectangle of the said top frame, using the platform for a bottom; a pivoted front on said box that extends from the top of the drawer to the top of the box, and which, when moved to a horizontal position, lies flush with the bottom of the box; a cover on said box pivoted at one edge and movable to an upright position at one edge of said platform, a back to said box securely fastened to the cover of the box, and unsecured and free on all other edges; a member attached to the inside of said cover near the rear and parallel to said back, acting as a shelf when said cover is rotated to an upright position, members containing a hole depending from the inside of the cover between the shelf and the back on either side of the inside of the box, inserts each containing a cylindrical hole placed in the sides of the box opposite the holes in said depending members, and pins inserted through the holes, into the inserts and secured to the depending member, said pins acting as the pivot for said cover, and the hole and insert so positioned that the cover in an upright position lies in the same plane as the back in a closed position, and further so positioned that the back may be substantially fiush with the bottom of the box when the cover is in an upright position, said platform bottom being spaced inwardly at the rear of the cabinet at this point to allow free rotation of the back.

4. A piece of furniture comprising four legs, at members extending between the upper ends of the legs and secured to them to form therewith a rectangular frame, said at members disposed substantially in the planes of the joined legs, a platform resting on the top of said legs and at members, a box formed on said platform, using the platform as a bottom, a pivoted front to said box that may be rotated to a horizontal position, which in closed position is in substantially the same plane as the iiat member below it, and which in a horizontal position, lies ush with the bottom of the box, a cover on said box pivoted at the rear, and movable to a vertical position, a back to said box securely fastened to the cover of the box and unsecured on any other edge, members containing a hole depending from the cover on either side of the inside of the box,

'inserts each containing a cylindrical hole placed in the sides of the box opposite the holes in said depending members, and pins inserted through the holes into the inserts said pins acting as the pivot for said cover, and the hole and inserts so positioned with reference to the back of the box that the cover in an upright position lies in the same plane as the lback in a closed position, and further positioned that the back may be substantially flush with the bottom of the box when the cover is in an upright position, said bottom being spaced inwardly from the rear of the cabinet at this point to allow free rotation of the back.

MARY CECILIA STIMSON.

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