US2293807A

US2293807A - Catch for ironing boards and the like

Info

Publication number: US2293807A
Application number: US315811A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brock Francis B De
Original assignee: Beh & Co Inc
Current assignee: Beh & Co Inc
Priority date: 1940-01-26
Filing date: 1940-01-26
Publication date: 1942-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1959-08-25

Description

g- 1942- F. 8.- DE BROCK I I 2,293,807

CATCH FOR IRONING BOARDS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 26, 1940 Patented Aug. 25, 1942 CATCH FOR IRONiIgSOARDS AND- THE Francis B. De Brock, St. Albans, N. Y., assignor to Beh & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 26, 1940, Serial No. 315,811

6 Claims.

This invention relates to folding articles including a top, as a table top, and a leg structure foldable from an upright or standing position into a collapsed position flatwise against the under side of the top, as for instance, a folding ironing board, and has for its object a particularly simple and economical catch for holding the leg structure in its normal or standing position.

More specifically, it has for its object a catch including a bracket secured to the under side of the table top and formed with an angular slot joint including horizontally and vertically extending portions, the latter portion opening through the lower edge of the bracket, and a pin carried by one of the folding members or leg structure for entering the slot, when the table or ironing board is folded into upright or standing position.

It further has for its object a latch carried by the bracket and arranged to interlock with the pin when in the horizontal portion of the slot.

It further has for its object the features hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed. 7

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of a folding ironing board embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the catch in side elevation.

Figure 3 is an inverted fragmentary plan view looking upwardly in Figure 2.

The invention is here shown as embodied in a folding ironing board.

.I designates the table top. The folding leg structure, in so far as this invention is concerned, may be of any suitable structure. That here shown includes a plurality of folding members, as

leg members

2, 3, and brace members 4, 5 and folding links 6. There are two leg members 2 at opposite sides of one end of the table top, these being hinged at I to the table top. The leg member 3 is a single member so that

legs

2, 3 form something of a tripod formation. The brace member 4 is pivoted at 8 to the link 6. It is bifurcated, as shown in Figure 3, and the bifurcations I thereof extend on opposite sides of the leg 3 and on opposite sides of the bracket of the catch to be presently described, when the table is in upright position. The brace member 5 is also pivoted at 8 to the link 6 and at II to the midway between the ends of the table top and midway between the sides of the table top, the bracket being formed with an angular slot having a horizontally extending portion I3 and a vertically extending portion I4, the latter extending through the lower edge of the bracket I2, this slot being for the purpose of receiving a pin I5 extending between the bifurcations I0 of the brace member 4. The catch further includes a latch I 6 pivoted to the bracket and extending lengthwise of the horizontal portion I3 of the slot and being formed with ratchet teeth IT for receiving the pin I5, when the pin enters the horizontal portion I3 in the slot. This latch is pivoted to the bracket and is preferably a gravity latch so as to fall into engagement with the pin I5 when the leg structure is folded into upright position and to fall out of engagement with the pin I5 when the table is turned upside down or tipped or tilted out of standing position preliminary to collapsing the leg structure fiatwise against the lower side of the table top, although the legs may be collapsed into this position without tipping or turning the table upside down, it being provided with a finger engaging portion at The bracket is preferably struck up from sheet metal in the form of a channel with the bottom of the channel flatwise against the under side of the top I and secured thereto, as by fastening members I9. The upper end of the leg 3 extends between the side flanges of the channel formation and is pivoted thereto by a pin or rivet 2!! extending transversely through the side flanges of the channel formation! and the upper end of the leg 3. The angular slots are formed in opposite side flanges of the channel formation. Also, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

the latch I6 is pivotally mounted on the pin 20 and extends along the outer side of one of the side flanges of the channel formation of the bracket I2 lengthwise of the horizontal portion I3 of the slot in said side flange. It is mounted on an enlargement 2| of the pivot pin 20 (Figure 3) adjacent the head of the pivot pin 20.

The latch I6 is formed with a shoulder portion 22 near its pivot, this shoulder portion extending crosswise of the inner end of the vertically extending portion M of the angular slot, in position to be encountered by the pin l5, as the pin is :passing from the vertically extending portion I4 into the horizontally extending portion [3 of the slot, and this action lifts the: latch [6 to permit the pin to move along the horizontal portion l3 of the slot and be held from retrograde movement while so passing by the ratchet teeth ll.

The pivot 20 is located at one end of the bracket and the other end of the bracket is formed with a. rounding or cam surface 24. Undue movement of the latch it on its pivot is limited by a stop or tongue 25 struck up from one of the side flanges of the channel formation of the bracket l2.

In operation, the leg structure lies folded flatwise against the bottom of the table top I. In setting up the table into upright position, the table top may be completely inverted with the legs up, tipped or inclined toward inverted position, and the leg structure unfolded by pulling the

legs

2 or 3 to extended position. During this operation, the brace member 4 will fall by gravity toward the table top and as the

legs

2, 3 are straightened, will move along the under side of the table top and engage the pin with the cam or guide surface 24 on the bracket l2, and guide it into the vertically extending portion I4 of the slot, and thence into the horizontally extending portion I3. When the table top is in either of the inverted or inclined positions, the latch IE will fall by gravity out of position to obstruct the entrance of the pin I5 into the horizontally extending portion l3 of the slot. When the table is placed upright, the latch will fall into engagement with the pin l5. If the latch is held by friction, or otherwise, from this movement, the pin 15 will engage the shoulder 22 and move the latch into such position that it does not obstruct the horizontally extending portion l3 of the slot.

The table may be collapsed by the reverse of these movements, and when the table is inverted in inclined position preliminary to collapsing the leg structure, the latch it will move by gravity out ofeng-agement with the pin l5. However, the table may be collapsed by lifting the latch I6 out of its normal position by pressing the finger into engagement with the finger-piece l8 and collapsing the legs to move the pin 15 out of the angular slots.

What I claim is:

1. In a folding article including a table top and a leg structure foldable from standing position into a position flatwise against the top and including a plurality of members, the combination of a catch for holding the leg structure in standing position including a bracket secured to the under side of the top, one of the members of the folding leg structure being pivoted to the bracket, and another of said members having a pin movable into interlocking engagement with the bracket when the leg structure assumes 'a standing position, the bracket being formed with an angular slot having substantially horizontally and vertically extending portions for receiving the pin, the vertical portion opening through the lower edge of the bracket, and a latch carried by the bracket and extending lengthwise of the horizontal portion of the slot for interlocking with said pin, said latch being pivoted to the bracket to move in one direction crosswise of the horizontal slot by gravity when the article is in upright position and to move in the other direction out of interlocking engagement with the pin by gravity when the ironing board is tipped out of upright position for the purpose of collapsing the leg structure.

2. In a folding article including a table top and a leg structure foldable from standing position into a position flatwise against the top and including a plurality of members, the combination of a. catch for holding the leg structure in standing position including a bracket secured to the under side of the top, one of the members of the folding leg structure being pivoted to the bracket, and another of said members having a pin movable into interlocking engagement with the bracket when the leg structure assumes a standing position, the bracket being formed with an angular slot having substantially horizontally and vertically extending portions for receiving the pin, the vertical portion opening through the lower edge of the bracket, and a latch carried by the bracket and extending lengthwise of -the horizontal portion of the slot for interlocking with said pin, the latch being pivoted to the bracket coaxially with the leg structure member which is pivoted to the bracket.

3. In a folding article including a table top-and a leg structure foldable from upright position into a position flatwise against the top and in cluding a plurality of members, the combination of a catch for holding the leg structure in standing position including a bracket in the form of a channel secured with the bottom of the channel structure against the under side of the top, 'each of the side flanges of the channel formation being formed with an angular slot having substantially horizontally and vertically extending pertions, the vertical portion opening through the lower edge of the flange, one of the members of the leg structure extending between the side flanges of the bracket and being pivoted thereto, another member of the leg structure being blfurcated and formed with a pin extending through the bifurcations, the bifurcations extending on opposite sides of the member pivoted to the bracket and being located to move ast'r'ide the bracket and cause the pin 'to enter the vertical portions of the angular slots and pass into the horizontal portions, when the leg structure is moved into standing position, and a latch pivotally mounted on the pivot of the leg structure member which is pivoted to the bracket, said latch extending along one of the side flanges of the bracket lengthwise of the horizontal portion of the slot in said flange and coactin'g with the pin when the pin is in the horizontal portion of the slot.

4. In a folding article including a table top and a leg structure foldable from upright position into a position flatwise against the top and including a plurality of members, the combination of a catch for holding the leg structure in standing position including a bracket in the form of a channel secured with the bottom of 'the channel structure against the under side of the being bifurcated and-formed *with-a'pin extending through the bifurcations, the bifurcations extending on opposite sides of the member pivoted to the bracket and being located to move astride the bracket and cause the pin to enter the vertical portions of the angular slots and pass into the horizontal portions, when the leg structure is moved into standing position, and a latch pivotally mounted on the pivot of the leg structure member which is pivoted to the bracket, said latch extending along one of the side flanges of the bracket lengthwise of the horizontal portion of the slot in said flange and coacting with the pin when the pin is in the horizontal portion of the slot, the latch being provided with ratchet teeth for coacting with the pin and also having a shoulder portion extending crosswise of the vertical portion of the slot with which the pin engages to move the latch when the pin enters a horizontal portion of the slot from the vertical portion.

5. An ironing table which comprises in combination, a board having front and rear ends and an under surface, a front leg structure and a rear leg structure pivoted on the board for movement from a collapsed position in substantial parallelism with the under surface of the board to a position of extension away from the board, a rear leg brace structure having a free forward end, and a rear end pivoted to the rear leg structure, said free forward end being directed obliquely toward the under surface of the board in the extended condition of the leg structures, and means for maintaining an extended condition of the leg structures, including a keeper on the forward end of the rear leg brace structure and a shiftable latch on the under surface of the board self-operated by gravity to engage the keeper when the board is tilted toward the horizontal, and to release its grip upon the keeper when the board is stood upright upon its rear end and inclined toward the vertical, and guide means associated with the latch for restraining the free forward end of the rear leg brace structure against swinging movement about the pivots at the rear end of said brace structure while the grip of the latch upon the free forward end is released.

6. An ironing table which comprises in combination, a board having front and rear ends and an under surface, a leg structure pivoted on the board for movement from a collapsed position in substantial parallelism with the under surface of the board to a position of extension away from the board, a leg brace structure having a free end, and an opposite end pivoted to the leg structure, said free end being directed obliquely towardthe under surface of the board in the extended condition of the leg structure, and means for maintaining an extended condition of the leg structure, including a keeper on the free end of the leg brace structure and a shiftable latch on the under surface of the board self-operated by gravity to engage the keeper when the board is tilted toward the horizontal, and to release its grip upon the keeper when the board is stood upright upon its rear end and inclined toward the vertical, and guide means associated with the latch for restraining the free end of the leg brace structure against swinging movement about the pivots at the opposite end of said brace structure while the grip of the latch upon the free end thereof is released.

FRANCIS B. DE BROOK.