US2428877A

US2428877A - Furniture construction

Info

Publication number: US2428877A
Application number: US640408A
Authority: US
Inventors: William S Holabird
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-01-11
Filing date: 1946-01-11
Publication date: 1947-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1964-10-14

Description

w. s. HOLABIRD FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jain.. 11, 194e Arr Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,428,877 'FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION William S. Holabird, Hamilton, Ind. Application January 11, 1946, Serial No. 640,408

ICI. 311-113) 4 Claims.

- This invention relates to furniture construction for tables and like structures having supporting legs, and particularly it relates to the attachment or mounting of the legs on such structures;

Where tables and like structures are to be provided with legs that are to be -attached to the table top or the like after completion of the assembly of the top member, it has heretofore been found that such attachment has involved operational difficulties that resulted in delay in profduction as well as in increased cost of the product, and it is therefore an important object of the 'present invention to enable vlegs for tablesA and like structures to be secured in place rin a simple and expeditious manner. A further and more specific object'of the invention is to enable the depending side and end rails of a table or the like to be joined together lby a metallic memberthat is not only7 decorative and ornamental in appearance but which also secures the legs in the desired relation to the top or other member that is to be supported by such legs. v

Other and further objects related to the foregoing are to afford a novel and Vhighly advantageous corner bracket for tables and the like; to enable such a corner bracket to be made from sheet metal; to afford a simpley and effective interlocking connection between such a bracket Y and the elements of a table or the like in which the bracket is to be used; to enable'the legs of a table or the like to be clamped and secured in position by such a bracket, and to enable such va bracket to be put in place subsequent to the 'assembly of the other elements of the structure.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration shows a'preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now lconsider to be theY best mode in which I have contemplated applying Fig. 1 and showing the manner Vin which each leg of the table is associated with the table top; Y Fig. 3 `is a perspective view of the corner 2 bracket utilized in securing the legs in position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. l; and y l Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing an alternative form of the invention. y

In the form chosen for disclosure herein the invention is embodied in a rectangular table I0 having similar supporting legs I2 of the hairpin type secured at the respective corners of the table. The table I0 is in the present case illustrated as being of the extensible type having table top sectionsl that are separable along a central division line I6 and are associated'for relative separating movement byr means (not shown) of a conventional character. The table top sections I4 have depending side rails I8 and end rails 20 secured thereto in a conventional manner adjacent and parallel to the side and end edges thereof, as for example, in ther manner shown in Fig. 4. As there shown, a connecting strip or block 22 is disposed in the inside corner so as to abut the lower surface of the top section I4 and the inside surface of the rail, as I3, and

screws

24 and 26 are extended through the block 22 in a right angular relation so as to secure the block 22 to both the top I4 and the rail I8.

In accordance with the present invention the legs I2 are associated with the table top by means of corner brackets 30 which are so formed as to receive and clamp the upper ends of the legs I2 and also to form an artistic and rugged connection between the adjacent ends of the side and end rails I8 and 20. Thus, as shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, each bracket 30 is made-from sheet metal so as to afford a connecting portion 3|, and end clamps 32, disposed at oppositeends of the connecting portion 3|. The end clamps 32 are parallel to each other and are adapted to receive and embrace the upper ends of the leg I2 that is to be associated therewith'. In the present instance each leg I2 is formed from tubular metal stock, preferably chromiumplated or otherwise finished to afford an attractive appearance, and this tubular stock is bent midway between its ends as at IZX to afford parallel portions I2R and I 2L that are of equal length'.

The end clamps 32 of the corner bracket 33 are arranged to embrace the upper ends of the tubular leg portions IQR, and I2L with a substantial area of surface contact, and each end clamp 32 is formed to afford a bearing face 33 that is arranged to bear against the adjacent end of one cf the side or end rails I8 or 2i). Thus the bearing faces 33 are disposed at right anglesrto each other, as will be evident in Fig. 2, andthe side and end rails I8 and 2G are arranged to terminate in end faces 35 that are so spaced that when the clamping faces 33 of the bracket 30 are disposed against the end faces 35, the leg portions |2R and I 2L will be disposed so their axes lie in a vertical plane that is disposed at an angle of 45 with respect to the side and end rails.

The bearing faces 33 of the bracket 3i! and the end faces 35 of the side and end rails I3 and 20 are formed for interlocking engagement, and this is accomplished byaffording vertical grooves 38 in each of the end faces 35 to receive positioning lugs 40 struck from each of the bearing faces 33. When the upper end portions of the leg sections IZR and |2L have been put in place in the end clamps 32, the bracket 33 is put in position with its upper edge against the lower face of the top I 4 and with the lugs dit extended into the grooves 38, and the assembly is secured -in this position by drawing the center portion 3i of the bracket in an inward direction. For this purpose the bracket 35 has a clamping bolt 52 secured as by welding at 43 in a central location on the portion 3l so as to extend inwardly at `right angles to the plane in which the leg porn tions 12R. and I2L are to be disposed.

When the bracket 313 is thus disposed in position on the table, the bolt 42 is extended through an opening 44 in an anchoring bar 45, and a clamping nut 46 is threaded onto the inner end of the bolt 42. The opposite ends of the anchoring ybar 45 are seated in locating notches i3 formed respectively in the inner faces of the adjacent side and end rails i8 and 23 so as to locate the bar l5 at an angle of 45 with respect to the -side and end rails i8 and 2B, and hence, by

tightening the nut 45, the center portion 3l of the corner bracket may be drawn inwardly so as to tightly clamp the bracket 33 against the ends .of the side and end rails while at the saine time ,effecting a tight clamping of the leg portions 12R and |2L within the end clamps 32.

The clamping of the leg portions IER and iZL Within the end clamps 32 in accordance with the present invention is attained by forming the end clamps with opposed side portions adapted to embrace opposite side surfaces of a leg portion, and one of each such pair of side .portions is arranged to abut against the end of a side or end rail While the other one of such side portions is arranged to be forced toward the embraced leg portion by the central portion 3| of the corner bracket. Thus the portion 33 of each end clamp i'sjoined in a bendable relation to a portion 33A, Awhich is arcuate in cross section and is joined at BIA to the adjacent edge of the central section 31 and this point of joinder at 3m is so located that tightening of the bolt t2 tends to tighten the portion 33A about the leg portion while at the 'same time clamping the portion 33 against the end surface 35.

The attachment of the bolt 52 to the cornerv bracket 30 may be simplified in some instances as .novel and highly attractive table construction wherein the metallic corner brackets not only afford a connection between adjacent side and end rails of the table while at the same time serving to secure the table legs in position.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a table or like structure having a top member with depending side and end rails fixed thereto adjacent to the side and end edges of the top member, the side and end rails terminating in spaced relation in end edges having vertically extending slots therein, corner brackets for joining the adjacent ends of said side and end rails, each of said corner brackets being formed from sheet metal to afford a central section and a pair of 'clamp portionseach adapted to receive a leg lciuding an anchoring bar foreach bracket and operable to hold said brackets in clamping relation to Ysaid leg portions and in operative Vconnesting relation to the adjacent side and end rails.

2. In a table or like structure having a top member with depending side and end rails fixed thereto'adjacent to the sides and ends of the top member, the side and end rails terminating in spaced relation in end edges having vertically extending slots therein, corner brackets for joining the adjacent ends of said side and en d rails, each of said corner brackets being formed from sheet metal to afforda Icentral section and a pair of clamp portions each adapted to receive a leg portion, a 'pair of lugs on each "corner bracket adapted to extend into said slots, and means including a clamping bolt and an anchoring-bar for each bracket and operable to hold said brackets in clamping relation to said leg portions and in operative connecting relation to the adjacent Vthereto adjacent to the side and end edges 'of the top member, the side and end rails terminating in spaced relation in end edges having vertically extending slots therein, corner brackets for joining the adjacent ends of said side and end rails, each of said lcorner brackets being formed from sheet metal to afford a central section and a pair of clamp portion-s each adapted to receive a leg portion, a pair of lugs von each corner bracket adapted to extend into said slots, and means for each bracket for imparting an inward force to the central section thereof to hol'd .said brackets Iin clamping relation Ito said l'eg portions and in operative connecting relation to the adjacent side and end rails.

4. vIn a tabl-e or like .structure having a top member with depending side and end rais xed thereto adjacent to the -side and'end edges of the top member, the side and Vend rails terminating in spaced relation in end edges having vertically extending slots therein, corner brackets for joining the adjacent ends of said side and end rails, eachof said corner brackets being formed from sheet metal to afford a central section Aand a pair Tof clamp portions each adapted to receive alegportion,-a pair-of lugs oneach-corner bracket WILLIAM S. HOLABIRD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PAIENTS Name Date Groebl Apr. 29, 1884 Arnold Aug. 12, 1890 Goodyear Nov. 28, 1893 Calton Aug. 2, 1932 Greitzer Nov. 1'7, 1942 Ferguson Oct. 9, 1945