US2471508A - Kitchen cabinet with table forming front - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1949.

s. w. ADAMS KITCHEN CABINET WITH TABLE FORMING FRONT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1946 A, IL 4 INVENTOR.

jeflv for [4147/4015 y 1949- s. w. ADAMS 2,471,508 T KITCHEN CABINET WITH TABLE FORMING FRONT Filed oct. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. 5 /701401. N409; r

,zJM/K' Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED sTA'r FlCE KITCHEN CABINET WITH TABLE FORMING ONT Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved cabinet and table combination, and more particularly to a kitchen cabinet in which the lower front wall thereof is hinged to the cabinet body and is adapted to be raised to horizontal position, thereby to form a table.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved latch means for holding the hinged front of the cabinet in locked position with respect to the body thereof when the front is not in use as a table.

Another object is to provide an improved cabinet of the character described in which a supporting leg member for the table front carries at one end a latch member for holding the pivoted front in vertical, wall forming position on the cabinet, and in which the leg itself is utilized for raising and lowerin the front to and from table forming position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combination kitchen cabinet and table in which the supporting leg therefor carries a latch member at its lower end adapted to cooperate with a fixed latch member on the cabinet, and which also is provided with a readily detachable fastening means for securing the free end of the leg to the cabinet.

A cabinet embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a cabinet embodying my improved table front construction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View with the front pivoted outwardly and upwardly to form a table;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along line III-III of Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View to an enlarged scale taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the cabinet with the front thereof raised to form a table.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show a cabinet Ill which may be of the usual type adapted particularly for installation in a kitchen. The cabinet embodies the upper shelf section I I, the work top l2, and the lower cabinet section l3. In the particular cabinet illustrated, I show the work top [2 projecting outwardly past the front of the cabinet, as illustrated at it. The lower cabinet section l3 may be provided with the usual utensil drawers It and H, and the usual shelves l8 and IS.

The lower section of the cabinet has the door frame 2! thereof formed in the shape of a U at its 2 top end, thereby to straddle the projeoting work top it, and is pivotally connected by means of hinges to the U-shape of the door frame 2| is also continued as indicated at 2d to fit about the supporting frame work for the drawers it and ll. Mounted in the frame are the usual doors 2% and 27, provided with the usual snap detents 28 and 25. The doors are hinged in the manner well understood by hinges to the frame 2 l. The hinges preferably are of the flush type, thus leaving the surface of the doors and frame free of outward projections.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the entire frame 2 I, including the doors 28 and 21, may be pivoted upwardly about the hinges 22 and to form a table which is an extension of the work top 2. The U-shape of the frame 2! permits-the assembly to move upwardly about the projection i i of the top l2, and to lie in the same plane therewith.

The door frame is provided at its bottom with a slot Mounted on a pin 33 is the lower end of a member 3%, adapted when the doors and frame are horizontal to form a supporting leg therefor. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the leg is provided at its pivoted end with an inwardly projecting portion. 35 having groove 31 adapted to engage over a stationary latch member 38 fast on the floor till of the cabinet. The upper end of the leg 34 is provided with the male member M of a snap latch device, the female member dd thereof being secured to a stationary portion d2 of the front wall of the cabinet. The slot 32 is long enough to permit rotation of the end 35 through the door frame 2! for a purpose later to be described.

From the foregoing, the construction and manner of using my improved cabinet table will be readily understood. When it is desired to form a table, the upper end of the leg 3A is unlatched by pulling the same outwardly as indicated by the arrow 43, Fig. 3, whereupon the inwardly projecting portion 35 of the pivoted end moves upwardly, thus to disengage the groove 37 from the latch member 38. The user now pulls the leg 34 upwardly with one hand, thereby lifting the entire front of the cabinet until the lower edge can be grasped in the other hand. The leg is now rotated counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which position the same rests upon the floor 44 and supports the free end of the door frame.

In order to provide sidewise rigidity for the leg it, I may provide at each side of the slot 32 a pair of guide blocks it, secured to the inner side of the door frame by screws 4 From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved cabinet and table combination which is extremely simple of manufacture and construction and which is useful in providing table space in small kitchens. The ticular arrangement of the leg 34 permits the front tobe raised to table forming position without the necessity of the user having to stoop over and grasp the frame at its lower end. Also, it will be apparent that with the groove 3'! engaged over the latch member 38, and the snap latch ii in place, the entire front of the cabinet is securely latched to the body portion thereof. Also, it will be apparent that while I have shown but one leg a plurality thereof may be provided if desired, and my improved arrangement ma be applied with equal facility to a cabinet which does not have the overhanging top portion hi.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet embodying a door frame and doors therein forming a front for the cabinet, means to pivot the door frame at its upper end, a leg pivoted to the door frame adjacent the bot tom thereof, a stationary latching member on the lower portion of the cabinet, and a complementary latching means carried by the pivoted end of said leg for engaging the stationary latching merriberto secure the pivoted frame to the cabinet.

2. In a cabinet embodying a door frame and doors therein forming a front for the cabinet, L

hinges pivotally connecting the upper end of the door frame to the cabinet, a leg member for sunportingthe frame and doors in horizontal, tableforming position, means to pivotally connect the leg to the free end of said door frame, a stationary latching member, complementary latching means carried by the leg at the pivoted end thereof and engageable with the stationary latching member to secure the free end of the door frame to the cabinet, and other latching means for securing the .free end of the leg to the cabinet.

3. In a cabinet embodying a door frame and doors thereinforming a front for the cabinet, hinges connecting the upper end of the door frame to the cabinet, a leg member for support- 1 ing the frame and doors in horizontal table-form ing position, means to pivotally connect the leg to the free end of said door frame, an extension on the pivoted end of the leg adapted to project inwardly of the cabinet, there being a downwardly opening groove in said extension, an upwardly projecting lug on the cabinet adapted to fit into said groove thereby to removably secure the free end of the door frame to the cabinet, and snap latch means carried by the other end of the leg for removably securing the same to the cabinet.

4. In a cabinet embodying a door frame and doors therein forming a front wall for the cabinet, hinges connecting the upper end of the door frame to the cabinet, a leg member for supporting the frame and doors in horizontal, table-forming position, means to pivotally connect one end of the leg to the free end of the door frame, said leg being adapted to lie against the outside of the door frame when the frame is in wall forming position, a stationary latch member on the lower portion of the cabinet, an extension on the leg at its pivoted end adapted to project inwardly of the cabinet, there being a downwardly opening groove in said extension adapted to engage about the stationary latch member upon pivotal movement of the leg, and other latching means for securing the free end of said leg to the cabinet, thereby to hold the same against outward movement about its pivot.

5. In a cabinet embodying a work top having a portion overhanging the front thereof, a U- shaped door frame adapted to straddle the overhanging top portion, means to pivotally connect the legs of the U-shaped frame to the cabinet,-

REFERENCES CITED foil ring references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Abbett Jan. 18, 1921 Number

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