US2567538A - Collapsible ironing table - Google Patents

Description

P 1, 1951 w. ANDERSON 2,567,538

COLLAPSIBLE IRONING TABLE Filed April 12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l J'WEUZ UF \A/ALTER L. Alvosksolv W. L. ANDERSON COLLAPSIBLE IRONING TABLE Sept. 11, 195 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1947 fiifar' \A/ALTER L. ANDERSON i atented Sept.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,567,538 COLLAPSIBLE IBONING TABLE Walter L. Anderson, Wichita, Kans. Application April '12, 1947, Serial No. 741,032

1 Claim. 1 c

This invention relates to ironing tables and the like, and more particularly to an ironin table or the like which is adapted to be folded when not in use and to a collapsible support link therefor.

Previous ironingtables of the foldable type have frequently involved relatively complex mechanisms and many have not been sufficiently economical and simple in installation and operation.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a collapsible ironing table which may be housed compactly in a relatively small convenient cabinet. To place my ironing table in operation, it is merely necessary to open the cabinet door and lift upwardly on the free end of the table. The table is automatically locked in the horizontal position without further manipulation thereof. For collapsin the ironing table, it is merely necessary to squeeze together the two arms of my novel support link and guide the board to inoperative position.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a foldable ironing table or the like adapted to be entirely contained within a compact cabinet.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a foldable ironing table or the like which is automatically locked upon raising by a simple, inexpensive and effective support link.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a novel support link for folding equipment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple, rugged, easily operated, and :inexpensive folding ironing table assembly :which may be attached as a unit to a wall or the like.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure'l is a perspective view of a folding iron ing table assembly embodying the principles of my present invention, with the ironing table folded into inoperative position within the cabinet and the cabinet closed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of my ironing table assembly with the cabinet opened and the ironing table in extended or operative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line III- 1H of Figure 2 showing the ironing table in extended or operative position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line IV aIV of Figure '1 2 showing the ironing table in closed or inoperative position within the closed cabinet;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line V V of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure 3 looking at the ironing table from below in extended or operative position.

As shown on the drawings:

As illustrated in Figure 1, the foldable ironing table assembly of my present invention com prises a cabinet 10 preferably of, lightweight sheet metal construction adapted to be secured to a wall (not shown) or the like. Said cabinet l0 includes a hinged door H having a handle I2 secured adjacent the unhinged edge thereof, a back member l3 and side right angle members l4 and I5 (Figure 3-) serving to define the cabinet. Right angle top and bottom members 16 and H respectively serve as further closures of the cabinet and also serve as reinforcements of the cabinet and particularly serve to reinforce attachments of the cabinet to a wall or the like (Figure 4).

As seen in Figures'l, 3 and vi, the top closure member [6 has an opening IS in the upright portion thereof and the bottom right angle reinforcing member ll has a hole I9 therein, which holes is and I9 are in alignment with holes 20 and '2! in the back member 13, respectively. Suitable means, as for instance, wood screws, may be employed in conjunction with holes 18-20 and l9--2-l for attaching the cabinet to a wall or the like. Further provisions for at:- tachment a reinforcement may be provided as necessary.

As shown in Figure 4, a central portion of the back member 13 extends upwardly above the horizontal closure portion :22 of the top member Hi to reinforce the vertical support portions 23 of the top member l6 and is indicated by the reference numeral :24. Likewise the back definin portions '25 and 2 5 .of the side members I4 and I5, respectively, extend upwardly to form further reinforcement for the vertical attaching portion 23 of the top member It. The sidecglosure defining portion 21 and '28 of the side members l4 and [5, respectively, are turned inwardly at the top as indicated by the reference numerals 29Land 39 to provide reinforcement of the "horizontal closure portion 2210f the top member 116 (Figure 3) The cabinet door H is bent inwardly at the 55. hinged edge and the closure edge portions :81

and 32, respectively, for strength, attractiveness and to provide a more ample interior space for the ironing table when folded. Th horizontalclosure portion 22 of the top member l6 conforms to this configuration of the door II to form a good closure at the top of the cabinet. The door is further reinforced by means of right angle reinforcing ribs 33, 34 and 35 extending laterally of the (1001 at the top edge thereof, centraily thereof and at the bottom edge thereof, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4. The reinforcing ribs 33, 34 and 35 are bent to conform with the configuration of the door, as shown in Figure 2.

As indicated in Figure 3, the edge portions of the door H are turned inwardly for further reinforcement thereof as generally indicated by the reference numeral 36. As indicated in Figure 6,

the side defining portions 21 and 28 are turned inwardly, particularly for reinforcement for the hinges, as indicated by the reference numeral 31. As seen in' Figures 3 and 4, the ironing table 38 is pivotally mounted at the top of the cabinet by means of a pivot bar 39 supported at its end by bearing members 40 and 4| (Figure 3). The bearings members 40 and 4| are secured to the side defining portions 21 and 28 of the right angle side members I4 and I5 in any suitable manner (Figure 6). Thus when the cabinet door ii is opened, the ironing table 38 may be unfolded or pivoted from folded inoperative position (Figure 4) into unfolded operative position as shown in Figure 2.

A novel rest for the iron, indicated by the reference numeral 42, may be provided. The iron rest has a pair of identical flanges or legs projecting in opposite directions from the opposite ends of the rest, as indicated by the reference numerals 43 and 44 (Figure 5). Thus, either iron rest surface 45 or 46 may be employed as the top surface for receiving the iron. With the leg 44 for supporting the top surface 45 at one end resting upon the ironing table 38 and the other end portion of the rest 42 resting on the horizontal closure portion 22 of the top member l6, for example, the oppositely projecting flange 43 serves as a stop'for the iron. Alternately the flange 43 may rest upon the ironing table 38 and the flange 44 serve as an iron stop with the surface 46 receiving the iron. It is therefore unnecessary for the user to select a particular surface and a particular leg or flange to rest on the ironing table, since either surface is suitable. The flanges 43 and 44 are of somewhat greater height than the height of the horizontal closure portion 22 above the surface 41 of the ironing table so that either surface 45 or 46 will tend to slope toward the respective iron stop .flange 43 or 44 whereby the iron will tend to slide along the surface 45 or 46 toward the iron stops 43 or 44, respectively, and will not slip off the iron rest surface 45 or 46.

The ironing table is of the usual configuration for such devices and has a downturned flange 48 around the entire border thereof for reinforcement thereof. As seen in Figure 6, for further reinforcement of the table longitudinal right angle reinforcing ribs 49 and 50 on one side and 5| and 52 on the other side, and transverse U- shaped reinforcing ribs 53 separating longitudinal ribs 49 and 56, and 5| and 52 are provided:

Referring to Figure 5, the reinforcing ribs have a number of holes 54 therein for receiving:

the lacings of a clothcover (not shown) for the ironing table. These holes greatly enhance'the utility of the table especially in view of former 4, haphazard methods for attaching the cloth to an ironing table.

The novel folding linkage of my invention will now be described. As best seen in Figures 3 and 6, the back closure portion 24 of the back member |3 has a pair of inturned track defining flanges 55 and 56 at right angles thereto. These inwardly projecting track defining flanges 55 and 56 have right angle inturned opposed guide flanges 51 and 58 at right angles thereto. A U- shaped link member having a pair of legs 60 and 6| joined by a journal portion 62 is pivotally attached to the ironing table undersurface 63 by means of a metal strip 64 formed to provide a bearing for the journal portion 62 of the U member 59. At the free ends of the legs 60 and 6| are a pair of outturned right angle feet or flanges 65 and 66, respectively, which are adapted to slide in the opposed tracks generally designated by the reference numerals 61 and 68 provided by the track deflning flange 55 and guide flange 51, and track defining flange 56 and guide flange 58, respectively.

As shown in Figures 3 and 6, in unfolded operative position of the ironing table 38, the opposed outwardly extending feet or flanges 65 and 66 of the U member are adapted to project outwardly from the track defining flange portion 55 and 56 through. a pair of openings 69 and 10 therein. With the feet 65 and 66 in this position, it will be understood that the ironing table is rigidly supported against both upward and downward pivotal motion by means of the U linkage member 59, since the feet 65 and 66 are locked by means of the openings 69 and 10 against movement in any direction except inwardly. Since the U member 59 is so formed that the legs normally assume the spread position, shown in Figure 3,- and are formed of a springy material, the legs resiliently resist inward movement of the feet 65 and 66. It is thus apparent that the support linkage 59 will remain in this normal spread position with the feet 65 and 66 locked in the openings 69 and 10 until they are positively squeezed or compressed inwardly out of engagement with the openings 69 and 10. The ironing table 38 then may be guided downwardly to fold about its pivot bar 39, the feet 65 and 66 sliding downwardly alongthe tracks 61 and 68 into folded inoperative position shown in Figure 4 and assuming a position at the bottom of the cabinet. In this position it will be understood that the legs 60 and 6| are held in an inwardly compressed position due to the bearing of the feet 65 and 66 against the track defining portions 55 and 56.

In order to unfold the ironing table into operative position from its inoperative position shown in Figure 4, it is merely necessary, once the cabinet door is open, to grasp the iron table at a point somewhat remote from the pivoted end, and pull outwardly and lift upwardly to pivot the ironing table about its pivot bar 39. As the ironing table is pivoted, it will be understood that the legs 66 and 6| of the U linkage 59 will slide upwardly in the tracks 61 and 68 with the feet 65 and 66 bearing against the track defining portions 55 and 56, until when the ironing table reaches the horizontal operative position, the feet 65 and 66 register with the openings 69 and 16 and are urged resiliently thereinto to automatically lock the ironingtable in horizontal operative position. It should be understood that the resilient force urging the legs 66 and 6| apart is sufficient in itself to snap the feet 65 and 66 into the openings 69 and without fail immediately upon registry therewith, and furthermore that the legs 60 and BI are held apart against inward compression with suflicient force so that there is no danger of the feet 65 and 66 becoming disengaged with their respective openings without positive manipulation. The ironing table is thus securely locked" and rigidly held against any movement.

The support linkage member 59 is so designed with respect to the ironing table and with respect to the tracks 51 and 58 that it furnishes a very rugged support for the ironing table. Furthermore, the ironing table due to its rigid reinforcement by means of ribs 49, 50, 5| and 52, and rib 53 and the' downturned boundary flange 48 is held rigid and will resist deflecting or bending thereof.

It will be appreciated that this folding linkage including a U member 59 and tracks 61 and 68 with openings 69 and 10 therein is an extremely simple, efficient and economical arrangement for permitting folding of objects such as ironing boards, particularly when such objects are to be sustained by means of a cabinet within a wall or the like. It is therefore not the purpose to limit the application of this linkage system to an ironing board, since this linkage would be equally effective for other applications, such as folding benches and tables.

The cabinet door I I may be held in closed position by means -of any suitable spring closure piece as desired.

It will thus be" apparent that I have provided an iron table assembly compactly housed, rugged, economical and extremely simple of operation. The assembly may be delivered to the user in completely assembled and operative condition, so that all that is necessary is the attachment of the cabinet intoposition for use.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied to a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A collapsible ironing table assembly comprising a support structure including a back member and a pair of side members, an ironing table board, a downwardly extending portion around the border of said ironing board and having apertures at opposite sides of one end thereof, a bearing member secured to each of said side members and facing said apertures, a pivotal rod extending through said apertures and pivotal within said bearing members for pivotally mounting said ironing board, a U-shaped support rod pivotally mounted at its bight on the bottom surface of said ironing board, a pair of guide members having locking apertures and disposed vertically on said back member and projecting outwardly therefrom having flanged portions parallel to and spaced from said back member and spaced from each other thereby defining a guide passageway, and projections on the free end of said U-shaped support rod slidable in said guide passageway and movable into locking apertures of said guide members for locking the table in the operative position.

WALTER L. ANDERSON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,739 Hahn Dec. 31, 1918 1,632,939 Williams June 21, 1927 2,201,701 Newstrom May 21, 1940 2,264,678 Pryne Dec. 2, 1941

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