US2583811A

US2583811A - Convertible table

Info

Publication number: US2583811A
Application number: US790396A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mary A Boyes; Coates J Edwin
Original assignee: ALTA ENGINEERING Co
Current assignee: ALTA ENGINEERING Co
Priority date: 1947-12-08
Filing date: 1947-12-08
Publication date: 1952-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1969-01-29

Description

Jan. 29, y1952 M. A. BoYEs ET A1.

o WM5 M w www y 3; Aw f ya f .1 A I f Patented Jan. 29, 1952 CONVERTIBLE TABLEl Mary A. Boyes, Los Angeles, and J. Edwin Coates,

SantaV Monica, Calif., assignors to Alta Eng-ineering Company, Santa Monica, Calif., a limited# partnership of California Application December 8, 1947, Serial No. 790,396

Z'Claims. (Cl. 3113) This'invention relates'to an amusement device forchildren andmore particularlyfto a mobile frame` adapted to serve selectively asV a horizontal base for the support of building blocks; small toys; etc., and as a generally upright easel for the reception of cut-out pictures; targets for throwing games', and other amusement purposes.

The invention generally lcontemplates the provision of a planarbase member on which a child mayl assemble building blocks;` arrange various stationary and movable toys, and play various marbleand` ballgames', the base being provided with casters or the like so that it canrbe: readily moved about the-house;

Itis well known -that children enjoyA playing on the floor and one of themest usual pastimes consists in building towers or houses with a set of blocks. invariably, such structures are built in the center of'a roomvor a hall and constitute a substantiallhazard toadults whond it necessary 'tol walk" abouti the house. They cannot be moved Without disassembly, andzthis' is a source oil. disappointment to the child. The present' in'- vention provides a base ofconsiderable area `on which thezblock structuresrcanzbe erected and, because it is mounted on casters or'gliders; it standsonly a few inches above floor levelso that it is readily accessible to even `the smallest child, and cannot be accidentally tippedover; lit can be moved at a moments noticev without disturbing` anything. which may be on it and can` be readily storedin convenient 'pla-ces; such as under the childs bed.`

In order to facilitate handling; the devce'is provided with a handle which may: beA moved from' an'inoperative position to'onewhere it may be.` readily grasped whilev standing,` andthe. cart may then be moved easily in' the; mannerofa baby buggy. InV the inoperative position the handle is substantiallyf co-.planar with andernbraces the base.

The basef is1 generally-cin. the form. of` a tray with an upstanding marginaledge containinga panel of fairly soft; readily penetrable material such as"Celotex. or'other;` similar wall boards. Cut-out pictures, bases of` cardboard model houses, and other things-can be readily attached to such a panel4 with pins or thumb tacks and canxbe quickly removed Whendesiredl Thepanel itself can be easilyremoved and replaced when it becomes worn or damaged.

The'handle is so constructed and mounted that it can be' moved to` athirdpredetermined position extendinglangularly awayvfromrtheirear face oifthebase to support-:it in' a generallyupright 2` posltioninv the manner ofY an. easel; Thechild can then mount paper on theipanel fordrawing pictures and the like or attach targets fordart or 'pin games.

Another important feature of novelty isthe constructionand arrangement oi the cooperating parts of the handle and the base which provides for retaining the handle in three different pre'- determined positions with a minimum amount of structure and no moving parts except the handle itself. Other features lof novelty and advantages will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

The presently preferred formso the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

`Figure l is a top plan view of thedevice with a portion of the handle broken away;`

Figure 2 is a side elevational view'ofthe device with a portion of the handle broken away and showing the supporting casters;

Figure 3 is a sectional'view taken on line 3-3 of Figure l showing the detent engagement when the handle is in upwardly extending position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the detent engagement when the handle is in inoperative position;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure l;

Figure 6`is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the base to which the handle is pivotally attached, the handle being shown in its upper position in full lines and in its lower position in dotted lines;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of'thedevice set up as an easel;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of aA modiediorm of the base shown in Figure 1'; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken' on line 99 of Figure 1.

In the form` of the invention shown in' Figure-l the base l` includes a. generallyrectangular frame l2.of angular cross.sectionprovidedwith a lJ-shaped` handle M. The latter is pivotally attached to 'the frame by means of` a pair of stepped stud rivets as best seen in Figure 9.` Each of the rivets includes a medial cylindrical section I5 with oppositely extending bosses i8 and 20 of reduced diameter.. TheV boss IS passes thru an aperture 22 in the frame Illandisfheadedover at24 forfrigidattaohment thereto. The bossZG formsA a journal' for the bearing aperture 26 formed in theA handle` l 421 and is headed* over.; at

vouts of any desired type thereto.

28 to retain the handle thereon for free pivotal movement. A

The frame is reinforced and rigidied, as illustrated in Figure 5, by the provision of a panel 30 of strong rigid material such as Masonte altho a thin sheet of steel or other suitable material may berused. This panel forms a fairly close fit within the frame and is permanently secured thereto by a plurality of rivets 32 passing thru aligned openings in the panel and the horizontal portions I3 of the frame. The panel, together with the frame, forms a tray for the reception of toys such as building blocks and the like, and the vertical portions I of the frame form a low wall to prevent marbles, balls, or rolling toys from rolling off the base.

The base as described above is complete in itself and is strong enough to support the weight of a child as well as his toys. To increase the utility of the device, a second panel 34 is provided. This panel, of substantially the same size as panel 30, is formed of a fairly soft, readily penetrable material such as Celotex or other wall board and is detachably secured to panel 30 by means of a plurality of headed pins 36 having cotter pins 38 passing through their lower free ends. The soft material is readily penetrated by pins or thumb tacks which may be used to attach paper cut- Panel 3D will become Worn or damaged in time and the connection described facilitates detachment and replacement with a new panel.

The U-shaped handle I4 is of such size and shape that, in its inoperative position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, it embraces the major portion of the frame I2. The free ends 40 of the handle are bent out of its general plane at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and the bearing aperture 25 in each leg is located approximately at the point of bending, altho such location is not absolutely essential.

The ends 4t are chamfered and the tips 42 thereof are bent inwardly as shown to serve as detents. Detent receiving

portions

44 and 46 are formed in the vertical side walls I5 of the frame and may be dimples or depressions, but it has been found more desirable to form them as apertures passing entirely through the walls I5. When the handle I4 is in the position shown in Figure 2, extending upwardly and away from the front face of the base at an angle of approximately 45 degrees the detents 42 extend into apertures 44 as best illustrated in Figure 3, and the handle may be grasped to move the base from place to place. When it is desired to swing the handle about its pivotal mounting to a new position the detents can be readily sprung out of the apertures by a forceful movement of the handle since the ends 40, or the entire handle if desired, are formed of resilient material.

When the handle is swung clockwise as viewed in Figure 2 it will come to rest in the dotted line position shown in that figure. When the handle reaches this position the detents 42 will bear against the lower marginal edges of the frame as indicated in Figure 4, and prevent the handle from falling lower.

The handle may also be swung to a position extending away from the rear face of the base at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to support the base in a generally upright position on a floor in the manner of an easel, as illustrated in Figure 7. In this latter position the detents 42 are sprung into engagement with the detent receiving portions 46 to releasably retain the handle against unintentional movement. With this arrangement a child can mount cutouts of any kind on the panel 34 by means of pins or thurmb tacks and may attach a target for a throwing game such as the target 48.

The relation and cooperation of the main portions of handle I4, the free ends 40, detents 42, and

detent receiving portions

44 and 46 are clearly illustrated in Figure 6, in which the handle is shown in its upwardly extending position in full lines and in its lower or easel position in dotted lines. It will be noted that, because the

apertures

44 and 46 are not directly in line with the mounting pivot and the detents 42 are correspondingly offset, the angular divergence of the handle is greater in the upper position than in the lower position. v

It is desirable to support the base some distance above the floor for ease of use but it should be low enough to prevent tipping if a child sits on it and also low enough to be stored under articles of furniture such as a bed. It should also be easily movable on the iioor. These conditions are met by the provision of casters 50 having base plates 52 attached to the horizontal portions I3 of frame I2 by means of rivets 54. It will be seen that, with the handle I4 in the position shown in Figure 2, the device may be readily wheeled about by grasping the cross bar I1 of the handle. The casters are located inwardly from the end edges of the frame a suflicient distance to prevent them from contacting the floor when the device is used as an easel.

A modied form of the base is illustrated in Figure 8, in which it is formed of a singlesheet of metal providing a rectangular web member 56 with upwardly extending integral flange members 58 on all four sides. An X-shaped depression 60 is stamped in the web member to strengthen and rigidity it. It is thus possible to dispense with a separate strengthening panel such as member 30. However, a detachable, penetrable panelis provided as in the previously described modification and the handle and caster details may be similar or identical to those already described.

It will be seen that we have provided a novel and easily operable amusement device having many uses and advantages. Various changes and modifications may be made in its construction without departing from the spirit of the in-V vention, and it is intended that all such changes and modifications shall be embraced within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A childs play table comprising: a generally rectangular tray member, substantially longer than it is wide, presenting an upper surface; a relatively shallow flange up-standing from the edges of said tray member to rigidify same and serve as a guard rail for objects; support members attached to said tray member and extending downwardly therefrom; a generally U-shaped bail having arms substantially longer than onehalf the length of said tray member; said arms being pivotally attached near their free ends to the flange on the long edges of said tray member at such points that the bail, in inoperative position, will lie in close juxtaposition to said flange thruout the length of the bail; cooperating detent means on said arms and said ange engaging each other in a first relation to hold said bail in inoperative position, said bail being swingable to an adjusted position behind said tray member to cooperate with a shortA edge thereof to support said upper surface in an angular attitude with respect to a supporting surface; said detent means engaging each other in a second relation to retain said bail in said adjusted position.

2. A childs play table as claimed in claim 1, said bail being swingable to a position above said tray member to serve as a hand grip to move said tray member about on a supporting surface; and said detent means engaging each other in a third relation to retain said bail in said further adjusted position.

MARY A. BOYES. J. EDWIN COATES.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bailey Sept. 18, 1877 Number Number Number Name Date Paalman May 28, 1918 Judge Sept. 8, 1925 Strauss Jan. 19, 1926 Allen Dec. 4, 1928 Duggan Jan. 12, 1932 kHouse June 20, 1933 Vievegge June 20, 1938 Bicker Deo. 17, 1935 Cobb May 26, 1936 Widmeier Nov. 10, 1936 Black July 6, 1937 McKeown Feb. 18, 1941 Cross Apr. 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Mar. 25, 1930