US2591999A

US2591999A - Adjustable supporting leg

Info

Publication number: US2591999A
Application number: US122706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr Theophilus A Barham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-10-21
Filing date: 1949-10-21
Publication date: 1952-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 1969-04-08

Description

April s, 1952 T, A, BARHAM, SR 2,591,999

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING LEG Filed oct. 21, 1949v Patented pr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING LEG l`Theophilus A. Barham; Sr., Norfolk,'va. YApplicationOctober 21, 1949,` Serial No.1l22,706

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of an adjustable supporting leg capable of being used as a supporting leg for a table, chair, ironing board or any other member or object to be supported in an elevated position relatively toa sup- Y porting surface and which may be readilyextended for supporting a table top or other member at different elevations.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an extensible leg which is :so constructed that it may be readily extended or retracted Without tightening or loosening any `fastenings and by merely grasping one leg section with one hand and the other leg section with the other hand for quickly and easily extending will be maintained thus locked by the weight of a member supported thereon to positively prevent accidental collapsing of the leg.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an extensible supporting leg of extremely simple construction which may be economically manufactured and sold and'which may be utilized either as a rigid leg or as a'fo'lding leg.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention willhereinafter become more `fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the adjustable leg in a partly extended rposition and operatively arranged with respect to a portion of a surface or platform to be supportedthereby;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view looking toward the inner side `of the adjustable leg;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View looking toward the inner side of the lowerend of the upper leg section and with the lower leg section removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the lower leg section, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal `sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically .to the drawing, the extensible leg in its entirety which comprises the invention is designated generally 6 and is composed of an upper leg section 1 and a lower leg Section 8. The leg sections 1 and 8 are channel shaped in cross section and said lower leg section 8 is sufficiently smaller than the upper leg section 1 tc slidably engage in the channel thereof and is assembled therewith so that the channel of the lower leg section 8 opens inwardly of the channel of the larger,'upper leg section 1. as best illustrated in Figures l and 5.

The upper leg section 1 is provided with two longitudinally spaced strap members 9 and Ill which extend across the open side of the channel thereof. The strap member 9 is located adjacent the lower end of the leg section 1 and the strap member l0 is located near to but spaced from said lower end. The strap members 9 and Ill may be secured to the leg section 1 in any suitable manner and preferably form a part of ferrules Il and l2, respectively, which are disposed around the leg section 1 and secured thereto in any suitable manner as by welding, as indicated at i3. The lower strap member 9 is provided with an integral extension or lip I4 which projects from its lower edge, between the side walls of the leg section 1 and which extends downwardly from the strap member 9 and has an inwardly offset free end portion l5, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

Aleaf spring I6 is disposed in the channel of the leg section 1 and longitudinally thereof and has one end secured to the bed portion of said channel in any suitable manner as by welding, as seen at I1, substantially beneath the upper strap member IU. The other, free end of the spring l5 extends toward the lower end of the leg section 1 and is outwardly bowed with respect to the channel thereof and terminates in an inwardly curved free end I8 which is disposed closer to the bed of said channel than an intermediate portion of the spring i6, as seen in Figure 5.

The lower leg section 8 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings I9 in the bed portion 20 thereof and which openings are elongated in a direction transversely of said leg section 8. The upper end of the bed portion 20 Vis provided with an integral extension 2| which is bent to extend inwardly therefrom and which is of a length to extend beyond the edges of the sides 22 of said leg section 8, as best illustrated in Figure 4.

The extension 2| prevents the leg section 8 from being applied to or removed from the leg section 1 through the lower end of the channel of said leg section 1 and accordingly the leg section 3 'I must be longer than the leg section 8 so that the extensible lower leg section 8 may be inserted into the leg section I above the strap I and similarly removed therefrom. As the leg section 8, after being applied as aforementioned to the leg section 1, is slid downwardly relatively to the leg section 'I it will compress the spring I6 to cause said spring to yield toward the bed portion of the leg section 1. Accordingly, the leg section 8 may be extended or retracted relatively to the leg section 'I by gripping one of the leg sections with each hand and with the hand grasping the lower leg section 8 holding said section near its lower end and pressing it toward the leg section 'I to cause the leg section 8 to fulcrum Vrelatively to the leg section l on its extension 2I, as' illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 5, so that the bed portion 20 of the leg section 8 Will clear the lip I4 to enable the leg section 8 to be readily extended or retracted. With one of the openings I9 `in registry with the lip I4, the manual pressure on the leg section 8 is released allowing the spring IB to rock the leg section 8 on the fulcrum provided by the extension 2I away from the lower end of the leg section 'I and so that the lip I4 will pass through the selected opening I9 with which it aligns. By then resting the leg 6 on a supporting surface such as a floor, as indicated at 23, the leg section 8 will be displaced upwardly slightly relatively tothe leg section 'I until its upward movement is stopped by the lip I4 engaging the bottom edge of said selected opening I9. With the parts thus disposed, as illustrated in Figure 5, the offset lower end I5 of the lip I4 will engage the inner side of the bed 20 to prevent accidental disengagement of said lip I4 from the selected opening I9 and so that the leg 6 will be locked in an extended position until the sections thereof are grasped and initially drawn outwardly of one another and rocked to the dotted line position of the leg 8 of Figure 5. Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that the weight supported by the leg 6 will effectively function to retain said leg locked in an extended position and any amount of frictional contact of the lower end of the leg with a floor or supporting surface 23. which might occur, would not unlock the leg and allow it to assume a retracted position. The extension 2I in addition to functioning as a fulcrum, as previously described, holds the upper end of the lower leg section 8 away from the bed of the upper leg section 1 so that the leg sections will be disposed substantially in alignment when in an extended position, as illustrated in full lines of Figure 5.

The leg 6 is illustrated in Figure 1 as being hinged as seen at 24 at the upper end of its upper section I to a member 25 which could constitute a part of a table top, chair seat, ironing board or any other elevated platform or object. Likewise, the leg 6 is shown provided with a jointed brace 26 of conventional construction, so that said leg may function as a folding leg; however, the leg 6 could also obviously be rigidly connected to the member 25.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that an extensible leg of extremely simple construction has been provided which may be quickly and easily extended or retracted and readily locked in a plurality of adjusted positions without the use of setscrews, wedges or other forms of clamping means, so as to provide a leg which is quickly extensible or retractable yet which will effectively retain any extended position in which 4 it is set and without risk of being accidentally retracted.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An adjustable supporting leg formed of longitudinally extensible leg sections including an upper leg section and a. lower leg section, said leg sections being of channel shaped cross section and said lower leg section being sized to slidably fit in the channel of the upper leg section and being disposed therein with the channel portion thereof facing inwardly of the channel portion of the 'upper leg section, said .upper leg section having a strap member fixed thereto and extending across the channel thereof, the bed or bight portion of the lower leg section engaging against the strap'member and be retained thereby against movement outwardly of the open side of the channel of the upper 4leg section, said bight portion being provided with longitudinally spaced. laterally elongated openings, and said strap member having an integral lip projecting downwardly from its bottom edge and having a free end portion inwardly offset with respect to the channel of the upper leg section, said openings being arranged to selectively receive the lip and the free end portion of said lip engaging against the inner side of the bed or bight portion of the lower leg section for locking the leg sections in a plurality of extended positions and to prevent the lower leg section from being retracted relatively to the upper leg section until initially extended to disengage the lip from the opening engaged thereby.

2. An adjustable leg as in claim 1, and a spring disposed between the leg sections for displacing said leg sections laterally away from one another and for urging said lip through a selected opening of the lower leg section.

3. An adjustable leg as in claim 1, said lower leg sectionvhaving an extension at its upper end projecting to beyond the sides of said lower leg section and engaging the bed or bight portion of the upper leg section for maintaining the leg sections in alignment when an opening of the lower leg section is engaged by said lip and on which the lower leg section may fulcrum relatively to the upper leg section for disengaging the lower leg section from said lip or for engaging it therewith.

4. An adjustable leg as in claim 1, a spring disposed between the leg sections for displacing said leg sections laterally away from one another and for urging said lip through a selected opening of the lower leg section, said lower leg section having an extension at its upper end projecting to beyond the sides of said lower leg section and engaging the bed or bight portion of the upper leg section for maintaining the leg sections in alignment when an opening of the lower leg section is engaged by said lip and on which the lower leg section may fulcrum relatively to the upper leg section for disengaging the lower leg section from said lip or for engaging it therewith.

5. An adjustable leg as in claim 1, and a leaf spring disposed longitudinally of and secured at one end to the bed or bight portion of the upper leg section and located in the channel thereof, said leaf spring having an outwardly bowed portion spaced from its opposite, free end for engaging the bed or bight portion of the lower leg sectionfor 'urging said lower leg section toward the strap member.

6. An extensible supporting leg formed o! an upper leg section and a lower leg section, said leg sections being of channel shaped cross section and said lower leg section slidably tting into the channel of the upper leg section and opening in wardly thereof, said upper leg section having a strap member extending across the open side ;of the channel thereof for retaining the lowerleg section against movement outwardly of the open side of the upper leg section, the bed or bight 1 portion oi said lower leg section having spaced openings, and said strap member having an integral lip projecting from its bottom edge and including an inwardly olfset free end portion, said lip being sized to extend through any one of said openings and the inwardly oset lower end thereof 8 engaging the inner side of the bight portion o! the lower leg section for locking the leg sections in any one of a plurality of extended positions. THEOiHlLUS A. YBARHAM, Sa.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS