US2639956A - Laterally moving detachable leg construction - Google Patents

Description

9 J. L.'JACOBSON 2,639,956

LATERALLY MOVING DETACHABLE LEG CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24. 1951 n a? w IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 26, 1953 ST. OFFIQ E LATERALLYZ MOVING DETACHABLE "LEGT. CONSTRUCTION" Jack L. Jacobson, Glencoe,. Ill.

Application August.24;;1951;Serial-.N0..243,491

6 Claims. (01. 311 100 This invention relates detachable leg construction-for furniture In the manufacture of many different articles ,ofrump ture, such as tables; console-'types-of radios and television sets, cabinets, it is desirable that-"the to a 1aterally-moving"' legs of the article "be readily detachable "so "that compact shipping packagesmay be provided. In" such cases, it isadvantageous if the legs maybe mairitained in a detached condition up to-the time that the article or piece is actually delivered- Furthermore; itisto the :ultimate purchaser:

highly'advantageous thatth'e attachment of the legs to the device or piece of furniture'be simpleand fo'olproof so that the purchaser himself: may accomplish this,- thus' resulting inasaving to the purchasers In addition-to the above, it is frequently desirable to design suchpieces-of-furniture-asaradio or television cabinet so that-the1cabinet may be sold either as 'a-table -model-or maybe equipped with legs if-sold. as aconsole model. In-' such case; it-is desirable from-a cost angle that' the base structure of the cabineFbesimpleand readily adaptable to either form-w-ithout sub-- stantial expense-or withoutuseless fixtures or" features --wh'ere-legs are not to 'be-addeda There are als'oinstances-Where,after-' a table;-

or similar device; is in a home; it is desirable that the legs be readily attachable or detachable *so that the. device may-be used or stored without t1ouble.-'- In suchcase, it is essential'that the legstructure be simple,- foo1proof-and-sturdy. While there are many detachable leg structures; such"- constructions usually lack the threefeatures-= mentioned "above.-

This invention provides a "constructionwhere by little change inconventional cabinet base construction is required toaccommodate the improved leg; The modified-base construction hasa conventionalappearance-and when not "provided with legs will generally function as anor malbase: The leg construction"embodying the present invention' is simple and may -be=attached" or" detached quickly easily; and "ina" foolproof manner.-

The invention will best be understood -by"-de-' scribing the same in connection" withthe "drawin'gs showing-one form: which-the invention may take, it' being-understood,i however; that *variations are possible;-

Referring now tothe drawings Figure 1 shows 1 aperspective view-"or a table having the improved detachable leg" construc-* tion;

Figure -2 is abettomyiewtaken along 'line-2 2 2 V of Figure 1 showing the structure at one'corner of the "table;

Figure 3 is a perspective top view of the con- I struction shownin Figure 2, with certain parts brokenaway;

Figure 4 is aside view of the corner construction;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail of the catch; the detail being'takenalong'line 55 of Figure '2;

Figure '6 is a detail showing a modifiedstructure.

While the drawings show the invention as being applied to'a table, it is understood that this is' merely'exemplary. In practice, the construction maybe applied to the bottom of such devices as china cabinets, radio and television cabinets;

bridgetables, camp tables, and the like. Furthermore, the-detachable leg construction need It not necessarily be applied only-to a corner. may be'disposed at any intermediate part of'an elongated base or table structure.

Referring now-to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, [0 maybe the base panel or bottom of a table top, cabinet; or any other desired article to which detachable legs may be applied. Base I i] may be of-wood; metal or anyother material and has marginal portions i I and 12 forming a corner. For simplicity and-easeof manufacturingas Well" as interchangeability, it is preferred to have the corner-formed by margins H and [2 at a conventional right angle However, any other angle maybe used; either less or greater than a right angle. form:axcurvedregion; Bottom'face M of base It) is generallysmoothin the region Where the 'detachable' construction is to be applied. This doesnot'necessarily mean that this surface must be finished.

Rigidlyisecured to base mat margins H and [2, are wooden members It and H each having a generally- L-shaped section. Thus, wooden memberlii has bottom face I8, outer side l9 and innerstepped portions 26 and 2| connected to-' getherby ledge 22. Bottom face [8 of the wooden member may have any desired shape or finish.

Thesame is-true of outer face It. As shown,

outerface l9 mergeswith the side of the base and;in practice, the two may be finished together as one unit as far as the sides are concerned. It

is possible to have base I D integral with members [6 and I l and rout the channels out.

Wooden member I! is similar in construction to wooden member i6 and the two are mitered or otherwise-"joined at 'the corner.

The two marginal portions may meetto As is clearfrcm-F1gures *2, 3 ands, wooden'members IEand I! provide channels 25 and 26 meeting at the corner. The construction so far described is applied to the desired article of furniture to be equipped with legs. While this construction is most conveniently applied to the device during manufacture, it may be applied later with members l6 and I! being set inwardly from any finished sides so that these wooden members will not impair the appearance of the article. As shown, woodenchannel-forming members l6 and I! are firmly bolted or retained in position by screws. Reliance may be had on glue or cement or a combination of glue and bolts. Any other fastening means may be used. Members I6 and I"! may be of metal if desired.

Cooperating with the above construction are detachable legs each one generally indicated by numeral 30. Each detachable leg comprises leg portion proper 3|, which may have any desired shape, dimension or the like. Leg 3| has the top thereof rigidly and permanently attached to leg plate 32. Leg plate 32 may be of wood and has two edge portions 33 and 34 complementarily shaped to fit the channel construction formed by members l6 and I1. Thus as shown, leg plate 32 at margins 33 and 34 has a stepped construction providing tongues 35 dimensioned to fit snugly into channels 25 and 26. Top face 31 (Fig. 4) of the leg plate bears against the opposing surface of base It] and it is preferred to have face 3! of the plate smooth enough so that a good fit against the opposing faces is provided. Thus a broad area of support for the leg plate is provided not only at the corner of the base but also at the channels into which the plate tongues fit.

Leg plate 32 may have any desired dimensions along margins 33 and 34, this generally depending upon the load imposed upon the legs. Leg plate 32 has free sides 40 and 4|, as shown, and has side 43 formed by cutting the corner of the plate material, this side connecting sides 40 and 4|. Side 43 is preferably opposite the corner of the leg plate formed by the intersection of marginal portions 33 and 34. It is also desirable to have leg 3| join the leg plate between side 43 and the corner. Side 43 of the leg plate is provided with slot 44 extending inwardly of the plate and generally varying in depth as shown. Slot 44 at its deepest end extends up to side 4| and is accessible from that end thereof. The slot 44 stops short of the end of face 43 where this face intersects with side 40.

Cooperating with slot 44 is lever 50 pivotally secured at to base l0. Lever 50 has end portion 52 which enters slot 44 when the lever is positioned as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Portion 52 of the lever is preferably provided with pin 54 extending through the lever at right angles to the same. As shown, pin 54 bears against side 43 on opposite sides of slot 44 in the locked position of the lever. Instead of pin 54, flat ears or plates may be provided for more extensive contact with face 43. However, the construction as shown is simple and effective.

In the locked position of lever 50, it is not essential that portion 52 of the lever actually engage the bottom of slot 44. Thus precision in cutting the slot is not required. In order to maintain lever 50 in the locked position, a simple locking means may be provided. As shown, lever 50 has aperture 56, this being preferably countersunk on the inside face of the lever where it is opposed to face l4. Disposed underneath the counter-sunk apertured portion of the lever when the lever is in a locked position and recessed into the base is member 58 consisting of cup 53 having therein spring 60 carrying cap 6|. Cover 62 for the cup prevents cap 6| from being pushed out of the cup. Such locking devices are well known in the art and are widely used.

In the locking position of lever 50, cap 6| will engage counter-sunk aperture 56 in the lever and maintain the same in locked position. From this locked position, the lever may be turned in one direction only for unlocking purposes. As shown in Figure 2, lever 50 can only be turned counterclockwise to an unlocking position where finger portion 52' will be clear of the slotted leg plate.

.It is more convenient to have the locking portion of lever 50 disposed between the pivot and portion 52. The remaining part of the lever may be bent clear of surface II) to function as a handle. This however may be varied so that the locking portion of the lever is on the other side of the pivot.

B properly proportioning the various parts, leg plate 32 will fit snugly in position and be maintained tightly when lever 50 is locked. By controlling the depth of slot 44, it will be impossible to move lever 50 beyond its locking position. When the lever is moved to an unlocking position, the leg plate may be removed.

The construction so far described need not necessarily be disposed at a corner. Thus channel-forming members l6 and I! may be disposed at an intermediate portion of a table or other article of furniture.

Referring to Figure 6, a modified form of the invention is shown, wherein tapers are provided at the inter-fitting channel and tongue. Thus tongue 35' is tapered as shown and fits into correspondingly tapered channels.

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable leg construction for furniture, or the like, comprising a base member having a substantially flat body surface having generally L-shaped portions forming a corner construction and providing a pair of intersecting channels, a detachable leg assembly comprising a leg and leg plate carried at the top end of said leg, said leg plate having a fiat surface to rest against the flat base surface, said leg plate having two adjacent marginal portions complementarily shaped to said L-shaped members to provide tongues for entry into said channels when said leg plate is flat against the base surface, said leg plate having a fiat side opposite the corner where the channels intersect, and means pivotally secured to said base surface and movable to a locking position for engaging the flat side of said leg plate for maintaining said leg plate locked in position, said movable means having an unlocking position where said means are clear of said leg plate to permit the same to be removed.

2. A detachable leg construction for furniture, or the like, comprising a base surface having a pair of generally L-shaped portions forming a corner construction and providing intersecting channels, a detachable leg assembly comprising a leg and a leg plate permanently joined thereto at the top of said leg, said leg plate being fiat and having two adjacent marginal portions shaped to provide tongues to fit into the channels when the leg plate is positioned against the base surface, said leg plate having a straight side opposite the corner formed by the intersecting channel, said side being slotted, a lever pivotally secured on said base and movable to a locking position, said lever in its locking position having a portion to engage the slotted portion of the leg plate for wedging the leg plate into position.

3. The construction according to claim 2, wherein said leg plate has a slot extending along the side generally parallel to the base surface and wherein said pivotal means consists of a lever to enter the slot and wherein means are provided for engaging the plate side.

4. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the leg plate slot tapers in depth, the tap-er being such that the locking lever can move in only one direction from an unlocking position to a locking position and thereafter stop.

5. An article of furniture having a base structure for accommodating detachable legs, said base structure having at each leg position a pair of generally L-shaped portions forming a corner construction and providing intersecting channels, a lever pivotally secured to said base at a point spaced from the channel intersection, said lever having a locking position where it points substantially toward said channel intersection and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 205,746 Houston July 9, 1878 655,358 Smyth Aug. 7, 1900 772,462 Gruender Oct. 18, 1904 1,879,087 Chomik Sept. 27, 1932 1,951,884 Seward Mar. 20, 1934 2,203,987 Galante June 11, 1940 2,520,810 Ohlsson Aug. 29, 1950

Images