US2654647A - Folding sectional top utility table - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1953 Filed June 17, 1952 T. L. MURRAY FOLDING SECTIONAL TOP UTILITY TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. THOMAS L. MU QIQAY Oct 1953 T. MURRAY FOLDING SECTIONAL -TOP UTILITY TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1'7, 1952 MR n E M. V m NM m 5 m Z0 m 5 m o W A T W H w Y M;

Patented Oct. 6, 1953 NT OF F ICE 2,654,647 FOLDIN G SECTIONAL TOP UTILITY'TABLE Thomas L. Murray, ra'n'ge, N.- J. Application June 17, 1952,-ScrialNo.*293,927

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to table construction,'and more particularly, has reference to a collapsible table which can be used as a game table, general utility table, or for any other purpose desired.

The table which I have designed, described briefly, includes a series of segmental section's having side edges disposed radially of the' table when the table is unfolded for use. The side edges of adjacent sections are hingedly connected, with the exception of those sections disposed at the respective ends of the series of sections, said end sections being 'rel'easably latched together when the table is set up. The hinge connections between adjacent sectionsare's'o arranged as to permit all the component sections of the table to be folded in superposed relation in the collapsed condition of th'e'table, thus to cause the folded table to occupy a relatively small area and permit its storage in a small'space.

In carrying out the invention, I propose 'toattain the following objects:

First, the provisionof a table of the type stated that will occupy a space, when folded, no greater in depth than the combined thicknesses of the several table sections, and no greater in breadth than the area of a single section;

Second, the provision of a table wherein the folding and unfolding operations can be carried out with maximum speed and facility;

Third, the provision of a table which will have a top area, when unfolded, that 'is unusually large in comparison to the amount of space occupied by the table when it is folded; and

Fourth, the provision of acollapsible table that 'c'anbe manufactured at a relativelylow cost, considering the desirable characteristics thereof noted above.

Other objects will appear from'the following description, the claims appended thereto, "and from the annexed drawing, in which like ref- "erence characters designate like parts throu htable unfolded, on an enlarged scale;

Figure -6 is a section'on line "6-=B'of Figure Figure '7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, I

2 showing the table unfolded, the scale being-enlarged still further, the view illustrating-a latch means embodied inthe construction; and

Figure '8 is a fragmentary perspective view, the scalebein'g greatly enlarged, showing the details of 'a double hing embodied in'the table construction.

"The table which I have devised may be considered as having incorporated therein two'main assemblies. One of these is 'a top assembly and comprises a plurality of top sections designated generally at Iii. Theothe'r isa leg structure and comprises a plurality of legs designated generally by the reference numeral '1 2.

Considering first the construction of the top assembly,"the formation'of each section is of importance, "and as will be observed from the several figures of the drawing, each section is, in the i1- lustrated embodiment of the invention, formed to a segmental shape-and has the outer configuration of anisosceles triangle. In thi connection, although the outer edges of the several'sections are shown as "straight, giving the unfolded table top a hexagonal outer configuration, said outer edges might well be curved in commercial embodiments of the invention, so as to impart to the unfolded table a circular outer configuration when the table is viewed in top plan. "Other shapes might be given to the table with equal facility, I believe, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed hereinafter. For example, octagonal or square outer shapes might be used.

In "any event, in the illustrated example, each section includes a flat, triangular body It, having a straight outer or base edge, and having straight side edges converging toward one'another to meet at the apex of the triangular body, or stated otherwise, at the center point of the unfolded table. The side edges of each of the several plate-like bodies 54 are incontact with the adjacent side edges of those bodies M disposed at 'eitherside th'ereof'whe'n the table is set up.

The-plate-like bodies of the table, in the present instance, include along the severaledges thereof bas'e'reinforcing members i 6 and'side reinforcing member is, secured fixedly to the under sides of said bodies. If the bodies are of substantial thickness, the reinforcing members 'might'well be omitted entirely.

If the table is to be usedas a game'tablasuch as a card table, each body I4 can have formed in its upper surface an elongated chip well 20, and ashtray'and glass wells 22 (Figures 5and *6') In this event, the game table 'can'be still avail- 3 able for general utility purposes by providing an insert 24 adapted to be placed within and fill the well 20, and inserts 26 adapted to be positioned within the wells 22.

As will be noted from Figure 3, the several table sections are arranged as an articulated series, in which the sections are hingedly connected for relative swinging movement about axes disposed radially of the table top. Two of the sections comprise end sections, these being the sections shown at the top and bottom in Figures 3 and 4. The remaining sections may be termed intermediate sections, and can be provided in any number desired, four being illustrated by way of example.

Alternate hinge connections of the sections are of the double hinge type, as shown at 28, the hinge axes of the double hinges 28 being extended in the plane of the top surfaces of the table sections. Those hinge connections intervening be tween the double hinge connections are of the single hinge type, as shown at 3B, the hinge axes of the single hinges being extended in the plane of the bottom surfaces of the table sections.

By reason of this arrangement, the several sections can be successively folded, to be collapsed from their fully unfolded position shown in Fi ure 1, to their fully folded position shown in Figure 4, Figure 3 showing the sections in an intermediate position during the folding operation. In folding the sections, one end section is folded over onto the intermediate section to which it is hingedly connected, along the hinge axis of the double hinge 28 connecting said end section to said intermediate section. These sections are then folded under the next adjacent section, about the axis defined by the single hinge 3 The operation is then continued until the sections have been fully folded in superposed relation, at which time they will appear as shown in Figure 4, with all their several edges flush. The total thickness of the collapsed table, as will be noted, is no greater than the combined thicknesses of the folded sections.

When the table is to be unfolded and set up, the operation is carried out in reverse until the sections appear as in Figure 2. A latch means is then employed to rigidify the double hinge connections, and also to connect the abutting end sections, to prevent accidental collapsing of the table structure.

The latch means includes a pair of latch members 32 associated with each double hinge connection, and associated also with the free side edges of the end sections. The latch members are of hook shape at one end, and are pivoted intermediate their ends on pivot pins 34 spaced longitudinally of, and depending from the under side of selected sections of the table. The hooks are engageable with latch pins 36 of the next adjacent section.

Each pair of latch members is provided with a connecting rod 38, pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the other ends of the latch members, and connecting the latch members of a pair for joint swinging movement about their pivots 3s. A spring 1!) is then attached at one end to that latch member nearest the apex of the section, and at its other end to the apex portion of the section, and normally biases the connected latch members to positions in which they are engaged with the latch pins 35.

By reason of this arrangement, the several sections are held in a coplanar relationship when the table is unfolded, since the locations of the single hinge connections are such as will cause the side edges of the sections joined by single hinges to abut against one another, to prevent collapsing of the sections at the location of the single hinges. The latch members, meanwhile, will prevent collapsing at the location of the double hinges.

One of the several pairs of latch members is utilized to connect the free side edges of the end sections, to prevent collapsing at this point.

When the sections have been fully unfolded, the legs l2, which are hingedly connected to selected ones of the sections, are swung downwardly to table-top-supporting positions.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding table top assembly, at least one pair of top sections hingedly connected for relative swinging movement between selected extreme positions in one of which said sections are folded in superposed relationship, and in the other of which they are unfolded and are disposed in a common plane to form a flat table top, the axis of swinging movement of said sections lying in a plane common to said first-named plane when the sections are unfolded; and latch means for locking the sections in their unfolded position, including a plurality of hook-like latch members spaced longitudinally of said axis and pivotally mounted on one of the sections to swing within a plane substantially common to that of the plane of the opposite faces of the unfolded sections, means on the other section engageable by said latch members in one position to which the latch members are swung, to lock the sections in their unfolded position, a rod extending between the latch members to connect the same for joint swinging movement, and yielding means connected to the latch members and to said one section respectively, and tensioned to normally bias the latch members to said locking position thereof.

2. In a folding table top assembly, at least one pair of top sections hingedly connected for relative swinging movement between selected extreme positions in one of which said sections are folded in superposed relationship, and in the other of which they are unfolded and lie in a common plane to form a fiat table top, the hinge axis of said sections lying in a plane common to said first-named plane when the sections are unfolded; and latch means for locking the sections in their unfolded position including a plurality of hook-like latch members spaced longitudinally of said axis and pivotally mounted on one of the sections for swinging movement within a plane parallel to the first-named plane, spaced latch pins on the other section engageable by said latch members in one position to which the latch members are swung, to lock the sections in their unfolded position, a rod extending between and pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the respective latch members to link the same for 5 6 joint swinging movement, and a spring connected Number Name Date to the latch members and to said one section re- 309,738 Pell Dec. 23, 1884 spectively and tensioned to normally bias the 609,592 Shultz Aug. 23, 1898 latch members to said locking position thereof. 927,773 Buel July 13, 1909 THOMAS L. MURRAY. 5 1,147,353 Zelenak July 20, 1915 1,618,327 Dewey Feb. 22, 1927 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,3 1,793 Weber 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,591 McLean Feb. 22, 1944 Number Name Date 2,451,763 Mlsko Oct. 19, 1948 155,511 Farrar Sept 29 1874 10 2,592,032 Henderson 1 1952

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