US2661554A - Support for ironing tables - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, 1953 J. SICZKIEWICZ, JR., ET AL SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES Filed June 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l A-r-roauav Dec. 8, 1953 J. SICZKIEWICZ, JR., ET AL 2,661,554

SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 5 V1 fi F e w. lo

Filed June 24, 1950 Fl&. 4

. INVENTORS Jose?" S|cz| |w|cz,JR. BY Hansen? L. Vane-r ATTORNt-Y Patented Dec. 8, 1953 SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES- Joseph Siczkiewicz, Jr., and Herbert L. Voig't, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Geuder, Paeschke & Frey 00., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 24, 1950, Serial No. 170,203

9 Claims. (01. 38-121) This invention relates to improvements in iron- 1' ing tables or the like having crossed supports, the upper end of one of the supports being slidably adjustable longitudinally of the table to effectuate an adjustment of the height'thereof,

and particularly to a mechanism for locking such upper end in adjusted position.

It is desirable that the ironing table bead- J'ustable in height so that it may be varied to suit the heights of individual users or be used by one in a seated position. Heretofore ironing tables embodying these characteristics have been unduly heavy and the supporting and adjusting mechanism complicated to use and expensive to manufacture.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide such an ironing table which is relatively light in weight and is simple and safe to operate and. adjust. r

A still further object of the invention is to provide an ironing table of such type which will not collapse below a minimum height position during normal adjustment of the board and thus will prevent injury to the user in making adjustments.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an ironing table which may be inexpensively manufactured and yet be of rigid and strong construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing table of the type described, the supports of which may be easily folded and retracted so that the board may be readily stored and shipped in a relatively small container,

The first three of these objects may be ob- 2. pletely collapsing with possible injury to the person making the adjustment. However, such stop member will swing out of the Way when the table is in vertical position or inclined slightly therebeyond with its ironing surface downward;' this is the position in which the table is normally placed while the legs are being folded. The stop member thus automatically acts as a safety device. The simple construction of the locking mechanism and stop member combines to provide an adjustable table which is easily operated, sturdy, inexpensively made, and relatively light.

To obtain the last of these objects, the rear support terminates in a transverse foot which has telescoping extensions on each end whereby its length may be increased to make the table more steady. When it is desired to fold the supports and stow the table, the extensions may be retracted so that the length of the foot will not be greater than the width of the table and thus an over-size container is not needed to hold the table. The front support also has a transverse foot attached to the support in such way that the foot may have limited rotation with respect to the support to let the foot adjust to the surface condition of a floor or other support upon which the table is positioned.

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventi on itself, however, both as to its organizatained by providing a guide plate to hold the sliding end of the crossed supports, mounting a latch bar along one side of said guide plate so that it pivots on an axis longitudinal of said plate, and providing a lateral projection on such sliding end which normally engages the latch bar to hold such end in a selected position. The latch bar has pin-engaging notches and is springbiased toward such projection. It is provided with a handle which extends toward the side of the table where it may be easily grasped to operate the bar or to carry the table. A gravitybiased stop member is loosely mounted on the table so that when the table is inclined from the vertical with its ironing surface upward the stop of the member will pivot into the path of travel of the sliding end. Hence, whenever the board is being adjusted to the desired height the stop member will fix the minimum height osition and thus prevent the supports from comtion and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an ironing table embodying the present invention, a lower position of the table being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table of Fig. l with the supports broken away for sake of clarity in illustration;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the guide plate and latch bar, part being shown in 1plan and part in section for clarity of illustraion;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on line 55 :of Fig. 3 showing the position of time safety stop member when the table is horizon a Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing vtion.

Fig; 11 is an enlarged seetionalivi'ew taken. on.

the line |lll of Fig. 1. 7 v

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, the ironing table ll) embodying the invention is provided with a top (2- of usual de Si n. pivoted intermediate their ends. The front support consists of a pair of spaced tubes M and It the upper ends of which are pivoted at it to the underside of top 2. The rear support. consists era pair of spaced tubes 21} and 22', the upper ends of which are secured to a transverse bar '24 slidable in a guide plate 26 in the manner hereinafter set forth. As the sliding end of the rear support is moved forwardly of the table (to, the left as'viewed in Figs. 1, 2, and both su ports will swing toward the top ['2 and the table will be lettered, Continuance of such sliding causes the support tobe. completely. collapsed and lieflat against .the under. surface of the top. With the table substantially vertical position (see. Fig. 6) the front support maybe swung away from the top and the sliding end will move rearwardly of the, table (to the right as viewed in Figs. 1, 2., and 5) to bring the legs. into supportihgfposi- The guideplate 25 has a bottom 28 and side wallet!) and 32. and is secured to top I? by. being spotwelded or otherwise. fastened thereto. If desired the side walls may be strengthened byend walls 34 on, the guide plat-e25 which overlap and 4 path of travel of the pin 42. Each opening 56 has an edge pressed out of the plane of the bar 50 to provide an inclined or sloping portion 58 adapted to be engaged by the end of the pin A2 to cam the bar 50 outwardly as such pin is moved .rearwardly. Asimilar sloping portion to is also formed onth'e fi'ent endof bar 5i! to also contact the pin 42 and swing the bar outwardly when such pin first comes into juxtaposition with such bar. The bar 50 is normally urged toward the side wall 30' by-a pair of springs 62 so that as the pin 42 comes into alignment with an opening 55 the bar '56 will inwardly and the :pin 42 will enter This top i2 is mounted on crossed supports;

the opening. II the pin is moving rearwardly (toward rig-ht as viewed) its end will engage the sloping portion and cam the latch bar outwardly to let the pin move to the next opening. However, if. the pin 42 is moving toward the front of the table it will engage with the flat edge of, the first openingv with which it comes intdeiigninent and its. travel .Will' be s'tbfil cd.

. Thereafterto perinilzl'the pin E2" to move are; secured to theside wallsas indicated at 36.

The-si e Wall 32 :hasan inturned edge 38. which cooperates with the bottom to-formaguide -for the. end oi the transverse bar 24. The side wall 301 has Ta longitudinallyextending slot 40, which slidablyaccommodates a pin or projection l-lextendingoutwardlyirom the-bar 24 to form a. guide for the o ther end of, such bar. Theends of. the transverse, bar 245 slidably engage. the sidewalls all 32- to. prevent longitudinal displacement of the bar and the top of rear support. Thus the slidingendof the crossed supports is guided during the adjustment and complete collapsingof such supports.. While not necessary the side wall at). may have. anoutturned. flange V M which forms astopf and a partialcover or protection for-the latch bar. Also desirable but not required isthe decreasing, of friction. and resistance to sliding by providing the, bottom I 28 withridges upon which the transverse bar 2 l rests;

The locking of the slidingend in selected positions is accomplished by a latch bar 5i) which extends longitudinally along andad-j acent to the slot? The bariii is hingedor pivoted on hooks 52 projecting from brackets 54 (only one shown) carried by the guide plate 26. These hooks project through slots in.-thebar. 561 that. the hinge thus formed has an axis extending: longitudinally of slide 30. The latch bar Ellmay-thus be. swung toward and away from the pin 42. The bar.

sition with the slot Misc as to be in line with the forwardly, tnelatenbartt; must be manually swungeutwerm settler; his clear or theenu ei thepinrlz'. This isaceolhpll shed by a handiesa which has two 1eg s ttjse'eured to. the. bar. st. The

springs 62 extend between; suehlegs and the t'op ii being" centered. and held by lugs in a wellknown manner. The handle. 64 extends-longitudinally of the tabIeaGjaCI-ItitS. side. where it may be easily graspedby the fingers while the palm is restin onthetop and. side-of thetable. Thusthe. tableinavbe held. andthe handle also operated to the latch bar outwardly and free. the. in 42-. Thetable may then belowered as the sliding. end oftherear supportmaymove forward. in. the guide plate 26 without; interferenee from the latch bar '50.

Oneotthe essential features-or this invention isv the. provisionof. an automatic safety stop to limit downward movement of thetop, and prevent the.supports.from.-collapsing even when the lock meter is not.inclockingpositione If the'table is allowed'to completely drop without such stop/it willstrike the knees, shinsorinstepsof the personwl'io: operatingthe latchor catch his hands in the'supports.with possibleinjury. The salet-y stop consists of a strap-like member dl-having'an offset. lip- 68 inserted; ina-slot in the" bottom 2.81.130 pivot 'suchmember tothe guide plate. The member has -aprojecting leg 72' slidab-le in another slot-1e in thebottom zge This leg may swing into the pathr-of the bar fi l-and arresti'its forwardmnovernent. A tab 'ldrbent'out effthe and the: supports-to-.-completely-afield: such vertical position: thefweight'oi the table -is substamtiallyrinactiverand there is'no element of:-sur+ prise or sudden release-oil forcewh-ich might cause a n: il i ens t g he ess mend-'32: th rear support have a fixed relationship with re-' spect "to each otherand do not spread as they are lowered into table-supporting position. It is necessary, therefore, to provide a transverse foot '18 to which the ends of such legs are secured. This foot is of seamed tubular construction and has extensions 80 telescoped in each end thereof. The extensions 88 have rubber pads 82 for engaging the floor. In this construction the outer limit to which the extensions 80 may be drawn is determined by the abutment of the outer ones of lugs 84 on such extensions against an inturned portion 86 on the transverse foot 78. The lugs 84 may be spaced on opposite sides of the rolled seam of the foot 18 and thus prevent the extensions 88 from rotating. When fully contracted the transverse foot has a length which is not greater than the width of the table.

However, when extended the rubber pads 82 project considerably beyond the width of the table and thus greater stability is provided. The front support also is provided with a transverse foot 81. This foot is secured to the tubular legs l4 and It by members 88 and 98 which rotatably frictionally fit within the ends of such legs. Such relative rotation permits the axis of the transverse foot 81 to be shifted slightly with respect to the horizontal when the table is in working position to accommodate unevenness of the floor or other support upon which the feet are resting. When the foot 81 is so twisted there is some tendency for the legs I4 and It to be moved out of parallelism. However, such relative adjustment between these legs is accommodated by the inherent spring therein. The front foot also has rubber pads. While it is not necessary, the front foot 8! may also be provided with extensions as in the case of the rear transverse foot I8.

Starting with the ironing table in completely collapsed position, the method for setting it up and adjusting it will now be described. The table is placed in a vertical position with the rear foot 78 resting on the floor and the weight being carried by the rear support and that portion of the front support extending from the pivot to the rear support and the pivot l8. As so held the front support tends to be continually urged toward the top I 2. By grasping the top l2 in one hand and the front support in the other hand and moving the front support away from the top I2, both supports swing away from the top l2 into supporting position. As this takes place the pin 42 moves into engagement with the latch bar 50 and an audible click is heard as such pin comes into alignment with the first notch or opening 56. The table may then be placed in horizontal position resting on the supports. It will then be in its minimum low working position. To adjust the table to a higher position the top I2 is grasped at the sides and lifted vertically. The pin 42 then automatically slides rearwardly from opening to opening as the supports swing downwardly. When the desired height is reached the vertical lift is ceased and the table will remain in such position if the pin 42 is then in a notch or opening 56. If the pin 42 is not in a notch or opening 56 the table will lower slightly until the pin 42 moves into the notch or opening immediately to the front thereof. In order to move the top to a lower adjustment, the edges of the board and also the handle 64 are grasped and the handle pressed toward the top releasing the latch bar 50 from the pin 42. The table may then be lowered as desired until the bar 24 finally reaches the safety or temporary stop 61. Thereafter.

to complete the folding of the supports, the table must be tilted to a substantially vertical position to release the safety stop as heretofore described.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come end and extending laterally of said guide, a I

longitudinally extending bar pivotally mounted with respect to said top on an axis parallel with and adjacent said path, said bar having a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches adapted to engage said pin when said bar is pivoted to- 1 Ward said guide, and spring means normally urging said bar toward said guide.

2. An ironing table as claimed in claim 1 in which a handle extends from said bar to a place adjacent the edge of said table, said handle and bar being swingable to move said notches out of the path of said pin. 1

3. An ironing table as claimed in claim 1 in which a handle secured to said bar has a portion extending longitudinally along and adjacent to the edge of saidboard, and movable with said bar to bring said notches out of the path of said pin- 4. In an ironing table or the like having a top supported upon crossed supports, an upper end of one of said supports for movement longitudinally of said top, a transverse bar on said upper end, said means including a plate secured to the under side of said top and having sides providing a lateral guide for the ends of said bar, one of said sides having an inturned flange overlying one end of said bar, a pin extending from the other end of said bar, a slot in the other of said sides through which said pin extends, and locking means carried by said plate and engageable with said pin to hold said bar in selected position.

5. An ironing table as claimed in claim 4 in which said locking means comprises an elongated member pivoted to said plate adjacent to and swingable toward and away from said other side, said member having a plurality of spaced openings for engaging said pin, said member being protected by an outturned flange on said other side.

6. In an ironing table or the like having a top carried by crossed legs pivoted together intermediate their ends, the upper end of one of said legs being slidably guided in a predetermined path along said top, means for controlling the position of said upper end comprising a projec tion carried by said upper end and extending laterally of said top, a latch bar having a surface facing the end of said projection, said bar being hinged and biased so that said surface is normal- 1y urged into contact with said projection, and a plurality of spaced openings in said surface for receiving and engaging said projection when said projection is in alignment therewith.

7. An ironing table as claimed in claim 6 in which said surface has sloping portions engageatie with the' end ofsai latch bar 611twai1'dIy' a5 V -relatively longitudinally "thereof.

-7.. d proiecnon wearing: said sai -projection -is moved 8. In an adjustable and collapsible "ironing table; a'table top, a-pair ff pivotallvintercon- 'nected crossed legs providing anadju'stable and collapsible support structure for saidtop a fixed transverse pivot pin connection between said top and the upper end of one-"of-said legsra "sliding transverse pivot pin connected to the u per end of the other leg, retaining guide means onsaid top slidably supporting thelast-mentiOned pivot pin,'-manually controllable latch means for retaining" the sliding pivot pin different'positions table, and eans-earned bysaid guide means abbVe Said sliding' piiidt pln for limiting the movement of the slidable "pivot pin "in' the direction away from said fixed pivot to prevent "ooll'apse of the tablewhil'e 'in use; said 'limiting means comprising a s'trap-like member having anofiset lip at theend thereof remote from said 'fixed t'ransv'erse pivot pin anda projecting leg "at the other end thereof, said 'guide m'eans being provided with-slots for accommodating said lip and said leg, said lip 'being pivotally mo'untedin "one of said slotsto -perniit said strap-like member to swing away fi'om-saidguide means and move said leg to an operative position -in'the path Of movement'of saidslidihg'pivbt when SaIidSti2Jp 5 like member gravitates as the table-iss'et up for use, said leg being slidable in the other of said slots to maintain-"said "strap-like" member "with said-lip so pivotally mount d and topermit said *Iegtomove "to-an inoperative position "out of the path of movement of Said sliding pivot when said strap-like member gravitates as'the table is "tilted inwardly.

a-tt'emporary. stop. intermediate through said guide platev 9. In an ironing. table having =..a atop; supported 'upon cr'osse'd supports; a-longitudinallyiextending guideplateon saidtop, the. upper endpf-pne of said supports beingsguided for. longitudinal movement.in a'predetermined pathby, saidguideplate, the .1' ends of 1 said path. comprising a strap-like. memberxhavingian ofisetilip at one end and .a projecting rlegat the other end, said. guide. plate having a :pair ;'0f spaced. slots; said lip being .pivotally. mountedin one J of said slots andsaidv projectingv leg vbeing slidablefinithe othenof saidi'slots, and:projeoting beyond'the sidelthereof remote from saidstrap-like member and an abutment. on that :rpart of :sa'idtprojecting;=:leg beyond' said guide-plate and engageable withs'aid guide plate to limit ithe outward movement :ni

said. leg with respect to 'saidiplaten.

JOSEPH SICZKIEWICZ,.JR.

L. VQIGT.

,Referenees Cited in the file, of this patent UNITED STA'IES PATENTS

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