US2699975A

US2699975A - Extension table with self-contained leaves

Info

Publication number: US2699975A
Application number: US311723A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis G Ranney
Original assignee: CHARAK FURNITURE Co
Current assignee: CHARAK FURNITURE Co
Priority date: 1952-09-26
Filing date: 1952-09-26
Publication date: 1955-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1972-01-18

Description

Jan. 18, 1955 F- G. RANNEY EXTENSION TABLE WITH SELF -CONTAINED LEAVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1952 INVENTOR. Bfancis & Panng/ BY Jan. 18, 1955 RANNEY 2,699,975

EXTENSION TABLE WITH SELF-CONTAINED LEAVES Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2|

INVENTOR.

Francis 6r ammy BY Unite States Pat nt EXTENSION TABLE WITH SELF-CONTAINED LEAVES Francis G. Ranney, Newton, Mass., assignor to Charak Furniture Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 26, 1952, Serial No. 311,723

Claims. (Cl. 311-48) The present invention relates to an improvement in extension tables having one or more filler leaves permanently secured to the frame.

In this invention a table having a frame of rectangular or square shape and supporting legs of ordinary design is provided with a longitudinally sliding table top. This top may be divided laterally into two sections so that the sections may be slid apart, exposing within the frame one or more permanently attached filler leaves, parallel and adjacent to one another and extending transversely to the length of the frame. Each of these filler leaves are so pivotally hinged along their lengths as to be concealed when the table is in its closed position. When the table is in its extended position the filler leaves are pivoted up to and remain on a level with the table top, forming an extended and contiguous top surface.

In the conventional extension table it is quite customary to use filler leaves which are entirely independent of the table. These are usually stored in closets and the like and are put in place when needed. The leaves so stored are frequently damaged by careless storing and moving. Further it is sometimes hard to match them in the table.

Frequently they warp and do not fit and they are always clumsy to handle.

While leaves have been stored in tables, this usually only applies to a single or narrow leaf and the table is not designed so that a plurality of parallelly placed leaves may be readily moved from beneath the table top to fit into the top of the table.

It is an object of this invention to provide an extension table of inexpensive design with a self-contained extension unit which may be operated by an individual with a minimum of effort.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an extension table having a permanently secured extension unit which occupies an area no greater than an ordinary table of the same size.

These and other features of this invention will be further clarified when considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the table in its closed position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table in an extended position with the center leaf not completely pivoted into position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the table with the top sliding members shown dotted in an extended position, showing the filler leaves in their stored position.

Referring to the figures the table has a top board 1 comprising two or more sections indicated as sections 2 and 3 which may be "separated by sliding them laterally of the frame. This board may, however, be unitary or divided laterally into more than one section. It is preferable, however, that this board be divided into two equal sections as indicated.

The embodiment of the invention as shown herein for simplicity is described in connection with a top board divided into two sections, but the same principles apply to tables with top boards having more than two sections.

The two sections 2 and 3 are slidably supported on the frame 4 having ends 5 and 6 and sides 7 and 8. Each of the two section are set into the frame between the two side walls 7 and 8 so that the upper edges 9 and 10 respectively of the sidewalls are on a level with the upper surface of the top board. The top edge of the end walls 5 and 6 are no higher than the lower surface of the top 2,699,975 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 board thus permitting the top board sections 2 and 3 to move freely in the directions as indicated by the arrows A and B. Both side edges 11 and 12 of both the top sections are provided with projections or keys, not shown, which fit into the grooves 13 extending the length of the inner surface of either sidewall 7 and 8. These grooves act as channels for the longitudinal movement of the top board. The channels are terminated short of the ends of the sidewalls either by the position of the

legs

30, 31, 32 and 33 or of the end walls 5 and 6. These top sections may if desired be provided with gear trains or pulleys and ropes or any other means for moving both of them apart uniformly, provided these means do not interfere with the operation of the filler leaf elements. v

In the accompanying drawing the embodiment of the invention includes three filler leaf elements 14, 15 and 16, but more may be used if desired.

The filler leaves 14, 15 and 16 which are substantially the same length as the lateral dimension across the table of the top boards 2 and 3 are hinged respectively to cross beams 17, 18 and 19 by means of hinges 20. Each leaf is hinged to rotate from a position beneath their respective cross beam 17, 18 or 19 as is illustrated in Figure 3 to a position above their respective cross beam whereby each leaf is in the same plane with, and parallel to, the top sections 2 and 3 when the table is in an extended position. I

The hinges 29 have their pivots extending in lateral alignment to each leaf with the line of pivot adjacent the edge of the cross beams and with one half of the hinge secured to the cross beam and the other half of the hinge mounted on boards or plates 34 which are secured to the bottoms of the leaves referring to their position when level with the table top. These plates 34 maintain the two halves of the hinges in the same plane when in a closed position, permitting the filler leaves 14, 15 and 16 to pivot from a position just beneath the cross beams 17,

18 and 19 to a position on a level with the table top since the thickness of the plates 34 are such as to bring the top of the filler leaves in the same plane as the table top.

Cross beam 18 may have its ends set permanently in the side boards 7 and 8 so that the center table leaf 15, when in an exposed position, lies symmetrically on the frame 4. In order to permit the leaves 14 and 16 to fit snugly against leaf 15 and also permit them to be rotated as desired, the cross beams to which the leaves 14 and 16 are hinged are themselves slideably mounted on the frame. Two pairs of parallel grooves 21 and 22 on either side wall are provided to receive pairs of metal flanges 23 and 24 attached respectively to either of the ends of the cross beams 17 and 19 respectively. These grooves of limited length permit a free lateral movement of the leaves 14 and 16 so that they may be moved away from the leaf 15 to permit rotation, and may also be moved close to leaf 15 when in an exposed position to close the table top. When the table is opened the top sections 2 and 3 which have been separated to permit the raising of .the leaves are closed against leaves 14 and 16 to form a continuous surface. If desired fixed cross beams 25 and 26 parallel and on a level with cross beams 17 and 19 may be provided as additional support for the leaves 14 and 16 respectively where they are in an open position.

By providing protruding rails in place of grooves 21 and 22 and by adjusting metal plates 23 and 24 to removably fit down into the rails the leaves 14 and 16 may readily be removed for cleaning, repair or any other desired purpose.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members and supporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface, means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a direction parallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverse to the length of said frame, cross beams in a number equal to said table leaves, means for horizontally and slidably mounting said crossbeams on said frame, means for hingedly supporting said table leaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said frame whereby said leaves may be pivoted from a position below said permanent board elements and said crossbeams to a position parallel and in the same plane with said permanent board elements.

2. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members and supporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface, means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a direction parallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverse to the length of said frame, horizontally positioned crossbeams in a number equal to said table leaves, one of said crossbeams fixedly mounted on said frame, means for horizontally slidably mounting the other crossbeams on said frame, means for hingedly supporting said table leaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said frame for pivoting said leaves from a position below said permanent board elements to a position parallel and in the same plane with said permanent board elements.

3. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members and supporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface, means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a direction parallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverse to the length of said frame, crossbeams in a number equal to said table leaves, means for horizontally slidably mounting said crossbeams on said frame, hinged means for each table leaf, plates mounted on each leaf in alignment with said hinged means and having a thickness equal to the distance between the table leaf and the crossbeam when the said table leaf is rotated to its exposed position in the same plane with said permanent board elements, said hinged means having their pivots extending in lateral alignment to each leaf and with the line of pivot adjacent to the edge of the crossbeam and with one half of each said hinged means secured to said crossbeam and the other half of said hinged means secured to said plate.

4. An extension table comprising a frame having side Wall members and supporting leg elements, permanent board elements forming a top surface, means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a direction parallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverse to the length of said frame, cross beams in a number equal to said table leaves, one of said crossbeams fixedly mounted on said frame, flange means attached to the ends of each of the other cross beams, channels of limited length formed in either sidewall to receive said flanges whereby said crossbeams are slidably supported, means for hingedly supporting said table leaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said frame for pivoting said leaves from a position below said permanent board elements to a position parallel and in the sameplane with said permanent board elements.

5. An extension table comprising a frame having sidewall members and supporting leg elements, permanent board elements forming a top surface, means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a direction parallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverse to the length of said frame, crossbeams in a number equal to said table leaves, the middle crossbeam fixedly mounted in said frame means for slidably mounting the other crossbeams on said frame to and away from said middle crossbeam means for hingedly supporting said table leaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said frame whereby said leaves may be pivoted from a position below said permanent board elements to a position parallel and in the same plane with said permanent board elements.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 820,737 Rishel May 15, 1906 1,766,694 Siskin June 24, 1930 2,118,620 Orsenigo May 24, 1938