US2714540A

US2714540A - Table construction

Info

Publication number: US2714540A
Application number: US463707A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth F Diehm
Original assignee: Textile Trimming & Boarding Ma
Current assignee: Textile Trimming & Boarding Ma; Textile Trimming & Boarding Machine Co
Priority date: 1954-10-21
Filing date: 1954-10-21
Publication date: 1955-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 1972-08-02

Description

Aug. 2, 1955 K. F. DIEHM 2,714,540

TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 21, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. KENNETH D/E HM BY WV M ATTO R N575 2, 1955 K. F. DIEHM 2,714,540

TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed 001:. 21, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent TABLE CONSTRUCTION Kenneth F. Diehm, Temple, Pa, assignor to Textile Trimming & Boarding Machine 00., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 21, 1954, Serial No. 463,707

12 Claims. (Ci. 31-11) My invention relates to a new and improved table.

One of the .objects of my invention is to provide a table which has a frame, which may have metal parts, which can be easily assembled. When said frame-parts are assembled, they are held securely in their selected positions, thus providing a strong and rigid assembled frame.

Another object of my invention is to provide a frame which has a shell or casing for releasably holding the sections of a sectional table-top, so that the table-top sections can be inserted into said casing and said tabletop-sections can be removed from said casing, without disassembling the parts of the frame. The table-topsections can be made of wood, fibre or other suitable material. ltvis frequently desirable to make the table-top of wood or fibre or other material which wears rapidly as when the table is used as a cutting table so that it is necessary to remove the table-top and to replace it with a new table-top. However, the present invention provides-for reversing the table-top to substantially double the :usefultable-top life.

As later explained, the improved shell or casing may be ;of rectangular shape, with vertical longitudinal marginal walls and vertical lateral marginal walls. Said casing is open and unobstructed at its top, save at the end walls of said casing, which are provided with longitudinal holding members which longitudinally overlie the supporting wall or walls of the casing. These longitudinal holding members extend inwardly and longitudinally towards the lateral median line of said casing.

The table-top may consist of two rectangular endsections, and :an intermediate section or bar.

Each end-section may be made of reduced height at its outer lateral edge, in order to :provide a lateral fin-or rib .of less thickness than the body of the end-section. This lateral .r-ib can be inserted under the respective longitudinal holding member, when the respective endsection is held upwardly tilted relative to the supporting .wall or walls of the casing. The respective tilted endsection can then be turned downwardly into final position.

In said final position, the end-section tightly fits in the respective end-part of the casing. After both end-sections have thus been insertedinto their respective final positions in the casing, there is a space between the inner or proximate lateral edges of said two end-sections. This space is filled by downwardly inserting an intermediate table-top-section or bar .into the casing, through the median open top portion of said casing. The three assembled table-.top-sections then fill said casing tightly. Fastening means may be provided for fixing one or more of said tabletop-sections releasably to the horizontal supporting wall of the casing. These fastening means may be screws which extend upwardly from the supporting wall of the casing into saidinterrnediate table-top section. The points of these screws are located below the top of said intermediate table-top-section.

In this embodiment, the frame has four legs, which are located at the corners of a rectangle. Two lateral supports for the end-sections of the table-top are fixed to laterally alined legs. The top faces of these lateral supports form part of the horizontal supporting wall for-the end-sections of the table top. The shell or casing includes two longitudinal members which are fixed to said legs. An intermediate lateral support is fixed to said longitudinal members. The top face of said intermediate lateral support provides a part of said horizontal supporting wall for the proximate or inner ends of the end-sections of the table top and for said intermediate bar. Said longitudinal members also have horizontal flanges which extend in front of the front legs and in rear of the rear legs. Said horizontal flanges form parts of said horizontal supporting wall for said end-sections and said bar.

Other objects and features and advantages of my invention are described in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment.

Figure l is a perspective view of the parts of the frame, separated from each other.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the assembled frame, showing a part of one end-section of the table-top. The representation of one end of the frame is partially broken, in order to iliustrate the assembled construction.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a corner of the assembled frame.

The parts of the frame are made of metal or other suitable material.

The frame has four identical legs '1. These legs 1 are channel-shaped. Each leg 1 has three flanges, namely, flanges 1 1t and Ir. These flanges, like the other flanges later described herein, are flat or planar. 'The vertical flanges 17 are designated as longitudinal flanges. The vertical flanges 1t and 11' are designated as lateral flanges. Each flange 1 has four holes la, and two holes 1b. 'Each outer lateral flange 12 has a hole 10. Each inner lateral flange 1r also has a hole 1c, and additional holes 1d. Fig. 3 shows longitudinal fastening members Re. The shank of eachfastening member Re extends through a respective hole 10' of a respective inner flange 1r.

Each leg 1 is associated with a foot 2. The feet 2 are identical. ,Each foot 2 has a channel-shaped vertical body which has a vertical longitudinal flange 2 and two vertical and lateral flanges. Each flange 2 has a vertical slot or hole 212. Each flange 2 is integral with a bottom and horizontal flange 2a whose bottom is flush with the bottom of ,the channel-shaped body of the respective foot 2.

.Each laterally alined pair of legs 1 is associated with a channel-shaped brace 5. Each brace 5 has a horizontal flange 5c and two vertical flanges 512. Each flange 5b has two holes 5a. The braces 5 are identical.

Each laterally alined pair of legs 1 is also associated with a lateral end-support 4. These lateral end-supports 4 are identical with the intermediate and lateral support 4m. Each said support 4 and 4m has a horizontal channelshaped leg 4t and two vertical channel-shaped legs 42. The top horizontal flange of each horizontal leg 4t has three slots or holes 4a. The vertical and longitudinal flange 411 of each vertical leg 4e has four holes 4b. The tops of said legs 4t and the tops of the legs 1 support the outer endsof the-end-sections of the table top.

The shell or casing comprises twolateral shell-members 6 and two longitudinal shell-members 3.

The lateral shell-members 6 are identical. Each has a horizontal flange .611 and a vertical flange 617. Each flange 6a constitutes a holding member for the tab]. atop.

Each end of horizontal flange .6.a has .a vertical and downwardly bent and fiatjlug 6e, (and an angular recess i or shoulder 6f. Y

7 screws, etc.

'that the front longitudinal shell-member 3 has two holes 3k, which are omitted in the rear longitudinal shellmember 3.

Each shell-member 3 has a bottom inwardly extending horizontal flange 3a, which has two holes 32 at each end thereof; a lower vertical flange 3b, which has four holes 3 in its median part, and two holes 3g at each end;

'an upper, outwardly extending horizontal flange or ledge 3c, which has end cutouts or slots 3h; and a top or outer vertical flange 3d. Said flange 3d of the front longitudinal shell-member 3 has an internally threaded hole 3k at each end thereof.

The frame also has a front longitudinal flat bar 3, which is associated with two spacing locks 8a.

The frame also has four identical corner braces, 7. Each corner brace 7 has a vertical triangular flange 7w; a longitudinal top horizontal flange 7h which has two holes 7a; and a vertical and lateral flange 70 which has two holes 7b.

The sectionaLtable-top has identical plate-like endsections 90 and 9, and an intermediate section or bar 911.

Each lateral edge of each end-

section

9c and 9 is provided with top and bottom lateral recesses 9a. These recesses 9a are identical. Each recess 9a has a vertical planar wall and a horizontal planar wall. Each lateral The planar top face of bar 9b is in the same horizontal plane as the top faces of the bodies of the end-

sections

9 and 9c.

Assembly of table The invention is not limited to the order of assembly of the parts of the frame which is stated below. Fastening members of any type maybe used to connect the parts of the frame to each other, such as rivets, bolts, If bolts are used, the shank of each bolt is provided with the usual holding-nut. The parts of the frame may be fixed releasably or permanently to each other.

The vertical channel-shaped body of each foot 2 fits closely within the respective channel-shaped leg 1. Fastening members R connect each foot 2 to its leg 1. The shank of each fastening member R extends through respective holes 1b and slot 212, the latter affording vertical adjustability to the foot.

The ends of each lower and vertical and longitudinal flange 3b of each longitudinal shell-member 3 overlie and abut parts of the flanges 1 of two longitudinally alined legs 1. The longitudinal lugs 6c of the lateral she1l members 6 overlie and abut the other parts of said lon-' gitudinally alined flanges If. The adjacent vertical edges of flanges 3b and lugs 60 abut each other.

The lateral edges of the horizontal flanges 3a abut the respective inner flanges 1r, thus providing longitudinal braces between the longitudinally alined legs 1.

Each hole 3g is laterally alined with a respective hole 1a and a respective hole 4b of an end support 4.

Each hole 6d is laterally alined with a respective hole 1a and a respective hole 4b of an end support 4.

The shank of each fastening member Ra extends through respective holes 3g, 1a, 4b. a

The shank of each fastening member Rb extends through respective holes 6d, 1a, 4b.

The fastening members Ra and Rb thus fixed the longitudinal shell-members 3, the lateral shell-members 6, the legs 1 and the flanges 4h of the end-supports 4 to each other.

Each hole 3 is laterally alined with a respective hole 4b of the intermediate support 4m.

The shank of each fastening member Rc extends through respective holes 3 and 4b, thus fixing the flanges 3b to the flanges 4h of the intermediate supporting member 4m. 7

i The ends of the supporting members 4 fit snugly in the legs 1.

The flanges 4b of the end-supports 4 abut the inner faces of flanges If.

The flanges 4h of the intermediate support 4m abut the flanges 3b.

The triangular vertical flange 7w of each corner brace 7 is in a longitudinal plane. The vertical flange 7c of each brace 7 is fixed to a respective inner flange 1r by fastening members Rc, whose horizontal shanks extend through respective alined holes 7b and 1d. Each horizontal flange 7b is fixed to a flange 3a by fastening members 'Rd, whose vertical shanks extend through respective alined holes 7a and 32.

The braces 5 are fixed to inner flanges 1t and Ir by fastening members Re, whose shanks extend through respective alined holes 5a and 1c.

The bar 8 and its spacer blocks 8a are fixed to the front flange 3a by screws 85 which are screwed into the internal threads of holes 3k.

The top planar faces of flanges 3c and of the top flanges of horizontal legs 41 are in the same horizontal plane. T he tops of legs 1 are in said horizontal plane. In this embodiment, each end-

section

9c and 9 is supported upon the two longitudinal horizontal flanges 3c and also upon the top surfaces of the flanges of the horizontal leg 4t of the respective end-support 4, and also upon a respective part of the top surface of the flange of leg 42 of the intermediate support 4m. The bottom of bar 9b is supported on the top surface of the'flange of leg 4t of said'intermediate support 4m. 7

As above noted, the free edge of each holding member I v or flange 6a has a head 6h which interfits with the Wall of the respective upper recess 9a, and each lateral edge of each

end section

9c and 9 has identical upper and lower recesses 9a, to provide identical ribs F of reduced thickness at each lateral edge.

Since the recesses 9a and theribs F are identical, each 7 end-

section

9c and 9 can be assembled with a head 6h at either lateral edge of the respective end-section.

The respective rib F can be inverted between the respective head 6h and the respective top horizontal flange of the respective leg 4t, while the respective end-section or 9 is held tilted upwardly at its inner lateral edge rel ative to the horizontal plane.. The respective end-section 90 or 9 can then be turned to a horizontal position in which head 6h engages and interfits with the respective upper recess 9a, and said end-section is thus fully inserted in final position. After both end-

sections

9c and 9 have been inserted in final position, the bar 9b is vertically applied in holding position.

If desired, ordinary sharp prongs can be struck inwardly from the flanges 3d, to be embedded in the longitudinal vertical walls of the end-

sections

9c and 9; These holding prongs are not shown, because they are well known per se.

Ordinary sharp-pointed screws may be optionally inserted upwardly through the slots 4a of the intermediate support 4m, to engage the body of bar 9b, in order to hold bar 9b in holding position Additional screws may be optionally inserted upwardly through the slots 4a of V the end-support 4. The tops of these screws are below the top surfaces of the sections 90, 9b and 9.

When the bar 9b is removed, the end-sections .90 and 9 can be turned upwardly at their inner and adjacent lat- 5 eral edges, until their outer lateral ribs F are released from heads 611.

Hence the sectional table-top can be easily removed and replaced, without taking the frame apart. Further, as both faces of the end sections are identical, the end sections may be reversed to expose either face upwards, as desired. Removal of the end sections, as for reversal or replacement is facilitated by the cutouts 3h into which a tool may be inserted for displacing each end section away from its associated lateral shell member.

The ends of bar 9b extend to the vertical flanges 3b.

Numerous changes and omissions and additions can be made relative to the above preferred embodiment, without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A table construction comprising a pair of spaced upstanding front legs, a pair of spaced upstanding rear legs in laterally spaced alined relation with said front legs, a pair of spaced longitudinal shell members each extending between and secured to the upper portions of one pair of said front and rear legs, said longitudinal shell members each being shaped to define a ledge having an upstanding outer flange, a pair of spaced lateral shell members each extending between and secured to the upper end portions of a laterally alined pair of said legs, a holding member extending inwardly from each of said lateral shell members and spaced over the adjacent portions of said ledges, a pair of longitudinally spaced table top end sections supported on said ledges and having their opposite longitudinal edges in engagement with said upstanding flanges to restrain lateral movement of said end sections, a lateral rib on each lateral edge of said end sections, the distal pair of said ribs each extending into the space between the adjacent holding member and its underlying ledge portions, the proximate pair of said ribs being spaced from each other, and an intermediate table top section disposed between said end sections overlying said proximate ribs and secured to said ledges, said intermediate sections thus combining with said holding members and vertical flanges to fixedly maintain end sections in position on said ledges.

2. A table construction according to claim 1, in combination with a pair of lateral end supports each extending between and secured to the upper end portions of a laterally aligned pair of said legs for supporting engagement with said distal pair of end section ribs, and an intermediate lateral support extending between and secured to said longitudinal shell members medially thereof for supporting engagement with said proximate end section ribs, whereby said end sections are fully supported about their peripheral margins.

3. A table construction according to claim 1, wherein the upper surfaces of said upstanding flanges, holding members and intermediate section are flush with the upper surfaces of said end sections to provide a flat table top surface.

4. A table construction comprising a pair of spaced upstanding front legs, a pair of spaced upstanding rear legs in laterally spaced alinement with said front legs, a pair of spaced longitudinal shell members each extending between and secured to the upper portions of one pair of said front and rear legs, said longitudinal shell members each being shaped to define an outwardly extending hori zontal ledge flush with the upper ends of the associated legs and an upstanding outer flange on said ledge, a pair of spaced lateral end supports each extending between and secured to the upper end portions of a laterally alined pair of said legs and having its upper surface flush with the upper ends of its associated legs, a pair of spaced lateral shell members each extending between and secured to the upper end portions of a laterally alined pair of said legs outwards of the adjacent end support, a holding member extending inwards from each of said lateral shell members and spaced over the adjacent portions of 6 saidledges and the associated end support, a pair of longitudinally spaced plate-like table top end sections each seated on said ledges and the adjacent end support and having its opposite longitudinal edges inengagement with said upstanding flanges to restrain lateralmovement of said end sections, the upper surfaces of each of said end sections being provided with recesses extending along its lateral edges and defining lateral edge portions of reduced thickness, the distal pair of said lateral edge portions each extending between the adjacent holding member and the underlying end support for restraining upward and outward end section movement, the proximate pair of said lateral edge portions being spaced from each other, and an intermediate table top section disposed between said end sections overlying said proximate lateral edge portions and secured to said ledges for preventing inward and upward movement of said end sections, said intermediate section, holding members and upstanding flanges thus combining to fixedly maintain said end sections in position-on said ledges and end supports.

5. A table construction according to claim 4, in combination with an intermediate lateral support secured between said longitudinal shell members medially thereof for supporting engagement with the proximate lateral edge portions of said end sections, whereby said end sections are fully supported about their peripheral margins.

6. A table construction according to claim 4, wherein the upper surfaces of said upstanding flanges, holding members and intermediate sections are flush with the upper surfaces of said end sections to provide a flat table top surface.

7. In a table construction, a pair of spaced upstanding front legs, a pair of spaced upstanding rear legs in laterally spaced alined relation with said front legs, a front longitudinal shell member extending between and having its end portions in engagement with the front surfaces of said front legs, a rear longitudinal shell member extending between and having its end portions in engagement with the rear surfaces of said rear legs, a pair of lateral supports each extending between a laterally alined pair of front and rear legs and having its end portions in engagement with the rear and front surfaces thereof, respectively, fastener means extending through each of said legs and connected to the adjacent end portions of the associated longitudinal shell members and lateral supports, a pair of lateral shell members each extending between a laterally alined pair of front and rear legs and having its end portions in engagement with the front and rear surfaces thereof, respectively, and additional fastener means extending through each of said legs and connected said longitudinal shell members and carried by said legs,

a holding member extending inwardly from each of said lateral shell members and spaced over the adjacent portions of said ledges, a pair of longitudinally spaced table top end sections seated on said ledges and having their opposite longitudinal edges in engagement with said upstanding flanges to restrain lateral movement of said end sections, a lateral rib on each lateral edge of said end sections, the distal pair of said ribs each extending into the space between the adjacent holding member and its underlying ledge portions, the proximate pair of said ribs being spaced from each other, and an intermediate table top section disposed between said end sections overlying said proximate ribs and secured to said ledges, said intermediate section thus combining with said holding 5 7 members and vertical flanges to fixedly maintain said end sections in position on said ledges.

9. A table construction according to claim 8, in combination with a pair of lateral end supports each disposed below one of said holding members extending between and secured to said longitudinal shell members for supporting engagement with said distal pair of end section ribs, and an intermediate support member extending between and secured to longitudinal shell members medially thereof for supporting engagement with said proximate end section ribs, whereby said end sections are fully ported about their peripheral margins.

10. A table construction according to claim 8, wherein the upper surfaces of said upstanding flanges, holding members and intermediate sections are flush with the upper surfaces of said end sections to provide a flat table top surface. 7

11. In a table top construction, a pair of spaced longitudinal shell members adapted to be carried by depending legs, each of said longitudinal shell members being formed with an outwardly extending ledge having an upstanding outer flange, a pair of lateral end supports extending between the end portions of said longitudinal shell members and having their upper surfaces substantially flush with said ledges, a pair of spaced, lateral shell flanges to restrain lateral movement of said end sections, the upper surface of each of said end sections being provided with recesses extending along its lateral edges and defining lateral edge portions of reduced thickness, the distal pair of said lateral edge portions each extending between the adjacent holding member and the underlying end support for preventing upward and outward movement of said end sections, the proximate pair of said reduced end section portions being spaced from each other, and an intermediate table top section disposed between said end sections overlying said proximate lateral edge portions and secured to said ledges for preventing inward and upward movement of said end sections, said intermediate section, holding members and upstanding flanges thus combining to fixedly maintain said end sections in position on said ledges and end supports.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein each of said end sections is provided on its lower surface with recesses extending along its lateral edges, said end sections thus being reversible to position said last mentioned recesses for receiving said intermediate section and holding members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS Merrill June 20, 1939