US2715053A - Sectional folding table construction - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1955 J. H. WIEGEL SECTIONAL FOLDING TABLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 8, 1952 INVENTOR. JUL m5 W/EGEL BY 11 TTORNE 1'5 United States Patent This invention relates to improvements in table construction and more particularly to a container-table which can be conveniently used for toy trains and tracks, for picnics, as a breakfast or card table and for a variety of other purposes.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a conii tainer-table which when open will substantially support articles but when closed will also provide a container for the articles.

. Another object is to provide a container-table which in the closed position requires but slight storage space.

Otherobjects are to decrease work, prevent loss, and

in general to increase tidiness.

Additional objects of the instant invention w-illbecome apparent in the course of the following specification. g

In the attainment of the aforesaid objectives, subject container-table is made in two embodiments. In the first embodiment, the container-table is constituted of :1 rectangular deck member around the periphery of which is an upwardly directed rim. On each side of the rectangular deck member is a hingedly attached leg member which serve in the closed position thereof to form with the deck and rim a container. From the closed position, each leg member is designed to be rotated through 270 to the fully opened position in order to provide sturdy legs on opposite sides of the deck member for the elevation thereof in a horizontal position above the floor or ground. The second embodiment is similar to the first except that two like transversely foldable deck members are used with each deck member supported by two leg members similar to the leg members of the first embodiment.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by way of illustration the preferred embodiments of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figures 1-3 show the first embodiment of the container-table constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, and in which;

Figure l is a perspective view of the container-table in 1 the completely closed position;

Figure 2 is an end view of the container-table shown in Figure 1 but in the partially open position; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container-table shown in Figure 1 but in the fully open position.

Figures 4-5 show the second embodiment of the container-table and in which;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the container-table in the partially opened position; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the container-table shown in Figure 4 but in the completely closed position as shown by the solid lines and in the partially opened position as shown by the dot-dashed lines.

Referring now in greater detail to the first embodiment of the container-table shown in Figures 1-3 where like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference numeral Patented Aug. 9, 1955 ice indicates the deck member, and 11 and 12 the leg members.

The deck member 10 is constituted of a rectangular flat surface portion around the peripheral edges of which is the upwardly directed rim 13. The rim has a substantially uniform but relatively slight height in order that the deck can be readily accessible. The deck and the rim may be formed from any suitable material and the rim may be attached to the peripheral edges of the deck in a known manner or may be integrally formed. therewith. The shape of the deck need not be rectangular but could be, for example, circular.

The leg members 11 and 12 are similar and each is constituted of the spaced parallel side members 14 and 15 and the spaced parallel end members 16 and 17. The side member 14 of each leg member has a height greater than that of the rim 13. The side member 15 may have a height substantially equal to the height of the side mem ber 14 or it may have a less height as illustrated or it is even possible to use only one side member 14. Each end member 16 and 1'7 has a height equal to that of the side member 14 minus the height of the rim 13 so that, as shown later, when the leg members are rotated over the top of the deck the end members will be superposed on the rims at the ends of the deck member. The corresponding ends of the side and end members are fastened together by any suitable means and in such a manner that the peripheral or marginal edges on one side of the framelike structure formed by the side and end members will be in the same plane. Over the marginal edges of the side and end members in the same plane a cover member 18 is attached by any known means.

The free edge of each side member 14 of each leg member 11 and 12 is secured by the known hinge members 19 to the bottom edge of the rim 13 or the edge of the deck member 10 on opposite sides of the rectangular deck member and in such a manner that with the leg members rotated over the top of the deck member the end members of each leg member will be superposed on the rims at the ends of the deck member.

In operation:

In the fully closed position, the cover members 18 of each leg member are rotated over one-half of the top surface of the deck member 10 (Fig. 1.) and are releasably attached thereto or the rims thereof by the known latches 20, 0ne-half of each of which is attached to the leg member and the other one'half to the rim. In the fully opened position, the leg member 11 (Fig. 1) is rotated clockwise (Fig. 2) until (Fig. 3) one end of each end member is substantially perpendicular to the rim or deck member which rests thereon. To prevent accidental closing of the leg members, the braces 21 coacting with the pins 22 may be used.

In the second embodiment of the container-table shown in Figures 4 and 5, reference numerals and 31 indicate two rectangular deck members hingedly joined by any suitable means (not shown) end on end. In the fully opened position both deck members are in the same plane but in the closed position the hinged means is so arranged that the deck member 30 (Fig. 4) can be rotated clockwise to be superposed on the bottom surface of the deck member 31. Reference numerals 34 and indicate the leg members for the deck member 30 and reference numerals 32 and 33 the leg members for the deck member 31.

Each deck member is provided with an upwardly directed rim around the three outer peripheral or marginal edges but not necessarily along the line of jointure of the two deck members.

The leg members 32, 33, 34 and 35 are substantially the same as the leg members of the previously described first embodiment, and latches and braces may be used as in the first embodiment for securing the members in the fully opened and the fully closed position.

In operation:

In the fully closed position as shown by the solid lines in Figure 5, the deck member 30, the leg members 34 and 35 being in the closed position, is rotated clockwise until superposed on the bottom surface of the deck member 31 whereupon the two portions of the container-table are secured together by any suitable means (not shown).

Upon the release of the fasteners holding the two portions together, the deck member 30 (Fig. 5) is rotated counterclockwise about the transverse hinged line of jointure until it is in the plane of the deck member 31, the successive stages of rotation of the deck member 30 to the plane of the deck member 31 being shown by the dot-dash line of Figure 5. With the deck members 30 and 31 in the same plane, the leg members 33 and 35 are rotated clockwise (Fig. 4) and the leg members 32 and 34 counterclockwise for the horizontal support of the deck members in the same manner as described under the first embodiment.

While there is above disclosed but two embodiments of the container-table, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired therefore that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claim as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

What is claimed is:

A container-table comprising two rectangular deck members, the deck members having substantially the same dimensions, means for hingedly securing the deck members along corresponding ends with the deck members in the same plane in the open position and with one of the deck members superposed on the bottom surface of the 4 second deck member in the closed position, the outer peripheral edges of each deck member having an upwardly directed rim of substantially uniform height formed therearound, a leg member for each side of each deck member, each leg member having spaced parallel side and end members, one side member having a height greater than that of the second side member and greater than that of the rim, each end member having a length substantially equal to one-half the width of the deck member, one end member having a height substantially 'equal to the height of the side member of greatest height less the height of the rim, the second end member having a height substantially equal to the height of the side member of greatest height, means for securing the end and side members of the leg member along corresponding ends with the corresponding edges on one side of the members in the same plane, a cover member disposed over the edges of the members in the same plane, means for hingedly securing the free edge of each side member of greatest height to opposite sides of each deck member with the end member having a height substantially equal to the side member of greatest height less the height of the rim superposed on the rim at the free end of the deck member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,937 Spade Sept. 12, 1911 1,781,562 Wallis Nov. 11, 1930 1,906,552 Demint May 2, 1933 1,906,865 Knox May 2, 1933 2,447,731 Bureau Aug. 24, 1948 2,573,104 LaBaW Oct. 30, 1951

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