US2752987A

US2752987A - Folding table and bench

Info

Publication number: US2752987A
Application number: US467984A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wayne F Smithers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-11-10
Filing date: 1954-11-10
Publication date: 1956-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-03

Description

July 3; 1956 w. F. SMITHERS FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1954 Wayne F Smi/hers INVENTOR.

July 3, 1956 w. F. SMITHERS FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 10, 1954 m R m m m 3 e N IHWI//,/JI////J; 2 m vn ww wv mm H 1mm mv mv w .9 M W C C W Y ww lmll. wn I i mm x I I l mm mm Ill A|||l II !I.L L i :Fli R k 9] l.| vm mm s H v v3 Lv M t vm mm United States Patent FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH Wayne F. Smithers, Stony Ridge, Ohio Application November 10, 1954, Serial No. 467,984

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-124) This invention relates to the class of furniture, and more particularly to a novel folding table having foldable benches associated therewith.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a light weight collapsible table provided with foldable seats which is easy to store and which can be used inside or outside.

One of the particular features of the invention resides in the novel arrangement of parts wherein substantially U-shaped table leg members have bench leg supports pivotally attached thereto for receiving seats having tubular sleeves depending therefrom. By pivoting the bench leg supports relative to the U-shaped table leg members, and then, pivoting the table leg members into a collapsed position, the entire table with the benches may be collapsed into a very small compass, thereby permitting convenient storage and transportation as may be desired.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a folding table with associated bench supports that is strong and durable, simple in construction, capable of being utilized in schools, industrial plants, public parks and the like, and which is relatively inex ensivc to manufacture, thereby permitting wide distribution and utilization.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this folding table with bench supports, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the article of furniture comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the folding table with bench supports shown in a collapsed position with parts of the benches being broken away for detail;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the table and benches illustrating in particular the relative arrangement of parts and showing in phantom lines the bench supports in a collapsed position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional detail View as taken along the plane of line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the invention as taken along the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional View as taken along the plane of line 6-6 in Figure 2 and illustrating the invention in a collapsed position;

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view illustrating the connection between the sleeve and bench support;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of bench support and seat;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of table top;

Figure 10 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 10-10 in Figure 9;

Figure ll is a perspective view of a further modification of hinge table top; and

2 ice Figure 12 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 12-12 in Figure 11.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the folding table with associated benches comprising the present invention. This article of furniture includes a table top 12 having a pair of angle-

shaped bars

14 and 16 secured thereto by any suitable means. Pivotally attached by means of pins, such as are indicated by reference numeral 18, are a pair of substantially U-shaped table

leg support members

20 and 22 which are adapted to be lockingly held in an open position by pivoted corner braces 24 of conventional construction, the pivoted corner braces being terminally pivotally attached to the U-shaped

table leg members

20 and 22 and to suitable brackets 26 secured to the table top 12.

Pivotally attached to the U-shaped table leg member 20 by means of

pins

28 and 30 are a pair of bench leg supports 32 and 34, while

pins

36 and 38 are provided for pivotally mounting bench leg supports 40 and 42. Each of the bench leg supports is of generally similar configuration, and includes an inner and outer upwardly extending standard 44 and 46, respectively, interconnected by a brace 48 and further interconnected at the lower portion thereof by a ground engaging member 50 through which a pin, such as the pins 28, Si), 36 and 38 extend.

A pair of seats forming benches, indicated by

reference numerals

54 and 56, are provided each having opposed pairs of tubular sockets 53 and 60 which are riveted, as at 62 or otherwise secured by any suitable fastener, to the

seats

54 and 56, respectively, and which are adapted to receive the upper ends of the

standards

44 and 46 therein. The

seats

54 and 56 are thus held on the bench leg supports by means of gravity, and may be readily removed when it is desired to collapse the article of furniture.

The combined table and benches can be readily collapsed by first removing the

seats

54 and 56 from the

standards

44 and 46 and then pivoting the bench leg supports 32, 34, 40 and 42 relative to the U-shaped

table leg members

20 and 22 and then pivoting the

table leg members

20 and 22 to the position as is shown in Figure 2 and in the direction indicated by arrows in Figure 4. Then, the

seats

54 and 56 can be readily placed upon the collapsed bench leg supports and table leg members, as is best shown in Figure 6.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figure 8 in which seats 7th provided with tubular sleeves forming sockets 72 are provided and are received over the ends of

standards

74 and 76 which are upwardly inwardly converging at the upper portions thereof and which are held together by means of a brace 78.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, it: will be noted that herein there is shown a form of the invention in which the table top 88 may be formed in hinged sections 99 and 92 so that the invention may be folded to even a smaller compass. By means of

hinge elements

94 and 96, a pintle 98 received in the knuckles of the

hinge elements

94 and 96 can be utilized to lock the hinge sections together. Further, suitable hinged braces, as indicated at and 102, may be provided. The pintle 98 may be rotated and engaged in clip 104.

The

hinge braces

100 and 102 serve the functions of the

angle members

14 and 16.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention as is shown in Figure 11, it will be noted that herein the modified form of table top is formed in

sections

112 and 114 which are hinged together by means of hinges 116 and 118. A sliding latch 120 engageable in U-shaped

members

122 and 124 is provided for lockingly holding the. sections 112. and 114 of the table top in an. extended position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous. modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may. be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A combined folding table and benches comprising a table top having a pair of spaced angle-shaped bars depending therefrom, a pair of U-shaped table leg members, said angle-shaped bars being of a length at least equal to the sum of length of said U-shaped table leg members, said U-shaped table leg members being pivotally mounted transversely on and between said angle- 0 shaped bars and fold therebetween, pairs of bench leg supports pivotally attached to said U-shaped table leg members, and seats detachably carried by said bench leg supports, said bench leg supports each including pairs of .upwardly extending standards, sleeves depending from said seats, said sleeves being received on said standards, said pairs of standards being interconnected by ground engaging members extending between and beyond said pairs of standards, and pins extending through said ground engaging members to pivotally attach said bench support members to said U-shaped table leg members, said ground engaging members being of less length than said table leg members, said standards being of less than half the width of. said U-shaped table leg members to permit folding of said opposed bench leg supports in the same plane between said table top and said U-shaped table leg members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 152,784 Higgins Feb. 22, 1949 1,457,582 Lewandoski June 5, 1923 2,075,778 Jahann'sen Mar. 30, 1937 2,399,960 Turner May 7, 1946 2,521,160 Green Sept. 5, 1950 2,562,629 Miles July 31, 1951 2,592,839 Wessig Apr. 15, 1952