US2760836A

US2760836A - Folding table and means for mounting the same in a wall opening

Info

Publication number: US2760836A
Application number: US537200A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles L Fangman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-09-28
Filing date: 1955-09-28
Publication date: 1956-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-28

Description

g- 23, 1956 c. L. FANGMAN 2,760,836

FOLDING TABLE AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME IN A WALL OPENING Filed Sept. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

Char/es L. Fangman INVENTOR.

c. L. FANGMAN 2,760,836

FOLI DING TABLE AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME. IN A WALL OPENING Aug. 28, 1956 Filed Sept. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 75 Fig. 3 75 l r 6; g 9 i; 45 53 2/ 39 4/ 23 5 47 17? Char/es L. Fangman INVENTOR,

y ma gifia M ii I I W Axiom United States Patent FOLDING TABLE AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAD IE IN A WALL OPENING Charles L. Fangman, Dubuque, Iowa Application September 28, 1955, Serial No. 537,200

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-18) My invention relates to improvements in folding tables for dining and like purposes especially, although not necessarily.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a pair of twin tables and means for mounting the same in an opening in a partition wall between two rooms for unfolding downwardly oppositely out of the opening into the two rooms to form a composite sectional double sized table at which persons in each room may dine and communicate through the opening, the tables being foldable upwardly when not in use into the recess and wall out of the way to economize in floor and wall space.

Another object is to provide means for mounting the tables so that either when folded will close the opening and the other may be unfolded for private use in a room.

Another object is to provide means for mounting the tables adapted to be installed easily and inexpensively in walls of new or old houses.

Still another object is to provide tables for the above purposes which are easy to operate, safe to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the tables folded;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical transverse section partly broken away and showing the tables unfolded to form a composite sectional table;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of the same partly in section;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical transverse section illustrating locking means for retaining the tables folded;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 66 of Figure l; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged view in horizontal section taken on the line 77 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention an opening 1 is provided in a partition wall 3 between two

rooms

5, 7 by incorporating in the partition wall 3 a door frame 9 embodying facing side stiles 11. a header 13, side trim strips 15 and header trim strips 17. The side trim strips 15 form with the side stiles 11 a pair of vertical internal channels 19 in opposite sides of the frame 9.

A pair of

rectangular table tops

21, 23, of panel form, are provided of substantially the same size as the opening 1 defined by the

trim strips

15, 17 to fit in upright position in the opening 1 and close the same at opposite sides thereof at the

trim strips

15, 17. The

trim strips

15, 17 and

table tops

21, 23 may be formed of matching 2,760,836 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 material, wood or otherwise, to match the trim, as at 25, in the room at the corresponding side of the frame 9.

The

table tops

21, 23 are mounted in the opening 1 by means of the following. A pair of

upright channel guides

27, 29 is provided in opposite sides of the frame 3 for each

table top

21, 23, with the channels of said guides facing the sides of said tops, each pair of

guides

27, 29 having upper gooseneck ends 31, 33 curving inwardly and downwardly of the opening 1, which is to say the frame 9. As will be clear the

guides

27, 29 rise from the floor 34 and the gooseneck ends 31, 33 are terminally closed. The pairs of

guides

27, 29 are suitably fixed in the channels 19 and in engagement with the side trim strips 15 for a purpose presently seen and the

goosenecks

31 and 3,3 in each channel project toward each other in a common plane with closed terminals facing. The

guides

27, 29 are flush with the adjacent edges of the trim strips 15 and the

table tops

21, 23 fit between the trim strips 15 at opposite sides of the opening and between the pairs of

guides

27, 29 with suflicient clearance for swinging and sliding movement.

Pairs of

rollers

35, 37 are provided on the

table tops

21, 23 adjacent

corresponding ends

39, 41 thereof hereinafter termed the guided ends and which rollably fit in the pairs of

guides

27, 29 and are suitably mounted on opposite side edges of said tops.

By means of the

guides

27, 29 and

rollers

35, 37 the

table tops

21, 23 may be lifted manually to lift the

rollers

35, 37 in

said guides

27, 29 and then shoved inwardly of the opening 1 toward each other until the rollers drop into the closed terminals of the gooseneck ends 31, 33 after which said

tops

21, 23 may be swung downwardly and outwardly, and unfolded into the

rooms

5, 7 into horizontal table forming position. When the

table tops

21, 23 are thus moved toward each other rubber bumpers 38 on their

ends

39, 34 space the tops slightly apart but said tops are close enough together to form a composite sectional table as shown in Figure 3. As will be seen in the unfolded position of the

table tops

21, 23 they are supported at said ends in elevated position by the

rollers

35, 37 and the gooseneck ends 31, 33 of said guides.

By swinging the

table tops

21, 23 upwardly and inwardly toward each other on the

rollers

35, 37, then lifting said tops and pulling their

ends

39, 41 outwardly of the opening 1, said tops may be dropped to the floor 34 and swung inwardly into upright position to close the opening 1 as shown in Figure 1.

A pair of

legs

41, 43 are provided on the

table tops

21, 23 to support said tops in horizontal position. The

legs

41, 43 are mounted on the bottom and in the longitudinal center of said

tops

21, 23 to unfold by gravity into floor engaging position when said

tops

21, 23 are unfolded and to fold against said

tops

21, 23 in pendent position when said tops are folded. For this purpose said

legs

41, 43 include

upper cross bars

45, 47 journaled at their ends adjacent the free ends 40, 51 of said tops and transversely of said tops in

bearings

53, 55 on said tops. Spring loaded ball detents 57 in said bearings snapping into

notches

59, 61 in said

arms

45, 47 lock said legs in folded and unfolded positions.

Lower cross bars

63, 65 on the

legs

41, 43 are provided with rubber buttons 67 for cushion engagement with the floor 34. Similar buttons 69 are provided on the

bars

63, 65 engageable with the

tops

21, 23 cushion folding of said legs.

Spring loaded latch bolts 71, in the

free ends

49, 51 of the

table tops

21, 23 snap into sockets 73 in the header 13 to yieldingly latch said tops in folded position as shown in Figure 5.

As will be obvious either

table top

21, 23 may be unfolded to form a table in the associated room, while the other remains folded. This provides for a private dining table in a selected one of the rooms 57.

The

table tops

21, 23 and the

legs

41, 43 may be ornamented for decorative efiect when the same are folded.

Safety locks for retaining the

table tops

21, 23 in folded position against accidental unlatching comprise channel keepers 75 on the header trim strips 17 and slide members 77 for insertion in said keepers and attached to the

table tops

21, 23 by chains 79.

The foregoing will it is believed suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention inasmuch as the use and operation thereof has been set forth in conjunction with the description of parts.

Manifestly the invention is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination with a partition wall between two rooms, a frame fixed in said wall to form an opening between said rooms and having vertical sides, a pair of rectangular table tops adapted to fit in said opening, means pivotally and slidably mounting said table tops at corresponding ends thereof for swinging downwardly out of opposite sides of said opening into the rooms, respectively, and for swinging upwardly into said frame in upright position to close said opening at opposite sides 4 of the frame, said table tops when swung downwardly forming a composite table extending into both rooms, said means comprising pairs of side rollers on said table tops, and pairs of vertical channel guides in opposite sides of said frame in which said rollers ride vertically to provide for vertical sliding and pivoting of the table tops, said guides having gooseneck upper ends projecting toward each'other at opposite sides of said frame with closed terminals facing and in which said pairs of rollers are movable toward each other to move said table tops toward each other to form the composite table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 653,992 Fleck July 17, 1900 1,553,821 Johnson Sept. 15, 1925 1,583,264 Turner May 4, 1926 1,870,719 Fain Aug. 9, 1932 1,953,038 Bessler Mar. 27, 1934 2,131,675 Schieber Sept. 27, 1938 2,203,394 Schieber June 4, 1940 2,460,464 Lufkin Feb. 1, 1949 2,479,384 Mactaggart Aug. 16, 1949 2,650,146 Mugler Aug. 25, 1953 2,721,778 Wilson Oct. 25, 1955