US2792268A

US2792268A - Vertically adjustable table

Info

Publication number: US2792268A
Application number: US522958A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Stanley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-07-19
Filing date: 1955-07-19
Publication date: 1957-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1974-05-14

Description

l/7 Y l* A l 7,# 2 w-W INVENTOR. y V N14/.MM J. SMA/Ey May 14, 1957 w. J. STANLEY 2,792,268

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed July 19, 1955 FIE'ZE- AVAA'AVAIAIAW VERTICALLY ADJLUSTABLEl TABLE William J. Stanley, Long Beacmalif.

Application July`191955, Serial No. 522,958 s Claims; (ci. 311-39) The invention herein has` relation-.to a tableY equipped to bevertically adjustable-selectively to situate atop thereof at a relatively high position, as when to be used as a so-Called card table, andata comparatively low position, as when to be used as a .so-called coffee table.

The object of the invention is to provide a vertically adjustable table of the present general character which will be of simple,.inexpensive, efficient, novel and improved construction.

In the accompanying drawing forming a -part of this specification,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a table made according to the invention as when adjusted to have maximum height;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the table as` when adjusted toh'ave minimum height;

Fig.A 3y is a side elevational'view corresponding generally with the disclosure of Fig. 2 but showing the table as when adjusted to havev maximum height;

. Fig. 4` is' an enlarged vertical sectional' View, taken on line iL-4: in Fig. 3,. but showingl the table as when the top thereof is at its highest: possible elevation;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectiona1-view,.taken on linev 5-5' in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a View, partially iniv elevation andfpartially in section, detailing theimanner of detachable assembly of lowerl and upper halfi-legsof thetablegand Fig. 7 is a' detail sectionalv view, taken onl line"77 in Fig. 32 The new a-ndimproved table. is constituted as a' lower unit, denoted generally at 10,l and' an upper unit, indicated generally. at' 11i.

The lower unit:10.includesiazb'asemember consisting of intersectingv horizontalrails 112 inl perpendicular relation toy each other and supporting feet- 13 for the table, there beinga supporting: foot uponl the outer` end of each rail 1-2. Ther supporting feet 13l are equidi'stantly spaced from the location where the rails 1.2 intersect.

Said lower unit also includes lower half-legs 14, there beingea' lower half-legi rigid with. and extending vertically upwardly from ea'clr of4 saidsupporting feet.y An upwardly facing supporting surface-15 ofeachI foot 13 is situated adjacent a side of the lower end of the corresponding lower half-leg 14. Said lower half-legs are disposedVV at' 90" deg-reesVr apart,l as are also the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15'; The'Y lower half-legs 14 and the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 1-5. are in a single circumference. There is a lower half-leg between each of adjacent' upwardly facing supporting surfaces, and an upwardly facing. supporting surface betweeneach of adjacent lower half-legs.

ln addition to the base member and'` the upstanding lower half-legs 1'4, the lower unit 10V includes a hollow post 16.V which extends verticallyl upwardly from said basemember at' the location where the horizontal rails 12 intersect. The' hollow post- 16 isl in concentric relation to the circumference in whichk the lower half-legs I4 and: theupwa'rd'ly' facing' supporting surfaces 15 lie,

States l I arent 2,792,268 Patented May 145,V 1957 ice and" said hollow' post can be secured upon the base'member in any suitable and convenient manner, as represented generally at 17. A plate member 18, xedly supported, as at 19, uponthe lower end of the hollow post 16 at a location below thel elevation of the horizontal rails 12, itself fixedly supports, as at 20, a guide rod or element 21 which extends upwardly through said hollow post in spaced, concentric relation to its cylindrical internal surface 22. As disclosed the upper end portion of said cylindrical internal surface is of reduced diameter and' is lined by a hollow tubular fitting 23 having an exteriorly flared lower end portion 24 fitted against a converging surface 25ct the cylindrical internal. surface 22. As shown, a flange upon the upper end, of the hollow tubular fitting 23 is fastened down, as at 26, against the upper end of the hollow post 16.

The upper unit 11 includes a table top, of rectilinear conguration as disclosed, consisting of a ilat horizontal element 27 with a sheet covering 28 upon the upper surface and a depending skirt 29 at each of the sides thereof.

Said upper unit also includes upper halfllegs 3i), there being an upper half-leg rigid with and extending verti cally downwardly from each of the four corners of the table top. Said upper half-legsare disposed at 90 degrees apart, and when the lower and upper units 10 and 11 of the table are in assembled relation, the upper half-legs .'tiwill lie in a single circumference with the lower halflegs 14 and the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15. Also, each of adjacent. upper half-'legs 30 are spaced apart the same distance as are each of adjacent lower half-legs 14 and upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15,v respectively. And, too, all of the upper and lower halflegs 1-4 and 3ft are of equal length.

1n addition to the table top and the downwardly extending upper half-legs 30, the upper unit 11 includes a hollow tubular element 31 which extends vertically downwardly from said table top at the center thereof. The hollow tubular element 31 is in concentric relation to the circumference in which the lower half-legs 14, the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15 and the upper half-legs lie when the lower and upper units 10 and 11 are assembled, and said hollow tubular element can be secured to the table top in any suitable and convenient manner. As shown, a threaded' end cap 32, secured, as at 33, upon the upper end portion of the hollow tubular element, is fastened, by screws 34, up against the lower surface of the flat horizontal element 27 of the table top. A. cup shaped central portion 35' of said threaded en-d cap is situated in a centrally disposed cavity in said at horizontal element. The lower portion of said hollow tubular element is snugly vertically slidable, as at 36, in the hollow tubular fitting 23 and an exteriorly flared lower end portion 37 of the hollow tubular element is engageable with the internal surface of the exteriorly flared lower end portion 24- of the hollow tubular tting 23 thus to preclude removal of said hollow tubular element from said hollow post. A cylindrical internal surface 38V of the hollow tubular element 31 is in spaced relation to the guide rod or element 21 and a compression coil spring 39, within the hollow post 1'6 and the hollow tubular element 31, upon said guide rod or element and seated between the plate member 13 and the central portion 35 of the end cap 32, is for counterbalancing a major portion of the weight of the table top.

A manually manipulable set screw 40 in the side wall of the hollow post 16 is capable of engagement with an external surface of the

hollow tubularv element

31,10 preclude vertical movement of-the tabletop relative to the base member.

The lower surface. ofthe flat horizontal element 27 of the table top is provided with sockets 41, there being a socket 41 adjacent a side of each upper half-leg 30,

and each lower half-leg 14 has a protuberance 42 upon its upper end for entrance into a corresponding socket 41. The sockets 41 are spaced at the same distance apart as are the upper half-legs 30. The lower end of each upper half-leg 30 is provided with a socket 43 for receiving a protuberance 42 upon a corresponding lower half-leg 14.

In Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the table is shown as when adjusted to the relatively high position for the table top to serve as a card table. The lower and upper half-

legs

14 and 30 are in vertical alinement and the protuberances 42 are situated in the sockets 43. That is, the lower and upper half-

legs

14, 30 at each of the four corners of the table top when in relatively high adjusted position serve as full length legs which are twice as long as are each of the lower and upper half-legs. In Figs. 2 and 5, the table is shown as when adjusted to the comparatively low position for the table top to serve as a coffee table. The lower and upper legs are in horizontal alinement, the protuberances 42 are in the sockets 41 and the lower ends of the upper half-legs 30 are rested upon the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15. The table top is adjustable from its position as in Figs. l and 3 to its position as in Figs. 2 and 5 merely by elevating the upper unit 11 until the upper half-legs 30 are clear of the protuberances 42, rotating the table top until the sockets 41 are vertically alined with the lower half-legs 14 and the upper half-legs 30 are vertically alined with the upwardly facing supporting surfaces 15, and lowering said upper unit until said protuberances 42 enter the sockets 41 and the lower ends of said upper half-legs rest upon said upwardly facing supporting surfaces. its position as in said Figs. 2 and 5 to its position as in said Figs. l and 3 in response to manipulations'which are the reverse of those required to adjustV the table top from its position as when serving as a card table to its position as when serving as a coffee table. When the table is set up as a card table, rotation of the upper unit 11 relative to the lower unit 10 will be precluded by reason of engagement of the protuberances 42 in the sockets 43, and when the table is set up as a coffee table, rotation of said upper unit relative to said lower unit will be precluded by reason of engagement of said protuberances 42 in the sockets 41.

It is to be understood that the disclosure herein is merely illustrative of the invention and meant in no way, in a limiting sense. By way of example, the table top could be of shape other than rectilinear, and the base member could be of construction considerably different from that illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A vertically adjustable table comprising a base member, a vertical post extending upwardly from said base member, spaced, lower part-legs upon the base member, a table top, a vertical element extending downwardly from said table top assembled with said vertical post for rotative and sliding movement, and spaced, upper partlegs extending downwardly from the table top, said lower and upper part-legs being situated in a circumference concentric with said vertical post and vertical element, there being a lower part-leg corresponding to each of said upper part-legs, and said table top being rotatably and slidably adjustable selectively to situate lower ends of said upper part-legs in engaged relation with upper ends of their corresponding lower part-legs or to situate corresponding lower and upper part-legs in horizontal alinement and spaced part-legs in supporting relation to the table top.

2. A vertically adjustable table comprising a base member, a vertical post extending upwardly from said base member, spaced, lower part-legs upon the base member, a table top, a vertical element extending downwardly from said table top assembled with said vertical post for rotative and sliding movement, means precluding removal of said vertical post from lsaid vertical ele- Said table top is adjustable from ment, and spaced, upper part-legs extending downwardly from the table top, said lower and upper part-legs being situated in a circumference concentric with said vertical post and vertical element, there being a lower part-leg corresponding to each of said upper part-legs, and said table top being rotatably and slidably adjustable selec tively to situate lower ends of said upper part-legs irr engaged relation with upper ends of their corresponding lower part-legs or -to situate corresponding lower and upper part-legs in horizontal alinement and spaced partlegs in supporting relation to the table top.

3. A vertically adjustable table comprising a base member, a vertical post extending upwardly from said base member, spaced, lower part-legs upon the base member, a table top, a vertical element extending downwardly from said table top assembled with said vertical post for rotative and sliding movement, resilient means counterbalancing the weight of said table top, means precluding removal of said vertical post from said vertical element, and spaced, upper partlegs extending downwardly from the table top, said lower and upper part-legs being situated in a circumference concentric with said vertical post and vertical element, there'being a lower part-leg corresponding to each of said upper part-legs, and said table top being rotatably and slidably Vadjustable selectively to situate lower ends of said upper part-legs in engaged relation with upper ends of their corresponding lower part-legs or to situate corresponding lower and upper part-legs in horizontal alinement and spaced partlegs in supporting relation to the table top.

4. The combination as specified in claim vl, and means for precluding rotation of the table top relative to said base member both when the lower ends of said upper partlegs are engaged with the upper ends of said lower partlegs and spaced part-legs are in supporting relation to the table top.

5. A vertically adjustable table comprising a base member, a vertical hollow post upon said base member, spaced, lower part-legs upon the base member, a table top, a hollow tubular element extending vertically downward from said table top at the center thereof and assembled with said hollow post for rotative and sliding movement, a guide rod supported by said base member and extending upwardly through said hollow post and into said hollow tubular Ielement in spaced relation to an internal surface thereof, means precluding withdrawal of said hollow tubular element from said hollow post, a compression coil spring `for counterbalancing the weight of the table top seated vbetween said base member and said table top, and spaced, upper part-legs extending downwardly from the table top, said lower and upper part-legs being situated in a circumference concentric with said hollow post and hollow tubular element, there being a lower part-leg corresponding to each of said upper part-legs and said table top being rotatably and slidably adjustable selectively to situate lower ends of said upper part-legs in engaged relation with upper ends of their corresponding lower part-legs or to situate corresponding lower and upper part-legs in horizontal alinement and spaced part-legs in supporting relation to the tabletop.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 314,831 Hardy Mar. 31, 1885 1,624,770 Stuart Apr. l2, 1927 y1,888,478 Steidl NOV. 22, 1932 2,470,011 Winter et al May 10, 1949 2,582,791 Page Ian. 15,v 1952 2,599,020 Safstorm June 3, 1952 2,614,012 Yuan Oct. 14, 1952 2,628,142 Dubach Feb. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 'j 520,617 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1940 l i l l i