US2796268A

US2796268A - Folding table leg bracket

Info

Publication number: US2796268A
Application number: US482517A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles O Larson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-01-18
Filing date: 1955-01-18
Publication date: 1957-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1974-06-18

Description

c. o. LARSON 2,796,268

\ FOLDING TABLE LEG BRACKET I June 18, 1957 Filed Jan. '18, 1955 2'6 INVENTOR.

2,796,268 Foronro TABLE LEG BRACKET Charles 0. Larson, Sterling, Ill. Application Eanuary 18, 195 5, erial No. 482,517

1 Claim. (Cl. 281-14) The present invention relates to a novel bracket structure and more particularly, to a novel bracket structure adapted to connect a leg member to a table top, bench or the like.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel sheet material bracket structure for detachably and foldably connecting a generally U-shaped leg member with a table top, bench or platform to be supported thereby.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel bracket structure of. the above described type which is formed so as releasably to lock the leg member in either an extended operative position or a folded position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel bracket structure of the above described type which is rugged and which may be easily formed from a single piece of sheet material or metal stock.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel leg member and mounting bracket assembly which is constructed so that the leg member may be easily manipulated to and from extended and folded positions and locked in either position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a table embodying the novel structure of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the novel bracket and leg member assembly shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bracket and leg assembly embodying the slightly modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fi 2 but showing the modified embodiment of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of the structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of Fig. 7 connected with the table top;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing still another modified form of the present invention; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing the structure of Fig. 9 secured to the table top.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a table It incorporating the novel structure of this invention is shown in Fig. 1 and includes a top 12 and a plurality of leg members 14. Each of the leg members 14 is in the form of a generally U-shaped metal rod having

leg portions

16 and 18. Each of the leg members is connected with the table top by a bracket structure 24) which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The bracket member 20 is preferably formed from a 2,796,268 Patented June 18, 1957 single piece of sheet metal and includes a pair of opposite horizontal end portions 22 and 24 for attachment to the bottom surface of the table top. The attachment end portion 22 is provided with a plurality of triangularly arranged

apertures

26, 28 and 30, and the portion 24 is provided with similarly arranged apertures. 32, 34 and 36. These apertures are adapted to receive screws 38 as shown in Fig. 2 for securing the bracket to the table top.

Depending from oppositely facing inner margins of the end portions 22 and 24 are

vertical portions

40 and 42, respectively, which have vertical margins integrally joined by a vertically disposed elongated intermediate strap portion 44. In order pivotally to connect the leg member with the bracket, upper ends of the

legs portions

16 and 18 are respectively provided with oppositely and outwardly formed

pivot portions

46 and 48 which are adapted to project through apertures formed in the

vertical portions

40 and 42 of the bracket. It should be noted that the leg member is formed so that the upper ends of the

leg portions

16 and 18 are normally spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the bracket portion 44, or in other words, greater than the distance between the

bracket portions

40 and 42. Thus, the inherent resiliency of the metal from which the leg member is formed tends to spread the leg portions apart and maintain the

pivot portions

46 and 48 in association with their respective apertures in the bracket.

The bracket 20 is formed so as releasably to lock the leg member in the extended or vertical operative position shown in solid lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and also to permit the leg to be manipulated to the horizontal folded position shown in broken lines and to releasably lock the leg in the folded position. In order to lock the leg member in the extended position, the

vertical portions

40 and 42 are respectively provided with vertically disposed tabs or

lugs

50 and 52 at their lower ends, which tabs extend inwardly or toward each other and generally parallel to the strap portion 44. The spacing between the tabs and the strap portion 44 is similar to the thickness or diameter of the leg member bar stock whereby the tabs respectively cooperate with the strap portion 44 to lock the

leg portions

16 and 18 in the extended position. However, the leg member may be easily unlocked by an operator merely by collapsing the

leg portions

16 and 18 toward each other until they clear the tabs. It should be noted that the

pivot portions

46 and 48 of the leg member are preferably substantially longer than the

tabs

50 and 52 so that when the

leg portions

16 and 18 have been collapsed to unlock the leg member, the pivot portions are still associated with their respective bracket apertures whereby the leg member may be easily swung to its closed position. The leg member is locked in the folded position by means of horizontal inwardly extending tabs 54 and 56 provided on the

vertical portions

40 and 42, respectively. As will be understood, these tabs are spaced beneath the

attachment end portions

22 and 24 a distance greater than the thickness of the leg member bar stock so that they may extend beneath the leg portions when the leg member is in the folded position. The length of the tabs 54 and 56 is also such that the

leg portion

16 and 18 may be collapsed and moved'either toward or away from the folded position while the

pivot portions

46 and 48 remain associated with the bracket.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, there is shown a modification of the present invention which is similar. to the above described structure as indicated by the application of identical reference numeral with the suffix a added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment the above described

tabs

50 and 54 have been replaced by a single diagonally disposed tab 60 and the tabs 52 and 56 have been replaced by a diagonally disposed tab 62. As shown best in Fig. 6 wherein the bracket is inverted from its normal position, the tab 60 is provided with a substantially straight bottom edge 64 which is adapted to engage the leg portion 16a and lock the leg member in its extended position, and a curved cam edge 66. It should be noted that the tab 62 is reversely formed, or in other words, is provided with a substantially straight upper edge 68 for locking the leg member in its folded position and a curved cam edge 70. With this structure it is seen that when the leg member is in the folded position as shown in Fig. 6', the tab edge 68 engages beneath the leg portion 18a and locks the leg member, and in order to swing the leg member to the extended position, it is merely necessary for the operator to flex the leg portion 18a inwardly to clear the edge 68 and then force the leg toward the extended position. As the leg is forced toward the extended position, the cam surface 66 on the tab 60 forces the leg portion 16a inwardly to permit it to move around the tab. When the leg member is in the extended position and locked by the edge 64 on the tab 6!), it may be swung back to the folded position merely by first flexing or collapsing the leg 16a inwardly to clear the edge 64 and then forcing the leg member toward the folded position, which action causes the cam edge 70 on the tab 62 to force the leg portion 18a inwardly until it passes around the tab.

Figs. 7 and 8 show another modified form of the present invention which is similar to the above described structures as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suffix b added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment, the connecting strap portion 44b is horizontally disposed rather than vertically disposed and is integrally connected with horizontal bottom edges of the vertical portion 40b and 42b. In order to releasably lock the leg portions 16b and 18b in their extended positions, the strap portion 44b is provided with a pair of generally L-

shaped slots

72 and 74 which are defined in part by tabs 76 and 78, respectively. It will be appreciated that the leg member may be manipulated to and from the extended and folded positions by collapsing the leg portions so that they clear the tabs 76 and 78. A tab 79 is struck from the portion 42b for locking the leg member in the folded position as shown in Fig. 8. While the bracket structure 2% thu far described has suflicient strength and rigidity for many uses, in certain instances it is desirable to increase substantially the strength and rigidity. This is accomplished in an economical manner by providing a pair of angle members 80 and 81, respectively, including

portions

83 and 85 overlying and welded to attachment parties 22b and 24b. The members 80 and 81 extend over the

slots

72 and 74 and respectively terminate in depending portions 87 and 89 which are welded to and strengthens the strap portion 44b adjacent the slots. It will be appreciated that the angle members 80 and 81 cooperate with the strap portion 44b and the

portions

406 and 426, respectively, to provide the bracket with box-like portions which are very strong and rigid.

Figs. 9 and l'show another embodiment of the present invention in which elements corresponding-to the above described element are indicated by identical reference numerals with the suffix 0 added. In this embodiment, the connecting strap portion 44c merges directly with the attachment end portions 220 and 24c, and the vertical portions 40c and 42c depend from outer margins of the attachment portions. A pair of

tabs

82 and 84 with a slot 86 therebetween extends inwardly from the lower margin of the vertical portion 490 and a similar pair of

tabs

88 and 90 with a slot 92 therebetween extends inwardly from the lower margin of the vertical portion 420. When the leg member is moved to the extended position, the

leg portions

16c and 18c enter the

slot

86 and 92, respectively, and are locked against swinging movement. It will be appreciated that the leg member may be swung to' a folded position after first compressing the

legs

16c and 18c to clear the tabs. It should be noted that with the structure of this embodiment, the leg member may be swung selectively in either direction from the extended position since the connecting strap portion 440 has been positioned to avoid interference with the leg member. The portions 40c and 420 are provided with a second set of apertures 94 and 96 disposed adjacent the tabs. If desired, the pivot portions of the leg member may be removed from the apertures in which they are pivotally mounted and inserted into the apertures 94 and 96 with the leg member in the folded position. When this is done, the relative position of the tabs and leg portions is such that the tabs lock the leg members in the horizontal position shown by broken lines in Fig. 10.

From the above description, it is seen that the present invention has provided a novel one-piece sheet material bracket structure which may be economically manufactured and which is formed effectively to lock a leg member in either an extended position or a folded position. It is also seen that the present invention has provided a novel assembly including a bracket structure and a U-shaped metal leg member, which assembly is constructed so that the leg member may be easily swung to and from extended and folded positions and locked in either position in a secure manner.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

The invention is claimed as follows:

A sheet material bracket adapted to be attached by means of screws or the like to the underside of a member to be supported and for mounting a generally U- shaped leg member having spaced leg portions with laterally extending pivot portions at their upper ends; and comprising a pair of relatively narrow spaced horizontal attachment portions having apertures therethrough for receiving attachment screws or the like, a pair of spaced relatively narrow vertical portions respectively integral with and depending from the inner ends of said attachment portions and having pivot apertures adjacent their upper margins for receiving the pivot portions of the leg member, a relatively narrow connecting portion integral with the lower margins of said vertical portions and extending therebetween in otfset relation with respect to the attachment portions, each end of said connecting portion adjacent the corresponding vertical portion having a substantially L-shaped slot opening along one edge of the connecting portion with a tab portion to partially close the slot and operating to receive and releasably confine the leg member in a supporting position, one of said vertical portions including an integral tab struck from the material thereof intermediate the upper and lower margins thereof and extending in the direction of the adjacent tab portion of the slot and disposed below the adjacent pivot aperture for underlying and releasably holding the leg member in folded position, and a pair of relatively narrow supplemental angle members, one associated with each of the aforesaid attachment portions, and each angle member including a horizontal arm overlying and connected to an associated attachment portion with apertures aligned with the apertures therein and extending inwardly to overlie the adjacent slot, and each angle member further including a substantially right angled vertical arm directed toward and secured to the offset connecting portion with the adjacent slot located between the arm and the associated vertical portion, said angle members with their horizontal and vertical arms providing in conjunction with the associated vertical portion spaced apart rigid box-like structures straddling the adjacent slot and forming struts for the connecting portion at the end areas which have been weakened'by the slots formed therein.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS 1,300,861 Otte Apr. 15, 1919 3 3 1,300,862 0116 Apr. 15, 1919 5 1,309,774 Otte July 15, 1919 1,770,500 Wege July 15, 1930 12,335 1,858,381 Vance May 17, 1932 237,065 1,939,459 Murray Dec. 12, 1933 6 Weston July 14, 1936 Keahey Aug. 4, 1942 Schaffer Nov. 13, 1951 Marsilius May 3, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1910 Germany July 20, 1911