US2857224A

US2857224A - Self waiting table serving apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2857224A
Application number: US614256A
Authority: US
Inventors: Re Domenic Del
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-10-05
Filing date: 1956-10-05
Publication date: 1958-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1975-10-21

Description

Oct. 21, 195$ D. DEL RE SELF WAITING TABLE SERVING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1956 I mu m INVENTOPv 3 Domenic Oe/ Fe Oct. 21, 1958 A DUEL RE 2,857,224

SELF WAITING TABLE SERVING APPARATUS ATTORNEY United States Patent SELF WAITING TABLE SERVDTG APPARATUS Domenic Del Re, St. Paul, Minn.

Application October 5, 1956, Serial No. 614,256

4 Claims. (Cl. 311-34) This invention relates to an improvement in serving apparatus and deals particularly with a device useful in the serving of dinners to a number of persons seated about a table.

In the serving of meals to a group of persons seated about a table considerable time and efiort is spent in passing the various dishes of food about the table. Often a person at one end of the table will hesitate to ask for something he desires which is at the opposite end of the table. Rather than to ask for what is desired, this person will often do without rather than to disturb several persons to have the particular food desired passed.

During recent years it has been common practice to provide on smaller tables an apparatus commonly known as a Lazy-Susan which comprises a rotatable platform mounted upon a base and upon which various items of food are placed. By rotating the rotatable platform, persons seated at the table can obtain a particular food or relish without having to disturb others. However, devices of this type are only useful on relatively small tables as it is necessary that each of the persons seated about the tablebe able to reach the food mounted upon the rotatable platform.

It is an object of the present invention toprovide a table which includes a movable base which is supported for movement in a straight line from a point near one end of the table to a point near the opposite end thereof. Upon this base is mounted a rotatable platform capable of supporting a considerable quantity of food. The platform is of sufiicient size so that it may even support a coffee urn or the like if it is so desired. By placing the food to be served in suitable serving dishes on this rotatable platform, it is possible to serve all of the persons seated around the table by moving the apparatus longitudinally thereof.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a table having a support for a longitudinally movable base which supports a rotatable platform for supporting the food to be served. By moving the base longitudinally. of the table it can be positioned so that anyone seated at the table may reach the food upon the tray. By rotating the tray, all of the food mounted thereon is readily accessible.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a means of moving the apparatus longitudinally of the table. In the embodiment illustrated, a decorative cord or cable extends longitudinally of the table and is secured to the base on which the rotatable platform is mounted. By pulling upon this rope, or similar flexible means, the apparatus may be moved into any desired position. While not illustrated in the drawings, the cable may also be automatically moved if it is so desired.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a table top which may be detachably supported upon a table and which acts to support the apparatus. This table top is foldable in-two or more sections so that it can be easily folded for storage pur- "ice poses. As a result, the table top may be mounted upon a small table, such as a card table or the like, so that a relatively small table can serve to support a relatively large table top and so that a greater number of people can be accommodated. The table top may be made of any suitable material such as plywood, hard wood, plastic or sheet aluminum.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the table and table top showing in general the arrangement thereof.

Figure 2 is an end elevation view of the apparatus described.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus showing the manner of operation thereof.

Figure 4 is an elevation view of the table in the folded condition thereof.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the carriage or base upon which the rotatable tray or platform is mounted.

Figure 6 is a sectional View on a vertical plane longitudinally of the apparatus.

Figure 7 is an elevation view of a portion of the apparatus, the'position of the view being indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

In the preferred form of construction, the structure includes a table top 10 which is-preferably divided into a plurality of sections such as 11 and 12. These sections 11 and 12 are connected together by hinges such as 13 as is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings. When the sections are folded into a common plane, the edges of the sections are in abutting relation.

As is indicated in Figure l of the drawings, the table top 10 is preferably mounted upon a separate table 14. This table 14 may be of any suitable type, and may be supported in any suitable manner, this not being of importance in the present invention. In the form'illustrated, the table top 10 is mounted upon the top 15 of the table 14. 1

Parallel tracks

16 and 17 are mounted upon the table top section 11 extending from the hinged edge 19 thereof to a point spaced from the end edge 20 thereof. A similar pair of tracks 21 and 22 are mounted in parallel spaced relation on the table top section 12, the tracks 21 and 22 extending from the hinged edge 23 of the top section 12 to the end edge 24 thereof. The tracks 16 and 21 are aligned as are also the tracks 17 and 22.

A platform base or carriage 25 is movably supported upon the table top sections 11 and 12. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the base 25 includes a circular ring or hoop 26, a generally oval shaped frame member 27 encircles the ring shaped member 26 and is mounted below the level of the upper edge of the'ring 26. Angle brackets 29 are provided for connecting the ends of the oval frame 27 to the ring 26. These brackets 29 include a downturned end 30 which is secured to the inner surface of the oval ring 27 at the end thereof, a generally horizontal connecting portion 31 extending inwardly toward the ring 26, and an upwardly extending portion 32 which is secured to the outer surface of the ring 26.

A bolt 33 extends through the ring 26 and through the end 32 of the bracket 29 to attach these elements together. The bolt 33 also extends through the inner race of a ball bearing 34 and through a spacing sleeve 35, the

bolt 33 extending radially toward the center of the ring 26. These bearings 34 form rollers at opposite ends of the frame. Bolts 36 extend through the inner races of bearings 37, through spacing sleeve 39, and through the ring 26 and the oval shaped frame member 27 at the sides of the oval shaped frame. The bolts 36 also extend radially toward the center of the ring shaped frame 26 Patented Oct. 21, 8

and act to support the bearings 37 which form rollers arranged at substantially 90 to the rollers 34.

The tray 40 which is supported upon the frame is constructed as is best illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The tray includes a generally circular platform 41 having an upwardly extending flange 42 encircling the same. The upper edge of the flange 42 is bent downwardly and outwardly as indicated at 43 and terminates at an inturned flange 44 on a plane somewhat below the plane of the platform 41.

A ring shaped reinforcing member 45 of wood or other suitable material underlies the under portion of the tray body 41 and extends between this bottom portion 41 and the inturned flange 44. A false bottom 46 is mounted beneath the tray body 41 and includes a central body portion 47 having a circular upwardly extending groove 49 which is of proper diameter to rest upon the

various bearings

34 and 37. The groove or upward bulge in the false bottom assists in holding the tray aligned with its support. At the outer extremity of the groove 49 is provided an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange 50 which is bent at 51 to provide a downwardly and outwardly inclined flange 52. These flanges 50 and 52 with the connecting portion 51 form a deep groove in the undersurface of the tray which overlies the circular frame 26 and is held in position thereby. This groove also tends to locate the groove 49 in proper relation to the supporting

bearings

34 and 37.

At the outer periphery of the flange 52, the false bottom is bent upwardly as indicated at 53 to terminate in a horizontal outturned flange 54 which is fastened to the undersurface of the reinforcing ring 45 by screws 55 or other suitable means. Thus, the entire tray is actually supported by the bearings 34 but the groove in which the ring shaped frame 26 is located assists in properly locating the tray and prevents the tray from being forced laterally of the supporting frame in any direction.

The oval frame 27 is provided with a cross brace 56 near each end thereof outwardly of the ring shaped frame 26. Parallel U-shaped brackets 57 are supported in spaced relation on the cross member 56 at one end of the frame and similar U-shaped brackets 59 are provided on the cross member 56 at the opposite end of the frame. Rollers 60 are supported by pivots 61 extending through the brackets 57 and similar rollers 62 are pivotally supported on pivots 63 in the brackets 53. The

rollers

60 and 62 at opposite ends of the supporting frame or carriage are longitudinally aligned with respect to the major axis of the oval frame 27. These rollers are also spaced a distance slightly less than the distance between the

track sections

16, 17 and 21, 22. As a result, the movement of the carriage is confined to the longitudinal area between these spaced track members.

An outwardly bowed bracket 64 is mounted with its ends 65 connected to a corresponding end of the oval frame 27. These brackets 64 are designed to support eye bolts 66 which extend in an axial direction from opposite ends of the frame. These eye bolts are designed to accommodate the tray moving cable in a manner which will be later described.

Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates the manner in which the frame is confined between the track sections such as 16, 17. Any lateral movement of the tray relative to the longitudinal axis of the tracks is prevented by engagement of the frame with the tracks.

Pulleys

67 and 69 are mounted in suitable pulley housings 70, one of which is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, intermediate the track sections. A decorative cable such as 71 is provided with suitable fastening means 72 to attach the cable to the eye bolt 66 at one end of the frame or carriage. The cable 71 then extends over one pulley 69 and reverses its direction extending through aligned openings 73 and 74 in the ends of the oval frame 27 and in the cross member 56 respectively. The cable also extends through similar aligned apertures 75 and 76 through the cross member 56 and the end of the oval frame 27 at the opposite end of the same. From here the cable extends about the pulley 67 and terminates in a fastening means 77 which is attached to the screw eye 66 at the opposite end of the supporting frame from that to which the fastening means 72 is secured.

By engaging the cable 71, and exerting a pull upon the cable in a desired direction, the carriage or frame 25 may be moved longitudinally of the table to any desired location. As it reaches its proper location the cable may be disengaged and the tray structure may be rotated to permit any of the food or beverages mounted thereon to be dispensed. At the completion of the meal or the meal course, the entire tray may be removed from the base and the food may either be replaced with other food or the dishes taken to the kitchen at the completion of the meal.

It may be seen that I have provided a novel and effective serving device by means of which any of the occupants of a table may be served. It will be noted that as they tray may be moved by anyone at the table, it is not necessary to disturb others in order to get access to any of the food upon the tray. At the completion of the meal, the tray and carriage may be removed from the table, and the table top maybe folded if desired for storage purposes.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in serving apparatus, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A serving device for use upon a table top and including a generally circular frame, a series of bearings pivotally supported on pivots extending substantially radially with respect to said frame, said bearings projecting inwardly from said frame, and a tray including a bottom portion resting on said bearings and supported thereby, said tray having an upwardly extending flange thereupon engageable within said circular frame.

2. A serving device including a frame having a circular frame member, a series of pivots extending inwardly in a generally radial direction from said circular frame member, bearings on said pivots, said bearings being below the level of the upper surface of said circular frame member, and a tray having a disc shaped bottom resting upon said bearings, and an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange extending about said disc shaped bottom and engaging inwardly of said circular frame member.

3. The construct-ion described in claim 2 and in which the tray includes a portion extending outwardly from the inclined flange to overlie said frame.

4. The construction described in claim 3 and in which said frame includes supporting wheels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS