US2995408A

US2995408A - Knockdown, prefabricated sectional bar

Info

Publication number: US2995408A
Application number: US812482A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kobrin Maurice
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-05-11
Filing date: 1959-05-11
Publication date: 1961-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-08

Description

Aug. 8, 1961 M. KoBRlN 2,995,408

KNocKDowN, PREFABRICATED sEcToNAL BAR Filed May 1l,v 1959 INV ENTOR MAUR/GE KOBR/N BY pJ/JMQ/ 2,995,408 KNOCKDOWN, PREFABRICATED SECTIONA'L BAR Maurice Kobrin, 7,9 Leroy St., Binghamton, N.Y. Filed May [11, 1959, Ser. No. '812,482 4 Claims. (Cl. `i12-140.2)

This invention relates generally to portable bars and more particularly to a knockdown, sectional bar particularly adapted for use in the recreation room, etc. of a home. p,

The `number of nished recreation rooms in homes throughout the country has increased tremendously in the last few years due, in large part, to the vgreat emphasis on the do it yourself kits, etc, by manufacturers "of all types. However, the horne owner of average means is often stymied when it comes to a refreshment bar for Jadults or a milk bar for the kids due to a lack of construction knowhow or inadequate linancial means for a professional installation. The problem is often increased by limitations as to the amount'of space available and as to an irregul-arity in the shape thereof.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable bar which may be readily built and installed by the average home owner to tit 'the available space and without the use of special .knowhow or tools.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved vportablebar ofthe knockdown type which is formed of a plurality Aof identical sections so constructed that when two or more sections are joined in side-by-side relationship,V the effect of a unitary,con tinuous bar is presented.V

Another important object of .the present invention is to provide a'portable, sectional bar in which the individual sections are readily connectible and each can be readily assembled from knockdown kits comprising a plurality of correlated parts of predetermined dimensions and configurations a preselected group of which may be varied so as to enable by way of modular building construction principles a variety of bar assemblies such as straight, curved, angular, or combinations thereof with vertical orvariably inclined front walls.

A further importantV object of the present invention is to provide an improved, portable bar of one or more sections formed of strong, lightweight materials, `and which is economical in cost, andstrong and rugged and of long life in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bar constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a sid'e elevational View to an enlarged scale of a bar section;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the intermediate bracing shelf of a section; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view to a reduced scale illustrating how the bar sections may be united to form a circular bar.

Referring to the drawings, the bar comprising the present invention comprises one or a plurality of sections and for purposes of illustration only, FIGURES 1 and 2 show the bar as formed of three

sections

10, 12 and 14 which are identical except that :the

outer sections

10 and 14 each include a side panel 16 Whereas the intermediate section 12 does not.

Each of the bar sections includes a pair of spaced, ver- United States Patent O ice tically disposed frames 18 which are arranged parallel as indicated by dotted lines 19 to form a straight bar of a plurality of sections or as shown (FIGURES 4 and 5) angularly `to form an angular or circular bar. The frames 18 each comprise a pair of spaced posts 20, one forwardly inclined and the rear one Vertical, each rabbeted at their upper ends, intermediate portions, and their lower ends to be united with similarly rabbeted portions of an upper cleat 22, an intermediate cleat 24 and a lower cleat 26, the members being secured at their rabbeted lconnections by nails or screws to form a lightweight, but strong and unusually rigid supporting structure due to the inclination of the forward posts 20.

The upper cleats are provided with bolt holes 28 so that when completely assembled, adjacent sections may be readily detachably connected by means of bolts and thumb nuts 30 (FIGURE 2) which are hidden from external view.

While the Vsections may be xed to a separate base, it is preferable that the sections have integral bases as shown, each of which is formed by the pair of lowercleats or side base Imembers 26 fixed to the bottoms of the posts 20 as by nails or screws, and a riser 34 which closes the front of the base while the rear is left open.

An important feature of the invention resides in the automatic alignment ofk the frames 18 during assembly as to the relative-angle between the planes ofthe frames, this being zero angle and parallelism, or a predetermined angle so -that the frames `are arranged angularly with` respect to each other as shown in full lines. This alignment. is effected bythe identical shapes and transversely identical sizes of the counter 36, the intermediate shelf 38, and the lower shelf 40, the two shelves including cutout portions 21 for the posts 20, and-the front counter edge-which may be round `as indicated in dotted lines at Sii-includes alip or Vbead molding strip 37.

The predetermined transversal dimensions `of the counter and shelves are such, as when the sections are assembled, that their lateral edges exactly coincide with the vertical plane of the outer surfaces of the frames 18, Thus, when the counter 36, the shelf 38 and the shelf 40 are respectively placed on the

spaced cleats

22, 24 yand the base member cleats 26, and secured thereto as by nails or screws, the sides of the sections will be absolutely vertical and flush, and when connected to an adjoining section, the entire joint between the two sections will not be noticeable. It will be noted that the counter and the two shelves thus completely eliminate any need for transverse bracing between the frames 18.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the determination of the angle of the front wall 42 which is preferably inclined for strength and foot room (as will appear) as shown in full lines (FIGURE 3) rather than vertical as shown dotted at 43. The front wall 42 may be inclined a given angle to uncover a portion 41 of the lower shelf 40 delined by a slot 45 extending between the front posts 20 to form a footrest by forming the left end of the

cleats

22 and 24 at that angle and shortening the length of the shelf 38 and of the cleats 24 in accordance with the projected line of the angle. The front wall 42 is thus strongly mounted by nails or screws flush against the angled ends of the cleats 2-2 and 24 and the front faces of the inclined posts 20, and braced intermediate thereof by the forward end of the shelf 38 so as to be rigid against any knocks or blows encountered in use. The lower edge of the front wall 42 extends into the slot 45 formed between the front posts thus making a neat joint.

It will now be readily apparent that a portable bar of a single section, or an angular bar of two or three sections (FIGURES 1 and l2) or more (FIGURE 7) can be readily assembled by the novel components disclosed in the drawings in full lines, that the angular bar may have counters 36 with rounded (35) front edges rather than angular, and that the front panel 42 may be vertical (43) or inclined at a predetermined angle as defined by forming the ends of the key frame members or

cleats

22 and 26 and inclining the front posts 20 at that angle, to thus uncover a portion of the lower shelf to form a footrest 41. Y Obviously, the outer members of the

sections

36, 42, 41, 34 and 16 may be colored or ornamented as desired. For example, the counters 36 may comprise or include game playing areas such as checker board markings, etc. and have special waterproof or burnproof covers or nishes.

Another important aspect of the present invention resides in its adaptability to the practice used in modular building construction of selecting common dimensions in such manner that the units of construction can be assembled in a variety of ways. Thus, if some sections have counters and shelves so dirnensioned as to have parallel side edges as indicated at 19 in FIGURE 5, a plurality of joined such sections would form a straight, non-angular bar, If some such sections were combined with the angular sections described, then the resulting bar would be part straight and par `angular depending on the particular manner in which the sections are combined. Thus, regardless of the shape or dimensions of the space available, the portable bar comprising the present invention, depending on the proper choice of sections, is readily adaptable thereto. Similarly, the 'angle of the front Wall 42 can be varied from the vertical as ldesired by varying the key dimensions and angular disposition of parts here inbefore referred to.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and `arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A portable bar including one or more identical sections each comprising a pair of laterally spaced, vertically arranged, side frames; each of said frames comprising spaced front and rear posts and connecting upper, lower, and intermediate cleats to form a unitary structure; means for holding said side frames in a predetermined angular position with respect to each other comprising horizontal shelves of identical transverse dimensions each having opposed lateral edges arranged at said angular position with respect to each other, fixed Ito and terminating flush with pairs of said cleats; a pair of side panels xed to and coextensive with the outer frame sides, and a front wall extending from said uppermost shelf at least to said lowermost shelf with its side edges ilush with the outer surfaces of said panels, said front posts being inclined toward the base of said rear posts, and said front walls extendingl from the uppermost shelf to the lowermost shelf to expose a portion of the latter to define a footrest therewith.

2. A device as recited in claim l wherein a slot is Y formed in said lowermost shelf between the bases of said front posts and said front wall projects therewithin.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said intermedilate cleats are shorter than said uppermost cleats and their relative lengths determines the angle of inclination of the rearwardly downward extending front wall.

4. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the front edge of the intermediate shelf engages said front wall to form a transverse brace intermediate its span.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS