US3048459A - Convertible table structure - Google Patents

Description

g- 7, 1 62 J. J. MOORE 3,048,459

CONVERTIBLE TABLE STRUCTURE Filed March 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWW mg,

Aug. 7, 96 J. J. MOORE 3,048,459

CONVERTIBLE TABLE STRUCTURE Filed March 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 James J. Moore INVENTOR.

l 52 BY m United States Patent Office 3,048,459 Patented Aug. 7, 1962 3,048,459 CGNVERTIIBLE TABLE STRUtITURE James J. Moore, 5725 Roscoe St, Chicago, Ill., assignor of thirty three and one=half percent to Leslie .I. lilajak, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Mar. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 13,561 3 Claims. ((Cl. 311-408) This invention relates generally to furniture but more particularly to a novel table construction which is convertible from a, for instance, dining room table, to a game table.

Many persons are today living in apartments or small houses which provide insufficient room for the accommodation of game devices such as pool tables, tennis tables, etc. Also, many persons though desiring to possess such game devices, find them too costly. Therefore, if a single structure were available for satisfactorily serving as a furniture piece, as a dining room table for instance, and also as a game device, more persons would be able to afford such device and also more persons would be able to find room for a device of this sort in the home.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel convertible table construction which is convertible from a standard table to a game table.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a convertible table construction wherein a supporting surface defining a playing field thereon has depending legs secured thereto. Table surface sections may be conveniently secured to the supporting surface for covering the playing field for allowing utilization of the device as, for instance, a conventional dining room table.

It is a still more particular object of this invention to provide a novel convertible table construction wherein wells are defined in a perimeter wall formed on the supporting surface for receiving projections depending from the table surface sections. The wells and projections extend laterally so as to prevent the table surface sections from being lifted vertically from the supporting surface. Recess guides are provided having a well terminally aligned with respect thereto so that the table surface sections may slide over the perimeter wall with the projections sliding in the guides and being terminally received in the wells.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novel convertible table construction wherein locking means are provided for locking the table surface sections for preventing lateral movement thereof.

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 perspective view of the convertible table construction illustrating the structure in position for usage as, for instance, a dining room table;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the convertible table showing the table surface sections in phantom lines only;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the table surface sections showing the plates having projections struck therefrom, secured thereto;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the plates illustrating a projection struck therefrom;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of one of said plates;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational side view of one of said plates;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane 7--7 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a member adapted to be secured to the supporting surface of the table for defining the guides and wells; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane 99 of FIGURE 7.

With continuing reference to the drawings numeral It generally represents the table structure comprising this invention and includes a plurality of tubular depending legs 12 secured to a supporting surface or bed 14 and having feet 13 adjustably threadedly engaged therewith. The feet 13 are adapted to engage a floor 16. The supporting surface 14 is provided with an upstand" ing Wall 18 extending about the perimeter of the supporting surface 14 and defining a game or playing field 29 therein. The playing field 20 may be adapted for use in any of several games. However, for the purpose of illustration, the drawings particularly disclose a playing field designed for pool or billiards and defining ball entrance pockets 22.

Table surface sections 26 and 28 are provided with means cooperable With means carried by the supporting surface 14 for securing said table surface sections 26 and 28 to the supporting surface 14. More particular- 1y, attention is called to FIGURES 7 and 8. A form 30 is provided and includes a pair of substantially rectangular end portions 32 and 34 bridged by a groove or trackway 36. The trackway 36 defines a recessed guide 33, of arcuate cross-section, therein. The guide 38 extends forwardly to the rectangular portion 32 and terminates in a downwardly and forwardly or laterally projecting tongue 40 formed adjacent an opening 42 in the rectangular portion 32. The rectangular portion 34 is also provided with a downwardly and forwardly projecting tongue 44 formed adjacent opening 46. Wells or recesses 48 and 50 are defined in the top surface of the upstanding wall 18. The wells 48 and 50 are spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between the openings 42 and 46 in the form 30. Apertures 52 are defined in each of the rectangular portions 32 and 34 for receiving fasteners therethrough, as screws, for the purpose of securing the form 30 to the wall 18 as is best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 7. The downwardly and forwardly projecting tongues 40 and. 44 thereby extend into the wells 48 and 50 in the wall 18. Moreover, the wall 18 is recessed between the Wells 48 and 50 for allowing the trackway 36 to be received thereon while not extending above the wall.

It is desired to secure the table surface sections 26 and 23 to the wall 18 of the supporting surface 14. If desired, the table surface sections 26 and 28 may each be formed of two separate segments to facilitate the handling thereof. One of the segments is illustrated in FIGURE 3 and is designated by the numeral 27. The segments in FIGURE 1 are respectively designated by the numerals 27, 29, 31 and 33. Each of the segments has a pair of plates 61] secured thereto and spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between the wells 48 and 50. The plates 61 are provided with apertures 62 for receiving fasteners, as screws, therethrough for securing the plates to the underside of the segments 27'. Each of the plates 66 has a downward and forwardly projecting tongue 64 struck therefrom. The undersurface of the tongue 64 is rounded as at 66 for defining an arcuate cross section identical to the cross section of the recessed guide 38. The plates 60 are secured to the underside of the segments as is illustrated in FIGURE 3. By manually guiding the segments, the forward plate on the segment may be placed so that the projecting tongue thereof is received in the recess 38. By pushing the segment 27,

the tongue 64 may be caused to ride in the recessed guide 38 and to be guided into the opening 42 by the down wardly and forwardly projecting tongue 40. The rear plate 60 on the segment 27 will be automatically positioned by the forward tongue 64 riding in the recessed guide 38 so that the tongue 64 on the rear plate enters the well 50 through the opening 46 on the tongue 44.

Attention is particularly called to FIGURE 7 wherein the segment 27 is shown secured to the wall 18. The tongues 64 are supported on the tongues 40 and 44 beneath the rectangular portions 32 and 34- respectively. Inasmuch as the tongues extend laterally, it will be apparent that the segments may not be merely lifted vertically from the supporting surface 14. In order to remove the segments from the supporting surface, it i necessary to slide the segments rearwardly until the tongues 64 emerge from the wells 48 and 50. In order to prevent the accidental disengagement of the table surface sections from the supporting surface, latch means 70 are provided on each end of the supporting surface. The latch means comprise a detent 72 mounted for rotation on screw 74. A washer 76 is disposed between the screw head and the detent 72. In each of the segments 27, 29, 31 and 33, a slot 80 is defined. The slots 80 extend from the underside of the segments and terminate in an arcuate upper surface as 82. The slots 80 of the segments 27 and 29 are aligned and complementary as particularly illustrated in FIGURE 9. Likewise, the slots of segments 31 and 33 are formed in a similar manner. When each of the sections 26 and 28 or all of the segments are in place on the supporting surface 14, that is when the tongues 64 are properly received in the Wells 43 and 50, the detents 72 may be rotated to a vertical position so as to enter the slots 80. It will then be apparent that the segments are prevented from moving laterally as well as vertically. With the segments properly secured to the supporting surface, a removable top is provided whereby the table will serve well as, for instance, a dining room table. When dinner is over, the segments may be easily removed for gaining access to the playing field 20.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A convertible table comprising a bed providing a game field, a top mounted on the bed, and means for removably securing said top on said bed, said means including a plate mounted on the bed having an opening therein, a plate mounted on the top, and an inclined, tapered, resilient tongue on the second-named plate frictionally engaged under tension beneath the first-named plate through the opening, said first-named plate further including a tongue frictionally engageable by the firstnamed tongue, said bed having a recess in the top thereof accommodating the tongues.

2. A convertible table including a bed providing a game field, a top mounted on the bed, and means for removably securing said top on said bed, said means comprising a plate on the bed having an opening therein and a plate on the top comprising a tapered, inclined tongue frictionally engageable under tension beneath the first-named plate through the opening, said first-named plate further including a guide having a channel therein communicating with the opening for directing the tongue thereinto, said first-named plate still further comprising a tongue frictionally engageable by the first-named tongue when it enters the opening.

3. A convertible table comprising a generally rectangular horizontal bed, supporting legs depending from said bed, an endless, generally rectangular upstanding wall on the marginal portions of the bed defining a generally rectangular game field, said wall having a fiat top and including end and side portions, said side portions having longitudinally spaced recesses therein, elongated metallic plates secured longitudinally on the side portions of the wall, said plates overlying the recesses and having longitudinal slots therein communicating with said recesses, elongated longitudinally grooved guides recessed longitudinally into the side portions of the wall between the end portions thereof and the recesses, said guides cornmunicating with the slots, a removable top mounted on the wall for covering the game field, said top including inner end-abutting sections slidable longitudinally on the wall, oppositely facing inclined tongues on the undersides of the sections operable in the guides and engageable from opposite directions in the slots and beneath the plates for securing the sections on the wall against lateral and vertical movement, and means for releasably securing the sections against outward longitudinal movement on the wall for preventing withdrawal of the tongues from the slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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