US3190596A

US3190596A - Supported structure and mechanism therefor

Info

Publication number: US3190596A
Application number: US349859A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar H Kaminky
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-03-06
Filing date: 1964-03-06
Publication date: 1965-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1982-06-22

Description

June 22, 1965 KY 3,190,596

SUPPORTED STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed March 6, 1964 l/V VENTOR 0304/? H. KAM/N/(Y B) K. M. LEFE'VER Arrow/Er 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 June 22, 1965 o. H. KAMINKY 3,190,596

SUPPORTED STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed March 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 36 F G. 2 -U 2F 1 m/ VE/VTOR OSCAR H. KAM/NK Y BY KM. LEFEVER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,190,596 SUPPORTED STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM THEREFQR @scar H. Kaminhy, 908 S. 6th St, Goshen, Ind. Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,859 3 Claims. (Cl. 248lld9) This invention relates to a supported structure and an actuating mechanism, therefor. Particularly the invention relates to a supported structure having an auto matically actuated supporting mechanism therefor, said structure adapted to be used, for example, as tables, chairs, trays, ironing boards, and the like.

Generally, therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a supported structure having an actuating mechanism which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple, yet sturdy and durable of construction, substantially completely rigid in its supporting characteristics during use, and which will operate with relative freedom from wear and tear and other mechanical dificulties.

Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a folding supporting structure which can be readily mounted on a supported surface by means of simple sockets or bearing means to accept rotating members which are held in place by permanent clips or by sliding locking mechanism-s.

The device of the invention comprises a supported article such as a table top fabricated from metal, wood, or plastic which is fitted with a supporting mechanism comprising a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel elongated tubular supporting members, adapted rotatably to be mounted with respect to a supporting surface, said members being cooperatively connected by means of adjacontly positioned double action linkage elements that are adapted simultaneously to rotate said elements in opposite directions, and means mounted directly upon and cooperatively connecting said linkage elements, whereby to actuate said elements and rotate said members from a folded to an unfolded condition to hold said supporting surface in an elevated position.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of such a supported surface supported by a mechanism as that above described which can be operated by a single control handle; which requires a minimum number of parts; which needs no auxiliary means to lock or to hold the same in folded or unfolded position, but which provides a single control handle or lever which automatically will lock or hold the supporting structure, or legs, in a folded or unfolded position, and in which the control handle is mounted directly upon and is .a part of the folding mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a removably supported surface which is carried by an actuating mechanism in which a control handle clamps the moving parts together in such a manner that motion between them is substantially eliminated after the legs are placed in an unfolded position; and in which the counterbalancing effect of the legs is utilized to accomplish ease in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supported surface, such as a table top having as a supporting means an actuating mechanism which when it is fully opened or extended is a rigid self-braced unitary struc- Patented June 22,- 1965 ice ture, complete in itself independently of the supported surface or any bearings furnished by said surface.

A further object is to provide a table supported by a removable actuating mechanism in which rotatable shafts provided with rigidly attached legs are connected by a pair of crossed links attached at their ends to a pair of double torque arms integral with such shafts so as to produce balanced moments of rotation whose centers coincide with the axes of the shafts so as to substantially relieve any bearings from strain and, more importantly, to secure rigidity for the fully opened support structure independently of any structure incidental thereto.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a table supported by a mechanism which includes a pair of rotatable shafts, each connecting a pair of rigid legs integral therewith, a pair of double torque arms rigidly connected to said shafts to produce balanced moments of rotation throughout approximately a arc of rotation and a pair of operating levers which coact to lock against said rotatable shafts at the end of said rotation.

Other and further objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter, and which are inherent in the apparatus herein illustrated, described and claimed.

Referring now generally to the various views in the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention with the legs shown folded in phantom and extended in solid lines;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing the legs, partly broken away, and in solid line position, unfolded and ready for use;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the legs partly in folded or unfolded position;

FIG. 4 is a View similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 with the legs in a, folded position against the table top;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective showing one form of a locking means for rernovably attaching the supported surface to the supporting mechanism;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second means for attaching the supported structure to the supporting mechanism; and

FIG. 9 is an end view of the embodiment of FlG. 8 showing the holding slip in position.

Referring now to the drawings, a table top 12 is supported by a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel

elongated shaft members

14 and 16 respectively, which preferably comprise tubular stock, and which are rotatably mounted on the table top 12. As illustrated, simple bearing members 1 8 are used. if desired the top or supported surface may be completely separate from the supporting mechanism and merely placed upon the device when in its extended position.

At an intermediate position on each of said

rotatable members

14 and 16 there is mounted a pair of torque arms indicated generally at 259 and 22 on the rotatable shaft members lid and 16 respectively.

cooperatively connecting said torque arms are two

linkage members

24 and 26 preferably made of flat bar stock, or straps, one of which, 24, is pivotally mounted to one end of the torque arm 26, as at 28, and the other end of which is pivotally mounted to the torque arm 22, as at 30. The other linkage member 26 is pivotally mounted to the end of the torque arm 20, and on the same side thereof, as at 32, and the other is pivotally mounted to the torque arm 22 as at 34. These linkage members are preferably adjacently positioned, and are double acting so that they are adapted simultaneously to actuate

torque arms

20 and 22 to rotate the

members

14 and 16 in opposite directions.

It is to be noted particularly that the action of the

linkage members

24 and 26 on the

torque arms

20 and 22 produce balance couples, i.e. they rotate without any strain on the ends of the

rotatable shafts

14 and 16. It is also an unique feature of this device that the torque arms and the linkage members are so dimensioned such that after a 90 arc of rotation the linkage members rest on the rotatable shafts and the moment of the mechanism thus becomes the length of the

linkage members

24 and 26 and no longer the length of the

torque arms

20 and 22. This resolution of moments is unique and provides for complete locking of the device in its open or extended position.

Connected to the rotatable members, or

longitudinal shafts

14 and 16, are

leg members

36 and 38 respectively, also preferably tubular. These leg members together with the rotatable members, can be regarded as constituting unitary supporting structures.

The

rotatable members

14 and 16, and consequently

legs

36 and 38 respectively, are adapted to be actuated, or rotated, in such a manner that the legs can be unfolded from a flat position or horizontal position to a position which is substantially normal thereto to hold a supported mechanism in erect position ready for use. This actuation is accomplished by means of a toggle operating mechanism, mounted directly upon and cooperatively associated with the

linkage members

24 and 26. This mechanism constitutes one link 40 pivoted as at 42 to the linkage member 26 and a second link 44 pivoted to the linkage member 24 as at 46, the two links being interconnected or pivoted to each other as at 48.

The link 44 is provided at its free end with a handle member 50 which includes an inverted U-shaped extension 52 suitably and rigidly secured thereto.

It will be observed that the

torque arms

20 and 22 and

linkage members

24 and 26 are so proportioned with respect to their

pivot points

28 and 30, and 32 and 34, that the linkage members, will contact the

rotatable members

14 and 16, at their limits of movement into predetermined positions that the

unitary legs

36 and 38 can be unfolded from a collapsed position to an operative or extended position, which operation is performed by the toggle operating mechanism mounted directly upon and cooperatively connecting the linkage members to move them to any of the predetermined positions and to lock them in the selected position.

It is to be noted particularly from reference to FIG. 2 that after the supporting mechanism is fully extended the linkage member 24 firmly bears against the rotatable shaft or member 14 and that the member 26 firmly bears against the corresponding rotatable shaft or member 16. Thus the mechanism is locked rigidly against further outward motion of either of the pair of

legs

36 or 38 by the resolution of moments as described above. It will be seen further from reference to FIG. 2 that at the time the toggle mechanism locks the

members

24 and 26 in their extended position that the firm contact between the

members

24 and 26 and the

shafts

14 and 16 occurs.

It will be seen very readily from the above stated facts that the supporting mechanism is rigid by itself without reliance upon any part of the supported structure itself. In other words, a supported structure can be very much weaker than would otherwise be necessary as no reliance is placed on such structure in order to lock the supporting mechanism rigidly against motion. In

other words the supporting mechanism including the legs, rotatable shafts, the linkage mechanism and the toggle mechanism is rigidly looked as a unit and is selfsupporting and is self-braced. As a matter of fact, the supporting mechanism will stand as securely upon a floor in a rigid and firm manner without a supported structure such as a table top as it would when equipped with such a structure.

The locking arrangement for the selected position is provided, for example, by the toggle operatnig mechanism; that is, when the

legs

36 and 38 are folded against the supported structure 12, the operating handle 50 and link 44 will be positioned, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4, and locked in this position when the pivot point 48 passes over or past the center of the pivot point 46. When the supported structure is ready to be set up for use, the handle 50 is swung about its pivot point in such a manner that the

links

44 and 40 will actuate the linkage bears 24 and 26 until the

legs

36 and 38 assume an unfolded position, whereupon the handle member 50 will assume the position shown in FIG. 2; that is, the U- shaped portion 52 will frictionally engage the side of the linkage member 26 adjacent thereto and straddle the linkage member 40, the pivot point 48 now having passed over or past the center of the pivot point 46, thereby locking the toggle action operating mechanism in such a position that the

rotatable members

14 and 16, and

legs

36 and 38, each constituting pairs of unitary legs, will be held rigidly in supporting position.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9 the supported surface of the invention may be either permanently or removably afiixed to the supporting structure. In FIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown means for removable attachment and consists of a block member 60 which is adapted to receive the rotatable cross member 14 by means of a circular notch 62. Locking slide 64 held by retaining screw 66 is slipped over the top of the rotatable member and engages holding screw 68. It is to be understood that similar locking devices are provided for both ends of

rotatable members

14 and 16. The device is shown in closed position-end view-in FIG. 7.

In the locking embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 rotatable member 14 is placed in circular notch 70 which is sized in block 72 of a size sufiicient to receive serrated spring clip 74 which is formed in the circular notch in superimposed relation to the rotatable member. The serrations of the spring clip, shown at 76, becomes imbedded in the surface of the circular notch and thus lock the rotatable member in position. The clip is shown in position in FIG. 9.

It will be understood that it is within the contemplation of the invention to utilize other actuating mechanism, such as, for example, a cam, or camming arrangement, in place of the toggle action operating mechanism, since such arrangements have been made and used by me although the toggle action operating mechanism is preferred.

To summarize briefly the instant invention provides an unique and useful supported surface such as a table top, an ironing board, a chair seat, a drafting table, and the like. The supported surface may be removably or permanently attached to the supporting mechanism or it may be placed thereon after the supporting mechanism is extended. The mechanism is collapsible and extendable in a fashion that is semi-automatic, that is to say, the operation or actuation of a single extending means operates all parts of the mechanism. The mechanism comprises a pair of rotatable shafts which has a pair of leg members rigidly attached thereto. These shafts and the leg members are balanced so that extension or collapse is accomplished easily since one pair of legs counterbalance the other during operation thereof.

Each rotatable shaft has integrally and/ or rigidly affixed thereto a pair of opposed torque arms or levers and a pair of crossed linkage members are connected to opposite ends of each pair of torque ar'ms. A toggle operating mechanism consisting of two linking bars and an operating handle is attached pivotally to the crossed linking members, one on each side of the point of crossing so that when the operating handle is moved in an arc, the cross linkage members are moved in opposite directions thus rotating the torque arms, the rotatable shafts and the leg members.

The dimensions of the crossed linkage members and the torque arms are carefully proportioned so that when the rotatable shaft has turned from a position wherein the leg members are collapsed, that is, the position in which the leg members lie in the same plane as the rotatable shaft and each other, to a position which is 90 therefrom, that is to a position wherein the legs are perpendicular to the plane of the rotatable shaft, the link age members contact and firmly bind against the shafts and prevent any further extension of the legs. Throughout the motion previous to this predetermined point the moment of torque is the force exerted against the torque arm by the linkage member times the effective length of the torque arm. At the point of contact of the linkage members against the rotatable shafts this moment resolves and the torque arm then becomes the length of the linkage member and is thus immovcably locked. It is this unique feature which enables the support mechanism to operate as a separate and complete unit Without co-action with any supported surface.

It is expected, of course, that various embodiments and modifications utilizing the principles disclosed will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The above description and the accompanying drawings should be considered as illustrative only and in no sense limiting upon the inventive concept.

What is claimed is:

1. A supported surface having a collapsible and extendable supporting mechanism which comprises, a planar surface being pivotally connected to two rotatable members, a pair of torque arms secured to each of said rotatable members, a pair of crossed linkage members cooperatively connecting said pairs of torque arms so as to rotate them in opposite directions, and toggle operating means, attached directly to said crossed linkage members and cooperatively connecting them for movement to and locking in a predetermined position, said toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links Whose outer ends are pivotally connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

2. A table which comprises a planar surface, a pair of balanced rotatable shafts removably connected thereto, a pair of opposed torque arms rigidly secured to each shaft, a pair of crossed linkage members coopera tively connecting opposite ends of said torque arms so as to rotate them in opposed directions, said torque arms and said crossed linkage members being so proportioned that said linkage members bear upon and rigidly bind against said rotatable shafts to control the rotation of said torque arms to a predetermined position, and toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links whose outer ends are pivotaliy connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

3. A folding table which comprises in combination a table top structure, pivotally connected thereto a pair of balanced rotatable shaft members each having a pair of opposed torque arms mounted thereon, a pair of crossed linkage members cooperatively connecting opposite ends of said torque arms so as to rotate them in opposite directions, said torque arms and said linkage members being so proportioned that the linkage members will bind against said rotatable shaft members at their limits of movement to predetermined positions, and toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links whose outer ends are pivotally connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other, said toggle operating means being mounted directly upon different linkage members and extending across the crossing point of said linkage members and cooperatively connecting said linkage members to move them to and lock them in said predetermined position.

4. A folding table which comprises in combination a table top structure, removably and pivotally connected thereto a pair of rotatable shafts, a pair of legs rigid with each shaft, a pair of oppositely directed torque arms rigidly secured to each shaft, a pair of crossed linkage members connecting opposite ends of said torque arms, and means for rotation of said linkage members to a predetermined position, said linkage members and said torque arms being proportioned to cause said linkage m-embers to bear against said rotatable shafts to lock said shafts in said predetermined position, said rotation means comprising a pair of toggle links whose outer ends are pivotally connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

5. A collapsible and extendable supporting structure which comprises two rotatable members, a pair of torque arms secured to each of said rotatable members, a pair of crossed linkage members cooperatively connecting said pairs of torque arms so as to rotate them in opposite directions, and toggle operating means attached directly to said crossed linkage members and cooperatively connecting them for movement to and locking in a predetermined position, said toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links whose outer ends are pivotally connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

6. A collapsible and extendable supporting structure which comprises in combination a pair of balanced rotatable shafts, a pair of opposed torque arms rigidly secured to each shaft, a pair of crossed linkage members cooperatively connecting opposite ends of said torque arms so as to rotate them in opposed directions, said torque arms and said crossed linkage members being so proportional that said linkage members bear upon and rigidly bind against said rotatable shafts to control the rotation of said torque arms to predetermined positions, and toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links whose outer ends are pivotally connected to to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

7. A collapsible and extendable supporting structure which comprises a pair of balanced rotatable shaft members each having a pair of opposed torque arms mounted thereon, a pair of crossed linkage members cooperatively connecting opposite ends of said torque arms so as to rotate them in opposite directions, said torque arms and said linkage members being so proportional that the linkage members will bind against said rotatable shaft members at their limits of movement to predetermined positions, and toggle operating means consisting of a pair of toggle links Whose outer ends are pivotally connected to different ones of said crossed linkage members and whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other, said toggle operating means being mounted directly upon different linkage members and extending across the crossing point of said linkage members and cooperatively connecting said linkage members to move them to and lock them in said predetermined positions.

8. A collapsible and extendable semi-automatic actuating support mechanism which comprises a unitary structure having a pair of rotatable shafts, a pair of legs rigid with each shaft, a pair of oppositely directed torque arms rigidly secured to each shaft, a pair of crossed linkage members connected opposite ends of said torque arms, and means for rotation of said linkage members to predetermined positions, said linkage members .ends are pivotally connected to diiferent ones of said crossed linkage members and Whose inner ends are pivotally interconnected to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/56 Warner 292145 4/12 Vorn Bruck 292145 8 Van Uum 2473.7

Mitchell 108--130 Boyce 108130 Pucci 108-430 McBride 108130 Bryant 108-430 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria.

2/20 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

Claims

1. A SUPPORTED SURFACE HAVING A COLLAPSIBLE AND EXTENDABLE SUPPORTING MECHANISM WHICH COMPRISES, A PLANAR SURFACE BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO TWO ROTATABLE MEMBER, A PAIR OF TORQUE ARMS SECURED TO EACH OF SAID ROTATABLE MEMBERS, A PAIR OF CROSSED LINKAGE MEMBERS COOPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID PAIRS OF TORQUE ARMS SO AS TO ROTATE THEM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, AND TOGGLE OPERATING MEANS, ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO SAID CROSSED LINKAGE MEMBERS AND COOPERATIVELY CONNECTING THEM FOR MOVEMENT TO AND LOCKING IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION, SAID TOGGLE OPERATING MEANS CONSISTING OF PAIR OF TOGGLE LINKS WHOSE OUTER ENDS ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID CROSSED LINKAGE MEMBERS AND WHOSE INNER ENDS ARE PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.