US3276402A

US3276402A - Table

Info

Publication number: US3276402A
Application number: US394527A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger D Winter
Original assignee: Samsonite Corp
Current assignee: Samsonite Corp
Priority date: 1964-09-04
Filing date: 1964-09-04
Publication date: 1966-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-04

Description

Oct. 4, 1966 R. D. WINTER TABLE Filed Sept. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1MB H3 Z2 H B H H INVENTOR.

g R '36 BYRUGEI"? D W/NTE H [4H z 4 l2 A TTOR/VEY Oct. 4, 1966 3, WINTER 3,276,402

TABLE Filed Sept. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROGER D. W/IVTER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,276,402 TABLE Roger D. Winter, Denver, Colo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Samsonite Corporation, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Filed Sept. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 394,527 2 Claims. (Cl. 108--115) This invention relates to a table, and more particularly to a circular table having folding legs, such as a card table.

Considerable problems are encountered in constructing a satisfactory folding leg arrangement for circular card tables having a diameter less than that which will accommodate a sequential rectangular configuration of the legs when folded. Since the legs must fit within the confines of the table diameter, yet must be long enough to support the table at the proper height, such problems are encountered when the table height is 28 inches, for instance, and the outer diameter of the table is less than 42 inches, i.e. the outer diameter of the table is less than one and onehalf times the table height. If the hinges for the legs are equally spaced around the table, so that the legs are folded sequentially to a square configuration, with the end of one leg adjacent the hinge of another leg, the legs cannot be of sufiicient length to support the table at the right height in a table having a diameter less than the above, since not only the depending rim of the table must be accommodated, but also the hinge structure for each leg, which normally adds about 1 /2 inches to the leg length when folded. One solution to this problem is to hinge the legs to the table so that they fold inwardly toward the center, with opposite legs offset sufiiciently that they lie next to each other when in folded position. However, one pair of legs will necessarily overlap the other pair of legs on the underside of the table, which produces a problem in locking the legs in position. Also, if the user does not fold the correct pair of legs next to the table first, the other pair of legs will not fold properly. In that event, the legs must be raised again and folded properly. In the alternative, sufficient clearance can be provided in the latch so that either pair of legs can be folded inwardly first, but with this arrangement, there is a looseness or slack produced in the latch which may cause the table to wobble when upright. In addition, it is then impossible to brace the table top by any supports extending across the underside of the table, since the entire area must be open to accommodate the folding legs.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a novel leg arrangement for a circular card table having a diameter of less than that which will accommodate the legs folded in a sequential square relation; to provide such a card table in which the legs may be made of sufficient length to support the table at proper height when open; to provide such a table in which the four legs may be folded to closed position in any sequence; to provide such a table in which looseness or slack in the latching arrangement, to accommodate folding of the legs, is avoided; to provide such a table in which a cross brace may be provided across the underside of the table without interferring with the operation of the legs; and to provide such a table which is relatively simple in construction, yet highly eflicient in operation.

Additional objects and the novel features will become apparent from the description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a circular card table constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the circular card table of FIG. 1, but taken at 90 therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the circular card table of this invention, with the legs in folded position;

3,276,402 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the circular card table with the legs in folded position;

FIG. 5 in an offset section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3, showing the position of the legs when folded;

FIG. 6 is an offset section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing the cross brace construction;

FIG. 7 is a section through the edge of the circular card table, on an enlarged scale and taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram, on a reduced scale, of the leg arrangement when the legs are in upright position.

In accordance with this invention, the legs are hinged to fold in pairs across opposite chords of the card table on the underside thereof, with adjacent legs being offset slightly so that they lie alongside each other in closed position and the legs, when unfolded, being at the four corners of a rhombus, rather than at the four corners of a square. This construction is exemplified by a card table T, the outer diameter of which is provided with a circular top panel 10 which may be less than 42 inches in diameter and the height of which may be 28 inches from the floor, in the position of FIGS. 1 and 2. The lightweight card tables in common use are necessarily restricted in their diameter while the height of the legs must be maintained, and accordingly, the card table of the dimensions set forth may also be generally described as having an overall diameter which does not exceed, and is usually less than, 1.5 times the height. The table is supported by four

legs

11, 12, 13 and 14, which are pivotally attached thereto by hinges H H H and H the legs being pivotal about hinge pins located at

centerlines

15, 16, 17 and 18 of FIG. 3, respectively. When in upright position, each

leg

11, 12, 13 and 14 is conveniently inclined outwardly from top to bottom for greater stability of the table when in use, such as at an angle of about 3 with respect to each vertical plane, as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The hinges H H H and H may be of conventional construction and provided with suitable latches to hold the legs in both open and closed position, such as each including a hollow base 20, containing the pivot pin, an extension 21 of the base by which the base is secured to the underside of the table top, a hollow, spring pressed bushing 22 movably mounted on the leg, and a cam and latch plate 23 which automatically engages the bushing to lock a leg in upright position or against the table top, when a leg is moved to such position, the bushing being moved away from the cam plate for release. Other suitable hinges and latching devices may, of course, be utilized. When in folded position, the legs are partly concealed by a peripheral rim 25 which may be attached to the underside of the table top 10 by a plurality of interspaced larger brackets 26 and smaller brackets 27. Each

bracket

26 and 27 may be attached to the top of the table, as in FIGS. 3 and 7, by means of one or more countersunk rivets 28, while each bracket may be attached to the peripheral rim 25 by means of a self-locking bolt 29. The table top may be provided with a covering 30, as in FIGS. 57, of fabric, plastic or other suitable material.

In accordance with this invention, leg 11 is attached to the underside of table top 10 by hinge H adjacent rim 21, as in FIG. 3, and is adapted to fold so as to extend across a chord of the table, as shown. Leg 12 is attached to the underside of top 10 by hinge H spaced inwardly from leg 11 and mounted adjacent the end thereof when the latter is in folded position, so that leg 12 will lie alongside leg 11 when it is in folded position, but will extend in the opposite direction. Similarly, hinge H, for leg 14 is attached to the underside of top 10 adjacent rim 21 so that leg 14- may be folded inwardly along a chord on the opposite side of the table, but parallel to

legs

11 and 12, while leg 13 is attached by hinge H, to the underside of the table top adjacent but inwardly from the end of leg the case of the rhombus 36 illustrated in FIG. 8.

'not affect the stability of the table.

3 14 when the latter is in folded position, so that leg 14 folds parallel to and alongside leg 13, but extends in the opposite direction. Thus, when the legs are in folded position, they are in a generally rectangular arrangement, i.e., the spacing between hinges H and H or hinges H and H is less than the spacing between hinge pin centerlines and 16 or 17 and 18, as will be evident in FIG. 4. When the legs are in upright position, as in FIGS. 1 and '2, they will be disposed at the corners of a square, as in the usual arrangement, but rather at the corners of a rhombus whose acute and obtuse angles may be fairly close to an angle of 90 and whose longer sides are only slightly greater in length than the shorter sides, as in As will be evident, this variation from a square arrangement will With this arrangement, it does not make any difference which leg is first folded inwardly, since each leg may be folded flat against the underside of the table top; thus, it is not necessary to provide any ltooseness or play in the hinge and lock arrangement to accommodate the folding of one leg on top of another. In addition, the table may be reinforced by a center brace 31 extending diagonally across the table, as shown, attached at each end to the inside of rim in any suitable manner, as by welding, and attached to the underside of the top at the center thereof by an angle bracket 32, in turn attached to the underside of the table top by a countersunk rivet 33 and to brace 31 by a self locking bolt 34. Of course, brace 31 may be parallel to the legs or at a lesser angle to them than shown, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the objects and requirements hereinbefore set forth have been fulfilled to a marked degree. A circular taJble having a diameter of less than the critical diameter necessary to accommodate the legs in a sequential folding arrangement has been provided, in which all the legs fold flat against the underside of the table, through legs arranged ,in parallel pairs with the hinges of the legs of opposite pairs being closer together than the hinges of the legs of the same pair.

Alhtough a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that other embodiments may exist and that various changes and variations may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A circular table having folding legs adapted to fold against the undersurface of the table, and comprising:

a circular top having a peripheral depending rim and a top support brace extending diametrically across the undersurface of the top, with its ends extending substantially to diametrically opposing portions of the rim;

a rectangular array of hinges on the undersurface of the table top and adjacent to the rim, with two diagonally opposing hinges being adjacent to and on opposite sides of the support brace, whereby the brace is oriented substantially on a diagonal with respect to the rectangular array of hinges and with the other two diagonally opposing hinges being remote from the brace;

a leg pivotally mounted upon each hinge and being adapted to swing from a first position depending from the top surface to support the table and to a second position against the undersurfa-ce of the table when folded, said legs being arranged in opposing pairs at each side of the support brace and with the legs of each pair being adapted to fold alongside each other when folded against the underside of the table, with the end of each leg being adjacent to the hinge of the other leg; and

the leg of each pair which is remote from the support brace being folded against the table outwardly from the leg of the pair which is adjacent to the support brace, whereby to permit a maximum possible length of legs without the folded end of a leg remote from the brace lying over the brace.

2. In the table set forth in claim 1, wherein the diameter of the table is less than 1.5 times the height of the table when supported by the legs and the spacing between each hinge of each said pair of legs is greater than the spacing between the said pair of legs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 240,301 4/ 1881 Buss 108-115 1,215,479 2/ 1917 Burrowes 108-127 1,636,912 7/1927 Johnson 108-129 1,820,592 8/1931 Bauer 108-125 1,879,649 9/1932 Wilkinson 108115 2,147,972 2/1939 Edwards 108133 2,660,497 11/1953 Niorquist 108127 2,970,024 1/1961 Urban 108--160 2,977,169 3/1961 Geller 108127 3,125,971 3/1964 Wetherill 108-125 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A CIRCULAR TABLE HAVING FOLDING LEGS ADAPTED TO FOLD AGAINST THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE TABLE, AND COMPRISING: A CIRCULAR TOP HAVING A PERIPHERAL DEPENDING RIM AND TO TOP SUPPORT BRACE EXTENDING DIAMETRICALLY ACROSS THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE TOP, WITH ITS ENDS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSING PORTIONS OF THE RIM; A RECTANGULAR ARRAY OF HINGES ON THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE TABLE TOP AND ADJACENT TO THE RIM, WITH TWO DIAGONALLY OPPOSING HINGES BEING ADJACENT TO AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SUPPORT BRACE, WHEREBY THE BRACE IS ORIENTED SUBSTANTIALLY ON A DIAGONAL WITH RESPECT TO THE RECTANGULAR ARRAY OF HINGES AND WITH THE OTHER TWO DIAGONALLY OPPOSING HINGES BEING REMOTE FROM THE BRACE; A LEG PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON EACH HINGE AND BEING ADAPTED TO SWING FROM A FIRST POSITION DEPENDING FROM THE TOP SURFACE TO SUPPORT THE TABLE AND TO A SECOND POSITION AGAINST THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE TABLE WHEN FOLDED, SAID LEGS BEING ARRANGED IN OPPOSING PAIRS AT EACH SIDE OF THE SUPPORT BRACE AND WITH THE LEGS OF EACH PAIR BEING ADAPTED TO FOLD ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER WHEN FOLDED AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TABLE, WITH THE END OF EACH LEG BEING ADJACENT TO THE HINGE OF THE OTHER LEG; AND THE LEG EACH PAIR WHICH IS REMOTE FROM THE SUPPORT BRACE BEING FOLDED AGAINST THE TABLE OUTWARDLY FROM THE LEG OF THE PAIR WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE SUPPORT BRACE, WHEREBY TO PERMIT A MAXIMUM POSSIBLE LENGTH OF LEGE WITHOUT THE FOLDED END OF A LEG REMOTE FROM THE BRACE LYING OVER THE BRACE.