US3418950A

US3418950A - Convertible drop leaf coffee and dinner table

Info

Publication number: US3418950A
Application number: US616911A
Authority: US
Inventors: Catherine C Hubbell; Elmer V Pennell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-02-17
Filing date: 1967-02-17
Publication date: 1968-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-31

Description

c. c. HUBBELL ET AL 3,418,950

CONVERTIBLE DROP LEAF COFFEE AND DINNER TABLE Filed Feb. 17, 1967 Sheet of 3 Ticinl. 7 I Ticrl'i.

Ill

INVENTOR Dec. 31, 1968 c c HUBBELL ET AL 3,418,950

CONVERTIBLE DROP LEAF COFFEE AND DINNER TABLE Arm/ems) Dec. 31, 1968 c. c. HUBBELL. ET AL 3,413,950

CONVERTIBLE DROP LEAF COFFEE AND DINNER TABLE United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Drop leaf table top raised and lowered by a pair of opposed toggle forming links with springs connected to straighten the toggles to raise the table top, links extending from the toggles to raise the leaves and releasable locking devices for securing the table in the raised or lowered positions.

The objects of this invention have been to provide a practical form of table which could be quickly, and with very little effort, converted from a low coffee table to an upright dinner table and which would be free of any complicated or otherwise objectionable operating mechanism.

In summary, this has been accomplished by mounting the table top for vertical movement in respect to a supporting cabinet base and connecting the top with the base through the medium of extensible toggles acted upon by springs connected to effect the straightening, top lifting extensive movement of the toggles.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a table embodying the invention in lowered position with the leaves dropped.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the table with the leaves down.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the table in raised position with the leaves open and one door of the cabinet base open; showing folding chairs stored therein.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the raised table with leaves extended.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view on larger scale, on substantially the plane of the line-55 of FIG. 3 in raised position with the drop leaves spread.

FIG. 6 is a broken vertical sectional view on substantially the plane of line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the parts in the lowered coifee table position, with the leaves dropped.

FIG. 8 is a broken horizontal sectional view on substantially the plane of line 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of one of the folding chairs forming part of the table set.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of one of the chairs in an intermediate folding position.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing the chair completely folded ready to go into one of the cupboards in the base of the table.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the base of the table is in-the form of a cabinet 15, having a midsection 16, containing the operating mechanism and

side sections

17, 18 providing cupboards with

doors

19, 20, for stowing the folding chairs used with the table.

The table top 21, having hinged

drop leaves

22, 23 at the sides, is carried by

dependent panels

24, 25 spaced to contain the lifting and lowering mechanism and arranged to slide in

vertical guides

26, 27, provided in the base or cabinet structure.

Lifting and lowering of the table top is effected by a pair of opposed toggles; the one at the left in FIG. 7 made up of upper and

lower links

28, 29, pivoted together at their inner ends at and the one at the right consisting of upper and

lower links

31, 32, pivoted together at the center at 33, with the lower ends of the lower links pivoted in the base on a common center 34 and the upper ends of the upper links pivoted in a channel or angle iron 35 on the underside of the top on a common center 36.

The

lower links

29 and 32 are tensioned in a toggle straightening direction, FIG. 5, by

springs

37, 38 connected with the lower links at 39, 40 and anchored to the base at 41, 42.

The toggles are prevented from going past a dead center position by an adjustable stop 43 on lower link 29, engageable with the opposite lower link 32, FIG. 5.

The lower links of the toggles are shown as having inwardly

angled extensions

44, 45 at their upper ends, to the ends of which are pivotally connected at 46, 47, the

curved links

48 and 49, pivotally connected at their outer ends at 50, 51 with the

drop leaves

23 and 22.

The toggles are thus made to lift the drop leaves to fully elevated horizontal position as the top reaches the upper level.

The table is preferably locked in the upper raised position by suitable locking means, shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 as a hook 54, pivoted at 81, on the upper toggle link 28, tensioned by spring 82 to engage a keeper plate on the other upper toggle link 31.

The lock is released by spring

tensioned levers

56 and 57, pivoted at 73 and 74 on brackets 75 and 76 on the base and which are joined at their inner ends by pin and slot connection 77.

The outer ends of these trip levers are joined by wires 52 to

finger pulls

53 and 78 in accessible position beneath the

drop leaves

22 and 23.

A stop plate 79 on bracket 75 limits upward movement of trip lever 56 and a plate 80 on the trip lever 57 holds the hook lever 54 in position to engage keeper 55, FIG. 5.

The table may be lowered to coffee table height by tripping either one of the

triggers

53 or 78, causing one of the wires 52 to raise the outer end of one of the trip levers 56, 57 and which being pivoted together at their inner ends at 77, will both rock downward at their inner ends, causing plate 80 on lever 57 to rock the hook lever 54 upward and free of the keeper plate 55, allowing the table then to lower. The table will then stay in its lowered position by its own weight, against the lifting tendency of the springs.

The chairs are specially made to fold into flat compact mass as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, with the seat 58 carrying double ended brackets 59 to the upper ends of which the backs 60 are pivoted at 61, and to the lower ends of which the back legs'62 are pivoted at 63.

The front legs 64 are pivoted to the seat at 65 and connected by rearward extending pivot links 66 with the extended lower end portions 67 of the back so that as the front legs are hinged up under the seat, FIG. 10, links 66 will fold the back down over top of the seat and conversely when the back is lifted it will automatically lower the front legs into supporting position where then they are firmly held by inclined braces 68, pivoted to the

links

66 and 69 and to the back legs at 70.

The back legs 62 fold up fiat beneath the folded front legs 64 as shown in FIG. 11, so that these chairs in folded position may readily he slipped on edge into and out of the cupboards in the base.

The chairs are retained in the unfolded open position, FIG. 10, by stops 71 on the backs engaging the brackets 59, when parts are fully extended.

The table and chairs are attractive in appearance and of relatively simple low cost construction.

Operating parts of the table are concealed and protected.

In lowered position, the table top seats on top of the cabinet base and in raised position the top is braced by the side panels which slide in the guides in the base and by the braces supporting the extended drop leaves, so the table is rigid and firm in both positions of use.

The raising and lowering action is smooth and free since the springs substantially counter-balance and enable the top to be lifted with very slight effort.

The top is automatically locked in the raised position and so can be lowered only by definite intention and not by accident.

Releasable locking means may be provided for positively securing the table in the lowered position, though this may not be considered necessary, since the weight of the top ordinarily may be sufficient to hold it down solidly on the base.

The two spring extended toggles in opposed relation provide in compact form all necessary power for easily lifting the top and extending the drop leaves.

The chairs fold into a flat compact bundle of minimum thickness consisting simply of the four layers made up of the back, the seat and the front and back legs, so as to take up little space and be stored on edge in small cupboard space.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible table, comprising a cabinet structure,

laterally spaced upright parallel guiding and stabilizing panel members slidingly guided for vertical rising and lowering movement in said cabinet structure,

a table top carried by said panel members and designed to rest on top of the cabinet structure in the lowered position of said members,

a pair of upright toggles in opposed relation in the space between said panel members,

said opposed upright toggles consisting of upper toggle links pivoted to said table top at the upper ends and lower toggle links pivoted at their upper ends to the lower ends of the upper links to form the center joints of the toggles and pivoted at their lower ends to the cabinet structure, whereby straightening movement of the toggles will effect upward extension of the toggles to lift the table top. spring means applying yielding force to effect straightening and table top lifting movement of the toggles, locking means for automatically securing the toggles in the upper table top lifted position and readily accessible means for releasing said locking means to permit lowering movement of the top against the lifting force exerted by said spring means. 2. The invention according to claim 1, with drop leaves hung from opposite sides of the top and pivoted links extending from the central portions of the toggle links at one side of the table to drop leaves at the opposite side of the table, so that straightening movement of the toggle at one side will have the effect of lifting the drop leaf at the opposite side of the table.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 735,277 8/1903 Lehmann 312 235 X 2,190,498 2/1940 Williams l08--81 2,225,306 12/1940 Kovats 29747 2,602,716 7/1952 Muth 10877 3,152,833 10/1964 Creveling et al 297140 FOREIGN PATENTS 727,726 4/ 1955 Great Britain.