US3530804A - Table with readily attachable legs - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Oscar E. Broome 16930Sorrento, Detroit, Michigan 48235 [21] Appl. No. 733,012 [22] Filed May 29, 1968 [45] Patented Sept. 29, 1970 [54] TABLE WITH READILY ATTACHABLE LEGS 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 108/156 [51] Int. Cl A471) 3/06 [50] Field of Search 108/156;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,079,120 2/1963 Schwartz 248/188 3,089,730 5/1963 Mauser 248/188 3,092,406 6/1963 Wasserstrom 248/188 3,322,384 5/1967 Rodwell 248/188 3,391,660 7/1968 Stewart 248/1888 FOREIGN PATENTS 315,278 9/1956 Switzerland 108/156 Primary E.raminer-James T. McCall Attorneys-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A table top provided at its corners with brackets each embodying a mounting plate secured to the coacting underneath surface by screw threaded headed fasteners. A centrally apertured well-like depression has an angularly welded stud telescoping into the upper hollow end portion of a detachable leg. The latter portion has a row of longitudinally spaced indentations providing yielding friction-retained detents.

Patented Sept. 29, 1970 Fig] Oscar E Q Broome I INVENTOR.

BY Ammq:

TABLE WITH READILY ATTACIIABLE LEGS The present invention relates, broadly construed, to knockdown furniture and has reference, more particularly stated, to readily attachable and detachable legs.

Briefly the leg assembly is characterized by two component parts, that is, a unique bracket having a depending adapter stud or connector, and a tubular leg the hollow upper end portion of which permits the stud to be fitted telescopingly therein. To the ends desired one side or wall portion of the upper hollow portion of the leg is provided with a row of Iongitudinally spaced indentations which constitute detents. These detents are slightly springy in character and function to maintain the desired quick attachable and detachable connection between the leg and stud.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are aware that many and varied styles and forms of readily attachable and detachable leg supporting devices are provided at corner portions of articles of furniture more particularly knockdown compact and convenient tables. An object of the present invention is to improve upon prior art adaptations and, in so doing, to provide a construction which is simple, practical and convenient and well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

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:

FIG. I is a view in side elevation ofa knockdown table constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a corner portion and one of the improved legs with theleg detached.

FIG. 3 is a view in section and elevation based on FIG. 2 and showing the leg in its attached ready-to-use position.

Referring now to the views of the drawing the aforementioned table top is denoted by the numeral 6 and is here illustrated as of any suitable size, shape and material. It can be assumed for convenience that the table top is rectangular in plan. It is provided with a flat utility surface 8 and a flat underneath surface 10. Assuming that the table is rectangular it will be evident that each corner portion is provided with leg means referred to as a leg assembly. This assembly is the same at each corner portion in the manner shown at the left in FIG. 2. The bracket or fixture in each instance is denoted by the numeral l2 and comprises a generally square flat-faced mounting plate 14 whose corner portions 16 are apertured to accommodate headed attaching and retaining screws 18. The central portion of the plate is provided with a circular well-like depression 20 having a centralized opening 22 for reception of the cooperating upper end portion 24 of a depending angularly pitched adapter stud 26. More specifically the upper end extends through the aperture 22 where it is welded in place in the recessed portion as at 27. It follows that the aforementioned bracket or fixture is characterized by the screw attached plate with its well-like component and the integrally fastened depending stud 26. This construction and arrangement lends itself to practical use in conjunction with an attachable and detachable tubular leg 28. The lower end of the leg is provided with an appropriate cap 30 providing a surface contacting foot. The upper hollow portion provides a socket, as at 32 for telescoping reception of the stud. It will be noted that the stud is of a cross section slightly less than the cross section of the hollow portion of the leg and has a blunt lower end 34. This difference in dimension between the coacting parts serves to permit the use of a row of longitudinally spaced slightly resilient indentations. These indentations provide attaching and retaining detents 36 which frictionally engage the stud in the manner brought out aptly in FIG. 3.

It is within the purview of the invention to use metal component parts, that is a metal bracket 12 and a metal stud 26. The same holds true of the metal tube or leg 28.

Experience has shown that the row of detents 36 provides a reliable but separable connection between the leg 28 and the stud 26.

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.

lclaim:

I. In combination, a tabletop having a corner portion provided with a generally flat underneath surface, a leg mounting and retaining bracket embodying a plate having a surface superimposed upon a predetermined area of said underneath surface, said plate having corner portions provided with screw holes for passage of coacting shank portions of attaching and retaining screws, said plate having an axial depending well-like depression, said depression having a central opening, a stud having an upper end extending through said opening and terminating within the confines of the recess of said depression and secured to coacting component portions of said well-like depression by a collar-like weld encircling said upper end and confined within the limits of said recess, the major portion of said stud depending below the bottom of said depression, and an attachable and detachable leg, said leg having an upper end portion and being provided on one side proximal to said upper end portion with a plurality of indentations defining inwardly projecting detents, said stud being fitted telescopingly into said upper end, said detents being frictionally and releasably engageable with a coacting surface portion of said stud.

2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein said detents are arranged in longitudinal row alignment, are spaced apart and have convex surfaces engaging the aforementioned coacting surface portion of said stud.

3. A leg assembly designed and adapted for use on an underneath corner portion of an article of furniture, for example, a tabletop, comprising a bracket characterized by a plate having a marginal surface portion which is adapted to be superimposed upon a predetermined area of the-surface with which it is cooperable, said plate having corner portions provided with readily accessible plate attaching fasteners, said plate having an axial depending well-like depression, said well-like depression having a centralized opening, a stud cylindrical in cross section and having an upper end extending through said opening and terminating within the confines of the recess of the depression and being welded to coacting component portions of said depression, a major portion of said stud depending below the bottom of said depression, and a readily attachable and detachable leg, said leg having a tubular upper end portion, said stud fitting telescopingly into said upper end portion, said upper end portion being provided on one side with a row of longitudinally spaced indentations projecting into the upper portion of the leg and constituting stud positioning and retaining detents, the surfaces of the detents which are cooperable with said leg being convexly rounded and frictionally and releasably engageable with coacting surface portions of said stud.

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