US3602569A

US3602569A - Concealed folding table

Info

Publication number: US3602569A
Application number: US830477A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard Caputo
Original assignee: Trojan Horse Designers Inc
Current assignee: Trojan Horse Designers Inc
Priority date: 1969-06-04
Filing date: 1969-06-04
Publication date: 1971-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-31

Abstract

A concealed folding table is provided for mounting on a wall or other upright support. A fixed shelf section is mountable on a wall and has hinged along the bottom thereof a table section foldable flush against the front of the shelf section when closed in place. A leg section is hinged to the upper part of the table section and serves to support the table when open. The leg section nests within a cooperating frame on the table section when folded to give the appearance of a conventional framed picture or the like.

Description

United States Patent 312/314X 108/33 108/33 l08/48X 108/48 3l2/314X m ym .S kommmm mmanme fa fl.w n BLDPSF 66723 22556 999999 111111 Ill/ll 826 80 1 1 1 463458 650742 503605 9 3 50 Ill-.1223 m m o M mm 1 w mm m s n M m m Mea -AT Q do m N mm H ln na e P e 1 AFPA 11.1.1 2 1:253 7 2247 .1 1.1.11

Bmdord Mass Primary Examiner-lames T. McCall Attorney-Mo'rse, Altman & Oates [54] CONCEALED FOLDING TABLE 2 Claims,4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A concealed folding table is provided for mount- 312/314 ing on a wall or other upright support. A fixed shelf section is [51] Int. A47b 77/10 mountable on a wall and has hinged along the bottom h f [50] Field of 312/313, 3 table section f ld bl fl h against the f m f h h lf tion when closed in place. A leg section is hinged to the upper part of the table section and serves to support the table when open. The leg section nests within a cooperating frame on the table section when folded to give the appearance of a conventional framed picture or the like.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Des. 157,781 3/1950 Pahlmann.........,...........

PATENTED M1831 Ian INVLNT OR BERNARD CAPUTO ATTORNEYS CONCEALED FOLDING TABLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to furniture products and more particularly is directed towards a concealed folding table mountable to a wall or the like.

2. History of the Prior Art Various types of folding tables, desks, bars and the like have been available for many years. However, furniture of this type generally involves free standing floor consoles or built-in units both of which generally are quite large and expensive and occupy a considerable amount of floor space. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide. a low cost, compact wall-mounted folding table which, when closed, has its table characteristics concealed by nesting of the movable components into one another to present the appearance of a simple framed decoration such as a has-relief scene, painting or the like. Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved folding table which provides firm support for the table section when. opened and includes shelves for storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a foldingtable made according to the invention, in a closed and concealed condition,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken alongthe line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the FIG. 1 unit but in a partly open condition, and, 7

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the table in a fully open condition- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a concealedfolding table mountable on a wall 12 or other vertical support and having the outward appearance of a conventional framed work of art 14 which may be a painting, relief design or other decoration as desired. The

table is formed with three major sections namely, a fixed'shelf section 16, a hinged table section 18 and a hinged leg section 20, the-lower end of the table section 18 being hinged to the base of the shelf section and the upper end of the leg section 20 being hinged to the upper part of the table. section in the manner illustrated. The shelf section is fixed to the wall by any suitable hanging means and is'comprised of relatively shallow shelves 22 mounted-between the

opposing sidewalls

24 and 26 with top and

bottom walls

28 and 30 completing the shelf structure.

As shown best in FIG. 2 the table section 18is connected to the lower edge of the bottom wall 30 of the shelf section by means of hinges 32. The tablev section 18 is provided with a flat working surface 34 which may be covered with a protective laminated plastic stratum such' as that sold under the trademark F ormica," for example-,.which material is hard, stain resistant, smooth and presents a tough, longwearing finish, Other materials obviously may be employed to advantage. The table section 18 is hinged to the cabinet section so as to closeflat against the front of the shelf section as shown in FIGS. 1

and 2 or to open at right angles thereto to present a horizontally extending functionaltable as shown in FIG. 4. The table section is held in a closed. position by any suitable latching means and for this purpose amagnetic element 36 is fixed to the forward edge of the top wall 28 of the shelf section for locking action with a cooperating ferromagnetic insert 38 in the upper margin of the table section 18.

On the front or lower face of the table section 18 there is mounted a molding 40 forming the outer part of a frame and defining a shallow recess 42 in the bottom or front face of the table section and into which the leg section 20 nests when the table is in a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 2). Preferably, the inner edge of the molding 40 is flat and perpendicular to the face of the table section and the frame defined by the molding 40 is so dimensioned that when the leg section 20 is nested within the recess 42 there will be very little clearance between the inner edge or face of the molding 20 and the outer edge or face of the molding 44 mounted about the front marginal edges of the rectangular leg section 20. As shown best in FIG. 2 the

moldings

40 and 44 are designed with longitudinal grooves in such a way that when the moldings nest within one another they present the appearance of a single unitary molding, thus giving to the unit the appearance of a conventional work of art as in FIG. 1.

The leg section 20 is comprised of a rectangular panel 46 to which the molding 44 is mounted and on the front face of which is applied the design 14 which may be an oil canvas, relief figurine, or any other desired decoration. The leg section 20 is connected at its upper corners to the upper outer portion of the table section by means of concealed pivots 48 mounted on the inner face of the molding 40 so as to be hidden from view. In practice, the leg section'20 is reinforced by means of a folding strut 50 extending diagonally between the table section and the leg section and adapted to fold into a cooperating recess 52 formed in the inner edge of the molding 44 on the sideof the table section.

The folding table is used by mounting the fixed shelf section to the wall to a height at which the working surface of the table section will be horizontal and with the leg section 20 bearing against the floor in the manner shown in FIG. 4. The folding table provides a very neat, compact unit which may be readily opened or closed by merely swinging the table section into or out of closed position, allowing the leg section to swing out by gravity and down for opening or folding back for closing. When in a closed position the leg section nests neatly within the framed recess of the table section to be hidden from view and'to present, on inspection, a conventional framedart work on the wall. The unit takes up very little space, projecting out from the wall only several inches or so, and it may be conveniently mounted anywhere in a room without interfering with passage through the room or with other furniture. The unit may be mounted above a buffet or low console, for example, and may be opened without interfering with the furniture underneath.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. For example, the shelf section can be formed with or without a rear wall. Also the shelf section maybe made triangular for mounting the unit in the'corner of a room. Instead of mounting the unit on a wall, it may be supported between a pair of telescopic floor to ceiling poles and used as a room divider or the like.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A concealed folding table mountable to a vertical support and at a height raised above afloor, comprising a. a fixed shelf section adapted to be mounted to said vertical support, 1

b. a movable table section hinged on one side and along one end to the lower portion of said shelf section,

0. a solid and'substantially fiat movable leg section substantially coextensive with said table section and hinged at its upper end to the other endand opposite side of said table section.

D. said table section being at least coextensive with said shelf section to fully span said shelf section when folded thereagainst and including half molding extending about the margins of said opposite side,

said table section molding defining a shallow recess on said opposite side thereof and said leg section being of a thickness substantially corresponding to the depth of said recess,

. said leg section including half molding extending about the margins thereof and dimensioned to nest within the

Claims

1. A concealed folding table mountable to a vertical support and at a height raised above a floor, comprising a. a fixed shelf section adapted to be mounted to said vertical support, b. a movable table section hinged on one side and along one end to the lower portion of said shelf section, c. a solid and substantially flat movable leg section substantially coextensive with said table section and hinged at its upper end to the other end and opposite side of said table section. D. said table section being at least coextensive with said shelf section to fully span said shelf section when folded thereagainst and including half molding extending about the margins of said opposite side, e. said table section molding defining a shallow recess on said opposite side thereof and said leg section being of a thickness substantially corresponding to the depth of said recess, f. said leg section including half molding extending about the margins thereof and dimensioned to nest within the molding of said table section, said leg section molding mating with said table section molding to present an apparent unitary molding when nested, and, g. means for restraining said table section in closed position flush against said shelf section.

2. A concealed folding table according to claim 1 where said leg section is hinged to said table section within said recess.