US3894496A

US3894496A - Folding lawn chair table

Info

Publication number: US3894496A
Application number: US398309A
Authority: US
Inventors: James F Phillips; Robert H Shipley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-09-18
Filing date: 1973-09-18
Publication date: 1975-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-15

Abstract

A table, supported at one end with a telescopically-adjustable leg, is provided with a rotationally-adjustable clip means for attachment to an arm or the side seat frame member. The novelty thus allows attachment of a table to the side of a lawn chair or lounge of any make at either arm rest or seat height.

Description

United States atet 1 1 Phillips et al. 1 1 July 15, 1975 1 FOLDING LAWN CHAIR TABLE 1,444,758 2/1923 Traylor 108/48 1,753,875 4/1930 Baumann 248/103 [76] Inventors: James F. Phillips, 3610 E. 81st St.; 1,859320 5/1932 Wetmore n log/1 15 Robert p y 9 81st 1,905,219 4/1933 Crichton. 108/125 both of Clevelan h10 44105 2,804,126 8/1957 Pa1mer.... 297/160 2,833,608 /1958 Tobias 108/44 [22] Sept 1973 2,949,692 8/1960 Kuhn 403 348 x 2 1 App]. 39 309 3,057,670 /1962 Russo 108/48 3,239,272 3/1966 Wilkins 297/ X [52] US. Cl 108/50; 297/135 Primary Emml-ner ]ameS McCall [51] Int. C1. A47B 39/00 [58] Field of Search 108/44, 42, 144, 115, 50,

108/152; 24/81 BA; 297/135, 170, 160, 188, [57] ABSTRACT 194; 403 350 34 351 104 377 106 109 A table, supported at one end with a telescopically- 3 2; 24 /22 1 22 E, 201 1832 adjustable leg, is provided with a rotationallyadjustable clip means for attachment to an arm or the [56] References Cited side seat frame member. The novelty thus allows at- UNITED STATES PATENTS tachment of a table to the side of a lawn chair or lounge of any make at either arm rest or seat height. 665,672 l/l Downcy 248/226 E 1,403,317 1/1922 Gross 108/44 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures FOLDING LAWN CHAIR TABLE This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to patio and garden furniture accessories.

A principal object of the present invention is to pro-' vide a side table for easy attachment to a lawn chair arm or seat.

Another object is to provide a table of any design, style and finish suited to lawn furniture which has at one end a pivoting telescoping leg and at the other end a rotationally adjustable bracket that mounts two clips. The table is set against an arm of the chair by engaging the clips.

The telescoping leg is folded out, extended to support the table level from the ground and the telescoped position is locked by turning the rotatable section of the leg. Finally, for leveling front to back independent of the tilt of the side arm, the table is simply turned level and the clip bracket tightened. The same procedure is followed if it is desired to attach the table to the side frame of the seat.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a table of the type described that folds compactly for storage when not in use.

Yet another object is to provide a construction of good appearance that uses a minimum of material and hardware thereby making the table attractive to a wide market.

A further object is to provide a simple telescoping leg locking means that calls for no extra parts which spoil the clean appearance of the leg, add to the cost, the nuisance of adjustment and possibilities of corrosion.

These and other objects will become evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view partially exploded of the side table, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan section view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the side table in use, and an alternate installation shown in dot-dash outline.

Tables presently in use with patio and lawn furniture are unsatisfactory for one or more of the following reasons:

They are relatively costly, do not storage well or are a nuisance in folding for storage, or used separately from the lawn chair creating hazards and difficulty in leveling, particularly since drinks or other liquids are usually placed thereon, as the parts are subject to wear and corrosion, quickly spoiling the appearance of the table and ultimately leading to nusiance repairs or discard or the table is of one fixed height limiting its usefulness to either a sitting-up position or to a lounging or lying position. The present invention describes a table that is quickly set up or dismounted, is completely rigid being firmly attached to the chair and can be made to look well in harmony with any style of lawn furniture.

Referring to the figures and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a table 10, according to the invention, comprises a table assembly 1 l, a clip-mounting bracket 12 and assembling hardware 13.

Table 11 is provided with a hinge 14 that pivots a telescoping leg 15. At the end of table 11 opposite to hinge 14 a bearing block 17 has a central bore 18. Clip means 12 shows a block 19 to which are attached two clips 20. Further, block 19 is provided with a central bore 21. A bolt 22a and a nut 22b secures block 19 against block 17 tightly after adjustment. It should be noted that a simple change in this hardware makes the table easily adjustable if it is to be moved from one chair to another or if the chair in use changes the tilt of the side arms and/or the seat when the back is adjusted. For this purpose, nut 22b is simply replaced by a winged nut.

Telescoping leg 15 comprises a slightly eliptical outer tube 16a and a similar inner tube section 16b. With the long axes of the two eliptical sections at 90 to each other as seen in FIG. 2, the sections easily slide on each other. A twist out of the 90 orientation is sufficient to clamp the legs securely at any point along its length.

Referring in particular to FIG. 3, a lawn chair 24 having side arms 25 and side seat supports 26 shows the invention in use. Clips 20 are snapped on to side support 26 and leg 15 is adjusted and locked to support the table level in a left to right position. If support 26 is not level, table 11 is turned forcibly until it is level front to back. Or as alternately described, the table is turned freely and the winged nut tightened.

When removing the table for storage, leg 15 is turned into a flush position where it is engaged by a clip 23.

Reference to the dot-dash outline in FIG. 3 makes obvious the application of the invention to a side arm rest 25.

What I now claim is:

l. A table assembly for use in association with a chair having a seat and an arm disposed above the seat, said table assembly comprising panel means having a top side for supporting an article, leg means pivotally connected with a bottom side of said panel means adjacent to a first edge portion of said panel means for engaging a support surface at a location spaced apart from the chair to partially support said panel means in a generally horizontal orientation, said leg means being axially extendable between a storage condition in which said leg means has a first length, a first operating condition in which said leg means has a second length which is longer than said first length and corresponds to the distance between the chair seat and the support surface, and a second operating condition in which said leg means has a third length which is longer than said second length and corresponds to the distance between the chair arm and the support surface, first clip means adjacent to a second edge portion of said panel means at a location spaced apart from said leg means for engaging the chair seat when said leg means is in the first operating condition to further support said panel means in a horizontal orientation adjacent to the chair seat and for engaging the chair arm when said leg means is in the second operating condition to further support said panel means in a horizontal orientation adjacent to the chair arm, said firstclip means including a longitudinally extending support member disposed adjacent'to said second edge portion of said panel means and a pair of spaced apart clip elements con-,

- the second operating condition and single pivot means for pivotally connecting said support member to said panel means and for enabling said support member to pivot about a single axis extending perpendicular to said second edge portion of said panel means to enable second operating condition to keep the top of the table level when said clip elements are in engagement with an inclined chair seat and alternatively to keep the top of the table level when said clip elements are in engagement with an inclined chair arm.

Claims

1. A table assembly for use in association with a chair having a seat and an arm disposed above the seat, said table assembly comprising panel means having a top side for supporting an article, leg means pivotally connected with a bottom side of said panel means adjacent to a first edge portion of said panel means for engaging a support surface at a location spaced apart from the chair to partially support said panel means in a generally horizontal orientation, said leg means being axially extendable between a storage condition in which said leg means has a first length, a first operating condition in which said leg means has a second length which is longer than said first length and corresponds to the distance between the chair seat and the support surface, and a second operating condition in which said leg means has a third length which is longer than said second length and corresponds to the distance between the chair arm and the support surface, first clip means adjacent to a second edge portion of said panel means at a location spaced apart from said leg means for engaging the chair seat when said leg means is in the first operating condition to further support said panel means in a horizontal orientation adjacent to the chair seat and for engaging the chair arm when said leg means is in the second operating condition to further support said panel means in a horizontal orientation adjacent to the chair arm, said first clip means including a longitudinally extending support member disposed adjacent to said second edge portion of said panel means and a pair of spaced apart clip elements connected to said support member for engaging the chair seat at spaced apart locations when said leg means is in the first operating condition and for engaging the chair arm at spaced apart locations when said leg means is in the second operating condition and single pivot means for pivotally connecting said support member to said panel means and for enabling said support member to pivot about a single axis extending perpendicular to said second edge portion of said panel means to enable said clip elements to Engage spaced apart portions of the chair seat regardless of the inclination of the chair seat when said leg means is in the first operating condition and to enable said clip elements to engage spaced apart portions of the chair arm regardless of the inclination of the chair arm when said leg means is in the second operating condition to keep the top of the table level when said clip elements are in engagement with an inclined chair seat and alternatively to keep the top of the table level when said clip elements are in engagement with an inclined chair arm.