US499599A - Folding table - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. SGHUMAOHER.

FOLDING TABLE No. 499,599. Patented June 13, 1-893.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. No Model.) N. MAOHER.

FOLDING TABLE. I w No. 499,599; I Patented June 13, 1893.

THE cams FETERQ co, mmouwmwunmmou. n. c.

v, UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE.

NICOLAS SCHUMACHER, OF LA MOTTE, IOWA.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 499,599, dated June 13, 1893.

' Application filed December 24:, 1892. Serial No. 456,289. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NICOLAS SCHUMAOHER, (who have declared my intention to become a citizen of the United States, but am now a citizen of Luxemburg, Germany,) residing at La Motte, in the county of Jackson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to folding tables which can be used for dining as well as writing purposes and when not in usecan be packed into a very small space, and it consists in certain novel means for raising and lowering the leaves of the table, and holding them at any desired position; means for turning the legs inward and outward simultaneously and automatically in the operation of lowering and raising the leaves of the table; in certain novel constructions and arrangements of drawer compartments and in certain other novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved table, the the legs being shown turnedinward in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the table showing in full lines one leaf of the table raised, and the other lowered and also one of the drawer compartments turned down and one of the feet turned outward; and by dotted lines one of the leaves raised and a drawer compartment turned down and a foot turned outward. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line ww of Fig. 1 through the table below the leaves and looking upward, the leaves being up, and Fig. 4 is a similar section looking downward.

A in the drawings represents myimproved table which, as heretofore stated, may be used as a dining table for household and picnic purposes or a writing table, the construction being such as to readily adapt it for both purposes.

B is a rectangular upright frame consisting of vertical side standards 12, b to which the journaled legs having rigid, laterally swing- .a person may be sitting.

ing feet are attached and also the vertically swinging leaves of the table; a central vertical standard I) and horizontal upper and lower connecting bars b b the lower bar having movingly secured to it the drawer compartments 0, C in a manner as will now be described.

One or both of the drawer compartments may be as represented by O which is hinged or journaled at its lower end in suitable brackets c and is adapted to be swung up and down and drawn out transversely by means of side guide rods 0' which pass through eyes on the sides of the drawer and are journaled at their lower ends in the brackets c and provided at their upper or outer ends with stops 0 which preventthe drawer being drawn outward too far and becoming disconnected from the table. By having the drawers 0 j ou'rnaled as shown they can be lowered and raised from either side of the table, and by providing catches or buttons 0 on each side of the upper horizontal bar 11 the drawers can be locked from both sides of the table. The drawers 0 are made with. removable tops and bottoms so that convenient access can be had to the interior of the same no matter on which side of the table The drawerif not constructed as represented by 0 might be as shown by O'in which they are shown as journaled at their rear edge at top and bottom so as to have a laterally swinging movement and adapted to be operated from either side of the table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The central vertical standard I) is provided with a notched guide D which consists of a metal strip or bar d secured to the standard and extending practically the entire length of the same and formed with one or more notches d; and a strip or bar at? secured in front of said bar d at bottom and top with a space between the two bars or strips which forms a guide way for the passage of a support E secured on the under side of theleaf of the table in such a manner so as to have its free end move up and down in the guide as a leaf of the table is raised and lowered. A guide is placed on each side of the vertical standard and the other leaf of the table similarly connected therewith. When a leaf is raised to the de sired plane, the free end of the support E is placed in the proper notch and the leaf held and supported in that position. I have shown two notches, the upper one located at such a height that when the support is placed in the same the top surfaces of the leaves of the table will be perfectly level and in a condition to be used for dining purposes; and when placed in the lower notch the surface of the table will be slightly inclined and can then be conveniently used for writing purposes. A U shaped spring F is secured on the vertical standard just above the upper end of the guide E and has a pressure upon the support E to hold it in one of the notches of the guide. When it is desired to incline a leaf or lower it entirely, it is simply necessary to raise the free end of the support and pass it over the end of the notch and allow it to move down between the two strips or bars (1, 01 and by reversing the operation the leaves of the table can be raised and held in any position desired.

The legs G are journaled at top and bottom in brackets g, g on the side standards I), h and provided with transversely set rigid feet which are moved inward and outward as the legs are turned. The legs are provided near their tops with curved hooking arms 9' and the under side of the leaves of the table near where they are hinged are provided with downwardly projecting pieces 9 which are loosely socketed in base plates g while their lower ends are embraced by the curved arms g-. The turning of the feet inward and outward is done simultaneously and automatically as the leaves of the table are raised and E centrally arranged frame, hinged leaves prolowered. \Vhen one or both of the leaves are lowered, the downwardly extending pieces connected therewith will be also lowered,and the leaf or leaves coming in contact with the curved arms will force them and the feet connected therewith inward; and in raising the leaves, the downwardly projecting pieces coming in contact with the curved arms will force them and the feet'connected therewith outward. The feet are turned at such an angle that the table will stand steadily whether one or both of the leaves are raised or lowered. Where the under side of the leaves come in contact with the upper curved portions of the legs a suitable metal wear plate may be provided.

To prevent the feet being turned inward too far, suitable stops are provided at the lower end of the vertical side standards I) b of theframe B, as shown.

MV table'is simple in construction and operation, durable and when not in use can be folded into a small space for shipment or storing.

What I claim asmy invention 1s- 1. In a folding table, the combination of a suitable, centrally located frame, a hinged leaf or leaves, legsjournaled on said frame and provided at their lower ends with laterally proj ecting feet and at their upper ends with outwardly extending arms, whereby when a leaf or leaves are lowered they will strike the outwardly extending arms at the upper ends of the legs and force the feet connected to the legs, inward, substantially as described.

2. In a folding table, the combination of a centrally arranged frame, hinged leaves, downwardly and outwardly projecting bars secured to the under side of the leaves of the table, legs journaled on the frame and provided at their lower ends with laterally projecting feet and at their upper ends with outwardly extending arms which engage the bars depending from the under side of the table and are adapted to be struck by the leaves of the table in the act of lowering the same, whereby the feet are simultaneously and automatically turned inward, substantially as described.

3. In a table provided with a hinged leaf and folding feet, the combination of a centrally and vertically arranged stationary frame, a notched space guide vertically secured to said guide, a leaf support attached by one of its ends to the under side of theleaf while its free end engages said guide and is adapted to operate in the same, the guide being constructed of two fiat spaced bars, one of which is. provided with notches; and a spring for holding the support in engagement with a notch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l. In a folding table, the combination of a vided on their under sides with supports, legs journaled on the frame and provided at their lower ends with laterally projecting feet and at their upper ends with outwardly extending arms, the feet being adapted to be turned inward and outward in the act of lowering and raising the leaves of the table, and a notched guide on the frame which is engaged by the support and adapted to operate in the same, substantially as described.

5. A table provided with a centrally arcess had to the same from either side of the table and to be drawn outward by means of rods extending along and attached to the side of the drawer and forming at their lower ends journals for the drawer to swing upon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NICOLAS SOHUMACHER.

Witnesses:

MONROE M. CADY, A. HANAPEL.

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' ranged frame to which a drawer compartment is journaled in such a manner as to be capable of being moved in and outward and ac-

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