US557044A

US557044A - Convertible table and kit-case

Info

Publication number: US557044A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1913-03-24

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

, WEE. BAXTER CONVERTIBLE TABLE ANDKIT CASE.

No; 557,044. I Patented Mar. 24,1896.

Agumtw BAHAKAMPHUTO-LTTNQWASHINGTDMRC.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. E. BAXTER. GONVBRTIBLE TABLE AND KIT GASE. I I No. 557,044. Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

WITNESSES:

A 77001145 rs.

INOREW RGRANAM, PNUTO-UI'NJWASKIHETUN. I:v

UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM E. BAXTER, OF FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY.

CONVERTIBLE TABL E AND KIT-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 557,044, dated March 24, 1896. Application filed February 18, 1895. Serial No. 538,851. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. BAXTER, of Frankfort, in the county of Franklin and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Convertible Table and Kit-Case, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a convertible table and kit case or box, and has for an object to provide a simple and inexpensive structure which can be folded into form to senve as a box or case for the papers or books of an army offieer, to inclose the utensils comprising a kit and the table legs and braces, or into form to serve as a fiat or grass table or an elevated table, as may be desired; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions, combination and arrangements of parts, as willbe hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing the box closed and fastened. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the table erected. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box, the lid being raised to show the contents. Fig. at is an inverted perspective view of the table. Fig. 5 is a detail section on about line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. (3 is a perspective View showing the joint between the brace-bar and one pair of the crossed legs. Fig. 7 shows the parts detached. Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of such joint. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view showing the joint between the table-top, the corner-strips, and the legs. Fig. 10 is a detail bottom plan view of the table-top, showing a different form of brace therefor; and Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the underside of a part of the tabletop.

The box or case is composed of the sections A, B, O, and D, hinged together at theirside edges, and which may for convenience of reference be referred to as the top A, bottom 0, front side D, rear side B, and the ends E.

The top is hinged to the upper edge of the rear side B, such sideB is hinged at its lower edge to the rear edge of the bottom 0, and the front edge of the bottom 0 is hinged to the lower edge of the front D. The edge of the top A laps over the upper edge of the front D and forms a square joint; but as the hinge connections are arranged at the inner corners of the joints between parts A and B, B and C, and C'and D, in order that such parts may be folded out flat to form a tabletop, as presently more fully described, it will be noticed that at such joints there are left rectangular recesses F when the parts are adjusted to serve as a box. To fill these recesses and thus protect the edges of the parts A to D from being bruised or marred, I provide filling-strips G, which fit snugly in the recesses F, and are provided at their ends with spring-brackets g, which bind along the ends of the front and back pieces and tend to hold the strips to place. They also, together with pieces 1, form metallic cornerpieces for the box. These-strips G are thus conveniently removable and are utilized as braces for the table when the latter is set up, as presently described, the spring brackets or tongues g aiding in such bracing, as will be described.

The ends E are secured removably by means of hooks e thereon engaging flush or countersunk bearings e on the sections B and D, such ends also having dowel-pins e fitting in sockets in the sides and the top and bottom A and O.

lVhcn the parts A to D are adjusted as shown in Fig. 3, they are held in form by the hooks which-unite the ends to the front and rear sides. In this form the box composed of the legs I, disposing the parts in such manner as to afford the greatest space for the bucket, coffee-pot, and other articles not necessary to mention and forming part of a wellequipped camp-kit.

hen the lid is lowered and secured by the fastenin gs described or other suitable fastenings, a shawl-strap may be applied so it can be conveniently carried, as will be understood from Fig. 1.

When it is desired to convert the box into a table, its contents may be taken out, the ends and filling-strips removed and the sections A to D turned into a common fiat plane.

The top brace J is composed of two strips, one, J, of which is pivoted at its middle to the back B so it can be turned across the joint between the several sections of the top, and preferably fits at its ends when so turned in keepers J on the parts A and D, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4c. The other strip, J is pivoted concentrically with strip J and is of spring metal, and when turned, as shown in Fig. 4:, its ends catch under the edge strip or filling-pieces and bind the same firmly up against the table-top and so aid in bracing such top.

In Fig. 10 I show a somewhat different form of table-top brace, in which the strips are separate from the top, pivoted to cross each other X shape, and the lower strip has near its ends slots J and hooks J, the slots fitting over staples J 7 on the table-top and the hooks engaging such staples, as will be understood from Fig. 10. In this form the brace-pieces J may also be used as shown.

At its ends the main brace-bar II has-mortises II, the inner wall 72/ of which has a socket 7L2 for the pin on the legs and the side walls of which are provided with inwardlyfacing shoulders 72. and Jr, the shoulders It being nearer to the end wall It than the shoulders'hfl and such shoulders h and 7L4 being engaged respectively with the inner and outer legs to form a double lock to hold such legs in connection with the brace-bar. The legs of each pair are pivoted together upon a pin 11 whose inner extended end fits in the socket 71 in the inner wall h of the mortise H.

This pin 11 is preferably a threaded bolt turning through a nut II embedded in.the inner side of the inner leg, so the pin will operate to secure the legs together.

In applying the legs they are first folded parallel and alongside each other, and when so adjusted are inserted in the mortise A, their screw H entering the socket 71 WVhen in the mortise, the legs are spread shear fashion and their upper ends are secured to the table-top by means of hooks II on the legs engaging flush or countersunk seats II on the table-top.

In the outer sides of two of the legs are formed notches H in which one of the strips G is fitted.

In Fig. 8 I show a modified construction of the joint between the crossed legs and the center brace, in which the shoulders in the side walls of the mortise are omitted and a hook is provided to secure said legs in the mortise, the side walls of the mortise being beveled, as shown.

On the under side of the brace-bar II, I pivot centrally between its ends a spring-bar L, having its ends L turned upward and en- I tering sockets l in the under side of said bar when the parts are in adjustment for pack-' in g. When the table is set up, the spring-bar L is turned at right angles to bar II, and the end pieces of the box are rested thereon, being held at their outer edges by the upturned portions L and secured at their inner edges by suitable fastenin gs to the brace-bar. These fastenings are preferably the hooks which are employed to secure the box ends to the side pieces, such hooks engaging suitable bearings in the brace-bar, and the dowel-pins on such ends entering the brace-bar steady the ends in position. When so adjusted, as shown in Fig. 2, the ends form convenient shelves below the table-top to support any object desired.

The upper ends of the legs are mortised at M and provided in said mortises with up wardly-projecting pins M. Two of the corner filling-strips are seated in the mortises M, have sockets to receive the pins M, ex.- tend at their ends beyond the legs, and have their end brackets or plates arranged to enter sockets'N in the under side of the tabletop. This construction, it will be seen, operates in connection with the hooks which fasten the legs to the table-top to form a firm, secure fastening of legs and top and a bracing of the latter, as will be understood from Fig. 4. As shown in this figure, the plate J of the cross-brace for the table-top laps at its ends below the two strips at about the center of the latter and presses them firmly up against the top.

It will be seen that all the hook-seats on the inner side of the box-sections are fiush that is to say, do not extend beyond the face of the section and present no obstructions to the filling of the boX when the same is used as a receptacle for the various articles comprised in the duffie of a camp-kit or other article it is desired to store.

It will be noticed that the legs do not stand vertically, but spread outward from their upper to their lower ends each way, thus increasing the steadiness of the table when erected.

The construction of the table-top of hinged sections and detachable ends, the strips to fill the spaces between the hinged edges of the sections when adjusted to form a box, the construction of such filling-pieces with end plates, the X-shape top brace shown in Fig. 10, and the lid-fastening straps and studs shown herein form a part of the subject-matter of a separate application for patent, Serial No. 548,027.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a convertible box and table the combination of the sections forming the sides, top and bottom of the box and hinged together, the box ends detachably connected with the other box-sections and the legs provided with devices whereby to secure and support such sections and ends when the apparatus is adjusted for use as a table substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an apparatus substantially as described of the main brace-bar provided in its ends with mortises the crossed legs fitted in said end mortises and fastenings by which to secure said legs in the mortises of the brace-bar substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus substantially as described the main brace-bar provided with end mortises and having longitudinal sockets at the inner ends of said mortises and the crossed legs fitted at their crossing in said mortises and provided with pins extending into the longitudinal sockets and means whereby said legs are held in said sockets substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an apparatus substantially'as described, the main brace-bar having end mortises the side walls of which are formed with stop-shoulders combined with the crossed legs pivoted together and adapted to be inserted when closed in the end mortises of the brace-bar and be spread into position to engage the stop-shoulders thereof substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the folding tabletop, the legs therefor the main brace-bar connecting said legs the strips connecting the upper ends of the legs and held by the latter to the table-top and fastenings connecting the legs at their upper ends to the table-top substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the table-top, the

legs, the strips connecting the legs and secured by the latter to the table-top and having port-ions interlocking with the table-top and fastenings by which the legs may be secured to the top substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the main bracebar having end mortises the inner walls of which have longitudinal sockets and the side walls stop-shoulders and the crossed legs having pins to enter said sockets and arranged to spread into position to abut the stop-shoulders substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the main bracebar having end mortises and having longitudinal sockets at the inner ends of said mortises the legs fitted at their crossings in said mortises, threaded pins or bolts passed through such crossed legs and extended to enter the sockets at the ends of the mortises and nuts threaded on the bolts whereby the latter tend to secure the legs together substantially as set forth.

9. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of the table-top, the folding legs, fastenings securing the upper ends of said legs to the top, the strips connecting the tops of the legs and having portions engaging positively with the table-top all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination of the jointed tabletop the brace therefor the legs,the main bracebar connecting the legs at about their middles and the top strips connecting the upper ends of the legs and having portions engaging positively with the table-top substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The convertible table and box or case herein described consisting of the jointed sections forming the table-top, the end sections the top-brace,the crossed legs having notches, the filling-strips forming corner-pieces for the box and fitted to the notches of the legs and the brace-bar all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In a convertible table and box, the combination with the sides, top and bottom forming the table-top the legs supporting such top, the main brace extended between the legs, the box ends and devices by which to secure such ends to the main brace all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The combination with the sections forming the table-top, of the legs having mortises in their upper ends, the strips fitting in such mortises and having at their ends portions engaging with the table-top'and fastenings securing the legs detachably to the table-top substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with the sections forming the table-top, the legs and the strips held removably against the under side of the top of the brace-piece held at its middle to the table-top andbearing at its ends under the connecting-strips, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of the table-top, the legs, the main brace, a bar pivoted between its ends to the main brace and adapted to be turned at right angles thereto the pieces supported on said pivoted bar and fastenings for such pieces substantially as set forth.

16. The combination with the sectional table-top of the strips fitted against the under side of said top lapping the joints of the sections and provided with angular end pieces entering sockets in the table-top and means for securing the said strips to the table-top, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of the sectional tabletop, the strips lapping the joints of said top, the legs holding said strips tightly to the top and fastenings by which to secure such legs detachably to the top all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. The combination of the table-top, the legs having notches in their upper ends and pins at the base of such notches the strips seated in said notches and having openings receiving the pins and provided at their ends with projecting plates entering notches in the table-top and the fastenings securing such legs to the table-top substantially as set forth.

19. In a convertible table and box or case the combination of the table-top, the folding legs, the strips held by such legs to the tabletop, the fastenings connecting the legs to the table-top, the main brace, the box ends and devices securing saidbox ends to the main brace substantially as set forth.

20. The combination with the table-top and the main brace of the folding legs spreading IIO into locking contact with the brace and fastenings by which said legs are secured to the table-top, substantially as set forth.

21. In a convertible box and table the combination with the jointed sections adapted to be flattened out to form a table-top and provided with keepers, the brace pivoted to the table-top and havinga section engaging said keepers and a second section crossing the first, the folding support and fastenings securing IO such support detachably to the top substantially as set forth.

\VILLIAM E. BAXTER. \Vitnesses D. W. LINDSEY, J11, JOHN B. LINDSEY.