Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
  • A47B1/00—Extensible tables
  • A47B1/02—Extensible tables with insertable leaves arranged in the centre and fixed frames
  • A47B1/03—Extensible tables with insertable leaves arranged in the centre and fixed frames the leaves being foldable or revolvable
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
  • A47B31/00—Service or tea tables, trolleys, or wagons

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to tables having folding or "drop” leaves and in particular to an improved hinge mechanism for use in connection therewith.
• the present invention improves over the prior art by providing a folding leaf table having hinge means which permit the leaves to be placed in a perpendicular and upward orientation with respect to the table surface so as to provide "sidewalls" for the table top which would
• tables according to the present invention have guard means located on the undersides of the leaves so that when the leaves are in the above-described orienta ⁇ tion, the guards will serve to protect walls and corners
• a table including a wheele
• a locking hinge for enabling pivotal movement of a table leaf with respect to a table top from a first position, aligned with the table top, to
• the locking hinge includes the
• pivot member extends in part beyond the edge
• slide member having a mounting surface for securement below a leaf to be hinged to the table top along the edge, so as to extend beyond an edge of the leaf toward the pivot member, a resilient means urging the slide member
• the pivot means including a pivot pin having an axis for alignment with the edge of the table top below the mounting surface, and having depending walls and a cross member extending therebetween to define
• FIGURE 1 is a view in perspec ⁇ tive of a room service table incorporating the present invention
• FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of a room ser ⁇ vice table incorporating the invention, with its top tilted into a storage position;
• FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the same table as seen from right to left of FIGURE 2, showing the storage position in solid lines and the use position in broken lines;
• FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view as seen generally from the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3, with the top tilted to the use position;
• FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of some of the parts making up a locking hinge according to the invention.
• FIGURE 6 is a sectional view as seen from the lines 6-6 of FIGURE 2, to a larger scale, showing the parts in a first position;
• FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the structure of FIGURE 6;
• FIGURES 8 and 9 are views like FIGURE 6 showing the parts in other positions.
• a table according to the invention as shown i perspective in FIGURE 1 comprises a wheel support 10, a table top 11 tiltably secured to support 10 by a suitable mechanism and a pair of extension leaves 13 and 14 secure to the opposite edges 15 and 16 of top 11 by locking hinges 17, 17A, 17B, and 17C.
• Support 10 as shown in greater detail in FIGURES 2-3, includes a pair of posts 100, 101 inter- connected by a cross member 102.
• a pair of longitudinal rails 103 and 104 are secured below top 11 in any suitable fashion.
• a tilting mechanism of the type shown in U. S. Patent 3,437,058 issued to Bue is used to permit movement of top 11 from a horizontal use position to a vertical storage position.
• Rails 103 and 104 are provided with shaped elongated slots 105.
• a rod 106 is secured at the tops of post 100 and 101 to extend laterally beyond and into slots 105.
• Arms 107 and 110 are pivoted to rails 103 and 104 at 111 and 112, and the posts ' 100 and 101 at 113 and 114, all respectively.
• pivots 111 and 113 The distance between pivots 111 and 113 is greater than the distance from pivot 113 to the upper end of slot 105 as seen in FIGURE 3, so that when the table top is tilted in the direction of arrow 114, slots 105 move past rod 106, until the rod finally settles in a notch 116 at the end of the slot.
• Extension leaves 13 and 14 are attached to table top 11 by four identical locking hinges 17, 17A, 17B, 17C.
• hinge 17 comprises a pivot member 20, a slide member 21, a pivot pin 22, and an extension spring 23.
• Member 20 includes a plate 24 having a flat mounting surface 25. The outer edge 26 of member 20 is turned away from surface 25 as a beveled lip 27.
• Walls 30 and 31 extend longitudinally beyond lip 27, and are provided with aligned holes 33, 34 to receive pivot pin 22.
• Plate 24, walls 30 and 31, and cross member 32 define a longitudinal channel 35, of known transverse dimensions extending parallel and orthogonal to the mounting surface.
• Slide member 21 comprises a mounting plate 40 having a mounting surface 41.
• a tongue 43 extends trans ⁇ versely away from mounting surface 41, and extends longi ⁇ tudinally beyond plate 40.
• Tongue 43 has working edges 44 and 45, and is provided with a stop shoulder 46 and a longitudinal slot 47 extending between closed ends 50 and
• a further pin 52 extends from tongue 43 at a site remote from slot 47, and spring
• a spaced pair of hinges 17 as shown in detail in FIGURES 5-8 are installed at each edge of the table, with pins 22 parallel to the edge and channels 35 perpendicular thereto.
• Mounting plate 24 is secured under the table top by fasteners 55, in such a position that surface 25 and lip 27 project beyond the edges 15 and 16.
• Member 21 is secured under the extension leaf by fasteners 56 so that when the edges of the top and leaf are in abutment tongue 43 is received in channel 35 with shoulder 46 engaging cross member 32 and pin 22 passing through hole 33, slot 47, and hole 34. If the table top and leaf are of the same thickness, surfaces 25 and 41 are coplanar.
• Spring 23 is secured at the ends to pins 22 and 52, and cotter pins 53 and 54 are inserted.
• a rub rail 5 is secured to the under surface of each leaf by fastener 60, being formed to pass over the pair of hinges 17, 17 or 17B, 17C for each leaf.
• These rub rails which may b constructed from straps of steel or other protectiv material, function as guards for protecting both th hinges and any walls or other objects which might b contacted by the table in motion.
• leaf 13 is resilientl urged into edge-to-edge contact with top 11 by springs 23, and pivotal movement of the leaf about pivot pins 22 i prevented by contact of tongue edges 44 with plates 24 an tongue edges 45 with cross members 32.
• FIGURE 1 also illustrates leaf 13 in phantom lines in the upward position. It is clear that rub rails 35 are the most lateral portions of the table, and prevent contact of hinges 17 with walls, doorframes, and other surfaces past which the table is being moved. To remove the leaf from this position, it is lifted slightly until surface 44 disengages cross member 32, and may then be pivoted into any other desired position.
• the present inven ⁇ tion may be suitable for use in connection with any table-like surface where drop-leaves are desirable. Of particular interest is its use in connection with Room Service tables used in hotels for delivery of food to hotel rooms.
• FIGURES 2 and 3 show that top 11 can be tilted into the storage position regardless of the posi ⁇ tions of leaves 13 and 14, although the relative position of FIGURE 3 is that in which the least storage space for the table is required.
• the ability to fold the leaves upwardly, as in FIGURE 3 is of significant aid in maintaining plates on the table when the table is rapidly wheeled down hotel corridors.
• the rub rails 57 further aid in * protecting the corridor walls from sustaining extensive damage of the type which would otherwise be caused by scraping of the hinges along the wall when wheeled down a corridor.

Landscapes

• Tables And Desks Characterized By Structural Shape (AREA)
• Hinges (AREA)
• Closing And Opening Devices For Wings, And Checks For Wings (AREA)

Priority Applications (9)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22154343

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (7)

• 1980
  • 1980-05-16 GB GB8123594A patent/GB2089653B/en not_active Expired
  • 1980-05-16 AU AU67848/81A patent/AU541104B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1980-05-16 JP JP81500797A patent/JPS57500587A/ja active Pending
  • 1980-05-16 BR BR8009077A patent/BR8009077A/pt unknown
  • 1980-05-16 WO PCT/US1980/000568 patent/WO1981003269A1/en unknown
• 1981
  • 1981-02-04 FR FR8102124A patent/FR2482434B1/fr not_active Expired
  • 1981-02-11 CA CA000370624A patent/CA1168285A/en not_active Expired
  • 1981-03-04 YU YU545/81A patent/YU41373B/xx unknown
  • 1981-05-16 KR KR1019810001691A patent/KR830005824A/ko not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (7)

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