AU615610B2 - Space saving table - Google Patents

Description

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r~~rri~i Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: PJ 3393 28 March 1989 o oo 0 00 0 a oooo 0000 0 0 0 0 oc 00 0 0 0 0o o o o 0 0 o 0Q 0 0 00 0 o a o o 0 060 0 Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: Related Art: 0000 o 0 0000 0000 0 0 0 0oo 0 00 0 0oo o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S01390 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: JAMES PETER. SMITH and DERMOT SMITH Address of Applicant: 111A Gibbs Street, Rockdale, New South Wales 2216, Australia Actual Inventor: JAMES PETER SMITH and DERMOT SMITH Address for Service: GRIFFITH HACK CO 71 YORK STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: SPACE SAVING TABLE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 7 2A/M 03/ 6634A/MS i ,i Si f L -IF- 8909A/LN i This invention relates to space saving tables and in particular wall mounted space saving tables in locations where space consideration is of paramount importance.

Whilst the invention is equally applicable to any instance in which a table-like surface is required, for example desk or work bench, for convenience the following description refers to a table but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Any reference to a table is meant to encompass any table-like surface such as a desk or work bench.

It is o 4 ,n desirable, where there is limited space available, to provide a table which may be attached to a wall or vertical support and which is capable of being folded out of the way when not in use. Typically, this may 15 be achieved by a simple hinge mechanism allowing the table o0 0 ooo to either fold down or up so that it is flat against the o 000 o o 0oa wall. It is a simple matter of providing support means to a0 o o maintain the table in the horizontal position. This may be a o o achieved for example, by means of legs underneath the table, o oo° 20 support arms which fold out underneath the table in a o cantilever action, or by any of a variety of means to allow the table to be suspended from above and remain in a horizontal position analogous to a drawbridge, e.g rope, oo0oo chains or locking hinge.

oooo 25 The obvious disadvantage with several arrangements of oooo 0 oo00 this nature is that the table surface, after being folded oo away, moves into a position where it is no longer o 0 horizontal.. Thus, the table surface is no longer useful in terms of supporting any material thereon, and any material So which was on it must be removed before the table can be folded away. It would therefore be preferable to have an o0 o 0 0 arrangement whereby the table surface continues to perform a useful function, for example as shelving, and for example where the material need not be removed from the table surface as it is folded away.

The present invention therefore provides a space saving table for mounting to a wall or vertical support, i comprising a plurality of shelf portions, whereby in a first 6983S/LN -2- 8909A/LN L b Plow" L e oo 0 0 0 0 0000 o oo 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0o 0 0 0 000 0 0000 0 0 0000 0000 o Ao 00 0 00 00 0 00 0 0 0 00 00 0 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 00 position the shelf portions form a set of horizontal shelves and in a second position the shelf portions form a horizontal flat working surface, and linkage means actuable to move the shelf portions from the first position to the second position.

Preferably, the shelf portions remain horizontal during transition from the first position to the second position.

Preferably the space saving table comprises a plurality of shelf portions fixed between two support arrangements, wherein each aJpport arrangement comprises means for mounting the support arrangement to a wall or vertical support and a linkage means comprising parallelogram linkage having a fixed base member and two parallel arms pivotally rotatable therefrom, the rotatable arms supporting one or 15 more further cross members parallel to the base member, each pair of corresponding base or cross members of the two support arrangements supporting a shelf portion therebetween in horizontal arrangement, the support arrangements being rotatable so that in the first position there is provided a 20 shelf arrangement adjacent the wall having a number of shelves corresponding to the number of shelf portions, and in the second position there is provided a substantially flat working surface, the shelf portions being in side by side parallel arrangement.

25 Preferably there are three shelf portions, the vertical distance between the first and third shelves in the first position being approximately the same as the height of the table in use in the second position.

Preferably, the two parallel arms have their pivot 30 points about the fixed base member and cross members vertically offset by the thickness of one arm so that in the second position the arms are in contact over a substantial portion of their length, thereby providing an inherent cantilever support. In other words, if the pivot points were offset vertically by more than the thickness of one arm, then in the second position the arms would not contact and hence not support the table horizontally.

ife iliS 6983S/LN II-~ Preferably, a third arm is provided which is fixedly attached to the upper most cross member and vertically depends therefrom to provide a leg support in the second position. Preferably, the leg is extendible, for example having telescopic means, so that in the second position the table surface can be kept substantially horizontal.

Conveniently, the leg member may be provided with means to engage one or the other cross members or base member thereby locking the arrangement in the first position. A suitable locking arrangement for instance, would be in the form of a pin arrangement, the pin extending through the leg and engaging with a suitable hole in a cross member so that in a first position the pin freely enters a hole, and in a second position, upon rotation of the pin, there is an 15 interference fit.

Preferably, each cross member and base member is in the form of a right angle bracket capable of supporting a shelf directly thereon and fixed thereto, for example by means of screws.

20 An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying Figures of which: o 00oo oooo oooo o o 0 0000oooo oo oo o o o o o0000 o 00 00 o oo 0 o oo 00 0 o0 00 0 00 0 ,0 Goo 0 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment 00oo0 according to the present invention illustrating the support 000 25 arrangement in the second position to provide a table; 0o00 oo o Figure 2 shows the same embodiment as in Figure i, in 00 oo the first position to provide a set of shelves; 0 Figure 3 is a perspective view of one support arrangement of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, 00 30 showing the support arrangement in the second position to o0 0 provide a table; 0 0 0 oo Figure 4 shows the same support arrangement as in Figure 3 rotated so as to provide in the first position a shelf arrangement; Figure 5 shows the support arrangement of Figure 2 in side elevation; and i:

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g 6983S/LN -4- Figure 6 shows a suitable bracket for mounting the table as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 to a wall or vertical support.

Referring generally to the Figures, a support arrangement 11 is provided for a folding table 10. A base bracket 12 is mounted to a suitable wall bracket 32 (Fig 6) affixed to a wall or vertical support, by means of mounting holes 13. The base bracket 12 is provided with a horizontal member 14 for support of a shelf member 33 which may be attached by means of screws utilising holes 15. Two parallel arms 16 and 17 extend from and are pivotally rotatable about points 18 and 19 respectively on bracket 12. Cross members 20 and 21 are provided in parallel arrangement to each other and to surface 14 of bracket 12.

0 0 15 Members 20 and 21 are pivotably rotatable about points 22, 23, 24 and 25 respectively.

0000 o 0o0 Cross members 20 and 21 are provided with holes 29 for 00 00 0 00a 00 securement of the shelf members 33 thereto. Leg 26 depends 00 0000 0 from cross member 21 and is secured to it by means of rivets 0 0 0 000 20 at locations 27 and 28. Leg 26 is provided with an 0 a 0 0extendable member 30 which may be conveniently fixed in a position by a suitable grub screw or other arrangement (not shown). A pin 31 matingly engages with a corresponding hole 2500 34 in cross member 20 for locking engagement in the upright 0000 C, 0 0025 position, namely, the first position as illustrated in 00 0 Figures 2, 4 and 0000 In operation the pin 31 is disengaged from cross member 0 0 0 0 20 and leg 26 is conveniently pulled forward in the direction of arrow 35 causing arms 16 and 17 to rotate about 0000 0 0 piot oins 18and19,therby ausig tem o moe fomI 0 00 su30 pivtapntsl 18tia pnd19, treb asingutrthe to moveurom a, 0 00 4 and 5 to a substantially horizontal position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. In this way a set of shelves is conveniently transformed into a table-like working surface. The shelf portions 33 remain substantially horizontal at all times, there being no need to remove anything placed upon them in moving from the first to the second position or vice versa.

6983S/LN From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be effected without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiment illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.

0 00 00 0 0000 0000 0 0 0000 00 0 0 0 0 oo 00 0 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 0 I.1 000 0 0000 0 0 0000 ooo000 0 0 0 00 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 C 00 00 0 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 u0 I -6- 1 6983S/LN

Claims (9)

1. A space saving table for mounting to a wall or vertical support, comprising a plurality of shelf portions, whereby in a first position the shelf portions form a set of horizontal shelves and in a second position the shelf portions form a horizontal flat working surface, and linkage means actuable to move the shelf portions from the first position to the second position.

2. A space saving table according to claim 1 in which the shelf portions remain horizontal during transition from the first position to the second position.

3. A space saving table according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a plurality of shelf portions fixed between two support arrangements, wherein each support 15 arrangement comprises means for mounting the support arrangement%- to a wall or vertical support and linkage means comprising parallelogram linkage having a fixed base member and two parallel arms pivotally rotatable therefrom, the rotatable arms supporting one or more further cross members parallel to the base member, each pair of corresponding base or cross members of the two support arrangements supporting a shelf portion therebetween in horizontal arrangement, the support arrangements being rotatable so that in the first position there is provided a shelf arrangeme~nt adjacent the 25 wall having a number of shelves corresponding to the number of shelf portions, and in the second position there is provided a substantially flat working surface, the shelf portions being in side by side parallel arrangement.

4. A space saving table according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are three shelf portions, the vertical distance between the first and third shelves in the first position being approximately the same as the height of the table in use in the second position.

A space saving table according to claim 3 in which the two parallel arms have their pivot points about the fixed base member and cross members vertically offset by the thickness of one arm so that in the second position the arms t P 1~ 691833/LN -7- are in contact over a substantial portion of their length, thereby providing an inherent cantilever support.

6. A space saving table according to any one of claims 3 or 5 in which a third arm is provided which is fixedly attached to the upper most cross member and vertically depends therefrom to provide a leg support in the second position.

7. A space saving table according to claim 6 in which the leg is extendible, for example having telescopic means, so that in the second position the table surface can be kept substantially horizontal.

8. A space saving table according to any one of claims 6 or 7 in which the leg member is provided with means to engage one or the other cross members or base member thereby locking the arrangement in the first position. o 0

9. A space saving table according to claim 8 in which O c 000O the means to engage one or other cross members or base oo. member is in the form of a pin arrangement, the pin extending through the leg and engaging with a suitable hole 0 a 20 in a cross member so that i-n a first position the pin freely o0 0 enters a hole, and in a second position, upon rotation of ora 00 the pin, there is an interference fit. A space saving table according to any one of claims 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 in which each cross member and 25 base member is in the form of a right angle bracket capable 0 of supporting a shelf directly thereon and fixed thereto, *0 for example by means of screws. o" 11. A space saving table substantially as herein o 0 described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0o O0 0 0o o DATED this 16th day of March, 1990 0 O0 0 JAMES PETER SMITH DERMOT SMITH By their Patent Attorneys i GRIFFITH HACK CO. 6983S/LN -8-