GB2113540A - Picnic table - Google Patents

Abstract

A table assembly such as a picnic table consists of a table top 10 and means for mounting it externally on a vehicle. Thus there are two upright support rods 24 securable (26, 28) at one side of the table top 10 so as to allow pivoting. Their upper portions 32 are shaped to hook over a car window sill. Their lower portions 42 are adapted to abut the car. A bracing member 52 extends from the rods 24 (at a variable distance below the top 10) to a channel 18 on the underside of the table top 10 where it is releasably engaged, to support the top 10 horizontally. The assembly is demountable and foldable for storage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Picnic table The present invention relates to a picnic table or the like, namely a portable article which can be used to provide a table surface.

When the weather is fine, people often seek to take advantage of this to drive out somewhere for a picnic. However, if a picnic meal is to be enjoyed in comfort, a reasonably level surface is required to set it out on. The ground is generally too uneven, and not very convenient. A conventional foldable table tends io be quite a heavy and bulky item to carry, and has the further disadvantage that it is often very difficult to find a suitable site to stand it so that it is stable and sufficiently close to being level.

According to the present invention there is provided a table assembly comprising: a table element for providing a table surface; a pair of elongate support elements which, in use, are mounted at or adjacent one edge of the table element at mutually spaced locations and extend downwardly, the table element being pivotable relative to said support elements; and bracing means which are operable to support the table element at a selected pivoting angle relative to the support elements; and wherein each of said support elements has attachment means whereby the assembly can be removably attached to the exterior of a motor vehicle.

Preferably said attachment means comprise, at an upper region, hook means adapted to engage over an upper edge portion of a wall element of a vehicle; and, at a lower region, means for engaging a wall portion of said vehicle.

Preferably, said hook means are adapted to hook over the windows or window sills of a car, and the support elements are extendable downwardly so that the engaging means engage the sill of the car body beneath the doorway.

Preferably, the support elements and bracing means are detachable from the table top or articu latedthereto so that the table assembly may be folded for storage. The bracing means may extend, in use, upwardly and outwardly from lower regions of said support members to said table element. They may be mounted on the support elements so as to be displaceable along them to vary the angle of the table element relative to the support elements.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. lisa perspective view of a picnic table embodying the invention, mounted on the side of a car; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the table unit of the picnic table seen in Fig. 1 from below; Fig. 3 is a section on Ill-Ill of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the support members of the picnic table.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a generally rectangular plastics table top 10.

As may be seen from Fig. 3, the upper surface of the table top 10 is provided by a generally planar web portion 12. Adjacent the rear edge of the table top 10, a metal tube or rod 14 is moulded in. It extends for the whole width of the table top. Its end faces are exposed, and provide threaded apertures 16. These may be threaded bores if the member 14 is a rod, or they may be provided by inserted bushings if a tube is used.

At a region of the table top 10 intermediate its front and rear edges, about two thirds of the way towards the front, there is a channel 18, opening downwards, formed integrally with the web portion 12. The underside of the web portion 12 also has a grid of strengthening flanges 20 as may be seen from Fig. 3. The channel 18, flanges 20 and encapsulation of the tube or rod 14 all extend approximately the same distance below the surface of the web portion 12, whereas the front margin 22 of the web portion 12 is curved and extends downwardly a rather greater distance.

A pair of downwardly extending support rods 24 are secured to the tube or rod 14, one at each end.

They are secured by means of respective threaded bolts 26 passing through apertures 28 and engaging in the threaded apertures 16 in the tube or rod 14.

Each support rod 24 has a number of apertures 28 so that the table top 10 may be secured selectively in any of a number of different places along the length of the rod 24. The upper ends of the rods 24 are curved over in such a configuration that they can hook over the sill 30 of a conventional motor vehicle window. The curved-over portions 32 have coverings 34, suitably consisting of lengths of clear plastics tubing. At the end of the curved-over portions 32, there are caps 36 of rubber or like material. The coverings 34 and caps 36 are to prevent scratching of the bodywork of the vehicle, and also to lessen the tendency of the support rods 24 to slip.

The support rods 24 are telescopic, a lower portion 24a being of smaller diameter than an upper portion 24b in which it is slidable. Each upper portion 24b has an elongate slot 28. A screw bolt 40 which threadedly engages the lower portion 24a of the rod within the upper portion 24b extends outwardly through the slot 38. By tightening the bolt 40 the portions 24a, 24b of each support rod 24 can be locked against telescoping.

At the lower end of each rod 24, a bottom portion 42 is curved over in the same plane as the upper curved over portion 32. The bottom curved over portion 42 extend around approximately a right-angle, so that their ends 44 can abut the side of the vehicle more or less at right-angles. These ends 44 are fitted with rubber feet, preferably in the form of suction cups 46.

On each support rod 24, a slidable collar 47 is mounted. Each collar 47 has a screw bolt 48 adjustable in a threaded bore 50 so that it can be caused to abut the rod 24 to prevent sliding. On each collar 47 a respective leg of a generally U-shaped bracing frame 52 is pivotally mounted. The bracing frame 52 comprises a single piece of bent metal tubing 'hitch provides the two legs 52a and an intermediate suorting piece 52b which connects the two legs. This is dimensioned so as to be snugly and pivotally receivable in the channel 18 of the table top 10.

To use the picnic table, the vehicle is preferably parked so that there is no substantial gradient from front to rear. However, as will be explained, some sideways gradient can be accommodated. The windows on one side of the vehicle are wound down, and the table assembly is suspended from the window sills generally as indicated in Fig. 1. The telescopic support rods 24 are adjusted so that the suction cups 46 engage on the sills beneath the vehicle doors. The table top 10 is secured to the support rods 24 by means of the bolts 26 passing through apertures 28 selected on the basis of the desired height of the table top 10. Initially at least, the bolts 26 are not tightened so much as to prevent pivoting of the table top 10.It can then be levelled by adjustment of the bracing frame 52, by sliding the collars 47 along the support rods 24 while the intermediate support piece 52b pivots in the channel 18, and the table top 10 as a whole pivots about the bolts 26. Once a satisfactory orientation has been achieved, all the bolts can be tightened. When it is desired to pack away the picnic table, the articulated frame comprising the rods 24 and the bracing frame 52 can be detached from the table top 10 by undoing the bolt 26. The bracing frame 52 can then be pivoted about the collars 46 so that it lies in, or nearly in, the plane of the rods 24. Each rod 24 can be twisted round so that the curved over portions 32 and 42 are also in this plane. The framework can then be stowed on the underside of the table top 10. It may be arranged that the framework can lie thereon so as not to extend farther away from the plane of the table top 10 than the edge of the margin 22 thereof.

Thus, the dismantled assembly can be easily stowed in a small volume.

Claims (8)

1. Atable assembly comprising: a table element for providing a table surface; a pair of elongate support elements which, in use, are mounted at or adjacent one edge of the table element at mutually spaced locations and extend downwardly, the table element being pivotable relative to said support elements; and bracing means which are operable to support the table element at a selected pivoting angle relative to the support elements; and wherein each of said support elements has attachment means whereby the assembly can be removably attached to the exterior of a motor vehicle.

2. Atable assembly according to claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprise, at an upper region, hook means adapted to engage over an upper edge portion of a wall element of a vehicle; and, at a lower region, means for engaging a wall portion of said vehicle.

3. Atable assembly according to claim 2 wherein said hook means are adapted to hook over the windows or window sills of a car, and the support elements are extendable downwardly so that the engaging means engage the sill of the car body beneath the doorway.

4. A table assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the support e'ements and bracing means are detachable from the table top or articulated thereto so that the table assembly may be folded for storage.

5. Atable assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the bracing means are mounted on the support elements so as to be displaceable along them to vary the angle of the table element relative to the support elements.

6. A table assembly according to any preceding claim in which the table element has an underside providing means for releasably engaging the bracing means to enable them to support the table element.

7. A table assembly according to any preceding claim in which the table element comprises a plastics table top with an elongate metal element secured adjacent one edge, to which said elongate support elements are mounted in use.

8. A table assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.