GB2217588A - Furniture linkage - Google Patents

Abstract

A furniture system in which individual units (1) have the ability to stand alone or to be linked with other units (20), by engagement of head portion (24) of link means (10) between flanges (26, 28) of unit (20) by means of operating lever (21). <IMAGE>

Description

A FURNITURE SYSTEM This invention relates tofurniture systems, more particularly but not exclusively to systems in which individual units have the ability to stand alone or to be linked with other units, and in which fixed or folding legs may be instantly located as required.

According to the present invention there is provided a piece of furniture including a polygonal peripheral edge, link means locatable at or adjacent the or each corner of the edge, a pair of spaced apart flanges extending along the sides of said polygonal peripheral edge, said flanges having parallel edges to define a gap therebetween, the or each link means having a first portion adapted for insertion and location at or adjacent the or each corner and a second portion for engaging flanges of a second piece of furniture having a pair of said flanges with a gap therebetween, the first portion being operable to move the second portion between a first position in which the second portion can pass between said flanges of the second piece of furniture, and a second position in which the second portion is engaged behind said flanges whereby the two pieces of furniture, in use, can be releasably held together by said link means.

Preferably movement between the first and second positions is achieved by rotation. Preferably the or each link means has lever means extending from the or the respective first portion to permit operation thereof.

It is also preferable that the or each lever means is accessible from below.

In one embodiment the peripheral edge may be triangular, and in another embodiment it may be rectangular.

The peripheral edge may include edge portions and corner modules, which preferably are releasably slotted together.

A further preferred feature is that each corner module releasably engages a leg.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a leg and socket assembly for releasably securing a leg to a piece of furniture including said socket, the socket and leg including mutually engageable locating elements adapted to be engaged by relative rotation of the leg and socket, and locking means engageable once relative rotation through a predetermined angle has been effected, the locking means being manually releasable to allow disengagement of the leg and socket.

Preferably the engageable locating elements are positioned circumferentially about the leg and the socket.

More preferably the leg and the socket each have three engageable locating elements equidistantly spaced about their respective circumferences.

It is also preferable that the locking means is mounted on the leg and engages a recess in the socket.

Although the present invention is applicable to many different pieces of furniture, a specific embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a corner of a table according to the present invention adjacent to an extension unit; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a corner module and leg attachment of the table shown in Figure 1.

With reference to the drawings, table 1 includes a removable top surface 2, four corner modules 4 and four edge portions 6 forming a continuous rectangular peripheral edge, a series of legs 8 releasably fixed to the corner modules 4 and a link means 10 located at or adjacent one or more of the corner modules 4. The corner modules 4, edge portions 6 and legs 8 are made of aluminium or other similar substantially rigid, strong material.

The edge portions 6 are designed to slot onto protrusions 12 of the corner modules 4 to form a substantially rectangular frame in which the removable top surface 2 is supported by means of inwardly extending flanges, such as flanges 14 integral with the corner modules 4.

A pair of spaced apart flanges 16,18, having parallel edges defining a gap therebetween, run along the sides of the peripheral edge 6 and continue around the corner modules 4. On the side of the table 1 to be joined to another table or extension unit 20, two or more link means 10 extend between the spaced apart flanges 16,18 at the corner modules 4.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the corner module casting 4 includes a recess 23 accessible from below to allow manual operation of the link means 10. The profiles of the edge portions 6 do not have such a recess but could be provided with one if appropriate.

Each link means 10 has a shaft portion 22 adapted for insertion and location within the peripheral edge of the table 1, within a corner module 4, and a head portion 24 for engaging behind flanges 26,28 of the second table or extension unit 20.

An operating lever 21 extends normal to the shaft portion 22 (in this embodiment, the lever 21 and shaft portion 22 are threadedly engaged after insertion of the shaft portion 22 between the flanges 16,18), into the recess 23 to allow the shaft portion 22 to be rotated about its axis.

When joining the table 1 with the second table or extension unit 20, each link means 10 is rotated by means of the lever 21 so that the head portion 24 takes up a first position in which it may pass between the flanges 26,28 of the second table or extension unit 20. Once the two tables or the table 1 and the extension unit 20 have been positioned such that their respective peripheral edges are in contact, the link means 10 are rotated to a second position such that each head portion 24 is engaged behind the flanges 26,28 of the second table or extension unit 20. In this manner, the surface area of the table system may be increased. It will of course be understood that additional tables and extension units may be attached to any vacant side of a peripheral edge.

With particular reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, a leg 8 may be releasably fixed to a corner module 4 by insertion of the leg 8 into a socket 30 of the corner module 4. Mutually engageable, tapering locating elements 32, 34, (on the leg 8 and in the socket 30 respectively) are brought into engagement by relative rotation of the leg 8 and socket 30. A locking spring strip 36, integral with the leg 8, engages a recess 38 in the socket 30 once relative rotation of the leg 8 and socket 30 through a predetermined angle has been effected. The locking spring strip 36, which presents the leg 8 and corner module 4 from separating, may be released manually.

Although the specific embodiment hereinbefore described has releasably fixed legs, a folding leg frame may equally well be employed. Furthermore, a table according to the present invention may have modesty panels and/or drawer/storage units attached under the peripheral edge.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (16)

1. A piece of furniture including a polygonal peripheral edge, link means locatable at or adjacent the or each corner of the edge, a pair of spaced apart flanges extending along the sides of said polygonal peripheral edge, said flanges having parallel edges to define a gap therebetween, the or each link means having a first portion adapted for insertion and location at or adjacent the or each corner, and a second portion for engaging flanges of a second piece of furniture having a pair of said flanges with a gap therebetween, the first portion being operable to move the second portion between a first position in which the second portion can pass between said flanges of the second piece of furniture, and a second position in which the second portion is engaged behind said flanges whereby the two pieces of furniture, in use, can be releasably held together by said link means.

2. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 1 wherein movement between the first and second positions is achieved by rotation.

3. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the or each link means has lever means extending from the or the respective first portion to permit. operation thereof.

4. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 3 wherein the or each lever means is accessible from below.

5. A piece of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the peripheral edge is triangular.

6. A piece of furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the peripheral edge is rectangular.

7. A piece of furniture according to any preceding claim wherein the peripheral edge includes edge portions and corner modules.

8. A piece of furniture according to claim 7 wherein the edge portions and corner modules are releasably slotted together.

9. A piece of furniture according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein each corner module may releasably engage a leg.

10. A leg and socket assembly for releasably securing a leg to a piece of furniture including said socket, the socket and leg including mutually engageable locating elements adapted to be engaged by relative rotation of the leg and socket, and locking means engageable once relative rotation through a predetermined angle has been effected, the locking means being manually releasable to allow disengagement of the leg and socket.

11. A leg and socket assembly according to claim 10 wherein the engageable locating elements are positioned circumferentially about the leg and the socket.

12. A leg and socket assembly according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the leg and the socket each have three engageable locating elements equidistantly spaced about their respective circumferences.

13. A leg and socket assembly according to any of claims 10 to 12 wherein the locking means is mounted on the leg and engages a recess in the socket.

14. A piece of furniture as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 which includes a leg and socket assembly according to any of claims 10 to 13.

15. A piece of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

16. A leg and socket assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.