US2204081A - Folding table - Google Patents

Description

J1me 1940- c. B. HARRELL 2,204,081

FOLDING TABLE Filed Oct. 22, 1938 IN VENTOR.

BY Glennie B. Harrell ATTORNEYS Patented June 11, 1940 UNiTEDsTA-TES PATENT OFFICE.

FOLDING TABLE Glennie B; Harrell, Metropolis 111., assignor to Metropolis Bending Company, Metropolis, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 22, 1938, Serial No. 236,479

1 Claim. (climb-99 This invention relates to folding tables, and has for its general object to provide a table of this type wherein the legs are so mounted and the locking means for the legs so constructed and arranged as to provide a rigid support for the table when the legs are in their open or unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table of this type wherein the means for mounting and locking the table legs are simple in construction and economical of production.

I accomplish these objects in and through the construction and arrangement of the parts shown in the drawing hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of one corner of a table having my invention applied thereto, the parts being broken away to show the manner in which the leg is mounted; Fig. 2 a bottom plan view of the corner of the table shown in Fig. 1, with the leg in its folded position; Fig. 3 a detail in section corresponding to the line 33 of Fig. 2, but showing the table leg in its open or unfolded position; Fig. 4 a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the positions of the parts of the leg-supporting and locking means when the leg is near its open position; and Fig. 5 a detail in perspective of the latch which I employ as part of the locking mechanism.

Describing the parts by reference characters, I

represents the top of a table and 2, 2 adjacent rails, united at their adjacent ends as by a fastening device A and forming part of the skirt. The adjacent ends of the rails 2, 2 are also connected by an angle bracket the leg members 3 and 3 whereof are secured thereto, as by means of screws 4 and 4 the openings for the screws 4 being shown at 5 on Fig. 1. Secured to the leg member 3 of the angle bracket is a second angle bracket comprising leg members 6 and 6 the former leg member being secured to the leg member 3 by the screws 4 and the latter leg member being spaced inwardly from and parallel with the leg member 3. The leg members 6 and 3 are provided with registering slots 3 and 6 respectively, extending upwardly from the bottoms thereof, for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

1 denotes a table leg. the upper end of which is received within the channeled space formed between the leg members 3 and 6 being pivotally supported by a pin 8 mounted in said members. The upper end of the table leg is provided on the face adjacent to the leg member li with a metal plate 9, which is adapted to contact with the said member, the pin 8 extending through said plate as well as through the said leg member. The

plate 9 is'fastened to the table leg by one or more screws [0.

The bottom of the leg member 6 is provided with an arcuate edge portion 6, concentric with the pin 8 by which the table leg is rotatably mounted by and between the leg members 3 and 6 .A vertical shoulder H (see Fig. 4) is provided at the lower end of this arcuate edge portion 6, and the plate 9 is provided with a pin l2 which is adapted to ride along this edge portion until it strikes the shoulder.

l3 denotes generally a latch comprising a plate [3 which is pivotally connected to the bracket leg member B as by means of a rivet I 4. This latch is provided on the lower edge of the plate I3 with an arcuate surface IS the curvature of which preferably corresponds to the curvature of the corresponding portion 6 of the leg member 6 when the plate is in the position shown in Fig. 3. The arcuate surface [3 merges at its lower end with a downwardly extending cam projection l3 having a locking notch l3 extending upwardly from the high end of the cam.

Projecting from the plate portion I3 of the latch is an operating handle comprising a neck l5 and a finger-engageable portion I5 The neck portion 15 is adapted to be received within the registering slots 3 and 6 with the portion I5 located within the lower portion of a recess IS in the bottom of the rail 2 This recess extends upwardly from the bottom of the rail a sufficient distance to provide a receptacle for the coil spring I1, the lower end of which engages the top of the finger-engageable portion l5 thereby to retain the pin I2 within the notch 13 when the leg is in the open or unfolded position shown in Figs. 1 and 3Q With the parts constructed and arranged as described, it is believed that the operation will be readily understood. Assuming that the leg is in the open position, shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and that it is desired to fold it, the operator presses upwardly with his finger on the portion 15 of the handle, thereby lifting the notch I3 from engagement with the pin l2. This enables the leg to be swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, where it will be retained by friction between the outer surface of the table leg and the bracket leg member 3 and between the plate 9 and the bracket leg member 6*. When it is desired to unfold the leg, the operator moves the same downwardly, the pin 12 riding along the arcuate surfaces 6 and l3 until it encounters the cam 3. Further movement in the unfolding or openingdirection causes the pin to ride along the cam, thereby moving the latch upwardly about its pivot l4, against the action of the spring l1, until the pin rides off the cam and encounters the'stop shoulder H, whereupon the latch is moved downwardly by the spring and the notch receives the pin therein between the inclined wall 13 and the vertical wall I3 thereof, which latter wall preferably registers with the shoulder II. It will be noted that the notch 13 tapers from the bottom toward the top, being of narrower width at the top than the diameter of the pin 12 thereby to accommodate for any wear of the latter. The parts 3, 3 and 6 constitute a channeled mounting wherein the upper end of the leg 1 is pivotally supported by the pin or bolt 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

The combination, with a table top and side rails forming a corner, of a mounting secured in said corner, said mounting comprising inner and outer side members extending substantially parallel with one of said rails, a leg pivotally mounted at its upper end between the said members, a pin carried by the inner side of said leg, a latch plate pivotally supported on the inner side member of said mounting having a notch extending upwardly from the bottom thereof adapted to receive the said pin when the leg shall have been fully opened or extended, the said latch plate having an inclined surface arranged to be engaged by the pin in advance of the said notch thereby to rock the latch plate upwardly, an operating handle connected with said latch plate and extending beneath the other of said rails, said other rail having a recess extending upwardly from the bottom thereof, a coiled spring confined within said recess and having its lower end engaging the top of the said handle, said recess being shaped to permit the upward movement of the operating handle therein.

CLENNIE B. HARRELL.

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