US2706670A - Table with legs foldably mounted thereon - Google Patents

Description

April 19, 1955 Y, ||E|FETZ 2,706,670

TABLE WITH LEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Filed Oct. 31, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l @Qi 5 mm www BY J, @am i ATTORNEYS April 19', 1955 Y. HEn-ETZ 2,706,670

TABLE WITH LEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Filed 001'.. 3l, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVENTOR.

'VAGLIA LIEIFETZ BY M a 3 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O TABLE WITH LEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Yasha Heifetz, Rego Park, N. Y.

Application October 31, 1952, Serial No. 317,977

6 Claims. (Cl. 311-35) This invention relates to foldable or collapsible tables.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a foldable table designed and constructed in such a manner that it may be readily set up into stable, rigid, operative condition and which may also be easily folded or knocked down to an extremely compact condition for convenience in packing, shipping and storage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable table of the character indicated having a plurality of supporting members or legs so arranged with respect to the table top that they may be moved or folded to substantially underlie the table top without requiring complete disassembly therefrom.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable table of the character indicated wherein each of the supporting members or legs comprises a resilient, generally V-shaped, rod-like structure having an outer branch and an inner branch, each inner branch being turnably mounted on a centrally disposed connecting member or hub and each outer branch being releasably engageable within a socket member secured to the underside of the table top in order to maintain the leg in operative upright position.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a foldable table of the character indicated wherein the locking and releasing of the supporting legs may be readily accomplished simply by manipulation of a single member, i. e. the centrally disposed connecting member or hub retaining the terminal portion of the inner branch of each supporting leg.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a table embodying the features of the invention in assembled condition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but illustrating the initial step in collapsing the table which involves the loosening of the centrally disposed connecting member or hub in order to permit the withdrawing or springing of the outer leg branches from their respective retaining sockets prior to folding the leg members flat against the underside of the table top;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table in finally collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but of a yslightly modified form of table;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of another modification of foldable table in assembled condition;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of a modified form of centrally disposed connecting member comprising a pair of cooperating disc members rotatably retaining the terminal portions of inner leg branches having otset ends; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Figs. l to 4, the table top 10 may be made of wood, metal or any other suitable material and is arrangedto'be supported on a plurality of leg members 11. Each leg member 11 is formed from a rod or tube of metal stock which may be readily bent to define a generally V-shaped structure comprising an outer leg branch 11a, an intermediate bight or bend 11b forming the foot of each leg member, an inner leg branch 11C and a horizontally extending terminal portion 11d.

rice

A centrally disposed mounting element or block 12 is secured to the underside of table top 10 in any suitable manner for the purpose of fixedly retaining a threaded stud or bolt 13. A mounting ring 14 is also secured to the underside of table top 10 for the purpose of supporting a plurality of socket members 15 spaced uniformly therearound and corresponding in number to the number of leg members 11 employed in a given case. The preferred manner of securing mounting element l2 and mounting ring 14 in position will of course depend on the nature of the material forming the table top 10 and said mounting elements.

The horizontally extending terminal portion 11d of each leg member 11 is arranged to be turnably supported in any suitable manner with respect to a centrally disposed connecting member or hub 16 retained on bolt 13. ln the preferred embodiment of the invention the turnable mounting of leg members 11 with respect to hub 16 is accomplished by threaded engagement of each terminal portion 11d within radially extending threaded bores or sockets of hub 16, as indicated at 17. It will of course be understood that any other convenient arrangement for turnably mounting the inner ends of leg members 11 with respect to hub 16 may be employed.

A wing nut 18 is provided on bolt 13 for manually tightening hub 16 in its operative position underlying mounting block 12 (see Fig. l) thereby maintaining leg members 11 in rigid position supporting the table top 10, and for alternatively withdrawing or loosening said hub to a position spaced from mounting block 12 (see Fig. 2) in order to permit folding of said leg members to substantially underlie the table top, as will now be described.

Upon referring to Fig. l it will be seen that in the assembled condition of the table the vertically extending upper end portion of each outer leg branch 11a is received within a respective socket member 15 in order to rigidly maintain the leg member 11 in its operative vertical supporting position. The inner leg branch 11e is securely held within hub member 16 by means of threaded horizontal terminal portion 11d. After all of the outer leg branches 11a have been initially aligned with their respective sockets 15, wing nut 18 is advanced or tightened thereby causing hub member 16 to underlie mounting block 12 and simultaneously firmly seating the upper end of each outer leg branch 11a within its respective socket. By reason of the inherent resiliency of construction of leg members 11, an extremely stable and rigid structure results and the withdrawal of outer leg branches 11a is prevented unless wing nut 18 is loglsened at the time when it is desired to collapse the ta e.

Fig. 2 illustrates the operation of collapsing the table. Wing nut 18 is loosened on bolt 13 in order to permit the withdrawal or downward displacement of the entire leg assembly comprising hub member 16 and the leg members 11 a suicient distance to allow either springing or complete removal of the upper portions of outer leg branches 11a from operative engagement within their respective sockets 15. Upon withdrawal from said sockets, each of the leg members 11 may be turned approximately degrees with respect to hub 16 to assume the compact folded position of Fig. 3 wherein said leg members lie flat against the lower edge of mounting ring 14 and substantially parallel to the underside of table iop 10.y Subsequent tightening of wing nut 18 will securely retain the folded leg members 11 in the condition of Fig. 3 during shipment or storage.

By reason of the described arrangement, it will be noted that the entire supporting assembly comprising the hub member 16 and the leg members 11 always remains connected with the table top 10 even during the operation of folding said leg members to their finally collapsed position. The fact that it is never necessary to completely dismount any of the component elements of the supporting assembly facilitates the rapid assembly and disassembly of the unit and constitutes an important feature of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 3 the supporting assembly is shown as comprising three leg members 11. It will of course be understood that the number of legs may vary as desired. By way of example, Fig. 4 illustrates a table similar in all respects to the initially described embodiment but having four legs instead of three.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention comprising an elongated table top 20 having rounded table ends 20a and having a pair of supporting assemblies mounted adjacent each end thereof. Each supporting assembly includes a pair of leg members 21 similar in all respects to leg members 11 of the initially described embodiment. A pair of mounting blocks 22 fixedly retain the threaded studs 23. Mounting element 24 is secured to the underside of table top 20 and supports the socket members 25 for the reception of the upper portion of the outer leg branch of each leg member 2l. The terminal portion of the inner leg branch of each of said leg members is turnably supported with respect to a connecting member or hub 26 retained on each stud 23 by means of a wing nut 28. The assembly and disassembly of each supporting unit of Fig. 5 is similar to that described for the embodiment of Figs. l to 3.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of connecting member or hub member 30 for turnably supporting the inner leg branches 31. Hub member 30 preferably comprises a pair of cooperating disc members 32 retained on threaded stud 33 and secured together by means of a wing nut 34. Disc members 32 are formed with complementary, opposed, semi-circular recesses 35 which serve, upon assembling the discs, as sockets for turnably retaining the terminal portions of the inner leg branches 31. Said leg branches are formed with laterally offset portions 31a in order to prevent separation of the leg branches from the assembled disc members 32. Disc members 32 are further provided with aligned cut-outs 36 to provide clearance for laterally offset leg portions 31a and to permit turning of the legs 31 from their operative upright position to their compact folded position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Since certain additional modifications may be made in the device of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof, it will be understood that all matter contained in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a foldable table, a table top, a mounting element depending from the underside of said table top, a hub member mounted on said mounting element and axially slidable thereon and having an upper limit position, means for releasably clamping said hub member to said mounting element in its upper limit position, a plurality of sockets depending from said table top and radially spaced from said hub member and circumferentially spaced from each other, a plurality of resilient, generally V-shaped leg members, each of said leg members comprising an outer leg branch and an inner leg branch, and arms respectively connected to the free ends of said inner leg branches, said arms being respectively mounted in said hub member so as to extend radially outwardly therefrom and so as to be turnable about their axes, the branches of each leg and the arm associated therewith being at least approximately coplanar, said legs being generally parallel to said table top in tirst turned positions of the respective arms to detine a storage condition of the table, said legs extending generally perpendicularly to said table top in second turned positions of said respective arms, the free end portions of the outer branches being respectively adapted to be releasably inserted in respective sockets when said arms are in their second turned positions to define a set-up condition of the table, said outer branches being adapted to be tensioned radially inwardly by the clamping of said hub member in its upper limit position when the table is set up, whereby said outer branches are frictionally held against the sides of their respective sockets to rigidify the assembly, the tension on said legs being adapted to be decreased by lowering of said hub member from its upper limit position, whereby to permit springing of said outer branches from their respective sockets.

2. A foldable table in accordance with claim 1, said arms having terminal portions threadedly engaged by said hub member.

3. A foldable table in accordance with claim 1, said hub member comprising a pair of registering and abutting disc members, said disc members respectively having opposed, radially extending recesses defining retaining sockets, each said arm having its free end portion turnably positioned within a respective retaining socket, at least one of said disc members having a cut-out portion communicating with each said recess and extending perpendicularly thereto, each said leg having at its free end a transversely off-set portion which is adapted to enter said cut-out portion when said leg member is moved out of upright position.

4. In a foldable table, a table top, a threaded mounting stud depending from the underside of said table top, a hub member mounted on said stud and freely axially slidable thereon, a threaded nut mounted on said stud below said hub member and turnable on said stud to releasably clamp said hub member against the under side of said table top, a plurality of sockets depending from said table top and radially spaced from said hub member and circumferentially spaced from each other, a plurality of resilient, generally V-shaped leg members, said leg members comprising an outer leg branch and au inner leg branch, and arms respectively connected to the free ends of said inner leg branches, said arms being respectively mounted in said hub member so as to extend radially outwardly therefrom and so as to be turnable about their axes, the branches of each leg and the arm associated therewith being at least approximately coplanar, said legs being generally parallel to said table top in rst turned positions of the respective arms to define a storage condition of the table, said legs extending generally perpendicularly to said table top in second turned positions of said respective arms, the free end portions of the outer branches being respectively adapted to be releasably inserted in respective sockets when said arms are in their second turned positions to define a set-up condition of the table, said outer branches being adapted to be tensioned radially inwardly by the clamping of said hub member against the underside of. said table top when the table is set up, whereby said outer branches are frictionally held against the sides of their respective sockets to rigidly the assembly, the tension on said legs being adapted to be decreased by lowering of said hub member away from the underside of said table whereby to permit springing of said outer branches from their respective sockets.

5. A foldable table in accordance with claim 4, said arms having terminal portions threadedly engaged by said hub member.

6. A foldable table in accordance with claim 4, said hub member comprising a pair of registering and abutting disc members, said disc members respectively having opposed, radially extending recesses defining retaining sockets, each said arm having its free end portion turnably positioned within a respective retaining socket, at least one of said disc members having a cut-out portion communicating with each said recess and extending perpendicularly thereto, each said leg having at its free end a transversely off-set portion which is adapted to enter said cut-out portion when said leg member is moved out of upright position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,661 Knight July 14, 1908 1,300,862 Otte Apr. 15, 1919 1,885,635 Schweitzer Nov. 1, 1932 1,960,181 Dreier May 22, 1934 1,976,031 Lowenberg Oct. 9, 1934 2,210,047 Stieglitz Aug. 6, 1940 2,253,172 Fetterman Aug. 19, 1941 2,540,254 Garber Feb. 6, 1951 2,546,439 Green Mar. 27, 1951

Images