US2788252A - Cross-leg vertically adjustable table - Google Patents

Description

April 9, 1957 M. A. DAVIS CROSS-LEG VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE Original Filed April 27. 1953 CROSS-LEG VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE TABLE Mansell A. Davis, Long Beach, Calif.

Substituted for abandoned application SerialNo. 351,231, April 27, 1953. This application May 24, 1954, Serial No.\431,625

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-95) My invention relates to the field of supporting devices, more `particularly to a cross-leg vertically adjustable table and is a substitute of application Serial No. 351,231, filed April 27, 1953, and which became abandoned April 8, 1954.

A major object of my invention is to supply a table particularly adapted for small homes and apartment house living, whereby when my table is in its lowermost position, it may serve as a decorative and useful coiiee table, yet when adjusted to an elevated position, may be used for dining, games, sewing or like purposes.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, and from the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my vertically adjustable table when in an elevated position;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of my invention in an elevated position;

Figure 3 is' aside view of the device in a folded position; t' i Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the table top looking upwardly at the bottom thereof; v

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion o f the table taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2;

`Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the cross pieces used in Amy invention with sections `cut away to illustrate the internal structure thereof; and

Figure 7 is another perspective view of one of the cross pieces shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings for .the general arrangement of my invention, it will be seen that it includes a substantially rectangular top T that is supported at the desired elevation by two angularly disposed members S and S pivotally connected to one another at substantially the mid-points thereof.

Top T is preferably fabricated from a rectangularly shaped sheet 10 of a commercially available rigid material having two end pieces 11 and 11', and side pieces 12 and 12 aihxed to the edge portions of the downwardly disposed face, as may best be seen in Figure 4. A reinforcing strip 13 is preferably transversely disposed under the table top 10 to extend between the side pieces 12 and 12.

rl`wo pairs of oppositely disposed blocks 14, 14' and 15, 15 are aliixed to the outwardly located interior faces of the side pieces 12 and 12 (Figure 3). Each of these blocks is provided with longitudinally extending grooves 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b, and said grooves each has a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses 16 extending inwardly into the blocks in which said recesses or slots are formed. The recesses 16 serve as stops, as will hereinafter be explained in detail.

Two cross pieces C and C identical in construction are provided, and for this reason but one cross piece C will be described herein, with the elements of cross piece C identified in the drawings by numbers corresponding to those used on like elements of cross piece C, but to which a prime is added. In Figures 6 and 7 it will be seen that United States Patent() Patented Apr. 9, 1957 ICC the cross piece C -is formed from an elongate member of channel-shaped cross section having two parallel legs 20 and 21 connected by a web 22. Two elongate pins 23 and 24 are longitudinally disposed Within the contines of the cross piece C, with the outer extremities of the pins projecting from the ends thereof.. Normally disposed handles 23a and 24a are bent or otherwise formed from the inwardly disposed ends Vof pins 23 and 24 respectively, which handles project through longitudinally disposed slots 22a and 22h formed in web 22. Pins 23 and 24 are slidably supported for longitudinal movement in cross piece C by guides 26 as may best be seen in Figure 6. p

Helical tension springs 23h and 24b are afxed at one end to pins 23 and 24, and at their opposite ends to the interior surface of leg 20 (Figure 6). The springs 2311 and 2411 at all times tend to urge pins 23 and 24 outwardly for reasons that will hereinafter be explained.

When mounted on cross piece C, the outer end portions of pins 23 and 24 are slidable in grooves 14a, 15a, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, while pins 23 and 24' are slidable in grooves 1417 and 15b. it will be readily apparent from the preceding description and an inspection of Figures 5 to 7 that pins 23, 24 and 23 and 24 are freely slidable in the grooves only when the handles 23a, 24a and 23a', 24a are moved inwardly toward one another. The end portions of an elongate strip 26a longitudinally disposed on web 22 extend into slots 22a and 22b. The length of strip 26a determines the distance the handles 23a, 24a may move inwardly toward one another, and by the use of this strip 26a, the maximum inward distance the handles 23a, 24a may travel is variable. Strip 26a may be affixed by screws or other conventional fastening means to web 22. lf it is not desired to have the distances which the handles 23a, 24a may move inwardly toward one another variable, strip 26a may be dispensed with and the inwardly disposed ends of slots 22a and 22b will determine the maximum inward movement of the handles.

The structure of the table top-supporting members S and S may best be seen in Figures l and 3. The first supporting member S is formed from two elongate tubes or rods 31 and 32, the centrally disposed portions 31a and32a of which are disposed adjacent and parallel to one another. Centrally disposed portions 31a and 32a may be banded, welded, or otherwise affixed to one another. Those parts above the central portions of rods 31 and 32 are bent or otherwise formed to provide two laterally separated, angularly disposed arms 31h and 32b. The parts of rods 31 and 32 below the central portions 31a and 32a are formed to provide two laterally separated, angularly disposed legs 31C and 32C. Legs 31C and 32o cooperate to define an inverted U-shaped leg support. The lower extremities of legs 31C and 32e are provided with suitable smooth-surfaced members 31d and 32d which will not damage the carpet or other surface on which the table is supported.

Table top-supporting member S' is identical to the previously described member S, with the exception that the centrally disposed portions 31a and 32a are laterally separated from one another. Leg portions 31a and 32a are connected by two longitudinally spaced, transversely disposed cross members 36 and 37 that define a substantially rectangular opening 38 therebetween. The centrally disposed leg portions 31a and 32a of member S extend through the opening 38 as may best be seen in Figure l. A transversely disposed shaft. 39 extends between leg portions 3la and 32a, serving to pivotally support member S. Centrally disposed portions 31a and 32a are formed with oppositely disposed openings itl through which the shaft 39 passes.

In Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the extremities of arms 31b and 32b are rigidly connected to cross piece C by screws 41 or other conventional fastening means. Arms 31b and 32h are likewise rigidly afixed to cross piece C.

The operation of my invention is extremely simple. When it is desiredto change the elevation of table top T, the handles 23a, 24a and 23a', 24a are grasped and moved inwardly toward one another the maximum distance possible, whereby pins 23, 24 and 23', 24 retracted and may slide longitudinally in slots 14a, 15a and 14h, 15b respectively. Movement of pins 23, 24 and 23', 24 in the slots associated therewith permits the supports S and S to pivot relative to one another. Such pivotal movement raises or lowers the elevation of the top T as desired, and when the top is disposed at the desired elevation, the manual pressure on handles 23a, 24a, and 23a', 24a' may be released, causing springs 23h, 24h and 23b, 24b' respectively to force the outer ends of the pins into certain of the recesses 16 which act as stops to prevent further pivoting of supports S and S'.

From the above description it will be apparent that the top T may be horizontally disposed in a number of vertical elevations by pressing either pair of handles 23a, 24a or 23a', 24a together to permit movement of the pins associated therewith relative to the table top T. Either pair of handles 23a, 24a or 23a', 24a may be used separately to adjust the elevation of the table top. Each pair of handles when actuated permits the vertical adjustment of the top T through a predetermined maximum range.l lf it is desired to vertically adjust the table top through a distance greater than the range controlled by one set of said handles, both sets must be actuated to accomplish this result. When the table is not in use, pins 23, 24 and 23', 24 may be positioned so as to not engage stops 16 whereby the top-supporting members S and S may be collapsed to assume substantially parallel positions relative to the top T. With the supports in this collapsed position, the table as a whole requires a minimum of storage space, which is highly desirable from the householders standpoint, as well as in the merchandising and marketing thereof.

Although the vertically adjustable table herein shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of my invention, and that I do not mean to be limited to the structural details herein shown and described other than as defined in the appended claim.

Iclaim:

A vertically adjustable table which includes: a sub- 4 t stantially rectangular` table top that is formed with two pairs of oppositely disposed grooves on the side end portions thereof, and each of said pair of grooves formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced oppositely disposed recesses; a first cross piece and a second cross piece, with each of said cross pieces slidably supporting transversely disposed pins that project outwardly from the ends thereof into said grooves; spring means that at all times urge said pins outwardly to en-gage oppositely disposed sets of said recesses when said cross pieces are moved longitudinally relative to said top to be brought in alignment therewith; manually operated means mounted on said cross pieces vto retract said pins suciently that said recesses are not engaged; a first table top supporting member that has an elongated centrally disposed portion from which two arms extend upwardly in a U-shape and have their outer ends rigidly afiixed to said first cross piece, said portion having two legs that extend downwardly therefrom to define an inverted U; a second table top supporting member that has an elongated centrally disposed portion in which an opening is formed through which the centrally disposed portions of said first table top supporting member extends, said second supporting member formed with two laterally spaced arms that extend upwardly in a U shape from said central portion thereof to have their outer ends rigidly affixed to said second cross piece, and two laterally separated legs that extend downwardly from said central portion of said second member to define an inverted U; and a transversely disposed pin that extends across said opening to pivotally support the central portion of said first member whereby said arms and legs may be moved relative to one another to maintain said table top at one of a plurality of vertical elevations, each of whichelevations is dependent upon the particular sets of said recesses engaged by said pins.

References Cited in the file of this patentv i UNITED STATES PATENTS 631,556 Burshnell Aug. 23, 1899 1,165,382 Y Anderson Dec. 28, 1915 1,576,034 Butt Mar;r9, 1926 1,895,290 Lobel Ianf24, 1933 1,994,364 King Mar. 12, 1935 2,060,367 Flagstad Nov. 10, 1936 2,581,023 Ierick Ian. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 445,780 Great Britain v Apr. 17,1936

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