US766988A - Folding table. - Google Patents

Description

No. 766,988. PATBNTED AUG 9, 1904.

F. BUBROWES.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 BEBET8-BHBET l.

P. M. BURROWES.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLIOATION rum) M11. 20, 1903.

no MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE...

FRANK M. BURROWES, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO FDVVARD "ll.

BURROVVES, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

FOLDING TABLE...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 766,988, dated August 9, 1904, Application filed March 20, 1903. Serial No. 148,765. (No model.)

To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. Bnnnowns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and use-- ful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved folding table or stand, and has for its primary objcct the provision of an article of this char acter which may be collapsed into compact form to occupy the least possible space when not in use and to facilitate packing of the same formarket.

The invention comprehends a structure comprising a frame, a covering secured to the upper surface of said frame, and foldable supporting-legs adapted when closed to oneupy a plane within the said frame, whereby all projections are confined between the upper and lower surfaces of the frame, so that laid surfaces may lie fiat when the table is stored or being shipped.

Another novel feature of the invention the provision of legbraces formed of a springy material so fashioned that portions of said braces will cooperate with corresponding portions upon the cover or top frame to automatically lock the legs in either open or closed position.

The invention still further embraces means on the cover or its frame for engaging the free ends of the supportinglegs when the same are closed to slightly deflect said legs and create a friction between adjoining parts to more effectually secure the legs against acl of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the legs of the table folded within the top of the same. Fig. 3 is a bot tom plan view, parts being shown in section. Fig. l-is a cross-section on the line 00 m of Fig. 3, the table beings hown inverted; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail. views.

Referring more specificallv to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several views, A designates a hollow frame of any desirable contour, that shown in the present instance being of rectangular formation.

B is a top which is p1 "erably formed of relatively thin tough material, such as leather board or fiberboard, cut to overlie the frame A and extend to the edges thereof, and 5 rep resents suitable tacks for securing the cover to the frame. To present a pleasing and serv iceable covering for the top, I provide a sheet or layer of leather, felt, or other fabric cut to a size sufficient to extend completely acr as and be folded down over the sides of the frame A and be tacked thereto, whereby the leather board or fiber board and its securing means are completely hidden from View. The edges of the top are finished by a surrounding border of molding or other convenient ma" terial C, secured by screws to the frame A and braced by the metallic corner-pieces c. The frame A and its cover are reinforced by cross-pieces l), and intermediate one of said cross-pieces and the adjacent parallel portion of the frame the legs E are pivoted, two legs at opposite sides of the frame. Each leg car ries at its upper end a transverse bar (1, rigidly secured thereto, said bar being provided with longitudlnally-disposed recesses c in its ends for the reception of stub pintles or pins c loosely inserted therein, whereby the traua verse bar and its leg may pivot upon said pintles. These pintles are preferably of wood and are held in place by frictional en+ gagement with suitable apertures in the frame A and cross-piece D, alined with the recesses in the transverse pivot-bar c.

If desirable, the pintles may be further held. in place by passing a pin through the cross piece D and the end of the pintle therein,

while the opposite pintle will of course be prevented from working from its normal position by the finishing strip or molding C. The legs of each pair are respectively secured to their transverse pivot-bar at a point adjacent to one end thereof, so as to lie side by side when folded in the top of the table.

F represents braces for the legs, one brace being provided for each leg, designed more particularly to lock the legs in open position. These braces are constructed of spring metal, offset at each end, as at f f the portion f passing through an aperture in the leg and being prevented from withdrawal therefrom by upsetting a portion of the metal thereof,as at f The offset portion f is free to turn in the aperture in the leg in an obvious manner. The opposite portion f is loosely associated with a washer g, fitting in longitudinal slits g in the walls of longitudinally-disposed grooves G, formed in the sides of the cross-pieces D and the parallel portions of the frame A, according to the location of the legs. The offset portion f is capable of free movement through the aperture in the washer 9, but cannot be wholly retracted therefrom by reason of the fact that the metal at the extreme end of said offset portion is upset, as at f. At the end of the groove Gr adjacent to the leg, for the brace of which said groove is provided, there is a transverse aperture H, so arranged that when the leg is in open position the brace will automatically spring its offset portion f into said aperture, and thereby effectually lock the brace and leg against accidental closing. When it is desired to fold the leg, however, it is simply necessary to withdraw said offset portion from said aperture against the and washer may be slid along the groove Gr until the leg is folded. The end of the offset portion fcontacting with the base of the groove G will bend the brace F, as shown in Fig. 3, to assist in retaining the leg in closed position, and the washer g will prevent the escapement of said olfset portion from its groove.

As a means for more effectually securing the leg in folded position I secure to the top of the table blocks J, one arranged to lie between each pair of legs, the sides of said blocks projecting slightly into the path of movement of the legs and being rounded, so that as the legs are swung inwardly the edges of the same are engaged by the sides of the blocks and deflected or sprung so as to abut said sides and create suflicient friction therebetween to secure the legs within the top frame until manually forced open.

From the above it will be seen that a foldable table is provided which will possess many desirable features not adherent in similar tables of the prior art, while at the same time the construction is simple in the extreme and devoid of complicated and objectionable structural parts.

It is to be understood that in any future interpretation as to the scope of the invention the same is not to be limitedto any details of the special embodiment disclosed herein except in so far as any such may-be specified in the hereto-appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In afoldable stand, pivoted legs, braces for said legs each pivoted to a leg at its outer end and having an offset portion at its inner end, said braces being formed of springy material, and a washer loosely mounted upon the oflfset portion of said brace arranged to travel in oppositely-arranged slits adjoining a guidegroove in the stand whereby the offset portion may slide within the washer, said guide-groove terminating in a transverse opening into which .offset portion arranged to travel in a slit adjoining a guide-groove in the stand whereby the offset portion may slide within the washer, said guide-groove terminating in a transverse opening arranged for the reception of said offset portion of the brace when the same is in open position.

3. In a foldable stand, pivoted legs, braces for said legs each pivoted to a leg at its outer end and having an offset portion at its inner end, and a washer loosely mounted upon the ofiset portion arranged to travel in a guidegroove in the stand whereby the offset portion may slide within the washer, said guide-groove terminating in a transverse opening arranged for the reception of said offset portion of the brace to lock the same in place.

4:. In a foldable stand, pivoted legs, blocks arranged adjacent to one side of the legs when said legs are folded, and braces for the legs at the side thereof opposite the blocks, said braces being formed of springy material and arranged when closed to force the legs into frictional holding engagement with the blocks.

5. In a card-table, the combination with an open supporting-frame, having a plurality of cross-bars flush with the upper surface of the frame, legs secured to the frame, a top coextensive with the. frame and formed of fiber board fixedly secured to the frame and crossbars,'a flexible protective covering extending over the top and along the outer faces of the frame, and a surrounding molding secured to the outer faces of the frame and against the edges of the covering, whereby the covering is secured in place and the edges of the thin top protected.

6. A card-table consisting of an open frame rigid Crossbars Whose upper faces are flush With the supporting-surface of the frame, a top formed of thin material such as fiber board having its edges secured to the supportingsurfaee of the frame and resting on the crossbars, a flexible protective covering for the top extending over the edges thereof and secured to the frame, and a surrounding molding se-

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