GB2333950A - Table with telescopic legs - Google Patents

Abstract

A table comprises a base section 30 having at least two upwardly extending post members 54, 56 which engage telescopically with downwardly extending legs 50, 52 of an upper section 32, wherein a first crossbar 13 connects the post members 54, 56 and a second crossbar 53 connects the legs 50, 52. The crossbar 53 on the upper section 32 may be located at the lower ends of the legs 50, 52. Preferably, the base section 30 has two post members 54, 56 at each side and the upper section 32 has two legs 50, 52 at each side, wherein the posts 54, 56 may telescope inside the legs 50, 52. The upper section 32 may be raised or lowered by independent gas springs. That the table may be used in association with a sewing machine is also disclosed.

Description

Improvements Relating to Table and the Like Adjustment Systems This invention relates to table and the like adjustment systems, and has particular although perhaps not exclusive application to the adjustment of unit stand tables which are used in garment manufacturing industries for the production of garments, and which support sewing machines and ancillary equipment.

The table tops, sewing machines, motor and ancillary equipment which are used in garment manufacturing factories, are surprisingly heavy. The stands which support these items are of robust construction because of the weight they have to carry and the considerable vibration which they have to withstand, and are designed to provide long use.

However, designing and manufacturing the stands in this way brings its own problems when it is required, as is frequently the case, that the table height should be adjusted. This adjustment may be for example to suit different sized machinists, or to enable the machinist selectively to work between standing and sitting positions. Recent proposals in the garment industry have indicated that rather than having a large number of operators working in a sitting position, small groups should work in a standing position.

When the stands do not have built in height adjusting devices, it is not unusual for the entire table and stand to be dismantled to provide for height adjustment and to be reconstructed at the new height. Clearly, this represents an astonishing waste of time, especially when one considers that a garment factory may employ numbers of these tables in the hundreds.

Of course, devices have been proposed for use in connection with the table units whereby the table height may be adjusted, and one such arrangement comprises the provision of two gas lifting springs. With such arrangement, it is difficult to ensure that the table lifts exactly evenly, and it can often tilt and jam during the lifting operation. Consequently, the proposal to use two gas springs has not been successful. Other lifting devices designed to overcome the lifting problem have included hydraulic rams, manually and electrically driven but these are expensive and complicated and do not lend themselves to the use of gas springs which in themselves are excellent lifting devices.

The present invention seeks to address this problem, and solves with a stand or the like which is provided with a height adjusting mechanism wherein the stand is in two sections namely a base section and a top section, the latter of which is for supporting for example a table top and sewing machine equipment, and wherein the base section has at least two upwardly extending and spaced post members which engage telescopically with downwardly extending legs of the upper section, and wherein the said legs are reinforced and connected by at least one cross bar located sufficiently down the legs to allow clearance for equipment carried by the table, and the post members are also connected and reinforced by at least one cross bar.

By this arrangement i.e. by providing the cross bar, the legs with which the posts telescope are kept at a fixed distance, and lifting is improved and the disadvantage referred to above is overcome.

The cross bar on the upper section is preferably at the lower ends of the legs, and the posts preferably telescope inside the legs.

The base portion may have two post members at each side, and the upper portion may have two legs at each side in which the posts are telescoped, and cross bars may lie between the legs on the one hand and between the post members on the other hand.

A means for lifting the upper portion may be provided and preferably comprises gas springs inside the post members.

By this arrangement, a simple and effective table unit with a gas spring lifting mechanism is provided, to enable the lifting of a heavy table top and equipment without tilting and locking of the table top. This makes the arrangement particularly suitable for use in connection with sewing machine tables which are used industrially.

The gas springs will be selected so as to counterbalance the weight to be supported, namely the upper stand section, table top, sewing machine motor and accessories, so that the table top can be raised and lowered easily by one person.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, wherein; Figs. 1 and 2 are a front and side view of a conventional sewing machine table unit which is not equipped for adjustment; Figs. 3 and 4 are respective front views of a conventional sewing machine table unit with height adjustment, the respective figures showing the table in different positions; and Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but showing the table arrangement according to the present embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, all of the table stands shown therein are constructed from robust steel members so that the stands will be of sufficient mass and rigidity to take the weight of the table and withstand the working vibrations of garment sewing machines. It is to be noted that only Figs. 1 and 2 show a sewing machine 10 and accessories 11 mounted on the table, but each of the stands in Figs.

3 and 4 and 5 and 6 will have a similar table top and machine mounted thereon.

The stand shown in Fig. 1 comprises a pair of legs 12, 14 at the lower ends of which are support foot bars 16 and 18. These bars have feet 20 and 22 as shown. The legs are connected by a reinforcing cross bar 13.

The legs 12 and 14 support the table top 24 which in turn carries the sewing machine 10. This conventional stand is constructed in a way such that it cannot easily be adjusted in height and if adjustment in height is to be effected, in many cases this means dismantling the whole table stand unit and reconstructing it.

In the arrangement of Figs. 3 and 4, the stand is in the form of a base 30 and two lift legs 40, 42. The base 30 comprises side posts 34, 36 braced by a cross bar 13 and the lower edges are provided with foot bars 16 and 18 having feet 20, 22, similar to the stand of Figs. 1 and 2.

The legs 40, 42 are connected to a table top 24 and they telescope into the posts 34 and 36 as shown. The posts 34 and 36 are provided with independent gas springs which serve to raise the table top 24 via the legs 40, 42. As shown in Fig. 4 however, although the gas springs are independent, when lifting is attempted, frequently the gas springs do not lift the table top 24 in an even manner, with the result that as shown in Fig. 4 the table top 24 can tilt. This is the fault which has led to gas springs not being used in conventionally constructed sewing machine tables.

With the arrangement of the invention however, of which an embodiment is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stand comprises an upper section 32 including the table top 24 and downwardly extending legs 50 and 52. These legs at their lower ends are braced together to remain parallel by means of a cross bar 53 located as low as possible to be clear of underslung equipment, and the upper section therefore is in the form of a frame. The lower section 30 has upwardly extending post members 54 and 56 which are connected to the foot bars 16 and 18, but which are also connected together by strut or cross bar 13 at their lower ends where they are connected to the foot bars 16 and 18. This cross bar 13 rigidifies the lower section, and the cross bar 53 rigidifies the upper section.

The lifting means most suitably are independent gas springs respectively in the legs 50 and 52, and these springs are counterbalanced with the total weight to be carried so that the table can be raised and lowered easily by one person. Instead of gas springs, conventional springs or any other counterbalancing means could be used.

The stand will also be provided with locking means, such as hand operated screws, for locking the upper section in any position to which it is adjusted. An efficient lifting arrangement results and the table top 24 as shown in Fig. 6, as it is lifted, remains perfectly horizontal. Adjustment in an effective manner of the table top therefore becomes extremely easy, and is achieved by a basically simple inexpensive design of the table stand.

The use of two independent cross members 53 and 13 achieves this result.

Modifications of the invention may be made. Thus, the single side legs 50, 52 and posts 54, 56 may be replaced by twin leg and post arrangements, and it is possible to design the stand so that the legs 50, 52 telescope inside the posts 54, 56, if the posts 54, 56 are in the form of channel members having an open or slotted side through which the cross bar 53 can pass.

The cross bar 53 is desirably located at the lower ends of legs 50, 52 but certainly sufficiently low to clear the ancillary equipment 11 to the underside of the table 24.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1. A stand for a sewing machine or the like provided with a height adjusting mechanism wherein the stand is in two sections namely a base section and a top section, the latter of which is for supporting for example a table top and sewing machine equipment, and wherein the base section has at least two upwardly extending and spaced post members which engage telescopically with downwardly extending legs of the upper section, and wherein the said legs are reinforced and connected by at least one cross bar located sufficiently down the legs to allow clearance for equipment carried by the table, and the post members are also connected and reinforced by at least one cross bar.
2. 2. A stand according to claim 1, wherein the cross bar on the upper section is at the lower ends of the legs.
3. 3. A stand according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the posts telescope inside the legs.
4. 4. A stand according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the base portion has two post members at each side, and the upper portion has two legs at each side in which the post members are telescoped.
5. 5. A stand according to any preceding claim, wherein there is means for lifting the upper portion.
6. 6. A stand according to claim 5, wherein the said means for lifting comprises independent gas springs inside the respective post members.
7. 7. A stand according to claim 6, wherein the gas springs are selected so as to counterbalance the weight to be supported, namely the upper stand section, table top, sewing machine motor and accessories, when mounted thereon, so that the table top can be raised and lowered easily by one person.
8. 8. A stand for sewing machine tables and the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.