US1778418A - Slide for automatic extensible tables - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l J. COOPER Filed Aug. 30, 1928 SLIDE FOR AUTOMATIC EXTENSIBLE TABLES Oct. 14, 1930,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1930.

J. cooPE 1,778,418

v SLIDE FOR AUTOMATIC EXTENSIBLE TABLES Filed Aug. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B2, INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES JOSEPH COOPER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLIDE FOR AUTOMATIC EKTENSIBIJE TABLES Application filed August 30, 1928.

The object of the present invention is to provide a slide construction for automatic extensible tables of that type comprising a centre leaf, which I have hereinafter termed the table top and one or more outer leaves which are adapted to be moved under the table top. The table top is vertically movable only, whereas the outer leaves are horizontally movable. The outer leaves are mounted on slides and each slide is provided with a pin or other contact member which at the proper time comes into engagement with an endwise movable and swinging lever which serves to lift the table top preliminary to a movement of the outer leaves to a position under the table top in order that the table may be closed.

The weight of the table top is not thrown directly upon the under leaves but upon supporting feet, so that the movement of the outer leaves from closed position to open position is not resisted by the weight of the top, and recesses are formed in the slides to give clearance for said supports when the top drops into the position required when the table is to be in extended relationship.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a table constructed in accordance with the invention, the legs being omitted, and the table being shown closed;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the table in fully extended position preliminary to moving the outer leaves inwardly and the top downwardly to extended position for use;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the table extended for use;

0 Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the table in the position shown in Fig. 1 illustrating in dotted lines the various positions of the table top and the swinging endwise movable lever;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 55, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a slide assembly embodying the invention, and

Serial No. 302,938.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the endwise movable swinging levers.

It will be understood that two or more of the slide assemblies will be employed for each table. Each slide assembly comprises a centre member 1 which is adapted to support the table top 2. In the present instance the table top 2 is connected to the member 1 by means of a plurality of studs 3 which project into vertical openings 4 formed in said centre member and which are fixed to the table top. By such means the table top may have a vertical movement but is held against horizontal movement.

At each side of slide member 1 is an endwise movable slide, these slides being numbered 4 and 5. Slide 4 has fixed thereto end leaf 6 and slide 5 has fixed thereto end leaf 7 As customary, slides 4 and 5 will have a tongue and groove connection with the centre slide member 1. The table top is provided with a plurality of feet 8 which rest upon the slides 4 and 5 when the table is closed and in this manner the outer leaves are relieved from the pressure of the table top so that they may be readily moved outwardly with the slides 4 and 5 until the feet fall into recesses 9 formed in the slides. At this point of the outer leaf movement they will have moved beyond the table top, and the drop of the top by the means aforesaid will bring it to the same plane as that of the outer leaves. The outer leaves may then be moved inwardly into contact with the top and the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 3.

The movement of one outer leaf will impart equivalent movement to the second outer leaf. This follows inasmuch as slides 4 and 5 are connected at their base portions with rack and pinion devices a, b, 0. v

In closing the table an outward movement of one of the leaves, as for example leaf 7, will cause a pin 10 carried by its slide 5 to engage the swinging endwise movable lever 11, and in the complete outward movement of said leaf 7 from its position shown in Fig. 3 pin 10 will move lever 11 to its vertical position as shown in dotted lines at A in Fig. 2. The thus described movement of leaf 7 with the slide 5 will, through the rack and pinion devices above described, impart a similar movement to leaf 6 with its slide a.

Slide 4 carries a pin 12 and that pin will engage a swinging endwise movable lever 13, the complete outward movement of slide 4 causing the pin to move'the lever to the vertical position A shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The table top will thus have been moved upwardly to the dotted line position B, Fig. 2, and will be held in said upward 7 position by the levers 11, 13. The said dotted line position of table top is aboy e the path of movement of the leaves 6 and 7, and these leaves may be moved inwardly until their inner edges contact with the levers and cause them to drop to the position shown in Fig. 1. In said inward movement of the leaves and their slides, prior to the dropping of the levers,thesli'des wil be carried under feet 8 so that when table top drops from the dotted line position b, Fig. 2, its weight will be thrown upon the slides through the medium of the feet, and there will be no marring of the table leaves 6 and 7 It will be understood that the feet may be so designed as to hold the table top a slight distance above leaves G and 7.

The swinging endwise movable, levers are illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. Each lever consists of a bar bifurcated at its top and carrying an anti-friction roller 14. The lever is also bifurcated at its lower end to embrace a cam plate 15, an anti-friction roller 16 being provided to ride upon the upper cam surface of the plate. Each slide member 1 for the table will be provided with two cam plates and swinging levers disposed oppositely of the sides of said slide member 1, and longitudinally spaced from each other as indicated more particularly in Fig. 1.

The said arrangement provides an. ideal lifting means for the table top inasmuch as in the lifting movement the lever moves downwardly as it swings and thus a minimum impedance is given'to the movement of the lever to the vertical, the weight of the top on the lever tending to move it downwardly the pins 10 and 12 to retract from the levers and cause them to drop from their slight elevation to their lowermost point whereupon top 2 will drop to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the leaves 6 and 7 may be moved into a cam plate having an inclined cam surface .and a reversely inclined slot, a lever having a surface in contact with said cam surface and having a member fitted in said slot, in combination with means for actuating said lever, whereby the lever is acted upon by the cam surface and slot to have a combined endwise and swinging movement. 2. A slide combination for automatic extensible tables comprising a centre slide member, outer slide members, rack and pinion devices connecting the outer slide members, and means for raising a table top comprising a contact device carried-by one slide member, a cam plate carried by a second slide member, a bifurcated lever embracing the cam plate and having a stud'entering a slot formed in the cam plate and a contact member engaging the upper surface of the cam plate, as and for the purpose set forth. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' JOSEPH COOPER.

as the cam surface of the plate acting upon roller 16tends to swing the lever vertically, through the pressure of the pin which engages an edge of the lever.

As hereinbefore stated, when moving from contracted closed position, shown in Fig. 1, to extended closed position, shown in Fig. 3, it is unnecessary to move the outer leaves beyond the point where feet 8 drop in the clearance spaces provided at the ends of the slides land 5, and the pins 10 and 12 come in contact with the levers 11 and 13 but do not substantially raise them. In other words, the outward movement of the leaves 6 and 7 may be only that shown in Fig. 2 wherein the top lies inthe position shown in full lines. 'An inward movement of the leaves will cause its

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