US1792555A - Table - Google Patents

Description

M. THUM Feb. 17, 1931.

TABLE Filed May 18. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l DI VI 0 m Mn R E 0 Vt W Mr A a w 4 m a b s 1 4 e L a 13 I M. THUM Feb. 17, 1931.

TABLE Filed May 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY INVENTOP MMZL'Y: BY

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Patented Feb. 17, 1931 MARTIN THUM, or ROCHESTER, NEW YonK TABLE Application filed May 18, 1927. Serial No. 192,439.

The present invention relates to tables and an object thereof is to provide a table which will automatically sustain its supports or legs in engagement with a supporting surface notwithstanding an unevenness in said surface. Another object of the invention is to provide a folding table of novel construction which may be compactly folded in a small space. V 7

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described; the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of a table shown in Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the table in folded position;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the table with the legs or supports in horizontalsection Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of the sup-' porting means looking from the upper side of the same; v a

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the manner in which the floating supporting means is mounted Fig. 7 is a central vertical sectionthrough I the table Fig. 8 is a side View of the table showing the floating support in vertical sections; and

Fig. 9 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the table.

I 1 Each hinging device, in this instance, em-

bodies a central leaf 3 extending across the center piece 1 and two side leaves 4 hinged at opposite sides at 5 to the cross or center leaf 3. Preferably three of such hinging de a vices are employed, two near opposite ends of the center piece 1 and the other near the middle of said'center piece.

To the center piece 1 a supporting means is rigidly connected comprising, in this instance, two uprights 6 connected by a lower horizontal piece 7 and an upper horizontal piece 8, the uprights and both connecting pieces, in this instance, being made of tubu lar metal stock of rectangular cross section.

The supporting means has its plane at a a.

slight angle to the length of the center piece 1 and is, in this instance, supported on the center piece by three braces 9, two of which are welded at 25 to the upper c'ross pieces 8 of the fixed support and have braced portions 10 extending therefrom and secured by screws 11 to the center piece 1, these screws 11 also serving to secure a portion of the hinged plate to the center piece. The other side of the horizontal cross piece 8 abuts one of the hinge knuckles 5. The brace portions 10 extend from opposite sides of the cross piece 8 thus giving to the support the angular relation to the center piece 1. .The other of'the three bracesindioated at 12 has two is mounted to float or move vertically with reference to the center piece and the supportlng means for the latter, and comprises, in

this instance,two uprights 15 connected by two horizontal pieces 16 and 17, the horizontal piece 16 being spaced from the lower ends a of the uprights 2 and the horizontal piece'l7 being spaced from the upper endsof the uprights. The distances between the lower face of the horizontal piece 16 and the upper face of the. piece 17 is less than the distance between the horizontal pieces 7 and 8 of the fixed supporting means so that the horizontal pieces 16 and 17 may lie betwen the horizontal pieces 7 and 8. A pivot rod18 with a head 18 passes through the horizontal pieces 7 and 8 and also through the horizontal pieces 16 and 17. This permits the floating supporting means not only to move vertically with reference to the'center'piece 1 and the fixed supporting means thereof, but also to swing on the rod 18 as an axis in order that the floating supporting means may be either folded under the center piece as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so as to permit the leaves 2 to drop orswing under the leaves as-shown'in the table rests, and, as the upper end to the uprights merely abut the leaves 2, the

leaves also rise and fall with the floating supporting means. Of course, this may place the leaves at slight angles to the center piece but this is so slight that it is not noticed, washer 19 may be arranged about the rod 18 between the cross piece 7 and the cross piece 16 to prevent abrasion between these two parts.

The invention as shown in Fig. 9 has been embodied in a rectangular table in which the center piece 1 runs diagonally of a table top as a whole and the side pieces 2 are in the form of right angle triangular pieces. The hypothenuse of the triangles are hinged to the sides of the center piece 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a table with a center piece and hinged leaves on opposite sides thereof, the center piece having a fixed supporting means and the leaves having a common supporting means mounted to float relatively to the fixed supporting means so that the table as a whole will adapt itself to an uneven supporting surface.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a table the combination with a center piece, leaves hinged to opposite sides of the center piece, and a support for the center piece comprising two legs, two horizontal portions connecting the legs, a vertical rod extending between the horizontal portion between the two legs, of a support for the leaves embodying two legs, two horizontal portions connecting said legs and mounted to turn on the upright rod and also to move vertically on the rod, said horizontal portions of the support for the leaves being positioned between the horizontal portions of the support for the center piece.

2. A table comprising a center piece, leaves hinged to opposite sides of the center piece, two legs, two connecting bars between said two legs, a rod connected to said connecting bars between the two legs, braces extending outwardly from opposite sides of the upper connecting bar at opposite ends of the bar and secured to the under side of the center piece, and a support for the two leaves mounted to swing on said vertical rod and also having vertical movement on the rod to permit the leaves to rise and fall so that the table may rest in a level condition on the surface on which it stands.

3. A table comprising a center piece, two leaves hinged to the center piece, two supports for the table both adapted to rest upon a surface upon which the table is supported, one of the supports being rigidly secured to the center piece, and means for supporting the other support to move relatively to the first mentioned support to a position to support both of the hinged leaves in extended position and to rise and fall relatively to the xed support to permit the table to level itself on the surface on which it is supported.

4. A table comprising a center piece, two leaves hinged to the center piece, two supports, one supporting the center piece and the other supporting the two leaves, and means connecting said supports for relative vertical movement so that the table may level itself on the surface on which it rests.

5. A table comprising a center piece, two leaves hinged to the center piece, two supports, one supporting the center piece and the other supporting the two leaves, and means supporting the leaf support for movement relatively to the center piece support to a position under the center piece to permit the leaves to swing downwardly and also for vertical movement to permit the table to level itself on the surface on which thetable rests.

6. A table comprising a center piece, two leaves hinged to the center piece, a support rigidly secured to the center piece and having two legs arranged at the opposite ends of the center piece, a second support having two legs arranged on opposite sides of the first named support, and means supporting said second support for movement about a vertical axis and also in the direction of its axis so as to swing the two legs under the leaves to support the leaves in an extended position or finder the center piece to permit the leaves to rop.

7 A table comprising a. center piece, leaves hinged to opposite sides of the center piece, a support for the center piece rigidly secured to the latter, a support for the two leaves, and means supporting the second support to swing about a vertical axis intersecting the center piece and also to move in the direction of said vertical axis.

MARTIN TI-IUM.

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