US2695827A - Folding table with spring lock - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30, 1954 w. P. DE sAussuRauR 2,695,327

FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LOCK Filed May 27, 1953 FIG. 2.

FIG. I.

. INI EN TOR. WILLIAM F? DeSAUSSURE I: I BY 6%, PM, o 0%,

FIG. 3.

United States Patent O FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LOCK William P. De Saussure, .lr., Englewaod, N. 3., assignor to William P. De Saussure HI, Englewood, N. 3., and the said William P. De Saussure, copartners, doing business under the firm name and style of De Saussure Equipment West New York, N. J.

Application May 27, 1953, Serial No. 357,810

1 Claim. (Cl. 311--87) This invention relates to improvements in folding tables in which the legs or other supporting members at each end of the table are provided with rotatable and slidable means connecting them to the table top. in general, the object of the invention is to simplify the structure of this type of folding table which is made possible by the use of round tubular metal stock in the construction of its supports.

in the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of one end of a table embodying the invention, with the supporting member at that end shown in its folded position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the supporting member in its erected position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a complete table constituting another embodiment of the invention and showing the supporting members (in this case straight legs) nested in their folded position.

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective, and

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on a plane denoted by 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the supporting member, denoted generally by the numeral 10, at each end of the table consists of a structure composed entirely of tubing, the upper end of which structure has two laterally projecting rounded tubing ends 11, 12. These projecting ends are received in closed spaces formed by the table top and the flanges of angle-plates 13 which are parallel to the table top and are secured to and in a predetermined spaced relation with the table top. The distance between the table top and said flanges is slightly in excess of the diameter of the said rounded tubing ends, so that the latter will have a free fit between the table top and said flanges whereby the table top and flanges will, in effect, provide guiding tracks along which said ends may slide and rotate freely toward stops 15. The upper ends of these supporting members are connected to the table on each side by links 14. Thus when the supporting members are moved from their folded positions to erect the table, and vice versa, the rounded tubing ends 11, 12 will both rotate and slide along and within the enclosed space formed between the table top and said flanges. At the inner end of these spaces, the flanges 13 are bent toward the table top, as denoted at 15, to form tapered stops which check further extension of the supporting members after they have reached their normal extended position, and, through wedging action, eliminate play or lost motion. The friction between the projecting rounded ends 11, 12 and the angle-plates 13 will be suflicient to hold the supporting members in their folded position.

With this construction, a table of the type aforesaid can be manufactured from raw stock with a minimum amount of shaping, fitting, machining and other operations.

Acting in conjunction with said tapered stops 15 is a locking device to maintain the corresponding supporting member rigidly fixed when in its extended position. This device comprises a lever 16 pivoted at one end 17 to the table top and a spring 18 which causes the other end of the lever to press continuously against the upper end of said supporting member. This lock, as applied here, is particularly advantageous since it tends to prevent collapse of the legs even though, when the table is erected, the lever, through inadvertence, is not pushed completely home; for as the supporting member nears its erected position, the action of the spring automatically becomes non-reversible due to multiplication of power through the leverage involved and the spring tension, and thus causes the lever to work into a more secure locking position as the table is handled, notwithstanding the carelessness of those engaged in the operation. The length of this lever is such that when said supporting member has reached its normal position against the tapered stops it will be substantially perpendicular to said supporting member and this will hold the latter rigidly in that position. When the supporting member is to be moved from its erected position to its folded position, the lever is moved manually out of contact therewith, whereupon said supporting member may be retracted toward the table top.

In Fig. 3 the supporting members at the end of the table consist of straight legs; and a complete table is illustrated to show that in this embodiment of the invention, the legs may be nested in their folded position and can be held in that position by frictional contact with side links 14.

I claim as my invention:

A folding table having at opposite ends a support the upper part of which is slidably attached to the table top, in combination-with a device for locking the support in its erected position, said locking device comprising a lever pivoted to the table top and a spring attached to the lever and causing the free end of the latter to bear continuously against the support at a single point and to lock the support positively against collapse when the support has reached its erected position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 493,021 Franks Mar. 7, 1893 915,061 Arnt Mar. 16, 1909 923,500 .Drees June 1, 1909 1,063,642 Birdsall June 3, 1913 2,178,248 Bristow Oct. 31, 1939 2,326,461 Howe Aug. 10, 1943 2,542,394 Cohen et al Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,821 Great Britain 19 06

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