US2828173A - Hinged locking braces for folding table sections - Google Patents

Description

R. O. BLINK March 25, 1958 HINGED LOCKING BRACES FOR FOLDING TABLE SECTIONS Filed Jan. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R w m z N N WM M N v w W 0 M 4,, Wx W\ N M Y v B Q M MN g r A 5 Q March 25, 1958 R. o. BLINK lHINGED LOCKING BRACES FOR FOLDING TABLE SECTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1957 IN V EN TOR. WM 0. @M

HINGED LOCKING BRACES FOR FOLDING TABLE SECTIONS Robert O. Blink, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Mitchell Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 11, 1957, Serial No. 633,650

2 Claims. (Cl. 31192) This invention relates to improvements in hinged locking braces for folding table sections.

Relatively large and elongated folding tables are customarily used in churches, schools and other meeting places where large gatherings take place. As the tables are used in outstretched unfolded condition in rooms or auditoriums which serve other purposes, it is necessary, when the tables are not in use, that they be susceptible of being stored in a folded or collapsed condition. The ordinary folding table of the type under consideration comprises two end-to-end hingedly joined sections with associated folding leg mechanism, which sections are arranged to be folded, for storage purposes, one upon the other. Consequently, the pair of table sections making up an elongated folding table are hingedly connected along their abutting ends and it is desirable that brace 'or locking means be applied along the undersur faceof the board across the junction of the meeting ends to prevent the table, when in its outstretched condition, from unauthorizedly folding or collapsing should pressure be applied to either end of the outstretched table.

-With the foregoing in mind it is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide in a twosection folding table, a hinged locking brace positionable across the line of fold of the table sections to maintain and brace the table sections in their outstretched condition and to prevent undesired folding thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hinged locking brace for folding table sections manually manipulatable to and from an inoperative position and which, in its operative position, serves as a brace or lock to prevent the extended table sections from buckling or folding should pressure he applied to the ends of the table.

A further object of the 'invention'is to provide a hinged locking brace for folding table sections which, when positioned perpendicularly to the plane of the table sections, 'locks the same against undesired folding movemerit, but which may be folded parallel to the plane of the table sections to permit the latter to be folded upon themselves and which hinged locking brace, in the latter position, has its pintle aligned with the pintles of the hinges between the two "table sections.

.Afurther object .of the inventionis .to provide a hinged locking brace for folding table sections which is manipulatable from a position perpendicular to the plane of the table sections for .table top bracing purposes when the tableis out-stretched, to a position parallel to the plane of the table sections wherein folding of the table sections maybe accomplished, the hinged sections of the locking brace .beingunder the influence of yielding springs which are so associated with the hinged locking brace as to apply force thereto to hold the same in either its flat or perpendicular position.

i A further object of the'invention'is to provide a'hinged locking brace for folding table sections which is easily manually manipulated, whichis compact and 'folds'within the confines of the table top sections so as not to interfere with the collapse of the latter, which is strong and. durable, which is eificient in operation, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved hinged locking brace for folding table sections, and its parts and combinations as.

set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of a two-section folding table in its out-stretched condition, with parts broken away and in section to show the improved hinged locking brace applied between the abutting ends of the table top sections;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of a two-section fold.- ing table in its outstretched condition only showing the hinged locking brace folded into its non-operative position parallel to the plane of the table top sections, in which position the table top sections may be folded upon themselves;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary inverted plan view of the abutting ends of a pair of hingedly connected table top sections having applied thereto the improved hinged locking brace which is in its folded or non-operative position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary .sectional view taken approxi mately along the .line 4-4 of Fig. 3.;

Fig. 5 is a .view similar to Fig. 3, only showing the hinged locking brace in its operative section bracing and locking position perpendicular to the plane of the table top sections;

Fig. .6 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view'taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing the table top sections in their collapsed or folded 'condition confining therebetween the folded hinged :locking brace.

Referring now :more particularly to the drawings, will appear that the improved hinged locking brace "is adapted for incorporation in a folding table structure of the type illustrated and described in the .co-pending application of .Peter Blink, for'Securing Means for Folding Table and Cabinet Assemblages,-Serial No. .5l8,7'4'5,.filed June 29, 1955. The folding table disclosed .in:said 1:0- pending application and shown in ,Figs. 1 and :2 'of the accompanying drawings comprises a pair of table top sections lit and 11 hingedly connected together at :their abutting ends by hinged plates '12, whereby the table'ztop sections ltlzand 11 may :be foldedfrom'the outstretched condition .of Fig. .l :to the collapsed condition ;of:Fig. :8 with the inner faces of the table top sections in junta; position and confining therebetween :the collapsible leg and brace mechanism. The :latter includes pivotally mounted end :leg structures Y13 and '14 vanti zpivotally mounted intermediate legs 15. .T he irrtermediateflegs ?15 have swinging link connections 16 with a transverse :revoluble shaft 17 on the underside of :the tabletop section 11 whereby the intermediate legs are adaptedto-be folded from the vertical supporting position of .Fig. 1 to .a. collapsed position between the folded table ,top sections when the table-is collapsed ,or folded medially. Theleg structure 13 of the table top section 10 has ,pivotally secured thereto the end of an elongated rod 18, While the leg structure 1140f the-tabletop section 11 haspivotally connected thereto the outer end of a similar rod 19. The inner ends of the rods '18 and 19 are pi-votally connected to bracketsfltl and .251 respectively, 'carriedi'by-the undersurface portions .of the table .top sections :131 and Ill,

adjacent their hinged inner ends. Thus, a folding movement of one of the table sections toward the inner face of the other is effective, through the rods 18 and 19, to project the leg structures 13 and 14, from their normal perpendicular supporting position of Fig. 1 toward the outer ends of their respective top sections and flatly against their inner surfaces. Similarly, through the swinging links 16, the intermediate legs 15 are caused to fold flatly relative to the table top sections.

Becausethe present invention is concerned primarily with the hinged locking brace applied to the adjacent inner hinged ends of the table top sections 10 and 11, Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive of the drawings which specifically illustrate said hinged locking brace structure have had omitted therefrom the intermediate legs 15 and the connecting links 16 and shaft 17. Because the folding table in its out-stretched condition is elongated and for folding purposes buckles and folds across the transverse median which is along the line of hinge connection between the sections 10 and 11, if undue pressure should be applied to either end of the outstretched table, it might tend to undesirably buckle or fold. Consequently, to guard against this undesirable contingency, the abutting inner end portions of the table sections 10 and 11 have applied to their inner surfaces a hinged locking brace which may be folded from an inoperative position to an operative position, and in the latter position it will lock and brace the hingedly connected adjacent ends of the table sections from undesirably buckling or foldin Each table section 19 and 11, adjacent its inner end and parallel with its longitudinal median, has secured thereto right angularly shaped hinge brackets 22. The outer margins of said hinge brackets 22 are serrated and rolled to interfit with similar serrated and rolled edges of complementary hinge plates 23. Pintles 24 extend through the interfitting rolled and serrated margins of the hinge brackets 22 and the complementary hinge plates 23. Thus, the hinge plates 23 may be folded relative to the anchored hinge brackets 22 from the operative position of Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7, wherein the hinge plates are perpendicular to the plane of the table top sections 10 and 11, to the inoperative position of Figs. 3, 4 and 8, wherein the hinge plates are parallel to the planes of the table top sections. The adjacent ends of the hinge plates 23 are also formed with interfitting serrated and rolled portions which are secured together by a pintle 25. When the hinge plates are folded to the inoperative position of Figs. 3 and 4, the pintle 25 hingedly connecting the ends of the same is alined with the pintles of the hinge plates 12 which connect the table top sections and consequently the table top sections may then be f lded upon themselves to the position of Fig. 8.

It will be observed from Figs. 3 and that the hinged locking brace structure is operatively positioned on the underside of the table top sections between the leg operating rods 18 and 19 so as not to interfere therewith and is accommodated therebetween in its folded position. Mounted on the undersurface of one of the table top sections adjacent its hinged inner end is a right angular bracket 26 whose downwardly projecting leg lies adjacent an outer face portion of one of the hinge plates 23 when it is folded to its perpendicular position and thereby forms a stop to limit the unfolding movement of the hinge plates in one direction.

Mounted on the underside of the table top sections and 11 adjacent the ends of the hinge plates 23 but ofI'set laterally therefrom are angular brackets 27 to which are secured one pair of ends of coiled springs 28. The other ends of said coiled springs are secured to end portions of the hinge plates 23. The mounting of the springs 28 is such that they exert a force on a bias relative to the hinge plates and hold the same under tension in the perpendicular operative position of Figs. 5 and 6 and in the folded inoperative position of Figs. 3 and 4, so that the hinge plates will not unauthorizedly shift from 4 one position to the other, but they may be manually moved from the perpendicular to the fiat position against the tension of the springs.

From the drawings and description it will be obvious that when the table top sections It? and 11 are outstretched and the hinged locking brace has the plates 23 thereof projected to the perpendicular position of Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7, the hinge plates which then span the junction between the hinged inner ends of the table top sections has its hinge pintle 25' perpendicular to the axes of the pintles of the table top section hinges 12. This position of the hinge plates forms a locking bridge-like brace which pre vents relative folding of the outstretched table top sections even though pressure is applied to the ends thereof. This is a safety factor which prevents undesired collapse or buckling of the table top sections. When it is desired to fold the table top sections upon themselvesfor removal and storage, it is only necessary to manually swing the hinge plates 23 to the position of Figs. 2 and 3 wherein said hinge plates are parallel to the plane of the table top sections. This manipulation of the hinge plates 23 then positions the pintle 25, which joins the abutting ends of the hinge plates, in alinement with the table top sections hinges l2 and permits the hinge plates 23 to fold flatly upon themselves while the tabletop sections are being folded to the position of Fig. 8 which confines the parts and mechanism between the adjacent undersurfaces of the folded table top sections.

The improved hinged locking brace for folding table sections insures the securement of the table in its outstretched condition, but by a simple manual manipulation of the hinge plates 23 to the position of Figs. 2 and 3, the table top sections may be easily folded upon themselves in the usual manner. The hinged locking brace for folding table sections is inconspicuous, compact, easily operated, eliminates hazards, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth. 7

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. Ina folding table having an elongated fiat top formed of a pair of similar, end to end sections hingedly connected together at their adjacent ends so as to be longitudinally aligned when in their outstretched condition; the improvements which comprise an articulated locking brace carried by the underside of thetop sections to span the adjacent inner ends thereof, said locking brace including a plate hingedly connected along a longitudinal edge to each top section adjacent its inner end, and a hinge connection between the adjacent ends of said plates, the latter hinge connection being transverse to the axis of hinge connection between the plates and the top sections whereby the plates may be folded into parallelism with the plane of the top sections and folded upon themselves when the top sections are folded, or extended perpendicular to the plane of the top sections to lock the latter against folding movement; and tension springs directly connected between the outer ends of the plates and undersurface portions of the top sections, said springs being on a bias to the longitudinal median of the plates.

2. In a folding table having an elongated fiat top formed of a pair of similar, end to end sections with hinges connecting said top sections together at their adjacent inner ends whereby the top sections are longitudinally aligned when in their outstretched condition; the improvements which comprise a locking brace carried by the underside of the top sections to span the adjacent inner ends thereof, said locking brace including a plate hingedly carried by each top s ction adjacent its inner end, the plates of the top sections being longitudinally aligned, and a hinge connection between the adjacent ends of said plates, the latter hinge connection being transverse to the axis of the hinge connection between the plates and the top sections whereby the plates may be folded into parallelism with the plane of the top sections with the last-mentioned hinge connection aligned with the hinges between the top sections and folded upon themselves when the top sections are folded, or extended perpendicular to the plane of the top sections with the hinge connection between the plates perpendicular to the hinges between the top sections to lock the latter against folding movement; a stop carried by the underside of one of the top sections to-abut and limit the movement of the locking brace when it is perpendicular to the plane of the top sections; and tension springs connected directly between the outer ends of the plates and undersurface portions of the top sections, said springs being on a bias to the longitudinal median of the plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Loth May 13, 1873 Srnedes May 28, 1889 Meek Ian. 22, 1926 Rich Sept. 15, 1936 Howe Aug. 19, 1952 Mugler Jan. 18, 1955 Mitchell Jan. 10, 1956 Blink Jan. 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 30, 1932

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