US3230908A - Table construction and assembly - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1966 e. 5. GRANT TABLE CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8,. 1964 INVENTOPK GEORGE 5. GRANT Jan. 25, 1966 G. 8. GRANT TABLE CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8 1964 FIGS.

FIG. 6.

FIG.7.

l N V E N T O R GE ORGE S. G RAN T United States Patent 3,239,998 TABLE CONSTRUCT'TON AND ASSEMBLY George S. Grant, 1111 Kilwinning Sh, Penticton, Oiranagan-Eouudary, British Columbia, Canada Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,317 3 Claims. (Cl. 108-142) This invention relates to a table construction and assembly.

One of the objects of this invention is to construct a table having a rotatable top, the position of which is adjusted relatively to the table support.

Another object of my invention is to fabricate a table which is capable of use in restricted spaces thereby conserving floor space in public dining rooms, etc.

A further object of my invention is to arrange the table top so that it may be rotatably mounted on a hollow column which is provided with a disc on top so providing a maximum supporting area between the column and the superposed rotatable top of the table.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table with a revolving top that is suitable for use individually or for being connected with spaced units to form a long continuous table assembly.

Another object of the invention is to construct a table which is stron and durable, light in weight and readily assembled and in which the several parts are readily accessible for inspection and/ or repair.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a supporting column and sleeve structure of the table;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of the supporting column and the sleeve showing the disc on the top of the column;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view on the line 33 of FIGURE 1 and showing the adjustable split ring;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the sleeve and table top supporting disc mounted thereon and showing the location of the locking plunger and bell crank operating device;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of an arrangement of individual tables into a long banquet-like table assembly;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation thereof; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of the tongueand-groove joint between confronting table edges and a slidably removable leaf insert.

Referring to the drawings A represents the improved table comprising a column I!) of suitable length which may rest on or be secured to a floor by a suitable base. The column It is tubular and the upper portion is machined for about one-fifth of its length, more or less, that is, the machined portion may be approximately seven inches in length.

The upper end of the column Ill is closed by a disc 11 and a split adjustable ring 12 is mounted on the column and this ring is provided with a pair of aligned orifices 13 and 14, the former of which is threaded while the latter is or" smooth bore. The ring is formed with a pcripheral pocket or recess 15 in the con-fines of which the head 16 of a set screw 17 is located. The screw 17 bridges the split in the ring 12 and on tightening the set screw in the threaded orifice 13 the ring may be rigidly ICQ secured to the column 10. This adjustable ring is located adjacent the lower end of the machined portion of the column It and the upper wall of the ring is provided with at least two spaced orifices 18 which are clearly illustrated in FIGURE '3.

Rotatably mounted on the upper end of the column 10 is a sleeve 19 formed intermediate of its length with a latching member consisting of a set screw 29 which makes threaded engagement with the orifice 21 in the peripheral wall of the sleeve, .and the point of this set screw is thimbled, i.e., it is not threaded and this point projects into the arcuate slot 22 formed in the periphery of the column 10 and extending transversely of the column. The sleeve is therefore capable of being rotated to a limited extent governed by the length of the slot 22, but is held against vertical displacement by means of the set screw Zil engaging the slot.

The upper end of the sleeve 19 projects slightly beyond the top of the column 10 and the recess so formed is filled by the closure disc 11 and the lower end of the sleeve rests on the split ring 12. Adjacent the lower end of the sleeve 19, a locking device B is mounted which consists of a cylindrical housing 23 having an upper wall formed with a central orifice while the lower end of the housing is open. A plunger 24 is slid-ably mounted in the housing 23, and the plunger is formed intermediate of its length with a shoulder 25, and between this shoulder and the upper wall of the housing 23, a spiral spring 26 is located.

This spiral spring encircles the stemdike portion or rod of the plunger 24, and the lower projecting end of the plunger 24 is reduced as shown at 27, and designed to coast with orifices 18 in the split ring 12. The pitch between the orifices 18 should be equal to, or approximately equal to the length of the arcuate slot 22.

On the upper end of the sleeve 19 is a disc 28 which may be welded to the sleeve or otherwise rigidly connected thereto, and the under face of the central portion of this disc 28 rests on or engages the top face of the disc 11 which closes the upper end of the column 10 and also the top edge of the peripheral wall of the column. This structural arrangement provides for a tubular column with a load bearing surface between the disc 28 and the top of the column so that the manufacturing costs of the column are materially less than if the column 10 were closed by an integral top wall. This disc 28 is formed with a plurality of equidistantly spaced threaded orifices 29 with which the set screws 31 make threaded engagement. Angle brackets 31a may be attached to the disc 28 and the sleeve 19 by welding or other suitable means, and these angle brackets give great strength and rigidity to the disc without materially increasing the weight thereof.

A plate or disc 32 of mild steel is superposed on the disc 28 and is secured thereto by the set screws 31 which pass through orifices in the disc 32 and are threaded into the orifices 2'? of the disc 28. On the top of the disc 32 a table top 33 of suitable shape and thickness is supported and secured in position by wood screws 34. The height of the table 33 is positioned not only by the column 10 and disc -11 but also by the split ring 12 on the column 10, so that the controlled height of the table together with the rotatable table top renders this table highly efficient and adaptable for use in dining rooms, restaurants, cafes, etc.

The means for controlling the locking of the table top in position against rotation relatively to the split ring 12 consists of a bell crank 35 which is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 1? adjacent the top thereof, and the horizontal arm 36 of the bell crank lever is connected by the flexible member 37 to the stem on the upper end of the plunger 24, While the vertical arm 38 of the hell crank is connected to one end of a flexible member 39, the free end of which is conveniently concealed beneath the table top.

In the operation of the table the split ring 12 is adjusted on the column 10. The sleeve 19 is locked in position by the set screw 20 which is adjusted in threaded orifice21, so that the point of the set screw projects into the arcuate slot 22. The table is then free to be rotated in the length of the slot 22 and in either of the end positions of such slot the plunger 24 of the locking device B will register with and engage one of the orifices 18 in the upper face of the split ring 12 so that the table top is now held rigidly in position against rotation. By simply exerting a pullton the 'ileXi'ble member 39 the plunger 24 Will be disengaged from a registering orifice 18 in the upper face of the split ring 12 permitting the table top being rotated within the confines of the arcuate slot 22. While I have illustrated one arcuate slot 22, it is to be understood that ,I may if desired use two such slots in the periphery of the column 10, and I may use a plurality of orifices 18 in the upper face of the split ring 12, and these slots may, as desired, be engaged by the set screw 20, and the plunger 24 will co -act with a registering orifice 18 to maintain the table in a set position relatively to the column 10. 1

By spacing the table units in straight lines, as shown in FIGURES and 6, the table tops 33 may normally lie in diagonal arrangement as seen in dotted outline in FIGURE 5 or rotated into alignment as seen in solid outline with their spaced confronting edges parallel. The table tops 33 have a groove 40 along opposite edges to accommodate the tongues 41 of the rectangular leaves 42 that are slidingly inserted. Obviously the groove may extend around the four sides of the table top and this would allow the tables to be selectively arranged in longitudinal or transverse lines at right angles when desired.

An acceptable manner of mounting the table supporting columns in a concrete or terrazzo floor 43 is illustrated in sectional detail in FIGURE 6, the column being suitably anchored in a flange cylindrical socket 44 as by a bolt 4-5.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it Will be manifest that a table construction and assembly is provided that will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such adevice, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently Widely diflerent embodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. A table comprising a column having a transverse slot in the upper part of the column, a split ring adjustably mounted on the column intermediate of the height thereof and having at least a pair of spaced orifices on the upper face of the ring, the pitch of the spaced orifices being substantially equal to the length of the transverse slot, a sleeve mounted on the upper end of the column and co-acting at its lower end with the split ring, ad- ,iustable means on the sleeve coacting with the transverse slot, means on the sleeve coacting with "the orifices in the split ring, a disc superimposed on the upper end of the sleeve, a disc mounted on the aforesaid disc and connected thereto and a table top rigidly secured to the last said disc.

2. A table comprising a column having a transverse slot in its upper part, a'split ring adjustably mounted on the column intermediate of the length thereof and having at least a pair of spaced orifices in the upper face of the ring, the pitch of the spaced orifices and the length of the transverse slot being substantially equal, a sleeve mounted on the upper end of the column and extending slightly thereabove, the sleeve coacting at its lower end with the split ring, a disc inserted inthe upper end of the sleeve and resting on the upper end of the column, the disc and the upper end of the sleeve lying in the same plane, manually retractable resiliently controlled means on the sleeve selectively engaging one of the orifices in the split ring, means on the sleeve engaging with the transverse slot, a disc superposed on the upper end of the sleeve and overlying the aforesaid disc, a third disc overlying the last said disc and connected thereto and a table top connected to said third disc.

3. The table top claimed in claim 2 wherein the means on the sleeve co-acting with the slot in the column is a set screw threaded through the sleeve with a thimbled inner end projecting into said slot thereby limiting the rotation of the sleeve relative to the column and securing the sleeve against vertical displacement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNiTED STATES PATENTS 425,305 4/1890 Daniels 248-415 709,286 9/ 1902 Wilkinson 297-240 1,077,218 10/1913 Bryant 108-94 1,629,939 5/1927 Turner 248-418 1,633,907 6/1927 Rylander a- 211-144 1,854,129 4/1932 Folsom 108-64 1,877,895 9/1932 Kohler 297-349 2,312,030 2/1943 rarner et al. 248-418 2,334,193 11/1943 Hedeen et al. 248-418 2,664,941 1/1954 'Gillespie -2 248-418 2,737,430 3/1956 Ess 108-64 2,764,223 9/ 1956 Mischke 248-418 2,845,990 8/1958 Hubert 297-349 2,915,194 12/1959 Shofiner 108-95 FOREIGN PATENTS 271,799 2/ 1951 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. A TABLE COMPRISING A COLUMN HAVING A TRANSVERSE SLOT IN THE UPPER PART OF THE COLUMN, A SPLIT RING ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON THE COLUMN INTERMEDIATE OF THE HEIGHT THEREOF AND HAVING AT LEAST A PAIR OF SPACED ORIFICES ON THE UPPER FACE OF THE RING, THE PITCH OF THE SPACED ORIFICES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE TRANSVERSE SLOT, A SLEEVE MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF THE COLUMN AND CO-ACTING AT ITS LOWER END WITH THE SPLIT RING, AD-

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