US2689158A - Folding table with spring latch toggle mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14, 1954 J MAHR 2,689,158

I FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LATCH TOGGLE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JULIUS A. MAHR ATTORNEY Sept. 14, 1954 J. A. MAHR 2,689,158

FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LATCH TOGGLE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W FIG 3 29-" all 28/ a4 fty FIG 4 R. Juuus A. MAHP.

ATTORNEY J. A. MAHR Sept. 14, 195.4

FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LATCH TOGGLE MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 5, 1951 INVENTOR. JULIUS A. MAHR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1954 FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LATCH TOGGLE MECHANISM Julius A. Mahr, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to

Paul, Minn.

Harold R. Nielsen, St.

Application February 5, 1951, Serial N o. 209,416

2- Claims. '1

My present invention relates to improvements in tables and, more particularly, to a table hav-- ing folding legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide. a table having folding legs, toggle braces for holding the legs in operative positions, and novel automatic latches for locking the toggle braces straight when the legs are in operative positions or buckled when the legs are folded.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a novel" toggle brace for holding table legs in proper angular relation to a table top. The brace includes two toggle members each comprising a pair of arms, the arms of one pair overlapping and lying outwardly of the arms of the other pair; Crosstie bars are secured to the arms of each pair in such a manner that the bars are in side by side relation when the legs are in proper angular relation to the top; Novel latch means is provided for locking thebars in this side by side relation to prevent collapse of the table.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being hadto-the drawings;

To the above end, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; which illustrate the invention, like characters indicatelike parts throughout the-several views;

Referring tothe drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the improved table;

Fig. 2 is a bottom planview' of the tableshown in Fig. 1, except that the legs atone end of the table are folded;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the toggle braces, latch and. associated parts, as shown at the right-hand end of the table in Fig. 1', on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view-of the toggle braces, latch and associated? parts, as shown at the left-hand end of the table in Fig. 1', on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing the table top structure and the crosstie member connecting the legs, at the right-hand end of thetable, in longitudinal verticalsection; and alsoshowing in side elevation the toggle braces: with. the. leg upright and the latch holding; the; toggle: braces from buckling, onthe same. scale; as;Fig..3';

Fig. 6 is a View corresponding to Fig- 5, except that the toggle braces and: the legs are folded and the latch holding the toggle braces buckled;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view partlyin side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section taken. on the line ll-"l of Fig. 3; with the toggle braces buckled;

Fig. 8 is a detail View partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line of Fig. 7.

The folding table shown is long, rectangular and commercially known as a banquet table. Such tables are. generally used in groups of various formation such as in endwise alignment, L or U--shape.

The table top. assembly is an elongated rectangular structure that includes an upper frame H and a sub-frame 12'. The upper frame H is formed of angle bars with one: of their flanges turned inwardly andv their other flanges turned upwardly. The sub-frame i2 is formed of channel bars having wide webs that are vertically disposed. The flanges of the sub-frame angle bars are turned inwardly and the lower flanges of these channel bars are considerably narrower than the upper flanges'thereof. l3he upper-frame i i rests on the upper flanges of the sub-frame l2 and is rigidly secured thereto, see Fig. 9. It will be noted that the faces of the upturned flange of the upper frame H, at the ends. of the table, are flush: with the faces of the underlying webs of the channel bars of'thesub-frame i2, SeeFig. 9. On the. sides of the table, the upper frame 1 l is slightly inset from the sides: of the sub-frame l2, see Fig. l. The sub-frame l2 affords an apron for the table.

A skeleton wood frame 13 rests-on the inturned flanges of upper frame H and; is securedthereto. This frame. i3 comprises end members It, side members it, a central longitudinal. member it and. a pairof outer transverse members H, a central transverse member [Banda pair of intermediate transverse members IB; A table top member 20 is closely fitted. Within-the upturned flanges of theupper frame H and rests on the Wood frame [3: to which it is secured with its top flush. with the upper edges. of said. upturned flanges of the angle frame H.

An inverted channel bar 2|v issecured to the under side ofeaoh transverse member H and i9 with its end; portions underlapping. the. longitudinalupper flanges. of. the sub-frame=3 l2: and

welded thereto. At each end portion of the table is a pair of legs 22 rigidly connected by an intermediate crosstie member 23. The legs 22, at their upper ends, are pivoted to depending ears 24 on the under sides of a corresponding channel bar 2| beneath one of frame crosstie bars IT. This pivotal mounting permits inward folding move ment of the legs 22 within the sub-frame |2.

Each pair of legs 22 is held in an upright or operative position by a pair of laterally spaced toggle braces 25. Two spaced arms 28 forming a part of the toggle braces 25 are pivoted at their outer ends to ears 2'! on each leg crosstie member 23 and a second pair of spaced arms 28 forming a part of said toggle braces are pivoted at their outer ends to depending ears 29 on the under side of the channel bars 2| underlying the frame crosstie members [9, see Fig. 5. It will be noted that the toggle brace arms 23 extend between the toggle brace arms 26 and are pivoted to said arms 23 at points spaced inwardly of their inner ends, see Figs. 3, 4 and 8. A fiat crosstie bar 30 extends transversely over the toggle brace arms 23 of each pair, at their extreme inner end portions, and the end portions of each crosstie bar 30 are bent downwardly on the outer surfaces of said arms 26 and secured thereto. A crosstie bar 3 similar to the crosstie bar 38, extends transversely between the arms 28, outwardly of their inner ends, with the end portions of these bars 31 bent downwardly and secured to the inner surfaces of said arms on their inner sides. When the toggle braces 25 are aligned, the crosstie bars 30-3! are in close edgewise positions, see Fig. 3.

The crosstie bar 35, by its engagement with the upper longitudinal edge of the toggle brace arms 23, when the legs 22 are in upright positions, holds the arms 26-28 of said toggle braces aligned and prevents downward buckling thereof. To fold the legs 22, the toggle braces l are upwardly buckled to release said legs. During inwardly folding movement of the legs 22, the toggle arms 26 fold within the toggle joint arms 28. When the legs 22 and toggle brace 25 are completely folded, their relative arrangement is shown in Fig. 8 and it will be noted that the legs and braces are confined entirely within the sub-frame l2.

A novel automatic latch 32 is provided for holding each pair of toggle braces 25 aligned with their arms 26-28 aligned when the legs 22 are in I operative positions, to prevent upward buckling. This latch 32 also holds the toggle braces 25 completely buckled and the legs 22 folded parallel to the table top assembly. Each automatic latch 32 is in the form of a plate that lies on the crosstie bar 3| and is pivoted thereto, as indicated at 33. On the rear edge of the latch is a downturned flange 34 and integral with this flange is a lip 35. This lip 35 underlaps the crosstie bar 3|, at the outer end portion of the latch 32, and holds said latch against movement away from the crosstie bar 3 Integral with the rear end of the flange 3a is a hand-piece 36 for use in manually operating the latch 32 for releasing the same. A coiled spring 3'! is compressed between one of the toggle brace arms 23 and the hand-piece 36 and yieldingly holds the latch 32 projected outwardly of the crosstie bar 3|, see Figs. 3, 4 and 8.

During movement of each pair of legs 22 from folded positions to upright positions and the straightening of the toggle braces 25, the latch 32 engages a cam lug 38 on the under side of the crosstie bar 30 and is retracted thereby against the tension of the spring 31. At the time the toggle brace arms are brought into alignment,

the latch 32 has been moved out of engagement with the cam lug 38 and the outer edge of the crosstie bar and projected by the spring 31 over said bar and thereby holds the toggle brace arms 28-28 aligned and from buckling upwardly, see Figs. 3 and 5. As heretofore stated, the engagement of the crosstie bar 30 with the underlying toggle brace arms 28 prevents downward buckling of the toggle braces 25.

Cooperating with the latch 32 to hold the toggle braces 25 buckled and the legs 22 folded within the sub-frame |2 is a downwardly and inwardly inclined latch lug 39 on the outer end of a bar 40. This bar 40 extends longitudinally of the frame bar I! on the underside thereof and is rigidly secured thereto. At its inner end, the bar 40 abuts the channel bar 2| and is welded thereto. During the final folding of the legs 22 and buckling of the toggle braces 25, the latch 32 engages the latch lug 39, is retracted thereby, against the tension of the spring 31, and in passing out of engagement therewith is projected by said spring over said latch lug and interlocked therewith, see Figs. 4 and 3.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction and operation of my folding table with spring latch toggle mechanism and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A table top structure having at one end a leg pivoted thereto for folding movement thereunder, an inclined toggle brace for holding the leg upright, an inner pair of laterally spaced arms and an outer pair of arms overlapping the former, said inner arms being pivoted at their outer ends to said structure and pivoted at their inner ends to the overlapped outer arms inwardly of their inner ends, said outer arms being pivoted at their outer ends to the leg at its intermediate 'portion, a crosstie bar fixed at its end portions on the inner end portions of the outer pair of arms, overlapping and engaging the arms of the inner pair as a stop that aligns the pairs of arms, a second crosstie bar fixed at its end portions to inner pairs of arms outwardly of their inner ends, said crosstie bars, when the pair of arms are aligned, being parallel in close edgewise positions and in the same plane, an automatic latch for releasably holding the pairs of arms aligned when the leg is upright, said latch being a fiat member pivoted at one end portion on the upper side of the last-noted crosstie bar for swinging movement transversely thereof, said latch having on its outer edge an integral flange that overlaps the outer edge of the last-noted bar and acts as a stop that limits the projection of the latch, said flange having on its lower edge an integral lip that underlaps the last-noted crosstie bar and holds the latch from tilting on its pivot, a handpiece integral with the flange and substantially perpendicular thereto, and a spring compressed between the handpiece and one of the arms of the inner pair and yieldingly holding the latch projected and overlapping the first noted crosstie member when the pairs of arms are aligned, a cam fixed to the last-noted crosstie bar with which the latch engages during the straightening of the pairs of arms and being retracted thereby to pass the first-noted crosstie bar.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, further in- 5 eluding a. second cam fixed to the table top structure and with which the latch engages, during the buckling of the toggle joint and the folding of the leg, to retract said latch and then release the same to be projected by the spring over the cam and supported thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 6 Name Date OConnor Mar, 29, 1932 De Saussure Oct. 17, 1933 Wagoner Feb. 18, 1936 Casper Feb. 25, 1936 Blink Sept. 23, 1941 Johannsen May 11, 1943 De Saussure Mar. 7, 1944 Duke May 1, 1945 Butler July 2, 1946

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