US2743147A - Mounting means for folding table legs - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1956 HOWARD 2,743,147

MOUNTING MEANS FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS Filed Feb. 25, 1954 Z/ INVENTOR ELMER HOWARD ATTORNEYS 2,743,147 I MOUNTING MEANS FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS Elmer Howard, Escanaba, Mich. Application February 23, 1954, Serial No. 411,889 2 Claims. (Cl. 311-99 This invention appertains to folding tables, such as card tables, and more particularly to a novel folding or collapsible leg therefor.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a folding leg structure, which will be durable and efiicient in use, one that will be simple to' manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with a table top at a low cost.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide means whereby the leg will be automatically and firmly locked in its extended position, as the leg is swung outwardly, without the manipulation of latches, etc. by the user.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a folding leg structure in which the releasing of the leg to permit collapsing or folding thereof is accomplished by the mere shifting of the leg laterally as a unit.

A still further object of my invention is to provide novel means for bracing the leg and for utilizing a part of the brace means and leg itself as the lock for holding the leg in its set up or extended position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing, 7

Figure 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a table equipped with one of my novel folding legs, the leg being shown in its folded or collapsed out of the way position;

Figure 2, is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the leg in its extended set up position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view tak en at right angles to Figure 3 and on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter T generally indicates a table equipped with my novel folding leg structure and lock L.

While I have shown the folding leg associated with a table, it is to be understood that the leg can be used with any desired type or character of furniture. As illustrated, the table T includes a top 16 having a depending marginal rim or skirt 11.

The folding leg and lock structure L includes an attaching bracket 12, which in the present form includes a straight body portion 13 and angularly extending branches 14. These branches 14 are secured to the inner surface of the rim 11, in any desired way, such as by screws 15. The bracket 12 has been formed to fit in a corner 2,743,147 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 of a table, but it is to be understood that the shape of the bracket can be changed to suit various applications. In accordance with my invention, however, the straight body portion 13 has formed thereon a pair of inwardly extending spaced parallel arms 16 and 17, and these arms 16 and 17 are arranged in parallel relation to the lower surface of the table top 10. The'inner surface of the arm 16 has formed therein a substantially semicircular keeper recess 18 and the outer face of the arm 17 has formed therein a keeper recess 19, The keeper recesses 18 and 19 extend-transversely of theirrespeclive arms and at right angles to thetable top Ill.

Slidably and rotatably mounte d within the arms16 and 17 is a shaft or pivot rod-20 and thisshaft has rigidly secured thereto for movement therewith the upper end of a leg 21. The leg can be of any desired shape in cross-section and in the present instance, the same has been shown of a cylindrical shape and can be made from a length of tube, if so desired.

The outer lower end of the leg can be provided with any preferred type of foot 22. By referring to Figures 1, 4 and 5, it can be seen that the leg is disposed between the arms 16 and 17. Rigidly secured to the opposite sides of the leg below the shaft 20, such as by a rivet 23, are outwardly extending brace straps 24 and 24. The extreme upper'ends of these straps receive the terminals of the shaft 20. The straps are rigidly secured to the shaft 29 for movement therewith in any desired way. For a purpose, which will now appear, the recess 18 is shaped to receive the upper end of leg 21 and the recess 19 is shaped to snugly receive the upper end of the brace strap 24 when the leg is in its upright vertical position. Coiled about the shaft 20 and confined between the leg 21 and the arm 17 is an expansion spring 25 and this expansion spring normally tends to urge the leg 21 toward the inner face of the arm 16 and the brace strap 24' adjacent to the arm 17 toward said arm 17.

Considering that the leg 21 is in its collapsed folded position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and it is desired to open and lock the leg, then it is merely necessary for the user to grasp the leg and swing the same outward to itsv vertical position. When the leg reaches its vertical position, the spring 25 will automatically shift the leg 21, the shaft 20 and the brace straps 24, 24' laterally and the leg and the brace 24 adjacent to the arm 17 will snap into the keeper recesses 18 and 19 respectively; Hence the leg will be automatically locked when moved to its open position. The inter-engagement of the above parts will firmly lock the leg in its open position and the brace straps 24, 24' prevent side wabble of the leg. When it is desired to collapse the leg and move the same under the table top, it is merely necessary to shift the leg laterally to move the leg and its associate parts out of the recesses 18 and 19 against the tension of the spring 25. At this time, the leg can be swung inwardly.

The spring 25 exerts sufficient tension to hold the leg in its collapsed position.

Changes in details may be made. without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims, what 1 claim as new is:

1. In a table including a top; a folding leg structure therefor including a bracket carried by the inner face of I said top having a pair of inwardly directed spaced parallel arms, a shaft slidably and rotatably carried by said arms, said shaft having a length greater than the distance between the outer opposite sides of said arms, a table leg rigidly secured to the shaft for movement therewith having its upper end disposed between the arms, one of said arms being provided with a vertical keeper" recess and said leg being movable into said recess when in its extended vertical position, and an expansion coil spring coiled about said shaft confined between the leg and one of said arms for normally urging the leg into the keeper recess when the leg is in its vertical position.

2. In a folding table having a top; a folding leg structure therefor including a bracket carried by the inner surface of said top including a pair of spaced parallel inwardly directed arms, a shaft rotatably and slidably carried by the arms, said shaft having a length greater than the distance between the outer opposites of said arms, a table leg having its upper end rigidly secured to the shaft for movement therewith disposed between said arms, brace straps rigidly secured to the opposite sides of the leg and diverging outwardly from said leg and having their upper ends rigidly secured to the opposite ends of the shaft, said arms being provided with keeper recesses for receiving respectively the leg and one of said brace straps when the leg is in a vertical extended position, and an expansion spring coiled about the shaft and confined between the leg and one arm for normally urging the leg toward its keeper recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 166,263 Crawford Aug. 3, 1875 1,300,861 Otte Apr. 15, 1919 1,646,333 Whitney .Q Oct. 18, 1927 1,885,384 Snow Nov. 1, 1932 2,215,006 Kovats Sept. 17, 1940 2,255,938 Moore Sept. 16, 1941 2,456,862 Chapman Dec. 21, 1948 2,665,961 Anderson Jan. 12, 1954

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