US1262272A - Folding-table. - Google Patents

Description

H. W. SELLNER.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. 1911.

1,262,272. I Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET H. W. SELLNER. FOLDING-TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1917.

1,262,272, Patented Apr. 9,191&

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"HI /1% f WWI two FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed April 19, 1917. Serial No. 163,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. SELLNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Faribault, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in particularly those known as Still another object is to provide a simply constructed table provided with a few number of parts for carrying out the objects of my invention and one which will be very efficient in operation.

With these and several other objects .in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and ar rangement of parts which will be more particularly referred to in the specification and claims, and shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a table constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1, the foldable leaves being in operative position with the leaf engaging arms arranged to support the same.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the leaf engaging arms in inoperative position:

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 44: of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts folded.

In describing my invention I shall refer to similar parts in the several views by like reference characters. The preferred embodiment of the table is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the numeral .1 indi' cates a relatively stationary portion of the top which is supported by a stationary standard 2 and a base 3 fixed to the lower end of the latter. The upper end of the standard 2- is fixed to a plate 4 which is attached to the top 1, said plate also having the upper ends of a plurality, in the present instance four, swinging standards 5 pivoted therein, the lower ends of which are similarly connected with the base 3.

These swinging standards are so pivoted to the plate 4 and the base 3 that they have a slight vertical shifting movement relative to the stationary which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

A leaf6 is hinged to each longitudinal edge of the top 1, and may be of any preferred shape so that when raised a table top of suitable shape and size will be formed. Ordinary hinges 7 serve to connect the leaves with the top 1, the same being fixed to the under sides of these parts. When the leaves 6 are raised as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, they are held in this position by means of the laterally extending leaf supporting arms 8, one of each projects from the upper end of each swinging standard 5. These leaf supporting arms 8 standard 2, the purpose of,

engage shouldered blocks 9 when they are in active position, said blocks thereby forming stops. It will be noted that the portion of the blocks which are first engaged by the arms 8 as the latter move from the position shown inFig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 2 are curved as at 10, thereby permitting said arms 'to be more readily moved into position. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the blocks are carried by the leaves 6 and are disposed at rightangles to the arms 8 when the same are extended as in Fig. 2.

Means are preferably employed for automatically moving the arms 8 of the swing ing standards 5 from the position occupied in Fig. 3 when the leaves 6 are raised as in Figs. 1 and 4. In the present embodiment of the invention the arms 8 carried by two of the swinging standards 5 are used for i supportlng each of the leaves 6 and in arranging the structure for automatically moving the arms into position as above mentioned, a pair of links 11 at one end of the slide 12, are used. The other ends of the links ll are pivoted to one leaf 13 of a pair of hinges 14, the other leaves of which are secured tothe adjacent pivoted together arms 8. The slide 12 is adapted to reciprocate on a rod 15 which is fixed between a pair of brackets 16 on one of the leaves 6. An extension between the inner end of the slide and the adjacent face of the inner bracket 16. A handle 18 of any preferred design is secured to the slide 12 so that the same may be readily moved on the rod. This arrangement of parts is used for connecting each pair of standards 5 with the adjacent leaf 6 of the table.

The operation of this inventionis readily evident from the several figures of the drawings but briefly described is as follows: Assuming that a table constructed as shown in the drawings has been stored in a folded position as in Fig. 5, and it is desired to arrange the parts so that they will appear as in Fig. 1, one of the leaves is lifted from its vertical to its horizontal position, or both leaves mayv be simultaneously moved in this manner. This raising of the leaves causes the springs 17 to exert their tension to force the slides outwardly from the inner ends of the rods 15 to the outer ends as shown in Fig. 2, thereby acting upon the links 11 to move the arms 8 as shown in this figure. The strength of the springs 17 is such that the outer ends of the arms 8 will be forcibly engaged with the stops formed by the blocks 9, and thus the leaves of the table will be held in a horizontal position.

When it is again desired to fold the table the handles carried by the slides 12 are grasped and the slides forced inwardly against the tension of the springs 17. This movement causes the inner ends of the links to move away from each other and to move the arms 8 until they are arranged parallel to each other and beneath the top 1. The leaves are then free to drop to vertical positions 'where they will remain until .again manually raised, the weight of the leaves being sufficient to overcome the tension of the springs 17 when in this position.

Since the table frequently has to rest upon a floor more or less uneven it is preferable that the same may be supported by four legs orat four points spaced approximately equidistant from a common center. Therefore'l provide this improved table with four outwardly projecting feet 20, one of which is carried by each of the swinging standards5 and is disposed immediately below the arm 8 carried by the upper end thereof. lVhen the parts of the table are arranged as shown in Fig. 5, or in other words, folded, the majority of the weight is supported by a base 3, but as it is desirable that this weight be distributed to the several feet 20 when the parts are in operative position, four wedgeshaped members 21 are secured to the plate 4: in such positions that they will be engaged by the arms helical spring 17 is disposed 8 when said arms are positioned to carry the weight of the leaves In other words as the arms swing outwardly to their extended positions they engage the inclined faces of these members 21 and are forced downwardly, such movement being permitted by the slight play between the ends of the swinging standards 5, and the base 3 and the plate 4 as hereinbefore set forth. This slight movement of the several parts raises the'base 3 a trifle so that the weight of the table is placed on the feet 20. I

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanylng draw.

ings, it will be obvious that a much improved table has been produced and since all of the parts are of simple construction,

the table may be inexpensively nianufactured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A folding table comprising in coinbination, a top, a pair of leaves hinged thereto, a base supporting the weight of said table, a stationary standard fixed to the top and the base, a plurality of swinging standards pivoted to said top and base and surrounding said stationary standard, a' leaf supporting arm carried by the upper end of each of said swinging standards to engage said leaves when the same are raised, an out-' wardly projecting foot formed on the lower end of each of said swingmg standards, a

plurality of wedge members carried by-the top to be engaged by the leaf supporting arms when the leaves areraised, whereby to shift the weight from the base to said feet.

2. A folding table comprising in combina-' tion a top having a pair of'leaves hinged thereto, a centrally disposed standard for normally supporting'the weight of thetable,

a plurality of swinging standards pivoted to the top and base of the aforesaid standard, wedge blocks disposed on the under sideof said leaves, leaf supporting arms carriedby the swinging standards to engagesaid wedge blocks whereby when said swinging stand' 'f ards are swung outward the leaf supporting arms will be engaged by said wedge blocksand willbe securely held in position and a plurality of wedges disposed under said top to be engagedby the leaf supporting arms whereby, when the same'are swung outward the weight of table will be shifted from the central standard to the swinging standards;

3. A folding table comprising in combination, a top having a table leaf hinged there'-' to, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top, leaf supporting arms carried onthe P upper ends of rod carried by said table leaf having a slide movable thereon, a spring for forcing saidsaid swinging standards,

slide outwardly, a pair of links havingone T of their ends pivoted-to said slide the other ends of said links being hinged to the adjacent leaf supporting arm, whereby when leaves are moved upward the swinging standards will be moved outward.

4. A folding table comprising in combination, a top, a table leaf hinged thereto, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top, a leaf supporting member fixed to the upper end of each of said standards, a rod carried by said table leaf, a slide movable on said rod, an expansion spring for forcing said slide outwardly, a pair of links, one end of each being pivoted to said slide, and a hinged connection between the other ends of said links and the adjacent leaf supporting arm, one of said links being fixed to each of said arms.

5. A folding table comprising in combination, a top, a table leaf hinged thereto, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top, a leaf supporting arm carried by the upper end of each of said standards, a hinge fixed to each of said arms, a pair of links, each pivoted by one end to one leaf of each hinge, a rod carried by said table leaf, a slide movable on said rod, the free ends of said links being pivoted to said slide, and an expansion spring engaging said slide to force the same outwardly.

6. A foldable table comprising in combination, a top having a table leaf hinged thereto, a plurality of swinging standards pivoted to said top, leaf supporting arms carried by said standards, a hinge carried by each of said arms, a pair of links having one end pivoted to a leaf of said hinges, a

rod carried by said table leaf having a movable slide thereon, the free ends of said links being pivoted to said slide, an expansion spring to force said slide outward whereby when said leaves are moved upward the swinging standards will be moved outward.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT W. SELLNER.

Witnesses:

ARCHER YOUNG, GEO. A. WESTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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