Overbed Table

Abstract

An overbed table having an upright leg portion of a construction which is highly effective to stabilize the table in use and includes a rigidified tubular structure; together with a tubular table mounting structure which facilitates the utilization of the table top in both its horizontal and tilted positions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Overbed tables are conventionally based on the use of non-circular metal tubing to prevent undesired swivelling of the table top with respect to the leg portion thereof. Such metal tubing is a specialty item and relatively expensive.

Furthermore, in known overbed tables, the supporting structure for the table top which permits the same to be moved between horizontal and tilted positions, does not provide stability to the extent desired.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved overbed table construction made from standard metal tubing of circular cross section, including a leg design which insures maximum stability in use and is locked against swivel movements.

Another object of this invention is to provide an overbed table of the character described, in which table top support means is provided for securely holding the table top in its horizontal position and securely holding said table top in its tilted upstanding position as when the same is used as a book rest or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an overbed table of the character described, which includes improved means for supporting the table top in its tilted position, such table top supporting means being automatically movable to its operative position when the table top is moved to its tilted position, such supporting means being readily moved to its inoperative position when the table top is moved from its tilted position to its horizontal position.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an overbed table embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing details of the table top supporting means;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing details of the propping means for the table top in its tilted position;

FIG. 7 is a partial top plan view of the edge portion of the table top;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the overbed table embodying the invention is generally indicated at 10. Table 10 comprises a base portion generally indicated at 11; leg means generally indicated at 11A and extending upwardly from one end of base portion 11; table top support means generally indicated at 11B which extends in cantilever relation over base portion 11 and is mounted at one end thereof to upper portions of leg means 11A.

The base portion 11 is formed of metal tubing of circular cross section and comprises a longitudinally extending member 13 interconnected at the opposite ends thereof to a pair of transversely extending members 14, 15. Casters 14A, 15A are mounted on the opposite ends of members 14, 15.

The leg means 11A comprises a pair of metal tubing members 16, 17 of circular cross section; said members 16, 17 being secured at their lower ends to member 13 by welding or the like. Member 17 is located adjacent the juncture of members 13, 15, while member 16 is located inwardly of member 17; the members 16, 17 being interconnected at their upper ends by a brace plate 20 secured to inner surface portions of said members 16, 17 by welding or the like.

Leg means 11A further comprises a pair of metal tubing members 18, 19 arranged in telescopic relation to members 16, 17 respectively. The members 18, 19 are interconnected at their upper ends by a brace plate 20A secured therebetween. The parallel members 18, 19 are thus slidably related to members 16, 17 and may be locked as a unit in selected positions by a set screw 16A mounted on member 16 and suitably threaded relation thereto.

The table top supporting means 11B comprises a J shaped member 22 formed of metal tubing of circular cross section and bent to shape. Member 22 comprises a long arm portion 23 and a short arm portion 24. The free end of arm portion 23 is fixed to the upper ends of leg members 18, 19 by welding or the like; the arm portions 23, 24 being located in a common horizontal plane.

The table top member 12 is of rectangular shape formed of wood or other suitable material. Table top member 12 is tiltably mounted on support means 11B. To this end, member 12 is rotatably mounted on arm portion 24 by means of brackets 25 having semicircular intermediate portions which encircle arm portion 24 and flanges 25A which are fixed to the underside of table top 12 adjacent front edge 12A thereof.

A metal edge plate 26 is fixed to arm portion 24 by plates 27 to receive the inner edge 12A of table top member 12 when the same is in a tilted position; the the top edge of plate 26 projecting above the surface of the table top 12, to provide a book rest for a book, not shown, positioned against the tilted top member 12.

Means is provided for supporting table top member 12 in its tilted position. To this end, a bent rod member 28 is arranged for pivoted movement between horizontal and upstanding positions. Member 28 comprises a portion 29 journalled in aligned openings 30 formed in arm portion 23; a tubular spacer member 31 on the forwardly projecting portion of member portion 29; successive, angularly related portions 32, 33; with portion 33 terminating in a tip member 34.

Member 28 is biased to its upright, table top supporting position, as shown in FIG. 2, by a spring member 35 fixed at one end to arm portion 23 at a point 35B spaced to the right of member 28, looking at FIG. 2. The other end of spring member 35 is fixed to an intermediate portion of member 28, as at 35A. A stop member 36 is fixed to the underside of table top member 12, being located to properly position member 28 with its tip 34 abutting the stop member; whereby table top member 12 is positively supported in its tilted position, see FIGS. 2, 4.

When table top member 12 is to be moved from its tilted position to its horizontal position, member 28 is manually pivoted to the left, looking at FIG. 2, which permits the now unsupported table top member 12 to pivot about arm portion 24 toward its horizontal position. When in such horizontal position, member 12 is securely supported by the spaced arm portions 23, 24, leaving the table top in a well stabilized condition.

To shift table top member 12 from its horizontal position to its tilted position, it is only necessary to lift the outer edge portion of table member 12 toward its tilted position, which angular movement of member 12 allows biased support member 28 to pivot to its upstanding, support position with its tip 34 abutting stop 36.

It will be apparent that the arrangement of the telescoping tubular members 16, 17; 18, 19 between base element 13A and arm portion 23 of support 11B, prevents any swivelling of table top member 12 relative to base portion 11. Further, the dual leg support 11A increases the stability of the cantilevered support 11B and top member 12 in respect to the device as a whole.

The location of support arm 24 adjacent table edge 12A optimizes the position of the table top member 12 when the same is tilted from its horizontal position about arm portion 24 as an axis. Thus, table top edge 12A will not project toward the body of the user; as is the case with conventional table tops which pivot about a longitudinal axis medially of the side edges thereof. Further, the arrangement of arm portions 23, 24 improves the stability of top member 12 in its horizontal position, due to the location thereof with respect to the transverse extent of member 12.

Claims

I claim:

1. Table means comprising base means, leg means upstanding from one end of said base means, table top support means extending from said leg means, and table top means mounted on said support means, said leg means comprising a first pair of telescoped members interconnecting said base means and said support means and a second pair of telescoped members laterally spaced from said first pair of telescoped members and interconnecting said base means and said support means, said table top support means comprising a J shaped member having short arm and long arm portions, means for pivotally connecting said table top means to the short arm portion of said support means, said arm portions being in a common horizontal plane for supporting said table top means in a horizontal position thereof, said short arm portion being located adjacent a longitudinal edge of said table top means.

2. Table means as in claim 1 wherein said base means comprises a longitudinally extending elongated member and a pair of transversely extending members fixed respectively to opposite ends of said elongated member, a first set of corresponding elements of said pairs of telescoped members being secured at their lower ends in longitudinally spaced relation to said elongated member, the second set of corresponding elements of said pairs of telescoped members being secured at their upper ends in longitudinally spaced relation to said long arm portion of said table top support means.

3. Table means comprising base means, leg means upstanding from one end of said base means, table top support means connected to said leg means, and table top means mounted on said table top support means for movement between horizontal and tilted positions thereof, said leg means comprising first and second pairs of laterally spaced telescoped elements, said table top support means comprising a pair of parallel elongated portions of different length interconnected at one end thereof and disposed in a horizontal plane, means for movably connecting said table top means to the shorter of the elongated portions of said table top support means and means for rigidly connecting the uppermost of the telescoping elements of said pairs of telescoping elements to the longer of the elongated portions of said table top supporting means, whereby said table top means is supported in the horizontal position thereof by said parallel elongated portions of said table top support means.

4. Table means as in claim 1, and further including support means pivotally mounted on said long arm portion and means for biasing said pivoted support means to a position in abutting relation to said table top means in a tilted position thereof for supporting said table top means in said tilted position.

5. Table means as in claim 4 wherein said pivoted support means comprises a bent rod member having one end thereof journalled in openings formed in said long arm portion, the other end of said rod member being movable between horizontal and upstanding positions thereof, said biasing means comprising a spring member secured at one end thereof to an intermediate portion of said rod member and secured at the other end thereof to said long arm portion at a point longitudinally spaced from the journal openings thereof, said spring member being operative to urge said rod member to its upstanding position.

6. Table means as in claim 1 and further including book rest means and means for fixedly mounting said book rest means on the short arm portion of said table support means, said book rest means being located to bring the same into operative relation to the inner edge of said table top means when said table top means is in its tilted position.