U.S. patent number 3,758,152 [Application Number 05/191,532] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-11 for circular table and seat construction.
Invention is credited to Gary F. Lake.
United States Patent |
3,758,152 |
Lake |
September 11, 1973 |
CIRCULAR TABLE AND SEAT CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
A circular table construction made from a rectangular sheet of
material by cutting a minimum number of table parts and with the
material waste reduced to a minimum, said table construction having
a circular table top and a continuous annular seat member
therearound and secured in assembly by a plurality of support means
diametrically arranged; the table construction affording virtually
unobstructed leg space beneath the table top and being readily
relocatable as by rolling on the outer circumferential edge of the
annular seat member.
Inventors: |
Lake; Gary F. (Bishop, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22705870 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/191,532 |
Filed: |
October 21, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/158.3;
29/416 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
37/04 (20130101); A47B 83/02 (20130101); Y10T
29/49796 (20150115); A47B 2230/0085 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
37/00 (20060101); A47B 37/04 (20060101); A47B
83/02 (20060101); A47B 83/00 (20060101); A47b
003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/157,423,135,136,139,170,171,174 ;108/153,115 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Claims
I claim:
1. A circular table and continuous seat construction fabricated
from a single sheet of rectangular material having virtually
unobstructed leg space beneath its table top and adapted to be
readily relocatable without lifting and carrying, the combination
of:
a circular table top member;
an annular continuous table seat member having an inner diameter at
least not less than the diameter of said table top member; and
a plurality of support means for spacing said top member from said
seat member and said seat member from a supporting surface;
each support means including an inner arcuate edge having a radius
approximately the radius of the outer circumferential edge of said
annular seat member, each support means including
a top support portion having a top straight edge provided by a
portion of one side edge of said rectangular sheet and lying in a
horizontal plane in supporting contact with table top member,
and a side bottom portion extending between said seat member and
said supporting surface and having a side edge lying within a
cylinder generated by a line parallel to the axis of the table top
member and passing along the outer circumferential edge of said
seat member;
said side edge being provided by a portion of an adjacent side edge
of said rectangular sheet;
and means securing said support means to said table top member and
said seat member; whereby said outer circumferential edge of said
seat member provides a circular edge for rolling said table along
said supporting surface and whereby said inner arcuate edges of
said support means define a spheroidal segment within which lies
unobstructed leg space.
2. In a table construction as stated in claim 1 wherein the top
portion and side porion of each supporting means lies in the same
radial plane.
3. A table construction as stated in claim 1 wherein said top
portion and side portion of each supporting means lie in spaced
radial planes.
4. In a table construction as stated in claim 1 wherein said seat
member has an inner circumferential edge spaced radially outwardly
from the outer circumferential edge of said table top member.
5. In a table construction as stated in claim 1 wherein said
securing means for said support means includes interlocking slot
means on said support means and said seat member.
6. In a circular table construction adapted to be fabricated from a
single rectangular sheet of material, the combination of:
an annular seat member having an outer diameter virtually
equivalent to one dimension of the rectangular sheet of
material;
a circular table top member having a diameter less than the inner
diameter of the annular seat member;
and a plurality of support means provided by diagonally opposite
corner portions of said rectangular sheet lying outwardly of said
annular seat member and having contiguous right angle edges
provided by right angle edges of said sheet;
part of one of the edges of each corner portion of the rectangular
sheet material having supporting contact with said table top
member
and part of the other edge of each corner portion extending from
the annular seat member to a supporting surface,
each corner portion providing an arcuate interior edge extending
from said seat member to said top member and to said supporting
surface,
said arcuate edge having a radius corresponding to the outer radius
of the annular seat member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
It has been recognized that circular tables are useful and
desirable for facilitating social and educational exchanges between
persons of a group at the table by which each person may readily
view another person. Such group arrangement is particularly useful
in schools, especially in elementary grades as well as other
grades. Such circular group arrangements are desirable at social
gatherings such as on a patio or garden. Such purposes require that
a circular table be comfortable, have virtually unobstructed leg
space, and be readily relocatable if necessary by one person. Such
a circular table should be aesthetically appealing in design and
should be capable of manufacture with minimum waste of material and
require minimum number of table parts.
Prior proposed circular tables have included center pedestal type
tables in which the pedestal obstructed freedom of leg movement.
Another prior circular table was first fabricated in quarter
sections, the quarter sections being assembled around a centerpost
which supported a circular awning (U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,889).
Another combined circular table and bench included arcuate benches
provided with a center partition forming a support for the table
top (U.S. Pat. No. 2,367,011). Another prior proposed table
construction fabricated from a single piece of rectangular stock
required cutting a large number of pieces from the single piece of
stock and assembly thereof in which side benches and end table
supports provided a structure which made seating at the end of the
bench very awkward and uncomfortable. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,245)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention contemplates a circular table construction
and method of cutting or fabricating the same from a single
rectangular sheet of material which results in an aesthetically
pleasing, comfortable, and economic table structure in which waste
material is substantially reduced to a minimum.
An object of the present invention is to disclose a circular table
construction and method of fabricating or cutting same from a
single sheet of material in a most efficient and economic
manner.
An object of the invention is to disclose a circular table
construction having a continuous annular seat member which provides
a circular circumferential edge for readily rolling the table
construction to a selected location.
Another object of the invention is to disclose a circular table
construction wherein a circular table top and a concentrically
arranged continuous annular seat member are arranged to facilitate
convenient seating at the table.
Another object of the present invention is to disclose a circular
table construction in which table support means are arranged with
respect to a circular table top and surrounding circular bench so
as to provide virtually unobstructed leg space beneath the table
top.
A still further object of the present invention is to disclose and
provide a circular table construction which may be readily shipped
or stored in precut layout arrangement in the form of a single flat
sheet of material.
Still another object of the invention is to disclose a method of
cutting a single sheet of rectangular material such as plywood
whereby a circular table top, annular seat member, and a plurality
of table support means are readily and quickly cut with a minimum
of waste material and table parts. The invention also illustrates
an exemplary use of such waste material to provide a companion
piece of lawn furniture.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily
apparent from the following description of the drawings in which
exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rectangular sheet of material marked
for cutting to fabricate a circular table construction embodying
this invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated
by line II--II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a circular table embodying
this invention and made from a sheet of material shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded view of a portion of the table
shown in FIG. 3 to illustrate assembly of the table parts.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a rectangular sheet of material
showing lines for cutting a circular table construction embodying a
modification of the invention shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a circular table construction
assembled from the parts cut from the rectangular sheet shown in
FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of parts of the
table shown in FIG. 6 to illustrate assembly.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a use of portions of the
rectangular sheet shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 5 which are not used in
the fabrication of the circular table construction.
In the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive,
a circular table construction 10 may be fabricated from a single
rectangular sheet of material 11 (FIG. 1). Generally speaking the
table construction 10 includes a circular table top 12, a
continuous concentrically arranged annular seat member 14 spaced
below top 12, and a plurality of support means 15 which space and
support table top 12 from seat member 14 and seat member 14 from a
supporting surface such as a floor or the ground.
In fabrication of the table construction 10, the rectangular sheet
of material 11 may be of any suitable rigid material such as
plywood of selected thickness. A suitable size for sheet 11 would
be an external or weatherproofed sheet of plywood having a
thickness of 3/4 inch and a square having a dimension of from about
4 feet to 6 feet depending upon the selected use for the table.
Thus, when the table is used for small children in a school
environment such as kindergarten, the smaller dimension of 4 feet
may be desirable. When the table construction is utilized as a
patio table for adults, a larger dimension is desirable.
In the method of cutting the rectangular or square sheet of
material 11, in order to effectively utilize such material, a
circular cut may first be made along the line 20, the diameter of
line 20 being approximately the same as one of the dimensions of
the square. In FIG. 1 it will be noticed that the diameter of the
circular line 20 is illustrated as slightly less because in actual
fabrication it is difficult to cut line 20 at the tangent formed by
the side edge of the square sheet. In practice this space may
amount to a sixteenth or an eighth of an inch.
After cutting along the circular line 20, a second cut may be made
along the circular line 21 which is coaxial with circular line 20
and which is spaced radially inwardly from line 20 a distance
sufficient to provide satisfactory or acceptable seat or bench
width such as from 6 to 12 inches in width. Thus cutting along
lines 20 or 21 provides a continuous annular seat member 14 having
an outer circumferential edge 22 and an inner circumferential edge
23.
Table top 12 may then be cut along circular line 25 which is
concentric and coaxial with the circular lines 20 and 21 and which
may have a diameter slightly less then the inner diameter of the
seat member 14 as defined by the inner circumferential edge 23 or
line 21. Upon cutting along line 25, a relatively narrow annular
member 26 is formed, the width of member 26 being suitably selected
so as to facilitate the act of seating at table 10. When the outer
circumferential edge 27 of circular table top member 12 is spaced
slightly radially inwardly from the inner circumferential edge 23
of seat member 14, and the vertical spacing between table top
member 12 and seat member 14 is normal or in the order of 7 to 14
inches, it will be apparent that if the circumferential edge 27 was
directly above edge 23 it may be awkward for people of certain
build to readily seat themselves at the table construction.
Providing slight lateral annular space between edge 27 and edge 23
enhances the ease by which a person may readily seat himself at the
table construction. Depending upon the use for the table, it will
be readily apparent that the width of annular member 26 may be
varied.
Support means 15 are provided by each corner portion 30 of the
sheet of material 11. In this example each corner portion 30 may be
cut along diagonal line 31 to form support means 15 and a right
angle corner section 32. Preferably the diagonal cut along line 31
is located so that the vertex 33 of the angle formed by a side edge
34 of corner portion 30 and line 31 is located so that the distance
along a line parallel to the other side 35 of corner portion 30
from the line 20, as indicated at point 36, to vertex 33 has a
length approximately equivalent to the width of seat member 14.
Thus, when each support means 15 is assembled with seat member 14
and table top 20, it will be readily apparent that top portion 38
includes a top edge 39 (corner side edge 35) which serves as a
bearing or support surface for the bottom surface of table 12. Each
support means 15 also includes a side portion 40 having a side edge
41 (corresponds to side edge 34 of corner portion 30). Side portion
40 extends below seat member 14 and acts as a leg with contact with
the floor or supporting surface. Top portion 38 also includes
diagonal edge 42 which corresponds to the diagonal cut at 31 and
which extends from the outer circumferential edge 22 of seat member
14 to the outer circumferential edge 27 of the table top 12.
Support means 15 also includes an arcuate or curved inner edge 43
which is formed by the cut along the circular line 20.
Means for securing said support means 15 to table top 12 and to
seat member 14 may include in the latter instance a plurality of
slots 45 provided in 90.degree. spaced relationship in the seat
member 14 and having an open end at the inner circumference 23 of
the seat member. Slot 45 may extend approximately one-half the
width of seat member 14. Each support means 15 includes a slot 46
extending approximately one-half the width of side portion 14 and
at a location as previously described with respect to FIG. 1. When
seat member 14 and each support means 15 are assembled, the
respective slots 45 and 46 embrace and receive the remaining
portion of the support means 15 and seat member 14 as shown in FIG.
3. Beneath seat member 14 and on opposite sides of support means 15
may be also provided angle brackets 47 secured as by screws or
bolts in well-known manner to both seat member 14 and support means
15.
Similarly, top portion 38 of support means 15 which provides a top
edge 39 upon which table top 12 may rest may be secured in assembly
by angle brackets 49 attached to the support means 15 and the table
top 12 by screws or bolts in well-known manner. It will be
understood, of course, that various other types of securement means
may be employed to securely hold the table top 12, seat member 14
and support means 15 in assembly.
As best noted in FIG. 3, the assembled table construction 10
provides virtually unobstructed leg space beneath table top 12,
such leg space being defined by the inner curved edges 43 of
support means 15 which generally form a segment of a spheroid.
Thus, a person sitting on seat member 14 between support means 15
has virtually complete freedom of leg movement beneath table top
12.
Again referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the side edges 41
of side portions 40 generally lie on or within a cylindrical
surface generated by passing a line parallel to the axis of the
table along line 20 which defines the circumferential edge of seat
member 14. Thus, when it is desired to move table construction 10
from one location to another without completely lifting or raising
the table from the supporting surface or ground, the table
construction 10 may be tilted so that the seat member 14 lies in a
vertical plane and simply rolled to the new location on the
circumferential edge 22. Thus, one person may readily relocate the
table.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it should be noted that when the single
sheet 11 of material has been cut into the pieces as described
above, shipment of said table in precut condition may be readily
made by reassembling the cut pieces in the pattern as shown in FIG.
1 upon a thin sheet of plywood or other shipping material and then
placing a similar sheet of shipping material over the precut
assembly and securing the same by suitable steel or plastic
strapping. The entire table construction 10 may thus be shipped as
a flat article of the same rectangular size and of only slightly
increased depth. Obviously such flat articles are readily stacked
and handled for shipping on pallets or the like in the same manner
as if the packaged table construction was a large sheet of
plywood.
In the example of the invention described above, edge 42 of the
upper portion 38 of the table support means 15 is illustrated as a
straight line and extends virtually from the circumferential edge
22 of seat member 14 to the circumferential edge 27 of table top
12. Thus, in this example a support means 15 provides an
aesthetically pleasing yet simple construction. It will be
understood from a consideration of FIG. 3 and the cut 31 of FIG. 1
which defines the edge 42 that edge 42 may be suitably configured
as desired in order to produce a different aesthetic
appearance.
It will also be noted by those skilled in the art that waste
material from the rectangular sheet 11 has been reduced to a
minimum and by reference to FIG. 1 such waste material may be
considered the extreme right angle corner sections 32, the
intermediate annular ring 26, and the material necessarily removed
from areas at 57 to facilitate cutting along line 20 and to provide
bearing surfaces 48 of adequate area for supporting the table
construction and when used as lawn furniture for reducing
penetration or sinking into a soil surface. If desired, suitable
pads may be placed beneath the bearing areas at 48.
Although the corner sections 32 and annulus 26 have been mentioned
above as waste material, FIG. 8 illustrates one use of such
material to provide a circular sun deck generally indicated at 50
in which the annulus 26 is supported from triangular corner
sections 32 having their base secured to the bottom surface of
annulus 26 and arranged in spaced 90.degree. relationship. Across
said annulus 26 is stretched and secured a suitable fabric 51 such
as canvas. It will be generally understood that many other uses may
be made of the annulus 26 and corner sections 32.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7 inclusive, a
table construction generally indicated at 10' may be made from a
single rectangular sheet of material 11' by cutting along similar
lines as indicated in FIG. 1 and as identified in FIG. 5 by similar
reference numerals with a prime sign.
The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5-7 inclusive,
differs from that shown in FIGS. 1-4 inclusive in that the table
support means 15' is cut in two pieces 38' and 40' along line 53.
Thus, the side portions 40' as separated from the top portions 38'
may be located in 90.degree. spaced relationship and secured by
suitable means such as the brackets 47' to seat member 14'. Table
top 12' may be supported from seat member 14' by the top portions
38' spaced in 90.degree. relation to each other and located in
45.degree. spaced relation to the adjacent side portions 34'. Thus
a slightly different style and appearance of table construction 10
and 10' is achieved while still employing the cutting plan of FIG.
1.
In this example of the invention, it may be noted that the circular
cut 20' is spaced inwardly from the edges of the rectangular sheet
of material 11' so that waste material previously indicated at 57
is avoided.
The advantages described above with respect to table construction
10 are similarly inherent in the table construction 10' shown in
FIGS. 5-7 inclusive.
It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be
made in the embodiments of the invention described above and which
come within the spirit of this invention and all such changes and
modifications coming within the scope of dependent claims are
embraced thereby.
* * * * *