U.S. patent number 3,765,719 [Application Number 05/206,374] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-16 for collapsible combination table and bench.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Wanous, Thomas K.. Invention is credited to Robert H. Silver.
United States Patent |
3,765,719 |
Silver |
October 16, 1973 |
COLLAPSIBLE COMBINATION TABLE AND BENCH
Abstract
A collapsible combination table and bench in which the table
portion is supported at three points, one of the points being
generally near the center of the bench portion. The bench portion
is hollow so as to contain the three table supports and the four
bench legs so that the entire assembly may be folded down into a
compact package. The table portion is sized and shaped to fit over
the bench portion for compact portability and to permit the
assembly to be used solely as a bench as well.
Inventors: |
Silver; Robert H. (Schroeder,
MN) |
Assignee: |
Wanous, Thomas K. (Minneapolis,
MN)
|
Family
ID: |
22766094 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/206,374 |
Filed: |
December 9, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/170; 108/101;
297/139; 297/183.1; 297/440.22; D6/686 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
39/04 (20130101); A47B 39/06 (20130101); A47B
83/024 (20170801) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
39/06 (20060101); A47B 39/00 (20060101); A47b
039/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/135,153,157,170,139
;108/38,34,33,156,153,101 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Claims
I claim:
1. A collapsible combination table and bench comprising a hollow
rectangular oblong bench portion adapted to contain four legs, one
short table support member and two long table support members, said
bench having four holes near the four corners on one side shaped to
accept the four legs and a single hole on the other side located
generally near one of the long sides of the rectangular oblong
bench and generally at the center of the long side of the bench
shaped to accept the lower end of the short table support member
and an oblong rectangular table portion having two holes shaped to
accept the two long table support members and a third hole
generally near one long side and near the center of that long side
of the table portion shaped to accept the upper end of the short
table support.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including friction locking means inside
said hollow bench adapted to hold said four legs in place when they
are inserted into the four holes in said bench.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said friction locking means
comprise four pins adapted to pivot at one end into a resting
position against slots in said four legs.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 including an insert member generally
congruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench with the four
legs inserted therein, said insert operable to hold the legs
tightly in place and form a top surface for the bench.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 including additional external latching
means between said table portion and said table support means.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said table portion has a
raised ridge with a smooth inside surface about its perimeter sized
and shaped to fit snugly about said bench so as to permit the bench
and table portions to be fitted together and carried as a unit.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 including an insert member generally
congruent to the inside shape of the hollow bench with the four
legs and the short table support inserted therein, said insert
operable to hold the legs and table support tightly in place and
form a top surface for the bench.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 including friction locking pins adapted
to pivot at one end into a resting position against slots in said
legs.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior art collapsible tables and benches have been characterized by
being rather weak, shakey and unstable. This comes about mainly due
to the requirement of a large number of small delicate moving parts
in order to permit the entire assembly to be folded down into a
compact unit. Other disadvantages include the need for an excessive
number of individual parts in the assembly and an inability of the
assembled bench and table combinations to adapt to uneven ground
surfaces. My invention avoids the above mentioned difficulties as
described below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, my invention contemplates a combination table and bench
assembly wherein the table is provided with three point suspension
so as to conform to uneven ground surfaces. One of these points is
located to rest near the center of the bench portion so as to
permit unobstructed entry to the bench portion while still
minimizing the number of parts necessary to support the table. An
unusually high degree of strength and simplicity is achieved by
making all the parts fit together through the simple insertion of
one part into a hole in another part. Yet each of the individual
parts fits compactly inside the hollow bench portion so that the
entire assembly may be carried in a suitcase-shaped package and
stored in a minimum of space. It may be seen, therefore, that it is
an object of my invention to provide an improved combination table
and bench assembly which is collapsible into a highly compact and
easily transportable package. Further objects and advantages will
become apparent upon consideration of the following description and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the various components of my
invention and indicates generally how the collapsible table and
bench assembly fits together.
FIG. 2 shows the combination table and bench assembly in its fully
assembled condition.
FIG. 3 is a more detailed view of the hollow bench portion of my
invention.
FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the table portion of my invention in
an inverted position to better show the structure thereof.
FIG. 5 shows how my invention may be assembled to form only the
bench portion.
FIG. 6 shows the final compact package formed when my invention is
totally disassembled and packed together inside the hollow bench
portion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, it may be seen how the entire combination
bench and table assembly fits together. The bench portion 10 is
hollow so as to contain the four supporting legs 12, a short table
support member 18, and two long table support members 22. Assembly
of the combination bench and table is a quick and easy process
beginning with the insertion of the legs 12 into holes 37 at the
four corners of the hollow bench portion 10. This operation may be
better understood with reference to FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, it may be seen that each leg 12 is provided with a shelf
or ridge 11 which rests against the bottom of bench portion 10.
When legs 12 are fully inserted into the holes 37 at the four
corners of bench portion 10, small pivoting friction locking
members 17 and 19 are rotated down into slots 9 in the sides of
legs 12. These pivoting friction locking members 17 and 19 are
rotated down into slots 9 in the sides of legs 12 so as to resist
any tendency of the legs 12 to drop back out of the holes when the
bench is lifted. Bench portion 10 includes three locating members,
21, 23 and 25 which serve to accept a short table support member 18
therebetween at a location near the center and side of the bench.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, table support member 18 also has a small
shelf or ridge 43 which rests upon a side perimeter member of bench
portion 10.
Returning again to FIG. 1, it may be seen that an insert member 14
is positioned in hollow bench portion 10. Insert member 14 has an
outside shape congruent to the inside shape of hollow bench portion
10 when the legs 12 and member 18 are inserted therein. Thus,
insert 14 locks the four legs 12 and short table support member 18
into position very solidly, giving the entire assembly great
strength. Small spacer blocks 15 and 16 on the bottom of insert
member 14 prevent insert member 14 from dropping too far into
hollow bench 10. Small holes 13 in insert member 14 provide means
with which to grip insert member 14 for removal upon disassembly.
Completion of the assembly is achieved by dropping table portion 30
onto support member 18 and onto two long support members 22. The
detailed structure of support members 22 and table portion 30 may
be more clearly seen with respect to FIG. 4 which shows the table
portion 30 and the legs 22 in an inverted position. The assembled
table and bench combination is shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted
that in the preferred embodiment, the table portion 30 is
additionally latched to legs 22 by means of small metal latch
mechanisms 31 and 32, of a type well known to those in the art,
which connect together on the outside of the parts to provide
additional strength. Similar latching mechanisms 35 and 36 are
provided for short support member 18.
If partially disassembled, the bench and table combination of FIG.
2 may be used only as a bench. This is accomplished by removing
insert member 14 and storing the two long table supports 22 and the
short table support 18 inside hollow bench portion 10. Insert 14 is
then repositioned in hollow bench 10, and the table top 30 is
fitted over insert member 14. This arrangement is shown in FIG. 5.
It should be noticed that table portion 30 is sized and shaped to
fit comfortably around bench portion 10.
Complete disassembly is achieved by removing table top 30, and
again removing insert member 14. Friction locks 17 and 19 are
raised to allow legs 12 to be extracted from the bottom of bench
10. The legs 12 are also stored inside bench 10 and insert 14 is
replaced. Table top 30 is again hooked onto and over insert portion
14 so as to provide a compact carrying package as shown in FIG. 6.
A carrying handle 43 on the side of bench 10 permits easy transport
of this compact package.
* * * * *