U.S. patent number 3,778,102 [Application Number 05/255,094] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-11 for table and chair structure and means for pivotally mounting chairs.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Fixtures Mfg. Corp.. Invention is credited to Harlan Butts, Bobbie L. Snyder, Ambrose Spencer.
United States Patent |
3,778,102 |
Snyder , et al. |
December 11, 1973 |
TABLE AND CHAIR STRUCTURE AND MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING
CHAIRS
Abstract
A table and chair combination wherein a table top is supported
on a plurality of spaced chairs with each having a separable
connection providing a pivotal relation and a latch preventing
separation in all positions except the separable position.
Inventors: |
Snyder; Bobbie L. (Lake
Winnebago, MO), Spencer; Ambrose (Merriam, KS), Butts;
Harlan (Lees Summit, MO) |
Assignee: |
Fixtures Mfg. Corp. (Kansas
City, MO)
|
Family
ID: |
22966814 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/255,094 |
Filed: |
May 19, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/170; 297/142;
297/135; 403/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
83/02 (20130101); Y10T 403/7007 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
83/02 (20060101); A47B 83/00 (20060101); A47c
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/170,171,172,135,157
;287/2R,20.5,23,124,13A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Claims
We claim:
1. In a table and chair combination having a table top and a
plurality of chairs spaced around said table top with means
pivotally mounting each chair to said table top for swinging
movement about a respective vertical axis comprising:
a. a substantially rigid member extending from each of a plurality
of chairs spaced around a table top, said rigid members each having
a generally vertical end portion with an end surface engageable
with a lower surface of the table top;
b. one socket member fixedly mounted on the table top for each
chair, said socket member being adapted to receive and engage one
of said vertical end portion of said rigid members therein; and
c. cooperating means between the table top and each chair to effect
engagement of the table top and each chair and permit relative
turning movement through a selected angle, and to permit
disengagement of each chair from the table top when turned to a
position beyond said selected angle.
2. Means for pivotally mounting chairs as set forth in claim 1
wherein said cooperating means includes:
a. an end member mounted on the vertical end portion of each of
said rigid members, said end members each having saie end surface
thereon engageable with the lower surface of the table top for
rotatively supporting said table top on the chairs;
b. walls on each of said socket members defining a chamber adjacent
the table top and a bore extending generally vertically downwardly
from the chamber and in upwardly facing surface outwardly of said
bore defining a shoulder spaced from the lower surface of the table
top, said bore being adapted to receive therein one of said
vertical end portions and the end member thereon;
c. at least one longitudinally extending slot in each bore, each
slot extending through said shoulder and the full length of said
bore; and
d. at least one lug extending radially outwardly from each end
member being engageable with a shoulder to retain a vertical end
portion of a rigid member within said socket member and permit
turning through said selected angle and to permit movement through
said slot for disengagement when turned beyond said selected angle
to alignment of the lug with the slot.
3. A table top and chair combination with swinging and supporting
connections of the chairs with the table top comprising:
a. a table top having a lower surface;
b. a plurality of chairs spaced around said table top;
c. a substantially rigid member extending from each of said chairs,
each rigid member having a generally vertical end portion;
d. an end member for each of said rigid members that is fixedly
mounted on their vertical end portion thereof and engageable with
the lower surface of said table top to support same;
e. a socket member for the vertical end portion of each of said
rigid member, each socket member being fixedly mounted on said
lower surface of said table top;
f. means on each of said socket members for receiving therein the
vertical end portion of one of said rigid members and said end
member thereon, permitting relative turning movement between said
respective rigid members and said table top about a vertical axis
of said vertical end portion, said means being operative for
retaining each of said rigid members withon one of said socket
members through a selected angle of turning movement and permitting
disengagement beyond said selected angle of turning movements;
and
G. floor-engaging means on each of said chairs for supporting same
during relative turning movement between said respective chairs and
said table top.
4. A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 3
wherein:
a. each of said socket members has walls defining a chamber therein
adjacent the lower surface of said table top for receiving an end
member therein;
b. each of said socket members has walls defining a generally
vertically extending bore communicating with the chamber therein
for receiving a vertical end portion of one of said rigid members;
and
c. each chamber and the respective end member received therein have
mutually engageable portions for maintaining said end member within
said chamber through said selected angle of turning movement
permitting removal of said end member from said chamber only when
said end member has a selected rotated position relative to said
chamber and the bore communicating therewith, said selected rotated
position being beyond said selected angle of turning movement.
5. A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein
said mutually engaging portions include:
a. said bore defining walls being arranged to define a bore having
a slot extending longitudinally therein for the length of said
bore;
b. each end member having a lug extending therefrom and movable
through said slot in said respective bore; and
c. said chamber defining walls being arranged to define an upwardly
facing shoulder interrupted by said slot and engageable by a lug of
said respective end member within said chamber to thereby retain
said lug within said chamber and permit removal of said end member
from said chamber only when said lug is aligned with said slot.
6. A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 4
wherein:
a. said vertical end portion of each of said rigid members has an
open upper end;
b. each end member has a body portion received within the open
upper end of a vertical end portion;
c. each end member has one pair of laterally opposed lugs extending
from said body portion and having one of said mutually engageable
portions thereon;
d. said bore defining walls are arranged to define a bore having
one pair of laterally opposed slots therein extending
longitudinally of the bore, said laterally opposed slots each
receiving one of said lugs therein for movement therethrough;
and
e. said chamber defining walls are arranged to define one pair of
shoulders each extending between said slots and being the other of
the mutually engageable portions, said pair of shoulders being
engageable by one of said lugs of said respective end member within
said chamber to thereby retain said lugs of said end member within
said chamber and permit removal of said end member from said
respective chamber only when said lugs are each aligned with the
laterally opposed slots in said respective bore.
7. A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 2
wherein:
a. said bore of said socket member and vertical end portion have a
relative taper providing an axial supporting bearing engagement
therebetween adjacent one end of said bore and clearance adjacent
the other end thereof permitting angular variation between the
respective rigid member and the table top to accommodate uneveness
of floors on which the chairs move.
8. A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 3
wherein:
a. said means on each of said socket members for receiving the
vertical end portion of one end of said rigid members having walls
defining a bore diverging downwardly from adjacent said table
top;
b. said bore being of a size at an end thereof adjacent said table
top whereby the bore defining wall has axial supporting bearing
engagement withsaid vertical end portion for rotation thereof;
and
c. said bore defining wall at the other end thereof having a
clearance from said vertical end portion permitting angular
variation of said vertical end portion with said table top to
accommodate uneveness of floors on which the chairs move.
Description
The present invention relates to articles of furniture and more
particularly to a table and chair structure having improved means
for permitting relative turning movement between the chairs and the
table top and selected separation of the chairs and the table
top.
The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a
table and chair combination wherein a table top is solely supported
on a plurality of chairs and having improved means for pivotal
connection of chairs to a table top; to provide such a table and
chair combination having cooperating portions on each of a
plurality of socket portions mounted on a lower surface of a table
top and a respective portion of each chair received therein and
engageable through a selected angle of swinging movement of each
chair to retain the chair portion within the respective socket
member and to permit separation or disengagement beyond the
selected angle of turning movement; to provide such a structure
wherein the socket portion have tapered bores enlarging downwardly
from the table top and permitting relative movement of the chair
portion and socket portion to accommodate uneveness of floors; to
provide such a table and chair combination wherein the pivotal
connection means are each adapted to retain an end member on a
chair in a receiving member mounted on the table top and permit
removal thereof only when the end member is in a selected rotated
position relative to the table top; to provide such a table and
chair combination wherein each end member serves as a supporting
means for the table top; to provide such a connection wherein the
parts are adapted for casting with a minimum of machining
operation; to provide such a table and chair combination wherein
the chairs are selectively detachable only when in a selected
position relative to the table top to thereby enable the chairs to
be used separately; and to provide such a table and chair
combination that is economical to manufacture, easily assembled and
less easily disassembled, that presents a structure having movable
portions whereby it is easy to clean the supporting surfaces
thereunder, and which is particularly well adapted for the proposed
use.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent
from the following description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration
and example certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include an
exemplary embodiment illustrating various objects and features of
the table and chair structure and means for pivotally mounting
chairs of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table and chair structure
constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in
assembled relation.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the table and chair structure
with mounting socket members and table supporting portions of
chairs shown in broken lines.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the table and
chair structure.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through
the mounting socket member and the pivotal connection between a
chair and table top and taken on line 4--4, FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the socket member for
mounting on a lower surface of the table top.
Referring more in detail to the drawings:
As required detailed embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural
and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted
as limiting but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriate
detailed structure.
The present invention is an improvement in the table and chair
structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,815 granted on Oct. 19,
1965 and more particularly the present invention is an improvement
in means for pivotally mounting the chairs in supporting relation
for a table top.
In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the
reference numeral 1 generally designates a table and chair
combination which includes a table top 2 and a plurality of chairs
3 spaced around the table top 2 and each having a substantially
rigid member 4 extending therefrom and having a generally vertical
end portion 5 in pivotal supporting relation to said table top 2.
It is desirable that the mounting be separable. The connecting
supporting parts generally include an end member 6 on the chair end
portion 5 and a bracket or socket member 7 mounted on the bottom
surface 8 of the table top 2. Such a connection is provided for
each one of the chairs and permits relative turning movement
between the table top 2 and a respective chair 3.
The table top 2 may be made of any desirable material and is not
restricted as to shape. In the structure illustrated, the table top
2 is polygonal and is supported by the chairs 3 and the chairs 3
are spaced around said table top and movable relative thereto.
The chairs 3 may be any suitable design and in the illustrated
structure each chair has a suitable seat portion 9 and a support
structure or frame, such as a plurality of spaced legs or support
members 10 in supporting relationship to the seat portion 9. The
illustrated chairs 3 each have a back portion 11 spaced above the
seat portion 9 and have portions 12 extending from the back portion
11 and terminating in oppositely directed arm portions 13 which
support arm rests 14.
The substantially rigid member 4 is suitably fixed to one of the
arm portions 13 and extends therefrom and toward the table and the
illustrated rigid member 4 extends to a position under the table
top 2 about which the chair swings, as best seen in FIG. 2. The
rigid members 4 may be any structure to mount the connector and in
the illustrated structure are shown as including the vertical end
portion 5 which is preferably tubular and has an open upper end
positioned below the table top 2.
The end members 6 are illustrated as being mounted in a respective
open upper end of the vertical end portion 5 with each having a
body portion 16 received within a respective open upper end of the
vertical end portion 5 of the rigid members 4. The body portion 16
is suitably secured within the open upper end with any suitable
fastener. The fasteners illustrated are a plurality of
circumferentially spaced screws 17 each having counter-sunk heads
preferably flush with an exterior surface of the vertical end
portion 5. Each end member 6 has an end flange 18 engageable with
an upper end of the walls defining the open upper end of the
vertical end portion 5. Each of the end members 6 has at least one
and preferably a pair of laterally opposed ears or lugs 19
extending from the end flange 18.
Each of the brackets or socket members 7 are suitably secured to
the lower surface 8 of the table top 2 and in the illustrated
structure, each socket member 7 includes a mounting portion 20
suitably secured to the lower surface 8 of the table top 2, as by a
plurality of spaced fastening devices illustrated as screws 21.
Each of the brackets or socket members 7 have wall portions 22
defining a chamber therein with the chamber being adjacent the
lower surface 8 of the table top 2 when the socket member 7 is
mounted on the lower surface 8, the chamber being adapted to
receive a respective one of the end members 6 therein, more
particularly the end flange 18 and the lug or lugs 19 of the
respective end member 6. The wall portions 22 extend upwardly from
at least one and preferably a pair of shoulders 23 which are each
engageable by a lug or lugs 19 to prevent removal of the vertical
end portion 5 and the end member 6 thereon from the bracket or
socket member 7. Wall portions 24 depend from the shoulders 23 and
define a generally vertically extending bore 25 communicating with
the chamber within the bracket or socket member 7. The bore 25 is
tapered having its smallest diameter as at 25' adjacent to the
shoulders 23 and enlarging to the lower end 24' of the wall
portions 24 to provide for chair movement as later described. The
bore 25 is adapted to receive the vertical end portion 5 of a
respective one of the rigid members 4 therein with the bore
defining wall at the small or upper end of the bore having
engagement with said vertical end portion 5 for rotation thereof in
the socket member 7. At least one and preferably a pair of
laterally opposed recesses or slots 26 in the bore 25 are adapted
to receive the respective lug or lugs 19 therein for movement
therethrough.
It is desirable to facilitate the turning or swinging movement of
the chairs 3 relative to the table top 2, therefore, each of the
chairs 3 has a plurality of spaced floor-engaging members, such as
rollers 27 each mounted on a lower end of each of the legs or
support members 10 for supporting same during relative turning or
swinging movement between the respective chairs 3 and the table top
2.
In assembling and using a table and chair combination as
illustrated and described, the socket members 7 are secured to the
lower surface 8 of the table top 2 by means of the screws 21. The
end members 6 are secured in the open upper end of the respective
vertical end portion 5 of the rigid members 4, as by the screws 17.
The table top 2 is positioned above the end members 6 and the
chairs 3 are maneuvered until the lugs 19 are aligned with the
slots 26 in the respective bore 25 whereby the table top may be
lowered until the end member 6 is in engagement with the lower
surface 8 whereby the chairs 3 provide the sole support for the
table top 2. The chairs 3 are then maneuvered to move the lugs 19
out of alignment with the respective slots or recesses 26. Then a
person desiring to sit at the table top 2 may grasp a selected
chair 3 and pull same whereby the selected chair swings or rolls
outwardly from the table top 2, the swinging movement being about
the vertical axis of the vertical end portion 5. When the chair is
swung out from the table top 2, a person may be seated in the chair
and then move same toward the table top 2 whereby the chair moves
on the rollers 27 in an arcuate path about the vertical end portion
5 to swing back to a normal seating position for a person adjacent
the table top 2. The table top 2 is supported by the chairs 3 and
remains in position regardless of whether the chairs are at the
seating position along side the table top 2 or whether one or all
of the chairs are swung outwardly from the table top 2. The weight
of the table top 2 maintains the upper end or surface of the end
member 6 in engagement with the lower surface 8 of the table top 2.
During all the swinging movement of the chairs 3, the lugs 19 of
the end members 6 each have a lower surface thereof spaced above an
upper surface of the shoulder or shoulders 23 at the upper end of
the respective bores 25. The table top 2 may be removed from the
chairs 3 or a chair or chairs 3 may be removed from the combination
only when the chair or chairs 3 are moved beyond a selected angle
of turning or swinging to move the lugs 19 from a position above
the respective shoulders 23 to a position above and aligned with a
respective slot 26 in the bores 25 and then the table top 2 may be
lifted to move the socket members 7 upwardly while the chairs 3,
rigid members 4, and end members 6 remain in position thereby
effecting relative movement between the lugs 19 and the slots
26.
The table and chair combination 1 is a substantially stable
structure and there is a minimum of relative lateral movement
between the table top 2 and the chairs 3 as a result of a minimum
clearance between interior surfaces of the small portion of the
bores 25 as at 25' and exterior surfaces of a respective vertical
end portion 5 of the rigid members 4.
It is to be understood that either the bore 25 or vertical portion
5 may have the taper with the other being substantially cylindrical
or other suitable combination to provide the bearing engagement at
one end and clearance at the other to permit angular variation
between the vertical portions and the table top. In the illustrated
structure, the bores 25 diverging downwardly to the larger diameter
at the lower end of the walls 24 permit the end portions 5 of the
chair rigid members 4 to vary from normal relation or permit
angular variation relative to the table top. This structure gives
stability and accommodates uneveness of floors without binding or
other interference with the swinging of the chairs relative to the
table top. The chairs can swing or move over their respective areas
and even if the floor is uneven the taper of the bore 25 and
relative fit keeps the table top in its selected position.
It is to be understood that while we have illustrated and described
one form of our invention, it is not to be limited to this specific
form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.
* * * * *