U.S. patent number 3,783,799 [Application Number 05/233,035] was granted by the patent office on 1974-01-08 for folding two-level table, bench or the like.
Invention is credited to Emanuel F. Dupuis.
United States Patent |
3,783,799 |
Dupuis |
January 8, 1974 |
FOLDING TWO-LEVEL TABLE, BENCH OR THE LIKE
Abstract
A two-level foldable table, bench or the like comprises a top
divided into two parts with the parts hinged together. Four
individual leg assemblies are provided, two to each top part, each
of which has one long leg and one short leg. The assemblies are
pivotally mounted to the underside of the top at the junction of
the two legs, so that with the short legs vertical the long legs
extend along the underside of the top, and vice versa when the long
legs are vertical, thus providing a fully supported top at two
different selected levels. Catches are provided to hold the legs in
their selected positions. When the top is folded the short legs
engage each other so that the table etc. forms a compact, solid
package suitable for storage and/or carrying.
Inventors: |
Dupuis; Emanuel F. (St.
Catharines, Ontario, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22875627 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/233,035 |
Filed: |
March 9, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
106821 |
Jan 15, 1971 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/19;
108/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
3/083 (20130101); A47B 2009/006 (20130101); A47B
2200/0039 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
3/00 (20060101); A47B 3/083 (20060101); A47b
003/08 (); A47b 009/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/12,19,35,36,116 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rogers; Stanley J.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This present application is a continuation-in-part of my
application Ser. No. 106,821, filed Jan. 15, 1971 now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A folding two-level table, bench or the like comprising a top
having a top side and an underside and constituted by two top parts
hinged to one another by hinge means along immediately adjacent
edges thereof to be movable alternatively to one position in which
they lie in the same plane and another position in which they lie
in spaced parallel planes, two pairs of spaced leg assemblies, each
pair being movably mounted to the underside of a respective top
part to be movable alternatively to one or other of two operative
positions, each leg assembly comprising a length of tube-like
material bent to a general L-shape to provide a longer leg and a
shorter leg disposed at least approximately at right angles to one
another with one of the arms of the L-shape bent to a general
U-shape to form the said shorter leg, in one of said operative
positions the longer legs of the four assemblies are operative to
support the top from the floor at a higher level, and in the other
of which operative positions the shorter legs are operative to
support the top from the floor at a lower level, with each longer
leg in its said operative position the U-shaped shorter leg is
engaged with the underside of the top to brace the respective
longer leg in the said operative position, the said top parts being
movable to the said another position with the leg assemblies in the
said other position to provide a corresponding package in which the
leg assemblies are enclosed between the two top parts with the said
longer legs extending parallel to and braced against the undersides
of the top parts, and with the said shorter legs in nesting
engagement with one another to fix the said another parallel
position of the top parts.
2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, and including two different
sets of catch means, each set retaining the leg assemblies in a
different operative position.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to
tables, benches or like articles of furniture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Tables and benches with which the legs fold to a stored position
are well known and widely employed because of their convenience for
many occasions and their comparative ease of storage. However, with
the modern trend to smaller houses and to apartment living, the
need arises for articles of furniture which are flexible in their
application, and which if possible can be used for more than one
purpose in the house. It is also known to provide tables with which
the top can be set at different levels by means of sets of legs
comprising both short and long legs, the appropriate length of leg
being selectable as required, but such a table is difficult to
store and carry because of the protruding legs.
DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a table, bench
or the like which can readily be set at different selected heights
as required and which can also be folded to provide a package for
storage and/or carriage.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a
folding two-level table, bench or the like comprising a top having
a top side and an underside and constituted by two top parts hinged
to one another by hinge means along immediately adjacent edges
thereof to be movable alternatively to one position in which they
lie in the same plane and another position in which they lie in
spaced parallel planes, two pairs of spaced leg assemblies, each
pair being movably mounted to the underside of a respective top
part to be movable alternatively to one or other of two operative
positions, each leg assembly comprising a length of tube-like
material bent to a general L-shape to provide a longer leg and a
shorter leg disposed at least approximately at right angles to one
another with one of the arms of the L-shape bent to a general
U-shape to form the said shorter leg, in one of said operative
positions the longer legs of the four assemblies being operative to
support the top from the floor at a higher level, and in the other
of which operative positions the shorter legs are operative to
support the top from the floor at a lower level, with each longer
leg in its said operative position the U-shaped shorter leg is
engaged with the underside of the top to brace the respective
longer leg in the said operative position, the said top parts being
movable to the said another position with the leg assemblies in the
said other position to provide a corresponding package in which the
leg assemblies are enclosed between the two top parts with the said
longer legs extending parallel to and braced against the undersides
of the top parts, and with the said shorter legs in nesting
engagement with one another to fix the said another parallel
position of the top parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A table which is a particular preferred embodiment of the invention
will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying diagrammatic drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view from below and to one side of the
embodiment with its leg assemblies operative to support it at a
higher level.
FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1 with the leg assemblies
operative to support it at a lower level, and
FIG. 3 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrows
3--3 of FIG. 2 and showing the table top in folded condition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The table comprises a top formed by two top parts 10a and 10b, each
part having an underside 11 and a top 12. Four leg assemblies, each
comprising an L-shaped member 13, providing a longer leg 13a and a
shorter leg 13b, are pivotally mounted to the underside of the
bench top about respective pivots 14 by means of respective
brackets 15, each top part being provided with two of the
assemblies. The two legs are rigidly connected together at their
common junction and are inclined approximately at a right angle to
one another, the ends of the longer legs 13a being provided with
feet 16.
Each leg assembly is formed as an integral member by bending a
single length of hollow metal tubing to a general L-shape. Thus,
each length is bent at a position along its length to provide the
said longer and shorter legs with the bend constituting an integral
common junction. Each shorter leg 13b comprises one of the arms of
the L-shape bent to a general U-shape with the two ends of the
U-shape pivotally connected to the respective top part by the
bracket 15 and another bracket 17.
If the top is to be supported at the higher of its two selectable
levels then the leg assemblies are swung to the operative position
shown in FIG. 1, in which the shorter leg members extend generally
parallel to the underside of the top, the cross piece 18 of each
shorter leg being engaged by a spring clip mechanical catch 19. It
will be seen that in this position the U-shaped portions of the
shorter leg members form braces for the longer legs against the
underside of the top and, if the angle between the leg members is
even slightly less than 90.degree., then the effect of any weight
on the top is to force the shorter leg assemblies against the
underside, rendering the table or bench even more stable.
Similarly, if the top is to be set at the lower of the two
selectable levels, then the leg assemblies are swung to the other
operative position shown in FIG. 2, in which the longer leg members
are engaged in spring clips 20. The shorter leg members now extend
substantially vertically and the cross pieces engage the floor. A
similar bracing effect is now obtained for the shorter leg members
with the longer leg member engaging the underside 11.
The two top parts are connected together by hinge means 21
constituted by a pair of hinges, the parts being movable about axis
22 between the operative position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which
they are in the same plane, and the storage position shown in FIG.
3, in which they are disposed in spaced parallel planes with the
leg assemblies disposed between them. The arms of the hinges are
made sufficiently long that in the stored position the shorter leg
members rest snugly against one another to provide a firm flat
narrow package that can easily be carried. Moreover, the leg
assemblies lie fully within the confines of the space bounded by
the two top parts, so that the resultant package is smooth-surfaced
with no protruding parts, again making for easy carriage, and also
for easy storage.
Although a table has been described as a particular embodiment of
the invention, it will be apparent that it is also applicable to
benches, work-benches and other articles of furniture which it is
desired to be able to store and carry and also to set at different
levels. For example, the table described may serve as a kitchen or
dining table when in the position shown in FIG. 1, while in the
position shown in FIG. 2 it may serve as a low coffee table. Other
applications of a table, bench or the like in accordance with the
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
* * * * *