U.S. patent number 3,878,797 [Application Number 05/402,894] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-22 for pattern table.
Invention is credited to Marilyn Patterson.
United States Patent |
3,878,797 |
Patterson |
April 22, 1975 |
Pattern table
Abstract
A work support table having a plurality of removable working
surfaces or elements. The table may be constructed in sections
joined by means such as hinges. Support surface capturing strips or
lips may be mounted on each section of the table about the
periphery thereof except for that edge or edges along which the
section is joined to another section. When the table is folded, the
removable work surfaces or elements may be installed within the
lips which serve to guide and limit the movement of the work
surfaces. When the table is positioned in its opened configuration,
the removable work surface elements enter into abutment so that
relative movement or removal of the work surface elements is
impossible until the table is folded or closed again. The table may
be supported by a plurality of adjustable legs so that the work
surface height can be controlled at the convenience of a person
standing or sitting at the table.
Inventors: |
Patterson; Marilyn (Manhattan
Beach, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23593720 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/402,894 |
Filed: |
October 3, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/90;
108/36 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
3/083 (20130101); A47B 13/081 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
3/00 (20060101); A47B 13/08 (20060101); A47B
3/083 (20060101); A47b 013/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/36,35,34,27,90,112,113,161,155,13,106 ;312/257A
;52/71,400,476 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McGuire; J. B.
Claims
Of course, the devices described herein are meant to be exemplary
only and in no way limit the scope of the invention which should be
considered to be defined only by the appended claims, wherefore
what is claimed as the invention is:
1. A table comprising
a first section having
a planar support surface and
a lip means about the entire periphery except for one lineal edge
thereof,
a second section having
a planar support surface and
a lip means about the entire periphery except for one lineal edge
thereof,
means attaching said first and second sections at said lineal edges
thereof along which said lips do not extend for movement between an
abutting position and a non-abutting position, and
work surface means, removably insertable into said lip means when
said two planar support means are in other than an abutting
relationship and adjacent lip ends of said first and second
sections are not in abutment, and fixed within said lip means in
abutting relationship with one another when said planar support
means are in coplanar abutting relationship and the adjacent lip
ends are in abutment.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein
said attaching means comprise
hinge means fixing adjacent sections of said planar support surface
to one another.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 including
means for adjustably supporting said planar surface relative to a
predetermined plane.
4. The table of claim 1 including
adjustable leg means for supporting said table at a convenient
height.
5. The table of claim 4 wherein
said adjustable leg means includes
means for fastening said legs to said sections and
means for folding said legs against the undersurfaces of the
sections to which said legs are fastened.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many fields, it is desirable to have a work table having a work
surface which is easily and readily removable when a replacement is
required for one reason or another. For example, when a pattern is
to be used to produce an article of clothing, it is desirable to
pin the pattern and/or the material onto a working surface so that
suitable tracing and cutting can be accomplished. In this example,
pins must be pushed into the working surface to hold the materials
in place in order to prevent relative movement. Accordingly, it is
desirable that the working surface be produced from some material
similar to corrugated cardboard so that the pins may be quickly and
easily pressed into the surface.
Although this work surface material accomplishes the desired result
of allowing easy insertion and removal of pins and tacks, after a
period of time its surface can become covered with a large number
of pinholes and, eventually, it will become unusable. When this
occurs, it would be desirable to be able to either turn the work
surface over in order to use its other side, or else replace it
entirely. In either case, a completely new work surface would be
presented which would be free of all previous markings,
indentation, etc.
In the past, there have been two methods of accomplishing this
desired result. In one case, a piece of material, resembling
corrugated cardboard, would merely be laid upon the top of a
regular table, desk, counter, etc., and used in that location until
the job was completed. This system presents several difficulties.
First, the table top is rarely at the proper height for this type
of work, with the result that the person working on it often ends
up with a backache. Second, in some cases unless the material and
pattern are fastened to the work surface in some way, they can be
moved relative thereto with the result that the pattern might be
torn or the material spoiled inadvertently. Also, the prior art
devices are normally produced with several sections attached to one
another along fold lines. When these articles are unfolded and
spread on a table or other surface, they never are really flat and
this unevenness makes close pattern work difficult at best.
In the second case, a soft wood or similar material may be
removably fastened to the top of a table by suitable means such as
screws or other fastening devices. In some instances, the removable
work surface has been held to the table top by means of a strip
which is fastened to the table all around its periphery and which
is formed so that it extends a short distance over the top of the
removable work surface to hold it in place, i.e., a lip. With this
apparatus, when it is necessary to replace the work surface
material, a substantial part of the table was had to be
disassembled in order to provide access for removal of the old
material and insertion of a new surface.
In many cases, such tables are meant to be used only on an
occasional basis and it is preferable that such a table be put away
in a small package-type of arrangement. In other words, it is often
preferable that such a table can be disassembled or folded so that
it can be stored in a closet or store room without taking up any
more space than is absolutely necessary. This feature, if provided,
further complicates the structure which must be provided with the
prior art devices since each section of the table has been provided
with a lip about its entire periphery which effectively holds the
work surface in place.
Accordingly, it has become desirable to provide a work table having
a work surface on the upper plane thereof which can be quickly and
simply removed and replaced without requiring the use of any tools.
As additional features of the invention, it has also been found to
be desirable to provide the table (1) with apparatus for allowing
it to be folded into a compact package for storage and (2) with
supports which will allow its height to be adjusted so as to suit
the comfort and convenience of the person using the table.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided by
means of which a work surface may be mounted at a convenient height
on a structure which may be quickly and easily folded for storage.
The work surface, which may be of any suitable material, whether
soft or hard depending upon the task to be accomplished, may be
supported on the structure in such a way that it can be quickly and
very simply removed and replaced with a new work surface. On the
other hand, when the structure is opened and positioned so that the
work surface is usable, the work surface cannot be moved relative
to the support structure. In fact, in the preferred embodiment of
the invention, a plurality of such work surfaces may be provided
which are mounted on sections of the support structure. When the
support structure sections are arranged in coplanar relationship,
the work surface elements associated with each portion of the
support structure will be in abutment along the exposed sides or
margins thereof so that relative movement will be impossible.
At the outer peripheral edge of the support structure, a suitable
lip structure may be provided which, when the sections are in
coplanar abutment, will hold the work surface elements in place and
prevent their removal from the table.
When it is desirable to remove and replace the work surface
elements, the support sections may be separated or folded toward
their storage positions, exposing an unconfined margin or edge of
each work surface element. Then, the element can be pulled,
parallel to the plane of the support section, until its other edges
are free from contact with the lip.
Thus, the work surface elements can be exchanged either when
replacement is needed or when a different work surface is desired,
such as when a different density of material is to be used in the
work surface.
If desired, the support structure may include a plurality of legs
which may be adjustable to allow the user to locate the work
surface elements at an elevated height, relative to the floor,
which is both convenient and comfortable for his particular working
conditions.
Although the above summary of the invention is substantially
directed to a table which may be used for cutting out patterns, it
will be quickly realized by those skilled in the art that the
concepts embodied in this invention may be utilized with any type
of structure with which a replaceable working surface, of any
density, may be provided. In other words, the work surface element
might be of corrugated cardboard, formica, glass, or any other
suitable material, depending only upon the task to be accomplished
and the results desired. Further, while the above summary of the
invention describes a plurality of different features, it will be
realized by those skilled in the art that these features can be
utilized individually or in any given combination to aid in the
production of the results desired. Additional advantages, objects,
embodiments, and modes of this invention will become readily
apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following
detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing,
which describes and illustrates only one preferred embodiment of
the invention which is delineated by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 comprises an isometric illustration of a table formed in
accordance with the present invention, with the table illustrated
in the open, usable position;
FIG. 2 comprises a sectional view of one leg of the table to
illustrate structure for allowing the vertical adjustment
thereof;
FIG. 3 comprises an internal end view of one section of the table
illustrated in FIG. 1, as seen along a line III--III thereof;
and
FIG. 4 comprises an isometric illustration of the table shown in
FIG. 1 in the closed or folded position, with one work surface
element partially withdrawn therefrom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In accordance with the present invention, a supporting structure of
any suitable type may be provided, such as the table illustrated at
11 in FIG. 1. As shown, the table may comprise a plurality of
sections such as 13 and 15 attached to one another by any suitable
means such as a hinge 17. If desired, the hinge may be replaced by
any device which releasably holds sections 13 and 15 in coplanar
abutment. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the sections may comprise a
planar support surface 19 to which the device 17 may be suitably
attached.
In the illustrated embodiment, a suitable lip or work holding
element 23 may be provided along each side of each table section,
except for those sides or margins at which the hinge is connected.
Thus, when the table is folded to the position illustrated in FIG.
4, each side or margin of each section of the table is bounded by
lips 23, except for that side to which the hinge is fastened. When
the table is in the folded or disassembled configuration, an
opening exists between opposed lips 23 in each section so that a
work surface element 25 may be inserted into planar abutment with
the support surface 19. In other words, as can be seen in the
drawing, the lips 23 provide guides for the withdrawal and
insertion of the work surface elements 25 as well as capture and
hold it in place.
When the table is converted from the configuration of FIG. 4 to
that of FIG. 1, the support surfaces 19 are thereby brought into an
abutting coplanar relationship and the lips 23 on each side of the
table at each of the sections 13 and 15 will enter into a close
fitting relationship. Accordingly, the work surface elements 25
will thereby be brought into a similar coplanar relationship and
will abut along their marginal edges, just above the plates of
hinge 17. Thus, when the table is in the configuration of FIG. 1,
the work surface elements are firmly held in position and cannot be
moved or removed until the table is once again disassembled or
folded.
If desired, the table may be supported by a plurality of legs 29
which may be structurally attached to the table by any suitable
means including fixing latches 31. Use of the latches 31 allow the
legs to be folded into abutment with the undersurfaces of the
planar supports 19, thereby allowing easy folding of the table.
When the table is thus folded, it may be lifted by any suitable
means such as handle 33 and carried to a suitable storage location.
If desired, a suitable latch (not shown) may also be provided to
prevent the table from inadvertently opening from the folded
position.
In many cases, it is desirable to provide such a table with
apparatus for adjusting it to varying heights relative to the
floor. For example, when it is desired to use the table as a
pattern cutting table, it is often preferable to have the table
height adjustable within the range of 36 to 48 inches, depending on
the height of the person using the table. Accordingly, each leg 29
may be produced as a telescoping pair of tubular members 35 and 37
as shown in FIG. 2.
In this example, the tubular section 35 may be provided with a
plurality of aligned apertures 39, into a selected one of which a
pin 41 may be biased by a spring 43 mounted in the tubular section
37. By pressing the pin 41 toward the axis of the tube 37 against
the influence of spring 43, the pin may be pushed out of one of the
apertures 37. The leg then may be either extended or retracted, and
the pin 41 placed in a different aperture 39.
If desired, a suitable slide, castor, or other base support 45 may
also be mounted in the lower end of the tubular section 37.
Thus, the applicant has disclosed the novel concept of a support
structure which locates a replaceable work surface element at a
suitable height for the convenience of an operator. By utilizing
the concept of a foldable table, the work surface elements may be
placed in close abutment when the table is open in a manner such
that they cannot be removed from the support structure. When the
table is disassembled, folded, or closed, the work surface elements
may be quickly and easily removed and replaced by withdrawing them
from the lips formed about the support structure.
Having perused the above detailed description, those skilled in the
art will realize that the present invention may be embodied in a
wide variety of structures in addition to that illustrated in the
drawings. For example, the invention can be embodied in a table
having three or more support sections which are releasably attached
to one another so that the work surface elements abut when the
table is opened. In other words, a center section having lips on
either side of the table might be inserted between the sections 13
and 15 if the table were to be enlarged. When the table is open,
the work surface element in the center section would be confined by
cooperation with the lips along the edges of the table and by
abutment with each of the illustrated work surface elements 25. On
the other hand, when the table was folded or closed, the work
surface element of the central section could then be withdrawn and
replaced in a manner similar to that of the illustrated
apparatus.
* * * * *