Combination kitchen table-ironing board

Abstract

A combination table and ironing board is provided with a pair of table top leaves, and a pair of U-shaped tubular legs, one vertically extending arm of each leg being fixed to one leaf, and the other arm of each leg adjustably supporting the ironing board which in turn supports the other leaf, in the table state. This leaf is removable to expose the ironing board which may be raised and supported in an elevated state.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a convertible table and, particularly, to a table which is convertible to an ironing board.

Although ironing boards are a necessity in present day homes, they have a well known drawback, this is, they are awkward, cumbersome and occupy a lot of space. This is particularly true when the ironing board is stored, usually in a closet, since the board must lean against a wall thereby occupying much of the floor space. Furthermore, even when in use, ironing boards occupy much space. A second drawback occurs when it is necessary to lug the ironing board from the closet to the ironing room.

SUMMARY

The present invention is aimed at overcoming this common objectionable feature of ironing boards. This is accomplished by combining the ironing board with a kitchen table to form one unit. The unit is formed with a table top having a pair of hingedly connected leaves supported by a pair of U-shaped tubular legs extending transversely of the unit. One leaf is fixed to one vertically extending arm of each leg, and the other leaf, in the table state, is adjusted to rest and lock on the ironing board by means of bullet latches. The ironing board has two extensions adapted to telescopingly slide or fit into the other vertically extending arms of each leg. A locking mechanism is provided to adjustably support the ironing board in an elevated position.

Normally the unit is used as a table in the state just described. When the ironing board is required, the movable leaf is pivoted on the hinge to expose the ironing board. The ironing board is, then, raised and locked in the desired position. In this manner the problem of space consumption is eliminated, and, the task of lugging the ironing board from one place to another is, also, eliminated. Furthermore, the material will hang freely all along the inner side of the ironing board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the description of a particular embodiment which follows where reference is made to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination table-ironing board showing the ironing board in an elevated ironing position;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view partially in section showing the ironing board support and vertical adjustment mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With referennce to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates the combination table-ironing board arrangement. The arrangement includes an ironing board unit 11 and a table unit 12. FIG. 1 shows the combination 10 in a position suitable for ironing, where the ironing board is supported in an elevated position by a support apparatus 15. FIG. 2 illustrates the same position in solid lines, and, in dotted and dashed lines, illustrates the ironing board storage position, where the combination is used as a table.

Table 12 is formed with two table top leaves 17 and 18 joined together by a hinge 19. Hinge 19 allows leaf 17 to be rotated relative to leaf 18 about the horizontal axis of the hinge. Both leaves, 17 and 18, are formed with skirt portions 20 which serve to hide the ironing board from view, as illustrated best in FIG. 2, when the arrangement serves as a table.

The combination 10 is provided with a pair of U-shaped tubular legs 25, each having vertical arms 26 and 27. The upper end of each arm 27 is formed integrally with a lateral brace 28 to which leaf 18 is firmly fixed by means of screws or the like.

For longitudinal stability, both arms 26 and 27 of legs 25 are provided with horizontal tubular stabilizing rods 30 and 31. Rods 30 and 31 extend longitudinally of the table and are fixed to the upper ends of arms 26 and 27 by any suitable means, but preferably by soldering, as shown in FIG. 3. The upper ends of rods 26 are formed with an opening or hole 29 around which rod 30 is soldered.

As previously mentioned, the ironing board unit 11 may be elevated from its stored position, illustrated in FIG. 2, to a positon suitable for ironing and supported there. To accomplish this end, the ironing board unit is fixed to lateral braces 32, by screws or the like, and formed integrally, with the braces 32, are extensions 33 which telescopingly slide inside hollow legs 26, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Extensions 33 are formed with a plurality of equally spaced apertures 34 the purpose of which will become clear in the discussion which follows.

A slot 37 is formed centrally in hollow stabilizing rod 30. A pair of abutment rods 38 are slidably contained within rod 30 and are biased apart by a helical spring 39. Rods 38 are formed with a shoulder 40, spaced from their inner ends 41, against which spring 39 bears. Shoulders 40 each include a lug 43 which extends outwardly through slot 37, as shown. Ends 42 of rods 38 are adapted to extend through hole 29, and an aligned one of the previously mentioned apertures 34 and, in doing so, are capable of supporting the ironing board unit 11. The outward travel of rods 38 is limited by engagement between lugs 43 and surfaces 45 of slot 37.

Leaf 17 is supported in its table state by two spring biased projections 47, provided in the outer edge of ironing board 11, which engage mating holes 48 formed in skirt 20. Alternatively, the leaf may be allowed to simply rest on top of the ironing board 11.

The arrangement is normally used as a table and, accordingly, leaf 17 is in the position shown in dotted and dashed lines in FIG. 2, and locked in this position by projections 47 engaging holes 48. To use the arrangement as an ironing board, projections 47 are disengaged from holes 48, and leaf 17 is pivoted on hinge 19 to a position where it rests directly on leaf 18. The ironing board is, then, grasped and moved upwardly until ends 42 of rods 38 are forced, under the action of spring 39, to engage a suitable one of the apertures 34 in each extension 33. To lower and store the ironing board, lugs 43 are forced together, thereby compressing spring 39 and retracting rods 38 into rod 30. Disengagement of rods 38 from apertures 34 will allow the extensions 33 to slide, telescopingly, further into arms 26 of legs 25, under the weight of the ironing board unit 11.

It is believed that, in light of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the combination table-ironing board will be quite apparent. It is to be understood that the foregoing is, merely, a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A combination kitchen table-ironing board comprising,

a pair of table top leaves,

two U-shaped tubular supporting members each having a ground-contacting cross bar with a pair of upwardly extending legs,

one of said leaves being fixedly supported between a corresponding leg of each supporting member,

an ironing board connected to a pair of tubular extensions, each extension being telescopically received in a corresponding one of the remaining legs of the supporting members whereby the ironing board is vertically movable between a first position below the level of said one of said leaves and a second, elevated position,

a pair of movable abutments positioned to extend through holes formed in the extension receiving legs,

the extensions being formed with a plurality of apertures therein whereby an abutment extends through a hole into an aperture thereby securing the extensions relative to the legs,

the other of said leaves being hingedly connected to said fixedly supported leaf to cover and be supported by the ironing board in its first position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extension receiving legs are connected together by a tubular stabilizing rod,

said abutments are in the form of a pair of rods telescopically movable in the stabilizing rod and biased apart by a spring,

said abutment rods each further including a lug extending outwardly through a slot formed in said stabilizing rod.