GB2031721A

GB2031721A - Article of furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2031721A
Application number: GB7841913A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LILLESHALL ENG Ltd
Current assignee: LILLESHALL ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1978-10-25
Filing date: 1978-10-25
Publication date: 1980-04-30

Abstract

A table comprises a hollow body 10 including a table top 11 and four side members 12. Four first legs 14 are defined by respective leg portions 13 of the side members 12. Four second legs 15 are connected by hinges 16 to the underside of the table top 11 and are pivotable between an inoperative position in which they are hidden from view and an operative position as shown in which they project downwardly beyond the first legs 14. The article of furniture can be used as a low coffee table or as a high table. Bolts 17 are provided for locking the legs 15 in an inoperative position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Article of furniture This invention relates to an article of furniture and is more particularly concerned with a dual purpose article of furniture.

According to the present invention, there is provided an article of furniture comprising a hollow body defining a table top, a plurality of first legs extending from the body, a plurality of second legs which are longer than the first legs and which are which are engaged with the body so as to be movable between an inoperative position in which they lie within the body so that the article of furniture is supported on the first legs and the second legs are hidden from view, and an operative position in which the second legs extend further away from the table top than the first legs so that the article of furniture is supported on the second legs, and disengageable means for retaining the second legs in their inoperative position.

Whilst the disengageable means may be constituted merely by friction in a pivotal joint between each of the second legs and the body, it is preferred for the disengageable means to comprise a mechanical detent or stop, e.g. a bolt or other disengageable detent mechanism which may be a spring-loaded detent mechanism. Advantageously the disengageable means is arranged to retain the second legs in their operative position.

Most advantageously, each of the first legs is a fixed leg and is preferably integral with a member defining at least part of the hollow body.

In a convenient embodiment, each of the first legs is of substantially L-shaped crosssection and the second legs are disposed so that, in their operative position, they lie in the angle defined between the arms of the Lsection.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an article of furniture according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the article of furniture of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the article of furniture is a dual purpose article of furniture and can serve either as a low coffee table or as a relatively high table at which persons can sit with their legs under the table. The article of furniture comprises a hollow body 10 which is square in plan view and which includes a table top 11 and four configurated side members 1 2 extending perpendicularly to the table top 11. The table top 11 and side members 1 2 may be integrally formed out of a plastics material but are preferably formed separately of wood and pinned and glued or otherwise secured together. The body is thus hollow on its underside.Extending integrally from each end of the side member 1 2 and away from the table top 11 is a respective leg portion 1 3. Each pair of adjacent leg portions 1 3 defines a respective first leg 14 which is of substantially L-shaped cross-section (see particularly Fig. 2). The first legs 1 4 are disposed at the four corners of the table top 11.

Four second legs 1 5 are provided at each end of the four corners of the table top 11.

Each second leg 1 5 is longer than the first leg 14 and is connected by a hinge 16 to the underside of the table top 11 so as to be pivotable between an inoperative position as shown in Fig. 2 and an operative position as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1. In its inopera tive position, each second leg 1 5 is disposed wholly within the hollow body 10 since the appropriate cross-sectional dimension of each second leg 1 5 is less than the respective dimension of the side member 1 2. Each sec ond leg 1 5 is retained in its inoperative posi tion in which it lies against the underside of the table top 11 by means of a respective bolt 1 7. Thus, with the second legs 1 5 in their inoperative position, the article of furniture has an aesthetically pleasing appearance since the second legs 1 5 are hidden from view and serves as a low level coffee table. When it is desired to use the article of furniture as an ordinary table, the bolts 1 7 are released and the second legs 1 5 are pivoted about their respective hinges 1 6 until they extend perpen dicularly with respect to the table top 11. This is the operative position of the second legs 1 5. In this position the second legs 1 5 nest closely in the angle defined between the adja cent pair of leg portions 1 3 (the leg portions 1 3 define the arms of the L-section legs 14).

Thus, the leg portions 1 3 assist in preventing unwanted spreading apart of the second legs 1 5 and provide a relatively firm and stable arrangement.

It is envisaged that, if the bolts 1 7 are replaced by a suitable two position detent mechanism, the detent mechanism can be used for retaining each second leg selectiveiy in both its inoperative and its operative posi tion.

CLAIMS (19 Oct 1979) 1. An article of furniture comprising a hollow body defining a table top, a plurality of first legs extending from the body, a plurality of second legs which are longer than the first legs and which are engaged with the body so as to be movable between an inoperative position in which they lie within the body so that the article of furniture is supported on the first legs and the second legs are hidden from view, and an operative position in which the second legs extend further away from the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

SPECIFICATION Article of furniture This invention relates to an article of furniture and is more particularly concerned with a dual purpose article of furniture.

According to the present invention, there is provided an article of furniture comprising a hollow body defining a table top, a plurality of first legs extending from the body, a plurality of second legs which are longer than the first legs and which are which are engaged with the body so as to be movable between an inoperative position in which they lie within the body so that the article of furniture is supported on the first legs and the second legs are hidden from view, and an operative position in which the second legs extend further away from the table top than the first legs so that the article of furniture is supported on the second legs, and disengageable means for retaining the second legs in their inoperative position.

Whilst the disengageable means may be constituted merely by friction in a pivotal joint between each of the second legs and the body, it is preferred for the disengageable means to comprise a mechanical detent or stop, e.g. a bolt or other disengageable detent mechanism which may be a spring-loaded detent mechanism. Advantageously the disengageable means is arranged to retain the second legs in their operative position.

Most advantageously, each of the first legs is a fixed leg and is preferably integral with a member defining at least part of the hollow body.

In a convenient embodiment, each of the first legs is of substantially L-shaped crosssection and the second legs are disposed so that, in their operative position, they lie in the angle defined between the arms of the Lsection.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an article of furniture according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the article of furniture of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the article of furniture is a dual purpose article of furniture and can serve either as a low coffee table or as a relatively high table at which persons can sit with their legs under the table. The article of furniture comprises a hollow body 10 which is square in plan view and which includes a table top 11 and four configurated side members 1 2 extending perpendicularly to the table top 11. The table top 11 and side members 1 2 may be integrally formed out of a plastics material but are preferably formed separately of wood and pinned and glued or otherwise secured together. The body is thus hollow on its underside.Extending integrally from each end of the side member 1 2 and away from the table top 11 is a respective leg portion 1 3. Each pair of adjacent leg portions 1 3 defines a respective first leg 14 which is of substantially L-shaped cross-section (see particularly Fig. 2). The first legs 1 4 are disposed at the four corners of the table top 11.

Four second legs 1 5 are provided at each end of the four corners of the table top 11.

Each second leg 1 5 is longer than the first leg

14 and is connected by a hinge 16 to the underside of the table top 11 so as to be pivotable between an inoperative position as shown in Fig. 2 and an operative position as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1. In its inopera tive position, each second leg 1 5 is disposed wholly within the hollow body 10 since the appropriate cross-sectional dimension of each second leg 1 5 is less than the respective dimension of the side member 1 2. Each sec ond leg 1 5 is retained in its inoperative posi tion in which it lies against the underside of the table top 11 by means of a respective bolt 1 7. Thus, with the second legs 1 5 in their inoperative position, the article of furniture has an aesthetically pleasing appearance since the second legs 1 5 are hidden from view and serves as a low level coffee table. When it is desired to use the article of furniture as an ordinary table, the bolts 1 7 are released and the second legs 1 5 are pivoted about their respective hinges 1 6 until they extend perpen dicularly with respect to the table top 11. This is the operative position of the second legs 1 5. In this position the second legs 1 5 nest closely in the angle defined between the adja cent pair of leg portions 1 3 (the leg portions 1 3 define the arms of the L-section legs 14).

Thus, the leg portions 1 3 assist in preventing unwanted spreading apart of the second legs 1 5 and provide a relatively firm and stable arrangement.

It is envisaged that, if the bolts 1 7 are replaced by a suitable two position detent mechanism, the detent mechanism can be used for retaining each second leg selectiveiy in both its inoperative and its operative posi tion.

CLAIMS (19 Oct 1979) 1. An article of furniture comprising a hollow body defining a table top, a plurality of first legs extending from the body, a plurality of second legs which are longer than the first legs and which are engaged with the body so as to be movable between an inoperative position in which they lie within the body so that the article of furniture is supported on the first legs and the second legs are hidden from view, and an operative position in which the second legs extend further away from the table top than the first legs so that the article of furniture is supported on the second legs, and disengageable means for retaining the second legs in their inoperative position.
2. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disengageable means comprises a mechanical detent or stop.
3. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mechanical detent or stop is spring-loaded.
4. An article of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the disengageable means is arranged also to retain the second legs in their operative position.
5. An article of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the first legs is integral with a member defining at least part of the hollow body.
6. An article of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the first legs is of substantially L-shaped cross-section and the second legs are disposed so that, in their operative position, they lie in the angle defined between the arms of the L-section.
7. An article of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.