GB2120088A - Knockdown base for shaft mounted furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a compactly built base for shaft- supported furniture such as chairs, stools or tables. The base comprises a plurality of legs (8) extending radially from a central shaft (1), each leg having an end part (9) with an attaching face (91) shaped to match the contour of the shaft and in engagement therewith. Upper and lower collars (2, 4) engage the top and bottom of each leg to hold it in place, and a nut (7) is screwed on top of the upper collar (4) to secure it in position. The base is thus easy to transport as it can be easily disassembled when required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Take-down basefor shaft-mounted furnitures Considering the available tables, chairs or stools with a main shaft centrally supported on a base formed by a plurality of splay, elongate legs radially extending from the center thereof, their bases, as exemplified by Fig. 1, are invariably an unseparable, integral entity, which is relatively difficult to manufacture, occupies relatively large space, and is comparatively difficult in conveyance. Moreover, the destruction of a leg would renderthe base or even the whole furniture useless, which must then, be discarded.

Accordingly, it is an important object of thins invention to provide an improved supporting base of shaft-supported furnitures to obviate and mitigate the foregoing drawbacks.

It is another object ofthis invention to provide a dismountable base offurnitures ofwhich the mem- bers are separable.

This invention will be better understood when reading in connection with the annexed drawings, in which: Fig. 1 are the perspective views of two exemplary bases of conventional shaft-supported furnitures; Fig. 2Aand 2B are elevational, partially sectioned views of this invention; Fig. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of a lower collar, a shaft, and a leg of this invention; Fig. 3B is a modified embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3A, using hexagonal prism shaft; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a chair using the base according to this invention; Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are two modifications of this invention using ridged shaft and attaching faces.

With reference now to the drawings, in Fig. 2A, this invention comprises a hollow shaft (1), of which the lower two thirds slightly outsize the uppermost third, thus defining a stop flange (11) between the conjunction ofthe two sections. There are provided two collars of like dimensions, namely upper collar (4) and lower collar (2). The diameter ofthe central hole of upper collar (4) is just between the smaller and the larger diameters of shaft (1 ) so that the former can only slide along the uppersection ofthe latter.The upper end of shaft (1 ) is provided with male (external) thread (3), to engage with the female (internal) thread (6) of nut (7). Awasher (5) is provided between upper collar (4) and nut (7).Practically, a base may comprise three to six legs (8) extending radially from shaft (1), each -ofwhich legs (8) comprises an elongate shank and the proximal end ofwhich forms an attaching end (9) defining an attaching face (91) adapted to the contour of shaft (1). Referring to Fig. 2B, to assemble the base, first mount the legs radially in place. The interspace between shaft (1 ) and the raiser of lower collar (2) defines a circular slot which just allows the lower margin of each attaching end (9) to be snugly received therein. There are radially provided a plurality of stop pieces (21 ) on the raiser of lower collar (2), both to helpthe userto locate the legs,andto prevent the undesired displacement of the legs relative to the shaft in angular direction.The height of attaching end (9) is such that its upper margin, when mounted in position, is exactly at the same level of stop flange (11). The upper collar (4) is then lowered to nest the upper margin of attaching end (9) therein. Then secure the upper collar by nut (7) with washer (5) located between then,thus finishing a compact built base.

In Fig. 3A, the number of stop pieces may vary, depending on that of the legs of a base. Alternatively, the shaft (1) is not necessarily cylindrical, but can be modified as a polygonal prism, typically hexagonal as shown in Fig. 3B. Needless to say, the attaching end (9) here, must be planar rather than arcuate. For polygonal prismic shaft, stop pieces are not necessary. Fig. 4 is a shaft-supported chair utilizing this invention.

The embodiments of Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, however, can further be modified to whatare shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, in which the thicker section of shafts is provided with a plurality of parallel ridges running along the length thereof. Correspondingly the attaching face (91 ) must be modified to be complementarily fitted to its attaching site.

1. Atakedown base for chairs, stools, ortables comprising a shaft; an upper collarwhich is slidable at least atthe upper portion of said shaft; a lowercollarfixed to said shaft; a plurality of legs which extend radially from said shaft, each ofwhich legs has a proximal end which defines an attaching face adapted to the contour of its corresponding attaching site of said shaft; said lower collar and said shaft together defining an interspace which allows the lower margin ofthe proximal end of said shaftto be snugly received therein; said upper collar being capable of sliding along said shaft down to reach the upper margin of said proximal end of said shaft and said upper collar; means to secure said upper collar in position to retain said legs in place.

2. Thetakedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said lower collar has a raiser, on which there are radially provided a plurality of means which prevent the angular movement of said legs.

3. The takedown base according Claim 1, wherein said shaft is cylindrical.

4. The takedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said shaft is an elongate polygonal prism.

5. The takedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said shaft, at its length attached by said attaching faces, forms a plurality of ridges extending axially, whereas said attaching faces are so structured as to be complementarily adapted to the topography of their corresponding attaching sites of said shaft.

6. Atake-down base substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, or Figure 3A, or Figures 3B and 4, or Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Take-down basefor shaft-mounted furnitures Considering the available tables, chairs or stools with a main shaft centrally supported on a base formed by a plurality of splay, elongate legs radially extending from the center thereof, their bases, as exemplified by Fig. 1, are invariably an unseparable, integral entity, which is relatively difficult to manufacture, occupies relatively large space, and is comparatively difficult in conveyance. Moreover, the destruction of a leg would renderthe base or even the whole furniture useless, which must then, be discarded. Accordingly, it is an important object of thins invention to provide an improved supporting base of shaft-supported furnitures to obviate and mitigate the foregoing drawbacks. It is another object ofthis invention to provide a dismountable base offurnitures ofwhich the mem- bers are separable. This invention will be better understood when reading in connection with the annexed drawings, in which: Fig. 1 are the perspective views of two exemplary bases of conventional shaft-supported furnitures; Fig. 2Aand 2B are elevational, partially sectioned views of this invention; Fig. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of a lower collar, a shaft, and a leg of this invention; Fig. 3B is a modified embodiment corresponding to Fig. 3A, using hexagonal prism shaft; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a chair using the base according to this invention; Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are two modifications of this invention using ridged shaft and attaching faces. With reference now to the drawings, in Fig. 2A, this invention comprises a hollow shaft (1), of which the lower two thirds slightly outsize the uppermost third, thus defining a stop flange (11) between the conjunction ofthe two sections. There are provided two collars of like dimensions, namely upper collar (4) and lower collar (2). The diameter ofthe central hole of upper collar (4) is just between the smaller and the larger diameters of shaft (1 ) so that the former can only slide along the uppersection ofthe latter.The upper end of shaft (1 ) is provided with male (external) thread (3), to engage with the female (internal) thread (6) of nut (7). Awasher (5) is provided between upper collar (4) and nut (7).Practically, a base may comprise three to six legs (8) extending radially from shaft (1), each -ofwhich legs (8) comprises an elongate shank and the proximal end ofwhich forms an attaching end (9) defining an attaching face (91) adapted to the contour of shaft (1). Referring to Fig. 2B, to assemble the base, first mount the legs radially in place. The interspace between shaft (1 ) and the raiser of lower collar (2) defines a circular slot which just allows the lower margin of each attaching end (9) to be snugly received therein. There are radially provided a plurality of stop pieces (21 ) on the raiser of lower collar (2), both to helpthe userto locate the legs,andto prevent the undesired displacement of the legs relative to the shaft in angular direction.The height of attaching end (9) is such that its upper margin, when mounted in position, is exactly at the same level of stop flange (11). The upper collar (4) is then lowered to nest the upper margin of attaching end (9) therein. Then secure the upper collar by nut (7) with washer (5) located between then,thus finishing a compact built base. In Fig. 3A, the number of stop pieces may vary, depending on that of the legs of a base. Alternatively, the shaft (1) is not necessarily cylindrical, but can be modified as a polygonal prism, typically hexagonal as shown in Fig. 3B. Needless to say, the attaching end (9) here, must be planar rather than arcuate. For polygonal prismic shaft, stop pieces are not necessary. Fig. 4 is a shaft-supported chair utilizing this invention. The embodiments of Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, however, can further be modified to whatare shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, in which the thicker section of shafts is provided with a plurality of parallel ridges running along the length thereof. Correspondingly the attaching face (91 ) must be modified to be complementarily fitted to its attaching site. CLAIMS

1. Atakedown base for chairs, stools, ortables comprising a shaft; an upper collarwhich is slidable at least atthe upper portion of said shaft; a lowercollarfixed to said shaft; a plurality of legs which extend radially from said shaft, each ofwhich legs has a proximal end which defines an attaching face adapted to the contour of its corresponding attaching site of said shaft; said lower collar and said shaft together defining an interspace which allows the lower margin ofthe proximal end of said shaftto be snugly received therein; said upper collar being capable of sliding along said shaft down to reach the upper margin of said proximal end of said shaft and said upper collar; means to secure said upper collar in position to retain said legs in place.

2. Thetakedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said lower collar has a raiser, on which there are radially provided a plurality of means which prevent the angular movement of said legs.

3. The takedown base according Claim 1, wherein said shaft is cylindrical.

4. The takedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said shaft is an elongate polygonal prism.

5. The takedown base according to Claim 1, wherein said shaft, at its length attached by said attaching faces, forms a plurality of ridges extending axially, whereas said attaching faces are so structured as to be complementarily adapted to the topography of their corresponding attaching sites of said shaft.

6. Atake-down base substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, or Figure 3A, or Figures 3B and 4, or Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.