US1188973A - Folding washstand. - Google Patents

Description

W. R. MONTGOMERY.

FOLDING WASHSTAND.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24. 1915.

1,1 88,973. Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 24 Z7 Z7 Witnesses 4 i Attorneya W. R. MONTGOMERY. FOLDING WASHSTAND.

, APPLICATION FILED JULY24. 1915. 1,188,973. Patented June 27,1916.

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WALTER It. Tv'IONTGOlVIERY, OF SHREVEPORILOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-NINTH TO T. E. WHITE, ONE-NINTH. TO W. F. HONELL,'AND FOUR-NINTHSTO C. W. EDWARDS, ALL OF WEBSTER, LOUISIANA, AND ONE-NINTH T0 W. T. MARSHALL AND ONE- NINTH TO 0. D. NELSON, BOTH OF GADDO, LOUISIANA.

FOLDING WASHSTAND.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER R. Monreorn ERY, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Folding Washstand, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to folding furniture of the same general character as the folding cabinet and'bufl'et disclosed in my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 41,695 and 4L1,696, respectively, filed on even date herewith.

The invention has for its object the provision'of a folding 0r collapsible washstand of inexpensive and light construction, which may be compactly folded for storage or transportation, and which may be readily erected for use, the present structure having novel features of construction to enhance the utility and efiiciency thereof, whereby the washstand may be readily folded and erected, and when erected will be thoroughly substantial and convenient. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view'of the improved washstand. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, illustrating the top and towel rack folded in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a top view of the washstand with the top and towel rack folded. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on'the line H of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of the washstand in folded position. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the members for hinging the towel rack to the top. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the members used for hinging the partition.

'The body'of the washstand embodiesa front wall 1 constructed of wood or other Specification of Letters Patent. Paptg t d J 27 191 Application filed July 24, 1915.

Serial No. 41,697.

suitable material and having legs 2, and rearwardly projecting flanges 3 along its upright s1de edges. The front wall 1 has a palr of uprlght' door openings 4; which are normally closed by doors 5 having their remote edges hinged to the front wall. The upper and lower ends of the doors 5 are provided with outstanding dowels or pins 6 ad acent their remote edges which pivotally engage the front wall, to hinge the doors 5, and the front wall is provided with an uprlght stile or bar 7 between the openings 41.- and doors 5.

The body of the washstand embodies side walls 8 hinged to the flanges 3, and to this end, strlps 9 are secured to the ends of the flanges. 3 and project therefrom, and the ends of the side walls 8 are provided with outstanding dowels or pins 10 adjacent the forward rounded edges of the side walls 8 and which dowels l0 pivotally engage the pro ecting portions of the strips 9. The side walls 8 can be swung inwardly and forwardly toward one another and toward the front wall when folding the washstand.

The back ofv the body is formed by a sheet 11 of canvas, duck or other flexible fabric or material, and the edges of said sheet are secured in any suitable manner to the rear edges of the side walls 8, whereby when the side walls are separated and swung to normal position, the sheet 11 will be held taut therebetween. The sheet 11 is preferably coated or provided with an insect repelling paint or substance to prevent attack by insects, rodents and the like. i

The bottom 13 of the body is normally disposed between the lower ends of the side walls 8, and is hingedly connected with the front wall, the front edge ofthe bottom 13 being disposed between the flanges 3 and the ends of the bottom 13 having outstanding dowels or pins 14 adjacent the forward edge of the bottom 13 which dowels pivotally engage the flanges 3. Cleats 15 are secured to the inner sidesof the side walls 12 whereby when the bottom 13 is swung between the side walls it will seat upon the cleats 15.

An upper shelf 16 is disposed within the body of the washstand and is normally disposed between the side walls, and the forward edge of the shelf 16 is hingedly connected with the front wall, similar to the bottom 13. The ends of the shelf 16 have outstanding dowels or pins 17 adjacent the front edge of the shelf 16 which pivotally engage the flanges 3.

An upright partition 18 is disposed between the bottom 13 and shelf 16, and has its forward edge hingedly connected to the front wall, and to this end an upright or vertical rearwardly projecting rib 19 is carried by or secured to the rear side of the stile or bar 7, and strips 20 are secured to the upper and lower ends of the partition 18 and project beyond the forward edge thereof to pivotally engage the pivot elements 21 secured to the ends of the rib or tongue 19. The rib 19 has a curved face around which the respective edge of the partition 18 is movable when the said partition is swung. The bottom 13 carries a spring catch 22 adjacent its rear edge and between its ends whereby when the partition 18 is swung into normal position, it moves past the catch 22 to be held against return movement by said catch, although the catch 22 may be manually released or depressed to allow the partition 19 to be swung against the front wall in folding the washstand.

The shelf 16 provides a compartment thereabove, and the partition 19 provides two side compartments below the shelf 16, and one of the compartments or chambers formed by the partition 19 is divided 05 by a shelf 23. This shelf 23 is hingedly con nected to the front wall, and to this end, the shelf 23 is provided with outstanding dowels or lugs 24 adjacent its forward edge pivotally and slidably engaging in short upright or vertical grooves 25 provided in the adjacent sides of the rib 19 and the respec tive flange 3. Cleats 26 are securedto the partition 18 and the respective side wall 8 v whereby when the shelf 23 is swung therebetween it is seatable upon the cleats 26 to be supported thereby. When the washstand is folded or collapsed, the shelf 23 can be swung upwardly and forwardly between the rib or flange 19 and the respective flange 3 and may then be slid downwardly therebetweenso as not to swing against or interfere with the shelf 16.

The top 27 of the washstand is normally seated upon the front and side walls, and is slidably and pivotally connected with the front wall by means of rods 28 between the ends of the top and extending from the front edge to the rear edge thereof, the terminals of the rods 28 being secured to the front and rear edges of the top. and the body portions of said rods being spaced below or from the lower surface of the top The upper end of the front wall is provided with a pair of open slots 29 slidably receiving the rods 28, and Staples or other members 30 are secured to the upper end of the front wall so as to bridge or span the slots 29, the cross members 30 being disposed between the rods 28 and the top 27. This serves to slidably connect the top with the upper end of the front wall. The rear end portions of the rods 28 are provided with U-shaped bends or loops 31 projecting or depending from the rear edge of the top 27. Thus, when the top 27 is slid forwardly and when the rear edge of the top reaches the upper end of the front wall, the top 27 can be swung downwardly in front of the front wall, since the loops or bends 31 remain in the slots 29 in engagement with the cross members 30 to pivotally connect the rear edge of the top with the upper end of the front wall and thus allow the top to be swung downwardly without detaching the top. In erecting the washstand, the top can be swung'upwardly to a horizontal position and may then be readily slid rearwardly onto the side walls.

The rear edge of the top 27 carries a towel rack or frame 32 which has lower edge hingedly connected to the rear edge of the top 27, plates or members 33 being attached to the ends of the rack 32 adjacent the lower edge thereof and having forwardly projecting tongues 34 extending along the ends of the top 27 from the rear edge thereof toward the front edge. The tongues 34 have longitudinal slots 35 therein through which screws or other securing elements 36 are engaged, said screws or elements being rigidly engaged to the ends of the top 27 at points spaced forwardly from the rear edge of the top,

When the washstand is erected thera k 32 seats upon the top 27 and the tongues 34 extending forwardly from the lower edge of the rack 32 and pivotally engaging the elements 36 will prevent the rack 32 from swinging forwardly or'rearwardly out of vertical position. In other words, the center of gravity of the rack32 is in rear o f the' pivotal point thereof,whereby the rack will seat upon the top without danger of fa'll 7 ing over. The rack32 can be swung against the top 27 however, and the slots 35 of the tongues 34 receiving the elements 36 will permit the rack 32 to be moved flatly against the top 27, as illustrated in Fig.4.

The upper end of the sheet 11 is detachably engageable with the rear edge of the top 27 and to this end, the rear edge of the top is provided with buttons 37 withwhich the upper end of thesheet is detachably engageable. When the sheet is engaged with the buttons 37, the upper end of the sheet will be held in place, and furthermore, the sheet will hold the top 27 down uponthe side walls 8.

When the washstand is erected, the bottom 13 and shelf 16 being swung rearwardly and downwardly between theside walls will serve to hold the'side walls separated and to hold the sheet 11 taut. The partition 19 is swung rearwardly parallel with the side walls, and the shelf 16 seats thereon to be supported thereby. The shelf 23 being swung between the partition 19 and the respective side wall 8 will prevent the partition 19 from swinging in one direction, and the partition is prevented from swinging in the other direction by the catch 22.

In folding the washstand, the partition 19 is swung against the front wall after the catch 22 is released, and the bottom 13 and shelves 16 and 23 are then swung upwardly into compact relation with the front wall, the partition being shifted downwardly so as not to interfere with the shelf 16. The upper end of the sheet 11 is then detached from the top 27, and the top 27 may then be slid forwardly and swung downwardly against the front side of the front wall, the rack 32 being swung against the top 27. The side walls 8 are then swung toward one another and toward the front wall, the sheet 11 being folded therewith. The structure will then be in compact arrangement to be readily stored or shipped. The washstand may be readily erected or unfolded as will beobvious from the foregoing taken in connection with the drawings.

The advantages of the invention are many, most of which will suggest themselves without lengthy comment being necessary. The washstand is comparatively simple in construction, reducing the cost of manufacture thereof, and the washstand is not of the knock-down type, that is, it does not comprise a number of independent parts, which must be assembled and attached, since all of the parts are attached and need only be swung or moved into position in erecting the washstand. The washstand may be compactly folded, which reduces the freight or shipping expense, and which is of advan tags for other reasons. When the structure is unfolded or set up it will be firm in construction, and can be used like an ordinary washstand.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A folding article of furniture, comprising a front wall, side walls hinged thereto, a bottom hinged to the front wall, a shelf hinged to the front wall, the bottom and shelf being adapted to be swung between the side walls, the side walls having means to support the bottom, and a partition hinged to the front wall between the side walls and adapted to be swung between the bottom and shelf, the partition holding the bottom in place and the shelf resting on the partition and fitting between the side walls. I

2. In a folding article of furniture, a front wall having rearwardly projecting flanges at its side edges and a rearwardly projecting rib between said flanges, side walls hinged to said flanges, a bottom having its forward edge portion hingedly engaged to said flanges, a shelf having its forward edge portion hingedly engaged to said flanges, a

partition hinged to said rib, the bottom and shelf being adapted to be swung between the side walls, and the partition being adapted to be swung between the bottom and shelf, and a second shelf having its forward edge portion hingedly engaged to said rib and one of said flanges and adapted to be swung betlween the partition and the respective side wa l.

3. In a folding article of furniture, a top, a member seatable thereon in an upstanding position and having forwardly projecting tongues pivotally and slidably engaged with the top.

4. In a folding article of furniture, a top, a frame seatable in an upstanding position upon the top and having forwardly projecting tongues extending along the ends of the top and provided with slots, the top having elements engaging in said slots.

5. In a folding article of furniture, a front wall, a pair of vertical members hinged thereto to swing thereagainst, and shelves pivotally connected with the front wall to swing thereagainst, one of said shelves being slidably connected with the front wall to allow said shelves to fold snugly against the front wall.

6. In a folding article of furniture, a front wall having rearwardly projecting flanges, vertical members hinged to said flanges to swing against the front wall, and shelves pivotally connected with said flanges and adapted to be swung against the front Wall, one of said shelves being slidably connected with the respective flanges to enable the shelves to be swung snugly against the front wall.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER R. MONTGOMERY.

WVitnesses:

IVY E. SIMPSON, PHILOMENA A. RooKELLI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

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