US2585111A - Interlocking knockdown table - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12, 1952 J. G. GRAUER INTERLOCKING KNOCKDOWN TABLE Filed May 27, 1946 Inveni'or M Attorney.

Patented F eb. 12, 1 952 OFFICE INTERLOCKING KNOCKDOWN TABLE Jacob G. Grauei', Glenside, Pa.

Application May 27, 1946, Serial No. 672,602

1 Claim.

My invention is a collapsible table composed of a few types of simple elements which may be readily assembled and locked rigidly together to provide a single section table or a multiple section table. When disassembled the elements may be laid together in the same direction to form a bundle of a size and shape permitting convenient portability and storage.

My invention permits the assembling of a corner supported single section table from elements of only five types which are rigidly but detachably locked together,rviz., legs, battens, center leaf, side leaves and bolts, and permits the assembly of a multiple section table by the inclusion of but one additional type of element, viz., a modified batten.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, a set of similarlegs are inserted through vertical apertures in battens of single width or double width type. A center leaf is detachably interlocked to the battens, and side leaves, like one another in construction, are interlocked with the legs on opposite sides of the central leaf, which latter is thereby held against disengagement of its interlocking connection with the battens. By the use of battens of suitable width and provided with means for interlocking a pair of central leaves in end abutted relation, a multiple section table of any desired length may be constructed from interchangeable elements similar to those used in the construction of a single section table. If desirable, the legs may be composed of telescoped extensible sections for varying the height of the table or leveling or inclining the surface thereof. I a

My improved table is particularly designed for picnic or out of door use, but it'i's equally suitable for use wherever a quickly erected and quickly disassembled table may be required.

The principles and characteristic features of my invention, and the manner of making, constructing and using my improved table, will further appear from the accompanying drawings and the following description explaining the best mode in which I have contemplated applying such principles.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a table embodying my invention and having multiple top sections with abutted ends, the section on which the view is taken being along the line indicated by the line Il of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the left hand end of the table shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the left hand end of the table view taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the central leaves and batten at the right hand end of the table shown in Fig. 1;

- Fig. 6 is an elevation of the batten shown at the left hand end of Fig. l and which may be substituted for the batten shown at the right hand end of Fig. 1 when a table having single top section is to be assembled; and Fig. '7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the central leaf at the right hand end of Fig. 1 when a narrow batten like that shown in Fig. 6 and on the left of Fig. 1 is substituted for the wide batten shown in Fig. 1 and the auxiliary section of the top is removed.

In Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention in a multiple section table having a top comprising end abutting sections each composed of leaves 8, 9 and ID. The leaves may be conveniently made of plywood panels reenforced by frame members 27 and rim sections 21' around edges thereof.

Each leaf 9 has beveled longitudinal edge flaring outwardly toward the bottom at an angle of approximately 60 thereto so as to form an intermediate leaf of substantially dovetail cross section. The outer leaves 8 and lil may be identical and interchangeable with one another by turning them end for end and each is provided with a beveled longitudinal edge complementary to and adapted to overlie a beveled edge of the intermediate leaf to prevent the upward or lateral displacement of the latter.

The leaves rest on and are supported by a vertically apertured single width batten II and.

the double Width batten I2, the latter being substantially twice the width of the former, and provided with a pair of spaced tenons II. The battens II and i2 are otherwise similar to and interchangeable with one another to provide for the support of a single end or multiple ends of top sections.

The battens are supported by legs l3 having rectangular tongues It of reduced cross section inserted through the rectangular apertures I5 in the ends of the battens and abutting against the underside of the panels of the leaves 8 and I8 adjacent to the corners thereof. Preferably zigzag brackets I6 are fixed to the frame members of the leaves 8 and 10 adjacent to the corners thereof to give rigidity to the frames and provide sockets for the tongues l4.

Tenons I1 project upward from the battens l I shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional and 12 into the mortises or sockets 18 in the end.

frame members of the leaves 9 so as to prevent longitudinal or lateral movement of the leaves 9 relatively to the battens but permitting the leaves 9 to be vertically lifted when the leaves 8 and I are free to move upward from the battens.

Such upward movement of the leaves 8 and I0 relatively to the battens may be prevented by inserting bolts [9 in sockets 2| formed by aligned horizontal apertures in brackets l6, tongues l4, frame members 27 and rim sections 21. The bolts preferably have shafts of unequal length separated by eyes forming stops limiting the penetration of the respective shafts and permitting the attachment of the bolts to frame members 27 by means of chains 20. When not in use, the bolts may be engaged in the spring clips 22 on frame sections 21.

The legs [3 may be provided with sockets [3' extending longitudinally upward from the bottoms thereof for receiving tongues 24' of leg extension sections 24. The tongues 24 contain series of transverse passages 23 which may be aligned with transverse apertures 13 in the leg sections 13 for the passage of bolts 25 secured by chains 26 to the leg'sections 24.

It will be understood that when a single section table is to be assembled, the tongues M of four legs are inserted through the apertures [5 of a pair of battens -II and a center leaf 9 is laid on top of the spaced battens so that the tenons ll of the batten enter the mortises 18 of the leaf 9, the outer leaves 8 and are then laid on the battens with their beveled edges overlying the beveled edges of the leaf 9, and the shorter shafts of the bolts l9 are inserted in the sockets 21, thereby locking all of the elements together.

If desired or required, the tongues 24' may be inserted in the sockets l3 and bolted thereto by passing the bolts 25 through the apertures l3 and appropriate apertures 23 to raise the table as a whole to a desired level or to level the surface of the table, should the legs be resting on an uneven base.

To provide a table of greater length, a wide batten l2 may be substituted for -a batten I l and the ends of an additional set of leaves 8, 9 and I0 rested thereon, as shown at the right hand end of Fig. 1. The longer shafts of the bolts I!) are then inserted into the abutted and aligned sockets 24 formed by the horizontal apertures in the leaves 6 and 10 of both sets. 'The longer of the shafts of the bolt -9 is of sufficient length to extend through the apertures in the brackets 16 of both sets of leaves whose ends are abutted on the batten I2 and a sufficiently rigid joint is thereby provided to obviate the necessity of a second pair of legs under the batten 12. The second set of leaves 8, 9 and [0 may have its remote end supported by a batten II or 12 and a pair of legs I3, or may be used as a projecting cantilever construction.

By the use of battens l2 and pairs of legs 13 any desired number of table sections may be assembled in end abutting relation and securely locked together.

When it is desired to disassemble and pack the table, it is only necessary to pull the bolts 19 and 25 out of their sockets, lift the leaves from the battens and withdraw the legs from the battens. These disassembled parts may be laid with the legs, battens and leaves all extending in the .same direction and of approximately similar lengh and may be easily packaged into a compact and readily portable bundle.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A table comprising a top having longitudinal sections with abutted ends, each of said sections including a frame and leaves, said frame having transverse and fixed members each immovable from one another, apertured brackets fixed to said transverse members of said frames adjacent to the corners thereof and forming sockets therewith, legs having apertured upper sections seated in said (sockets, and bolts movable through the apertures of said brackets and leg sections, each of said bolts having shafts of different length spaced by a stop, one of said shafts being of suillcient length to intersect a leg and both of said brackets for locking said sections together and the other of said shafts being of sufficient length to intersect a leg and one only of said brackets without protruding beyond the edge of said top.

JACOB G. GRAUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 396,918 Butler Jan. 29, 1889 558,297 Nau Apr. 14, 1896 1,148,070 Billingsly July 27, 1915 1,205,286 Strauch Nov. 21, 1916 1,216,079 Cook Feb. 13, 1917 1,626,095 Ramsburg Apr. 26, 1927 1,719,039 Alexander July 2, 1929 1,792,406 Tomlinson Feb. 10, 1931 1,940,117 'Carpos Dec. 19, 1933 2,166,195 Rosenberget al July 18, 1939 2,166,196 Rosenberg July 18, 1939 2,403,338 Butler July 2, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 617,895 Germany Aug. 28, 1935

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