US980328A - Serving-table. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. NORA-GON.

SERVING TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY s, 1910.

Patented 1111.3. 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. B. NORA-GON.

SERVING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYVH, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

1H: NORRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n c.

E. B. NORA-GUN.

SERVING TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

3 SHEETS-11311! 3.

EVELYN B. NORA-GON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SERVING-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application filed July 8, 1910. Serial No. 571,064.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EVELYN B. NORA-GON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Serving-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a novel construction of serving table designed primar1ly for use auxiliary to ordinary dining tables. In carrying out the invention, it is contemplated to provide an auxiliar table adapted to rest upon a dining ta le, the former being made in standard sizes to correspond with standard sizes of dining tables, and sufficiently small to leave room on the regular table for plates, cups, silver and other dishes.

The serving table comprises a top adapted to receive thereon certain main dishes to be used in serving a meal, and any other utensils or receptacles such as those containing condiments, etc., for general use on the table, the rotatability of the top affording access to the supported articles by those on opposite sides thereof. The rotatable top is furthermore supported in an especially advantageous manner so that it may be moved slidably toward and from either end of the main table, and to facilitate the serving of the diners in a manner which will be readily apparent.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a serving table embodying the essential features of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken about on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a detail view bringing out more clearly, the set screws connecting the carriage and supporting track with the pedestal; Fi 5 is a detail view of the spring catch for ho ding the top and carriage supported thereon at a central point in the length of the track.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Describing the invention specifically, and referring particularly to the drawings, it will be observed that the serving table comprises essentially a base 1 from which proects upwardly a pedestal consisting of a tubular vertically arranged body 2, surmounted by a cap piece 3, the latter receiving the upper portion of the body 2 and overlapping a horizontal plate ithrough the central portion of which passes a bolt 5, the lower end of which is screwed into a threaded opening in the base 1, as shown at 6.

Mounted on the pedestal 2 in a detachable.

manner are spaced bars 7 havin upwardly extending end portions 8, said ars carrying set screws 9 pivoted at their upper ends to the bars, as shown at 9. The set screws are adapted to swing into notches 10 at opposite sides of the cap piece 3 of the pedestal 2, and by suitable adjustment of nuts 11 screwed upon the lower ends of the set screws it will be apparent that the bars 7 may be securely held in position on the pedestal, but readily detached.

The bars 7 support spaced rails 12 secured to the extensions 8 on the inner sides thereof by means of any suitable fastenings such as screws 13. The rails 12 are of somewhat U-form in cross section, and said rails are connected at their opposite ends by end bars 14. The rails 12 constitute a track on which is mounted a carriage, said carriage comprising a pair of axles 15 having rollers 16 mounted on their opposite ends so as to travel on the rails 12 in a manner distinctly shown in Fig. 2. .The axles 15 are rigidly connected together by end cross pieces 16 and intermediate cross pieces 17, said cross pieces affording a rigid frame for the carriage. The cross pieces 17 of the carriage have flanged plates 18 secured thereto and similar plates are attached also to the axles 15 centrally of their ends, the several plates 18 being attached to a bearing or hollow sup ortm member 19 on which the top '20 of t 1e table is directly supported. The supporting member 19 may be a hollow casting or similar structure and is formed with an outer race-way 19 and an inner race-way 19". The race-ways 19 and 19" are concentrically arranged with reference to each other and with reference to a central axis or pin 21 which projects from the central prised by the rails 12.

portion of the table 20 downwardly into the supporting member 19. A series of ball bearings 22 are mounted in the race-way 19' and operate in a similar race-way of a wearplate 23 attached to the under side of the top 20. Another series of ball bearings 24 are mounted in the race-way 19 of the supporting member 19 and are held in said raceway by a nut 25 adjustable by means of its threaded connection with the lower end portion of the pin 21. The main weight of the top 20 of the serving table is supported upon the antifriction bearings 22 above described, while another row ofv bearings 24'. are so arranged with reference to the adjusting nut 25 as to afford a convenient means for taking up lost motion, the arrangement of both the inner and outer sides of the anti-friction bearings being advantageous in causing the top 20 to rotate smoothly.

If desired the top 20 may be provided with an electrical heater consisting of a surface heating plate 26 countersunkin the upper surface of the top and beneath which is arranged a heating pad 27 connected in any suitable manner with an electric current, and preferably by means of the flexible cord 28.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that not only is the top 20 permitted to rotate freely, but said top is movable with the carriage by which it is supported so as to approach either end of the track com- Furthermore, the top 18 rotatable at any point in the length of the track, rendering conveniently accessible all articles which may be arranged upon the top.

To facilitate removal of the superstructure of the table from the base and its body, the nuts 11 may be loosened with respect to the set screws 9 and the carriage with the top readily removed from the table to permit the changing of the linen or for any other purpose.

Another advantageous feature of the iiivention resides in the provision at opposite ends of the carriage of means for normally holding the carriage with the top 20 at a point about central of the length of the track, it being obvious the top will ordinarlly be most convenient to all diners at the main table when arranged about at the center of said table.

For the above purpose, the end cross pleces 16 of the carriage have mounted thereon spring actuated plungers 29 carried in suitable casings 30 attached to the end pieces 16", and said plungers are adapted to engage in recesses of plates 31 secured to the upper sides of each rail 12. As the top 20 is moved back and forth on the track, the plungers 29 will engage the plates 31 when the carriage reaches a point central of the length of the track. The engagement of the plungers 29 with the plates 31 is a yielding one however permitting the top to be readily moved by exerting a slight pressure thereon longitudinally with respect to the track.

From the foregoing it will be observed that in its general construction the present invention embodies an auxiliary serving table especially designed to be placed upon an ordinary dining table. Having in View the particular purpose of this invention, the base of the auxiliary table must necessarily be made comparatively small so as not to interfere with articles placed upon a main dining table. Furthermore, special novelty is claimed for the structure of the present invention with regard especially to the provision of stop means such as the plungers 29 whereby in the ordinary use of the serving table, the rotatable top will be stopped at a central point in the length of the track 12 when the top is moved along the track in the operation of serving diners. Another desirable feature resides in the provision of means whereby the superstructure of the auxiliary table, including the supporting bars 7 and the parts directly carried thereon, may be readily and quickly detached from the base 1 and pedestal 2 for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

It is to be understood that the serving table above described will be made in difierent sizes, and it is contemplated that various changes in the detail construction as heretofore specified may be made according to the broad spirit of the invention, as provided by the scope of the claim hereto appended.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an auxiliary serving table, the combination of a comparatively small base adapted to rest upon the middle portion of a dining table, a pedestal projecting upwardly therefrom, a cap piece detachably mounted on the pedestal and projecting outwardly from the upper end of the latter, spaced supporting bars resting upon the cap piece, a track comprlsmg spaced rails carried on the opposite ends of the supporting bars,

said bars having upturned end portions .seated against the outer sides of the rails, a

carriage comprising a frame and rollers journaled thereto, the latter adapted to operate along the track, end bars connecting the opposite ends of the rails and forming means for limiting the movement of the carriage thereon, a revolving top supported on the frame of the carriage, a spindle projecting downwardly from the center of said top and detachably connected with the frame of the carriage, anti-friction bearings interposed between the carriage frame and spindle, and

stop devices arranged at points centrally of the ends of the track and engageable with the carriage during the movement of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature latter on the trackb to brinlgl the carriage to a in presence of tWo Witnesses,

sto at a point su stantia above the base, T e T the members detachably co necting the sup- EVELYN ORA'GOI\ 5 porting bars and cap piece permitting said Witnesses:

supportin bars and superstructure thereon ALTA NoRA-GoN,

to be bodiTy removed from the pedestal. C. L. GATES.

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