Ganging leg and swing plate construction for tables

• US 5,341,749 A
• Filed: 06/02/1992
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Noakes, Laura A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US07/892,256
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 108/64, 108/153, 108/154, 108/159, 108/27, 108/114, 108/156, 108/157, 108/158, 312/107, 312/107.5, 312/111, 211/207, 248/188, 248/188.8, 248/432, 248/440, 403/188
• US Class Current: 108/64
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/002 Combination of tables; Linking or assembling means therefor

Abstract

A table is provided with a gangable leg construction which permits the table to be used either as a stand alone unit, or ganged side-by-side with like tables for conferencing, dining and the like. The gangable leg construction includes a rigid mounting plate fastened to the bottom surface of a top portion of the table, and a swing plate fixedly mounted on the upper end of an associated leg. Fasteners detachably interconnect the mounting and swing plates in a manner which permits the leg to be shifted between a fully inboard position, underneath the top, for supporting the top in a stand alone fashion, and an outboard position, protruding outwardly from the top, for supporting the top, and an adjacent top of a like gangable table in a ganged fashion.

Claims

1. A gangable table, comprising:

a top having a bottom surface, and at least one side edge for mating abutment when said top is positioned in a gaged relationship;

a leg arrangement supporting said top on a floor surface in a freestanding fashion, and including at least one ganging leg assembly, comprising;

a rigid leg having an upper end, and a lower end abutting the floor surface;

a swing plate fixedly mounted on the upper end of said leg, and matingly abutting the bottom surface of said top; and

fasteners detachably mounting said swing plate to the bottom surface of said top, and positioned for shifting said swing plate between a first support position wherein said leg is positioned wholly inboard of said side edge, underneath said top, for supporting said top in a stand alone fashion, and a second support position wherein said leg is positioned at least partially outboard of said side edge, protruding outwardly from said top, for supporting both said top and an adjacent top in a ganged fashion;

said swing plate being configured such that in said second support position, the upper end of said leg is positioned directly beneath both adjacent side edges of the adjacent tops to rigidly support the same without sagging.

2. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said fasteners include an outboard fastener about which said swing plate is rotated between the first and second support positions to quickly and accurately locate said swing plate.

3. A gangable table as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said swing plate has a generally triangular plan configuration with said fasteners positioned adjacent each apex of said swing plate.

4. A gangable table as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said fasteners include thumbscrews to permit manually shifting said table between stand alone and ganged configurations without tools.

5. A gangable table as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said swing plate is configured such that in said second support position, an uppermost surface of said swing plate is substantially flush with both bottom surfaces of the adjacent tops.

6. A gangable table as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said ganging leg assembly includes a rigid mounting plate fixedly attached to the bottom surface of said top, and has said swing plate detachably fastened thereto.

7. A gangable table as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said top includes a recess in the bottom surface in which said mounting plate is received.

8. A gangable table as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said leg includes a glide connected with its lower end for permitting manual movement of said table across the floor surface.

9. A gangable table as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said top includes at least one side edge shaped for manual grasping to facilitate manual movement of said table across the floor surface.

10. A gangable table as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said glide means comprises a caster.

11. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said fasteners include an outboard fastener about which said swing plate is rotated between the first and second support positions to quickly and accurately locate said swing plate.

12. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said swing plate has a generally triangular plan configuration with said fasteners positioned adjacent each apex thereof.

13. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said fasteners include thumbscrews to permit manually shifting said table between stand alone and ganged configurations without tools.

14. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said ganging leg assembly includes a rigid mounting plate fixedly attached to the bottom surface of said top, and has said swing plate detachably fastened thereto.

15. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said top includes at least one side edge thereof shaped for manual grasping to facilitate manual movement of said table across the floor surface.

16. A gangable table as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said leg includes a glide connected with its lower end for permitting manual movement of said table across the floor surface.

17. A gangable leg construction for tables of the type having a top with a bottom surface and at lest one side edge for mating abuttment when the top is positioned in a ganged relationship, said leg construction comprising:

a rigid mounting plate shaped to be fixedly mounted on the bottom surface of the top adjacent the side edge thereof;

a rigid leg having an upper end positioned adjacent to said mounting plate, and a lower end abutting the floor surface;

a swing plate fixedly mounted on the upper end of said leg, and matingly abutting said mounting plate;

fasteners detachably mounting said swing plate to said mounting plate, and positioned for shifting said swing plate between a first support position wherein said leg is positioned wholly inboard of the side edge, underneath the top, for supporting the top in a stand alone fashion, and a second support position wherein said leg is positioned at least partially outboard of the side edge, protruding outwardly from the top, for supporting the top and an adjacent top in a ganged fashion;

said swing plate being configured such that in said second support position, the upper end of said leg is positioned directly beneath both adjacent side edges of the adjacent tops to rigidly support the same without sagging.

18. A gangable leg construction as set forth in claim 17, wherein;

said fasteners include an outboard fastener about which said swing plate is rotated between the first and second support positions to quickly and accurately locate said swing plate.

19. A gangable leg construction as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

said swing plate has a generally triangular plan configuration with said fasteners positioned adjacent each apex of said swing plate.

20. A gangable leg construction as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said fasteners include thumbscrews to permit manually shifting the table between stand alone and ganged configurations without tools.

21. A gangable leg construction as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

said ganging leg assembly includes a rigid mounting plate shaped to be fixedly attached to the bottom surface of the top, and has said swing plate detachably fastened thereto.

22. A gangable leg construction, comprising:

a rigid mounting plate shaped to be fixedly mounted on a furniture top adjacent an associated side edge, and including three threaded fastener apertures arranged in a triangular plan shape;

a rigid leg having an upper end positioned adjacent to said mounting plate, and a lower end abutting the floor surface;

a swing plate fixedly mounted on the upper end of said leg, and having a generally triangular plan shape with through apertures positioned adjacent each apex of said swing plate;

three fasteners extending through the through fastener apertures in said swing plate, and threadedly received in the threaded fastener apertures in said mounting plate for shifting said swing plate between a first support position wherein said leg is positioned wholly inboard of the side edge, underneath the top, for supporting the top in a stand alone fashion, and a second position, wherein said leg is positioned at least partially outboard of the side edge, protruding outwardly from the top, for supporting the top and an adjacent top in a ganged fashion.

23. A table, comprising:

a top having a generally rectangular top plan configuration, with opposite side edges for mating abutment when said top is positioned in a side-by-side, ganged relationship;

a ganging leg assembly positioned adjacent each corner of said top, and including;

a rigid leg having an upper end, and a lower end abutting the floor surface;

a swing plate fixedly mounted on the upper end of said leg, and matingly abutting an associated surface of said top;

fasteners detachably mounting said swing plate to the associated surface of said top, and configured for shifting said swing plate between a first support position wherein said leg is positioned wholly inboard of an associated one of said side edges for supporting said top in a stand along fashion, and a second support position wherein said leg is positioned at least partially outboard of said associated one of said side edges for supporting said top and an adjacent top in a ganged fashion;

said swing plate being configured such that in said second support position, the upper end of said leg is positioned directly beneath both adjacent side edges of the adjacent tops to rigidly support the same without sagging.