Leg attachments for a height adjustable folding table

• US 5,353,715 A
• Filed: 08/03/1992
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William S. Wilburn
• Original Assignee: William S. Wilburn
• Inventors: Luyk, Harley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US07/924,712
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50, 108/115, 108/116, 108/118, 108/119, 108/124, 108/140, 108/144, 108/145, 108/147, 108/127, 108/120, 248/188.2, 248/188.6, 248/188.8, 312/107, 312/107.5, 312/107.6, 312/114, 312/223.3, 297/56, 297/57, 297/119, 297/135, 297/136
• US Class Current: 108/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2003/008 the underframe parts being stored in recesses in the underside of the table top
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/12 Vanity or modesty panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/13 Table and chair assembly for disabled persons, used as workplace
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/16 with means for, or adapted for, inclining the legs of the table for varying the height of the top, e.g. with adjustable cross legs

Abstract

The invention relates to an article of furniture comprising a set of four legs supporting a table top. The first and second legs are pivotally attached to the underside of the table top whereas the third and fourth legs are pivotally mounted to a slide bar mechanism or alternatively selectively mounted to one of several leg mounting retainers on the underside of the table top through a support bar. The first and second legs are pivotally mounted to the third and fourth legs at a mid portion of the legs. The legs are oriented such that the table can be collapsed to a minimum thickness comprising the widest of all of the legs plus the table top. The table is capable of adjustment to one of at least two different height positions by altering the position of the third and fourth legs relative to the table top. A modesty panel can be pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

Claims

1. An article of furniture supported on a supporting surface comprising:

a table top;

first and second legs pivotally mounted at upper ends thereof to an underside of the table top;

third and fourth legs pivotally connected respectively to the first and second legs at an intermediate position of each of the first, second, third and fourth legs;

a guide track mounted to the underside of the table top;

a slide bar slidably mounted in the guide track; and

a shackle bar having a first end pivotally mounted to the slide bar and a second end pivotally mounted to the upper end of the third and fourth legs, the shackle bar selectively supporting an upper end of the third and fourth legs in one of two positions relative to the table top, a first of the two positions supporting the table top a first distance from the supporting surface and a second of the two positions supporting the table top a second and different distance from the supporting surface; and

the slide bar being further slidably mounted to the guide track such that the third and fourth legs are moveable from the first and second table top supporting positions to a collapsed position wherein the legs are substantially parallel to the underside of the table top.

2. An article of furniture according to claim 1 and further comprising a support bar interconnecting the upper ends of the third and fourth legs, the support bar extending along the underside of the table top.

3. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the guide track is generally U-shaped in cross section and the slide bar is complementary in cross section to the guide track.

4. An article of furniture according to claim 1 and further comprising a modesty panel mounted to the underside of the table top.

5. An article of furniture according to claim 4 wherein the modesty panel is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top adjacent the upper ends of the first and second legs.

6. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the first and second legs are generally L-shaped and a horizontal portion thereof at an upper portion of the legs is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

7. An article of furniture according to claim 6 and further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive the horizontal portions of the first and second legs.

8. An article of furniture according to claim 1 further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive a top end of the first and second legs.

9. An article of furniture comprising;

a table top;

a shackle bar having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally mounted to an underside of the table top;

a first and second leg pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top in spaced apart parallel orientation;

a third and fourth leg pivotally connected respectively to the first and second legs at an intermediate position of each of the first, second, third and fourth legs and the third and fourth legs being pivotally mounted to the second end of the shackle bar, the shackle bar selectively supporting the table top in one of two positions such that the table top is spaced from the floor a first distance when the shackle bar is in a first of the two positions and the table top is spaced from the floor a second distance when the shackle bar is in a second of the two positions; and

a slide bar mechanism mounted to the underside of the table top, the shackle bar being mounted to the slide bar mechanism and the legs and slide bar mechanism being adapted so that the article can be folded to a collapsed position, the thickness of the article of furniture in the collapsed position being substantially equal to the width of one of the widest of the legs, the thickness of the table top and the thickness of the slide bar mechanism.

10. An article of furniture according to claim 9 wherein the third and fourth legs are interconnected by a support bar at an upper end of the third and fourth legs.

11. An article of furniture according to claim 9 wherein the slide bar mechanism further comprises a guide track mounted to the underside of the table top and a slide bar slidably mounted in the guide track, the second end of the shackle bar being pivotally mounted to the slide bar.

12. An article of furniture according to claim 11 wherein the guide track is generally U-shaped in cross section and the slide bar is complementary in cross section to the guide track.

13. An article of furniture according to claim 9 and further comprising a modesty panel mounted to the underside of the table top.

14. An article of furniture according to claim 13 wherein the modesty panel is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

15. An article of furniture according to claim 9 wherein the first and second legs are generally L-shaped and a horizontal portion thereof at an upper portion of the legs is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

16. An article of furniture according to claim 15 and further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive the horizontal portions of the first and second legs.

17. An article of furniture according to claim 9 further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive a top end of the first and second legs.

18. An article of furniture comprising;

a table top;

at least one adjustment bracket having at least two leg mounting retainers, the leg mounting retainers comprising a U-shaped member having a resilient arm and a rounded tip at a distal end of the resilient arm to releasably retain the support bar;

a first and second leg pivotally mounted to an underside of the table top in a spaced apart parallel orientation; and

a third and fourth leg interconnected by a support bar at an upper end and pivotally connected respectively to the first and second legs at an intermediate position of each of the first, second, third and fourth legs, the support bar extending along the underside of the table top, the support bar being selectively mounted to each of the at least two leg mounting retainers of the at least one adjustment bracket such that the table top is spaced from the floor a first distance when the support bar is mounted in the first of the at least two leg mounting retainers and the table top is spaced from the floor a second distance when the support bar is mounted in the second of the at least two leg mounting retainers.

19. An article of furniture according to claim 18 wherein the legs are configured and spaced so that the article can be collapsed and the thickness of the article of furniture when collapsed is substantially equal to the width of one of the widest of the legs and the thickness of the table top.

20. An article of furniture according to claim 18 and further comprising a modesty panel mounted to the underside of the table top.

21. An article of furniture according to claim 20 wherein the modesty panel is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

22. An article of furniture according to claim 18 wherein the first and second legs are generally L-shaped and a horizontal portion thereof at an upper portion of the legs is pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top.

23. An article of furniture according to claim 22 and further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive the horizontal portions of the first and second legs.

24. An article of furniture according to claim 18 further comprising at least one pivot bracket mounted to the underside of the table top to receive a top end of the first and second legs.

25. An article of furniture according to claim 18 wherein the support bar is tubular in shape.

26. An article of furniture according to claim 18 further comprising a notch formed in the leg mounting retainers at a base of the resilient arm.