Rail mounted table rotatable about a longitudinal edge

• US 5,469,794 A
• Filed: 04/01/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lynn Sasser, Richard Laderoute
• Original Assignee: Lynn Sasser, Richard Laderoute
• Inventors: Laderoute, Richard, Sasser, Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/222,079
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 103/48, 103/42, 103/47, 103/152
• US Class Current: 108/48
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/06 with legs for supporting the table on the floor tables combined with cabinets A47B83/045

Abstract

A table attached along the edge of one longitudinal side by hinges to a horizontally disposed rail which is intended for attachment to a substantially vertical structure possesses two legs each attached by a hinge to the table proximate either opposed corner of the table distal the edge attached to the rail. Both legs are mounted to: (a) support the table in a utility position with each leg being disposed perpendicular to the substantially planar bottom table surface and (b) to be disposed substantially flush to the bottom table surface in a closed position thereby allowing the table to be rotated about the horizontal, longitudinal hinges to a vertical position hanging from the rail by means of said hinges. The length of each leg is substantially equivalent to the distance between the floor and the hinged longitudinal and horizontal rail attachment. The hinges for holding the legs in both closed and open positions lock in either position. The longitudinal orientation of the table with respect to the rail optimizes the use of space in manner areas including a typical residential exterior deck and accommodates seating facing the rail which in the case of an exterior deck is outward over a railing. The vertical storage position enables the full use of the area in which the table is located, protects the upper table surface from precipitation in exterior applications and minimizes maintenance.

Claims

1. A table intended for mounting upon a substantially vertical rigid structure further intended to possess a substantially horizontal utility position and a substantially vertical storage position, said table comprising:

a table top, a rail, a longitudinal rotatable attachment between said table top and said rail and two legs each comprising a rigid extension possessing two opposed ends;

said table top comprising a rigid structure possessing a longitudinal length and a lateral width, one substantially planar top surface and one substantially planar bottom surface further possessing at least one longitudinal edge proximate said longitudinal rotatable attachment;

said rail comprising a rigid member possessing at least one substantially planar face possessing a length and width, said length exceeding in dimension said width, said longitudinal rotatable attachment being longitudinally affixed to said planar surface;

each said leg possessing a lateral rotatable attachment to a portion of said table top distal said one longitudinal edge and proximate one said end of the leg, the other said end of each said leg being distal said lateral rotatable attachment, each said leg further possessing a length of a dimension at least as great as the dimension of said lateral width of said table top, said lateral rotatable attachment further maintaining each of said two legs in substantially perpendicular disposition with respect to said table top bottom surface;

each said lateral rotatable attachment comprising a locking hinge comprising a first member and a second member, a cylinder and a spring loaded locking bar, said first member possessing two substantially parallel flat sides each possessing an arcuate edge bounded by two notches encompassing ninety degrees, said locking bar being attached to said second member and biased by a spring into one of said two notches upon each side of said first member, said first and second members being rotatably attached by said cylinder which is disposed perpendicular to both said sides of said first member at the center of the arc defining said arcuate edge;

each said lateral rotatable attachment enabling each said leg to be rotated with respect to said substantially planar bottom surface of said table top through a full arc of ninety degrees bounded by a perpendicular disposition between said leg and said substantially planar bottom surface and a substantially flush, substantially parallel disposition between said leg and said substantially planar bottom surface;

said longitudinal rotatable attachment enabling said table top to be rotated with respect to said substantially planar surface of said rail through a full arc of ninety degrees bounded by a perpendicular disposition between said substantially planar top surface and said substantially planar surface of said rail and a substantially parallel disposition between said substantially planar bottom surface and said substantially planar surface of said rail;

said table thereby possessing the capability of being mounted to a substantially vertical rigid structure by attachment of said rail to the same and disposed in a substantially horizontal position such that said longitudinal rotatable attachment is disposed at a distance from a floor substantially equivalent to the length of each said leg and said table top may be supported in a substantially horizontal position by said longitudinal rotatable attachment and said two legs disposed substantially perpendicular to said substantially planar bottom surface;

said table further possessing the capability of being disposed in said substantially vertical storage position wherein each said leg is disposed substantially flush with and parallel to said substantially planar bottom surface which is disposed substantially parallel to said planar surface of said rail thereby minimizing the floor space occupied by said table in said storage position.

2. The table of claim 1 further including a board disposed substantially parallel to and flush with said rail further possessing rigid attachment to said rail and a longitudinal edge disposed proximate and parallel to said longitudinal edge of said table top proximate said longitudinal rotatable attachment when said table top is disposed in said utility position.

3. The table of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining each of said two legs in substantially perpendicular disposition with respect to said table top bottom surface comprises a barrel lock device.

4. The table of claim 1 further including means for maintaining each of said two legs in substantially parallel disposition with respect to said table top bottom surface.

5. The table of claim 4 wherein said means for maintaining each of said two legs in substantially parallel disposition with respect to said table top bottom surface comprises a barrel lock device.

6. The table of claim 1 wherein said means of lateral rotatable attachment is affixed to said table top substantially planar bottom surface.

7. The table of claim 6 wherein each said leg end proximate said means of lateral rotatable attachment possesses a substantially flat planar surface substantially perpendicular the direction of the extension of said leg.

8. The table of claim 7 wherein said substantially flat planar surface of each said leg end proximate said means of lateral rotatable attachment is disposed in substantially flush contact with said table top bottom surface in said utility position wherein each said leg is disposed substantially perpendicular to said table top bottom surface.

9. The table of claim 1 possessing first and second opposed longitudinal edges substantially parallel each other and set apart from each other a distance substantially equivalent to said width of said table top, said first longitudinal edge being substantially parallel to and proximate said substantially planar face of said rail.

10. The table of claim 9 wherein said means of lateral rotatable attachment possesses an axis which is disposed substantially perpendicular both said longitudinal edges.

11. The table of claim 10 wherein a first said means of lateral rotatable attachment is disposed in immediate proximity to said second longitudinal edge and a second said means of lateral rotatable attachment is set back from said second longitudinal edge a distance at least as great as the width of the leg possessing said first lateral rotatable attachment and each said leg possesses a length greater than on half of said length of said table top, said two legs thereby possessing means of being disposed substantially parallel to and flush with said table top bottom surface wherein a portion of each said leg distal said means of lateral rotatable attachment is disposed in substantially parallel and proximate relation to the other said leg portion distal said means of lateral rotatable attachment.

12. The table of claim 9 wherein said means of lateral rotatable attachment for each said leg is disposed in immediate proximity of said second longitudinal edge and said length of said table exceeds in dimension the sum of the lengths of both said legs, said table thereby possessing means of disposing both said legs substantially flush and parallel to said table top bottom surface wherein each said leg is aligned with each other.

13. The table of claim 9 wherein said table top further possesses first and second lateral edges disposed substantially parallel to each other and set apart from each other a distance substantially equivalent to said length of said table top.

14. The table of claim 13 wherein both said first and said second lateral edges meet both said first and said second longitudinal edges in a substantially perpendicular carrier.

15. A table intended for mounting upon a substantially vertical rigid structure further intended to possess a substantially horizontal utility position and a substantially vertical storage position, said table comprising:

a table top, a rail, a longitudinal rotatable attachment between said table top and said rail and two legs each comprising a rigid extension possessing two opposed ends;

said table top comprising a rigid structure possessing a longitudinal length and a lateral width, one substantially planar top surface and one substantially planar bottom surface further possessing at least one longitudinal edge proximate said longitudinal rotatable attachment;

said rail comprising a rigid member possessing at least one substantially planar face possessing a length and width, said length exceeding in dimension said width, said longitudinal rotatable attachment being longitudinally affixed to said planar surface;

each said leg possessing a lateral rotatable attachment to a portion of said table top distal said one longitudinal edge and proximate one said end of the leg, the other said end of each said leg being distal said lateral rotatable attachment, each said leg further possessing a length of a dimension at least as great as the dimension of said lateral width of said table top, said lateral rotatable attachment further maintaining each of said two legs in substantially parallel disposition with respect to said table top bottom surface;

each said lateral rotatable attachment comprising a locking hinge comprising a first member and a second member, a cylinder and a spring loaded locking bar, said first member possessing two substantially parallel fiat sides each possessing an arcuate edge bounded by two notches encompassing ninety degrees, said locking bar being attached to said second member and biased by a spring into one of said two notches upon each side of said first member, said first and second members being rotatably attached by said cylinder which is disposed perpendicular to both said sides of said first member at the center of the arc defining said arcuate edge;

each said lateral rotatable attachment enabling each said leg to be rotated with respect to said substantially planar bottom surface of said table top through a full arc of ninety degrees bounded by a perpendicular disposition between said leg and said substantially planar bottom surface and a substantially flush, substantially parallel disposition between said leg and said substantially planar bottom surface;

said longitudinal rotatable attachment enabling said table top to be rotated with respect to said substantially planar surface of said rail through a full arc of ninety degrees bounded by a perpendicular disposition between said substantially planar top surface and said substantially planar surface of said rail and a substantially parallel disposition between said substantially planar bottom surface and said substantially planar surface of said rail;

said table thereby possessing the capability of being mounted to a substantially vertical rigid structure by attachment of said rail to the same and disposed in a substantially horizontal position such that said longitudinal rotatable attachment is disposed at a distance from a floor substantially equivalent to the length of each said leg and said table top may be supported in a substantially horizontal position by said longitudinal rotatable attachment and said two legs disposed substantially perpendicular to said substantially planar bottom surface;

said table further possessing the capability of being disposed in said substantially vertical storage position wherein each said leg is disposed substantially flush with and parallel to said substantially planar bottom surface which is disposed substantially parallel to said planar surface of said rail thereby minimizing the floor space occupied by said table in said storage position.