Connector for folding table leg

Claim 2

A connector for connecting a folding leg to the underside of a table, comprising in combination therewith: means for pivotally mounting the top of said leg on the underside of said table; a metallic bracket attached to the underside of the table and having a depending flange in alignment with the direction of the leg fold, said flange having a slot adjacent said pivot means; a metallic strut pivotally connected at one end to the table leg spaced from the aforesaid pivot means and having a lock bar at the opposite end slidably carried in said bracket slot; said bracket slot being offset to form a socket to receive said lock bar when the table leg is extended, whereby said strut will hold the table leg in its extended position; and a nonmetallic pad mounted on the outside of said strut against which pressure may be exerted to move said lock bar out of said socket and to minimize damage to adjacent objects when said table is stored with said leg in folded position.

Claim 3

A connector for connecting a folding leg to the underside of a table formed as a flat, rectangular panel having a reinforcing tubular frame underneath the panel and about the periphery thereof, comprising in combination therewith: a bracket mounted on a baseplate attached to the underside of the table, said bracket having a depending flange in alignment with the direction of the leg fold and on which the top of the leg is pivotAlly mounted, said flange having a slot adjacent said pivot; a strut pivotally connected at one end to the table leg spaced from the aforesaid pivot and having a lock bar at the opposite end slidably carried in said bracket slot, said bracket slot being offset to form a socket extending obtusely thereto to receive said lock bar when the table leg is extended; said baseplate being formed as a substantially rectangular member having outward edges thereof attached to a corner of the said frame member, and having inner depending flanges whose ends extend to and are shaped to engage said tubular frame; said baseplate being provided with a mounting pad to which said bracket is connected, said pad being inclined to the plane of the table top, whereby to incline said leg a like amount from a normal to the plane of the table top, when said leg is in extended position; said bracket being a channel-shaped member formed with two parallel flanges to carry the leg pivot between them and with opposed, identically oriented slots and sockets, said table leg being mounted on the pivot between said flanges; said strut being a channel-shaped member having a central web and flanges extending from each end thereof to straddle the table leg at one end and carry said pivot connection to said leg, and at the opposite end, to carry said lock bar and to straddle the bracket flanges with said lock bar extending through said slots; a hairpin-type spring disposed between said bracket flanges, said spring having a pair of legs engaging said bracket web and a pair of feet engaging said lock bar with a curl connecting each leg and the corresponding foot and a concave crotch connecting said pair of legs for clearing the top of said leg during movement of said leg between extended and retracted positions; said lock bar being trapezoidal in cross section, with the narrower face thereof facing the socket when lying in said slot adjacent to the socket; and said socket being tapered to correspond to said cross section of said lock bar.

Claim 4

A connector for connecting a folding leg to the underside of a table formed as a flat, rectangular panel having a reinforcing tubular frame underneath the panel and about the periphery thereof, comprising in combination therewith: a bracket mounted on a baseplate attached to the underside of the table, said bracket having a depending flange in alignment with the direction of the leg fold and on which the top of the leg is pivotAlly mounted, said flange having a slot adjacent said pivot; a strut pivotally connected at one end to the table leg spaced from the aforesaid pivot and having a lock bar at the opposite end slidably carried in said bracket slot, said bracket slot being offset to form a socket extending obtusely thereto to receive said lock bar when the table leg is extended; said baseplate being formed as a substantially rectangular member having outward edges thereof attached to a corner of the said frame member, and having inner depending flanges whose ends extend to and are shaped to engage said tubular frame; said baseplate being provided with a mounting pad to which said bracket is connected, said pad being inclined to the plane of the table top, whereby to incline said leg a like amount from a normal to the plane of the table top, when said leg is in extended position; said bracket being a channel-shaped member formed with two parallel flanges to carry the leg pivot between them and with opposed, identically oriented slots and sockets, said table leg being mounted on the pivot between said flanges; said strut being a channel-shaped member having a central web and flanges extending from each end thereof to straddle the table leg at one end and carry said pivot connection to said leg, and at the opposite end, to carry said lock bar and to straddle the bracket flanges with said lock bar extending through said slots; a hairpin-type spring disposed between said bracket flanges, said spring having a pair of legs engaging said bracket web and a pair of feet engaging said lock bar with a curl connecting each leg and the corresponding foot and a concave crotch connecting said pair of legs for clearing the top of said leg during movement of said leg between extended and retracted positions; said lock bar being trapezoidal in cross section, with the narrower face thereof facing the socket when lying in said slot adjacent to the socket; and said socket being tapered to correspond to said cross section of said lock bar.