Table and chair structure and means for pivotally mounting chairs

Claim 2

In a table and chair combination having a table top and a plurality of chairs spaced around said table top with means pivotally mounting each chair to said table top for swinging movement about a respective vertical axis comprising: a. a substantially rigid member extending from each of a plurality of chairs spaced around a table top, said rigid members each having a generally vertical end portion with an end surface engageable with a lower surface of the table top; b. one socket member fixedly mounted on the table top for each chair, said socket member being adapted to receive and engage one of said vertical end portion of said rigid members therein; and c. cooperating means between the table top and each chair to effect engagement of the table top and each chair and permit relative turning movement through a selected angle, and to permit disengagement of each chair from the table top when turned to a position beyond said selected angle.

Claim 3

Means for pivotally mounting chairs as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means includes: a. an end member mounted on the vertical end portion of each of said rigid members, said end members each having saie end surface thereon engageable with the lower surface of the table top for rotatively supporting said table top on the chairs; b. walls on each of said socket members defining a chamber adjacent the table top and a bore extending generally vertically downwardly from the chamber and in upwardly facing surface outwardly of said bore defining a shoulder spaced from the lower surface of the table top, said bore being adapted to receive therein one of said vertical end portions and the end member thereon; C. at least one longitudinally extending slot in each bore, each slot extending through said shoulder and the full length of said bore; and d. at least one lug extending radially outwardly from each end member being engageable with a shoulder to retain a vertical end portion of a rigid member within said socket member and permit turning through said selected angle and to permit movement through said slot for disengagement when turned beyond said selected angle to alignment of the lug with the slot.

Claim 4

A table top and chair combination with swinging and supporting connections of the chairs with the table top comprising: a. a table top having a lower surface; b. a plurality of chairs spaced around said table top; c. a substantially rigid member extending from each of said chairs, each rigid member having a generally vertical end portion; d. an end member for each of said rigid members that is fixedly mounted on their vertical end portion thereof and engageable with the lower surface of said table top to support same; e. a socket member for the vertical end portion of each of said rigid member, each socket member being fixedly mounted on said lower surface of said table top; f. means on each of said socket members for receiving therein the vertical end portion of one of said rigid members and said end member thereon, permitting relative turning movement between said respective rigid members and said table top about a vertical axis of said vertical end portion, said means being operative for retaining each of said rigid members withon one of said socket members through a selected angle of turning movement and permitting disengagement beyond said selected angle of turning movements; and G. floor-engaging means on each of said chairs for supporting same during relative turning movement between said respective chairs and said table top.

Claim 5

A table top and chair combination with swinging and supporting connections of the chairs with the table top comprising: a. a table top having a lower surface; b. a plurality of chairs spaced around said table top; c. a substantially rigid member extending from each of said chairs, each rigid member having a generally vertical end portion; d. an end member for each of said rigid members that is fixedly mounted on their vertical end portion thereof and engageable with the lower surface of said table top to support same; e. a socket member for the vertical end portion of each of said rigid member, each socket member being fixedly mounted on said lower surface of said table top; f. means on each of said socket members for receiving therein the vertical end portion of one of said rigid members and said end member thereon, permitting relative turning movement between said respective rigid members and said table top about a vertical axis of said vertical end portion, said means being operative for retaining each of said rigid members withon one of said socket members through a selected angle of turning movement and permitting disengagement beyond said selected angle of turning movements; and G. floor-engaging means on each of said chairs for supporting same during relative turning movement between said respective chairs and said table top.

Claim 6

A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. each of said socket members has walls defining a chamber therein adjacent the lower surface of said table top for receiving an end member therein; b. each of said socket members has walls defining a generally vertically extending bore communicating with the chamber therein for receiving a vertical end portion of one of said rigid members; and c. each chamber and the respective end member received therein have mutually engageable portions for maintaining said end member within said chamber through said selected angle of turning movement permitting removal of said end member from said chamber only when said end member has a selected rotated position relative to said chamber and the bore communicating therewith, said selected rotated position being beyond said selected angle of turning movement.

Claim 7

A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said mutually engaging portions include: a. said bore defining walls being arranged to define a bore having a slot extending longitudinally therein for the length of said bore; b. each end member having a lug extending therefrom and movable through said slot in said respective bore; and c. said chamber defining walls being arranged to define an upwardly facing shoulder interrupted by said slot and engageable by a lug of said respective end member within said chamber to thereby retain said lug within said chamber and permit removal of said end member from said chamber only when said lug is aligned with said slot.

Claim 8

A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein: a. said vertical end portion of each of said rigid members has an open upper end; b. each end member has a body portion received within the open upper end of a vertical end portion; c. each end member has one pair of laterally opposed lugs extending from said body portion and having one of said mutually engageable portions thereon; d. said bore defining walls are arranged to define a bore having one pair of laterally opposed slots therein extending longitUdinally of the bore, said laterally opposed slots each receiving one of said lugs therein for movement therethrough; and e. said chamber defining walls are arranged to define one pair of shoulders each extending between said slots and being the other of the mutually engageable portions, said pair of shoulders being engageable by one of said lugs of said respective end member within said chamber to thereby retain said lugs of said end member within said chamber and permit removal of said end member from said respective chamber only when said lugs are each aligned with the laterally opposed slots in said respective bore.

Claim 9

A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said bore of said socket member and vertical end portion have a relative taper providing an axial supporting bearing engagement therebetween adjacent one end of said bore and clearance adjacent the other end thereof permitting angular variation between the respective rigid member and the table top to accommodate uneveness of floors on which the chairs move.

Claim 10

A table and chair combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said means on each of said socket members for receiving the vertical end portion of one end of said rigid members having walls defining a bore diverging downwardly from adjacent said table top; b. said bore being of a size at an end thereof adjacent said table top whereby the bore defining wall has axial supporting bearing engagement withsaid vertical end portion for rotation thereof; and c. said bore defining wall at the other end thereof having a clearance from said vertical end portion permitting angular variation of said vertical end portion with said table top to accommodate uneveness of floors on which the chairs move.