Patent US4067266A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4067266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Folding table
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1977-02-09
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Granted: 1978-01-10
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Expires: 1997-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A folding table wherein a top, pivotally coupled to a pair of tubular legs, is also connected by struts to slide members which move within the legs. Latch mechanisms, which are also positioned within the legs, cooperate with the slide members to lock the tabletop in the raised position and a cam-cam follower arrangement couples the latches to the slide members for the purpose of limiting the degree of motion of the top upon initial unlatching. The table is also characterized by a base including retractable casters which are operated by the slide members.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Lafargue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:12
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B3/00; B; B60; B60B; B60B33/00; B60B33/04; B60B33/06; A47B25/00; A47B25/003; A47B2025/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
361 words
A folding table comprising: a pair of spaced apart legs, said legs being oriented generally vertically and being substantially parallel to one another, said legs each including a tubular member, said tubular members being provided with elongated slots, the slots in said legs being in facing relationship; tabletop means; base means, said base means being affixed to said legs adjacent the lower ends thereof, said base means including a pair of substantially parallel U-shaped members, each of said base means U-shaped members being affixed intermediate its length to the lower end of a tubular member of one of said legs, the openings of said U-shaped base means members facing downwardly, said base means further including a rigid foot extending downwardly from each end of each of said U-shaped members; a plurality of casters; a bar mounted within each of said base means U-shaped members, said bars being oriented generally parallelly with said U-shaped members and having said casters affixed thereto; a connecting rod extending upwardly from each of said bars into the tubular members of said legs; slide means movable within each of said legs, said slide means each including a projection, said slide means contacting the upper ends of said connecting rods when said tabletop means is moved to the stored position whereby said bars and the casters affixed thereto are urged downwardly to thereby raise said feet from the surface on which the table is supported; a pivot pin affixed to each of said slide means, said pivot pins respectively extending through and moving along said facing slots in the tubular members of said legs; means joining said tabletop means to said legs, said joining means including at least a first strut extending between each of said pivot pins and said tabletop means, said struts being pivotally attached to said pins and tabletop means whereby said tabletop means may pivot between stored and use positions with movement of said slide means; and latch means pivotally mounted within each of said legs, said latch means cooperating with said slide means projections to lock said slide means in a first position commensurate with said tabletop means being in the use position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
361 words
A folding table comprising: a pair of spaced apart legs, said legs being oriented generally vertically and being substantially parallel to one another, said legs each including a tubular member, said tubular members being provided with elongated slots, the slots in said legs being in facing relationship; tabletop means; base means, said base means being affixed to said legs adjacent the lower ends thereof, said base means including a pair of substantially parallel U-shaped members, each of said base means U-shaped members being affixed intermediate its length to the lower end of a tubular member of one of said legs, the openings of said U-shaped base means members facing downwardly, said base means further including a rigid foot extending downwardly from each end of each of said U-shaped members; a plurality of casters; a bar mounted within each of said base means U-shaped members, said bars being oriented generally parallelly with said U-shaped members and having said casters affixed thereto; a connecting rod extending upwardly from each of said bars into the tubular members of said legs; slide means movable within each of said legs, said slide means each including a projection, said slide means contacting the upper ends of said connecting rods when said tabletop means is moved to the stored position whereby said bars and the casters affixed thereto are urged downwardly to thereby raise said feet from the surface on which the table is supported; a pivot pin affixed to each of said slide means, said pivot pins respectively extending through and moving along said facing slots in the tubular members of said legs; means joining said tabletop means to said legs, said joining means including at least a first strut extending between each of said pivot pins and said tabletop means, said struts being pivotally attached to said pins and tabletop means whereby said tabletop means may pivot between stored and use positions with movement of said slide means; and latch means pivotally mounted within each of said legs, said latch means cooperating with said slide means projections to lock said slide means in a first position commensurate with said tabletop means being in the use position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The table of claim 1 wherein said joining means comprises: a plate connected to the top of each of said legs; and means pivotally connecting said top means to said plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
The table of claim 2 further comprising: cam means carried by at least one of said slide means, said cam means including a notch and a plurality of guide surfaces; arm means pivotally connected to and extending from at least one of said latch means; and cam follower means mounted on the free end of said arm means, said cam follower means cooperating with said cam means notch to limit the motion of said top means upon disengagement of said slide means projection from said latch means, said cam follower means being releasable from said cam means notch by raising said top means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
The table of claim 3 wherein said coupling means further comprises: means resiliently biasing said latch means into the slide means projection engaging position; a rotatable rod extending between said legs; and studs extending from said rod within said legs and adjacent each of said latch means whereby rotation of said rod will result in said studs causing pivoting of said latch means against the bias of said biasing means to cause disengagement of said slide means projection by said latch means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The table of claim 4 further comprising: a tubular cross member extending between said legs, said rotatable rod being positioned within said cross member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
201 words
A folding table comprising: a pair of spaced apart legs, said legs being oriented generally vertically and being substantially parallel to one another; tabletop means; means joining said tabletop means to said legs, said joining means including a pivot connection whereby said tabletop means may pivot between stored and use positions; base means, said base means being affixed to said legs adjacent the lower ends thereof; a plurality of casters; caster support means, said caster support means being movable with respect to said base means to raise and lower said casters with respect thereto; slide means movable within each of said legs, said slide means cooperating with said caster support means to cause movement thereof, said slide means each including a lock member; latch means pivotally mounted within each of said legs, said latch means cooperating with said slide means locking members to lock said slide means in a first position commensurate with said tabletop means being in the use position; and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said tabletop means upon disengagement of said slide means locking members from said latch means, said motion limiting means including pivotal linkage means extending between said latch means and said slide means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
201 words
A folding table comprising: a pair of spaced apart legs, said legs being oriented generally vertically and being substantially parallel to one another; tabletop means; means joining said tabletop means to said legs, said joining means including a pivot connection whereby said tabletop means may pivot between stored and use positions; base means, said base means being affixed to said legs adjacent the lower ends thereof; a plurality of casters; caster support means, said caster support means being movable with respect to said base means to raise and lower said casters with respect thereto; slide means movable within each of said legs, said slide means cooperating with said caster support means to cause movement thereof, said slide means each including a lock member; latch means pivotally mounted within each of said legs, said latch means cooperating with said slide means locking members to lock said slide means in a first position commensurate with said tabletop means being in the use position; and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said tabletop means upon disengagement of said slide means locking members from said latch means, said motion limiting means including pivotal linkage means extending between said latch means and said slide means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
The table of claim 6 wherein said legs each comprise: a tubular member, said tubular member being provided with an elongated slot, the slots in said legs being in facing relationship; and wherein said coupling means further comprises: a pivot pin affixed to each of said slide means, said pivot pins respectively extending through and moving along said facing slots in said tubular members which comprise said legs; and at least a first strut extending between each of said pivot pins and said top means, said struts being pivotally attached to said pins and top means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
The table of claim 7 wherein said means for limiting the motion of said top means comprises: cam means carried by at least one of said slide means, said cam means including a notch and a plurality of guide surfaces; arm means pivotally connected to and extending from at least said one of said latch means; and cam follower means mounted on the free end of said arm means, said cam follower means cooperating with said cam means notch to limit the motion of said top means upon disengagement of said slide means lock member from said latch means, said cam follower means being releasable from said cam means notch by raising said top means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The table of claim 8 wherein said coupling means further comprises: means resiliently biasing said latch means into the slide means lock member engaging position; a rotatable rod extending between said legs; and studs extending from said rod within said legs and adjacent each of said latch means whereby rotation of said rod will result in said studs causing pivoting of said latch means against the bias of said resilient biasing means to cause disengagement of said slide means locking member by said latch means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
152 words
The table of claim 9 wherein said base means comprises: a pair of substantially parallel U-shaped members, each of said members being affixed intermediate its length to the base of one of said legs, the opening of said U-shaped members facing downwardly; and a rigid foot extending downwardly from each end of each of said U-shaped members; and wherein said caster support means comprises: a bar mounted within each of said U-shaped members, said bars being oriented generally parallelly with said U-shaped members and having said casters affixed thereto; and a connecting rod extending upwardly from each of said bars into said tubular legs, the upper ends of said connecting rods being contacted by said slide means when said top means is moved to the stored position whereby said bars and the casters affixed thereto are urged downwardly to thereby raise said feet from the surface on which the table is supported.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
The table of claim 10 wherein said top means comprises: a pair of half-tops, said half-tops being symmetrical relative to a vertical plane passing through said legs; and wherein said joining means comprises: a plate connected to each of said legs adjacent the tops thereof; and means pivotally connecting each of said half-tops to said plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The table of claim 11 wherein said pivotal connections between said struts and said table half-tops are positioned out of planes in which lie the pivot connections between said plate and table half-tops and said struts and said slide means when the table is in the stored position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The table of claim 6 wherein said tabletop means comprises: a pair of half-tops, said two half-tops being symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane passing through said legs, said half-tops being independently hinged to said legs by said joining means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-01-09 | 1981-07-11 | 1982-01-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-01-09 | 1985-07-11 | 1986-01-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-01-09 | 1989-07-11 | 1990-01-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |