US4266882A — Table section aligning and fastening device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 282 words

An aligning and fastening device for interconnecting first and second joinable table sections at respective abutting edges thereof, said device comprising: A. a male member including i. a base portion adapted for mounting to the underside of the first table section at its abutting edge, ii. a nose portion projecting outwardly from one end of said base portion and having a portion including a free end adapted for extending beyond the abutting edge of the first table section when said male member is mounted, iii. said nose portion having a retaining notch disposed at an intermediate position in said nose portion, said notch being defined by first and second angled surfaces formed in the side of said nose portion between the free end thereof and the base portion; and B. a female member including i. a base portion adapted for mounting to the underside of the second table section at its abutting edge, ii. a channel defining portion defining an alignment channel and an entrance opening adapted to receive said nose portion of said male member when said first and second table sections are abutted together and in alignment, and iii. a gripping portion comprising an integral finger projecting toward the entrance opening from the end of said female member base portion opposite the entrance opening and having a free end that is resiliently flexible relative to said channel defining portion and that includes a lip normally projecting into the alignment channel, said lip being deflectable out of the alignment channel as said nose portion of said male member is moved into the alignment channel and being resiliently engagable within said retaining notch to hold said nose portion in the alignment channel.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 282 words

An aligning and fastening device for interconnecting first and second joinable table sections at respective abutting edges thereof, said device comprising: A. a male member including i. a base portion adapted for mounting to the underside of the first table section at its abutting edge, ii. a nose portion projecting outwardly from one end of said base portion and having a portion including a free end adapted for extending beyond the abutting edge of the first table section when said male member is mounted, iii. said nose portion having a retaining notch disposed at an intermediate position in said nose portion, said notch being defined by first and second angled surfaces formed in the side of said nose portion between the free end thereof and the base portion; and B. a female member including i. a base portion adapted for mounting to the underside of the second table section at its abutting edge, ii. a channel defining portion defining an alignment channel and an entrance opening adapted to receive said nose portion of said male member when said first and second table sections are abutted together and in alignment, and iii. a gripping portion comprising an integral finger projecting toward the entrance opening from the end of said female member base portion opposite the entrance opening and having a free end that is resiliently flexible relative to said channel defining portion and that includes a lip normally projecting into the alignment channel, said lip being deflectable out of the alignment channel as said nose portion of said male member is moved into the alignment channel and being resiliently engagable within said retaining notch to hold said nose portion in the alignment channel.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 100 words

The device of claim 1 in which the free end of said male member nose portion tapers in cross section laterally and vertically to define a pair of laterally tapered surfaces and a pair of vertically tapered surfaces on the free end of said nose portion and wherein said tapered surfaces are adapted to bear against the edges of said female member channel defining portion at the entrance opening if the table sections are out of alignment as said nose portion is moved into the alignment channel thereby to generate transverse forces tending to move the table sections into alignment.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The device of claim 2 in which the edge of said female member channel defining portion at the entrance opening is outwardly beveled to cooperate with said tapered surfaces on said nose portion in generating the transverse aligning forces.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 55 words

The device of claim 2 in which said lip on said integral finger of said female member is adapted to bear against and ride along one of said vertically tapered surfaces of said nose portion and thereby to be deflected out of the alignment channel as said nose portion is moved into the alignment channel.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The device of claim 4 in which said nose portion defines a generally flat bottom surface and in which said one of said vertically tapered surfaces is disposed at an angle of about 20° to said generally flat bottom surface.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device of claim 1 in which said male member and female member base portions each include means defining openings for receiving means for mounting said members to the respective table sections.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device of claim 1 in which said male and female members are each formed as unitary components from a plastic material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 1 in which said notch is generally "V" shaped.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 90 words

The device of claim 1 in which the first of said notch defining surfaces faces toward said male member base portion and in which said lip on said integral finger of said female member is adapted to bear against an intermediate portion of said first notch defining surface when said nose portion is fully within the alignment channel, the angle of said first notch defining surface together with the resiliency of said integral finger serving to generate a reaction force tending to hold said nose portion in the alignment channel.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device of claim 9 in which said nose portion defines a generally flat bottom surface and in which said first notch defining surface is disposed at an angle of about 45° to said bottom surface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-05-11	1984-11-10	1985-05-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-05-11	1988-11-10	1989-05-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-05-11	1992-11-10	1993-05-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Table section aligning and fastening device

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