Folding table base

Claim 2

A folding table base for connection to the bottom of a table, said folding table base comprising: a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of the table, said mounting plate having a side; a hinge plate hingedly connected to said side of said mounting plate, said hinge plate being adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position; a leg secured to said hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; and a latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said latching mechanism including a latch mounting plate and a pull latch, said pull latch being slidably mounted on said latch mounting plate such that said pull latch is operable between a latched position and an unlatched position, said latching mechanism engaging said hinge plate when said pull latch is in said latched position, said latching mechanism disengaging said hinge plate when said pull latch is in said unlatched position.

Claim 3

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said pull latch is biased in said latched position by a spring.

Claim 4

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said leg is telescopicly adjustable.

Claim 5

The folding table base of claim 3, wherein said adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a pin.

Claim 6

The folding table base of claim 3, wherein said adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a spring tab.

Claim 7

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said leg includes a foot secured to a distal end of said leg, said foot being generally orthogonal to said leg.

Claim 8

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said hinge plate is pivotally connected to said side of said mounting plate by a hinge.

Claim 9

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said latch mounting plate includes a first pair of angle mounts.

Claim 10

The folding table base of claim 8, wherein said latch mounting plate includes a second pair of angle mounts.

Claim 11

The folding table base of claim 9, wherein said pull latch includes a handle portion and two locking members, said locking members being disposed at respective ends of said handle portion and extending generally orthogonal thereto.

Claim 12

The folding table base of claim 10, wherein said pull latch is slidably mounted between said first pair of angle mounts and said second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 13

The folding table base of claim 10, wherein said locking members are slidably mounted between said first pair of angle mounts and said second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 14

The folding table base of claim 10, wherein said pull latch is biased in said latched position by a pair of springs, said springs being located in respective generally rectangular openings located in said respective locking members.

Claim 15

The folding table base of claim 1, wherein said first hinge plate includes a leg sliding mechanism, said leg sliding mechanism being adapted to slide between a first position and a second position such that said first leg is laterally adjustable with respect to the table.

Claim 16

A folding table base for connection to the bottom of a table, said folding table base comprising: a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of the table, said mounting plate having a side; a hinge plate hingedly connected to said side of said mounting plate, said hinge plate being adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position; a leg secured to said hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; and a latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said latching mechanism including a pair of latch mounting plates and a pull latch, said pull latch including a handle portion and two locking members, said locking members being disposed at respective ends of said handle portion and extending generally orthogonal thereto, said pull latch being slidably mounted on said latch mounting plates such that said locking members engage said hinge plate at two displaced locations when said pull latch is in a latched position and disengage said hinge plate when said pull latch is in an unlatched position.

Claim 17

A folding table base for connection to the bottom of a table, said folding table base comprising: a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of the table, said mounting plate having a side; a hinge plate hingedly connected to said side of said mounting plate, said hinge plate being adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position; a leg secured to said hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; and a latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said latching mechanism including a pair of latch mounting plates and a pull latch, said pull latch including a handle portion and two locking members, said locking members being disposed at respective ends of said handle portion and extending generally orthogonal thereto, said pull latch being slidably mounted on said latch mounting plates such that said locking members engage said hinge plate at two displaced locations when said pull latch is in a latched position and disengage said hinge plate when said pull latch is in an unlatched position.

Claim 18

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said pull latch is biased in said latched position by a spring.

Claim 19

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said leg is telescopicly adjustable.

Claim 20

The folding table base of claim 17, wherein said adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a pin.

Claim 21

The folding table base of claim 17, wherein said adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a spring tab.

Claim 22

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said leg includes a foot secured to a distal end of said leg, said foot being generally orthogonal to said leg.

Claim 23

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said hinge plate is pivotally connected to said side of said mounting plate by a hinge.

Claim 24

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said pair of latch mounting plates includes a first pair of angle mounts and a second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 25

The folding table base of claim 22, wherein said pull latch is slidably mounted between said first pair of angle mounts and said second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 26

The folding table base of claim 22, wherein said locking members are slidably mounted between said first pair of angle mounts and said second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 27

The folding table base of claim 15, wherein said pull latch is biased in said latched position by a pair of springs, said springs being located in respective generally rectangular openings located in said respective locking members.

Claim 30

The method of claim 26, further including the steps of: engaging said first latching mechanism with said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said latched position; and disengaging said first latching mechanism from said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said unlatched position.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26, further including the steps of: engaging said second latching mechanism with said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said latched position; and disengaging said second latching mechanism from said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said unlatched position.

Claim 32

The method of claim 26, further including the step of biasing said first and second pull latches in said latched position by a first spring and a second spring, respectively.

Claim 33

The method of claim 26, further including the step of telescopicly adjusting said first leg.

Claim 34

The method of claim 26, wherein said first leg is an adjustable leg, and further including the step of securing said first adjustable leg in a particular position by a pin.

Claim 35

The method of claim 26, wherein said first leg is an adjustable leg, and further including the step of securing said first adjustable leg in a particular position by a spring tab.

Claim 36

The method of claim 26, further including the step of securing a foot to a distal end of said first leg such that said foot is generally orthogonal to said first leg.

Claim 37

The method of claim 26, further including the steps of: mechanically securing a leg sliding mechanism to said first hinge plate, said leg sliding mechanism being adapted to slide between a first position and a second position such that said first leg is laterally adjustable with respect to the table.

Claim 38

A folding table base for connection to the bottom of a table, said folding table base comprising: a first mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of the table, said first mounting plate having a first side; a second mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said second mounting plate having a second side; a first hinge plate hingedly connected to said first side of said first mounting plate, said first hinge plate being adapted to pivot between an open position and a closed position; a second hinge plate hingedly connected to said second side of said second mounting plate, said second hinge plate being adapted to pivot between said open position and said closed position; a first leg secured to said first hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; a second leg secured to said second hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; a first latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said first latching mechanism including a first pull latch that engages said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said latched position and disengages said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said unlatched position; and a second latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said second latching mechanism including a second pull latch that engages said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said latched position and disengaging said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said unlatched position.

Claim 39

A folding table base for connection to the bottom of a table, said folding table base comprising: a first mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of the table, said first mounting plate having a first side; a second mounting plate adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said second mounting plate having a second side; a first hinge plate hingedly connected to said first side of said first mounting plate, said first hinge plate being adapted to pivot between an open position and a closed position; a second hinge plate hingedly connected to said second side of said second mounting plate, said second hinge plate being adapted to pivot between said open position and said closed position; a first leg secured to said first hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; a second leg secured to said second hinge plate and extending generally orthogonal thereto; a first latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said first latching mechanism including a first pull latch that engages said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said latched position and disengages said first hinge plate when said first pull latch is in said unlatched position; and a second latching mechanism adapted to be secured to the bottom of said table, said second latching mechanism including a second pull latch that engages said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said latched position and disengaging said second hinge plate when said second pull latch is in said unlatched position.

Claim 40

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first and second mounting plates are formed from a unitary piece of metal.

Claim 41

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first pull latch is biased in said latched position by a spring.

Claim 42

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first leg is telescopicly adjustable.

Claim 43

The folding table base of claim 38, wherein said first adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a pin.

Claim 44

The folding table base of claim 38, wherein said first adjustable leg is secured in a particular position by a spring tab.

Claim 45

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first leg includes a foot secured to a distal end of said first leg, said foot being generally orthogonal to said first leg.

Claim 46

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first hinge plate is pivotally connected to said first side of said first mounting plate by a hinge.

Claim 47

The folding table base of claim 35, further including a first latch mounting plate and a second latch mounting plate, said first pull latch being slidably mounted on said first latch mounting plate and said second pull latch being slidably mounted on said second latch mounting plate.

Claim 48

The folding table base of claim 43, wherein said first latch mounting plate includes a first pair and a second pair of angle mounts.

Claim 49

The folding table base of claim 44, wherein said first pull latch is slidably mounted between said first pair of angle mounts and said second pair of angle mounts, respectively.

Claim 50

The folding table base of claim 35, wherein said first pull latch includes a handle portion and two locking members, said locking members being disposed at respective ends of said handle portion and extending generally orthogonal thereto.

Claim 51

The folding table base of claim 46, wherein said first pull latch is biased in said latched position by a pair of springs, said springs being located in respective generally rectangular openings located in said respective locking members.

Claim 52

The folding table base of claim 46, wherein said first hinge plate includes a leg sliding mechanism, said leg sliding mechanism being adapted to slide between a first position and a second position such that said first leg is laterally adjustable with respect to the table.