US2849053A - Construction of foldable picnic table - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1958 R. M. BELLER ETAL 2,849,053 CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDABLE PICNIC TABLE Filed Sept. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 26, 1958 R. M. BELLER ET AL 2,849,053 CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDABLE PICNIC TABLE Filed Sept. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 21 iiiug 19 United States Patent signors to Belson Manufacturing Company, North Aurora, 11l., a partnership Application September 23, 1957, Serial No. 685,613 1' Claim. (Cl. 155'--124) This invention relates to construction of picnic tables of the well known walk-in" type which is desirably foldable to occupy a minimum of space for storage and which may be readily unfolded and set up for use with ease and rapidity.

An important object of the invention is the provision of pedestal portions for the end frame of the table that are converged intermediately and fastened together thereat to jointly form a leg and seat support, the upper end of the pedestal portions being outwardly flared to support the table top.

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for securing the intermediate portions of the pedestal together and also for articulating therewith a brace rod for the table.

In an important aspect, the flared upper portions of the end frames support an attachment bar for the table top extending thereacross and to which they are hinged.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a picnic table of the type referred to embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a dismounted and folded view of the table;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary upside down view thereof;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5;

Figure S'is a cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section, showing the connection means for the pedestal members; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; somewhat enlarged.

Referring in detail to the illustrative constructions shown in the drawings, the picnic table 11 includes the two end frames 12 each of which comprises a pair of pedestal members 13 that are desirably formed of tubular stock, of, say, one and one-half inches diameter. The pedestal members 13 have intermediate portions 14 that converge towards each other and in the region of which the members are secured together as presently described. For each pedestal member, a ground contacting or leg portion 16 of the runner type terminates in a turned-up return-bend portion 17. At their upper ends, the members 13 are flared apart as at 18, and, at their flared tops, are hinged to attachment bar 19 as at 20. The attachment bars 19 for the end frames 12 support the table top 21, in this instance formed of three individual planks 22, while the turned up return bend portions 17 support the seat planks 23 respectively. Brace rods 24 extend from lower regions of the end frames 12 to the table top 21 diagonally thereto.

Turning now to a feature of the invention embodied in the securement of the pedestal members 13 together adjacent their intermediate portion 14, as best seen in Fig. 6 the tubular members are perforated on their ad- 2,849,053 Patented Aug. 26, 1958 jacent opposed faces as at 25 for a bolster sleeve 26. Aligned with the bore of the bolster sleeve, in the outer side of each member, is a reduced perforation 27 permitting passage through the bolster sleeve 26 and through the members themselves of a cross-pin 28 of reduced diameter with respect to the sleeve. In this instance, the pin 28 is threaded at both ends where it projects from the pedestal member as at 29, to have screwed thereon the cap nuts 30, which when screwed up securely fastens the pedestal members together to make up an end frame. There are preferably two sets of these fastening members for each end frame spaced vertically apart as at 31 (Figs. 5 and 6).

A feature of this construction is that the bolster sleeves 26 are inserted into the apertures 25 before the pedestal members 13 are brought together, and, once inserted, they cannot be removed without separating the pedestal members. At the same time, the bolster sleeves take the strain from the cross-pins 28 and prevent distortion or twisting of the pedestal members relatively to each other.

Further in accordance with the present invention and similarly to the assembly of the bolster sleeve 26, the pintle 32 for the brace 24 is inserted through apertures 33 in the opposing faces of the pedestal members and before the latter are brought together, the opposite outer faces of the tubular members being imperforate so as to hold the pintle in position once it is inserted. Pintle 32 passes loosely through the lower end of the brace 24 which is shown flattened thereat for this purpose (29a). At its opposite end the brace rod 24 is angled horizontally as at 34 to slip into hole 35 in angle clip 36 that is screwed to the underface of the table top 21. Angled end 34 may be removably held in place by the usual cotter 34a.

The flaring apart of the upper portions of the opposed pedestal members, as at 18-18, advantageously takes a somewhat U-form for enhanced strength and stability.

Still following the invention, the upper end of each tubular pedestal member 13 is pierced as at 37, to have passed therethrough a hinge bolt 38 that also passes through the opposed spaced apart hinge leaves 39 that are struck out as at 30 from the attachment bar 19 (Fig. 7). The hinge bolts 38 have nuts 33a screwed thereon.

Attachment of the bars 1? to the table top 21 is advantageously accomplished when the table is in the upsidedown position shown in Fig. 2, holes being drilled in the table top using pre-formed holes of the attachment bar as a guide. Thereafter carriage bolts 41 may be passed through the wood of the table top and through the attachment bar. The latter is desirably angularly flanged as at 42 to impart strength and rigidity thereto.

Seat planks 23 are attached to the upturned return bend portion 17 of each pedestal leg by the usual bolts 43.

So constructed and arranged, by releasing the brace rod 24 in the brace rod bracket anchors 36 the end frames may be folded down onto the table top as shown in Fig. 2, the seat planks 23 having been previously removed. These may then be placed upon the folded assembly to compact the latter for storage, the brace rods 24 lying along the center line of the table.

When set up as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, and as best seen in Figs. 1 and 5 the table is of the so-called walk-in type by which is meant that a person using the table does not have to step over a seat plank to occupy a seat at the table, since each pedestal leg has an opening 44 at each end by which ingress may be had to the seat.

It is to be understood that the term picnic table is intended to include other tables of this type used for recreational or social purposes.

Such changes may be made as fall within the scope 3 of the appended claim without departing from the invention.

What is here claimed is:

In a foldable picnic table comprising an end frame having a pair of tubular pedestal members each bent to provide an intermediate portion and a table supporting portion, a ground contacting portion, and a return bend seat supporting portion, that improvement wherein the pedestal members are fastened together at their intermediate portions, the upper ends of the pedestal members being flared outwardly therefrom to somewhat U- shape, an attachment bar extending across the said upper ends, hinge means connecting each upper end to said attachment har, said intermediate portions having vertically spaced connecting means each including a bolster sleeve, the intermediate portions having confronting openings respectively receiving the bolster sleeve, perforations in the intermediate portions opposite said bolster sleeve on their outer faces respectively, reduced with respect to the bolster sleeve, a cross pin passing through said openings, perforations and bolster sleeve, and cap nuts on each end of the cross pin, confronting holes in the pedestal members in a region between their intermediate portions and their ground contact portions, said members being spaced apart thereat, a pintle in said holes having its ends extending into said members and of a length approaching the outer walls of the members, and a brace rod articulated with the pintle, the members being unapertured on their outer walls opposite said pintle whereby said pintle is held in position against accidental removal until said interengaging means are disengaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 165,777 Offutt et a1 Jan. 29, 1952 1,888,117 Fox Nov. 15, 1932 2,467,080 Duer Apr. 12, 1949 2,472,962 Shuflin June 14, 1949 20 2,664,141 Musselman Dec. 29, 1953 2,748,837 Beller June 5, 1956

Images