Folding picnic table
OwnerJoseph Giambalvoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible table and seat assembly, preferably a picnic table, can be conveniently folded into relatively small and compact form for storage or transportation. The table includes folding braces which connect the table legs and support the braces holding the table top. The braces open from a jack-knife position to a stop position slightly beyond rectilinear. Self-locating hook and guide elements ensure proper alignment of the two halves of the table tops when placing the table into the opened position. The table is preferably made with top and seats of wood, and remaining portions of lightweight metal.
Claims10
A picnic table foldable between an open operative position and a closed position, comprising:
- two U-shaped table legs each having two upper elements connected at the lower end thereof to a lower connecting element, the free ends of each said upper element of one leg being pivotably connected to the respective free ends of the other leg;
- a center beam connecting the opposite connected ends of said table legs;
- two folding leg braces each connecting opposite upper elements of said pair of table legs, each said leg brace being pivotable at a center pivot thereof and pivotably connected at the ends thereof to the respective upper elements of said table legs, said leg braces having locking means at their center pivots for locking said leg braces into a substantially horizontal position when the table is in an open position, said leg braces thereby forming closed triangles with the upper ends of the respective ones of said upper elements when in the open position;
- two table leaves connectable at connecting edges thereof to form a horizontal table surface when the table is in the open position;
- connecting means connected to said table leaves at the connecting edges thereof for connecting said table leaves when the table is in the open position;
- four table supports, each of said table supports being pivotably connected at one end thereof to the underside of one of said table leaves at a corner opposite said connecting edge and pivotably connected at the other end thereof to the upper portion of one of said upper elements of said table legs;
- four folding table braces each being pivotable at a center pivot thereof and pivotably connected at one end thereof to a respective one of said table supports and pivotably connected at the other end thereof to a respective one of said upper elements below the connection of the respective one of said table supports thereto, said table braces having locking means at their center pivots for locking said table braces into a substantially vertical position when the table is in an open position, said table braces thereby forming a closed triangle with the respective table supports and upper leg elements when in the open position;
- two seat portions;
- four seat supports each fixedly connected at one end thereof to the underside of one of said seat portions near a respective end thereof and each said seat support being pivotably connected at the opposite end thereof to a respective upper element of said table legs;
- two U-shaped seat legs each having two upper members connected at the lower end thereof to a bottom member, each free end of each said upper member being pivotably connected to the underside of the opposite ends of a respective one of said seat portions;
- and
- clip means for releasably connecting each said bottom member of said seat legs to the respective one of said lower connecting element of said table legs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.