CN100366203C - Device for stabilizing an article having legs - Google Patents

Abstract

A stabilising arrangement for a table or other similar article comprises a cam mechanism (10), the cam mechanism (10) being rotatable on an axle (18) to engage a surface on which the table is located to prevent rocking of the table. The cam is attached to the leg by a bracket (14). The cam can be locked in the desired position.

Description

Devices for stabilizing objects having legs

technical field

The present invention relates to a device for stabilizing legged objects, especially tables, against rocking when placed on an uneven surface or having legs of slightly different lengths.

Background technique

Restaurants in particular are often annoyed by having to try to stabilize tables that wobble due to uneven ground. Tables must be moved frequently for cleaning purposes and for rearrangement in different arrangements. Often, this problem has been tried with folded paper wedges or even with wooden wedges, but in most cases with little success. The table has to be readjusted if it is moved slightly, thereby increasing the annoyance of waiters, customers and the like.

Contents of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stabilizer which is not only effective but also inexpensive to manufacture, easy to handle and which only needs to be attached to one leg of the table to be stabilized.

Contents of the invention

According to the present invention, a device for stabilizing tables, chairs, and other similar objects includes a cam mechanism mountable on one leg of said object and movable from a first position to a second position. movement, when the other leg of the article is flush with the surface on which the article rests, the first position is spaced from the surface, and in the second position a part of the cam mechanism is in contact with the surface so that when the cam mechanism is in In the second position, the article is less prone to shaking.

In a preferred form of the invention, a cam mechanism is mounted on the lower end of the leg, and rotation of the cam mechanism causes the leg to rise and fall; and means are provided to releasably lock the cam in the desired position.

In one form of the invention, the cam includes a wheel or a pair of wheels. By engaging the transverse shaft (axle) at a point away from the center of the wheel, the wheel operates like a cam. As the wheel spins, the eccentric causes the legs to lift and lift.

The cam is preferably non-reversible and can only rotate in one direction. This enables the cam to be locked in the desired position.

In a preferred form of the invention, the wheel has a braking mechanism associated with the axle. The braking mechanism preferably includes a pawl and the axle includes a ratchet. The wheel rotates unrestricted clockwise about its axle, but attempted rotation in a counterclockwise direction causes the pawl to immediately engage the helical teeth of the ratchet, acting as a brake.

The ratchet is housed in the hollow body of the wheel and can rotate around the hub. Integral to the ratchet is a central cylindrical shaft forming an axle that passes through the hub and engages the mounting bracket through an opening.

In a preferred form of the invention, the mounting bracket used to attach the device to the article leg is a right angle bracket, one part of which can be fixed to the leg of a table or the like and the other part provides for the eccentric Mount point. Secure the bracket to the axle with a mounting screw.

In this form, the mounting screw engages a central hole in the axle, the outer end of which includes a polygonal projection for engaging a complementary opening in the bracket. This ensures that the axle is secured to the bracket and thus to the table leg while the wheel rotates around the axle. The brackets are easily screwed or otherwise secured to the table legs.

In another form of the invention, the cam comprises a two-wheel caster having an eccentrically disposed transverse axle, the wheel including a weighted portion which biases the wheel in a particular direction, And make the wheels spin with the help of gravity.

This form of the invention may be secured to the legs of a table or other article by suitable clamps or the like, which in turn are secured to a shaft which includes at its lower end a transverse shaft for receiving the cam. short transverse tubular portion. It is important to note that the angle of the legs does not affect the operation of the device, because the cam is always at the lowest point of its rotational trajectory whether the legs are vertical, horizontal, or some angle in between. The point meshes with the ground. The transverse tubular part is provided with a clutch bearing, by means of which the transverse axis of the wheel can only rotate in one direction.

In use, the device is attached to, for example, a leg of a table. When the table is placed in the desired position and the table is found to be unstable due to uneven ground, the cam wheel is rotated clockwise to a position in which shaking of the table is eliminated as the cam has effectively filled the ground Clearance from the bottom of the leg the cam is attached to. At this time, due to the irreversibility of the cam, the cam cannot rotate in reverse.

The diameter of the wheel will determine the size of the leg extension, or provide a different size of gap which the device uses to eliminate instability. The device described has the advantage that incremental adjustments can be made down to a few tenths of a millimeter, thus ensuring the exact height adjustment required.

The device of the present invention may be retrofitted to existing tables, or may be provided integrally with the table. Thus, according to a second aspect of the invention, a table or other similar article includes a cam mechanism connected to at least one leg of the table or other similar article, the cam mechanism being movable from a first position to a second position. movement, when the other leg of the article is flush with the surface on which the article rests, the first position is spaced from the surface, and in the second position a part of the cam mechanism contacts the surface so that when the cam mechanism is in the second In this position, the item is not easily shaken.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the preferred forms of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 (a) is the table leg stereogram of the four-leg table of device of the present invention being housed;

Figure 1(b) and Figure 2 are enlarged perspective side views of the device shown in Figure 1 at minimum and maximum leg extension positions, respectively;

Figure 3 and Figure 4 are the same views as Figure 1 and Figure 2 except that the cover plate is removed;

Figure 5 is a side view of the brake release;

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are brakes respectively engaged in Fig. 1 and 3; The described device side view of Fig. 2 and 4 positions;

Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are respectively in Fig. 1,3 and Fig. 2, the rear view of described device of 4 positions;

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the device;

Figure 11 is a front enlarged perspective view of the wheel, ratchet and brake;

Figure 12 is a rear view of the components shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a perspective front view of the bracket and cover;

FIG. 14 is a perspective rear view of the components shown in FIG. 13 .

Detailed ways

In the figures, the device according to the invention comprises an eccentric 10 fixed at or close to the bottom of a table leg 12 . This eccentric acts like a cam, and as it rotates, it effectively raises the table leg to any desired amount between the minimum and maximum positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively. The wheel can only spin in one direction, clockwise. Attempts to turn counterclockwise caused the brake to engage. This allows the device to be adjusted into place, preventing it from rocking.

Described wheel is the fixture that is loaded on the table leg with bracket 14, and described bracket 14 is fixed on the table leg by bolt or screw. Wherever the table has a built-in leveler, the leveler can be removed and replaced with the device of the present invention. Mounting screws 16 secure the bracket to an axle 18 projecting from the rear of the hub 20 . The rear portion of the axle has a central hole 22 for receiving mounting screws, and the section is square. The bracket includes the same square hole 24 for engaging the square rear portion 23 of the axle to prevent rotation of the axle relative to the bracket and thus relative to the table leg. As shown in FIG. 12 , the axle 18 includes a central cylindrical shaft 26 , the inner end of which is fixed to a ratchet 28 having a larger diameter than the cylindrical shaft 26 . A channel formed between the shaft and the ratchet is fitted to the hub 20 and rotates around it.

Ratchet 28 is contained in the hollow body of wheel 10. The braking mechanism associated with the axle comprises a pawl 30 pivotally mounted on a location 32 and comprising a support element 34 . This arrangement allows the wheel to resist rotation clockwise about the axle, but counterclockwise rotation causes the teeth 36 of the brake and teeth 38 of the ratchet to immediately engage.

As can be seen from Figures 3 to 7, the wheel 10 is mounted eccentrically, with the axle 18 and the hub 20 located between the center of the wheel and the adjacent edge. Thus, the wheel rotates according to a trajectory that progressively increases the distance from the center of the axle 18 to the ground (distance A-A in FIG. 5 ) to a maximum value measurable by distance B-B in FIGS. 6 and 7 . Thus, this rotation effectively increases the clearance between the bottom of the legs 12 and the ground, thereby stabilizing the table against wobbling. This will be further illustrated by comparing the distance between the bottom of the leg 40 and the bottom of the wheel 42 (distances X-Y and X-Z in Figures 8 and 9). At any point between the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rotation can be stopped and locked, effectively reducing the clearance to the amount needed to stabilize the table. Further clockwise rotation towards the starting point shown in Figure 3 will make the table progressively less stable.

Alternative Embodiments of the Invention

Figures 15, 16 and 17 are perspective front views of the device according to the invention in three different positions corresponding to three (out of many) possible height adjustments;

Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the device;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a table with the device attached to a leg;

as well as

Fig. 20 is an enlarged view of the lower end of a table leg.

In FIGS. 15 to 18 , the device 50 according to the invention comprises a two-wheel caster comprising an eccentrically arranged transverse axle 52 to which a vertical shaft 54 is connected. The vertical shaft is clamped (Figs. 19 and 20) on the legs 56 of the table 58 to be stabilized. In this example, the legs are vertical, so the vertical axis 54 is also oriented vertically. If the table legs are horizontal or inclined, then the vertical axis only needs to be oriented at the same angle for easy clamping.

At least one wheel of the caster includes a weighted portion 60 in the form of a metal insert which allows the wheel to be deflected in a desired direction under the force of gravity.

The caster acts as a non-reversible cam that only rotates in a clockwise direction so that once the wheel is rotated to the desired position where the effective length of the table leg is increased, the wheel will not roll backwards , and does not set back the extension of the leg. The irreversible movement of the cam is achieved by mounting a transverse axle, which may be arranged in two parts 52 a and 52 b , in a clutch bearing 64 in a tubular part 66 at the bottom of the vertical shaft 54 . The clutch bearing only allows rotation in one direction.

In Figures 15 to 17 three different positions or orientations of the device are shown. In Figure 1, the transverse axis or axle 52 of the device is located on top of the wheel, thus in a position that provides maximum height extension. In FIG. 16 the axle is approximately at the midpoint of the wheel, thus providing approximately half the extension of FIG. 1 . However, in Figure 17, the device provides minimal extension.

In Figures 19 and 20, the device of the present invention is shown locked in a position in which the table 58 is stable and does not rock. Clamps 62 attach the device to table legs 56 .

Claims (9)

1. one kind is used for stable device with article of leg, it comprises a cam mechanism, described cam mechanism can be contained on the one leg of article, and can move from first position and second position, when other legs of described article and the residing flush of article, separate on described first position and this surface, second position, the part of cam mechanism contacts with this surface, thereby when cam mechanism during second position, article are not easy to shake, and it is characterized in that: described cam is irreversible and can only rotate in one direction.

2. device according to claim 1, wherein, described cam comprises eccentric wheel, be connected on the wheel eccentric shaft of described wheel and described leg is risen along with the rotation of wheel or descend, described wheel comprises the arrestment mechanism that links to each other with the axle of wheel, it is characterized in that arrestment mechanism comprises ratchet, and the axle of wheel comprises ratchet.

3. device according to claim 2 is characterized in that, wheel causes the helical teeth of ratchet and ratchet directly to mesh around the clockwise direction that rotates to be of wheel axle, thereby plays the effect of brake.

4. device according to claim 2, it is characterized in that, ratchet is installed in the hollow body of wheel, and can rotate around wheel hub, described ratchet comprises holistic central cylindrical shaft, described central cylindrical shaft forms the axle of wheel, and the axle of described wheel runs through wheel hub, by an opening and installation bracket engagement.

5. device according to claim 2, wherein, by the right angle installation bracket, cam mechanism can be contained on the leg of article, and the part of right angle installation bracket can be fixed on the leg of article, another part provides mounting points for eccentric wheel, carriage is connected on the axle of described wheel by mounting screw, it is characterized in that the centre bore engagement on the axle of mounting screw and wheel, the outer end of the axle of described wheel comprises a polygon ridge, be used for carriage on complementary openings engagement.

6. device according to claim 2 is characterized in that cam comprises the two-wheel swivel wheel, described two-wheel swivel wheel has the eccentric lateral shaft that is provided with, described wheel comprises and increases the weight of part that this increases the weight of part makes wheel towards specific direction skew, and wheel can be rotated under the help of gravity.

7. device according to claim 6 is characterized in that the swivel wheel lateral shaft is connected with a vertical shaft, and its lower end of this vertical shaft comprises and is used to accept the hyphen of swivel wheel lateral shaft to tubular portion; And this vertical shaft is by clamp, and these anchor clamps are connected on the leg of described article.

8. device according to claim 7 is characterized in that transversal tubular partly is provided with clutch bearing, and under the effect of described clutch bearing, the lateral shaft of described swivel wheel can only be towards a direction rotation.

9. article with leg, wherein, it includes cam mechanism, described cam mechanism is connected at least one leg of described article, described cam mechanism can move from first position and second position, when other legs of described article and article flush of living in, separate on described first position and this surface, second position, the part of cam mechanism contacts with this surface, thereby when cam mechanism during second position, article are not easy to shake, it is characterized in that described cam mechanism is irreversible.

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