US1846492A - Folding furniture - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1932. D. OH

FOLDING FURNITURE Filed May 5,. 1950 FIG.

FIG. 5

INVENTOR DEL/WV? Lav/5 JOHNSON ATTORN EYS "folding furniture, particularly to. an article Patented Feb. 23, 1932 DELMAR; LEWIS JOHNSON,='OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI FOLDING FURNITURE Application-filed "May 3, 1930; SeriaLNo. 449,451.

This invention relates to: improvements in of furniture ofimprojved adaptation as a table for shoWer-bathing and dressing infants. V

."Thetpresent invention constitutes a con-. ,tinuation, in part, of an appliCatiOn i-lled 'by' me on'April26, 1929, and bearing Serial Number 358,300. The present disclosure ein-j bodies the maj or'elements and features shown and described. in the former application, as Well as certaln improvements over the orignal sub ect matter.

The object ofthe invention may bestated generally asthat of providing'a noveland convenient support for infants While: being bathedQrinsed and dressed, the support being structedof companion portions rotatable relative to each other tobringthe support from a substantially flat, folded assenibly, into nor-.

of such a nature as to minimize the" effort incident to lifting and moving aninfant be- 7 tween the'difierent stages or" steps fof the coinpleted process.

A further object is toprov'i'de a' 'supporting structure for i the purposes noted, and coninal position of use, and vice versa.

Astill further "object of the invention. is

to provide a table or support having the char acteristics' heretofore enumerated, and in which the element'innnediately supporting the infant is'of a flexible, readily replaceable and Washable material, and so formed as to shower-bathing children,

through the agencyof a waterproofeovering' provide for drainage facilitieswherebythe support may be employed for the purpose of and thereafter,

for the support, serve as a table or benchfor drying and dress ng purposes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an. improved folding table" for the purposes noted, and 'Which is characterized by a single legstructure so formedthat the device maybe used as asupport auxiliary to' the usual bathtubs of. adult size, and supported thereby at a 'convenient'working.

height so as to eliminate-bending or sto'oping -While bathing and dressing c'liildren, with the aid of the device.

A still further object maybe noted as'the provision, in combination-with the flexible o supporting element orcover noted above,-of a pocket-forinlng portion adapted toco'ntain, foreasy access, all or a number ofthe accessory materials incidentto the bathing and dressing of small children. i

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the descriptionprd ceeds, and from the accompanying drawings forming a part of'the present disclo.sure,and

Y in Which i Fig. 1- is an elevationin perspective ofthe shower and dressing table as norm'allyset up for use, and supp'ortedpartiallybyandmbove abath tub of usual type; Fig. 2 is a side ele- Vation of the table as compactly folded for.

storage when not in use;"Fig'. 3is 'anend elevation of the device as positioned-for use; and"Fig.-' 4 is anelevation'al detail of the clamping deviceemployed in positioning th table'for use. I

' It will be understood'that' the"following description is more orless specificallydetailed to the disclosure appearing in the-present' drawings, and'is to be understood'in a descriptive rather than a limiting sense. Obvious'changes 1n the choice of material-employed, the Y elements forming the various parts of structure described, as Well as in the arrangement of the parts lnay be made Without departing from the spiritand full intend ed scope "oft'he invention. i

1 Referringnow by reference numerals-to the drawings, the table, or-supporting portion of the structure, consists 'of a frame constituted O by a pairof end rails 5*and 6 constru'cted preferably of WOOCl "and correspondingly socketed on their inner faces to receive a pair ofs ide rails T and8. The side'rails are preferably of circular cross: section, for spurposes hereinafter appearing, and may be glued as by waterproof glue, or otherwise secured into the appropriate sockets therefor in the rails 5 and 6. Also extending between the end rails 5 and 6, on the side most remote from the operator, is an auxiliary brace rail 9 which serves endwise to strengthen the rails 5 and 6, the brace ra l extending between their free ends which project inwardly beyond the supporting surface proper as will appear, and serve normally as horizontal leg portions.

The supporting surface is, by preference, formed of a canvas cover 10, or like washable flexible material, and which, by further preference, is secured only at its sides. The innermost side of the canvas cover is secured to the round side rail 8, and extends transversely of the table, toward the operator and into engagement with the rail 7. The rails 7 and 8, to the end of engagin and stretching the canvas cover 10, are provided with a plurality of fasteners 11, in register with each of which is a groinet 12 in the cover. It is pre ferred to construct the fasteners 11, as well as the groniets, of such metal, or so plated, as to be rendered rust proof.

Intermediate the sides and ends of the cover 10 are a plurality of apertures 13, for purpose of drainage as the infant is being washed, showerbathed or rinsed. The apertures 13 are, by preference, provided with groinets 14: so as to prevent any tendency of the fabric to unravel where it is perforated. If desired, the end portions of-the canvas cover may be provided with a pair or more of apertures provided with gromcts as shown at 15, for the purpose of inserting a draw string or he equivalent for keeping the vas cover taut, as it may tend to loosen under the influence of repeated use and application of moisture.

As will hereinafter more fully appear from the description and use of the present table, it is my preference to provide an auxiliary cover 16, which in the present instance would be constructed of rectangular shape and correspond snbstantially to the effective area of the cover 10. The cover 16 is, by preference, formed of a water tight or waterproof, nonabsorbent material such as rubber sheeting, and may be secured in place as by glove fasteners 17, there being one of such fasteners disposed at each corner of the working surface of the cover 10.

Depending from and, by preference, form-- ing a part of the cover 10, is an overhanging or tab portion 18 presented laterally so as to hang vertically on the side of the table nearest the operator. This tab portion may be formed of such width and length as to be folded upon itself, the folds being sewed to the main body of the tab in a manner to form a plurality of pockets 19, each shown as opening at the top and affording convenient reample as towel racks or handles by which to support the table when setting it up, there are provided, one on each of the end rails 5 and 6, U-shaped extensions 20 and 21. These members are, by preference, formed of metal and, like other metal parts of the structure,

preferably formed or processed to resist rusting. It will readily appear that the auxiliary brace rail 9 may also be employed for lifting purposes, or as a rack for garments, towels and the like.

The description thus far has related to the horizontal supporting portion of the structure by way of describing its component parts. The sub-structure consists of a pair of legs of substantially A shape, each of which is pivotally secured at its upper end to one of the end rails 5 or 6 as by a through pin 24:, this pivot being disposed by preference substantially nearer the operators side of the table. The opposite, or lower ends of the legs 22 and 23 are shown as bifurcated, being arcuately recessed to correspond in curvature to, and for the purpose of engaging, the longitudinal hand rail of bath tubs of usual type and proportions. It will be seen that the legs 22 and 23 thus engage the opposite sides of the hand rail of the tub in a manner effectively to prevent movement of the table structure laterally or transversely of the tub when employed therewith. Extending lengthwise of the table and between the lower portions of the legs 22 and 23 is a brace 25, preferably of circular section and having at each end a shoulder (not shown) to receive at a point just inside of each of the legs 22 and 23, strut members 26 and 27, one at each end of the table.

The struts are adapted to extend inwardly across the tub and upwardly therefrom (Figs. 1 and 3) to engage in supporting relation the inner ends of the rails 5 and 6. For this purpose and to enable selectively locating the point of connection between the struts 26 and 27 and rails 5 and 6, I have provided at the outer end of each strut a pivotally supported clamp, consisting of a pair of clamping jaws normally resiliently urged toward open position, and adapted to be actuated toward closed position by a lever-operated cam pivoted to the outermost clamping jaw, all of which will clearly appear from Fig. at. One of such clamping devices is shown generally at 28. For engagement by the clamps, each of the rails 5 and 6 is provided, as an extension from its under surface, a beaded portion 30 which may be formed as an integral part of each rail, or made separately and secured thereto.

For purposes of assembling and strengthening the supporting structure endwise and and 23, and the wood screw being taken into the end section ofthe brace 25, at each end. The rigidity of the leg structure, particularly the portion constituted by struts 26 and 2?,

may be increased by employing an auxiliary brace 33 extending lengthwise of the structure and between substantially intermediate portions of the struts 26 and 27 As will appear from Fig. 1, the dressing and shower table of the present invention is adapted for primary support on the outermost longitudinal hand rail of the usual bath tub of adult size, auxiliary support being derived by abutting and frictional engagement of the free extremities of rails 5 and 6, with a substantially vertical wall surface.

It is of course desirable to enhance the frictionalengagement at these points as far as practical. To this end and to avoid. any tendency to mar the wall surface, I provide friction elements 34, formed say'of rubber, and

which may be secured as by a wood screw directly to the ends of therails 5 and 6.

The manner of folding the described table from its normal position of use, and vice versa, the operation of extending it for use from its folded position, are thought to be fully apparent from the preceding descriptionof parts and their relation, but may be briefly referred to for sake of completeness. Considering the tablein its set-up position as shown in Fig. 1, and desiring it to be folded, the clamps 28 arereleased as by lifting the clamp handles, thus freeing the ends of struts 26 and 27, after which the leg assembly including legs 22 and 23, brace 25, .the struts, etc. may be rotated as a unit, in a counter clockwise direction (Fig. 3) about the pivots 24. Such rotation is carried through substantially three-fourths of a revolutic-n, or until the legs 22 and 23 are brought into substantial parallelism with the rails 5 and 6, with the brace 25 substantially overlying the side rail 9. The struts 26 and 27 being free to rotate about the brace 25, are further rotated in the opposite direction, into substantial parallelism with the legs 22 and 23 and hence also with the end rails 5 and 6, after which the table lies substantially flat, (Fig. 2), so as'to occupy a minimum'space enabling it to be readily stored or compactly containedpending future use When the table is folded the clamps 28 may be rotated about their pivots to the position shown in Fig.2, and clampingly actuated to engage adjacent projections 29 on the end rails, thus effectively securing the device. in folded po sition.

.While the operation of folding the table has been described by' reference to a movement of the leg structure relative'to the normally horizontal supportin or table portion, the leg structure may ohviously be kept stationary and the table portion rotated within andbetween the legs 22 and 23 to produce the same result. An advantage, upon folding, will be observed when it is considered that upon rotatin the parts of the table into folded relation, the tab 18 forming pockets 19 will'be' brought, usually without separate effort, to such position that it immediately overlies the upper working surface of the table, for example the cover 10, the parts being in such relation that the pockets 19 fallbetweenthetablS and the cover 10 in a manner to conceal and protect the contents of the pockets.

It will appear from the preceding description of parts and arrangement of the device that it has been designed throughout with a View of combining maximum adaptability and utility with a. structure of unusually light weight and compactness. The device of the present showinghas been constructed as a bathing and dressing table for infants and children weighing up to thirty-five pounds. On this basis, the device provides a safety factor of at least four, being ample to support without danger of breakage the weight of the normal adult of 140 to 150 pounds. I

' The provision of a flexible supporting surface consisting primarily of the canvas cover 10, has been found to be of particular advantage in that itenables ready replacement and laundering of this element. The provision of a. cover of double thickness, the thick nesses thereof consisting respectively of the cover 10 and the auxiliary cover 16 which may be of rubber, will be noted as of obvious advantage inthat, for purposes of bathing, the rubbercover may be removed or rolled to occupy only one edge of the operating surface. During the process of bathing, the canvas cover 10 will be, of course, depressed somewhat by the weight of the infant so as to bring one or more of the drainage apertures'13 near the lowest portions of the cover, which provision renders the table convenient as a support for shower bathing purposes. The provision of the auxiliary cover 16 of waterproof material, provides a surface which may be kept dry and laid over the previously moistened cover, so that the infant may be dried and dressed on the same support, to the end of minimizing lifting and transfer steps.

"The recited provision for supporting the table primarily from the outside hand rail of .thetub and by a vertical wall portion on the opposite side of the tub, has been found to be "ofparticular utility, since in some instances the inner side of the tub may be embedded in the wall and consequently not available for supporting :a'table having the usual legs on its opposite sides.

I. claim:

1. Atableappliance'fon usewith-bath tubs. and thelike, inoludingaframe, positioning means extended substantiallyv transversely from the frame, a leg structure-pivoted at one extremity to the frame,andcombinedtmeans for selectively positioning the-leg structure with respect-to the frame, and! selectively spacing the-free extremities of. said positioning means and leg structure.

2. A table folding appliance for use with bath tubs and the like,.includinga frame of substantially fixed dimensions, and legportions pivoted to said frameand arranged for rotation. between opposite sides of; the plane of the frame as the pivotal portions are moved between their normalor operative, and their folded positions.

3. A table appliance having a. normally horizontal frame portion and a unitary leg structure pivoted to each other for relative rotation about the plane of the frame and arranged for engagement with supporting surfaces disposed substantially at a right angle to each other, and means for adjusting the-angularity of said frame and leg structure to compensate for differences in horizontal distances between the-supporting surfaces.

4. A table appliance for use with a bathtub, including aframe and leg portions for hori zontal disposition above thetub, a leg portionpivotally secured to the frame, and combined means for securing the pivoted leg'portion in adjust-ed angular relation to the frame, and for adjusting the distance between extremities of the horizontal and pivotedleg portions.

5. A table appliance adapted for use with bath tubs and the like, including a framed supporting portion, fixed leg; portions extending substantially parallel to the framed portion, a leg structure pivotally associated with the framed portion, and means for ad justing the width of the appliance between legextremities, said means including an. element engaging said legstructure near the free extremity thereof, andfor selectively engaging the framed: structure at selective distances from the point of pivotal connection of said leg structure.

6. In a device adapted for use in combination with bath tubs andthe like, a supporting frame of. fixed dimensions, a legstructure pivoted near one side-of saidframe, a brace pivoted near the free end of said leg structure and a clamp associated with said brace and arranged for engaging the frame structure at selected distances from the point of pivotal engagement of the leg structure.

7. A foldable table-appliance for bath tubs and the like, including a frame adapted as a support in horizontal: position, a leg structurepivoted to the frame near oneside thereof, a brace member pivotedt'o the leg structure at one end, a clamping device-,pivotally secured tothe opposite end of said brace member, and means forming a longitudinal seat on said frame for engagement by saidclamping device. 7

8. A foldable table appliance for bath tubs and the like, including a table'frame of fixed dimensions having horizontal. legs, a single, unitary normally depending leg structure, one end of which is pivotally connected to the frame, means for clampingly adjusting the angular relation of the leg structure to the frame and the distance relation between the extremities of the horizontal and the depending legs when the appliance is in operative position.-

9. A foldable tableappliance for bath tubs and the like, including a table frame of fixed dimensions having horizontal legs, a normally. depending leg'structure, one end of. which is pivotally connected to the frame at one side thereof, and means for clampingly securing the leg structure to the frame when the appliance isin operative position whereby to alter the distance between theextremities of the horizontal and the depending legs, said securing means further adapted for securing the leg structure in substantially parallel adjacence to the frame when the device is in folded position.

10. In combination with a folding table appliance for use with bath tubs and the like, a frame of fixed dimensions, a leg structure pivoted thereto, clampingmeans carried by the leg structure and adapted for engaging the frame, with the leg structure in depending relation to the frame, and further adapted for clampingly engaging the frame to secure the attachment in folded position.

7 11. A folding table for use with bath tubs and: the like, including a frame, a leg portion pivoted to the frame and normally disposed in depending relation thereto, said leg portion being adapted for rotation from one side of the frame in operative position,.to the opposite side of the frame when in folded posi tion, and means for detachably positioning the leg portion on. either side of the frame.

12. A foldable bathing and dressing table adapted foruse with. bath tubs and the like, the table including a normally horizontal frame portion having end rails extended in the plane of the frame to form horizontal legs, side rails on said frame, a plurality of detachable flexible coverings supported between said side rails, separate means for attaching said coverings to the frame, a pair of legs pivoted at opposite ends of the frame and arranged for rotation about an axis extending through the plane of the frame and at one side of its median line, said legs being provided at their lower extremities with arcuate tub-rail engaging seats, a pair of braces, each pivotally connected to one of said pivoted legs, clamps pivotally. connected with the free ends of said braces, a longitudinal projection upon the under surface of each end rail of the frame structure and adapted for selective engagement by the corresponding clamp, the pivoted legs having a brace extending therebetvveen whereby such legs are adapted for rotation as a unit, from depending position on one side of the frame when the device is in operative position, to a relation of substantially parallel adjacence with the opposite side of the frame when the attachment is folded for storage and the like.

DELMAR LEWIS JOHNSON.

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