US2770897A - Folding ironing board - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 24, 1954 R 1.2.. m. 2 51 .1 6 2% a .J m J in n n 35 M 6y 2. s 7 5 17% a z w 5 J ATTD RN EYS Nov. 20, 1956 A. J. OLSHEFSKI 2,770,397

- Fowmc mourns BOARD Filed Nov. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

- 28 5' ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent FOLDING IRONlNG BOARD Anthony J. Olshefslti, Kulpmont, Pa. Application November 24, 1954, Serial No. 470,849

3 Claims. (Cl. 38-124) This invention relates to a folding iron board, and more particularly to a latch for the legs of a folding iron board.

This invention is an improvement over the Folding Iron Board, shown and described in my Patent No. 2,647,333.

The object of the invention is to provide a folding iron board which includes a leg structure that has a latch mechanism for preventing accidental folding or collapsing of the legs and table when the table is being used, and wherein the entire unit can be readily folded to occupy a small compact space when it is being carried or stored.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible leg structure which can be used for supporting various articles such as iron boards, and wherein there is provided a plurality of hingedly or pivotally mounted legs which are adapted to be locked in their open or supporting position, and wherein the locking mechanism can be readily released by pressure of the hand on a chain or cable so that the legs can be pivoted to permit the entire device to be folded into a compact unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding iron board which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, [forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

\Figure -1 is a side elevational view of the folding iron board of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing the iron board open and with the legs engaging a floor or other surface.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the position of the parts when the legs are moving down as when the legs will engage a floor or the like.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the position of the parts as the legs are moved down still further so that the latch is moved upwardly by the keepers.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 6 and 7, but showing the legs all the way down and beginning to be locked.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, but showing the legs all the way down and locked in their down position.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, but showing the latch being raised by the chain and the legs released.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a substantially U-shaped support member which can be made of any suitable material, and the support member 10 includes a horizontally disposed base 11 and a pair of spaced parallel side walls 12. Each of the 2,770,897 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 side walls 12 is provided with an opposed cutout or opening 14 for a purpose to be later described.

Plus or bolt and nut assemblies 16 serve to pivotally or hingedly connect to the side walls 12 a plurality of legs 15. The legs 15 are arranged in pairs and the legs of each pair are interconnected together by means of a brace or 'crosspiece 17.

The folding iron board of the present invention further includes a locking mechanism for maintaining the legs 15 in their operative or supporting position, and this locking means comprises a pair of brackets 18. Each of the brackets 18 are secured to the outer surface of the side walls 12 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of screws or other securing elements 24. Each of the brackets 18 has the same construction and each includes an intermediate olfset portion 19 which defines a channel for slidably receiving therein a shank 20. Secured to the lower end of the shank 20 or formed integral therewith is a latch 21. The latch 21 is provided with a pair of spaced apart recesses or cutouts 22 which have a lug 23 arranged therebetween, Figure 9.

Secured to each of the legs 15 is a keeper 25, and the keeper 25 includes a first portion 26 which may be secured to a leg by suitable securing elements 27. Arranged angularly with respect to the first portion 26 is a second portion 28 which can be made of spring metal, and projecting at right angles from each of the portions 28 is a finger '29 which is adapted to engage the recess 22.

Extending inwardly from the upper end of each of the shanks 20 is an ear 30 which is provided with an opening 31 on its inner end, Figure 4. An eyebolt 32 has its stem 33 extending through the aperture 31, and a nut 34 is arranged in engagement with the stem 33. A chain 35v has its ends connected to the pair of eyebolts 32, and the chain 35 extends through eye members 36 which are secured to the inner surface of the ide walls 12, and the chain 35 is guided by the eye members 36.

The legs 15 may be pivotally connected to the side walls 12 as previously described, and interconnecting the pair of side walls 12 together are crosspieces 38 which each have a bushing or handle 37 thereon. Braces 39 and '40, Figures 1 and 2, may be pivotally connected to the side walls 12 of the support member 10, and these braces can be connected in any suitable manner to a structure being supported such as the ironing board sections 13 and '14 shown in my prior Patent 2,647,333. However, it is to be understood that the collapsible supporting structure of the present invention can be used for supporting other devices besides iron boards.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a [folding leg and latch structure for supporting various articles such as ironing boards. In Figure 3 the legs and latch mechanism are shown in the position they occupy when an ironing board is being used or supported so that the plurality of legs 15 are separated and held in their spaced apart relation by means of the fingers 29 which project into the recesses 22 of the latch 21. This construction prevents the legs 15 from spreading further apart so that the ironing board will be held stationary or immobile in its adjusted positions. When the ironing board supporting structure is to be collapsed as when it is to be moved or carried from place to place, it is only necessary to pull on the chain 35 and this will raise the shank 20 which in turn will lift the latch 21 whereby the fingers 29 of the keepers 25 will be free to clear the recesses 22 so that the legs 15 will be free to pivot about the pins 16 to a position contiguous to the side wall 12 of the support member 10. The crosspieces 17 can be used as handle members when the legs 15 are in their folded position. To move the legs 15 from their folded or collapsed position back to the position shown in Figure 3, the reverse procedure is followed and.

.9 it is only necessary to release the legs so that they first move to the position shown in Figure 6 and then the parts move to the position shown in Figure 7, then to the position shown in Figure 8 and finally to the position shown in Figure 9 which shows the legs locked down by means of the latch 21. Figure 10 is an enlarged View illustrating the fingers 29 being released as when the chain 35 is manually raised.

With the present invention the pair of latches on each of the walls will both be released simultaneously since the shank of each of the pair of latches is connected to the same chain 35. The recesses 22 are constructed so that when the fingers 29 are therein, there will be no accidental releasing of the parts. The channel 19 in the bracket 18 prevents the latch from swaying from side to side and the chain 35 is normally out of view so that the attractiveness of the device i not impaired. The openings 14 are of such a size as to limit up and down movement of the cars 30 and shanks 20. The ironing board can be quickly opened by letting the legs 15 fall down on the floor and then gripping the handle and :lifting the board up to the positionshown in Figures 1 and 2 and as the board is lifted up the weight of the legs with the fingers 29 will move as shown in the drawings so that the fingers 29 will move into the openings 22 and then the latch 21 will move to the position shown in Figure 9 so that the legs will be locked in their open or supporting position. To release the latch for closing the legs, it is only necessary to lift up on the chain 35 and this will release the latch so that the legs can be swung to their closed position. Thus it will be seen that the legs open automatically when the board is lifted up, and then to release the legs as when they are to be closed, it is only necessary to again raise the entire ironing board and then lift the chain so that the legs can be pivoted. The legs fold over the top of the board as shown in Figure 1 and the structure of the present invention can be used for supporting other devices besides ironing boards such as tables. The bolts 38 and members 37 serve as braces for holding the sides together. The members 37 are also used as handles when the legs are down to lift the board up to an open position, or rather a standing position. The cross pieces 17 are used for carrying the board when closed.

I claim:

1. In combination, a U-shaped support member including a horizontally disposed base and a pair of spaced parallel side walls extending upwardly from said base, said base extending between the lower ends of said side walls and serving as a brace member there being registering cutouts in said side walls, a pair of legs pivotally connected to the lower portions of each of said side walls, said legs being arranged contiguous to the outer surface of said side walls, cross pieces interconnecting opposed legs together, a latch mechanism for each pair of legs comprising a bracket secured to the outer surface of each of said walls and including an intermediate offset port-ion defining a channel, a shank slidably mounted in said channel, a latch secured to the lower end of said shank and provided with a pair of recesses defining a lug therebetween, a keeper secured to each of said legs and including an offset section terminating in an angularly arranged finger for engagement with the recesses in said latch, an apertured ear extending inwardly from said shank through the cutout in each of said side walls, and a chain connected to the pair of ears.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, and further including eyebolts secured to the inner surface of each of said side walls for the projection therethrough of said chain.

3. In a collapsible supporting structure for an ironing board, a U-shaped support member including a base and a pair of spaced parallel side walls, a pair of diverging legs pivotally connected to the lower ends of each of said side walls, said legs being arranged contiguous to the outer surface of said side walls, said base extending bet-ween the lower ends of said side walls and serving as a brace member, a latch mechanism connected to each of said side walls for maintaining said legs open, a manually operable means for simultaneously releasing said pair of latch mechanisms, said latch mechanisms each embodying a bracket secured to each of said side walls, a shank slidably mounted in said bracket, a latch on the lower end of said shank, and a keeper secured to each of said legs for engagement with said latch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Amber Oct. 26, 1954

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