US3278147A

US3278147A - Self-surface conforming and self-locking foot for ironing table leg

Info

Publication number: US3278147A
Application number: US429783A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kemuel B Olander
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-02-02
Filing date: 1965-02-02
Publication date: 1966-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-11
Also published as: GB1059894A

Description

@ct. M, W66 K B. OLANDER 3,278,147

SELF-SURFACE CONfiORMING AND SELF-LOCKING FOOT FOR IRONING TABLE LEG Filed Feb. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWW! . VFNYTOR. F /(EMUL'-'A B; 049M051? i 11, 1966 B. OLANDER 3,278,147

K. SELF-SURFACE CONFORMING AND SELF-LOCKING FOOT FOR IRONING TABLE LEG Filed Feb. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 PIE; 5

35 6 f l8 i A 5 2 5' INVFNTOR. Kawmm B, QAIQWDER Oct. 11, 1966 K B. OLANDER 3,278,147

SELF-SURFACE CONFORMING AND SELF-LOCKING FOOT FOR IRONING TABLE LEG Filed Feb. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGS INVENTOR. IKE/Wu?! B. aim/DER 4 Yawn/Em United States Patent 3,278,147 SELF-SURFACE CONFORMING AND SELF-LOCK- IN G FOOT FOR IRONING TABLE LEG Kemuel B. Olander, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to John R. Clark, Minuetonka Beach, Minn. Filed Feb. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 429,783 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-1883) This invention relates generally to the supporting structure for an ironing board and particularly concerns a cross foot assembly on an ironing table leg which is adapted to tilt laterally to conform or adjust to the floor surface as it is placed thereagainst and then automatically lock relative to the leg in self adjusted position.

In modern conventional ironing table construction a pair of leg units are arranged in longitudinally intercrossing relation under the ironing board with one of the leg units carrying a rigid transverse foot adapted for two point contact with the floor surface. For maximum stability it is desirable that the other leg unit also have a foot with transversely spaced two point contact. However, when such other foot is also rigidly mounted on its leg, so as to present rigid four point contact with the floor, the structure will wobble where there is any irregularity in the floor surface or Where there are mechanical imperfections in the leg structure.

It is accordingly desirable that one of the cross feet be pivotally associated with its carrying leg so that it might automatically conform to the surface. It is further desirable for greatest stability that the foot be locked to the leg in its surface conforming position.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a cross foot for an ironing tab-1e leg which is freely pivotable on the leg as long as only one end of the foot is in lowering engagement with the floor whereby the foot will automatically tilt to adjust to the floor surface but which will immediately lock itself to the :leg in adjusted position with continued lowering movement after both ends of the foot are engaged with the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self adjusting and locking foot for an ironing table leg which will positively lock in the precise adjusted position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a self adjusting cross foot assembly for an ironing table leg which comprises two foot members pivoted on a common axis and which members are identical in construction for economy of manufacture.

With these objects in view the invention broadly comprises a pair of feet mounted at the lower end of an ironing table leg to extend in opposite directions therefrom with their inner ends pivoted to the leg for raising and lowering movement of the feet, .an anchor rod on the leg adjacent the pivots, a clutch plate slidable on the anchor rod, and means connecting the inner ends of the feet to the clutch plate to tilt the clutch plate into frictional locking engagement with the rod when both feet are raised relative to their pivots.

The above mentioned and still additional objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the foot structure as it is being lowered into, but prior to engagement with, an irregular floor surface.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the foot structure after it has come to rest upon an irregular floor surface.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the foot structure.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the structure taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through the structure taken on line 55 of FIG. 1.

3,278,147 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the structure taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section through the structure taken on line 77 of FIG. 2, and thus is like FIG. 5 but shows the structure in a different condition.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the structure in rest position as in FIG. 2 and partially broken away to show the locking mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the foot structure locking mechanism disassembled from the other parts of the structure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numerals will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. It is to be presumed that the member denoted at 10 is the lower end portion of an ironing table leg which extends diagonally and longitudinally downward from an ironing board to, in combination with other leg means, support the board horizontally over a floor surface F. It is also presumed for the purpose of this description that the leg 10 is the front table leg and accordingly that FIGS. 1 and 2 are front views and that the terms forward and rearward will be used with this orientation in mind. The structure could, of course, also be effectively used on the rear leg of the table.

An elongated housing 11 is connected as by bolts or rivets 12 to extend endwise from leg 10. This housing 11 is formed of upper and lower sections having overlapping side flanges and which are held together by tabs 14 on the upper section extending through slots in the lower section, as shown in FIG. 3. The lower ends of the housing sections extend vertically downward in spaced relation as at 15 and 16 to form foot supports. A pivot bolt or pin 17 extends in a fore and aft direction between the

supports

15 and 16 and rigidly interconnects the same. An arcuate anchor rod 18 extends transversely between the side walls of the housing 11 above the pivot pin 17. This rod is mounted in place by means of anchor plates 19 which are apertured to receive the flattened ends 20 of the rod. The plates 19 are welded to the side walls of the housing 11. The rod 18 has an arched configuration with the radius thereof being preferably slightly greater than the distance from pin 17 to the rod. It will be understood that leg 10, housing 11, pin 17 and rod 18 are thus integrally and irnmovab ly related.

A fiat locking bar or clutch plate 21 of hardened steel or other material harder than the rod 18 is centrally apertured as a 22 for receiving the rod 18 so thatthe plate is actually mounted on the rod for sliding movement therealong in a transverse direction. The aperture 22 has sharp edges and is slightly larger in diameter than the rod 18 so as to allow limited side to side tilting movement thereon. It is desirable that when the plate is tilted ap proximately ten degrees from a plane perpendicular to the rod, the edges of the aperture will come into tight biting engagement with the front and rear sides of the rod 18.

The foot assembly designated generally at 24 comprises two

identical feet

25 and 26. Each foot has an elongated tapering design with an anti-skid element or tip 27 mounted on the underside of the outer narrow end and a pair of mounting plates mounted on the inner larger end. The right foot 25, so identified because it is to the right looking forwardly along the table, has a hinge plate 28 and a lever plate 29 both extending endwise from the large end of the foot and being respectively welded to the rear and front walls of the foot. Both

plates

28 and 29 are journaled on the pin 17 for up and down swinging movement of the outer tip end of the foot. Similarly the other or left foot 26 has a hinge plate 30 and a lever plate 31 which are identical to

plates

28 and 29 and also journaled on pin 17. The two plates on each foot are equally spaced so that when they are mounted on pin 17 the hinge plates are located between the lever plates.

The

lever plates

29 and 31 extend upwardly from the pin 17 and have

vertical slots

32 and 33 punched in their upper portions for respective reception of the front and rear end portions of the clutch plate 21. It will be noted that the portions punched from

slots

32 and 33 are bent over to form inwardly projecting tabs denoted respectively at 34 and 35 the purpose of which will be subsequently explained.

The operation of the device will now be understood. As the foot assembly is lowered toward the floor, as in FIG. 1, it will be in loose condition with the clutch plate extending directly fore and aft (FIGS. 5 and 6). The weight of the

feet

25 and 26 transmitted through the

lever plates

29 and 31 will pull the

tabs

34 and 35 against the opposite ends of the plate 21. The tabs thus serve to retain the plate 21 perpendicular to the rod 18 when the assembly is loose. Thus, if one foot tip should engage the floor surface prior to the other, the entire assembly (both feet) will move about the pivot 17 until the other foot tip engages the surface. The assembly accordingly automatically adjusts itself to conform to the surface F.

After both feet have made contact with the floor surface, and as the weight of the table is placed to rest thereon, they will both move relatively upward about the axis of pin 17. As this takes place the

lever plates

29 and 31 will move in opposite directions and tilt the plate 21 on the anchor rod 18 until the plate edges forming the aperture 22 bite into opposite sides of the rod, thus locking the feet ot the rod in their adjusted positions. As hereinbefore indicated it is preferred that the relative diameters of the rod 18 and aperture 22 be such that such gripping or interlocking action take place when the plate has tilted about ten degrees. When the

feet

25 and 26 have been so locked in adjusted position with plate 21 being clinched between

plates

29 and 31 and the rod 18, the feet become rigidly associated with the leg so as to provide a firm base for the leg and the ironing board supported thereby.

As soon as the weight of the table is removed from the

feet

25 and 26, the bar 21 is released and the feet will resume their loose condition and again be free for automatic adjustment about the pin 17.

It is important to note that with this assembly the locking is positive and is accomplished automatically and precisely at any position of adjustment with the number of such positions being infinite. The invention accordingly economically and effectively carries out the aforementioned objectives.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a support structure for an ironing table, a downwardly extending leg, a pair of elongated feet extending laterally in opposite directions from the leg and having their inner ends pivoted to the lower end portion of the leg on a common axis, means limiting downward movement of the feet about the pivot, and means interconnecting the feet adjacent the pivot permitting limited relative upward movement of the feet about the pivot and then locking the feet to the leg against further upward movement whereby as the outer ends of the feet are lowered against a floor surface the feet will conform thereto and move upwardly about the pivot into locking engagement with the leg.

2. In a self adjusting and locking foot structure for an ironing table leg extending in fore and aft direction under an ironing board, a pair of elongated feet extending laterally outward in opposite directions from the leg and having their inner ends pivoted thereto at the same level, an anchor rod mounted on the leg to extend laterally thereof, a clutch plate slidable on the anchor rod but adapted to frictiona'lly lock therewith when tilted relative to the rod, each foot carrying a lever plate adjacent its inner end, said lever plates being connected to the clutch plate on opposite sides of the anchor rod to tilt the clutch plate as the feet are moved upwardly about their pivotal connections.

3. The subject matter of claim 2 wherein the feet are pivoted to the leg on a common pivot axis.

4. The subject matter of claim 2 wherein each lever plate has a slot opening in a fore and aft direction, and said clutch plate having its fore and aft end portions resting in said slots.

5. In a leg structure for an ironing table having a leg extending forwardly and downwardly under the table top, a pair of elongated feet extending laterally outward in opposite directions from the lower end portion of the leg and having their inner ends pivoted thereto on a common fore and aft axis, a floor engagement tip on the outer end of each foot, an anchor rod mounted on the leg above the pivot and extending transversely of the leg, an elongated clutch plate having an opening therethrough for receiving the rod and being so mounted on the rod and perpendicular thereto to extend in a fore and aft direction for transverse sliding movement along the rod, said opening being sufficiently greater than the cross sectional area of the rod to allow limited sideward tilting of the plate from its perpendicular position into frictional locking engagement with the rod, the inner end portions of said feet being respectively connected to the clutch plate one to the front of and the other to the rear of said rod whereby as the floor engagement tips on the feet are both raised about the pivot the clutch plate will be tilted into such locking engagement with the rod.

6. The subject matter of claim 5 wherein the clutch plate is formed of a harder material than the anchor rod and wherein the edges thereon forming said opening are relatively sharp.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,847 5/ 1948 Charley 248-4882 2,787,087 4/1957 Whitman 248-1883 2,889,099 6/ 1959 Pu lkin 182200 FOREIGN PATENTS 234,308 6/1964 Austria.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Primary Examiner.

R. P. SEITIER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR AN IRONING TABLE, A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEG, A PAIR OF ELONGATED FEET EXTENDING LATERALLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM THE LEG AND HAVING THEIR INNER ENDS PIVOTED TO THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE LEG ON A COMMON AXIS, MEANS LIMITING DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FEET ABOUT THE PIVOT, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE FEED ADJACENT THE PIVOT PERMITTING LIMITED RELATIVE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FEET ABOUT THE PIVOT AND THEN LOCKING THE FEET TO THE LEG AGAINST FURTHER UPWARD MOVEMENT WHEREBY AS THE OUTER ENDS OF THE FEET ARE LOWERED AGAINST A FLOOR SURFACE THE FEET WILL CONFORM THERETO AND MOVE UPWARDLY ABOUT THE PIVOT INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LEG.