A foldable bar-table formed of a pair of frame members mounted for relative rocking movement between open and folded positions and vertically spaced apart non-stretchable fabrics extending lengthwise between the cross pieces of the frame members with openings in the upper fabric to enable containers to be inserted therethrough and supported by the lower fabric, including side pockets for utensils and depending compartments for containers.

This invention relates to a portable folding bar and, more particularly, to 
a collapsible bar of the type described in which the bar equipment and 
bottles can be easily and safely stored and made available for immediate 
use. 
Ordinarily, the bar equipment and bottles are stored in cabinets from which 
they must be removed for use and replaced for storage, and for which 
special holders must be provided in the event of use on unstable supports, 
such as on shipboard of other transport facilities. The need for such 
storage space and equipment makes it difficult, time consuming and 
laborious to serve drinks and beverages on moving transports, such as 
trailers, ships, trains and the like, the oftentimes accidents occur due 
to spillage. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a foldable bar which can be 
easily transported from place to place for use, which can be folded in a 
simple and efficient manner into a compact unit that can be stored in any 
convenient locker or space with the bottles of beverage, glasses and other 
bar equipment remaining with the folded unit for safe storage, which can 
be carried to any desirable location and unfolded to provide an open bar 
on which the beverage bottles and bar equipment become exposed in a stable 
and safe manner for immediate use in the preparation of drinks and the 
like, without the need for additional equipment and support, and in which 
the open bar can be used as a bar table for holding the beverage 
containers or for the service of food and/or appetizers to be provided 
with the beverage or otherwise.

In the illustrated modification, the foldable bar is formed of a pair of 
rectangular open frame members 10 and 12 formed of wood, metal, plastic or 
the like structural materials, and preferably formed by wrapping paper 
about a rectangular block with bonding adhesive to form a rectangular tube 
which can be cut crosswise for sectioning into rectangular strips, to 
provide low cost frame members having good structural strength. 
One of the frame members 12 is formed of lesser width than the other to 
enable the one to be inserted between the legs of the other for joinder 
intermediate their ends by pivot pins 14, which enables the open frame 
members to be rocked relative to each other about a common axis. It will 
be understood that instead of making use of frame members of rectangular 
shape, use can be made of frame members of U-shape with the legs pivotally 
interconnected intermediate their ends and with the bail portions 
extending crosswise between the upper ends of the legs. 
A flexible, non-stretchable fabric, such as a fiber filled plastic or woven 
cloth 16 extends lengthwise between the upper cross pieces 18 and 20 of 
the frame members and is secured thereto by suitable fastening means, such 
as clips, brads, nails, adhesives, stitching, or combinations thereof to 
span the space between the cross pieces for limiting the movement of the 
cross pieces in the direction away from each other, thereby to define the 
open position. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the fabric top 16 is formed with openings of different 
dimensions and shapes depending upon the cross section and shape of the 
containers, bottles, glasses and the like to be retained therein, with the 
arrangement of the openings depending upon the desired location of the 
glasses, bottles, ice buckets, containers and the like on the open bar. 
For example, in the illustrated modification, a cutout opening 19 is 
provided in each of the corner sections dimensioned to enable a glass 21 
to extend partway therethrough; an opening of larger dimension is provided 
in the center 22 to enable the bottom end portion of a bowl or ice bucket 
24 to be seated therein, and with cutout openings 26 aligned crosswise of 
the center line dimensioned to enable a bottle or bottles 28 to extend 
therethrough. 
While the openings can be cut out from the fabric or molded into the panel, 
it is preferred to slit and fold back portions of the material, as 
illustrated by the tabs 30, to function as reinforcement for material 
adjacent the openings and to provide for a degree of stiffening for better 
support. Another fabric 32, free of openings, is stretched between and 
secured to the cross piece members 18 and 20 when in unfolded or open 
position, with the fabric spaced a short distance below the top panel 16. 
Thus the bottom panel 32 functions as a stop on which the glasses, bottles 
or containers extending through the openings in the top panel can rest 
whereby the panel 32 serves to support the same while the upper panel 
serves to retain the bottles, glasses and containers in a stable upright 
position. The end portions of the upper and lower fabric 16 and 32 can be 
raised around the cross pieces 18 and 20 and stitched one to the other for 
attachment in the assembled relation, or the end portions can otherwise be 
secured in the manner described above for attachment to the cross pieces. 
By way of modification, compartments having side openings can be secured to 
depend from the underside across the central portion of the lower panel 
32. Such pockets or compartments 34 can be used to house bottles of 
beverages therein or for storage of glasses when the unit is in the 
collapsed position. One or more such vertically aligned pockets can be 
provided of fabric material stitched at their upper end to the lower 
panel. 
Having described the basic structure, it will be seen by reference to FIG. 
4, that when the foldable bar is collapsed, the central portion of the 
fabric supporting the ice chest and bottles drops below the folded cross 
pieces 18 and 20 and remains concealed between the adjacent side portions 
of the fabric to be retained thereby in an upright, safe and protected 
position, while all the glasses and other bottles can be inserted into the 
pockets 34, preferably before folding, thereby to be concealed and 
protected by the side pieces of the folded frame members and the fabric of 
which the pockets are formed. 
Thus the foldable bar can be picked up and stored with all of the utensils 
fully concealed. When it is desired to make use of the foldable bar, it is 
only necessary to carry the unit to the location desired for use, and then 
unfold the frame members to make the bottles and ice chest available in 
position of use, and with the pockets exposed for the removal of glasses, 
additional bottles or the like elements stored in the pockets. 
By way of further modification, the top fabric 16 can be extended to be 
draped over the cross pieces and forward a skirt portion 36 which depends 
from the cross pieces with additional fabric 38 stitched or otherwise 
adhered to one or both of the skirts to provide one or more pockets 40 in 
which various utensils such as forks 42, knives 44, spoons 46 and straws 
48, and the like can be stored. 
If desired, the other skirt 36 can be provided with similar pockets for 
storage of equipment or, more desirably, left free so it can serve as a 
flap to be folded over the unit when in collapsed position to cover the 
top of the folded frame members and extend downwardly over the opposite 
side to cover the pockets 40 housing the utensils. 
The folded flap portion can advantageously be provided with a central 
opening 50 to enable a handle 52, attached to the center of a cross piece 
member to extend therethrough so that the unit can be carried by the frame 
members and thereby to relieve the fabric and containers of any strain 
when the unit is carried from place to place in the collapsed position. A 
housing handle can be provided at the center of each cross piece for 
balance when the foldable bar is carried in the collapsed position. 
It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of 
construction and arrangement of the various pockets and openings, without 
departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the 
following claims.