Table with separable legs

A table comprises a table-top and a plurality of legs fixed to the table-top by means of a plurality of joints which are also used for supporting and interconnecting a series of horizontal cross members extending beneath the table-top. Each joint comprises a base element fixed to the lower surface of the table-top and having a seat in which the upper end of the respective leg is received and clamped by means of a wedge, and a cover fixed to the base element. The facing surfaces of the base element and the cover have recesses which cooperate with each other to define one or more seats in which the corresponding parts of the horizontal cross members are received and clamped.

DESCRIPTION 
The present invention relates to tables, particularly but not exclusively 
office tables. 
The object of the invention is to produce a table which has a structure 
that is simple to construct and easy and quick to assemble, which is 
aesthetically original, and which lends itself to assuming a plurality of 
different configurations. 
In order to achieve this object, the subject of the invention is a table 
characterised in that the legs are fixed to the table-top by means of a 
plurality of joints which are also used for supporting and interconneting 
a series of horizontal cross members extending beneath the table-top, in 
that each joint comprises a base element fixed to the table-top and having 
a seat in which the upper end of the respective leg is received and 
clamped, and a cover fixed to the base element, and in that the facing 
surfaces of the base element and the cover of each joint have recesses 
which cooperate with each other to define one or more seats in which the 
corresponding parts of the horizontal cross members are received and 
clamped.

With reference to FIGS. 1-7, a table is generally indicated 1 and has a 
table-top 2, which is of wood in the embodiment illustrated, and a 
plurality of supporting legs 3. The legs 3 are fixed to the table-top 2 by 
means of joints 4 which are also used for supporting and interconnecting a 
plurality of horizontal cross members 5 which extend beneath the table-top 
2 at a short distance therefrom. 
As can be seen particularly in FIGS. 5 and 6, each joint 4 includes a base 
element 6 (which, in the example illustrated, is of light alloy) fixed 
against the lower surface of the table-top 2 by screws 7. The base element 
6 incorporates a central seat 6a in which the upper end of a 
circular-sectioned tubular element 8 projecting from the upper end of the 
leg 3 is received. The leg 3 is constituted by a tubular element of 
circular section. The tubular element 8 is inserted coaxially into the leg 
3 with the interposition of a spacer bush 9, also of light alloy, having a 
plurality of radial walls 10 (FIG. 7). The bush 9 is glued to the element 
8 and to the leg 3. The use of bushes of different outside diameters 
enables the table to be adapted to legs of various diameters. The upper 
end of the tubular element 8 is clamped in the seat 6a by means of a 
clamping wedge 11 which can be clamped to the base element 6 by means of a 
screw 12. The wedge 11 has a curved face 13 in contact with the surface of 
the tubular element 8 and an opposite face 14 which is complementary in 
shape to the corresponding surface 15 of the seat 6a. The tightening of 
the screw 12 into the base element 6 causes the body 11 to be wedged into 
the space between the wall of the seat 6a and the tubular element 8, so as 
to clamp the latter in the seat 6a. 
A cover 16 is fixed to the base element 6 by means of screws 17 (FIG. 6) 
which engage holes 18, 19 in the cover 16 and in the base element 6. 
Along three sides of the joint, the lower surface of the base element 6 has 
elongate cavities of semicircular profile, indicated 20 in the drawings. 
These recesses cooperate with corresponding cavities 21 formed in the 
upper surface of the cover 16 (FIG. 5) to define three seats in which 
three respective horizontal cross members 5 can be received and clamped. 
FIG. 6 shows the case in which the joint 4 is at a T-intersection of two 
cross members 5. FIG. 5 shows the case of an angled intersection. As can 
be seen, the apertures of the joint which are not in use are closed by 
plastics covers 22 (FIGS. 12, 13) having appendages 23 which are housed in 
seats 24 of the elements 6, 16. 
FIGS. 8 and 9 show two variants of the table according to the invention, in 
which the table-top 2 is circular in shape and in which the conformation 
of the horizontal cross members 5 varies from that described above. 
The table according to the invention also lends itself to the production of 
integrated structures constituted by several tables, such as that 
illustrated in FIG. 10. In this case, the structure also includes corner 
elements 30 supported by those ends of the horizontal cross members 5 
which project from the adjacent table. Finally, it is possible to use 
inclined legs, as illustrated in FIG. 11. 
Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the forms of 
embodiment and details of construction may be varied widely with respect 
to those described and illustrated purely by way of example.