Abstract:
The present invention comprises a cart for collecting, moving and storing folding tables. The cart is generally comprised of a front panel, back panel and two side members. The two side members connect the front panel to the back panel in a rectangular frame shape. The front panel has a receiving edge that is shorter than the height of a conventional table top. Each side member has an outer table bed runner and a backrest runner that meet at a wedge. The outer table bed runner slopes downward from the receiving edge of the front panel to the wedge.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field of devices made for receiving folding tables. More specifically, the invention comprises a sloping table bed for receiving, transporting and storing folding tables. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Facilities used for meetings, including churches, hotels, convention centers and schools, use institutional folding tables. The tables are usually round or rectangular. They fold for easy storage in small areas and vary in size and weight, ranging from light plastic tables to heavy wooden tables. Events can be held in quick succession requiring the rooms to be cleared and cleaned quickly and efficiently. 
         [0008]    Many organizations have small crews of employees or volunteers that help to set up and take down the folding tables. Some organizations may have only one person, perhaps a custodian, or only a few people setting up rooms full of tables. Previously two or more people were needed to set up or take down a table. The tables were picked up by one person at each end by stooping, lifting and turning the table over on its side to fold the legs out or in. Stooping and lifting is required by both people when loading or unloading to or from flatbed carts or vertical stacking carts. Additionally, tables can easily slide off of flatbed or vertical stacking carts potentially damaging the tables or the floor itself, not to mention injuring the people involved. The set up process can be time-consuming, taxing and cumbersome. 
         [0009]    Therefore what is needed is a cart which allows simple and efficient assembly and disassembly of folding tables. The present invention achieves this objective, as well as others that are explained in the following description. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention comprises a cart for collecting, moving and storing folding tables. The cart is generally comprised of a front panel, back panel and two side members. The two side members connect the front panel to the back panel in a rectangular frame shape. The front panel has a receiving edge that is shorter than the height of a conventional table top. Each side member has an outer table bed runner and a backrest runner that meet at a wedge. The outer table bed runner slopes downward from the receiving edge of the front panel to the wedge. This downward slope allows a user to easily tip a folding table onto the outer table bed runner, pivoting the table at the wedge. The outer backrest runner is preferably angularly displaced from the outer table bed runner by approximately 90 degrees. Therefore when the user loads a folding table onto the invention the table is tipped against and comes into contact with the outer backrest runner. 
         [0011]    The outer table bed runner&#39;s descending slope allows the user to easily and quickly load heavy tables by allowing gravity to help move the tables to a loaded position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, showing the base frame of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view, showing the geometry of a side member of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view, showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention from overhead. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, showing a circular table being loaded onto the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view, showing a circular table loaded onto the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view, showing a folding table in position to be loaded onto the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view, showing a folding table being loaded onto the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view, showing a folding table being loaded onto the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view, showing a plurality of folding tables loaded onto the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view, showing a back view of the present invention with a plurality of folding tables loaded. 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10 
                   cart 
                   12 
                   side member 
                 
                 
                   14 
                   inner jig 
                   16 
                   front panel 
                 
                 
                   18 
                   lower back panel 
                   20 
                   upper back panel 
                 
                 
                   22 
                   receiving edge 
                   24 
                   outer table bed runner 
                 
                 
                   26 
                   wheel attachment device 
                   28 
                   inner table bed runner 
                 
                 
                   30 
                   support board 
                   32 
                   wedge 
                 
                 
                   34 
                   outer backrest runner 
                   36 
                   base frame 
                 
                 
                   38 
                   inner support 
                   40 
                   bottom distance 
                 
                 
                   42 
                   upper edge of inner jig 
                   44 
                   backrest top 
                 
                 
                   46 
                   back open gap 
                   48 
                   bottom open gap 
                 
                 
                   50 
                   wheel 
                   52 
                   brake lever 
                 
                 
                   54 
                   backrest 
                   56 
                   floor surface 
                 
                 
                   58 
                   table edge 
                   60 
                   legs 
                 
                 
                   62 
                   table top 
                   64 
                   back edge 
                 
                 
                   66 
                   front edge 
                   68 
                   circular table 
                 
                 
                   70 
                   folding table 
                   72 
                   table edge 
                 
                 
                   74 
                   table bed 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates the present invention in the preferred embodiment. The cart  10  is supported by base frame  36 , shown in  FIG. 2 . Base frame  36  is made up of four support boards  30 , four wheels  50  and four wheel attachment devices  26 . The four support boards  30  form a rectangular base frame  36  which uses wheels  50  as a movement method. In the preferred embodiment support boards  30  are wooden 2×4 boards. However, support boards  30  can be made up of many different materials, or even formed as one integral unit. Wheels  50  are attached to support boards  30  by way of wheel attachment devices  26 . Wheel attachment devices  26  can be any attachment means which connects wheels  50  to support boards  30 . At least two wheels  50  preferably have brake lever  52  attached. This lever can lock a particular wheel when engaged. 
         [0024]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the present cart  10  is generally made up of front panel  16 , two side members  12 , lower back panel  18  and upper back panel  20 . In the preferred embodiment two inner jigs  14  span the distance between front panel  16  and lower back panel  18 . Inner jigs  14  are spaced approximately evenly between side members  12 . Receiving edge  22  is located on the upward facing edge of front panel  16 . Side members  12  connect front panel  16  to lower back panel  18  creating a box-like structure. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view illustrating the preferred geometry of side member  12 . The base  40  of side member  12  spans a distance that is greater than the shortest distance between wedge  32  and front edge  66 . Outer backrest runner  34  extends angularly upward from wedge  32  away from front edge  66 . The angular displacement of outer backrest runner  34  allows a table (not shown) to lean securely against outer backrest runner  34  and be held in place by gravity. Using base  40  as an x-axis the angular displacement of outer backrest runner  34  and outer table bed runner  24  can be better described. Therefore outer backrest runner  34  is preferably angularly displaced from base  40  of side member  12  at approximately a 100 degree angle. Outer table bed runner  24  slopes downward from receiving edge  22  down to wedge  32 . Outer table bed runner  24  is preferably angularly displaced from base  40  of side member  12  at approximately a 10 degree angle. Therefore the preferable angular displacement between outer table bed runner  24  and outer backrest runner  34  at wedge  32  is approximately 90 degrees. Thus folding tables can fit securely into wedge  32  because table edges are typically square. The slope of outer table bed runner  24  allows a table to slide back towards wedge  32  and remain tipped back against outer backrest runner  34 . 
         [0026]    The distance between wedge  32  and back edge  64  is such that a plurality of folding tables (not shown) would not cause the present cart to tip backwards towards back edge  64  under the weight of the tables. The height of back edge  64  is greater than the height of front edge  66 . 
         [0027]    Again returning to  FIG. 1 , side members  12  are connected at the back by upper back panel  20  and lower back panel  18 . Outer table bed runner  24  is located on the top edge of side member  12  spanning from receiving edge  22  to wedge  32 . This surface preferably lies in the same plane as inner table bed runner  28 . Wedge  32  is formed by the juncture of outer table bed runner  24  and outer backrest runner  34 . Alternatively, outer table bed runner  24  and inner table bed runner  28  could be integrated into one piece thereby creating two thick outer table bed runners  24  on the surface of table bed  74 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective overhead view showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention. This view shows bottom open gap  48  between inner jigs  28 . Open gap  48  is designed to accept table edge  72  of circular table  68  as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows a circular table  68  being loaded onto the present cart  10 . As circular table  68  is tipped onto cart  10  the table edge  72  protrudes into open gap  48  which is formed between inner jigs  14 . The protrusion of table edge  72  into open gap  48  steadies the circular table  68  between inner jigs  14  as circular table  68  is tipped onto cart  10 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  illustrates circular table  68  loaded onto present cart  10 . Table edge  72  descends down into open gap  48 . Open gap  48  and inner jigs  14  therefore prevent circular table  68  from rolling off of cart  10 . Circular table  68  rests against inner support  38  and outer backrest runner  34 . 
         [0031]    The illustration in  FIG. 7  portrays the present invention ready to accept a rectangular folding table  70 . The height of receiving edge  22  is lower than the bottom of table edge  58 . This allows the user to push the folding table  70  slightly over receiving edge  22  before tipping the folding table  70  onto cart  10 . Brake lever  52  on wheel  50  should be engaged so that wheels  50  are locked and will not move when folding table  70  is being loaded onto cart  10 . 
         [0032]    As the user tips the folding table  70  onto cart  10 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , table edge  58  slides down outer table bed runner  24 . The user pivots the folding table  70  at wedge  32  towards outer backrest runner  34 . The downward slope of outer table bed runner  24  from receiving edge  22  to wedge  32  allows the folding table  70  to easily slide back towards outer backrest runner  34  creating a simple way for one person to load a heavy table, utilizing gravity to the user&#39;s advantage. 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  illustrates the folding table  70  loaded completely onto cart  10  prior to folding the legs  60  on folding table  70 . Table top  62  comes to rest against outer backrest runner  34  when folding table is completely loaded onto cart  10 . Because of the angular displacement of outer backrest runner  34  folding table  70  does not lose contact with outer backrest runner  34  when user lets go of folding table  70  in this position with legs  60  fully extended. 
         [0034]      FIG. 10  shows a multitude of folding tables  70  loaded onto cart  10 . As each folding table  70  is loaded onto cart  10  the table top  62  of each successive folding table  70  comes into contact with and rests against the bottom of the folding table  70  in front of it. It is in this manner that many folding tables  70  can be loaded onto cart  10  at one time. The generally smooth planar surface of outer table bed runners  24  and inner table bed runners  28  creates a table bed  74  which allows any number of different shapes and sizes of folding tables  70  to be loaded at one time onto the present cart  10 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is a back view of the present invention with a plurality of folding tables  70  loaded onto cart  10 . In the preferred embodiment the gap between table top  62  and upper back panel  20  is wide enough so that cart  10  will not tip backwards under the weight of a plurality of folding tables  70 . Cart  10  can be easily wheeled by grasping upper back panel  20  either from the top, along backrest top  44 , or bottom, through back open gap  46 . 
         [0036]    The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. As an example, the upper back panel  20  and lower back panel  18  could be one integrated unit. Additionally, front panel  16  could be substantially lower than the table top  62 . Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.