Patent Publication Number: US-6659410-B1

Title: Leg of a metallic table

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a leg of a metallic table. More specifically, the present invention relates to a leg, which is connected to the top portion of a table in such a manner that the firmness and stability of the table increases when more weight is placed on the top portion. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     Tables are important furniture in our houses, and indispensable tools in offices and factories. Tables should be as stable and strong as possible. And, stability and firmness of a table depends greatly on the way the legs are connected to the top portion of the table. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a conventional metallic table includes legs  22 , and a top portion, which is formed with bent around edges  211 , and connecting portions  21  near to the edges  211 . 
     Each of the connecting portions  21  has a support  212 , a connecting plate  213 , and a hollow connecting member  214  fitted thereto. The support  212  has two lateral plate portions. Each of the lateral plate portions of the support  212  is folded at two ends thereof. The lateral plate portions are respectively joined to bottom sides  2111 , and  2121  of the top portion of the table at upper end portions thereof by means of welding; thus, a space is provided between both of the lateral plate portions. The bent around edge  211  is joined to the lower end of the corresponding lateral plate portion by means of welding. The connecting plate  213  is joined to inner sides of the lateral plate portions at the edges by means of welding. The hollow connecting member  214  has a central through hole  2122 , and a screw hole  2141 , and is firmly disposed between the lateral plate portions of the support  212  and under the connecting plate  213 , and firmly joined to the same by means of welding. 
     In combination, the leg  22  is inserted into the through hole  2122  of the hollow connecting member  214  with the top thereof coming into contact with the connecting plate  213 , and a bolt  2142  is screwed into the screw hole  2141  to secure the leg  22  to the hollow connecting member  214 . Thus, the table can be used with all of the legs being fitted to top portion thereof to support the same in a level position. 
     However, the table has disadvantages as followings: 
     1. Because the tops of the legs  22  contact the bottoms of the connecting plates  213 , most of the weight of the table&#39;s top portion and the objects on the table is supported by the connecting plates  213 . Consequently, the table is not strong enough. 
     2. When a lot of weight is supported on the table to cause the bolts  2142  to loosen, the table is likely to become unstable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a leg, which is connected to the top portion of a table in such a manner that the firmness and stability of the table increases when more weight is placed on the table&#39;s top portion. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a metallic table with increased strength. 
     The leg of a table according to the present invention includes a connecting portion, and an elongated supporting rod portion. The connecting portion includes two lateral plates, and two horizontal portions formed between the lateral plates. The lateral plates are secured to the bottom of a table&#39;s top at the upper ends thereof. Each of the horizontal portions has a through hole. The through-holes are aligned with each other, and have annular walls formed around them. 
     The annular walls are shaped such that the inner sides thereof taper off towards an upper end of the upper one. The elongated supporting portion has two pads fitted around an upper end thereof, the pads have protruding lines on inner sides to be fitted to an annular trench formed on the upper end of the elongated supporting rod portion. The elongated supporting rod portion is joined to the connecting portion with the pads being inserted into the annular walls. The pads are shaped in such a manner that the outer sides thereof taper off towards an upper end thereof; thus, the pads will be forced further into the connecting portion when more weight is placed on the table. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the leg of a table according to the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the leg of a table according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a table with the legs according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 an exploded perspective view of the conventional leg of a table as described in the Background; and, 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional leg of a table. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a leg  1  of a metallic table according to the present invention includes a connecting portion  11 , and an elongated supporting portion  12 . The metallic table consists of a top portion, and several (usually three or four) legs of such kind. The top portion of the table has edges  111 , which are bent around. 
     The connecting portion  11  includes a support  112 , and a connecting unit  113 . The support  112  has two lateral plate portions, and a horizontal portion. Each of the lateral plate portions has a folded upper end portion, which is fixedly joined to a bottom side of the top portion of the table near to the bent around edge  111  by means of welding. The horizontal portion is formed between lower ends of the lateral plate portions, and has a first through hole  1122 . A first annular wall  1123  is formed around the first through hole  1122 . 
     The connecting unit  113  is disposed between, and securely joined to, the lateral plate portions and above the horizontal portion of the support  112 ; welding can be used for joining the connecting unit  113  to the lateral plate portions. The connecting unit  113  has a second through hole  1131 , which is aligned with the first through hole  1122 . 
     A second annular wall  1132  is formed around the second through hole  1131 . Referring to FIG. 2, the first and the second annular walls  1123 ,  1132  are shaped in such a manner that the inner sides thereof taper off towards an upper end of the second annular wall  1132 . 
     The elongated supporting portion  12  has an annular trench  121  on an upper end thereof. Two pads  13  are fitted onto the upper end of the elongated supporting portion  12 . Each of the pads  3  has a protruding line  131  on an inner side thereof, which is fitted into the annular trench  121  so that the pads  3  cannot slide along the elongated supporting portion  12 . The pads  3  have projections, and gaps (not numbered) at the lateral edges thereof, thus, the projections are fitted into the gaps for locating the pads  3  in proper position when the pads  3  are fitted onto the elongated supporting portion  12 . Furthermore, referring to FIG. 2, the pads  3  are shaped in such a manner that the outer sides thereof taper off towards an upper end thereof. 
     In combination, the elongated supporting portion  12  is joined to the connecting portion  11  with the pads  13  being inserted into the first and the second through holes  1122 ,  1131  to contact the annular walls  1123 ,  1132 . Therefore, weight of the table&#39;s top portion and objects on the top portion is supported on the pads  3  alone. 
     Thus, the elongated supporting portion  12  can be forced further into the connecting portion  11  when more weight is placed on the top portion of the table, allowing firmness of connection of the elongated supporting portion  12  to the connecting portion  11  to be increased. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, which shows a second embodiment of the present invention, several second supports  114  are provided to the bottom side of the table&#39;s top portion for helping increase strength of the table; each of the second support  114  has two lateral support plates, and a horizontal portion formed between lower ends of the lateral support plates thereof. The lateral support plates of the second supports  114  are joined to the top portion&#39;s bottom side by means of welding. 
     From the above description, it can be easily understood that the leg of a metallic table of the present invention has advantages as followings: 
     1. Because the pads are inserted into the annular walls of the connecting portion  11  in a secure manner, the table is relatively steady and firm. 
     2. The pads  3  will be forced further into the connecting portion  11  when more weight is placed on the top portion of the table. Therefore, there is desirable firmness in connection of the elongated supporting portion  12  to the connecting portion  11 , and the table will be even more stable when heavy weight is placed on the top portion.