Patent Abstract:
A support is provided for positioning on the base of a lawn furniture leg of various shapes and dimensions. The support has an area that is at least five times the area of the bottom of the leg to distribute the load over a large area. This permits easy sliding of the leg across a lawn. The support is arranged to prevent prolonged contact of the leg with a source of moisture. In addition, the support provides venting to the bottom of the leg to minimize dry-rot.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed to a support for heavy lawn furniture particularly wooden lawn furniture such as cedar redwood chaises, picnic tables and the like. The support attaches to a furniture leg of various shapes and dimensions and provides for ease of movement of the furniture, directing water away from the base of the leg of the furniture preventing mildew and dry rot from forming on a leg and deteriorating the appearance or quality of the furniture. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Heavy lawn furniture of wood or plastic composites has become increasingly popular, particularly cedar redwood and the like which can be left outdoors in all types of weather. While such furniture is esthetically attractive it is difficult to move such as when mowing the lawn or when replacing the furniture for reasons of shade, sun or the like. In trying to move such heavy furniture it often requires two people or awkward lifting one end and then the other. It normally cannot be slid across the lawn since the heavy (normally rectangular) legs will dig into the lawn damaging both the lawn and the furniture. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a support for such lawn furniture which will provide extended surfaces at the bottom of each leg, which will provide a lower unit pressure on the lawn and which will engage the lawn in such a way that the furniture can be easily slid across the lawn without damaging the lawn. The invention, in a preferred form, comprises a unitary molded element having an area for engaging the surface of the lawn which has an area preferably at least five times greater than the area of the bottom of the leg. This unitary structure preferably has means for supporting the bottom of a variety of leg designs so that most of the bottom of the leg is spaced from the support and prevented from coming in contact with a ground surface such as a lawn to permit easy drying of the bottom of the leg and to prevent dryrot. 
         [0004]    A set of upstanding walls are formed on the upper surface of the support with one or more walls having an aperture for insertion of a fastener, screw, bolt or other attachment fitting or device to engage the sides of the leg to secure the support to the furniture leg. Alternatively, a spacer may be inserted in the support and provide accommodation for attachment points for legs of varying shapes and dimensions. A round, square, rectangular or other shaped furniture leg may be secured directly to the support or be secured to the inserted spacer and the support to allow movement of the furniture with the support, the support providing a smooth surface to slide the furniture over a ground surface of grass, concrete, wood or other surface material. 
         [0005]    The present invention is directed to a support for engaging the bottom of a lawn furniture leg, the support comprising a unitary molded element having upper and bottom surfaces each with an area at least five times greater than the area of the bottom of the leg; a first upstanding wall in parallel with a second upstanding wall, a third upstanding wall in parallel with a fourth upstanding wall and perpendicular to the first and second walls for engaging the sides of the leg and securing the support to the leg; and wherein the bottom of the leg is spaced above the top surface of the support a sufficient distance to permit drainage of water under the leg whereby to prevent dryrot to the leg. 
         [0006]    The present invention is also directed to a support for engaging the bottom of a lawn furniture leg; the support comprising a unitary molded element having upper and bottom surfaces each with an area at least five times greater than the area of the bottom of the leg; a plurality of upstanding walls on the upper surface for engaging the sides of the leg and securing the support to the leg; means for supporting the bottom of the leg so that the leg bottom is spaced above the top surface of the support a sufficient distance to permit drainage of water under the leg whereby to prevent dryrot to the leg. 
         [0007]    The present invention is also directed to method for supporting a furniture leg comprising the steps of forming a unitary molded element, the element having an upper and lower surface each with an area at least five time greater that the area of the bottom of the leg; forming a first upstanding wall in parallel with a second upstanding wall on the molded element; forming a third upstanding wall in parallel with a fourth upstanding wall on the molded element, the third and fourth walls perpendicular to and at a distance closer than the distance between the first and second walls; securing a furniture leg between one of at least the first and second and third and fourth walls; and supporting the leg above the upper surface of the molded element to permit drainage of water under the leg whereby to prevent dryrot. 
         [0008]    These and other features, advantages and improvements according to this invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagramatic schematic top view of a preferred embodiment of support of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a diagramatic schematic sectional view along the line A-A of  FIG. 1  showing various features of the support of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a diagramatic schematic sectional view along the line B-B of  FIG. 1  showing various features of the support of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a diagramatic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the support of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a diagramatic perspective view of a further embodiment of the support of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is a diagramatic perspective view of a spacer for the further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5B and 5C  are a diagramatic schematic of first and second side views of the spacer for the further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5D  is a diagramatic schematic top view of the spacer for the further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5E  is a diagramatic schematic top view of a further embodiment of the spacer with a rounded interior for the further embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is diagramatic view of a perspective view of the further embodiment of the support of  FIG. 4  and the insert of  FIG. 5A-5D . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the support or lawn coaster which is generally shown as  10  comprises a unitary molded structure  12  having a circular edge  14 . As seen best in  FIG. 2A  and  2 B, the support  12  has a bottom surface  16  and an upper surface  18 . In a first embodiment, the upper surface  18  supports a set of engaging walls  20  to align a furniture leg  21  of wood or plastic composite within the engaging walls  20 . The engaging walls  20  are aligned along axis A and form a cross with a first dimension D between a first set of engaging walls  20   a  of a longer length than the distance between a second set of engaging walls  20   b  aligned along axis B. The second set of engaging walls  20   b  having a shorter distance between them as denoted by the second dimension d in  FIG. 1 . The furniture leg shown at  21  in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  as dotted lines may be of various dimensions in width with the first set of engaging walls  20   a  accommodating a furniture leg  21  of a wider width of between 1¼ inches and 1½ inches. The second set of engaging walls  20   b  may accommodate a narrower width of furniture leg of between ¾ inches and 1 inch. The furniture leg is placed between the appropriate first or second set of engaging walls that accommodates the dimensions of the furniture leg, the leg may then extend through the cross area X of the support  12 . 
         [0021]    The engaging walls  20  may be on the order of 3/16 inches in width and 1 inch to 1½ inches in height and may be supported by one or more structural braces  24  to provide rigidity to the wall and maintain the wall in an upright position. The braces  24  may be arranged perpendicularly to the engaging wall  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  or may be affixed to the support  12  at an acute angle to the wall  20 . In providing additional strength to the upstanding wall  20 , the braces  24  transmit lateral motion from the furniture leg  21  to the element  12  when it is to be slid across the ground. It is to be appreciated that the braces may not be necessary in view of the molded nature of the integral engaging walls  20   a - 20   b  being integrally connected at about ninety degrees providing inherent support to such walls. 
         [0022]    As can be seen, the bottom of the furniture leg  21  is supported by ribs  22  provided on the upper surface  18  between each of the first and second sets of securing members  20  so that there is a space between leg  21  and upper surface  18 . The supporting ribs  22  may be at a distance of between 1/32 inches and ⅛ inches between each rib to adequately support furniture legs of various dimensions that are inserted between each of the engaging walls  20 . The ribs  22  are contoured to create a slant from the cross area X down to the circular edge  14  of the support  12 . The spaces S formed between the ribs  22 , provides ventilation to the furniture leg  21  to disperse water from rain or dew thereby controlling and minimizing dry-rot. 
         [0023]    As shown particularly in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  the interior  26  of the bottom surface  16  is slightly concave to assist in maneuvering a heavy piece of furniture across an irregular surface, each of the legs  21  of the furniture having a support  12 . This is an important aspect so that the edge defined by the perimeter  14  does not catch on the ground. Similarly, the upper surface  18  adjacent the rounded perimeter  14  may be slightly concave as indicated at  14   a  to facilitate molding of the product as shown in  FIG. 2A  or have an angular slant  15  as shown in  FIG. 2B . The perimeter  14   a  of the bottom surface also has upturned peripheral edges to assist in gliding of the support  12  over a ground surface G. 
         [0024]    As seen in  FIG. 2A  the upper surface  18  has a slightly angular slant  28  to provide drainage so that any rain water hitting the element is drained towards the perimeter  14  and away from the bottom of the furniture leg  21  which is supported at the center of the element  12 . 
         [0025]    As a result of the above described construction the element  12  provides a support which has a relatively smooth surface which distributes the load of the furniture over a large area and provides a smooth surface which can be readily slid across the surface of the ground. Thus, the furniture can be readily moved from place to place so as to reposition the furniture for whatever reason, such as mowing the lawn or to move it in or out of shade, as desired. 
         [0026]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention the product is molded of a plastic material such as low density polyethylene, or polypropylene. In one preferred form the support  12  is on the order of 7⅝ inches in diameter and has a thickness on the order of 5/32 inches. It can be attached to the bottom of the furniture leg by means of screws, pins or other attachments (not shown) which pass through an aperture  30  in the wall  20 . The spacing between the first set of engaging walls  20  is preferably about 2 inches and the walls  20  are slightly tapered outwardly to permit easy attachment to the bottom of the furniture leg  21 . The spacing between the second set of engaging walls  20  is preferably about 1 9/16 inches 
         [0027]    Ribs  22  also reinforce the central portion  26  of the support  10 . Molding sprues  20   c  may also be formed to reinforce the upstanding walls  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the engaging walls  20  create a slot for the insertion of a furniture leg  21 . The dimensional width of the leg should  21  fit snugly between the chosen set of engaging walls  20  and allow for the insertion of a pin or screw through the aperture  30  and a hole drilled or formed in the furniture leg  21 . A separate pin or screw may be inserted from each side of the furniture leg  21  or the hole may be formed completely through the leg  21  and a bolt and nut inserted through the walls  20  and leg  21  may be used to secure the support  12 . Other optional methods of attachment are contemplated. The leg  21  may extend through the cross area X to allow the leg  21  to also be secured through the corresponding set of engaging walls  20  on the other side of the support  12 . 
         [0028]    In a further embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , a support  11  has engaging walls  40  that are formed with a first mid-portion  42  of a shorter length and a second mid-portion  43  of a longer length, the mid-portions facilitating the insertion of a spacer  44  shown in  FIGS. 5A-5E . The engaging walls  40  are formed in similar dimensions to the first and second set of walls described above with a dimension D between the first set of engaging walls  40   a  longer than the dimension d between the second set of engaging walls  40   b . Braces to support the walls  40  and slanted ribs  22  with spacing S may be formed in the support  13  as described above to provide ventilation to the furniture leg  21  and minimize dry rot. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 5A-5E , the spacer  44  is molded of a rigid plastic material such as low density polyethylene, or polypropylene. The spacer  44  is formed with a first narrower side  46  to complement the dimensions of the first mid portion  42  of the engaging walls  40  and a second longer side  47  to complement the second mid-portion  43  of the wall. The remaining sides of the spacer are at a length that complements the distance between the first set of engaging walls  40   a  D and the second set of engaging walls  40   b  d with a first longer side  48  at length D and a second shorter side  49  at length d. Side views and a top view of the spacer are shown in  FIGS. 5B-5E  respectfully. One or more of the mid-portion sides  46 ,  47  of the spacer  44  may have an aperture  50  for insertion of a pin or screw (not shown) to attach the support  11  and spacer  44  to a furniture leg  21 . Alternatively, one of the longer or shorter sides  48  and  49  of the spacer  44  may also have an aperture that provides for the spacer  44  to be attached to a furniture leg  21  and the support  11  to be attached to the spacer  44  at one of the mid-portion apertures  50 . In a further embodiment as shown in  FIG. 5E , the spacer may have a rounded interior portion  54  to accommodate round furniture legs of smaller dimensions. Other shapes for the interior portion are contemplated, such as oval or rectangular. One or more apertures  50  may be drilled through one or more sides of the round or other shaped interior portion to attach the support to a furniture leg of different shapes and dimensions. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the spacer  44  fits snugly within the engaging walls  40  to secure an oval or round shaped furniture leg  21  within the spacer. An aperture through each of the mid-portions  42 ,  43  of the support engaging walls provides for the insertion of a pin, screw or other attachment fitting to secure the circular or oval leg to the support. The walls of the spacer may be of a dimension similar to the engaging walls or may be thicker with the interior shaped in a rounded curve as shown in  FIG. 5E . It is also to be appreciated that the mid-portions  42 ,  43  do not have to be linear, but may also be rounded to accommodate a rounded furniture leg within the engaging walls  40 , with or without a spacer as described above. 
         [0031]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8