Improvements in Folding Tables or Stands.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Loft 8th Dec 1804 Accented 26th Jan. 1895
Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1094
Complete Specification Loft 8th Don 1804 Accented 26th Jan. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Tables or Stands.
I, ERNEST HENRY BENNETT, of Pine Wood, Woodstock Road, Moseley,
Worcestershire, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in folding tables
or stands which when constructed according to my invention are.so arranged as
to be quickly set up ready for use or folded to occupy but little space when not
in use.
A four legged folding table or stand constructed according to one arrangement
of my invention consists of two vertical wooden or other suitable frames each
frame being made of two uprights (forming two of the said legs) and two or more
horizontal cross pieces connecting the two legs together. These two frames are
jointed together at about the vertical centre line of the table or stand by means of
a vertical axis or pin. The top of the table is made entirely separate from the
legs and may be in the form of a tray so as to rest upon the tops of the legs.
When the table is set up ready for use the two frames forming the stand are turned
about their central axis so as to be opened apart when the two frames when viewed
in plan will then form a cross the legs being at the extreme ends. The table top
is then placed upon the top of the stand ready for use. In order to prevent the
said two vertical frames being turned too far about their central axis when opened
out as aforesaid may provide two horizontal boards to serve as shelves one of
which is jointed to the two legs on one side of the table and the other is jointed to
the two legs on the other side thereof at a convenient distance below the table top
these shelves being jointed to the legs by joints or hinges of peculiar construction
each preferably consisting of a piece of wire fixed longitudinally to the edge of
the board or shelf and passing through a wire eye on the leg so as to allow of the
two legs to which the board or shelf is hinged coming nearer together when the
table or stand is opened out for use and so as to allow of their moving farther
apart when the table or stand is closed. The shelves are rebated where the hinges
are so as to form stops to prevent the table or stand being opened out too far.
The said shelves can either be turned up into a horizontal position ready for use
and retained in this position by brackets hinged or otherwise fixed to the legs or
by other means or the shelves can be turned down to lie flat against the legs when
the stand is folded out of use. The said shelves as aforesaid prevent the table or
stand opening out too far and in order to prevent the table or stand collapsing
after it has been opened out as far as the shelves will allow I may provide one or
more wire or other cross stays which are hinged or jointed at one end to the leg
or to the cross piece of the frames and arranged to hook into holes or eyes on the
other cross pieces or legs and thus keep the stand rigid.
I may make a table or stand with six legs or with eight or more legs similarly
as above described but it will be understood that the said table or stand will have
three frames for six legs, four frames for eight legs and so on the said frames
being hinged or jointed to a central axis common to all; or the said table or stand
may consist of two or more pairs of frames arranged as stated above but made
without the shelves or with only a shelf at each end connected to two outer
legs at each end the said pairs of frames being hinged together so as to open out

page_text: in lazy-tongs fashion and thus form two rows of legs at regular intervals apart
along the two longer opposite sides of the table or stand.
In a further modification of my invention I may form the table of three four or more
frames hinged together at their sides so that when viewed in plan the three frames
would form a triangular stand or the four frames would form a square or oblong
stand or five frames would form a pentagonal stand and so on each of the said
frames being made with or without one or more hinged shelves adapted to be
turned out into a horizontal position ready for use or turned down flat against the
frame when not required for use. It will be seen that the hinging together of the
sides forming the corners to the stand enables the stand to be folded into almost a
flat state when not required for use or opened out so as to support the table top.
I provide one or more jointed stays or other means to maintain the frames in
position when opened out forming the stand and supporting the table top as stated
above.
In order to prevent the table top or tray moving about when set on the stan
as above described I may provide at the tops of the legs or of some of them one
or more small upwardly projecting spikes arranged to stick into the table top or
tray and prevent the same moving about. Or instead of the spike or spikes I
may fix indiarubber on the tops of the legs so as to increase the friction against
the underside of the table top.
To enable the table or stand to be used either as a Four o'clock or Occasional
table or as a card table 1 may polish one side of the table top and the other side'
I may cover with cloth or other suitable material and I provide a double ledge all
round the table top projecting at the top side and at the underside so that the
table top can be reversed and either the polished side or the cloth side used as
may be desired according to circumstances.
Dated this 7th day of February 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Folding Tables or Stands.
I, ERNEST HENRY BENNETT, of 35, John Bright Street, in the City of
Birmingham, lately residing at Pine Wood, Woodstock Road, Moseley, Worcester-
shire, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of the herein described improvements in folding tables
or stands which when constructed according to my invention are with their shelves
so arranged as to be quickly set up ready for use or folded to occupy but little
space when not in use.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawing on
which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of a table or stand and its shelves
constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention opened out ready
for use;
19
Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan of the same table or stand without
the top and closed as when not in use;
Fig. 5 shews one of the shelves of the said table or stand separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures.
.
A four legged folding table or stand constructed according to my invention
consists of two vertical wooden or other suitable frames marked respectively A

page_text: and B each frame being made with two uprights (forming two of the side lege)
and two or more horizontal crosspieces connecting the two legs together; that is
to say the frame A consists of the two legs al a connected together by two cross-
pieces a³ a and the frame B consists of two legs 162 connected together by the
two crosspieces 63 64. These two frames A B are jointed together at about the
vertical centre line of the table or stand by means of the vertical axis or pin c.
The top D shewn in section in Fig 1 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 is
made entirely separate from the legs in the form of a tray so as to rest upon the
tops of the legs as shewn. When the table is set up ready for use as shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2 the two frames A B forming the stand are turned about their central
axis c so as to be opened apart when the two frames when viewed in plan see
Fig. 2 will then form a cross the legs being at the extreme ends. The table top D
is then placed upon the top of the stand ready for use. In order to prevent the
two vertical frames A B being turned too far about their central axis c when
opened out as aforesaid I provide two horizontal boards or shelves marked
respectively E' E' one of which namely the shelf E¹ is jointed to the two
legs a¹² on one side of the table and the other shelf namely E is jointed to the
other two legs a² on the other side of the table at a convenient distance below
the table top D. Each of these shelves E E2 is jointed to the legs by two joints
or hinges of peculiar construction each joint or hinge preferably consisting of a
piece of wire F fixed longitudinally as shewn to the edge of the board or shelf ant
arranged to pass through an eye (marked G) fixed on the leg so as to allow of
the two legs to which the corresponding board or shelf is hinged coming nearer
together when the table or stand is opened out for use as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2
and so as to allow of the said legs moving farther apart when the table or stand is
closed as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be seen that each of these wires F is
made just long enough to allow of the proper movement of the eyes G of the legs
along the same the said wires F being bent round and fixed to the ends of the
shelves at and at their other ends ffixed to stop pieces f³ which are screwed
to the underside of the shelves and project somewhat beyond the edge of the same.
The said shelves E¹ E2 can either be turned up into a horizontal position see
Figs. 1 and 2 ready for use or the shelves can be turned down to lie flat against
the legs as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 when the stand is folded out of use. In order
to maintain the shelves E' E' in their horizontal position shewn by Figs. 1 and 2
various means may be provided as are used for other folding shelves but what I
prefer is for the projecting ends of the stop pieces f³ to be turned downwardly
in an inclined direction as shewn so that when the table or stand is being opened
out these outwardly projecting inclined parts f4 will come into contact with and be
acted upon by the inclined wire or other pieces, ' fixed on the legs so that the
shelves EE will thereby be turned about their hinges F into the horizontal
position and there maintained by these downwardly projecting parts bearing
against the corresponding legs. Then when the table or stand is closed the shelves
will automatically turn down flat against the sides of the legs.
The said shelves E' E2 as aforesaid prevent the table or stand opening out too
far and in order to prevent the table collapsing after it has been opened out as far
as the shelves will allow I provide two cross stays marked respectively I' I' which
at one end are jointed at to the frame A and at the other end are arranged to
catch into notches 6 formed in the crosspiece B and thus keep the stand rigid. It
will be seen that when the table or stand is folded as shewn in Fig. 4 these
stays 12.lie together on the top of the crossbar a' of the frame A.
To enable the table or stand to be used as a Four o'clock or Occasional table or
as a card table 1 may polish one side of the table top D and the other side I may
cover with cloth or other suitable material and I provide a double ledge d' all
round the table top projecting at the top side and at the underside see Fig. 1 so
that the table top can be reversed and either the polished side or the cloth siue
used as may be desired according to circumstances. I also use this double ledge d
when the double top is polished on both sides.

page_text: I-wish it to be understood that I am aware that prior to my invention folding
tables or stands have been constructed of two frames hinged together centrally so
as to open out or fold together and that I do not claim such fraines except when
combined with the shelves in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a folding table or stand the combination of a loose top, two vertical
frames for supporting the same hinged or jointed together centrally so as to either
close together or open out into a cross form, means for maintaining the frames
opened out, and two shelves each hinged to two of the legs of the frames and
arranged to turn up and be maintained in a horizontal position when the frames
are opened out and turn down against the frames when the latter are closed
together, the said shelves forming stops to prevent the frames opening out too far,
all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a folding table or stand the combination of a loose top, two vertical
frames for supporting the same hinged or jointed together centrally so as to either
close together or open out into a cross form, means for maintaining the frames
opened out, and two shelves each hinged to two of the legs of the frames by the
wire hinges F passing through eyes on the legs and arranged to permit of the
eyes sliding on the wire hinges when the table is being opened or closed and also
to form stops to prevent the table or stand being opened out too far, all
substantially as herein before set forth.
as to
3. In a folding table or stand the combination of a loose top, two vertical
frames for supporting the same hinged or jointed together centrally so
either close together or open out in a cross form, means for maintaining the frames
opened out, and two shelves each hinged to two of the legs of the frames and
provided with the fittings substantially as described so that the shelves will be
automatically turned up and maintained in a horizontal position when the frames
are being opened out and turned down against the frames when the latter are
closed together, the said shelves forming stops to prevent the legs opening out too
far, all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The improved folding table or stand constructed and arranged substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 7th day of December 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.