Patent ID: 8181583

Claim:
A mobile folding table with an improved locking mechanism, comprising: a first table top half; a second table top half foldably connected to the first table top half so that the table top halves are foldable about a folding axis to and from a folded configuration, wherein the table top halves are generally vertical and generally parallel, and an unfolded configuration, wherein the table top halves are generally coplanar and generally horizontal; a first locking member movably connected to a first foldable component of the table and operably connected to a manual actuator; and a second locking member attached to a second foldable component of the table, the second locking member adapted for locking engagement with the first locking member when the table top halves are in the folded configuration to prevent relative movement of the first and second foldable components away from each other and to prevent the movement of the table top halves toward the unfolded configuration; wherein, when the table top halves are in the unfolded configuration, a generally straight edge of the first table top half opposes a generally straight edge of the second table top half to define a table centerline, and wherein the folding axis is parallel to and disposed vertically downward from the table centerline so that when the table top halves are in the folded configuration, the generally straight edge of the first table top half and the generally straight edge of the second table top half are separated by a gap, and the manual actuator is disposed proximate the gap so that the manual actuator can be manually reached from the top of the folded table and moved to disengage the locking engagement of the first and second locking members to permit the table to be unfolded.