Detachable support for a table top

Abstract

 The invention relates to a detachable support for a table top consisting of one or more leg assemblies each comprising at least one upright and one beam, with means being provided for holding the leg assemblies at the uprights against the bottom side of a table top and one centrally mounted clamping member by which the outer ends of the beams of the leg assemblies can be kept clamped against the bottom side of the table top.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a detachable support for a table top comprising a number of detachable legs and fastening means for detachably fastening the legs to the table top.

[0002] Tables having detachable legs are known per se, in which the legs are fastened to a frame mounted under a table top by fastening means such as e.g. bolts with wing nuts. Also known are tables having legs that can be screwed into a frame mounted at the bottom side of the table top with a threaded connection. With these known systems, firstly, an often voluminous frame must be fixedly connected to a bottom side of a table top before the legs can be mounted. Apart for providing a possibility of fastening the legs, the frame is also intended for providing the required support of the table top.

[0003] Unlike said known systems, the invention intends to provide a support which is easily assembled, in which legs and frame or parts thereof can be readily mounted to and removed from a table top.

[0004] Accordingly, the invention provides for one or more leg assemblies each comprising at least one upright and one beam with a number of leg assemblies together forming a support, further with a number of fastening means engaging various positions and by which one or more leg assemblies can be fastened to the bottom side of a table top, a clamping member being part of at least one of said fastening means.

[0005] An essential advantage of such a support is that a table can be quickly and easily assembled through prefabricated leg assemblies with a minimum of operations. Furthermore, a table assembled in such a way can also be dismounted again and be stored with a minimum of required space. This is particularly important with spaces always requiring different numbers of tables, such as e.g. in congress centres.

[0006] Preferably, it is provided for, that the clamping member is designed for clampingly fastening two or more leg assemblies to the bottom side of the table top at the same time, in which more specifically it is provided for that each of the leg assemblies comprises at least one beam having a free outer end, in which with each fastened leg assembly one beam has a free outer end at least partly abutting the bottom side of the table top, the clamping member being designed such, that it engages the free outer ends of the beams being part of the leg assemblies.

[0007] With the support according to the invention the leg assemblies can be fastened to the bottom side of a table top by one preferably centrally mounted clamping member. For enabling sufficient stabilization of the uprights spaced from the clamping member, further fastening means are mounted at the bottom side of the table top at or near the upright of a leg assembly, which fastening means engage an upright or a beam connected to it. Such further fastening means can additionally be mounted on one or more locations along the beam, e.g. in the middle of the beam.

[0008] These further fastening means can e.g. likewise comprise a clamping member, however it is preferred to keep these fastening means as simple as possible. Examples of such simple fastening means are a sleeve mounted at the bottom side of the table top, through which a beam should be stuck, and two or more projecting cams mounted at the bottom side of a table top, which are intended for engaging locking openings in the beam or in a mounting plate secured to it, said openings being located transversely to the longitudinal direction of said plate.

[0009] The clamping member mounted underneath the table consists of a first and a second part, said first part being intended for being fixedly mounted to the bottom side of the table top and said second part being adjustably mounted in a direction being approximately perpendicular to the first part. First and second clamping pieces are provided with corresponding legs extending in radial direction, which are intended for projecting at least partly into a free outer end of a hollow beam or for at least partly enclosing a beam.

[0010] With the corresponding legs of both clamping pieces enclosing the free outer ends of the beams, clamping is achieved by moving said two clamping pieces toward each other. With sticking the corresponding legs into the hollow outer ends, clamping is obviously achieved by moving said clamping pieces apart. This latter embodiment will be preferred in most cases, since the clamping pieces will be hidden from view as much as possible, which contributes to an smooth appearance of the support, and further because by the space is most efficiently used by staying within the contours of the beams.

[0011] Since always more than one leg assembly will be clamped, as a result of which the clamping member will always be loaded at various sides and mostly be loaded symmetrically as well, one adjusting screw mounted centrally in relation to the projecting legs can suffice.

[0012] According to a further elaboration, projecting locking cams are mounted on the radial legs and they are intended for falling into recesses located in the beams near their outer ends. Through this, it is achieved that on clamping the outer ends of the beams, they are locked at the same time, as a result of which a small clamping force is already sufficient for keeping the leg assemblies in their intended positions.

[0013] In order to enable direct positioning of the projecting locking cams and the openings in the beams when sliding the outer ends of the beams across or into said clamping member, it is further provided for that each of the radial legs of the first and second clamping pieces is provided with a corresponding stop intended for being contacted by the free outer end of a beam.

[0014] For assembling a table having a support according to the invention it is sufficient to provide the table top with a first clamping piece and to mount one or more screws as further fastening means at a predetermined distance from said clamping piece in alignment with its projecting legs. After that, the leg assemblies can be immediately slid into position and be fixed.

[0015] The invention is explained further by way of the example illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a table with support according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a dismounted support;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the first clamping piece of the clamping member;

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the second clamping piece of the clamping member;

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the second clamping piece of the clamping member;

Figs. 6A,B show perspective bottom and plan views of the second clamping piece;

Figs. 7A,B show perspective bottom and plan views of the first clamping piece;

Figs. 8A,B show a number of views and a detail of a leg assembly.

[0016] Fig. 1 illustrates a table 1 having a table top 2 and leg assemblies 3, 4, 5. Each of the leg assemblies 3, 4, 5 consists of a hollow upright 6 and a hollow beam 7, extending approximately perpendicular to each other and being of triangular cross-section.

[0017] For fastening the leg assemblies 3, 4, 5 against the bottom side of the table top 2, a clamping member 8 is provided, see Fig. 2, consisting of a first clamping piece 9 to be fastened against the bottom side of the table top 2 and a second clamping piece 10 adjustable in relation to said first one. The clamping piece 9 is fastened by a number of screws 11 and the second clamping piece 10 can be moved away from and towards the first clamping piece 9 in a direction being approximately perpendicular to the table top plane by adjusting screw 12.

[0018] In order to be able to stabilize the leg assemblies at the level of the uprights to a sufficient degree, further fastening means are provided, being intended to cooperate with the locking openings 13 provided in the top side of the beam 7. The further fastening means per se can simply be screws screwed into the bottom side of the top in which a predetermined distance between the top and the flat bottom of the screw heads is maintained, in such a way that the beam can be clampingly trapped with the material around the locking openings between the screws and the top. If necessary, such further fastening means can be mounted at more locations along the beam, e.g. such as indicated in the figure, in the middle of the beam having a single locking opening 13'.

[0019] Fig. 3 illustrates a view of the first clamping piece 9 perpendicular to the plane 14 directed downwards in case of a fastened first clamping piece. In the clamping piece, holes 15, 16, 17 have been made for fastening screws 11 and a threaded hole 18 for adjusting screw 12. The first clamping piece has three radially projecting legs 19, 20, 21 at both sides being provided with bevels 22, 23, their angles being equal to the corresponding angles of the beams 7 of the leg assemblies. The bevels 22, 23 end into a stop 24 continuing along the entire other side of the first clamping piece, the side turned towards the table top, see Fig. 7A. The stop 24 is intended for allowing the beams of the leg assemblies to be slid to exactly a predetermined position.

[0020] Figs. 4, 5 illustrate a side view and a plan view of the second clamping piece 10, respectively. The second clamping piece has legs 25, 26, 27 corresponding to the legs 19, 20, 21. In cross-section, these legs follow the shape of the corresponding part of the beam 7, be it that the dimension in the given example has been chosen such, that the legs 25, 26, 27 will never contact the inner walls of the beams 7 entirely. Near their beginning and ending, the legs are provided with rounded-off projections 28, 29, the rounded-off portion being equal to the corresponding round portion in a beam 7, and which will provide for the clamping of a beam 7 together with a leg 19, 20, 21 of the first clamping piece 9. The shape of the legs 25, 26, 27 is necessary for the strength of the leg and forms a guide having sufficient clearance for sliding the beams 7 across the legs 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 of the clamping member 8 to the stop 24.

[0021] The outer ends of the legs 25, 26, 27 of the second clamping piece 10 mounts projecting locking cams 30 intended for falling into openings 31 (see Fig. 8) in the beams 7 in case of a beam 7 being slid against the stop 24 and clamped. This locks the beams 7 against movement as a result of which the clamping force can be limited to holding the beams clamped by the clamping member.

[0022] In the middle of the second clamping piece 10, an opening 32 is made for being able to reach adjusting screw 12. This adjusting screw can be freely rotatably received in the clamping piece, causing the second clamping piece to be adjustable in two directions in relation to the first clamping piece. It is also possible to connect the adjusting screw to the first clamping piece only so that the second clamping piece can only be moved away from the first one in a controlled way.

[0023] Figs. 8A,B,C illustrate three views of a leg assembly 4 with upright 6 and beam 7. The opening 31 for locking cam 30 is made near the free outer end of the beam and locking openingen 13 are made near the other outer end of the beam 7. Said locking openings 13 consist of a round opening 33 having a connecting slot 34, the diameter of the opening 33 being larger than the width of the slot 34. The further fastening means intended for it are mounted at the bottom side of the table top at such distance from the clamping member that when a beam 7 contacts a stop, they are located within the slot or against its outer end.

[0024] The embodiment described in this example has a support with three leg assemblies. However, it is also possible to employ a larger number of leg assemblies, in which one is neither limited tot triangular or e.g. round table tops.

[0025] The illustrated leg assembly can easily be manufactured from one length of pipe material by making the required openings and recesses beforehand, bending the length and welding it at the angle. However, it is also possible to make leg assemblies with e.g. two uprights, a first beam between the uprights and a second upright perpendicular to the first upright or e.g. two uprights with one Y-shaped beam.

Claims

1. Support for a table top comprising a number of detachable legs and fastening means for detachably fastening the legs to the table top, characterized in that one or more leg assemblies are provided, each comprising at least one upright and one beam with a number of leg assemblies together forming a support, further with a number of fastening means engaging various positions and by which one or more leg assemblies can be fastened to the bottom side of a table top, a clamping member being part of at least one of said fastening means.

2. Support according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping member is designed for clampingly fastening two or more leg assemblies to the bottom side of the table top at the same time.

3. Support according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the leg assemblies comprises at least one beam having a free outer end, in which with each fastened leg assembly one beam has a free outer end at least partly abutting the bottom side of the table top, the clamping member being designed such, that it engages the free outer ends of the beams being part of the leg assemblies.

4. Support according to claim 3, characterized in that the clamping member consists of a first and a second part, said first part being intended for being fixedly mounted to the bottom side of the table top and said second part being adjustably mounted in a direction being approximately perpendicular to the first part.

5. Support according to claim 4, characterized in that said first and second clamping pieces are provided with corresponding legs extending in radial direction, which are intended for projecting at least partly into a free outer end of a beam or for at least partly enclosing a beam.

6. Support according to claim 5, characterized in that projecting locking cams are mounted on the radial legs and they are intended for falling into recesses located in the beams near their outer ends.

7. Support according to claim 6, characterized in that each of the radial legs of the first and second clamping pieces is provided with a corresponding stop intended for being contacted by the free outer end of a beam.

8. Support according to claims 1-7, characterized in that further fastening means have been mounted at the bottom side of the table top at or near the upright of a leg assembly and that they engage an upright or a beam connected with it.

9. Support according to claim 8, characterized in that further fastening means have been mounted on at least one location between the outer ends of a beam.

10. Support according to claim 8-9, characterized in that the further fastening means consist of one or more projecting cams mounted at the bottom side of a table top, being intended for engaging locking openings made in the beam in its longitudinal direction.

Drawing