Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Plural related horizontal surfaces – Nested or stacked units
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-25
2004-01-13
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3637)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Plural related horizontal surfaces
Nested or stacked units
Reexamination Certificate
active
06675724
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for stabilizing stacking up of tables having folding legs. More particularly it relates to a device for stabilizing stacking up of tables having a table top or surface which is smooth and homogeneous on the upper part thereof and possibly provided with finishing decorations, and ground-resting legs that can be folded under the work top or surface.
In this way the concerned tables while having a traditional and refined aspect, can take a greatly flattened shape and therefore can be easily stored when they are not in use.
In fact these tables can be stacked or piled up, with their tops substantially parallel and adjacent to each other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
It is known that tables of the above type not only have the merit of being adapted to carry out storing in reducing spaces, but they also have the important quality of enabling easy transportation of same by groups disposed in a stacked condition on trolleys or transport means.
Due to the above features, they are suitable for use as emergency tables or tables for hire so as to dispose them temporarily in areas or premises that are to be subsequently evacuated or cleared.
Beside the above mentioned qualities, a typical drawback of these tables is the reduced steadiness of the piles or stacks they form and therefore the small number of tables that can be practically piled up when the same are to be moved in a stacked condition on trolleys and the like.
In fact, the work tops or surfaces that are smooth and homogeneous on the upper part do not offer any hold for the overlying tables and deformations or cavities cannot be formed on the tops themselves so as to promote piling up or make it steady because in this way the concerned tables would loose an essential quality owned by them, i.e. that of having a smooth and uniform upper surface.
This upper surface is the surface most in sight and finishing, color and smoothness of same as well as possible decorations chiefly determine the apparent value of said tables.
To protect this surface when tables are piled up, annular bands or borders are provided to be extended under the table top so as to define a lower housing or niche within which the folded support legs are encased in such a manner that the same do not touch the upper surface of the underlying table.
Obviously the borders or bands forming said housing or niche are carefully finished so that they can rest on the upper surfaces of the underlying tables without damaging them. Practically, the tables being piled up can slide or slip in a coplanar relation with each other. The more finishing of said upper surface is accurate, the easier said slipping takes place.
Therefore, during transportation piling up of a relatively reduced number of tables as compared with the capacity of the transport trolleys must be each time provided, which results in a slowing down of the loading and unloading procedures.
Alternatively it is possible to resort to transport means ensuring the necessary steadiness by themselves, such as trolleys provided with different exactly-positioned holding borders, but this solution on the one hand makes it necessary to use special trolleys which are expensive and hardly suitable for other different uses and, on the other hand, makes the loading and unloading operations of the folded table stacks more difficult and therefore more time-consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under this situation the technical task underlying the invention is to conceive a device capable of substantially obviating the mentioned drawbacks.
Within the scope of this technical task it is an important aim of the invention to provide a device enabling the stacked tables to be stabilized without interventions on the upper surface of the tops being required and without any element potentially susceptible of damaging said surface being introduced.
Another important aim of the invention is to provide a device which is versatile and substantially applicable to all tables of the above type that are presently on the market.
A further aim of the invention is to provide a device of this type that does not interfere with other table components, in particular with the folding legs and the drive and control mechanisms of same.
A still further aim of the invention is to provide a device of this type that can act in a substantially automatic manner at the moment of piling.
A not least aim of the invention is to provide a device that can be produced together with the work tops or surfaces, for example when the latter are being manufactured.
The technical task mentioned and the aims specified are achieved by a device for stabilizing stacking up of tables having folding legs, and at least one plate provided with an edge, an upper face and a lower face, said folding legs extending from said lower face, the device comprising: at least one latch-like element movably connected to said plate and at least one tooth defining one end of said latch-like element, said latch-like element being drivingly movable from a rest position to a work position at which said tooth projects from said plate to make a stop abutment preventing slipping with respect to an underlying plate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1593975 (1926-07-01), Karstens
patent: 2889185 (1959-06-01), Heisler
patent: 3604372 (1971-09-01), Hewett et al.
patent: 3845728 (1974-11-01), Piretti
patent: 4626047 (1986-12-01), Miciukiewicz
patent: 5284100 (1994-02-01), Thorn
patent: 5638761 (1997-06-01), Berkowitz et al.
patent: 5974982 (1999-11-01), Lepper et al.
patent: 588230 (1977-05-01), None
patent: 34 36 358 (1986-04-01), None
Bruschi Mario
Discacciati Diego
Browdy and Neimark
Drake Corp.
Wilkens Janet M.
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