US2799543A - Umbrella folding table - Google Patents

Description

July 16, 1957 4 2,799,543

UMBRELLA FOLDING TABLE Filed Jan. 17. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 muse/Ii Louis A. To

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onl 19m July 16, 1957 L. A. TOMASELLI 2,799,543

UMBRELLA FOLDING TABLE Filed Jan. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Fig. 8

Louis A. Ta'mase/li; IN VEN TOR.

BY 8 MW UMBRELLA FOLDING TABLE Louis A. Tomaselli, Yonkers, N. Y.

Application January 17, 1956, Serial No. 559,640 Claims. (Cl. 311-17) This invention relates to combined furniture and particularly to a folding table attachment for an umbrella of the type used on beaches and lawns.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for the pole of an umbrella, the attachment functioning as a table and being foldable for ready and easy transportation and storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structurally simplified table top which is attachable on the pole of an umbrella in a selected position throughout substantially the full length of the pole, the table being characterized particularly by its simplicity of construction and the complete absence of legs other than the pole which supports the umbrella canopy.

A further object of the invention is to provide an umbrella with a table attachment that is very easily applicable to existing umbrella poles so that any purchaser of the attachment could very easily, with the simplest of tools, or even without any tools, apply the attachment to the umbrella pole.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical umbrella having the attachment thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on a plane of line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the attachment;

Figure 7 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the attachment;

Figure 8 is an elevational view in enlarged scale, parts being broken away in section and illustrating a further modification; and,

Figure 9 is a plan View of yet another modification of the attachment.

The umbrella 10 of Figure 1 is intended to be illustrative of the many, commercially available standard beach or lawn umbrellas. It includes a canopy 12 at the upper end of a pole 14, this pole being sectional and including an upper section 16 together with a lower sec tion 18 that is adapted to be inserted in the ground. Other umbrellas may be the recipient of the attachment, for example, an umbrella with a single-piece pole may be used, although the umbrella having the sectional pole is probably more common because of its capability of being unassembled and carried more easily.

The attachment 20 in Figure 1 consists of a table top 22, the latter having two sections 24 and 26. Each is hired. States Patent "ice made semicircular in planform, this being the preferred configuration, although other shapes may be adopted. Sections 24 and 26 have downturned flanges 28 and 30 along the arcuate edges thereof for rigidity. Section 24 has a number of hinge bights 32 along its straight edge while section 26 has a number of hinge bights 34 along its straight edge, the bights 32 and 34 being interleaved. Hinge pins 36 and 38 are inserted in the groups of hinge bights in order to hingedly connect sections 24 and 26 so that they are capable of being pivoted about the common longitudinal axis of the hinge pins 36 and 38.

Means establishing a stop for the table top sections 24 and 26, are operatively connected to sections 24 and 26. As disclosed best in Figure 5 and in Figure 6, these means consist of metal flanges 42 and 44 that are secured to the hinge bights 32 and 34 as continuations thereof. Flanges 42 and 44 are arranged at right angles to the plane of sections 24 and 26 so that when they are in contact, as shown in Figure 5, the sections 24 and 26 are coplanar. Reference was made to the flanges 42 and 44 as being of metal. However, when the sections 24 and 26 are made of a substitute material, for example, plastic or wood, the stop flanges 42 and 44 may be correspondingly changed in material of construction.

A collar 46 functions as a portion of the means for attaching the table top to the pole 16 in selected positions thereon. Collar 46 has a split 48 longitudinally therein, and flanges 5t) and 52 flank the split. One or more bolts are passed through aligned apertures in the flanges 50 and 52 so that upon tightening the bolts, collar 46 is squeezed tightly on the pole 14. It may be placed at any convenient height on the pole in accordance with the desires of the user. A part of collar 46 is threaded as at 54, the threads being engageable with threads 56 formed on split sleeve 58. Split sleeve 58 is formed of two semi-cylindrical parts, one being carried by section 24 of the table top while the other is carried by the opposite section 26. When hingedly connected together and in the coplanar relationship disclosed in Figure 1 or Figure 5, the semi-cylindrical parts coact in order to form a generally cylindrical internally threaded sleeve which is threadedly disposed on threads 54 of collar 46. This attaches the table top 22 to the pole 14 and in such position thereon as governed by the location of collar 46.

In the embodiment of Figure 8, the structural distinction is in the collar 60. Instead of being split and provided with bolts passing through flanges on opposite sides of the split, collar 66 has a number of set-screws 62 threaded in a wall and engageable with the surface of pole 14. One part of collar 60 is threaded as at 64 the same as there is one part of collar 46 threaded. Collar 60 functions in the same manner to support table top 22 as does the collar 46.

In Figure 9 there is a modification of the table top. It has two approximately semi-circular sections 63 and '70 together with and hingedly connected to an elongated central section 72. Hinges 74 and 76 connect the sec.- tions 68 and 70 to the central section '72, these hinges being identical in all respects to the previously described hinge which connects sections 24 and 26. Accordingly, the means established a stop in order to hold the sections 68 and 70 coplanar are the same as the stop flanges 42 and 44 of Figure 5. A threaded sleeve 78 is in the central section '72 and is adapted to be threadedly connected to threads 54 or 64 depending on Whether the table top 80 of Figure 9 is to be used with collar 60 or collar 46 with which it is equally useful. This holds true in connection with the modification of Figure 7. That is, the supporting means for the table top disclosed in Figure 7 may be modified to function with a table top such as that at 80 as well as a table top such as indicated at 22.

4 in Figure 7 the collar 84 which is adjustably mounted on pole 14, has a series of set-screws se preferably radially arranged in threaded apertures in collar Bayonet slots 38 and 96 that open through one end of collar 8%, are used for a quick connect and disconnect means of attaching table top 92 to the collar. The table top 92 is made of sections 93 and 94 hingedly connected together in a manner identical to that disclosed in con nection with the table top 22. In lieu of the internally threaded sleeve 56 there is a smooth bore split sleeve 96 having axially aligned pins 97 which protrude from opposite Walls thereof. H These pins are insertable in the bayonet slots 88 and 90 in order to lock the table top 92 in place on collar 84. v

In use, the umbrella 10 'is selected and one of the 'table attachments applied thereto. The attachment is connected in place by first securing one of the collars on the pole of the umbrella and then connecting the table top to the collar. This is accomplished by fastening one of the sleeves to the collar, the selection of sleeve being that which is connected to the particular embodiment of table top which is used.

When the umbrella is inserted in the soil or sand as Would be found on a beach, a handly table is provided for the purpose of placing drinks and luncheon thereon.

When it is desired to leave the premises the table top is hingedly actuated so that it is stored in a motor vehicle trunk with a minimum of volume required to accommodate the table top.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In an umbrella pole, a table attachment comprising a table top, said top including sections, means mounting said sections for hinged movement relative to each other,

a stop operatively connected with said sections in order to hold said sections generally coplanar, releasable means forming the sole support for the table top operatively connected to the table top and to the umbrella pole, said releasable means including a collar which is secured in selected positions on the umbrella pole, and means including a sleeve releasably securing sai top to said collar.

2. The attachment of claim 1 wherein said collar and sleeve are provided with bayonet slots and pins, said bayonet slots and pins constituting the means for releasably attaching said table top to said collar.

3. The attachment of claim 1 wherein said table top includes a center section hingedly connected to and located between the first mentioned sections of said table top.

4. An attachment for an umbrella pole, said attachment comprising a table top, a sleeve carried by said table top and adapted to fit over said pole, a collar positiciriable in selected locatidns on said pole so that the height of the tabletop is adjustable, said collar including a larger diameter and a smaller diameter part, means connectedwith said smaller diameter par t fe r securing said collar in selected positions on said pole, said larger diameter part opening upwardly on said pole to form a pocket within which to receive said sleeve, and said sleeve having an outside-dimension small enough so that said sleeve fits in said larger part of said collar and thereby retains said table top on said pole.

5. The attachment of claim 4 wherein said sleeve is made of two parts, said table top having two sections, means hingedly "connecting said sections, and one part of said sleeve being carried by one section and the other part of saidsleeve being carried by the other section,

whereby when said sleeve is fitted in the larger part of said collar, said sleeve holds said sections of said table top in the extended position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,173,665 Jakab Feb. 29, 1916 2,039,805 Knight May '5, 1936 2,190,222 Strasser Feb. 13, 1940 2,292,292 'Romeyn Aug. 4, 1942 2,603,543 Barbin July 15, 1952

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