US2833607A - Sectional platform with nesting sections - Google Patents

Description

May 6, 1958 c. MAcKlNTosH 2,833,607

SECTIONAL PLTF'ORIVIl WITH NESTINC SECTIONS Filed March 28, 1955 INVENTOR lay/(ibm, @ali/VWM r /f/bm ATTORNEYS SECTIONAL PLATFORMv WITH NEsTlNG sEc'rroNs j CharlesfMacldntosh, LsAngeles, Calif. ApplicafionMarchzs,isssgiseaaiisawzozs 4 claims.v (ci. 3111-4) ,thereon arev such as tolenable the sections to be stacked one on top ofanother.

A furtherv object isl toprvi easectional platform. as just described. wherein theindividualL sections when arranged into a platform`rv are adapted' to` be interconnected by a novel latching device.

Another object of thefinventi'ongisv to provide aV tablelike assembly which may be associated',` either longitudinally, laterally or both,` with anumber` ofv similar unitsinto a platform, theunits, on disassociati'on, being y adapted to nest together in^a compactarrav Other objects andadvantagesl will'be apparent from the following detailed description lwhenY read in conjunction with thev accompanying drawings in which:

Pigurel is a planview` of a stage or` platform formed of a plurality of table-like assemblies constructedl in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan -yiewofseveral juxtaposed units, with 'theI panels` shown'n dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a transversey sectionv taken substantially along line 3--3 of Figure l, but with the panels in solid lines;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a plurality of the units nested together;

Figure 5. is a fragmentary detailed. view ofk a novel latching device v'adapted tormaintainV the' units'together; and

Figure 6`is a'plan view of a stage-or'platform, of different coniiguration assembled from. apluralityoffslightly modied units, the panels being, partially cut away to reveal the` construction of the uni It is evident from the drawings., Figures Z'andl 3' in particular, that the basic or elemental unit of the invention is a table-like assembly, generally designated A, which may be arranged im'tva'ri'ous relationships with other units to form platforms, stages, tables and the like of diiferent sizes and configurations. The assembly A includes an open frame 11 constructed of angle or channel iron and lhaving front and rear members 12 and 13, respectively, and left and right side members 14 and l5, respectively, the members being welded or otherwise secured together at the corners to constitute a unitary structure. To permit the nesting of the assemblies, either front member 12 or rear member 13 (the former, as illustrated) is foreshorted at its ends, as compared to the other membenso that the side members 13 and 14 extend slightly obliquely inwardly between the ends of the front and rear members. Where the front and rear members are straight, which would constitute the simplest. and least expensive arrangementpthe frame K 11 takes the form of a trapezoid.

Dependent from frame 11` and secured thereto by welding orother conventional means are two setsV or groups of legs, a back set i6 and a front set 17. One of these sets (17 Vas illustrated) is mounted on the exterior face lor vedge of the foreshortenedpmember and in;- cludes a, leg disposed adjacent each end ofthe member and a further leg located intermediate ysuch endsr which further leg is given in the drawings the special designa'- tion 171'. A leg rofthe other group is mounted on the exterior edge or face of each` of side'members 14 and l5 adjacent the end thereof remote from the member which carries the rst group of legs. All of the legsty of both groups are of egual length and, forreasons that will hereafter'appear, are preferably generally tubular in form..

Supported by frame ll' is a top panel member 21 formed of plywood or other substantially rigid sheet material which may be detachably secured to the frame in. any of the usual ways, for example, with screws (not shown)` e edge of the panel which corresponds to the frame member carrying the iirst group (17) of legs, for example edge Z2, so extends as to leave at least a portionof each of the legs of that grouppexposed to accessfrom above, and where' that edge isstraight, it may be generally flush with the outer redger of the frame member. On the other hand, the opposite edge 23. of the .panel,; at least in regions diametrically oppositeto legs carried by the -f' foreshortened member, projects ,beyond the exterior limits 30A ofthe legless `frame member to an extent comparable with the exposed portion ofjthe legs on the other side ofthe framef Thev purpose of' this arrangement is that when two assemblies are placedv front to back, the projecting portion of the panelof one assembly will overlap and cover the exposed portion' of the legs of the front or4 rear group, asythe case may be,.ofjthe other assembly, the entirer panel of the first assembly constituting with the entire panel ofthe other assembly asubstantially continuous surface. f s

With respect to thejsideportious of the panelaln ,the region of the corners. of the framedeiined by a sidemember and the non-foreshortened member, the panel terminates short of the legs carried by the side frame members'sothat at least a portion of each of' these legsis left exposedto access from above; and at least in. the regions diametrically opposite to the legs vcarriedby the side frame members: the panel projects beyond the outer edge of the side frame member to an extent comparable with the portion of the legleft exposed.V The object accomplished by thisV arrangement here is that when. two assemblies are arranged' side-to-side but in reversed `relationship, a projecting panel portion of each ofthe assem-v blies will overlap and cover an exposed leg portion of the other assembly, the two panels together constituting a virtuallycontinuous surface.

The exact shape which thefront, back, and side edges of thev panel ofeach assembly will take is` a matter of individual choice provided that yall ofthe legs of each assembly are left at least partially exposed when that assembly isstanding alone but will be substantially covered by projecting panel portions of other adjacent panels when the assembly is arranged with other assemblies into a platform and that when so arranged the panel edges will mate with the edges of the other adjacent panels to form a flat, substantially unbroken surface. A rectangular panel will, for many purposes, be advantageous due to its lowcost and simplicity.

From the standpoint of safety, latchiug means operative to positively maintain a plurality of assemblies in juxtaposition is a practical necessity and any one of. a number of known means of this type may be employed in association with the assemblies just described. In addition. there is disclosed a novel latching device which has been especially designed for.` the invention. In accordance with-.this` feature, one or more of the'frame members of each assembly is provided with an outwardly projecting `tongue 25 whichcarries at `its free end a downwardly directed `linger 26` adapted to it in and engage the exposed portionofthe bore ofone of the tubular legs of an adjacentlyfarranged assembly.' Preferably, the end of the Vtongue remote from the linger issecured, e. g., by we1d ingjto the' upper surface of the frameumember and in this 'case the eorrespondingportion of theunder surface of the panel is relievedfor recessed to accommodate the tongue. However, `other arrangements areV possible.- Thus, the 4tongue may]- be mounted with its upper surface ilush with the upper surface of the frame member and the wall of `theleg notched to receivethe tongue. As is readily inferrable `frornthe, drawings, thellatching device may be ap.

plied to thelegless frame member, one side member, two lside members, or all three", dependent upon the ultimate sizeand configurationV of the platformV and the fashion inwhichtthe`a`ssemblies are arranged together. When applied Ato `tliexleglessframe member, itis preferably so located as to engage with thetintermediate leg, e. g., leg

17i.`. If the leg` is` fully exposed, the finger may take the uformof a ,peg or dowel mating with the bore of the leg. Referring now to Figure l, there isshown a platform composed `of twooppositelyor reversely facing groups of assemblies, A1`A `and. ATA-A12, wherein the assemblies in each group are arranged front to back with the projecting panel portion of all except the terminal assemblies v (A, and A7) overlappingfwith and supported by the ex- `posed legs ofthe nextadjacent assembly, and one assembly from each group is juxtaposed with one assembly from the other group -Witha projecting side panel portion of each overlapping and supported by a side leg of the other. Intorder that `the support of the platform may be `complete and uniform throughout, it is desirable that thev terminal assemblies in any platform, corresponding toassemblies A, andtAJ; in Figure l, have an intermediate leg (16) `on theotherwise legless frame member. `To facilitatetransp'ortation of a nested array ofthe assemblies,1as shown inFigure 4, one of a number of assemblies,` whichmay conveniently be a terminal assembly,'`is provided with wheels 29 at the termination of alllegs, the wheeled assembly serving as a carrier for other assemblies. The weightfof `the assemblies and the point at which the center of gravity of theentire array falls outside the contines of the wheels governs the number which may be readily stacked together. j

A platform having the configuration seen in Figure'6 necessitates a slight change in the disposition of the legs on one side of each assemblyto permit the close juxtaposition of assemblies which4 are all facing in the same direction, as well asv a change in the shape of the panels anda progressive increase in the size of the assemblies in the `direction of front to rear.

lIn the event a stepped platform is desired, the legs of the frontrow of assemblies may be reduced in length and the `legs of the back `row `increased in length compared to that of the legs of the intermediate row. The modifivcation of the latching arrangement necessary for a stepped platform will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Itwill be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated as some variations and modifications have been suggested in the specication and others will occur to one conversant in the field of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l; A sectional platform comprising a plurality of individual table-like assemblies, each of which includes a four-sided frame having one `side shortened at each end as compared to the opposite side, a group of legs ,mounted on the exterior of said shortened side. a lsecond group of legs including a leg mounted on vthe exterior of each of the two remaining opposite sides of said frame at a point adjacent the side opposite said shortened side, and a rectangular panel overlying said frame, said panel having one edge approximately coterminous with the exterior of said shortened side and a portion opposite said edge projecting outwardly of the exterior of the side opposite said v shortened4 side and being of a length approximately equal to the length of the side opposite said shortened side, whereby portions of said panelalso project outwardly of the exterior of said two remaining opposite sides adjacent said shortenedrside, said assemblies being arranged together with the outwardly projecting portions of the panel of one assembly overlapping with and being supported by at least `one leg of l an adjacent assembly, said panels Vfitting together `and constituting a substantially contnuous surface when viewed in plan, and said assemblies being nestable together when disarranged..

. 2. The platform of claim l wherein said legs are tubu- .lar in form and eachl of said assemblies is provided with at least one'latching unit comprising a tongue projecting from the side of said frame opposite said shortened side and a nger dependent from the free end of said tongue, said finger fitting into the bore of a leg of an adjacent assembly and maintaining said assemblies closely together.

3. The platform of claim 1 wherein each of the terminal assemblies includes `in the rear group of legs an additional leg carried by the side opposite said shortened side and intermediate its ends.

4. The platform of claim 1 wherein the first group of legs in each assembly includes an additional leg intermediate the ends of said shortened frame side.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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