US2646330A - Combination workbench and drawing table - Google Patents

Description

July 21, 1953 'J. A. SWAINBANK 2,646,330

COMBINATION WORKBENCH AND DRAWING TABLE Filed April 20, 1951 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i g /9 i w I 7 g 4 FIG. 3.

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Patented July 21,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE COMBINATION WORKBENCH AND DRAWING i TABLE James A. Swainbank, Flushing, N. Y. 7 Application April 20, 1951, Serial No. 222,040

3 Claims; (01. 312-316) 1 l This invention relates to combination furniture and more particularly to an article of furniture that can be used as a table, a work bench or a drawing board.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved'article of combination furniture which, when closed, has the appearance of an ordinary furniture table and is neat and attractive and suitable for use in living quarters, and which can beopenedin one way to provide a work bench and associated tool rack and in a ends of the frame. A-flat top I3, also of elongated, rectangular shape, is secured to one. side of the frame and projects marginally beyond the side and end members of the frame, and table legs, as indicated at I4, I5, I6 and I! are secured to the frame, one of each corner thereof and project from the frame in a direction away from different way to provide an inclined drawing,

. Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1; d

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a top portion of the device showing a" structural detail;

Figure Tis-a fragmentary top plan view also showing the structural detail illustrated in Figure 6, but with the partsin a somewhat difierent relative position; I I

FigureS isa transverse'cross sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 2, but with'the device shown in closed condition; 7 V

Figure 9is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 99 of Figure 8; and I Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of attaching a tray to the device when used as "a drawing board.

Withcontinued reference to the drawings, the," article of furniture comprises a-frame of elongated rectangular shape which includes two frame side members I0 and II disposed in spaced apart and substantially parallel relationship to each other and two frame end members, one of which is indicated at I2,'extending between the side inembers I0 and II attherespecti'vely opposite the table top I3 and substantially perpendicular to the latter. 7

','As illustrated in Figure 3 for the leg I6, the adjacent'ends of the side member I0 and the end member I2 are spaced apart and are squared relative to the remainder of the members and the leg is of square cross sectional shape and is partly received between the spaced apart ends of the frame members It and I2 with one corner projecting-inwardly of the frame.

A brace I8 extends diagonally across the corner of the frame and is secured at its opposite ends to the frame members In and I2. This brace is spaced from the adjacent corner of the table leg it and is provided with an aperture substantially at its midlength location and a lag screw is extends through the aperture in the brace and is threaded into the table leg I6 with its head bearing against the inner side of the brace to rigidly but detachably secure thetable leg to the frame. The other table legs are of the same shape and are secured v to the frame in the same manner.

The side members I0 and II of the frame are provided with mutually registering openings of elongated, rectangular shape and a drawer 29 is mounted in the frame at the under side of the top I3 and is slidable through the openings in the frame side members outwardly of either of the-frame side members, as may be desired.

' A box, generally indicated at 2I, of elongated, rectangular shape is mounted on the table top I3 and has side members 22 and '23 disposed in spaced apart and substantially parallel relation-- ship to each other, end members it and 25 and a top member 26 secured to one side of the frame provided by the side member 22 and the end members 24 and 25. The side member 23 is rigidly secured along one edge to the table top I3 adjae cent one longitudinal edge of the table top and ber 24 the box top member 26 is provided with tool supports, such as the brackets 28 and 29 for supporting a saw, the row of spring clips 36 for supporting tools, such as hammers, screwdrivers, chisels, et cetera, and a cabinet 3| for containing tools, fasteners, and other articles.

The cabinet 31 may conveniently comprise two compartments 32 and 33 mounted in an elongated housing and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the housing, as indicated at 34 in Figure 5, so that the inner ends of these compartments can be swung inwardly and outwardly to render their contents accessible or to close them into the casing. A spring detent, as indicated at 35 in Figure 5, may be provided at the inner end of each compartment to releasably latch the compartment in closed condition.

Stays 31 and 38 are disposed at the inner sides of the end members 24 and 25 respectively and each stay is pivotally connected at one end to the associated end member substantially at the mid-length location of such end member. At its other end each stay is provided with a rectangular notch 39 which closely receives the rectangular cross sectional shape of the side member 23 of the box 2| and hooks 46 and 4| project inwardly of the side member 23, one near each end thereof. 7

The notches 39 in the free or distal ends of the stays 31 and 38 receive the fixed side member 23 and the hooks 40 and 4! engage the outer edges of the stays to lock them in engagement with the fixed side member. The box structure will then be securely held in substantially vertical position relative to the table top and the table top may now be used as a work bench while the box structure will constitute an associated tool rack.

The free or distal end portions of the stays 31 and 38 can swing past the outer ends of the corresponding hooks 43 and 41 when the box structure is raised to upright position and, after the box structure has been brought to upright position, the stays are swung inwardly away from the adjacent end members 24 and 25 and into engagement with the corresponding hooks.

An accentric cam 42 is pivotally mounted on the inner side of the end member 24 adjacent the pivotal connection between this cam member and the stay 31 and a similar cam, not illustrated, is mounted on the inner side of the end member 25 to cooperate with the stay 38. With the box structure 2! in an inclined position relative to the table top, as illustrated in Figure 2, and with the free additional ends of the stays 31 and 38 resting upon the upper surface of the table top i3, the cams may be rotated to bear upon the upper edges of the stays and support the box structure at selected positions of inclination, so that its top member can be used as a drawing board.

A molding strip 43 extends along the edge of the box top member 26 adjacent the fixed side member 23 and is held onto the top member 26 by screws threaded into the corresponding edge of the top member and extending through transversely elongated slots in the molding strip so that the molding strip can be raised slightly above the top surface of the top member 26 to provide a ledge to prevent paper and drawing instruments from sliding oiT of the top member of the box structure while the latter is being used as a drawing board.

The pins 44 which pivotally connect the stays 31 and 38 to the end members 24 and 25 of the box structure are longer than the thickness of the stays, so that the stays can be moved outwardly along these pins and pass by the corresponding eccentric cams to bring the stays to a position between the cams and the under surface of the top member 26 to thereby place the stays in an out of the way position for closing the box structure onto the table top, as illustrated in Figure 8.

The fixed side member 23 of the box structure is provided at one end with a rectangular notch 45 adjacent the upper surface of the table top l3 and a tray 46 in the form of a flat, rectangular plate has adjacent one corner a groove 41 extending longitudinally of the plate substantially parallel to one edge thereof. When the grooved portion of the tray 46 is received in the notch 45 in the member 23 the tray is firmly supported on the table substantially parallel to the table top, as illustrated in Figure 2, and projects outwardly both laterally and longitudinally fromthe member 23, so that this tray can be conveniently used to hold material, such as pencils, ink, paint and crayons while the top member 26 of the box structure is being used as a drawing board.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flat top, a fiat box structure including spaced apart and substantially parallel side members one of which is secured along one edge to said table top along one edge of the latter and upstands substantially perpendicularly from the table top, end members rigidly secured each at one end to the other side member at respectively opposite ends of the latter and extending perpendicularly from said other toward said one side member, and a box top rigidly secured along one side edge and its end edges to said other side and said end members and hinged along its other side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latter remote from said table top, said side and end members all being disposed at the same side of, and said other side and end members extending perpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one side member one near each end thereof, and stays pivotally secured each at one end, one to each of said end members intermediate the length of the latter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each of said hooks and having notches in their distal ends receiving said one side member to support said box structure in upstanding position substantially perpendicular to said table top.

2. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flat top, a flat box structure including spaced apart and substantially said one side member, and a box'top rigidly secured along one side edge and its end edges to said other side and said end members and hinged along its other side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latter remote from said table top, said side and end members all being disposed at the same side of, and said other side and end members extending perpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one side member one near each end thereof, stays pivotally secured each at one end one to each of said end members intermdiate the length of the latter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each of said hooks and having notches in their distal ends receiving said one side member to supportsaid box structure in upstanding position substantially perpendicular to said table top, said stays being also adapted.

to rest attheir distal ends on said table top at locations spaced from said one side member, and eccentric cams pivotally mounted one on each of said end members and respectively engaging said stays to adjustably support said box structure. at selected angles of inclination relative to said table top.

3. An article of combination furniture comprising a table having a flat top, a flat'box structure including spaced apart and substantially parallel side members one of which is secured along one edge to said table top along one edge of the latter and upstands substantially perpendicularly from the table top, end members rigidly secured each at one endto the other side member at respectively opposite ends of the latter and extending perpendicularly from said other toward said one side member, and a box top rigidly secured along one side edge and its end edges to v said other side and said end members and hinged along its other side edge to said one side member along the edge of the latter remote from said table top; said'side and end members all being nosed at the same side of; and said other side a d end members extending perpendicularly from, said box top, hooks secured to said one side member one near each end thereof, stays pivotally secured each at one end one to each of said end members intermediate the length of the latter, said stays having their distal ends receivable one in each of said hooks and having notches in posed.

' 1 JAMES A. SWAINBANK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date some Levering Aug 1868 148,067 Jones Mar. 3, 1874 1,233,629 Wettergren July 1'7, 1917 2,370,372 Riggio Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 735 Great Britain 1888

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