US3726535A - Multi-purpose article of furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

Multi-purpose article of furniture which doubles as a portable bar, a TV carrier, a magazine rack, a coffee table or a seat and consists of a box-like body with removable tray-like lid, said lid having a bevelled perimeter which mates with the edges of the vertical walls. The floor may have a sunken portion and the casters for the body may be replaced with U-shaped connectors which permit the arrangement of a plurality of articles into aesthetically different combinations.

Description

0 I i United States Patent 1 3,726,535 Longato 5] Apr. 10, 1973 [5 MULTI-PURPOSE ARTICLE OF 2,467,392 4 1949 Kinberg ..220/42 0 FURNITURE 3,487,495 1/1970 Schultz ..16/39 [76] Inventor: Giuseppe Longato, via Makalle l9, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Padova, Italy 808,001 3/1969 Canada ..220/42 E 1 Ffled: y' 1971 20,834 5/1908 Great Britain ..l6/31R [21] Appl. No.: 139,630

Primary Examiner--Ben amm Hersh Assistant Examiner-D. M. Mitchell [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney clario Ceccon July 15, 1970 Italy ..5l'83A/70 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 280/34 R, 16/ 18, 280/47.l8, Mulfi-purpose article of furniture which doubles as a 280/403 portable bar, a TV carrier, a magazine rack, a coffee [51] 11!. Cl. ..B62b 3/02 table or a seat and consists of a box-like body with [5 Field of 9- 79-2, 47-38, removable tray-like lid, said lid having a bevelled 280/34 R, 408, 47.18; 220/42 B, 42 C, 42 E, perimeter which mates with the edges of the vertical 23.4, 20; 215/47; 16/18, 29, 3 31, 37, 38, walls. The floor may have a sunken portion and the 42 42 T casters for the body may be replaced with U-shaped connectors which permit the arrangement of a plurali- [56] References Cmed ty of articles into aesthetically different combinations. UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims 8 Drawing figures 331,211 11/1885 Osbornetal 16/29 966,258 8/1910 Sochurek .....220/20 2,078,096 4/1937 Parkin ..220/2O 2,274,048 2/1942 Derman ..280/79 2 PATENTED APR 1 01875 SHEET 1 UF 2 PATENTEU APR 1 01973 SHEET 2 0F 2 I I l I I I I l 1 MULTI-IURPOSE ARTICLE FURNITURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an article of furniture with a multiplicity of adaptations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, the present invention provides for an article of furniture, preferably of pre-fabricated plastic materialand preferably of substantially cubic configuration, mounted on casters. The box-like article has a removable upper lid and its upper surface, resting perfectly on the upper edges of the four vertical walls or surfaces, preferably has a border or rim, so that when removed, it serves the purpose of a tray. When positioned on the supporting vertical surfaces, the lid doubles as a slat and may be adapted to receive an appropriately shaped cushion. The cooperation of the lid with the supporting walls is ensured by the slant of the edges or rims of the walls and of the lid, the said slant being in a downwardly and outwardly direction.

The inside base or floor of the box-like article has a portion thereof somewhat sunk with respect to the rest of the base, so as to adapt itself to receiving, for example, a number of bottles and serving the purpose of a portable bar. Furthermore, the casters may be removed and replaced by U-shaped members, thus permitting the assembly of a plurality of articles to obtain an ensemble thereof.

It can be readily seen that, by combining a number of these box-like articles, one may concurrently obtain the combination of a coffee table, a bar, a TV carriage, etc. and may rearrange the location of one article with respect to the coassembled other ones by swinging the various articles pivotably on the U-shaped members.

THE DRAWINGS These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the article of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of FIG. 1';

FIG. 3 shows in section an exploded view of the edges of the lid and supporting wall of the article, with the cooperating and mating construction thereof;

FIG. 4 shows in detail and cross-sectionally the assembly of a caster to the body of the article;

FIG. 5 shows in elevation and partly in cross-section two articles assembled together by means of a U- shaped member;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a U-shaped member for connecting two articles to each other; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views of different assemblies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION- The article of furniture of the present invention comprises a box-like body 1, preferably of cubic configuration and pre-fabricated from plastic material. On the supporting walls 3 of the article there is provided a bevelled edge 4 which is slanting outwardly and downwardly. On the inside floor or base 5 of the article, there is provided a sunken section 5 of predetermined area. Beneath the floor 5 and substantially-at the four corners of the article there are provided four bushings 6 as integral part of the article, each bushing having a pivot 7. On these pivots are removably attached the casters 8 which allow the article to be rolled about the floor. The pivot 7 mounted at one side on the caster 8 and at the other side in the bushing 6 may be readily removable and may have a central washer (not numbered). Alternatively, the pivot 7 may be rigidly connected to either the bushing 6 or the caster 8 (and member 15, when this replaces the caster).

The upper surface of the article 1 is provided with a lid 9, with rims so as to conform the lid to a tray-like object. The perimetric portion of lid 9, indicated at 11, is so shaped as to mate the bevelled edge 4 of the vertical walls 3. The lid 9 is simply mounted upon walls 3 for secure and perfect assembly. Retained by the upwardly extending rim of the lid 9 there may be a cushion so as to convert the tray 9 into a comfortable seat. The particular bevelling of the edge 4 and perimeter l1 ensures that the lid will not slide off the article.

When the article is employed also as a portable bar, the bottles are positioned within the sunken area 5' of the article 1. When the article is employed as a magazine rack or as a planter, the lid 9 is removed therefrom.

When the article is utilized with other ones, one or more casters 8are removed and the U-shaped members 15 are attached in their place. The action of the member 15 is such that one article 1 can pivot about the Pivot 7 where such member 15 is attached. This action permits changes of arrangement of the articles with resultant aesthetic modifications. This can be readily seen from FIGS. 7 and 8.

What is claimed and is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A multi-purpose article of furniture which comprises the combination of: A a. at least two bodies each having a floor, a plurality of substantially vertical walls and a removable lid; b. a plurality of bushings depending downwardly from said floor;

c. pin means secured to each of said bushings;

d. a plurality of removable casters secured to at least some of said pin means; and

e. U-shaped connector means for pivotly coupling selected ones of said pin means to which said casters are not secured whereby adjacent ones of said bodies are relatively movable, one with respect to the other.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein said lid is peripherally crowned to obtain a snug fitting against the inner surfaces of the said walls.

3. The article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said walls have bevelled upper edges slanting outwardly and downwardly and said removable lid has its perimeter bevelled to mate with said edges of said walls.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein said edges of said walls and said perimeter of said lid are aligned with one another to form a smooth and continuous surface.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein said floor has a section thereof sunken with respect to the remaining floor area.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein said bodies have a cubic shaped volume and said bushings are located in the corners thereof.

7. The article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pin means are removable.

Claims (7)

1. A multi-purpose article of furniture which comprises the combination of: a. at least two bodies each having a floor, a plurality of substantially vertical walls and a removable lid; b. a plurality of bushings depending downwardly from said floor; c. pin means secured to each of said bushings; d. a plurality of removable casters secured to at least some of said pin means; and e. U-shaped connector means for pivotly coupling selected ones of said pin means to which said casters are not secured whereby adjacent ones of said bodies are relatively movable, one with respect to the other.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein said lid is peripherally crowned to obtain a snug fitting against the inner surfaces of the said walls.

3. The article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said walls have bevelled upper edges slanting outwardly and downwardly and said removable lid has its perimeter bevelled to mate with said edges of said walls.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein said edges of said walls and said perimeter of said lid are aligned with one another to form a smooth and continuous surface.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein said floor has a section thereof sunken with respect to the remaining floor area.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein said bodies have a cubic shaped volume and said bushings are located in the corners thereof.

7. The article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pin means are removable.

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