US3871726A

US3871726A - Knockdown desk and table

Info

Publication number: US3871726A
Application number: US371886A
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglass M Stegner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-06-20
Filing date: 1973-06-20
Publication date: 1975-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-18

Abstract

A desk or table formed of heavy paper board or the like, capable of being readily assembled or dismantled without the use of tools, and including parts which interlock with one another for maintaining the desk or table assembled and which may be readily disconnected for detaching the desk or table top from its supporting uprights. Supporting uprights of different cross sectional size can be utilized depending upon whether or not the furniture item is to be provided with a sliding drawer. The desk or table top may be dismantled to assume a flat position and the uprights may be collapsed for storage or transportation of the furniture item.

Description

States Patent 11 1 KNOCKDOWN DESK AND TABLE [76] Inventor: Douglass M. Stegner, 1816 Circle Rd., Ruxton, Md. 21204 [22] Filed: June 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 371,886

[52] US. Cl 312/195, 5/D1G. 1, 108/157, 211/135, 248/174, 297/440, 312/259 [51] Int. Cl. A47b 41/00, A47b 3/06 [58] Field 01' Search 312/195, 258, 259; 297/440, 442; 211/135, 149; 248/174; 108/153,157,159;5/D1G.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,609 3/1939 Stevenson et a1 211/135 X 2,801,145 7/1957 Jones 312/259 2,895,541 7/1959 Spivak 248/174 3,202,335 8/1965 Budd 5/DIG. 1 3,212,464 10/1965 Steuer 108/159 3,250,570 5/1966 Smith et a1 297/442 3,331,634 7/1967 Harrison, Jr. 297/442 Mar. 18, 1975 3,705,557 12/1972 Budington 108/157 X 3,729,244 4/1973 Butler 312/195 3,807,823 4/1974 Rouse 312/195 [57] ABSTRACT A desk or table formed of heavy paper board or the like, capable of being readily assembled or dismantled without the use of tools, and including parts which interlock with one another for maintaining the desk or table assembled and which may be readily disconnected for detaching the desk or table top from its supporting uprights. Supporting uprights of different cross sectional size can be utilized depending upon whether or not the furniture item is to be provided with a sliding drawer. The desk or table top may be dismantled to assume a flat position and the uprights may be collapsed for storage or transportation of the furniture item.

8 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 1 KNOCKD'OWN DESK AND TABLE SUMMARY It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a furniture item such as a desk or table formed of a heavy paper stock which may be readily assembled from a blank form without the use of tools or fastenings, including interlocking means for securing the desk or table top to its supporting uprights.

Another object of the invention is to provide a desk or table which is extremely light in weight and yet very durable and stable and capable of supporting a substantial load, including an electric typewriter which may operate while resting thereon with only very slight vi bration of the desk.

A further object of the invention is to provide a desk or table type furniture item the top of which may be provided with different types of reinforcements depending upon the load to be supported.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a table or desk type furniture item the supporting posts or uprights for the topof which may vary in size depending upon the load to be supported thereby and whether or not the item is to include a sliding drawer or drawers.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an item which may be manufactured from one width of paper stock.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention in the form of a desk having a sliding drawer;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the desk of FIG. 1 partially dismantled with the sliding drawer omitted;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing one part of the desk top in blank form and extended;

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the other part of the desk to FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing each of the two desk top sections assembled and in a position to be joined together;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through an end portion of the table top and illustrating the interlocking of one of the supporting uprights thereto; 1

FIG. 7 is a plan view looking toward the inner side of the extended blank of one of the supporting uprights or posts; I

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the drawer supporting insert for use with the blank of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the insert of FIG. 8 in blank form;

FIG. l0is a plan view in blank form of the other supporting upright of FIG. 2 and looking toward the inner side thereof;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a table having a slightly different table top from that disclosed in FIG. 2, and utilizing two of the supporting uprights made from blanks of the type as shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 2. illustrating the parts of the furniture item of FIG. 11, and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the table top of FIGS. 11 and 12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10, a furniture item 15, such as a desk or table, is composed of a desk or table top 16 and two supporting uprights or

posts

17 and 18. The

parts

16, 17 and 18 are formed of heavy paper board or similar paper stock, which may be impregnated or coated with a fire resisting material, and which may include a color coating on all the exterior or exposed surfaces thereof.

The top 16 is composed of two blanks 19 and 20, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively. The blank 19 includes a rectangular central portion 21 constituting the top surface of the desk 15, turned down

portions

22 and 23 constituting the sides and ends of the desk top, and two inturned

corner tabs

24 and 25 at each corner of the desk top 21. The blank 19 includes corresponding portions 26 which are disposed beyond the portions 22. As seen in FIG. 5, after the sides 22 are turned downwardly relative to the desk top 21, the portions 26 are turned inwardly at a right angle to the portions 22 and parallel to the portion 21. The portions 27 which are disposed outwardly of the portions 26 are then turned upwardly, and the side edge portions 28 which are disposed beyond the portions 27, are then turned outwardly to assume positions parallel to the portions 26 and abutting the side edge portions ofthe underside of the top portion 21. The bottom portions 26 are provided with three transverse slots 29 near each end thereof which extend outwardly from the inner wall 27 part way toward the outer wall 22, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5.

The blank 19, FIG. 3, also includes two end flaps 30 disposed beyond the end walls 23 and four tongues pro jecting from each end flap 30 including two wide intermediate tongues 31 disposed between narrow end tongues 32.

Theblank 20, FIG. 4, constitutes an insert for the main body of the table top 16, formed from the blank 19, as previously described. The blank 20 includes an elongated rectangular central portion 33 of a length corresponding to the length of the table top 21 and of a width corresponding to the space between the walls 27 of the assembled section 19, as seen in FIG. 5. Narrow strips 34 of lengths corresponding to the length of the portion 33 are turned downwardly from the side edges of portion 33 to form walls 34. Corresponding portions 35, between which the wall portions 34 are disposed, are turned inwardly from said wall portions 34 to provide bottom portions which are disposed beneath, spaced from and substantially parallel to the top portion 33. The bottom portions 35 are each ofa length less than the length of the

portions

33 and 34 and are each provided with a pair of spaced transversely extending slots 36 near each end thereof. The bottom portions 35 are disposed between

walls

37 and 38 which extend upwardly therefrom and which are normally disposed in abutting engagement with one an other. The wall 37 has struck out tongues 39 which engage through slots 40 of the wall 38 for interlocking the

walls

37 and 38 to one another, as seen in FIG. 5, with the bottom walls 35 disposed substantially coplanar. The blank 20 includes corresponding wall portions 41 which straddle the

wall portions

37 and 38 and which are turned outwardly and disposed in abutting engagement with the underside of top portion 33, FIG. 5. Side edge portions 42 of the blank are turned downwardly from the outer side edges of the portions 41 and abut the inner sides of the side walls 34, and have bottom edges abutting the bottoms 35. The

portions

37, 41 and 42 are ofthe same length as the

portions

33 and 34.

It will be apparent that the assembled insert, formed from the blank 20, as seen in FIG. 5, will fit between the walls 27, with the'bottom portions 35 disposed coplanar with the bottom portions 26. Furthermore, the insert is of a length to extend from end-to-end of the wall 21, and the slots 36 are disposed to align with the two innermost slots 29 at each end of the bottom portions 26. The end flaps 30 are then folded inwardly, FIG. 2, and the

tongues

31 and 32 are folded upwardly with the tongues 32 inserted upwardly through the other remote slots 29 and thetongues 31 engaging in the spaces between the

walls

37 and 42, and 38 and 42 and against the ends of the bottom portions 35. The notches 43, between the

tongues

31 and 32, straddle the

walls

34 and 42, and the notches 44, between the tongues 31 of each flap 30, straddle the

walls

37 and 38, to complete the assembly of the desktop 16.

The upright support or post 17 is formed from a blank 45, as seen in'FIG. 7, which is folded into rectangular form, as seen in FIG. 2, to provide a front wall 46,

side walls

47 and 48, a rear wall 49, and a flap 50 forming an extension of the rear wall 49. The flap 50 is turned in and secured by staples 51 against the inner side of the wall 48.

Walls

46 and 49 have extensions forming

top flaps

52 and 53, respectively, which are turned inwardly and disposed substantially coplanar. The upper edges of the

walls

47 and 48 are provided with upwardly extending end tongues 54. The wall 48 has two intermediate tongues 55 which are longer than the tongues 54 and spaced therefrom and from one another to provide notches 56. The wall 47 has intermediate tongues 57 of the same length as the tongues 55 and which are provided with outturned extensions or flaps 58 at their upper edges. The tongues 57 are spaced from one another and from the tongues 54 to provide additional notches 59, the intermediate one of which extends between the flaps 58.

The tongues 54 of the wall 48 engage upwardly through the innermost slots 29 at one end of the desk top 16, and the tongues 55 engage through the slots 36 which align therewith. The end notches 56 straddle the

walls

34 and 42 and the intermediate notch 56 straddles the

walls

37 and 38. The tongues 54 of the wall 47 engage the outermost slots 29 at the same end of the desk top 16, and the tongues 57 extend into the spaces between the

walls

37 and 42 and 38 and 42 and abut against corresponding ends of the bottom walls 35. The outturned flanges 58 abut the wall portions 41, and the end notches 59 straddle the

walls

34 and 42 while the intermediate notch 59 straddles the

walls

37 and 38. After the upright or post 17 has thus been applied to the top 16, the flap 30 is folded in and the

tongues

31 and 32 inserted, as heretofore described, so that the tongues 31 have their inner or upper edges abutting the undersides of the flanges 58 for interlocking the table top on the column 17.

The column or post 18 is formed from a blank 60, as seen in FIG. 10, which is folded in rectangular form, as seen in FIG. 2, to provide a front wall 61, a rear wall 62,

side walls

63 and 64, and an end flap 65 forming an extension of the rear wall 62. The flap 65 is turned inwardly against the inner side of thewalls 63 and secured thereto by additional staples 51. The

walls

61 and 62 have inturned top extensions forming

coplanar flaps

66 and 67, respectively. Wall 64 has

tongues

68 and 69 extending from its upper edge and corresponding to the

tongues

54 and 55, respectively, which are separated by notches 70, corresponding to the notches 56. The wall 63 has upwardly projecting

extensions forming tongues

71 and 72, corresponding to the

tongues

54 and 57, and which are separated by notches 73, corresponding to the notches 59. The tongues 72 have outturned flanges 74, corresponding to the flanges 58.

The post or upright 18 is applied to the underside of the other end of the desk top 16 and with the

tongues

68 and 69 engaging the

intermediate slots

29 and 36. The flap 30 of said end is open in the manner as illustrated by the right hand flap 30 of FIG. 2, so that the tongues 72 can engage between the

walls

34,42 and 37,38 and against the other ends of the bottom portions 35, and with the tongues 71 engaging in the end slots 29. Said end flap 30 is then returned to its closed position so that the tongues 31 thereof will abut against the flanges 74 for interlocking the top 16 to the upright 18 in the same manner as heretofore described in reference to the upright 17. The tongues 32 will engage in the same slots 29 as the tongues 71. The

flaps

52,53,66 and 67 will abut the undersides of the bottom portions 26 between the slots 29.

The front wall 46 of the post 17 is slit along the lines 75

toprovide panels

76 and 77. The panels 76 are folded inwardly along vertical fold lines 78, and the panel 77 is folded inwardly along a horizontal fold line 79 to provide an opening 80, FIG. 2, for receiving a sliding drawer 81, FIG. 1.

A blank 82 (FIG. 9) is cut along diagonal lines 83 of its ends and folded along the lines 84 to provide a top wall 85, depending side walls 86, diagonally inwardly extending end wall portions 87 having outturned triangular flaps 88 which abut portions of the underside of the top wall 85, and triangular end walls 89. The

walls

86, 87 and 89 have coplanar bottom edges 90 which abut a surface on which the bottom edges of the post or upright 17 rests when the insert 91, formed from the blank 82, is inserted upwardly into the hollow bottom of the upright 17. The insert 91 fits snugly in the bottom of the upright 17 and is of a height so that the front portion of its top wall 85 will abut the panel portion or lip 77. The insert 91 thus provides a support for the drawer 81.

FIG. 11 illustrates another furniture item, designated generally 92, comprising a table or light weight desk composed of a top 93 and two uprights 18. The top 93 is formed primarily from a single blank, a central portion 94 of which forms the top surface and which has downturned side edge portions 95 terminating in inturned bottom portions 96, which correspond with the portions 26, including slots 97, corresponding to the slots 29. Inner wall portions 98 extend upwardly from the inner edges of the bottom portions 96 and have outturned flanges 99 which abut against portions of the underside of the top surface 94 and which are preferably secured thereto by an adhesive bond 100. As seen in FIG. 13, side edge portions of the top surface 94 and the

walls

95, 96 and 97 combine to form hollow portions of rectangular cross Section which extend from end-to-end of the table top and each of which contains a liner 101 of angular cross section having a top portion 102 bearing against the underside of the top surface 94 and an outer side portion 103 bearing against the inner side of the wall 95.

In lieu of the insert 20, the table top 93 has an insert 104 composed of two elongated strips 105 of angular cross section including a top portion 106 and a depending wall 107. The walls- 107 are disposed in abutting engagement with one another and the top portions 106 extend outwardly therefrom. The insert 105 is of a width to fit between the flanges 99, as seen in FIGS. 12 and 13. The top portion 94 terminates at its ends in end walls 108, corresponding to the end walls 23, flaps 109 corresponding to the flaps 30 and tongues 110 and 11, corresponding to the

tongues

31 and 32, respectively. The left hand upright 18, FIGS. 11 and 12, is applied to the underside of the top 93, in the same manner as the upright 18 is applied to the left hand end of the table top 16, as heretofore described. The

notches

73 and 70 straddle the walls 107. The other right hand upright 18 is turned through an arc of l80 so that its wall 63 constitutes the outer side wall thereof, and/is then applied to the right hand end in the same manner as heretofore described in reference to the left hand upright 18.

It will also be apparent that either desk or

table top

16 or 93 can be utilized with one upright 17 and one upright 18, two uprights 17 or two uprights 18.

All of the parts of the furniture items and 92, except the staples 51, are formed of inexpensive paper stock.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to without departing from the function or scope of the invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A knockdown furniture item such as a desk or table comprising a top having hollow tubular portions of rectangular cross section, two supporting uprights, each of said uprights being of hollow rectangular cross section including walls terminating in upwardly extending tongues, a bottom wall of said top having slots for receiving said tongues, means for interlocking certain of the tongues to the table top, at least certain of said slots being formed in bottom walls of said tubular portions, and an insert forming a part of said top and disposed beneath the central portion of a top wall thereof and between and in close engagement with certain of said tubular portions, said insert comprising two of said tubular portions disposed in side by side abutting engagement.

2. A furniture item as in claim 1, said slots being formed in the bottom walls of all of said tubular portions.

3. A furniture item as in claim 1, at least one of said supporting uprights having a front wall provided with an opening, a drawer fitting slidably in said opening, and an insert fitting detachably in the open bottom of said upright for supporting the drawer therein.

4. A furniture item as in claim 1, said parts forming the top and supporting uprights being formed of heavy paper stock.

5. A furniture item as in claim 4', and means rendering said paper stock fire resistant.

6. A furniture item as in claim 4, and a color coating on all exposed surfaces of the furniture item.

7. A knockdown furniture item such as a desk or table comprising a top and two supporting uprights, each of said uprights being of hollow rectangular cross section including walls terminating in upwardly extending tongues, the underside of said top having slots for receiving said tongues, means for interlocking certain of the tongues to the top, said top including hollow tubular portions of rectangular cross section formed in part by portions of a top wall thereof, inner walls of said tubular portion terminating in outturned flanges secured to portions of the underside of said top wall, and an insert having coplanar top portions fitting tightly between said flanges and depending inner walls disposed in abutting engagement with one another.

8. A knockdown furniture item such as a desk or table comprising a top having hollow tubular portions of rectangular cross section, two supporting uprights, each of said uprights being of hollow rectangular cross section including walls terminating in upwardly extending tongues, a bottom wall of said. top having slots for receiving said tongues, means for interlocking certain of the tongues to the table top, said interlocking means comprising outturned flanges formed on certain of said tongues, and said top including end walls having bottom flanges forming extensions thereof provided with upturned tongues for engaging in said slots, and certain of said last mentioned tongues abutting against said outturned flanges for interlocking the tongues thereof

Claims

5. A furniture item as in claim 4, and means rendering said paper stock fire resistant.

8. A knockdown furniture item such as a desk or table comprising a top having hollow tubular portions of rectangular cross section, two supporting uprights, each of said uprights being of hollow rectangular cross section including walls terminating in upwardly extending tongues, a bottom wall of said top having slots for receiving said tongues, means for interlocking certain of the tongues to the table top, said interlocking means comprising outturned flanges formed on certain of said tongues, and said top including end walls having bottom flanges forming extensions thereof provided with upturned tongues for engaging in said slots, and certain of said last mentioned tongues abutting against said outturned flanges for interlocking the tongues thereof to the top.