AU593735B2 - Tables - Google Patents

Description

593735 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 S ,I *r t IIt I II Name of Applicant Address of Applicant Actual Inventor Address for Service COMPLETE SPECIFICATION IAN JOHN WILSON 39 River Drive, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, 4217, Australia.

IAN JOHN WILSON GRANT ADAMS COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 333 Adelaide Street, BRISBANE. QUEENSLAND. 4000

AUSTRALIA.

FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: I I I; t

"TABLES"

The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

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THIS INVENTION relates to a structure whereby a table may be supported in a more secure manner than would be otherwise possible.

Various tables, particularly games tables, such as billiard tables, are known wherein a table top of great mass is to be supported. The slate top of a billiard table is i,3ually supported on timber legs, stabilised by substantial timber framing, so as to reliably support the weight of the slate. Because of the weight in the table top, care must be exercised in the design of its support such that the massive table top is never likely to fall and cause injury to any party near the table, or otherwise cause damage.

Billiard tables are but one form of games 15 table in which the design of the table support is a matter of some significance to those considering the aquisition of such a table. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means of supporting a table top whereby tables, such as billiard tables, may be manufactured with supporting structures that present to the viewer at least the appearance of being constructed in less traditional materials than the now common timber, such as marble, which heretobefore was not able to be employed as a structural support of similar dimension for fear of its shattering beneath the weight of the slate top at some time during its use.

The invention achieves its objects in provision of a table incorporating load bearing elements comprising an assembly of: a support frame whereby a table top can be mounted thereover; and support elements for transmitting loads on the support frame to ground; each support element comprising: an elongate member extended between first and 2 A .k second ends, the elongate member being a load supporting leg of a table; the first end being received in a bore through the support frame; the support element having a f irst support Ishoulder associated with the f irst end upon which the support frame bears, the first end being extended beyond the f irst shoulder and engaged with the f rame at, at least, a point adjacent the end and displaced from the shoulder, the first end being provided with a means whereby the support element may be locked to the frame; the second end providing a ground engaging foot; the support element having a second support shoulder which is integral with, the support element and adjacent the second end; and *0444the support element being passed through a 0 false leg of chosen design that rests on the second 2support shoulder.

Throughout the specification the following terms have the meanings set forth below: Table encompasses any flat work top, benchtop, J4 playing surface, or slab structure that is to be held at an elevated position on supporting legs.

Frame comprises any geometric array of elements whereby the load of the table top is distributed to the support elements that provide the support legs.

False leg is any decorative element supported 30 about the support element to disguise its character and may include marble carved in a traditional shape, and any other decorative boxing or block material that will support its own weight when rested upon the second shoulder.

The support element enables tables, such as billiard tables, to be made with an outward appearance 73 4 I U of the same character as the present woodframed tables except that the table is, to the observer's eye, framed all in marble, or any other chosen decorative stone, or other material that might otherwise have been considered unsuitable to the purpose of supporting a table.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof that is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:o #0 0000 40 0 0 *4* 40044 t L 0 I I :1 3a 4, FIG. 1 is a detailed sectional view of a table top support element in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view from above a table which employs the support element of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the table of FIG. 2.

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00r t 000 I 0000 0 In FIG. 1, a games table 10 is shown supported by a leg 11 which comprises a supporting element 12 upon which the table weight is loaded. Supporting element 12 comprises an elongate member, such as a rod of a metal, such as stainless steel, which is preferred for the reasons which are set out below. Supporting element 12 has an externally threaded end 13 at its upper end, and 15 it may have an internally threaded bore at its other lower end to receive a height adjustment means 14 which may comprise an adjustable foot 16 connected by a ball joint 17 to a threaded rod 15, which may be adjustably screwed into the support element. The supporting 20 element 12 has a lower step 18 upon which a false leg 19 may rest.

False leg 19 is preferably bored therethrough to take supporting element 12 in a close fit, and an adhesive such as an epoxy resin, may be used to bond the 25 false leg 19 to the supporting element 12.

At the upper end of supporting element 12 is provided a shoulder 20 upon which a frame may rest. The frame 21 can be a box frame comprising spaced, parallel horizontal members, such as 22 and 23, extending around an area beneath the table top to take its weight over a wide area so as to load it onto the supporting elements.

The horizontal members of the frame may be bonded together by vertical elements, such as 24, to complete the box frame. The frame elements may be angle iron, welded or otherwise interconnected. A nut 26 may be used to hold the box frame 21 down onto shoulder 20. A ii further nut (not shown) might be provided at the upper end 27 of threaded length 13 whereby the frame 21 may enable some fine adjustment of the table top surface.

False leg 19 may be capped by an element 28 with an outward, upwardly projected section 34 behind which may be retained a bearer 29 which faces over the perimeter of the frame 21. In practice, false leg 19, element 18 and bearer 29 may be all produced of a material such as marble so as to give the table an appearance of being an all marble product, which in practice could not be done because of the weight of slate top 33, the weight on an all marble leg being too eIf great having regard to the properties of the marble.

The cushion rail 30 shown in FIG. 1 might complete the 15 overall appearance by it too being provided in a t matching stone, or other material. For a billiard table, a cushion structure 31 may be provided so as to cause a ball 32 to rebound over a slate base 33 whose weight can be adequately supported on the steel supporting element 12.

FIG. 2 shows a billiard table from above as it might be seen if the slate table top was transparent.

Beneath the table top is the box frame 21 (shown crosshatched) which is provided with eight supporting elements to establish a leg at each corner, with two a equally spaced additional legs provided down the long sides. Each leg comprises a cap such as 28 with an upward projection such as 34 behind which is retained a marble bearer 29. The corner caps are modified to engage the orthogonal bearers at the corner as is evident in the drawing. The box frame comprises beams and 36 along the transverse centre lines for added support of the slate top.

In FIG. 3 is shown the end elevation of a billiard table which might be constructed using the principles set out above to show the sort of design that If~ i 11r

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The table top 10 may comprise the standard slate sheet 33 with cushions and felt cover. False legs 37 and 38 are provided with corner caps 39 and 40 which retain a bearer 41. These latter items need only support their own weight, the slate riding on a frame on supporting elements as are described above. Consequently, any material able to be shaped, and capable of supporting itself, can be used, so that any of the wide variety of decorative stones might be made up into a games table, or any other table required to support a weight that such stone could not otherwise support.

The frame may be constructed from stock angle iron such as 50 x 50 mm. iron and it is preferably 15 powder coated to prevent rusting. The support elements are preferably formed of stainless steel. Other steels might be employed, but they are preferably treated so that corrosion is not a problem. With close tolerances, say between a support element and its false leg, any 20 rusting will stress the stone of the false leg and fracturing may occur.

It will be clear that the above set out principles might be applied to any of the standard games tables, or to other tables as might be desired from time 25 to time. Any number and pattern of legs might be employed so as to support tables of different shapes and sizes. The table tops may be levelled using the adjustable foot, and fine tuning might be achieved with an additional nut on the threaded end as is set out above. A more precise levetlling should now be possible.

Whilst the abo,ve has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be clear to a man shilled in the art that many modifications and adaptations may be made thereto that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinbefore set forth.

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Claims (8)

1. 2. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the S 30 first end is threaded therealong for receipt of a lock nut whereby the support frame may be clamped against the first support shoulder.
2. 3. A table as claimed in either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein the second end incorporates a height adjusting mechanism. \AN ICO 3~J3 G LL
3. 4. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the elongate member is a rod that at its second end is provided with an annular end flange as the second support shoulder and is axially bored with a thread therein in which an adjustable foot may be threaded to a selected depth. A table as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein: a table top is rested upon the support frame that extends at least around the table top adjacent its periphery; the support frame comprises longitudinal and transverse framing elements rigidly interconnected; the framing elements being elongate rectangular trusses having upper and lower generally parallel members; and the first end of the at least one support element is passed through the upper and lower members of a rectangular truss, a locking nut clamping the lower member onto the first support shoulder.
4. 6. A table as claimed in claim 5 wherein the table top is a sheet of slate and the false leg is a column of marble.
5. 7. A table as claimed in either one of claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the false leg rested on the secund support shoulder supports a locking piece that is threaded over the first end of the support element, the locking piece holding a fascia element against the support frame.
6. 8. A table as claimed in claim 7 wherein the locking piece is a corner piece providing angularly disposed locking recesses into which fascia elements down two sides of the support frame may be fitted.
7. 9. A table as claimed in claim 7 wherein the locking piece comprises a base plate with a hole therein for passage of the support element and angularly 8 P disposed, interlocked upright plates spaced from the support frame, the space between the upright plates and support frame receiving a fascia element therein, the fascia element being rested on the base plate.
8. 10. A table incorporating load bearing elements substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this eighteenth day of October 1989 IAN JOHN WILSON, 0 By his Patent Attorneys GRANT ADAMS COMPANY 0 9 4 *0c9 C 04 0 0 0 *1 -4) 0* 0 O 9 CI O ;1 M' i '1 I gr "3 i