EP0116707B1 - Foldable trolley or service table - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Position-stabilising locking device on a folding trolley or serving table having on two vertical columns (1, 2) tray halves (3, 4 and 5, 6) pivotable about a horizontal axis (17), which tray halves are supported, in their horizontal position of use, by a pair of curved brackets (7, 8 and 9, 10, respectively) on the columns (1, 2), the brackets being pivotable about vertical rotation axes, whilst in their position of non-use they can be folded with their edges upwards, the curved brackets (7, 8 and 9, 10) being folded up to abut thereon, parallel to the columns (1 and 2, respectively), characterised in that each curved bracket (7, 8, 9, 10) is provided with a radial shaping (23) which in the position of use is above the tray edge (22) and which ascends from the depth of the groove to the outer surface in an outwardly directed wedge shape up to a point balow the tray edge (22) and in that the radial shaping (23) engages over the tray edge (22) in the position of use and the wedge shaped surface (24) abuts on the surface of the tray edge (22) under the resilient restoring force of the curved brackets (7, 9 and 8, 10, respectively).

Description

The invention relates to a position-stabilizing locking device on a collapsible serving trolley or table with tablet halves pivotable on two vertical columns each around a horizontal axis, which in their horizontal position of use are supported by a pair of brackets pivotable on the columns about vertical axes of rotation while they are in their In the non-use position with the brackets folded against them, they can be folded upright parallel to the columns.

A locking device on a collapsible piece of furniture according to the generic term can be found in DE-PS-1 654461 as previously known. In the previously known collapsible serving trolley, bent sheet metal tabs are welded to the brackets to stabilize the position of use of such a serving cart, into the angle irons fastened under the tablet rim with a horizontal leg with their vertically downward web between the sheet tabs forming wedge-shaped open pockets and the walls of the can engage tubular bracket. This is intended to achieve a better mounting of the trays in order to prevent horizontal impacts from lifting the tablet halves and thereby pivoting them vertically.

The aforementioned construction, on the other hand, does not rule out the fact that vertically directed tensile forces on the tablet halves cause the folding furniture to swivel in unintentionally, the closing pressure of the spring forces acting on the brackets still favoring the folding of the brackets and the tablet halves because the lifting then takes place of the bracket and the resilient closing pressure load on the bracket in the sense of undesired collapse. In practice, the correct bringing of the bracket-tray holder is largely left to the discretion of the operator, so that this is to be regarded as too cumbersome.

DE-OS-2 322 223 describes a collapsible table, in particular a serving table, with table top halves which can be folded out of the vertical position into the horizontal position of use and which are articulated on a frame extending in the vertical plane, the table top joints at the free ends of the table surface edge. Ironing is located, which have on their sides facing the inside of the U an insertion slot for the edge of the table top halves, which are fixed in position relative to the bracket in the insertion position. These U-brackets consist of strips with a C-profile cross section and are curved. The joints are formed by plugs inserted into the front openings of the U-profile strips, which also serve to fix the position of the table top halves. The plugs each have a stop shoulder lying in front of a groove in the edge of the tabletop half. A grub screw forms a connecting means that fixes both the relevant tabletop half and the plug in the inserted position.

A collapsible table is known from US Pat. No. 3,095,833, in which the tablet halves are held in the use position by springs. For this purpose, the tablet halves are pivoted upwards into the horizontal use position and then the springs are latched into the holes in the table legs with legs, after which the tablet halves are supported on the springs.

From CH-PS-521 732 a latching device is previously known, in which spring clips are connected to the pivotable tray, which engage in the use position in upwardly open hooks connected to the brackets.

The invention has for its object to design a generic latching device so that not only a horizontal, but primarily a vertical locking of the tablet halves and the bracket against each other unwanted folding, even when subjected to tensile forces in the vertical direction, reliably excludes with structurally simple means .

The object is achieved by the characterizing features of the patent claim.

In the embodiment according to the invention, the latching device encompasses the tablet edge sideways and from above, so that brackets and trays are reliably locked against unintentional folding of the furniture not only against horizontal, but above all against vertical stresses. This locking mechanism can be designed so that when the tablet halves are swung out into their horizontal position of use, the tablet edge automatically snaps under the latching element in question, so that the latching of this latching element or the latching elements is not placed at the discretion of the user, but takes place automatically, so that the folding furniture is always reliably locked in this position after use, until the locking elements are intentionally switched off. The tendency of locking is further increased by the fact that the brackets, which are generally spring-loaded in the sense of swiveling together, always rest against the tablet edges, so that a vertical back and forth movement of the tablet edges, often under load, does not generally do so can lead that the locking elements are skipped.

In order to switch off the locking elements, the brackets have to be pressed rather from each other, i.e. outwards. At the same time, the tablet edge must be moved upwards over the then released locking elements, because otherwise the locking device according to the invention, which advantageously on each tablet half and on each bracket is attached, would snap back into its locked position. Unfamiliar people, especially small children, can no longer fold the collapsible serving trolley or table without outside help.

In addition, very simple constructive means are used to implement the solution according to the invention. For this purpose, only a radial indentation at the height of the tablet edge needs to be provided in the height region of the tablet edges on the brackets, which are usually made of rod material or tubes, and which, from the deepest point of the groove, continuously move away from the tablet edge to the periphery of the bracket rises outwards. Since the brackets are under spring force, they slide on the tablet edges, the tablet edges reliably snapping under the bracket over this wedge-shaped downward surface, so that the entire serving trolley can be lifted up on the tablet edges without the risk of the locking elements and the associated folding of the furniture would be given. Because of these simple constructive means, which do not require any additional loose parts, the overall construction of the furniture does not need to be changed. Rather, known and proven designs can continue to be used without any other changes.

• Fig.1 einen zusammenklappbaren Servierwagen;
• Fig.2 den aus Fig. 1 ersichtlichen Servierwagen in einer Zwischenstellung der Teile beim Auseinanderklappen oder Zusammenklappen und
• Fig.3 eine Einzelheit aus Fig. 1 in ausschnittsweiser Darstellung und in größerem Maßstab.

In the drawing, the invention is illustrated - partly schematically - using an exemplary embodiment. It shows:

• 1 shows a collapsible serving trolley;
• Fig.2 the serving trolley shown in Fig. 1 in an intermediate position of the parts when unfolding or folding and
• 3 shows a detail from FIG. 1 in a fragmentary representation and on a larger scale.

From the drawing, a serving trolley can be seen, which on the front side on opposite sides has a column 1 or 2 consisting of profiled tube, in particular of elliptical cross section, which are firmly connected to one another by two horizontal struts made of tube material which run at a distance and parallel to one another. These struts cannot be seen in the drawing, since one of these struts runs below the tablet halves 3, 4 or 5, 6.

At the ends of the torsionally rigid frame consisting essentially of the vertical columns 1 and 2 and the horizontal struts, brackets 7, 8 and 9, 10 are articulated by means of axes, not shown, each of which consists of a curved part 11 and a vertical leg 12 and consists of a crosspiece 13, which connects to a vertical leg 1 or 2, not recognizable from the drawing, which runs in the respective vertical column and forms an axis. At the lower ends of the vertical leg 12, a roller 14 is rotatable and pivoted about a vertical axis infinitely in both directions so that the trolley can be driven and rotated on the spot. The curved part 11 is followed by a cranked bearing section 15 from the plane of this part 11 inwards to the column 1 or 2 in question, which at its end engages in an opening 16 of the column 1 or 2 in question and here with the vertical rotary bearing of the respective one Temple 7 to 10 is connected. For the sake of clarity, not all curved parts and not all vertical legs and also not all cross pieces and rollers as well as bearing sections and openings have been provided with special reference symbols in the drawing. The corresponding parts and openings of the other bracket are designed accordingly and each arranged in the same height range and complementary.

The tablet halves 3 to 6 are pivotally supported in the vertical direction on axes 17 on opposite sides of the columns 1 and 2, with two tablet halves 3, 5 and 4, 6 lying one above the other, a pair of brackets 7, 9 and 8, 10 respectively assigned. Tablet halves 3, 5 and 4, 6 lying one above the other are connected to one another by tie rods 18, 19 and 20, 21, and therefore always carry out the same, therefore synchronous movements. These tie rods 18 to 21 are connected at their ends by angles to the associated tablet halves 3 to 6 via horizontal bearings in such a way that the tablet halves 3 to 6 can also be folded about these bearings in a vertical plane. Otherwise, the tablet halves 3 to 6 lie with their edge 22 which is formed from the tablet plane upwards and outwards on below the edge 22 on the vertical legs 12 of the brackets 7 to 10, in particular welded on, not particularly recognizable support parts, so that the tablet halves 3 to 6 in their horizontal use position shown in FIG. 1 are underpinned on the edges and cannot be bent or shifted downward under this horizontal use position even under load.

To fold the trolley, the tablet halves 3 to 6 are pivoted up about the axes 17 and the brackets 7, 9 and 8, 10 are pivoted inward about their vertical axes on the columns 1 and 2, so that a flat, little space is required taking structure results that in room corners, between furniture u. Like., Can be easily accommodated. The folded position is not shown, but one can see an intermediate position of the tablet halves 3 to 6 Fig. 2, which takes the folding furniture when swinging up or down these parts.

For transfer to the use position, the brackets 7 to 10 are swung out and the tablet halves 3 to 6 are folded down into the horizontal.

As can be seen particularly in FIG. 3, each vertical leg 12 of each bracket 7 to 10 is provided on the inside with a radial indentation or notch 23, which gradually runs from the deepest groove over a wedge surface 24 to the outer lateral surface 25 of the relevant vertical leg 12. It can be clearly seen from FIG. 3 that the tablet halves 3 to 6 are prevented from folding up - indicated by the broken line 26 in FIG. 3 - by striking the radial 23 indentation and the shoulder formed thereby. Since the brackets 7 to 10, not shown, advantageously arranged in the columns 1 and 2, have the tendency to pivot inwards relative to each other, each vertical leg 12 is always against the outer periphery of the tablet halves 3 to 6, so that vibrations, as they can occur when driving over carpets, sleepers or the like, accompanied by vertical tensile stresses on the tablet halves 3 to 6, cannot lead to an undesired jumping over of the radial indentation 23 and the securing element formed thereby. Touching and lifting, e.g. B. on the tablet halves 3 and 4 or on the upper tablet halves 3 and 4 spanning the columns 1 and 2 connecting bracket 27, this securing and locking device can not disable. Only an outward pushing apart of the bracket 7 and 9 or 8 and 10 and a simultaneous swiveling up of the pair of tablet halves concerned, z. B. 4 and 6, the locking and locking device 22, 23, 24 out of function. If the tablet halves 3 to 6 are swiveled into the horizontal again, the tablet edges 22 automatically slide over the radial indentations 23 and snap behind them immediately into the locking position. Forgetting the locking and locking device is therefore impossible.

Reference symbol list

• 1 pillar
• 2nd
• 3 tablet half
• 4th
• 5
• 6
• 7 brackets
• 8th "
• 9 "
• 10 "
• 11 curved part
• 12 vertical legs
• 13 cross piece
• 14 roll
• 15 storage section
• 16 breakthrough
• 17 axis
• 18 tie rod
• 19 "
• 20 "
• 21 "
• 22 margin
• 23 radial indentation
• 24 wedge surface
• 25 lateral surface
• 26 dashed line
• 27 stirrups

Claims (1)

1. Position-stabilising locking device on a folding trolley or serving table having on two vertical columns (1, 2) tray halves (3, 4 and 5, 6) pivotable about a horizontal axis (17), which tray halves are supported, in their horizontal position of use, by a pair of curved brackets (7, 8 and 9, 10, respectively) on the columns (1, 2), the brackets being pivotable about vertical rotation axes, whilst in their position of non-use they can be folded with their edges upwards, the curved brackets (7, 8 and 9, 10) being folded up to abut thereon, parallel to the columns (1 and 2, respectively), characterised in that each curved bracket (7, 8, 9,10) is provided with a radial shaping (23) which in the position of use is above the tray edge (22) and which ascends from the depth of the groove to the outer surface in an outwardly directed wedge shape up to a point below the tray edge (22) and in that the radial shaping (23) engages over the tray edge (22) in the position of use and the wedge shaped surface (24) abuts on the surface of the tray edge (22) under the resilient restoring force of the curved brackets (7, 9 and 8, 10, respectively).

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