US3915102A - Wheelchair table - Google Patents

Abstract

A telescoping support assembly with positive locking mechanism for a table designed to stradle a wheelchair enabling a person confined to the wheelchair to position the table in the desired position for feeding, writing or other functions normally performed on a table. The two legged membered telescoping support assemblies are mounted transversely to the ends of the planar table top. For each two legged membered telescoping support assembly a positive lever type locking mechanism is provided.

Description

United States Patent [191 Barron Oct. 28, 1975 WHEELCHAIR TABLE [75] Inventor: Daniel Barron, Midway, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Lawrence Peska Associates, Inc., New York, NY. a part interest [22] Filed: July 12, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 487,926

[52] US. Cl. 108/144; 108/146; 248/188.5 [51] Int. Cl. A47B 9/00 [58] Field of Search 108/144, 146; 248/1885 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,584 2/1907 Clark 108/146 1,645,683 10/1927 Beck 108/146 X 2,514,524 7/1950 Steele 108/144 UX 2,556,611 6/1951 Borgman 108/144 X 3,027,209 3/1962 Nielsen 108/144 UX 3,108,549 10/1963 Amsler, Jr. 108/146 X 3,137,525 6/1964 Purser, Jr 108/146 X 3,217,672 1l/1965 Haughey 108/146 3,410,232 11/1968 Krueger 108/144 X Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard E. Nanfeldt [57] ABSTRACT A telescoping support assembly with positive locking mechanism for a table designed to stradle a wheelchair enabling a person confined to the wheelchair to position the table in the desired position for feeding, writing or other functions normally performed on a table. The two legged membered telescoping support assemblies are mounted transversely to the ends of the planar table top. For each two legged membered telescoping support assembly a positive lever type locking mechanism is provided.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0a. 28, 1975 FIG.2

WHEELCHAIR TABLE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention relates to a unique and novel concept of a vertical telescoping support assembly with positive rod type locking mechanism for a table designed to straddle a wheelchair enabling a person confined to the wheelchair to position the table in a desired position .for feeding, writing, or other functions normally performed on a table top.

It is known from US. Pat. Nos. 2,749,197; 2,875,007; 3,080,835; and 3,682,112 that vertical telescoping support assemblies have been mounted onto tables, but these telescoping assemblies are not designed to stradle a wheelchair nor do these assemblies have a positive rod type locking mechanism. Furthermore, these previously proposed telescoping support assemblies fail to provide lateral stabilization to the table top as does our present invention.

A major advantage of my invention is that the vertical telescoping support assembly with positive locking mechanism provide a means of easily and safely adjusting the table top for different vertical heights while providing lateral stabilization to the table top.

A rectangular shaped planar table top is mounted transversely on each end onto a pair of two legged membered vertical telescoping support assemblies. Each telescoping support assembly is formed from an upper and lower section. The upper section comprises an open ended U-shaped hollow tubular member with a cross brace member affixed across the legs of the U- shaped member. A scissor type member is mounted within a vertical slot aperature of the cross brace member. Horizontal extension rods extend outward from the legs of the scissor shaped member and insert into a cylinder sleeve contained in a aperature of each leg of the U-shaped member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the vertical telescoping leg assembly affixed to the table top;

FIG. 2 illustrates an end elevated view of the vertical telescoping leg assembly affixed to the table top; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a front sectional view of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now descriptively to the drawings in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout several views, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a wheelchair table designed to stradle a wheelchair enabling a person confined to a wheelchair to perform given functions on the table 10. A plastic protective covering 12 forms the top surface of the rectangular shaped planar table top 11 containing a curved cutout portion 13 along one longitudinal edge 14 of the table top 11. The curved cutout portion 13 of the table top 11 allows the table top 11 to be positioned close to the person confined to the wheelchair. An electrical outlet panel 15 is contained within the table top 11. A pair of parallel support bars 16 are longitudinally affixed to the bottom base 17 of the table top 11. The vertical two legged membered telescoping support assemblies 18 are affixedby curved shaped mounting brackets 19 transversely to the bottom base 17 at each end of the table top 11. Each telescoping support assembly 18 comprises an upper 20 and lower 21 section. The lower 21 section comprises a pair of vertical support bar members 22 with a plurality of slot apertures 23 contained along the longitudinal interior faces of each bar 22. Each vertical bar member 22 is mounted to the top surface at the ends of a cross joining beam member 24. A set of casters 25 are mounted to the bottom surface 26 of the cross joining beam member 24. The upper section 20 of the telescoping support assembly 18 comprises an open ended U-shaped hollow tubular member 27 mounted onto the bottom base 17 of each end of the table top 11 by curved shaped mounting brackets 19 such that the legs 28 of the U-shaped member 27 radiates downward from the table top 11. A hollow cylinder 29 is positioned within an aperature 30 contained in the longitudinal interior surface of the legs 28 of the inverted U-shaped member 27. A horizontal cross brace member 31 is affixed across the legs 28 of the U- shaped member 27 at a point equidistant between the base 32 of the inverted U-shaped member 27 and the aperature 30 in the leg 28. A vertical slot aperture 32 is contained in the center of the cross brace member 31. The locking mechanism comprises a vertically placed scissor shaped member 34 mounted on a horizontal rod 35 affixed across aperture 33. A tension spring 35 is mounted between handles 36 of the scissor shaped member 34. A pair of horizontal extension rods 38 extend outward from the vertically placed legs 37 of scissor shaped member 34 passing through cylinder sleeve 29 and terminating in the slot aperture 23 of vertical support bars 22. Vertical support bars 22 insert upward in the open ends of the legs 28 of the inverted U-shaped hollow tubular member 27. When the bandles 36 of the scissor shaped member 34 are compressed together, the horizontal extension rods 38 are retracted from slot apertures 23. This retracting action of the horizontal extension rods 38 allows the upper section 20 to be moved upward or downward in a vertical direction on the lower section 21. A cross joining support 39 is affixed between a leg 28 of an inverted U- shaped hollow tubular member 27 and a second leg 28 of a second inverted U-shaped hollow tubular member 27 such that the cross joining support bar 39 is parallel to the non cutout longitudinal edge 40 of the table top 11.

Since obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described herein, such modifications being within the spirit and scope of the each said leg having on its interior face an aperture therethrough;

c. a pair of cross brace members having center vertically aligned slot apertures therethrough, each said cross brace member communicating between said pair of said legs of each said tubular member;

d. a hollow cylindrically shaped sleeve in each said aperture of each said leg;

e. a pair of horizontally placed cross joining beams;

f. upwardly extending support bars joined to each end of each said cross joining beam, each said support bar having a plurality of equally spaced horizontally aligned slot apertures therein along one longitudinal surface thereof, each said support bar slidably contained into each said open end of each said leg of each said tubular member;

g. a vertically placed scissor shaped member mounted on a horizontal pin in each said vertical slot aperture of each said cross brace member, the

handles of said scissor shaped member extending a set of casters are mounted onto a bottom base of said cross joining beam.

3. A wheelchair table according to claim 1, wherein an electrical outlet panel is contained in said table top.

4. A wheelchair table according to claim 3, wherein a curved shaped bracket communicates between each said leg and said table top.

Claims (4)

1. A wheelchair table, which comprises: a. a rectangularly shaped table top having a curved cutout portion along one longitudinal edge thereof; b. an inverted U-shaped hollow tubular member affixed transversely to a bottom surface of said table top at each end thereof, the open ended legs of each said tubular member extending downwardly, each said leg having on its interior face an aperture therethrough; c. a pair of cross brace members having center vertically aligned slot apertures therethrough, each said cross brace member communicating between said pair of said legs of each said tubular member; d. a hollow cylindrically shaped sleeve in each said aperture of each said leg; e. a pair of horizontally placed cross joining beams; f. upwardly extending support bars joined to each end of each said cross joining beam, each said support bar having a plurality of equally spaced horizontally aligned slot apertures therein along one longitudinal surface thereof, each said support bar slidably contained into each said open end of each said leg of each said tubular member; g. a vertically placed scissor shaped member mounted on a horizontal pin in each said vertical slot aperture of each said cross brace member, the handles of said scissor shaped member extending above said cross brace member and the legs of said scissor shaped member extending below said cross brace member; h. a horizontal extension rod extending outwardly from a lower free end of each said leg of each said scissor shaped member, each said extension rod slidably extending through one said cylindrically shaped sleeve to engage one said horizontal slot aperture of one said support bar; and i. tension springs mounted between said handles of each said scissor shaped member.

2. A wheelchair table as recited in claim 1 in which a set of casters are mounted onto a bottom base of said cross joining beam.

3. A wheelchair table according to claim 1, wherein an electrical outlet panel is contained in said table top.

4. A wheelchair table according to claim 3, wherein a curved shaped bracket communicates between each said leg and said table top.

Images