Combined table and ironing board

Aug. 17, 1948.

R. E. STUBBS

2,447,480

COMBINED TABLE AND IRONING BOARD

Filed Feb. 5, 1945

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Aug. 17, 1948. r. Ξ. stubbs 2,447,480

COMBINED TABLE AND IRONING BOARD

Filed Feb. 5, 1945 ² Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Aug. 17, 1948

2,447,480

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,447,480 ' COMBINED TABLE AND IRONING¹ BDARD Robert E. Stubbs, Duluth,'Minn.

Application February 5, 1945,‘Serial No. 576,199 carried by-said’top- so' that the supports may be held- -with -any 'desired' frictional' tension : against the’ top.

-Thus it is apparent when the one for holding the uppermost - leaf horizontally, -as shown ϋη dotted lines in Fig. 1,'is in proper - position for such service, the first right angle bend from the portion thereof forming the bight S will · rest ' firmly upon'the wall’7 of the lesser part’2 of the main housing of- the ' unit forming-an'-ideal 'de‘ pendable support for' the leaf when in horizontal /position.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that these bightlike supports by their peculiar -permanent shape positively assure against'the leaves at any time - striking or bumping against the body of the-'unit when the top is either up or down.

The upper lesser section Of the unit is, of course, provided with'the'usual-secure 'foldable -arm -supports 9—9 ’for aidjustably' holding the parts together arid which forms no part of the instant invention.

'Within' the upper -part of the major portion i of the unit · is normally ¹ stored the foldable •ironing board comprising’the sections 10 and &lt;11, they' being of -such’size and -shape to thus occupy the-principal area of such space.

Below the board when' folded and permanently within the unit is the- depending double lined 30 safety well -12 ' for · storing: the sadiron ‘ whether ‘hot or cold,· and fixed upon the-shelf-like section -1'3 'Of' deck or ‘ floor installed level with- the- open ' top of the -well-12- is' the -upright standard 14' for support of the sheet -metal insulated’ hinged- shelf 35 (5 for intermittent' temporary ' support of the sadiron'While-being used.

As a suitable adjustable support for the ironing'board to permit of its being folded within ' the ’-unit and also - susceptible - to unfolding ari'd being raised upwardly and outwardly to the position ’ on > top - of · the - front wall' of' the^! unit «as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, there' is- provided 'the'following:

Adjacent each of the· opposite extremities of ¹⁵ the sadiron -well 12 is formed a vertically open (channel-46 as' by the pair of relatively-^wide'-bat tliin'beams 17'flxed‘ at both ends to the opposite «walls of the unit.

'Depending «within -arid through each channel ⁵⁰ is a wide, flat, oddly-shaped supporting leg^j 1-8 permanently fixed to the bottom- section 10 of the ironing'board, one adjacent each end thereof, such'-being toTunction as a positive«strong support and guide for the board both while being ⁵⁵ moved:! to and from the interior of the unit and upon the upper- -edge -of the front wall for -ironing purposes.

/These legs-18 are particularly Odd in that each •has canElongated narrow forwardly extending ⁶⁰ head’portion^-19 fixed- securely to the underside ;of the section 10 of the ironing board and approach1

This invention relates to household cabinets and has special reference to a combined table * arid'ironing board unit.

' The principal object thereof is that :of providing exceptional convenience in storage ca- 5 ' pacity for instrumentalities commonly used in the art of ironing and general housekeeping.

Another object is to provide as substantial support as possible for the iroriing board when in use as well as a like support and guide for the 10 foldable leaves of the-table top when in either of their adjusted positions.

Other:objects and advantages of the invention may appear in the further comprehension and description thereof. 15

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this .(application wherein like reference nu-merals indicate, like,parts;

Fig. T is a perspective view of the cabinet in open.position showing the -ironing -board folded 20 therewithin and other ,of the. cooperative parts of the, assembly,

-Fig. 2 is a transverse .central sectional view of >-Fig. lc-partly-in elevation, ,Fig. 3 -is- a sectional view on the line 3—3, Fig. 25 ,2,: and

-Fig.-4.is a-perspective view-of one type of hinge .for the union of the two parts of the ironing board.

In the drawing, the reference numeral. I represents the major portion of the receptacle or boxlike support of the unit, and the numeral 2 represents the lesser hinged cooperative part of the support which is fixed to the central portion 3 of the table : top,: the latter . preferably being provided with the cooperative opposed hinged leaves 4—4 common to a kitchen or other table top.

One of the leaves occurring on that edge of ;the top which is free to be raised or lowered as desired by virtue of the hinges 5—5, has the double function of acting as a shelf for holding any object suitable for*such holding when placed thereupon after such leaf has been turned down to horizontal position when· the top is in open and vertical position.

At such time, the leaf will firmly rest upon the novel type of support which is slidably adjustable against the normally underface of the table top 3.

Each of these leaf rests is of a: single: rod-like metal: piece having a U-shaped’bight centrally thereof where doubled upon-itself as at 6, thence .turned at right angles at a distance preferably equal to the extent of said bight; thence, passes through suitable openings' in the wall 7 of the lesser .part 2 of the box-like .unit.

When thus in position against the under face of the top 3, the pair-like arms of each support are held reasonably tight against the top by means of a wooden block-like cleat 8 adjustably

2,447,480 ing the full width thereof, the depending leg portion at its juncture with said head being in width materially less than one-half the length of said head and forming a notch therewith.

From thence downwardly, each leg widens considerably to form a substantial base connection with the shoe member 20 which is materially wider than the lower extremity of the leg to prevent any possibility of the latter passing completely upwardly through its respective channel and thus failing to function as intended.

As further strengthening and registering means, I provide two spaced, narrow stringers 2i—21 and about the thickness of the board portion 10 and permanently attached to the bottom thereof so that the ends of the same where they occur at the hingedly united ends of the board sections extend materially therebeyond forming an ideal twin support and guide for the cooperative ends of the board when they are folded or unfolded.

While I have shown a simple type of fiat metal hinge member as indicated at 22 being simply pivoted at each end within like opposed slots in the adjacent ends of the board, I have shown in Fig. 4 a modified form that might prove more desirable and efficient, the noval functioning of which will be described later.

A relatively short strong-back member 23 is fixed to the uppermost section 11 of the ironing board with one end projecting as at 24 and designed to function as an auxiliary cooperative support for the two sections when extended with their uppermost faces in the same plane as for example for ironing purposes.

It is to be seen that the upper edges of both pairs of beams 17 forming the channels 16 are notched as at 25 to receive the stringers 21—21 when the board is folded and within the unit as in Fig. 1 to further insure as stable a unit as possible when functioning as a table.

Another feature of the unit when open for use as an ironing instrumentality, is that of the automatically adjustable sadiron power supplying cord 26 which is shown as attached at one end to the iron 27 with its other end plugged into an outlet box 28 in the upper rearmost comer of the hinged section 2 of the unit and from where any desired length of intake cord 29 may terminate in a plug 30, such a length supposedly being convenient for storing within the unit.

The automatic feature of the feed line to the iron is accomplished by means of the trolly rod 31 diagonally disposed from the forward upper corner of the on-edge smaller section of the unit downwardly and rearwardly to adjacent the rearmost lower corner of said section where it remains in fixed position.

A weighted trolly 32 of any suitable shape having a suspending eye 33 attached thereto and threaded upon the trolly rod 31 will thus be free ⁶⁰to travel in either direction on said rod but always biased by gravity to the lowermost end thereof.

From the lowermost extremity of this trolly 32 is suspend the flexible power cord 26 to the ⁵sadiron 27. This suspension comprises the clamp-like member 34 having a hole therethrough for accommodation of the cord 26, said hole being supplied with a resilient bushing 35 which, for example, may be rubber and will ⁷⁰normally hold the cord '26 in any predetermined position but will permit the same to be drawn manually therethrough for any required length of cord.

From the outlet box 28, is run a suitable power ⁷⁵ connection to any desired form of lamp 36 for Illumination of the opened unit, the operation of said lamp may or may not be automatic.

It is to be noted that an auxiliary stabilizing 5 support for the ironing board when in use is provided by the permanent installation of shelf 37 just above the opening for the door 38 in the front of the cabinet, said shelf being for the reception and support of the shoes 20 which are 10 installed upon the two spaced legs 18 of the ironing board.

A modified assembly of hinge for the two portions i 0 and 11 of the ironing board is shown in Fig. 4, and which may prove more efficient 15 than that shown in the other views of the drawing, in that each hinge comprises a pair of housing portions 40—40·, each having opposed laterally extending wings 41—41 for attachment to its respective board portion and pivotally carrying 2₀ as at 42 within said housing portions 40, the opposite ends of the blade-like body member 43.