FOLDING TABLE WITH IMPROVED LATCH MECHANISM THAT HOLDS TABLE TOP IONS COPLANAR AND PREVENTS ACCIDENTAL INJURY DURING UNFOLDING

摘要

A folding table having a top formed by a pair of hingedly connected sections, the adjacent edges of which approach one another as the table is unfolded and its top sections are brought into coplanar orientation, is equipped with a latch that is mounted at the underside of the top sections and comprises complementary interengageable relatively movable elements which, upon interengagement, hold the table top sections against unintended displacement from coplanar orientation. One of the latch elements is biased to a position in which an edge thereof lies in the path of the other latch element during relative movement of the latch elements towards interengagement, and thereby blocks movement of the approaching edges of the table top sections beyond a point at which the space therebetween is wide enough to avoid pinching one's fingers. A handle operatively connected with the biased latch element and movably mounted at the underside of one of the table top sections, enables the biased latch element to be moved out of its blocking position, the handle being located far enough from the adjacent edges of the table top sections to prevent any part of the hand used to activate the handle being pinched between said approaching table top edges.