Round table storage rack

Abstract

A storage rack for round tables having foldable legs, that maintains each table in a vertical position, includes a base fabricated from first and second parallel pairs of tubing sections which are welded together to form a rectangular arrangement. The rim of a round table positioned vertically on the base makes contact with both tubing sections of the first pair, which are spaced apart a distance calculated to maintain the lowermost point of the rim above the level of the floor on which the base rests. A horizontally disposed bar having a welded notched plate welded thereto is supported at each end by a vertical support post, which is secured to one of the tubing sections of the second pair. The notched plate has a number of equally-spaced, downward-facing notches, each of which is sized to receive the rim of a single round table.

1 . A storage rack for multiple tables having round tabletops with rims and foldable legs comprises:
 a base having a pair of parallel, spaced-apart tubular members which, together, support the rim of each table in two locations of its circumference;   a horizontally-disposed indexing bar elevated above the base, said indexing bar having a linear array of generally evenly-spaced, downward-facing notches, each notch having a lateral width sized to accommodate the rim of a single stored table; and   a pair of upright members, each of which secures an end of the indexing bar to an end of the base.   
   
   
       2 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein said indexing bar comprises a horizontal tube and an indexing plate, which is welded to the horizontal tube, said indexing plate having spaced-apart downwardly-projecting tabs which form the notches therebetween. 
   
   
       3 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein said tubular members are spaced apart a distance calculated to maintain a lowermost point of the rim above the level of a generally planar floor on which the base rests. 
   
   
       4 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein each notch of the indexing bar is of sufficient depth that a table can be rolled over either of said tubular members and into each notch, without the tabletop rim of that table contacting an upper limit of the notch. 
   
   
       5 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , which further comprises a ramp coupled to at least one of said tubular members, said ramp facilitating the rolling of tables onto the base of the rack. 
   
   
       6 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein spacing between said tubular members and height of said upright members can be fixed at the time of manufacture to accommodate tables having a tabletop of a particular diameters. 
   
   
       7 . The storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein said base, said indexing bar, and at least a portion of each upright member are packaged and shipped to an end user as individual pieces which can be assembled as a complete storage rack when received by an end user. 
   
   
       8 . The storage rack of  claim 7 , wherein each point of connection between the individual pieces includes a stub extension on one piece and a socket, which receives the stub extension, on the other piece. 
   
   
       9 . The storage rack of  claim 5 , wherein said base, said indexing bar, at least a portion of each upright member, and said ramp are packaged and shipped to an end user as individual pieces which can be assembled as a complete storage rack following receipt by the end user. 
   
   
       10 . The storage rack of  claim 2 , wherein said indexing plate is modified such that each notch is considerably wider than a tabletop rim of the tables to be stored, and a block of durable ploymeric plastic material having a low coefficient of friction and low abrasiveness is secured to each downwardly-projecting tab, such that notches on the indexing bar are formed by gaps between adjacent blocks of the polymeric plastic material. 
   
   
       11 . The storage rack of  claim 10 , wherein each block of durable polymeric plastic material is secured to a downwardly-projecting tab with threaded fasteners. 
   
   
       12 . The storage rack of  claim 10 , wherein said durable polymeric plastic material is selected from the group consisting of HDPE, TFE, and nylon. 
   
   
       13 . A storage rack for multiple tables having round tabletops with rims and foldable legs comprises:
 a base having a pair of parallel, spaced-apart tubular members which, together, support the rim of each table in two locations of its circumference;   a horizontally-disposed indexing bar elevated above the base, said indexing bar having a linear array of generally evenly-spaced, downward-facing notches, each notch having a lateral width sized to accommodate the rim of a single stored table;   a pair of upright members, each of which secures an end of the indexing bar to an end of the base; and   a ramp couplable to at least one of said tubular members, said ramp facilitating the rolling of tables onto the base of the rack;   wherein said base, said indexing bar, at least a portion of each upright member, and said ramp are packaged and shipped to an end user as individual pieces which can be assembled as a complete storage rack following receipt by the end user.   
   
   
       14 . The storage rack of  claim 13 , wherein said indexing bar comprises a horizontal tube and an indexing plate, which is welded to the horizontal tube, said indexing plate having spaced-apart downwardly-projecting tabs which form the notches therebetween. 
   
   
       15 . The storage rack of  claim 13 , wherein said tubular members are spaced apart a distance calculated to maintain a lowermost point of the rim above the level of a generally planar floor on which the base rests. 
   
   
       16 . The storage rack of  claim 13 , wherein each notch of the indexing bar is of sufficient depth that a table can be rolled over either of said tubular members and into each notch, without the tabletop rim of that table contacting an upper limit of the notch. 
   
   
       17 . The storage rack of  claim 14 , wherein said indexing plate is modified such that each notch is considerably wider than a tabletop rim of the tables to be stored, and a block of durable ploymeric plastic material having a low coefficient of friction and low abrasiveness is secured to each downwardly-projecting tab, such that notches on the indexing bar are formed by gaps between adjacent blocks of the polymeric plastic material. 
   
   
       18 . The storage rack of  claim 17 , wherein each block of durable polymeric plastic material is secured to a downwardly-projecting tab with threaded fasteners. 
   
   
       19 . The storage rack of  claim 17 , wherein said durable polymeric plastic material is selected from the group consisting of HDPE, TFE, and nylon. 
   
   
       20 . The storage rack of  claim 13 , wherein each point of connection between the individual pieces includes a stub extension on one piece and a socket, which receives the stub extension, on the other piece, said individual pieces being securable together with method selected from the group of attachment methods consisting of welding and threaded fasteners.