In the hospitality trade there is a need for furniture that can be changed rapidly to meet the needs of the patrons and owners. This has led to a variety of solutions including lightweight stackable furniture and tables with insertable leafs. Each of these solutions has limitations which make them undesireable. The lightweight stackable furniture still requires the owner to stock a variety of different tables, chairs and stools, all which require storage space. In addition much of the lightweight stackable furniture feels insubstantial or cheap which does not fit with many of the up market establishments, and the alternatives are often expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide inexpensive modular furniture with interchangeable components that are easy to assemble, and consist of lightweight individual components with a reliable rapid and strong fixing method.

The present invention provides an article of modular furniture, which includes a retention means, a base and a top; wherein the retention means is used to releasably attach the base to the top, the retention means consisting of a clamping device and an engagement means arranged in either of the following configuration : - the engagement means fixed to the base and the clamping device fixed to the top; or the engagement means fixed to the top and the clamping device fixed to the base.

Preferably the clamping device is a handle, attached to a cam device which is adapted to retain the engagement means when in use.

Preferably the top includes a frame, and said clamping device is attached to said frame. Alternatively, the clamping device may be attached to a. separate plate which is then fixed to the top.

Options for the top include round tables, rectangular tables, chairs, stools, lecterns and bar stools.

Options for the base include multi legged frames and pedestals.

By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is an isometric view from below, showing the invention as applied to a pedestal table.

Fig. 2 is an exploded isometric view showing the clamping device in the unlocked position.

Fig. 3 shows the clamping device of Fig. 2, but in the locked position.

Fig. 4 shows an isometric view of the cam.

Fig. 5 shows an isometric view from below, showing an alternative embodiment of the invention as applied to a pedestal table.

Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of a further embodiment with the clamping device attached to the base, the clamping device is shown in the locked position with the engagement means shown separately for clarity.

Referring to the drawings, a table (1), consists of a top (2), a base (3) and a retention means (4). The base (3) consists of a pedestal (5) with cruciform base (6) that when in use is in contact with the ground. The top (2) is a flat rectangular sheet of a material such as plywood or medium density fibreboard. The retention means (4) consists of two parts, an engagement means (7) and a clamping device (8). The engagement means (7) is fixed to the base (3), and the clamping device (8) to the table top (2).

The retention means (4) as shown disassembled in Fig. 2, shows the engagement means (7) and the clamping device (8) before assembly. The engagement means (7) is a bent plate (9) consisting of two parallel flat tongues (10) separated by, and integral

with, a raised section (11). The plane of the raised section (11) is parallel to the plane of the parallel flat tongues (10) but is closer to the base 3.

The engagement means (7) is rigidly secured to the base (3) at the end of the pedestal (5) via the raised section (11). This may be accomplished by for example welding.

The clamping device (8) consists of two separated, longitudinally parallel, right angle plates (12,13), which, in combination, form a u-shaped channel when viewed end on.

Each right angle plate (12,13) is fixed at one or more points along its length to a rectangular cross section tube (14,15), which extends parallel to, and in contact with, the length of the right angle plate (12,13) it is fixed to. Each of the rectangular section tubes (14,15) is rigidly attached to a flat plate (16) which is rigidly attached to the top (2).

Attached perpendicular to the inner edge of each right angle plate (12,13), is a cam (17,18) in the form of a major segment of a solid cylinder, the attachment is via an axle (19) that allows the cam (17,18) to rotate about its axis. Each cam (17,18) shares the same centreline, and this centreline is parallel to the plane of the flat plate (16). The two cams (17,18) are connected via a u-shaped handle (20), such that when in use the flat side (21,22) of each cam (17,18) is in the same plane. The u-shaped handle (20) is connected to the cams (17,18) in such a way that the flat sides (21,22) are parallel to, and closest to, their respective right angle sections base (23,24) when the u- shaped handle (20) is in the unlocked position as shown in Fig. 2. The height of each cam (17, 18) above the base (23,24) of its respective right angle plate (12,13) is such that when the u-shaped handle (20) is in the unlocked position there is a channel (25,26) formed between the base (23,24) and flat side (21,22). The width of this channel (25,26) when the u-shaped handle (20) is in the unlocked position is greater than the thickness of the parallel flat tongues (10) of the engagement means (7).

To assemble the retention means (4), and thus fix the base (3) to the top (2), the u- shaped handle (20) is moved to the unlocked position and the parallel flat tongues (10) of the engagement means (7) are slid into the channel (25,26) until sufficient of the parallel flat tongues (10) is under the cams (17,18) to effect locking.

To effect locking, the u-shaped handle (20) is moved into the locked position, as shown in Fig. 3; this rotates the cams (17,18) causing the curved surface (29) of the cams (17,18) to engage with the adjacent surface (27,28) of the respective parallel flat tongues (10). Once in the locked position, the frictional force between the cams (17,18) and the respective uppermost surface (27,28) they contact is sufficient to prevent the engagement means (7) from moving under normal usage conditions.

To disassemble the retention means (4), and thus remove the base (3) from the top (2), the u-shaped handle (20) is moved into the unlocked position, thus disengaging the curved surface (29) of the cams (17,18) from uppermost surface (27,28) of the respective parallel flat tongue (10). This then allows the parallel flat tongues (10) to be slid out of the channel (25,26) separating the engagement means (7), and therefore the base (3), from the clamping device (8) and the top (2).

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, each of the rectangular section tubes (14,15) is directly attached to the top (2). For convenience the rectangular section tubes (14,15) can form part of a support frame (30) for the top (2).

In a further alternative embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the engagement means (7) is fixed to the top (2) and the clamping device (8) is integrated into the pedestal (5) of the base (3). In this embodiment the pedestal (5) further includes a small flat plate (35) fixed to the one end of the pedestal (5). The cams (17,18) are located at the same height, on opposite sides of the pedestal (5) slightly below the small flat plate (35) and are linked by an axle (40) that extends along the cams (17,18) coincident axis. The axle (40) enables the two cams (17,18) to operate in a similar manner to the first embodiment but the flat tongues (10) are fixed to the top (2) either directly or using a u-shaped channel (41). In this embodiment the u-shaped handle (20) is shaped such that when in the locked position the handle is clear of the pedestal (5).

In use the small flat plate (35) is slid above the flat tongues (10), the cams (17,18) sliding along the opposite side of the flat tongues (10). In the released position (not shown) the flat side (21,22) of the cam (17,18) is parallel to the plane of the small flat plate (35) and the flat tongues (10) are free to move in the space (45) between the small flat plate (35) and the cams (17,18). In the locked position (shown in Fig. 6) the cams (17,18) are rotated to contact the flat tongues (10) and trap them between the

small flat plate (35) and the cams (17, 18), thus releasably fixing the top (2) and the base (3). To remove the top (2) from the base (3) the u-shaped handle (20) is moved to the unlocked position, this allows the flat tongues (10) to be slid out of the space (45) between the cams (17,18) and the small flat plate (35). The locked and unlocked positions of the u-shaped handle (20) can be reversed by repositioning the cams (17,18) (not shown) such that in the locked position the u-shaped handle (20) lies approximately parallel to the flat tongues (10) and in the unlocked position is approximately parallel to the pedestal (5).

It should be noted that these specific embodiments describe only one application of the invention and thus should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to these specific methods or applications.