US2278749A

US2278749A - Chair arm

Info

Publication number: US2278749A
Application number: US255486A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin T Todd
Original assignee: American Seating Co
Current assignee: American Seating Co
Priority date: 1939-02-09
Filing date: 1939-02-09
Publication date: 1942-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1959-04-07

Description

April 7, 1942. E. T. TODD 2,278,749

CHAIR ARMS Fi led Feb. 9; -,1939

'ldwiu 1? 72 14 IQi nesqafi rz fawmz 3M k Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CHAIR ARM Edwin T. Todd, Grand Rapids, Micln, assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,486

' 2 Claims.

adapted for use with chairs of the character shown in my copending applications for patents,

Serial Nos. 253,063 and 254,357, respectively,

filed January 27 and February 3, 1939; to provide such a chair arm which is pivotally connected to the chair frame at the rear end of the arm permitting the arm to be folded upwardly and rearwardly when not in use and downwardly and forwardly when desired for use; to provide such a chair arm for a pair of chairs disposed side by side and adapted to be folded rearwardly and upwardly between the seat backs when not in use; and, to provide such a seat which is comfortable in use, simple in construction, convenient for folding to positions for use or non-use, and which is economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a twin chair of a character particularly well adapted for installation in motor buses, railway coaches or airplanes and showing its middle arm rest in its upwardly and rearwardly folded position between the spaced side by side back supports of the chair;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the middle arm rest of the twin chair on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing its spring actuated folding mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the middle arm rest of the chair and its folding mechanism, the arm being folded forwardly and downwardly for use and separating the seat portion of the twin chair;

Figure 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of a cap support for the folding arm; and

Figure 5 is a view of the supporting bracket of the arm support.

Referring then to the drawing wherein like parts of the chair structure shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the frame thereof is here shown as comprising a pair of spaced horizontally disposed members In, H of tubular stock to provide for strength and rigidity at light weight. n

The frame members IO, M are spacedly supported above the floor by front legs l2 and rear legs l3, likewise of tubular stock and secured near the ends of the front and rear members ID, IL A pair of spaced transversely disposed members I4, preferably of stamped sheet metal, are each secured to a front frame member l0 and a rear frame member I! at their respective ends and in any suitable manner, the member M on the aisle side of the structure supporting the upholstered end armrest |5 of the chair to which it is fixed.

Upholstered backs 16 are each secured in any suitable manner between'their back supports l1 and upholstered seats |8 are. carried .by the front and rear frame members I0, H to which'they-are fixed in any convenient way.-

A middle rear leg I9, here shown as of bowed formation and likewise of tubular construction, is secured intermediate its length to the rear frame member II and medially thereof, providing additional support therefor. The upper and rearwardly angularly projecting portion of the middle leg l9 has va cap 20-telescopically secured thereto which cap is best shown in Figure 4.

This cap is provided with a rectangular'opening' 2| in its top and the forward side of the cap is provided with a beaded portion 22 to form a stop for the purpose hereinafter described.

A middle arm rest 23 for the twin chair disposed interjacent the middle back supports l1 and here shown as upholstered, has a central web portion 24 free of the upholstery along the bottom surface of the rear portion thereof to which is secured a supporting bracket 25 for the arm rest.

The outer or bifurcated end of the bracket 25 is provided with oppositely flared beaded

portions

26, 21 along its rear width, the beaded portion 25 forming a stop for the purpose hereinafter described and the beaded portion 2'! being seated within the semi-circular depressions 2B of the opposite lengths of the cap 25 which form oppositely disposed bearings therefor. I

A coiled helical contraction spring 29 secured at one end to a rod 30 projecting through the upper portion of the tubular rear middle leg l9 and its cap 20, extends upwardly through the cap opening 2| and between the bifurcated portions of the arm rest supporting bracket 25 where it is secured at its other end to a rod 3| passing through the bifurcated portion of the bracket 25 inwardly of its ends.

Operation Since the beaded portions 21 of the middle arm rest supporting bracket 25 are pivotally seated use, the arm may be manually folded forwardly v and downwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, the stop 22 bearing against the under surface of the bracket support 25 for limiting its downward movement. The helically coiled contraction spring thus provides a snap action for the arm support 23 during its folding movement.

It is thus seen that the arm rest herein shown and described is comfortable in use, simple in construction, convenient for folding and is economical in manufacture.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this inven tion as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ,chair frame having dual seats and backs disposed side by side in spaced relation, a tubular support disposed between the dual backs and having an apertured cap provided with spaced semi-circular depressions forming arm rest supporting bearings, a folding arm rest having spaced beads thereon pivotally supported in said bearings, and a coiled contraction spring secured at one of its ends between the beads and extending between the bearings where it is secured at its other end to the tubular support for maintaining the arm rest in either raised position between the dual backs or in lowered position above the dual seats.

2. A chair frame having dual seats and backs disposed side by side in spaced relation, a tubular .support disposed between the dual backs, a hollow cap secured to the tubular support and having an aperture in the top thereof, said cap having horizontally aligned semi-circular depressions in the top on opposite sides respectively of said aperture and forming arm rest supporting bearings, a folding arm rest having beads thereon pivotally supported in said bearings respectively, a coiled contraction spring secured at one of its ends to the arm rest beyond its pivotal bearings and extending between said beads and through the cap where it is secured at its other end to the tubular support, said spring being movable forwardly of the arm rests pivotal bearings during lowering movement of the arm rest for urging the arm rest to lowered position and movable rearwardly of the arm rests pivotal bearings during raising movement of the arm rest for urging the, arm rest to raised position, and stops on the cap and the arm rest for limiting lowering and raising movements of the arm rest.

EDWIN T. TODD.