GB1562428A

GB1562428A - Row of intelinked chaird

Info

Publication number: GB1562428A
Application number: GB46675/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Benteler Deustchland GmbH
Current assignee: Benteler Deustchland GmbH
Priority date: 1975-11-15
Filing date: 1976-11-09
Publication date: 1980-03-12
Also published as: SE7612643L; FR2331304A1; DE2551405A1; FR2331304B1; BE847608A; NL7515050A; SE421743B

Description

(54) ROW OF INTERLINKED CHAIRS (71) We, BENTELER-WERKE AG, a German Company of 4794 Schloss Neuhaus, Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a row of interlinked folding chairs.

For the purposes of providing seating for conference rooms, cinemas, theatres, and halls of all kinds, it is known to construct rows of chairs from individual chairs which are interlinked. The linking means may, for example, be a hook provided on one side of the chair to engage in an eyelet disposed on the adjacent side of the adjacent chair.

For storage or transportation, the individual chairs - which cannot be folded - are disengaged from one another.

It is also known to make the chairs stackable.

In making up or dismantling rows of chairs, the chairs must be set up or cleared away individually if the room is to be used for some other purposes without seating.

An object of the invention is to simplify the setting out and clearing away of rows of chairs and also storage and transportation of the chairs.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a row of interlinked folding chairs in which each chair comprises two inverted U-shaped frame members each defining a horizontal seat support parallel to the seat support of the other frame member of the chair and a pair of legs each of which is pivotally connected to a respective leg of the other frame member intermediate the ends of the legs, the seat support of one of the frame members of the chair being coupled to an adjacently disposed seat support of one frame member of an adjacent chair, and the legs of the other frame member of the chair being pivotally connected to respective legs of the other frame member of the adjacent chair in the region of feet of the legs.

Conveniently, the adjacent seat supports of adjacent chairs are coupled together in the region of the seats by at least one linking element encompassing the adjacent seat supports. The linking element encompassing the adjacent seat supports may, for example, be oval or in the form of a figure of eight.

In one embodiment of the invention, each chair has a back rest having two side posts, only one side post being provided for each two adjacent seat supports. Each side post may comprise a mounting fork pivotally connected to a seat support.

Preferably, the frame members and backrest side posts are made from tubular material.

The invention enables a row of seats for a hall or the like to be formed from just one or a few units each comprising a plurality of permanently linked chairs. The folding chairs linked to form a unit in the manner of a lazy-tongs arrangement occupy only a little space in the collapsed state.

A unit embodying the invention can also be rapidly and easily erected by extending the frame members which are linked in the manner of lazy tongs.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a row of folding chairs embodying the invention and provided with back-rests: Figure 2 is a perspective view of a row of folding chairs without back-rests; Figure 3 shows a row of folding chairs in the collapsed state; Figure 4 shows two interlinked folding chairs in perspective and on an enlarged scale; Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line V-V in Figure 4; Figure 6 illustrates a modification of the structural unit shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a side support of a back rest articulated on the seat support of a folding chair; and Figure 8 shows the side support of Figure 7 in broken lines while the solid lines show the support in the folded-down position.

A row 1 of interlinked folding chairs embodying the invention is illustrated in Figure 1 and comprises six folding chairs having back-rests 2. Figure 2 shows a row of three similar chairs without back-rests.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, each of the individual folding chairs comprises two inverted U-shaped frame members 3 and 4 which are made from tubular material and which define respective parallel, horizontal seat supports 8, 9 and respective pairs of legs. Respective legs of the frame members 3 and 4 of each chair are pivotally connected together at a point 5 intermediate the ends of the legs. Plastics plugs 6 are inserted into the bottom free ends of the tubes to form the feet of the legs.

A seat 10, which is made from a web of flexible material, is secured to the seat supports 8 and 9 of the frame members 3 and 4 of each chair.

The adjacent seat supports 8 and 9 of two adjacent folding chairs in the row are pivotally interconnected via a linking element 11 in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5. This linking element 11 has the configuration of a figure of eight. It will be clear from Figure 4 that a linking element 11 is provided at both ends of the seats 10.

In a modification of this structure it is possible to use an oval linking element 12 shown in Figure 6.

Adiacent chairs in the row are also linked together by having respective legs of their non-adiacent frame members pivotally connected by pivot pins or studs 7 in the region of the feet of the legs.

As shown in Figure 1, each folding chair may be provided with a back-rest 2 made of flexible material. Each back-rest associated with a folding chair is bounded by side posts 13 pivotally connected to the seat supports 8 and 9.

It will be seen from Figure 1 that there is only one side post provided for each two adjacent seat supports.

Figures 7 and 8 show the pivotal mounting of the side posts 13. In this embodiment, the side posts are made from a tube and have a fork 14 at the end adjacent the seat surface. The fork 14 is made from a tube, the top end 15 of which is inserted into the tubular side post 13, where it is fixed. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot for the side post 13 is formed by a screw 16.

The top rear boundary of the fork arms 17 forms a stop in relation to the seat supports 8 and 9 to fix the back-rest in its operative position, which is shown in Figures 1 and 7 and by broken lines in Figure 8.

The fabric 18 of the back-rest is provided between the side posts 13.

Before the folding chairs are collapsed, the back-rests are swung on to the seat surfaces. The flexible material of the backrests and seats enables the complete row of linking chairs to be folded together in a space-saving arrangement so that the space required for storage or for transport of the row of linked chairs is very small.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A row of interlinked folding chairs in which each chair comprises two inverted Ushaped frame members each defining a horizontal seat support parallel to the seat support of the other frame member of the chair and a pair of legs each of which is pivotally connected to a respective leg of the other frame member intermediate the ends of the legs, the seat support of one of the frame members of the chair being coupled to an adjacently disposed seat support of one frame member of an adjacent chair, and the legs of the other frame member of the chair being pivotally connected to respective legs of the other frame member of the adjacent chair in the region of feet of the legs.

2. A row of chairs according to claim 1, in which the adjacent seat supports of adjacent chairs are coupled together by a linking element encompassing the adjacent seat supports.

3. A row of chairs according to claim 2, in which the linking element encompassing the adjacent seat supports is oval or in the form of a figure of eight.

4. A row of chairs according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the frame members of the chairs are made from tubular material.

5. A row of chairs according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which each chair has a back-rest having two side posts, only one

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. rest articulated on the seat support of a folding chair; and Figure 8 shows the side support of Figure 7 in broken lines while the solid lines show the support in the folded-down position. A row 1 of interlinked folding chairs embodying the invention is illustrated in Figure 1 and comprises six folding chairs having back-rests 2. Figure 2 shows a row of three similar chairs without back-rests. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, each of the individual folding chairs comprises two inverted U-shaped frame members 3 and 4 which are made from tubular material and which define respective parallel, horizontal seat supports 8, 9 and respective pairs of legs. Respective legs of the frame members 3 and 4 of each chair are pivotally connected together at a point 5 intermediate the ends of the legs. Plastics plugs 6 are inserted into the bottom free ends of the tubes to form the feet of the legs. A seat 10, which is made from a web of flexible material, is secured to the seat supports 8 and 9 of the frame members 3 and 4 of each chair. The adjacent seat supports 8 and 9 of two adjacent folding chairs in the row are pivotally interconnected via a linking element 11 in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5. This linking element 11 has the configuration of a figure of eight. It will be clear from Figure 4 that a linking element 11 is provided at both ends of the seats 10. In a modification of this structure it is possible to use an oval linking element 12 shown in Figure 6. Adiacent chairs in the row are also linked together by having respective legs of their non-adiacent frame members pivotally connected by pivot pins or studs 7 in the region of the feet of the legs. As shown in Figure 1, each folding chair may be provided with a back-rest 2 made of flexible material. Each back-rest associated with a folding chair is bounded by side posts 13 pivotally connected to the seat supports 8 and 9. It will be seen from Figure 1 that there is only one side post provided for each two adjacent seat supports. Figures 7 and 8 show the pivotal mounting of the side posts 13. In this embodiment, the side posts are made from a tube and have a fork 14 at the end adjacent the seat surface. The fork 14 is made from a tube, the top end 15 of which is inserted into the tubular side post 13, where it is fixed. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot for the side post 13 is formed by a screw 16. The top rear boundary of the fork arms 17 forms a stop in relation to the seat supports 8 and 9 to fix the back-rest in its operative position, which is shown in Figures 1 and 7 and by broken lines in Figure 8. The fabric 18 of the back-rest is provided between the side posts 13. Before the folding chairs are collapsed, the back-rests are swung on to the seat surfaces. The flexible material of the backrests and seats enables the complete row of linking chairs to be folded together in a space-saving arrangement so that the space required for storage or for transport of the row of linked chairs is very small. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A row of interlinked folding chairs in which each chair comprises two inverted Ushaped frame members each defining a horizontal seat support parallel to the seat support of the other frame member of the chair and a pair of legs each of which is pivotally connected to a respective leg of the other frame member intermediate the ends of the legs, the seat support of one of the frame members of the chair being coupled to an adjacently disposed seat support of one frame member of an adjacent chair, and the legs of the other frame member of the chair being pivotally connected to respective legs of the other frame member of the adjacent chair in the region of feet of the legs.

side post being provided for each two adjacent seat supports.

6. A row of chairs according to claim 5, in which the side posts of the back-rests are made from tubular material.

7. A row of chairs according to claim 5 or 6, in which each side post of a back-rest comprises a mounting fork pivotally connected to a seat support.

8. A row of chairs according to claim 7, in which the mounting fork is of tubular construction.

9. A row of interlinked folding chairs substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.