GB2162058A

GB2162058A - Folding chair

Info

Publication number: GB2162058A
Application number: GB08511860A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberto Lucci; Paolo Orlandini
Original assignee: Lamm SpA
Current assignee: Lamm SpA
Priority date: 1984-06-06
Filing date: 1985-05-10
Publication date: 1986-01-29
Also published as: GB8511860D0; ES286989U; LU85918A1; GB2162058B; IT1180357B; CH663884A5; DE3516472A1; ES286989Y; BE902419A; NL8501641A; IT8405165A0; FR2565477B1; FR2565477A1

Abstract

A folding chair, comprising a seat (1), a first pair of legs (2) connected at the top by a first horizontal cross- member (3) hinged (8) beneath the seat (1), a second pair of legs (4) connected member (5) pivoted at the centre of the at the top by a second horizontal cross- first horizontal cross-member (3) of the first pair of legs (2) by means of a pin having a vertical axis (9), and a back having two lateral uprights pivoted (10) to the said seat (1) and two lever arms (7) projecting below the seat to rest against the horizontal cross-member of one of the said pairs of legs when the seat is in its position of use. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Folding chair The present invention relates to a folding chair.

Different types of folding chair are already known but none of these have a structure which ensures that their dimensions when folded are reduced effectively and to the maximum extent so as to reduce packaging and transport costs and to minimise the space occupied by the chairs when they are stored or put away after use.

The object of this invention is to provide a folding chair of dimensions which can be effectively reduced by placing the legs alongside each other and by folding the back onto the seat and the two together onto the closed up legs.

Advantageously, the dimensions of the folded chair are then restricted in width to the width of a pair of legs, in height to the height of the legs and in depth to the thickness of the seat and a pair of closed up legs.

According to the present invention there is provided a folding chair, comprising a seat, a first pair of legs connected at the top by a first horizontal cross-member hinged beneath the seat, a second pair of legs connected at the top by a second horizontal cross-member pivoted at the centre of the first horizontal cross-member of the first pair of legs by means of a pin having a vertical axis, and a back having two lateral uprights pivoted to the said seat and, two lever arms projecting below the seat to rest against the horizontal cross-member of one of the said pairs of legs when the seat is in its position of use.

The chair can be made from components of metal, wood or plastics material.

The present invention will be further illustrated by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair in its use position; Fig. 2 is a side view in section of the chair of Fig. 1, with dashed lines showing the back folded down onto the seat; Figs. 3,4 and 5 are perspective views in three consecutive stages, of the folding of the chair; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a section of the chair folded as in Fig. 5.

As illustrated, the chair comprises a seat 1, a first pair of legs 2 connected by an upper horizontal cross-member 3, a second pair of legs 4 also connected by a corresponding upper horizontal cross member5 and a back 6 formed, for example from a U-piece with or without a supporting panel 6', which has two lower lever arms 7. The seat 1 is preferably provided with two grooves 11 running from front to back while the distance between the two legs in the second pair of legs 4 is less than that between the two legs in the first pair of legs 2 so that they can lie alongside each other in the same plane when they are closed up together.

In greater detail, the upper cross-member 3 of the first pair of legs 2 is orientated transversely beneath the seat 1 in the intermediate portion thereof by suitable means 8. In turn, the upper cross-member 5 of the second pair of legs 4 is pivoted about a pin with a vertical axis 9 at the centre of the upper crossmember 3 of the first pair of legs 2. In this way the said second pair of legs can be moved angularly about pin 9 from a position in which they lie across the first pair of legs 2 into a position in which they are aligned and in the same plane as the said first pair of legs 2.On the other hand, the seat 1 is mounted so that it can be tipped on cross-member 3 of the first pair of legs 2 and can be moved from a horizontal position above cross-members 3, 5 of legs 2,4 in a crossed position to a position in which it is folded against the vertical legs when these are in line and in the same plane.

Finally, the lateral uprights of the back 6 are pivoted about pins 10 on seat 1 in line with grooves 11 in the latter and the said back can be folded down by an angular movement about the pins 10 onto the seat 1 from its erect position for use which is defined by lever arms 7 resting against the upper crossmember 3 of the first pair of legs 2.

The chair described above is set in its position of use by positioning the seat 1 in the horizontal, placing the two pairs of legs 2, 4 across each other by rotating the second pair of legs with respect to the first and placing the back 6 in the erect position as shown in Fig. 1 and 2.

Starting from this position, the chair can be folded by folding the back 6 onto the seat 1 so that the lateral uprights fit into grooves 11 as shown in Fig.

3, by rotating the second pair of legs 4 around pin 9 until they are closed up and positioned with the first pair of legs 2 as shown in Fig. 4 and by then folding the seat 1 and the back 6 together to place them in a plane parallel and adjacent to the closed up legs.

The folded condition of the chair is shown in Figs.

5 and 6 from which it can be appreciated how the dimensions of the chair are effectively reduced in both height and depth to ensure the object and the advantages mentioned above and likewise to reduce storage space, the volume of packaging and associated costs such as the space occupied by a chair during transport and when it is put away after use.

1. A folding chair, comprising a seat, a first pair of legs connected at the top by a first horizontal crossmember hinged beneath the seat, a second pair of legs connected at the top by a second horizontal cross-member pivoted at the centre of the first horizontal cross-member of the first pair of legs by means of a pin having a vertical axis, and a back having two lateral uprights pivoted to the said seat and two lever arms projecting below the seat to rest against the horizontal cross-member of one of the said pairs of legs when the seat is in its position of use.

2. A folding chair as claimed in claim 1, in which two grooves are provided in said seat and in which the lateral uprights of the back are pivoted to the seat in line with said grooves, said back being capable of being folded down onto the seat so that the lateral uprights lie in said grooves.

3. A folding chair as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Folding chair The present invention relates to a folding chair. Different types of folding chair are already known but none of these have a structure which ensures that their dimensions when folded are reduced effectively and to the maximum extent so as to reduce packaging and transport costs and to minimise the space occupied by the chairs when they are stored or put away after use. The object of this invention is to provide a folding chair of dimensions which can be effectively reduced by placing the legs alongside each other and by folding the back onto the seat and the two together onto the closed up legs. Advantageously, the dimensions of the folded chair are then restricted in width to the width of a pair of legs, in height to the height of the legs and in depth to the thickness of the seat and a pair of closed up legs. According to the present invention there is provided a folding chair, comprising a seat, a first pair of legs connected at the top by a first horizontal cross-member hinged beneath the seat, a second pair of legs connected at the top by a second horizontal cross-member pivoted at the centre of the first horizontal cross-member of the first pair of legs by means of a pin having a vertical axis, and a back having two lateral uprights pivoted to the said seat and, two lever arms projecting below the seat to rest against the horizontal cross-member of one of the said pairs of legs when the seat is in its position of use. The chair can be made from components of metal, wood or plastics material. The present invention will be further illustrated by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair in its use position; Fig. 2 is a side view in section of the chair of Fig. 1, with dashed lines showing the back folded down onto the seat; Figs. 3,4 and 5 are perspective views in three consecutive stages, of the folding of the chair; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a section of the chair folded as in Fig. 5. As illustrated, the chair comprises a seat 1, a first pair of legs 2 connected by an upper horizontal cross-member 3, a second pair of legs 4 also connected by a corresponding upper horizontal cross member5 and a back 6 formed, for example from a U-piece with or without a supporting panel 6', which has two lower lever arms 7. The seat 1 is preferably provided with two grooves 11 running from front to back while the distance between the two legs in the second pair of legs 4 is less than that between the two legs in the first pair of legs 2 so that they can lie alongside each other in the same plane when they are closed up together. In greater detail, the upper cross-member 3 of the first pair of legs 2 is orientated transversely beneath the seat 1 in the intermediate portion thereof by suitable means 8. In turn, the upper cross-member 5 of the second pair of legs 4 is pivoted about a pin with a vertical axis 9 at the centre of the upper crossmember 3 of the first pair of legs 2. In this way the said second pair of legs can be moved angularly about pin 9 from a position in which they lie across the first pair of legs 2 into a position in which they are aligned and in the same plane as the said first pair of legs 2.On the other hand, the seat 1 is mounted so that it can be tipped on cross-member 3 of the first pair of legs 2 and can be moved from a horizontal position above cross-members 3, 5 of legs 2,4 in a crossed position to a position in which it is folded against the vertical legs when these are in line and in the same plane. Finally, the lateral uprights of the back 6 are pivoted about pins 10 on seat 1 in line with grooves 11 in the latter and the said back can be folded down by an angular movement about the pins 10 onto the seat 1 from its erect position for use which is defined by lever arms 7 resting against the upper crossmember 3 of the first pair of legs 2. The chair described above is set in its position of use by positioning the seat 1 in the horizontal, placing the two pairs of legs 2, 4 across each other by rotating the second pair of legs with respect to the first and placing the back 6 in the erect position as shown in Fig. 1 and 2. Starting from this position, the chair can be folded by folding the back 6 onto the seat 1 so that the lateral uprights fit into grooves 11 as shown in Fig. 3, by rotating the second pair of legs 4 around pin 9 until they are closed up and positioned with the first pair of legs 2 as shown in Fig. 4 and by then folding the seat 1 and the back 6 together to place them in a plane parallel and adjacent to the closed up legs. The folded condition of the chair is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 from which it can be appreciated how the dimensions of the chair are effectively reduced in both height and depth to ensure the object and the advantages mentioned above and likewise to reduce storage space, the volume of packaging and associated costs such as the space occupied by a chair during transport and when it is put away after use. CLAIMS

3. A folding chair as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the second pair of legs rotates with respect to the first pair of legs about the vertical axis pin to move from a position across the said first pair of legs to a position alongside them in the same plane.

4. Afolding chair as claimed in claim 3, in which the second pair of legs has a lesser width than the first pair of legs.

5. A folding chair as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the seat is secured horizontally in its position of use by resting against the crossmembers of the pairs of legs and can be folded downwards with the back by rotation about the cross-member of the first pair of legs.

6. A folding chair, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.