GB2229089A - Portable seating - Google Patents

Abstract

Portable stacking chairs (2) each have spaced frame uprights (4) whose lower portions are provided with releasable fixing means (18, 24) to mount them releasably on a supporting structure such as a temporary grandstand. Tilt-back seat units (10) are pivoted on horizontal supports (8) of the uprights and those parts of the chairs which project forward of the lower portions of the uprights are of lesser width than the spacing between the latter enabling the dismounted chairs to be nested in a compact stack with the seat units in their down position. The horizontal seat supports (8) may comprise a pair of forwardly projecting brackets, (Fig. 1). In an alternative embodiment (Fig. 4) the frame members (4) are cranked to provide horizontal portions serving as integral seat supports extending rearwardly of the lower portions of the uprights (4). The releasable fixing means may comprise flat hooks (18) and a releasable locking bolt (24). <IMAGE>

Description

PORTABLE SEATING Stacking portable chairs and folding chairs have been in use for many years and are a space saving way of storing and transporting chairs for use in temporary situations. Seats of the type commonly fitted in public auditoria are generally fixed permanently in position and are usually of the tilting type which make better use of the available space, and also satisfy the Fire Authorities regarding emergency evacuation of auditoria.

Many places of assembly now require a flexible arrangement of seating accommodation to satisfy the variation of uses of their facilities. It is therefore becoming commonplace to provide these facilities with temporary demountable seating rather than permanently fixed seating.

The object of this invention is to provide portable, demountable, seating which is both stackable, for compact storage and transportation, and tiltable (tip-up) for ease of access and egress.

According to the invention there is provided a set of portable stacking chairs as defined by Claim 1 of the appended claims.

Examples of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of the invention being a chair with a seat in the down position, the tilted position being indicated in broken lines, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said chair, Fig. 3 shows four said chairs stacked on a storage and transport pallet, Figure 4 is a like view to Figure 1 of a second embodiment, Figure 5 is a front elevation of the latter, and Figure 6 shows a set of the latter chairs stacked on a pallet.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a portable chair 2 is shown in its position of use and comprises a pair of spaced parallel frame members 4 onto an upper part of which is fitted a shaped seat backrest 6.

Members 4 include seat supporting formations, in this example in the form of forwardly projecting brackets 8, having opposed projecting studs 12 on which a seat unit 10 is pivotally located. The seat unit is free to pivot about studs 12 and is limited in angular rotation by similar projecting studs 14. Members 4 are spaced apart by a transverse member 16 which is releasably connected to the frame members such that the frame members may be moved apart for assembly thereon of the seat unit. The frame members incorporate fixing devices in the form of flat hooks 16 such that the fixing devices do not project within the inner aperture 20 between the frame members.

Lower or leg portions of the members 4 are connected together at the lower end by a further transverse member 22 incorporating a releasable locking bolt 24 which, in company with the hooks 18, is used to securely attach the leg portions of the chair to a supporting structure e.g.

a temporary or dismountable grandstand or permanent or other auditorium or stadium banking.

The seat support brackets 8 are positioned such that the laterally outer faces 26 of the brackets are spaced apart less than the distance between the upwardly extending main parts of the frame members, such that when the chairs are offered together for stacking with their seat units in the down position, the frame of the subsequently stacked chair locates freely over the seat unit and seat support brackets of the previously stacked chair as shown in Figure 3. The transverse members 16, 22 are also spaced so that they do not interfere with the seat of the previously stacked chair. To stack the chairs compactly for ease of transport or storage, the first chair 2 is placed on rack or pallet e.g. as shown in part as 32 in Figure 3 designed such that the chairs are inclined so that the centres of gravity of the stacked chairs are aligned generally along a vertical axis.The seat unit 10 is held in the 'Down' position whilst the aperture 20 between the frame member leg portions of a second chair 2a is passed over the seat of the first chair 2 until the two chairs are stacked intimately together thus locking both seats in the 'Down' position. Subsequent chairs 2b, 2c etc may then be added to the stack until the required stack height is reached.

The locking bolt 24 is conveniently as described and claimed in our co-pending patent application No 8906057.8 (Serial No ) and the chairs may conveniently be used in combination with the demountable grandstand described and claimed in our co-pending application No 8906055.2 (Serial No In the second embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 6 those components which are generally common to this and the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 are given the same reference members increased by 200 and will not be described again in detail.

In this example the chair 202 has cranked unitary frame members 204 so that their upper parts mounting a backrest 206 are rearwardly offset from their lower or leg portions which are provided with the fixing hooks 218 and bolt 224 or other fixing devices for mounting the chair releasably on a supporting structure as referred to above.

Horizontal median portions 240 of each frame member serve as integral seat supporting formations. The seat unit 210 pivots on studs 212 and its angular movement is limited to define down and up positions by stops 214.

Transverse upper and lower members 216, 222 locate the frame members 204 in their spaced parallel relationship.

In this arrangement the frame members including the seat supporting formations are spaced apart so that their inner faces 226 clear the width of the seat units 210 in the down position, thus enabling stacking with the angles of the cranked frame members 204 nesting with one another and the seat units 210 of successively stacked chairs (Figure 6) passing through the openings 220 between their frame members.

Preferably the seat units 10 or 210 are so pivoted that, with the chairs in their position of use, they swing automatically by gravity to the up position when not being held down.

Claims (8)

1. A set of portable stacking chairs, each chair being dismountably attached to a supporting structure in its position of use and each chair comprising a pair of uniformly spaced rigid frame members having lower portions located on said supporting structure to maintain the frame members generally upright in use, a pair of seat sUpporting formations of the frame members extending generally horizontally in said position of use; and a tilt-back seat unit pivoted between the supporting formations for swinging movement between a generally horizontal down position at which said unit projects substantially forwardly of all parts of the frame members and a generally vertical up position, those parts of the chair which extend forwardly of said frame member lower portions having laterally outer faces spaced apart by less than the distance between laterally inner opposing faces of at least said frame member lower portions so that a plurality of the chairs dismounted from the supporting structure can be stacked together in nested relationship with their seat units in the down position.

2. A set of chairs as in Claim 1 wherein the frame members further include generally vertically extending upper parts mounting a seat backrest.

3. A set of chairs as in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said seat supporting formations are a pair of forwardly projecting brackets whose laterally outer faces are spaced apart by less than said distance between said laterally inner opposing faces.

4. A set of chairs as in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the frame members are cranked to provide horizontal portions serving as integral seat supporting formations extending rearwardly of said lower portions.

5. A set of chairs as in Claim 4 so far as dependent on Claim 2 wherein the frame members are unitary, with the upper parts rearwardly offset from the lower portions by median horizontal portions.

6. A set of chairs as in any preceding claim in combination with a rack or pallet for storage or transport of the stacked chairs inclined so that their centres of gravity are disposed generally along a vertical axis.

7. A set of portable stacking chairs substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 1, 2 and 3, or Figures 4 and 5, or Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A temporary or dismountable grandstand assembly including a set of chairs as in any preceding claim.