GB2244211A

GB2244211A - Chair or seat

Info

Publication number: GB2244211A
Application number: GB9011713A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Edmund Carroll
Original assignee: Sundridge Tackle Ltd
Current assignee: Sundridge Tackle Ltd
Priority date: 1990-05-25
Filing date: 1990-05-25
Publication date: 1991-11-27
Also published as: GB9011713D0

Abstract

An article 1, such as a chair or seat for use on sloping ground comprises a supporting surface 2 and a plurality of legs 4. The rear legs being selectively adjustable by pivoting in brackets 15 so that supporting surface 2 is maintained in a level position when the chair is used on sloping ground. The chair is foldable and intended for use by anglers. <IMAGE>

Description

Article such as chair or seat The present invention relates to an article such as a chair or seat or a table, bed or fishing platform and which is intended in use to provide a seat portion or supporting surface which is substantially level or in a predetermined relationship with the horizontal.

For convenience the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to chairs or seats, wherein a seat portion provides a supporting surface for a user.

Conventional chairs or seats are only stable and comfortable when used on a substantially level surface. For some purposes it would be desirable to have a chair or seat which could be used on sloping or uneven ground as well as on level ground. E.g. an angler may require a chair or seat which can be used as desired either on level ground or on a sloping bank of a body of water.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a chair or seat comprising a seat portion and a plurality of legs connected to the seat portion for supporting the seat portion, the legs being selectively adjustable between two states in a first of which the legs when contacting level ground can support the seat portion in an attitude such that the seat portion can be sat upon and the chair or seat is stable and in the second of which the legs when contacting sloping ground support the seat portion in said attitude.

Preferably at least one of the legs is selectively adjustable between an expanded condition in which the chair or seat is in its first state and a contracted condition in which the chair or seat is in its second state.

Preferably the or each such adjustable leg comprises an upper section and a lower section, the lower section being pivotally connected to the upper section, the lower section being pivotal relative to the upper section between a position in which the leg is in one said state and is relatively long (as measured between a point on the upper section of the leg and the closest ground-engaging portion of the leg) and a position in which the leg is in the other said state and is relatively short.

Preferably the legs of the chair or seat comprise a pair of front legs and a pair of back legs, the legs of one said pair being adjustable between said states and the legs of the other said pair not being adjustable between said states, the adjustable legs being such that the chair or seat is adapted for use on ground which slopes forwardly and downwardly when those legs are in the said second state.

Preferably the rear legs are adjustable between said states, the rear legs being relatively long in said first state and relatively short in said second state.

The chair or seat may be foldable to a compact condition for storage or transportation.

The invention is further described below by way of exaw le with reference to the accatpanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a chair according to the invention when in a first state, in which it is adapted for use on level ground; Figure 2 is a side view of the chair when in its first state; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the chair when in a second state, in which it is adapted for use on sloping ground; Figure 4 is a side view of the chair when in its second state; and Figure 5 is a side view of the chair when folded.

Referring to the drawings, a folding chair 1 comprises a seat portion 2, a backrest 3 and two front legs 4a and two back legs 4b.

The seat portion 2 comprises a frame consisting of two side members 5 rigidly attached to and interconnected by a rod 6.

The backrest 3 comprises a shaped mEmber 7, the ends of which are fastened in bracket members 8.

The bracket members 8 are pivotally mounted on the side members 3.

A length of fabric, indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3 is fastened to side portions of the member 7 and to the side members 5. The fabric thus forms part of the seat portion 2 and part of the backrest 3.

The legs 4a each comprise a member, the upper end of which is fastened in a bracket mEmber 9.

The two members 4a are rigidly interconnected to the ends of rods 10. The bracket members 9 are pivotally mounted on the side members 3.

The legs 4b each comprise an upper section 11 and a lower section 12. Each upper section comprises a member 13, the ends of which is fastened in respective bracket members 14 and 15. The bracket member 14 is pivotally mounted on the respective side mEmber 3.

The lower sections 12 each comprise a member 16.

The members 16 are rigidly connected to the ends of a rod 17.

The members 16 are pivotally mounted, intermediate their ends, in the bracket members 15.

The bracket members 6, 9, 14 and 15 are all alike and are of channel section and each is shaped to provide an edge, such as indicated by reference numerals 6', 9', 14' or 15' to abut against the member on which it is pivoted (or pivots) to limit the range of pivoting The chair is shown in Figures 1 and 2 in its state for use on level ground.

When the chair is positioned on level ground, the chair is stable, the seat portion 2 is supported by the legs 4a and 4b and is in an appropriate attitude for being sat upon.

The legs 4a slope forwardly and downwardly, the bracket mettbers 9 abutting against the side members 5 to prevent the legs pivoting further forwardly. Similarly the legs 4b slope rearwardly and downwardly, the bracket members 14 abutting against the side members 5 to prevent the upper section 11 of the legs pivoting further rearwardly. The upper ends of the members 16 abut against the bracket members 14 to prevent the lower sections 2 of the legs 4b pivoting further rearwardly.

The backrest 3 slopes upwardly and rearwardly and the bracket members 6 abut against the side members 5 to prevent the backrest pivoting further rearwardly.

When the chair is to be used on sloping ground, the lower sections 12 of the rear legs 4b are pivoted anticlockwise (as viewed in Figures 1 and 2) to the approximate position as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this state, the chair can be rested on ground which slopes downwardly and forwardly and is stable with the seat position supported by the legs 4a and 4b and is at least approximately the sate attitude as in Figures 1 and 2 The bracket members 15 and the lower sections 12 of the legs 4b and perhaps also the rod 17 contact the sloping ground. The lower sections help to spread the load applied to the legs 4b over the ground. This is useful if the ground is soft as the spreading of the load helps to prevent the legs 4b sinking in the ground. The lower sections 12 of the legs 4b and the rod 17 may pivot in the bracket members 15 to comply with the angle of slope of the ground.

The chair can be folded, as shown in Figure 5 by pivoting the backrest 3 forwardly, the rear legs 4b, in their straight condition as shown in Figures 1 and 2, forwardly and the front legs rearwardly.

Claims

1. An article comprising a portion providing a supporting surface and a plurality of legs connected to said portion for supporting said portion, the legs being selectively adjustable between two states in a first of which the legs when contacting level ground can support said portion in an attitude such that it is horizontal or in a predetermined relationship with the horizontal and the article is stable and in the second of which the legs when contacting sloping ground support said portion in said attitude and the article is stable.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the legs is selectively adjustable between an expanded condition in which the article is in its first state and a contracted condition in which the article is in its second state.

3. An article according to claim 2, wherein the or each such adjustable leg comprises an upper section and a lower section, the lower section being pivotally connected to the upper section, the lower section being pivotal relative to the upper section between a position in which the leg is in one said state and is relatively long and a position in which the leg is in the other said state and is relatively short.

4. An article according to any preceding claim, wherein the legs comprise a pair of front legs and a pair of back legs, the legs of one said pair being adjustable between said states and the legs of the other said pair not being adjustable between such states, the adjustable legs being such that the article is adapted for use on ground which slopes forwardly and downwardly when those legs are in the said second state.

5. An article according to claim 4, wherein the rear legs are adjustable between said states, the rear legs being relatively long in said first state and relatively short in said second state.

6. An article according to any preceding claim and which is foldable to a compact condition for storage or transportation.

7. An article according to any preceding claim and which is a chair or seat, said portion being a seat portion which when in said attitude can be sat upon.

8. An article substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.