US1702280A - Collapsible seat - Google Patents

Description

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1,702,280 L. F. STAFFORD COLLAPSIBLE SEAT Filed Dec. 28,1927

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS I. STAFFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LEW BARNES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

,COLLAPSIBLE SEAT.

Application filed December 28, 1927.

My present invention relates to seats, benches, and the like and it has more particular reference to a seat and back member combined with a plurality of collapsible supports so that the entire structure may be readily as sembled for use or knocked-down for compact storage.

The structure which I have devised comprises a minimum of simple parts which are capable to economical manufacture. The support or frame of the device is fabricated from metal strips that are bent into the desired shapes to provide legs arising from a base, and portions of the metal forming these 7 legs are bent to afford means for securing a seat thereto; while another portion may be provided that affords a support for a backrest. Among the numerous objects of my invention are the provision of a device of the character herein described that embodies compactness in construction and arrangement of the parts, dependability in its operation, economy in fabrication, as well as novelty in construction. I prefer to carry out my invention and to accomplish the several objects thereof in the manner hereinafter described and as more particularly pointed out in the claims reference being herein made to the accompan ing drawings that form a part of this speci cation.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bench made in accordance with my improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section thereof taken on line 22 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. V

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 of a modified construction.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of back-rest.

The drawings are to be considered as schematic and for the purpose of illustrating preferred or typical embodiments of my invention, and in said drawings I have employed the same reference characters to designate like parts wherever they appear throughout the several views.

The embodiment which I prefer to employ comprises a base member 5 preferably made from a length of metal of narrow width that is usually known as strap-metal and is disposed in a flat position upon the floor or ground so as to be transverse to the length of Serial No. 243,187.

the bench as will be seen. There are two leg members or similar supports that arise from the opposite ends of the base both of which members are pieces of strap-metal. The rear le member consists of an upright portion 6 t e lower end of which is laterally bent to provide a foot 7 that rests upon and is riveted or otherwise secured to the adjacent rear portion of the base 5, while the opposite or upper portion of the rear leg member is bent at 8 and extends laterally in a horizontal plane towards the front of the bench to provide a seat-supporting arm or reach 9. The front leg member which is preferably longer than the rear member, consists of an upright portion 10 the lower end of which is bent laterally to provide a foot 11 that rests upon and is secured to the forward or front end portion of the base and extends upwardly parallel to the corresponding rear member to a point above the arm or reach 9 where it is bent at 12 towards the rear to provide a retainer element or reach 13 that is disposed in a horizontal plane above arm 9 and is parallel therewith. At the rear, and preferably in the vertical plane of leg 6 the metal strip is given an upward bend as at 14 from which the strip extends upwardly to provide a back-post 15 that is tilted slightly to the rear as shown and is formed into an eye 16 at its upper end.

The seat is in the form of an elongated plank 17 that may be the type of lumber used for joists and of sufficient dimensions to stand the transverse stress of the weight of persons sitting thereon. The plank is placed flat or horizontally between the reaches 9 and 13 and is clamped between the same by flat or round head bolts 18 that pass through suitable apertures made in the reaches at the front and rear portions thereof beyond the edges of the seat plank so that when the nuts are tightened on the bolts the reaches will be drawn towards each other and firmly clamp the seat plank between them. There is a back-rail or rest 19 consisting of a narrow plank that is clamped to the upper portion of the back-post 15 by means of a cleat 20 formed from strap-metal of suitable length and has its lower end 21 curved towards the back-post, and it is drawn toward the backpost by flat or round head-bolts 22 so as to clamp the back rail to the post.

The seat plank 17 and the back rail 19 may be of the length desired for an elongated bench and a metal structure such as above described is fitted to each end thereof, and should the bench be of unusual length one ormore of said structures may be employed intermediate the ends as desired. When the bench is to be collapsed or knocked-down the bolts 18 and 2:2 are loosened to release the clamping elements and thereafter the plank and rail maybe removed. When the structure is used in stadiums, assei'nbly halls, and other places where a large temporary seating capacity is desired this structure is capable of ready assembly for use and upon being knocked-down the frames, the seat planks, and the back rails maybe compactly stored in a considerably smaller space than is required for storing the assemb xl benches.

It may not be d 'rcd to use a back rail, in which event the upper reach or retainer 13 will terminate the of the bench opposite the bend 153 and will be provided with a downward bend as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. 1 'io iilied ctmstruo tion of back-rail clamp is illustrated in Fig are 4 wherein the eye 16 is dispensed with and the strap is given a re bend 23 which provides a downwardly extending clamping portion 24 that terminates in an inwardly curved end portion 25 so that an elongated spring loop is formed to receive the back rail 19 which is clamped therein by bolts that pass through the opposite portions of the loop.

The above discloses specific means of c: rying out my invention and it will be obvious that changes or alterations may be made without departing from the principles involved. The foregoing detailed description and drawings have been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

lVhat I claim is l. A collapsible seat comprising a front legs member, an integral reach extending rearwardly continuously therefrom, a rear leg member, an integral reach extending forwardly continuously therefrom, said reaches being spaced apart Vertically in different horiiiontal planes, a plank interposed between said reaches, and means for drawing said reach towards each other to clamp the plank therebetwcen.

2. A collapsible seat comprising a front leg member, an integral reach extending rears wardly continuously therefrom, a rear member, anv integral reach extending forwardly continuously therefrom, said reaches being; spaced apart vertically in different horizontal planes, a plank interposed between said reaches, means for drawing said reaches towards each other to clamp the plank therebetween, a back-post arising from the rear portion of one of said reaches, a back-rail, and means for mounting said rail on said post.

A collapsible seat comprising a front leg member, an integral reach extending rcarwardly continuously therefrom, a backpost extending upwardly from the rear end of said reach, a back-rail, means for mounting said rail on said post, a rear leg member, an intes 'ral roach extending forwardly continuously therefrom, said reaches being spaced apart vertically in different horizon tal planes, a planl; interposed between said reaches, and means for drawing said reaches towards each other to clamp the plank therebetween.

-l. A collapsible seat comprising front and rear leg members, an integral reach extending laterally and continuously from the upper end of one leg member towards the other member, a plank engaged on one face *ith said reach, a retainer element engaged with the opposite face of said plank and disposed in a horizontal plane parallel to the reach, and means for drawing; said reach and clamping element towards each other to clamp the plank between the same.

5. A collapsible seatcomprising; a base, front and rear members extending up wardly from opposite ends of said base, an integral reach projecting horizontally and continuously from the upper end of one of said. leg members and parallel with said base, a plank supported by said reach, a clamping strip arranged parallel with said reach and engaged with said plank, and bolts passed through said reach and said strip whereby to draw said parts towards each other and clamp the plank between the same.

@igned at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 18th day of November, 1927.

LEWIS F. STA FFORD.

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