US1786473A

US1786473A - Collapsible chair

Info

Publication number: US1786473A
Application number: US275333A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Bauer
Original assignee: PROJECT HOLDING CORP
Current assignee: PROJECT HOLDING Corp
Priority date: 1928-05-05
Filing date: 1928-05-05
Publication date: 1930-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 1947-12-30

Description

De- 30, 1930. w. J. BAUER COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR Filed May 5', 192e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www? rTOZ' r ATTORNEY Dec. 30, -1930. w. J. BAUER COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR 2 sheds-sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1928 INVENToR l:fifa/afer ""i-IArToRNEY VJILLM BAUER, OF NEW YGl-, fi'. Y., ASSGNR TO PROJECT HOLDING- CORPORA- TION, OF NEvV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NE YORK CGLLAPSIBLE CHAER Amman@ med May 5,

rlhe invention relates to chairs,}more particularly ofthe automatic folding or collapsible type suitable for compact storagcrwhen desired. lit has for its object to provide, in a chair of this character, means whereby the seat portion thereof may have independent movement and bev caused to assume a position betweenV its normal horizontal operative location and the back portion of said chair when ther latter is in extended condition. This feature is of particular value when the chair isused in halls, auditoriums, etc., especially in groups oftwo oir-more individual chairs arranged in rows, as it enables ready passage in and out between successive rows of the chairs whose occupants may then temporarily stand more or less within the chair itself.

The invention has for its object, also, certain features of Vconstruction which simplify the chair, for example, it dispenses with the use of any gearing or like mechanism for ef` footing the separation of the leg members of the chair, as inthe manner set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 225,439.

in carrying out my invention,'as embodied in the novel collapsible chair, a rear pair of legs is pivotally secured at the respective upper endsto rearward extensions of the front pair of legs, the seat member of the chair being hingedly attached along its rear edge, for example, to a rod which is mounted for longitudinal movement in the said rear pair oflegs. Supporting' means, as spring-urged plungers, to tln'send are movably mounted therein and project attheir lower or outer ends `beyond the corresponding `lower ends of therear pair of chair legs to engage with the surface upon which'the chair is to be supported.

Moreover, a. stop barfis arranged in front of l rod, being mounted between the front pa Straps or like expedientsI are also provided to connect the said bar with the rod, being pivoted or hinged at their junction with the latte-r.

ln addition, means are included for automatically locking or holding the said seat iin of `legs and pivotally attached thereto, the' seat restmgthereou in normal position;V

Serial No. 275,333.

a more or less vertical plane to assume a. position intermediate its normal horizontal location and the chair back, said means becon1- ing effective merelV upon manually raising the said seat and acting, further, to maintai the seat securely within the plane of the legs of the chair when the latter is collapsed. i

rlhe nat-ure of the invention, however, best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is av perspective view of the novel cha-ir in open condition ready for use.

F ig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through a rearleg of the chair.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the chair collapsed or folded condition.

Fig. 4- is a vertical section of the chair in open condition, showing the seat thereof in the intermediate raised position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view illustrating the manner of connecting the sea-t between the two pairs oflegs.

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5e-5a, Fig. 5,

Fig. 6 is ar horizontal section talren on the line 6-6, F ig. 5 of the drawings, and lool-- ing in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, the novel chair comprises a rigid, one-piece outer frame, for example, the inverted U-shape niece l0 which constitutes the pair of ront legs whose ei;- tensions form the supporting frame for tue back portion ll ofthe chair. A pair of rear legs l2 is designed to fit within the frame l0 and these leg members are pivot-ally attached at their upper ends, which extend above the chair seat member 13, to the said extensions of the front pair of legs. A rung member ll may be secured across the lower eXtremiof the pair of rear legs '12, but it is preferred to construct the pair of front legs of suflicient rigiditv not to require such rung and so allow an occupant to enter more or less within the chair when the seat is elevated, as hereinafter set forth. i

This seat is mounted in a novel manner so as to permit movement of the saine independently of the supporting pairs of legs and such as not to interfere with the collapse and fil) n Ld

extension of the chair as a whole; and the same, furthermore, is adapted to be slidably mounted relatively to thc pair of rear legs. To this end, a rod extends between the same, the ends of the rco being n'iounted in recesses 16 of plunger-s 17 sliding within 'the legs 12 which are tubular to receive said plungers. The said red is to be held thereby against rotation,forexainplebysona `its ends, as shown, and forming the recesses 16 arcort'lingly, while the inner face op each Aleg is slotted longitudinally downward so that said rod may be depressed when the chair is to be collapsed. The extent of its upward movement is determined by stops 1S at the upper end of the slots and projecting inwardly from the respecti re .ieg members, the same being adapted to contact with the rod endsI when the seat attains tl e proper level.

Rod 15, moreover, passes frey through the rear portion of said seat, or raf ier the downturned flange or rim 19 thereof, so that said seat is swingably mounted thereon at this portion and indirectly supported by the said pair of rear legs through the plunger-s l? thereof. The outer ends of the latter project beyond the corresponding lower ends of the legsl l2 to contact with the floor or other support for the chair; and when the latter is in the collapsed state, as indicated in Fig. 8, said plungers will project an apprcciz bie distance beyond the leg extremities, being positiiv'ely urged outwardly through the medium of a spring 20 coiled about the upper reduced end 2l of each plunger and bearing against a shoulder 22 thereof.

The sea-t 13 is also connected to and adapted to be supported by the pair of front 10, for exampie, through a bar 25 pivotally connected to the said legs between the same and at the desired height for the said seat; and by a pair of straps 25 or the like which are rigidly secured to the said bar and ei;- tend rearwardly to hinge about the rod 15 which is provided with cylindrical portions 15 over which the straps 28 are turned. By this expedient, the two pairs of legs are free to swing rela-tively to each other to bring the rear pair substantially within the plane of the front pair, the seat 13 s ng upwardly therewith and at the same t me moving downwardly at the rear port-i on to occupy a position in the same plane, as indicated in Fig.

Stop means as the Vlinger 27, secured to the underside of the seat are adapted to contact with the 12 on the return or inward movement of the seat and project laterally from opposite sides of said seat to prevent the same from swinging bach' 'ardly beyond the plane of the pair of front legs; and the lair 25 is provided with the longitudinal slots to accommodate said fingers when the seat is in its lowered operative ioca-tion. Moreover, a pair of buffers 29 may be provided on the underside of the seat, for example, adjacent the fingers 27, to cushion the seat when the same is lowered.

As the said seat is thus movable up and down independently of the leg members, pro` vision has been made to retain the same in a more or less elevated position intermediate its normal horizontal location and the back of the chair. To this end, a resilient plate V3() may be rigidly attached to the underface of the seat with projecting portion or tongue 31 thereof designed to bear upon the flattened surface 32 of the rod 15. This will serve to maintainthe seat in its elevated or semi-elevated position to allow of convenient passage between successive rows of these chairs; and since no rung member is necessary across the lower portion of the pair of front legs 10, an occupant of the chair may stand well within the chair itself to allow others to pass.

A further flattened face 33 is provided on the rod 15 for engagement with the resilientplate to assist in maintaining the scat within the plane of the two pairs of legs when said chair is extended; and resilient locating iingers 34 adjacent the tongue portion 31 are provided on the said plate to ride in circular transverse grooves 35 over the periphery of the rod to restrict lateral play of the seat.

In extending the chair for use, the two pairs of legs are separated by pressing downwardly and forwardly on the rear pair to force the respective plunger elements inwardly, this having the eifect, also, of moving outwardly the seat member through its rod engagement with the said plunger and locates it in its intermediate position. There upon, when the leg members are positioned, the seat may be manually lowered to the horizontal location indicated in Fig. 1. ln collapsing the chair, this may conveniently be effected either by swinging the seat manually inwardly to its limit while raising the chair, or merely by lifting the chair from the ground or support, the spring-urged plunger serving to draw the seat to its innermost position.

I claim:

1. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX- tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the sam'e, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by the rear pair of legs and movable longitudinally thereof, means slidable relatively to the rcspective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and adapted to support said seat, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hingedly connected with the seat supporting mea-ns, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat.

2. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair tid ofi

loo

of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to iit within the same, a rod non-rotatably mounted in said rear pair of legs, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by said rod, means slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and supporting said rod, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hinged to said rod, said bar adording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat.

3. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of tubular rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to vextensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to iit within the same, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by the rear pair of legs and movable longitudinally thereof, plungers slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and adapted to support said seat, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hingedly connected with the seat supporting means, said bar affording a support for an interme diate portion of the seat.

4. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of tubular rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to extensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the sam'e, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by the rear pair of legs and movable longitudinally thereof, plungers slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and adapted to support said seat, resilient means acting on said plungers to force the same normally outward, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hingedly connected with the seat supporting means, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat.

5. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their lrespective upper ends to eX- tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the same, a rod non-rotatably mounted in said rear pair of legs, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by said rod, plungers slidable relatively to the respective rear legs and projecting b eyond their corresponding lower ends, said plungers being recessed to receive the opposite ends of the rod, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hinged to said rod, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat.

6. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to iit within the same, a rod non-rotatably mounted jin said rear pair of legs,a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by said rod, plungers slidable relatively .to

thel respective rear legs and projecting be-y yond their corresponding lower ends, said plungers being recessed to receive the opposite square ends of the rod, and a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hinged to said rod, said bar aiiording a support for an intermediate 'portion of the seat.

i". A- collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to extensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the same, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by the rear pairof legs and movable longitudinally thereof, means slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and adapted to support said.seat, a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hingedly connected with the seat supporting means, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat, and stop members carried by the seat to limit the extent of backward movement of the same and adapted toriit within slots of the bar.

8. VA collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX- tensicns ofthe front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the same, a seat swingably carried along its rearwardportion by the rear pair of legs and movable longitudinally thereof, means slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and adapted to support said seat, a stopwbar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hingedly connected with the seat supporting means, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat, stop members carried by the seat, having buffer portions to limit the extent of backward movement of the same and adapted to t within slots of the bar, and further buffer elements carried by the seat to contact with said bar.

9. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, 'a pair of rear legs pivotally securedV at their respective upper ends to eX- tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the same, a rod non-rotatably mounted in said rear pair of legs, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion by said rod, means slidable relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and supporting said rod, a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs, and straps connecting said bar with the rod and hingedly attached to the latter, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat.

10. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX- tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted to fit within the saine, a rod non-rotatably mounted in said rear pair of legs, a seat swingably carried along its rearward portion 5 by said rod, means slidahle relatively to the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and supporting said rod, a stop bar pivotally secured to the ifront pair of legs and hinged to said rod, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of 'the seat, and a spring plate secured to the underside of the seat having an intermediate flattened surface and adjacent spring lingers, the former adapted to engage a flattened surface of the rod and the latter circular grooves thereof.

l1. A collapsible chair, comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally secured at their respective upper ends to eX- 29 tensions of the front pair of legs and adapted toA [it within the saine, a rod non-rotatably mounted in said rear pair of legs, a seat swingahly carried along its rearward pOrtion by said rod, means slid able relatively t0 the respective rear legs, projecting beyond their corresponding lower ends and supporting said rod, a stop bar pivotally secured to the front pair of legs and hinged to said rod, said bar affording a support for an intermediate portion of the seat, and a spring plate secured to the underside of the seat and the rod being provided with two flattened sur faces adapted to be engaged by said plate respectively when the seat is in a position in- 55 terinediate its normal horizontal location and the back of the chair and when the chair is in extended condition.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM J. BAUER.

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