US1836108A - Chair - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1931. F. J. BUFFINGTON CHAIR Filed May 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Svweutoz FLOYD J. BUFFI NGTUN Gum MW [8 Y Dec. 15, 1931 I I F. J. BUFFINGTON 1,836,103

CHAIR Filed May 3, 1927 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I FLOYD J. BUFFINGTON 8311 H fitter/14M? occupying in Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PA EN I Application filed. May 3,1927. semi No. 188,432.

This invention relates to chairs'and'more particularly to knock-down chairs Whose parts are maintainable'ina cooperative relation whether'thje' chair be in useful occu ant position or in a knocked own condition. p I Among'the objects of my invention is't'o producea' chair in which all of the parts will remainin a cooperative relation whether thechair be assembled for ready use or Whether the chair be folded and placed away; Another object is to produce a chair of the character described which will comprise a few'number of parts'and will not require spe- 151 ci'al knowledge-for its maintenance or use.

Other objects and usesof'theinvention' will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in thefeatures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

' Inth'e drawings-: 1

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a chair embodying-the principles of my invention.

F ig.-2 is a si-declevation of'the chair illus trated in Fig. 1 when in'aknock-down'condition."

Fig. 3 is aview taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the. chair illustrated Fig: 5 is a d'etailof construction illustrating the contacting-relation between the upwardly extending portions of the legs-f the chair ,shown in Fig- 1;

Fig. 6'is a detail illustrating convenient manipulative. means for maintaining the front and rearlegs in cooperative relation.

Fig- 7 isa section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig.8 illustrates a modified form of con- "struction simulating that form shown. in Fig. 0 I

5 but with the: rear 'leg'straight.

' .In itssimplest form the chair has three relatively movable parts each of which bear a direct relation to other of the parts after the parts have been onceput together. These three main parts comprise a main frame including a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs, and aseat pivotally connected to each of the other parts. I

The frontlegs 10, 10 are fastened together by-a backrest-'11, the entire arrangement aptl'y constituting a main frame. While the; backrest l'l'is illustrated as separable from the legs it is to be understood that the screws 12," or other equivalent connecting means, suifice to maintain rigidly the two legs 10', 10 inaspaced relation. 'However, to insure rigidity of the main frame I provide a brace member 13 connecting the two legs 10,10 together at a point below the seat 14' but out of the clear space adjacent the lower portions 1 I of the legs. "This brace memberj13, when placed close to the'under surface ofthe seat as illustrated in Fig. 1, can be made to assist in the support of the seat as well as to limit counter-clockwise (Fig. 1) pivotal movement of the seat relative to the main frame'. v

The connection of the seat with the main frame is a pivotal connection which consists of brackets 15, 15' secured to the seat, one adjacent each leg. Each of thesebrackets is of angular configuration with the upstanding'fl'ange having a bearing hole for'accornmodating a bearing screw or pin 16 extending from the inner surface; of a: front leg 10. 1 The bearing'pi-ns 16 extending from each 7-5 of the front legs serve to define a'pivotal I axis about'which the seat'is capable of being pivoted from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Fig; 2' when the chair-is in condition for or storing, and vice versa. a

F astened to the seat in a line 'rearwardly of the pivotal axis for the front-pair ofrlegs is a pair'of brackets 17,17 whichalso have bearings for engaging bearing pins'18, 18 in line" with each other, one extending from each ofl'the rear legs19,-19-. The bearing pins 18-, 18 permit relative ivotal move-. ment between the rear pair 0 legs and the seat when the chair is not in an;-occupant T occupying position. 1 1

The-two legs 19, 19 are to be braced inrespect to each other. so. as to maintain their spaced relation constant and rigid. For this purpose a brace member 20a may be utilized95 shipment so i trated in tively,

the pivotal axis 18-18. Brace member 20a as well as brace member 13 may be made out of plywood, metal or other suitable material.

Considering one side of the chair, front leg 10 and rear leg 19 are in angular position in respect to each other and leg 19 is rearward of leg 10 throughout its length. Both of the legs 10, 19 extend above theseatand' are illus- Figs. 1 and 2 as having their upwardly extending portions, 20 and 21 respecper ends of each of the upwardly extending portions 21 are designed so as to engage or standard 20 of the main frame whenthe chair is assembled inoccupant occupying position,

Fig. 1. One simple manner of attaining these ends is well illustrated in Fig. 5 in whichit maybe seen that the end surface 22 abuts against a from the standard 20 of the main frame. By this construction, any upward thrust transmitted along the rear legs and any downward thrust of the front legs as 'wellas any natural horizontal force exerted uponithe back-rest isadequately braced. Because of thedesign of the chair this is'true whether or -not any supplemental fastening means is utilized for maintaining each two upwardly extendingcontac- ting members 20, 21 in close relation. The chair could not collapse even though no fastening means were provided. However, a'chair of this kind is likely to be assembled. indefinitely and for ready use so fastening means such as screws 24: may be provided and these 'wouldcontribute to the rigidity of a chair and'especially ofone of light construction.-

9 As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 'Z; I have shown how readily manipulative meansmay be resorted to so as to render the chair serviceable as a folding chair for those'who desire one which can be placed occasionally out of the wayas'in a closet. When such manipulative means are employed the relation' of'the upstanding portion 21 of rear leg 19 and standard 20 need not be changed for. as explained above. the existing relation suffices to maintain the chair in useful occupying condition. A dowel pin 25 imbedded in one or the other of the two members extends'within a hole26 in the other member so engaging the dowel pin as toprevent dis- 7 placement-of thetwo members lateral to the pin (Fig. 7). A finger operable spring catch '27 may be provided for the purpose of keeping the sides of the two upstanding members in close relation while the chair is being handled in transfering it from place to place. Other variations and changes in forms of the various parts which are embodied in my disclosure are contemplated. For example,

' either one or both of the upstanding exten- 7 extending narrowed and slightly bent. The up shoulder or a ledgesurface 23 cut sions of the legs could be straight. A practical example of an embodiment of this idea is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein the upwardly portion 28 of the rear leg is straight and intersects the upwardlyextending portion 29 of the front leg at a point somewhat below the back-rest 30. The up wardly extending portion. of the front leg is slotted to engage the back-rest and at the point of j ointure of the two leg members. chair constructed according to this idea would possess the qualities herein before set forth in the more detailed explanation.

otherwise be brought into afixed relation in respect to the corresponding portions or brace member'being disposed rearwardly of the hinge line of pivot between the seat and. I

the pair 'of legs to which said brace member is secured and in such relation as to. limit downward movement of the rear edge of the seat, and means for preventing relative movement of the seat and both pair of legs upon-their hinge connections when the chair is in occupant occupying position.

2. In combination, a chair comprising, a

pair of front legs connected by a back rest and a brace member, a pair of rear legs connected by a'brace member, the upper extremities of said pair of rear. legs abutting against shoulders out from the upper portions of the front pair'of legs, means to malntain the upper extremities of said .pair of rear legs in contacting relation with the upper portions of the front pair of legs, {and a rigid body seat member adapted to'overlie the brace members of the front andrearpairs i of legs, said rigid body seat member having means aflixed thereto for supporting the rigid body seat member in pivotal relation to the pairs of legs. v i

' 3. In combination, a foldable chair comprising, apair of front legmembersandia back-rest connecting the same, a-pairof rear leg members, each rear leg memberbeing to the rear of a corresponding front leg m e r nber and in the same plane therewith, a seat between each pair of front and rear leg memhere, means for detachably' maintaining corresponding front and rear leg members assoclated with each other when the chair is in occupant holding position, and pivotal means connecting the seat with each of the legs, said means comprising two pairs of hinge supporting brackets extending away from the lower surface of the seat, the hinge pivots carried by the pair of brackets connecting the seat and the rear legs extending further away from the seat than the hinge pivots of the pair of brackets connecting the seat and the front legs, whereby, in folded position, the

pair of front leg members, the pair of rear leg members and the seat lie in three planes with the plane of the front leg members intermediate the plane of the rear leg member 5 and the plane of the seat.

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

FLOYD J. BUFFINGTON.

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