US1963509A

US1963509A - Foldable chair

Info

Publication number: US1963509A
Application number: US641356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milton L Tinsley
Original assignee: FERGUSON BROTHERS Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: FERGUSON BROTHERS MANUFACTURING Co
Priority date: 1932-11-05
Filing date: 1932-11-05
Publication date: 1934-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1951-06-19

Description

June 19, 1934- M.| rlNsLEY FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Nov. 5, 41932 2 Sheets-Sheet l bw v n N *wat .RN

@Sw vub ATTORNEYS yJune 19, 1934. M. L. TlNsLEY 1,963,509

FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Nov. 5. 1932 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR BY W ATTORNEYS aofi ' ofthe lbracing and locking mechanism of thev i front legs.

Patented June 19, 1934 PATENT oFFlcE FoLDABLE CHAIR.

Milton L. Tinsley, Grantwood, N. J., assg'nor'to Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Company, Hoboken, N. J.,a corporation of New Jersey Application November 5, 1932,'seria1No. 641,356'

5 Claims.

- This invention relates to improvements in foldable chairs, and has for an object to provide a chair which can be readily and compactly folded and which can be quickly and easily unfolded l.' for use. y

`Another object-of the invention is to provide a foldable chair which, when in unfolded position, will present all the characteristics and appearance of a conventional non-foldable chair, and which will be rigid and solid when in use.

Another object is to provide a foldable chair of simple and-practical construction which will be automatically locked when brought to its unfolded` position.

A- further object isto provide means for releasing the'locking mechanism, which means is actuated simultaneouslywth the upward movement of the seat.

A still further object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts whereby the above named and other objects 'may effectively be.attained.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of my improved chair in its unfolded position, as inuse;

` Fig'. 2 representsv a detail side elevation of th seat and adjacent parts;

3 represents a vertical section taken .in the plane of the line III- III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. vf3* represents aA detail vertical section, on an enlarged scale,

. Fig. 4 .represents a bottom planv view of the' chair, on the same scale as shown in Figs. 1 to 31 inclusiv L f Fig.-5 represents a front elevationof the .chair .in its foldedposition;

.. Fig.v 6. represents a side elevation of the` same;

and. Fig. 7 represents a vertical sectiontaken the plane of the line VII--VII of Fig. 5, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

The back v1 of the Afoldable chair is secured between the upper ends of vertically disposed side members 2, 3 which extend downwardly andv iorrnA the rear legs 4, 5, respectively. A substantially rectangular seat 6 is provided with side frames 78 and a. front frame" 9. Angle plates 10, 1'1 are flxedto-theinner walls of the side frames 7, 8 by screws. 12er other sixnl'ar'means.l The'fsho'rt arm 13 of the plate l10 is arrangedt'o extend be yond the .frame 'land upwardly therefrom so as to be hingedly connected with apin 14 secured. to project inwardly from the member 2. The plate 11 also has a similar short arm 15 which hinges on a pin 16 on the side member 3. By the arrangement of the angle plates 10, 11 with re- 00 spect to the side frames 7, 8 and members 2, 3, the seat 6 may be swung upwardly adjacent with the members 2, 3 to a folded position and, when in unfolded position, the rear ends of the side frames will `rest solidly against the front face 06. ofthe members.23. VThe front legs `17, 18 are also hingedly connected to the front portion of the side frames 7, 8 by means of

plates

19, 20, respectively, of whichone end of the plate 19 is secured to the upper end 70? of the leg 17 by screws or other suitable means, and the other end fulcrumed on a pinV 21 fixed to project inwardly from the inner wall of the side frame 7 and spaced from the front frame 9 of the seat. The plate 20 has one end secured 'I5Y to the upper end of the leg 18 by screws or other suitable means, while the other end. is connected with a pin 22 carried by and projecting inwardly from the inner .wall of the side frame 8. The hinged connections of the front legs 17, 18 are 80' disposedinposition to allow a portion of the front and side frames of thefseat to rest upon the` top of the legs when in use, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. This arrangementof the hingedconnections of the front legs and seat likewise adds 85 to the general characteristics and appearance of a non-foldable chair.l

A transverse bar 23 connects the legs 17, .18, the ends of which bar are pivoted in the legsat 24, 25. A similar transverse bar 26 is disposed betweenr 90T the rear legs` 4, 5 with the ends of the bar pivoted at 27, 28. The transverse bars'23, 26 arev conneoted by'braces 29, 30 so as to m'ovesimultaneously.-

Inorder to lock-the front legs 17,18' and the 95 seat 6 in their unfolded position, I provide a, detent 31, the

outer ends

32, 33 of which are flattened and pivoted at 34, 35 to the' legs 17, 18, -re' spectively. vThis datent 31 has a straight central portion 36 which is arranged to rswing into andv 1 out of an arcuate notch 37 and move in1 a longitudinal slot 37* connected with ythe mouth of the notch. The notch37 and slot 37* arel formed in a guideblock 38 fixed to tlieunder side of the seat 6. To facilitate the movement of the. 105 straight portion 36l of the detent in the notchf 37, thev walls oi'` the notch' are curved concentrically with the

pivotsA

34, 35 `of thek detent when the legs 17, 18 are in their unfolded position. To removethe portion` 36 .of the; datent from; the 1110 notch 37, I provide a lever 39 having a finger piece 40 at its front end and its rear end pivoted at 41 to the guide block 38. This lever 39 is arranged to extend forwardly toward the front of the seat 6 so as to be within easy reach of the operator for the manipulation of the detent. In order tol prevent the unintentional displacement of the Astraight portion 36 ofthe detent in the notch 37, I provide a flat spring 42 having one end 43 fixed to the bottom of the seat 6 and arranged to extend into the longitudinal slot 37 with its free end 44 disposed to normally close the mouth of the no-tch 37. A stop and guide 45 is fixed between the guide block 38 and the bottom of the seat 6 to limit the movement of the lever 39 in one direction and locate its position ready to actuate the straight portion 36 of Ythe detent when desired. v

When it is desired to fold-the chair for storage or transportation, the nger piece 40 and lever 39 under the seat are manipulated to engage and lift the straight portion 36 of the detent 31 out of the notch 37 and depress the spring 42 against the seat 6, so that the portion 36 may slide rearwardly in the slot 37* in the guide block 38 and the front of the seat swung upwardly on its

hinged connections

14, 16 between the members2, 3, in which movement the front legs 17, 18 are swung on the pins 21, 22 in the side frames of the seat, while the detent is rocked on its

pivots

34, 35 on the legs 17, 18. The straight portion 36 of the detent after passing the spring 42 is free to slide rearwardly in the longitudinal slot 37* in the guide block 38. In the upward U" movement of the seat, the front legs are maintained in a substantially vertical position by the

braces

29, 30 fixed to the

transverse bars

23, 26 and the pivotal connections of the bars in the front and rear legs so that, when the i chair is in the folded position, the seat will rest against the back and the front legs intimately contact with the bottom of the seat. Thus the chair, when folded, has the front legs, seat, back legs and members extending substantially T parallel to one another in very close arrangement and occupying a relatively small space. When it is desired `to bring the chair to its unfolded position, as in use, the seat is swung outwardly on

itspivots

14, 16, in which movement the front legs swing outwardly and down.-` wardly while the detent 31 oscillates on its

pivots

34, 35 on the front legs 17, 18 causing the straight portion 36 of the detent to ride forwardly in the longitudinal slot 37* until it engages the spring 42, which will be depressed until the straight portion registers with and enters the curved notch 37 whereupon the front legs will be locked against movement.` In this position the rear ends of the side frames of theA seat will abut the front face. of the members 2, 3, and a portionof the front and side frames will rest upon the top of the front legs 17, 13. It willthus be seen that the chair whenin operative position will present all the characteristics and appearance of the conventional nonfoldable chair. n L' Itjwill be understood'that various changes may be resorted to inthe form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without de- 1 parting from the spirit and scope of my invention; and hence, 4I do not intend to belimited to the details herein 4shown and described except as they may be included inthe claims.

What I claim is:

...1. Ina fold'able chair, a combinedback and rear leg frame, a seat having side frames pivotally connected to said rear leg frame, front legs hinged to said side frames of the seat, an element fixed to depend from the under side of said seat and having a longitudinal slot adjacent the seat terminating at its forward end in a notch, a detent comprising sides having its ends pivoted on said front legs and converging rearwardly to a straight central portion disposed in position to slide in said slot by the movement of the legs and engage said notch in the element for bracing and locking the seat and front legs against movement when the chair is in its unfolded position, a spring device disposed with its free end overhanging said notch for urging said straight central portion of the detent into the notch, and means pivoted on the element for actuating the straight central portion of the detent against the tension of said spring device to release it from its engagement with the notch in the element and the seat and front legs from their locked position.

2. In'a foldable chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat having side frames pivotally connected to said rear leg frame, front legs hinged to said side frames of the seat,adetentcomprising sides having its ends pivoted on said front legs and converging rearwardly to a straight central portion, and in element xed to depend from the under side of said seat and having a longitudinal slot adjacent the seat terminating at its forward end in a notch, the walls of said notch being parallel and curved concentrically with the pivots of the detent when the legs are, in their unfolded position, whereby said straight central portion of the detent may be disposed in position to slide in said slot by the movement of the `front legs and arranged to swing on its pivots on the front legs into the notch and engage one of the curved walls of the notch for bracing and locking the seat and front legs against movement when the chair is in its unfolded position and maintained in said notch by,

ing a longitudinal slot adjacent the seat terminating at its forward end in a notch, the walls of said notch being parallel and curved concentrically with the pivots of the detent whenthe legs are in their unfolded position, whereby said straight central portion of theidetent may .be disposed in position to slide in said slot vley the movement of the front legs and arranged to swing on its pivots on the front legs into the notch and engage one of the curved walls of the notch for bracing and locking the seat and front legs against movement when the chair'is in its unfolded .position and maintained in said notch by gravity, and means pivoted on the element and adapted to engage saidstraight central portionof the detent to release itfromfits engagement v4with the notch in the element and the seat and front legs from their .locked posi-.-l

tion. Y Y.

4. In a foldable chair, a combined backv and rear leg frame, a seat having side frames pivotally connected to said rear legframe, front'legs hinged to said side frames of the seat, a detent, comprising sides having its ,ends pivoted on ,said

front legs and converging rearwardly to a straight central portion, an element fixed to depend from the under side of said seat and having a longitudinal slot adjacent the seat terminating at its forward end in a notch, the walls of said notch being parallel and curved concentrically with the pivots of the detent when the legs are in their unfolded position, whereby said straight central portion of the detent may be disposed in position to slide in said slot by the movement of the front legs and arranged to swing on its pivots on the front legs into the notch and engage one of the curved walls of the notch for bracing and locking the seat and front legs against movement when the chair is in its unfolded position and maintained in said notch by gravity, and a spring device disposed in the longitudinal slot with its free end overhanging the entrance to said notch for urging the straight central portion of the detent past the entrance of the notch.

5. In a foldable chair, a combined back and rear leg frame, a seat having side frames pivotally connected to said rear leg frame, front legs hinged to said side frames of the seat, a detent comprising sides having its ends pivoted on said front legs and converging rearwardly to a straight central portion, an element xed to depend from the under side of said seat and having a longitudinal slot adjacent the seat terminating at its forward end in a notch, the walls of said notch being parallel and curved concentrically with the pivots of the detent when the legs are in their unfolded position, whereby said straight central portion of the detent may be disposed in position to slide in said slot by the movement of the front legs and arranged to swing on its pivots on the front legs into the notch and engage one of the curved walls of the notch for bracing and locking the seat and front legs against movement when the chair is in its unfolded position and maintained in said notch by gravity, means pivoted on the element and adapted to engage said straight central portion of the detent to release it from its engagement with the notch in the element and the seat and front legs from their locked position, and a spring device disposed in the longitudinal slot with its free end overhanging the entrance to said notch for urging the straight central portion of the detent bast the entrance of the notch.

MILTON L. TINSLEY.