US2052955A - Folding furniture - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1936 E. VANDERMINDEN v FOLDING FURNITURE- Filed Oct. 14, 1935 INVENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNETEE STATES PATENT OFF-IQE FOLDING FURNITURE Edwin 'Vanderminden, Granviile, N. Y. Application October 14, 1933, :Serial No. 693,539

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-417) This invention relates to folding chairs and especially to means for preventing such chairs from being unfolded in the wrong direction.

Such chairs comprise a plurality of oppositely 5 disposed crossed members which are pivotally secured together in a manner that permits them to be folded into a compact unit. Heretofore, when unfolding such chairs considerable difficulty has been experienced to insure that the various l crossed members rotate about their respective pivot pins in the proper direction.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means for preventing the various crossed members in structures of this sort from 15 being rotated about their respective pivot pins in the wrong direction and to this end certain of the crossed members are provided with stops which engage other members in the event an attempt is made to unfold such structures in the wrong 20 direction.

For a clearer understanding of the invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing, however, the invention is merely shown in preferred form and by way 25 of example but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application which will be comprised within its spirit. It should, therefore, be understood that the invention is not-limited to any specific form 30 or embodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding chair embodying the features of the present in- 35 vention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of one side of a chair partially folded; and

Figure 3 is a detail view, in section, the view being taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

40 As shown, two oppositely disposed legs Hi and H are connected together at their opposite ends in spaced relation by spacers I2 and I3 to form a back supporting frame. Two oppositely disposed legs I4 and i5 cross the legs in and II and 45 are pivotally secured thereto by pivot pins l6 and I1 respectively and are connected together at their opposite ends in spaced relation by spacers I8 and L9 to form a seat supporting frame. A flexible rest member 20 such as a strip of canvas 50 or other suitable woven material, is secured at one end to spacer l2 and at the other end to spacer l8. Two oppositely disposed struts 2| and 22 are pivotally secured at their upper ends to the seat supporting legs l4 and I5 by pivot pins 23 and 24 55 respectively. The lower ends of the struts 2| and 22 are connected together in spaced relation by a spacer 25, the spacer 25 being adapted and arranged to be retained in a set of a plurality of sets of oppositely disposed grooves 26 in the rear or lower portions of the seat supporting legs l4 5 and I5. The height of the chair may be adjusted by varying the position of the spacer 25 in the oppositely disposed grooves 26. Two oppositely disposed arm rests 21 and 28 are pivotally secured at their inner ends to the struts 2| and 22 by pivot pins 29 and 30 respectively. The outer ends of the arm rests 21 and 28 are pivotally secured to the upper ends of arm rest supports 3| and 32 by pivot pins 33 and 34 respectively. The lower ends of the arm rest supports are pivoted to legs I0 and H by pivot pins 35 and 36 respectively. To prevent the chair from being unfolded in the wrong direction the arm rest supports are provided with stop members. The stop members desirably employed comprises extensions of the pivot pins 35 and 36 which are adapted and arranged to engage the arm rests 21 and 28 respectively in the event an attempt is made to unfold the chair in the wrong direction. To prevent these pivot pins from remaining exposed when the chair is folded the arm rests 21 and 28 are provided with grooves 31 in which the pins fit.

When the chair is unfolded it is in the position shown in Figure 1. To fold the chair the spacer 25 is removed from the oppositely disposed grooves 26. The crossed seat supporting legs and back supporting legs are then pivoted about their pivot pins I6 and H until they are in alignment. The struts 2| and 22 are then swung upwardly about their pivot pins 23 and 24 until they are in alignment with the legs. As the struts are swung upwardly the inner ends of the arm rests 21 and 28 are carried upwardly and inwardly about their pivot pins 29 and 30 respectively and the outer ends thereof are carried downwardly and inwardly about their pivot pins 33 and 34 respectively. Simultaneously, the upper ends of the arm rest supports are carried backwardly about the pivot pins 35 and 36 re spectively until the arm rests and the arm rest supports are in alignment at which time the extensions of the pivot pins 35 and 36 are disposed in the grooves 31. Under such conditions, further movement of the struts 2| and 22 about their pivot pins 23 and 24 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 is prevented by the extensions of the pivot pins 35 and 38. Movement in a clockwise direction, however, which in the present case is the desired direction, is permitted.

While the pins are shown and described as being carried by the arm rest supports 3| and. 32, it is obvious that the same result would be obtained by pins securedto the back supporting legs I0 and i i in position to engage the arm rests 21 and 28 when the chair is folded. Likewise, it is evident that the stop pins may be carried by the arm rests 27 and 28 in which case, they would engage either the arm rest supports 31 and 32 or the back supporting legs ill and H as desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A chair of the class described comprising two back supporting legs connected together in spaced relation, two seat supporting legs connected to gether in spaced relation, said back supporting legs and said seat supporting legs being ,pivotally connected together between their ends, two oppositely disposed struts pivotally connected at their upper ends to the back supporting legs and connected together at their lower ends by a spacer, a plurality of oppositely disposed grooves in said seat supporting legs adapted to engage said spacer, two oppositely disposed arm restspivotally rest supports to said seat supporting legs, said arm rests being recessed and said pins which connect the arm rest supports to the seat supporting legs being extended outwardly to engage said "recesses to form interengaging stops when the chair is folded.

EDWIN VANDERNIINDEN.

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