US2091113A - Glider - Google Patents

Description

Aug' 24, 1937. G. R. cooK 2,091,113

|"l'l'lllllllll|||||||| "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVI /IILI 16` INVENToR Georg R. Cook Aug. 24, 1937. G, R. COOK 2,091,113

GLIDER Filed Sept. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to gliders of the type wherein a seat moves back and forth in a horizontal plane on a suitable base. Usually these gliders comprise a relatively xed base and a long seat movable forward and backward on Said base,l but they may also be made as single chairs and the movement need not be limited to the forward and back direction.

'Ihe invention has for an object to provide a support for the seat of such a glider whereby the seat may move horizontally while spring means is provided for returning the seat to its normal mid-position after it has been moved in either direction therefrom.

Another object is to provide a spring support for the glider seat wherein the spring or springs constitute the support for the seat and are tensioned to permit movement of the seat under Stress but to cause return of the seat to normal position after movement in either direction.

Another object is to provide an improved glider wherein the seat is supported entirely by springs constructed and arranged to permit horizontal movement while inhibiting vertical movement.

Another object is to provide an improved glider i which shall be simple in construction but effective and reliable in use.

The nature and objects of the invention will be better understood from a description of a particular illustrative embodiment thereof for the purposes of which description reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a glider embodying the principles of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the seat supporting means taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the glider taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l,

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken through the center of the supporting base,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View of a spring supporting bracket taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a seat supporting crank and the bearing connecting the same to the seat,

Fig. '7 is a detail View showing another form of spring, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the movement of the seat supporting crank relative to the supporting spring when the crank is s0 positioned that in normal position it lies in the .515 plane of the spring, and

Fig. 9 shows another form of spring.

In the construction shown in Figs. l to 3 for the purposes of illustrating the principles of the invention, the glider comprises-a base 5 and a seat 6 mounted for movement forwardly and rearwardly in a substantially horizontal plane. In the preferred embodiment theY seat is supported by springs l, 8 anchored in the base member but connected to and carrying the seat. The springs may be centrally anchored to the base member asby means of brackets or blocks lll, each grooved, as shown in Fig. 4, to receive its spring, the springs preferably being notched, as shown in Fig; 5, to provide a secure interlock between=the springs and the brackets. Retaining plates I2 and bolts i3 hold the springs securely in the blocks and the blocks on the base member. The brackets may, if desired, be provided with iloor engaging extensions I4.

The connection between the springs and the seat` may be of any type consistent" with the requirements of the particular design. Inf the construction particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the springs are straight or substantially so, but they may be of other shape; they are anchored at their centers only; and their free ends are connected tothe seat by cranks I5, the upwardly extending pin I6 of each of which is journaledy in a vertical bearing in the seat and the downwardly extending pin ll of each of which is journaled in a vertical bearing in the free end of a spring. The angle in a horizontal plane between the crank and the spring in each case may be varied in accordance with the preference of the designer. There are certain advantages in the arrangement indicated in Fig. 2 wherein, when the parts are in normal position, that is to say, when the seat is in the mid position normally asssumed when not under stress, the angle may approximate 45 degrees, preferably less rather than greater. In this arrangement when the spring end moves in the curved path the upper crank pin will move inv a straight line with the movement of the seat and the lower crank pin will move in a curve with the movement of the spring end; accordingly, the angle of the crank will change to accommodate this movement, but the angle will be at all times not too great. The angle between the crank and the spring will be at all times an oblique angle as is clear from Fig. 2, as distinguished from an angle of zero as shown in the mid position in Fig. 8 or an angle of 180.

The crank arms when positioned as indicated restrain the seat to a straight line movement and prevent any substantial twisting of the seat in a horizontal plane relative to the base. They also inhibit longitudinal movement of the seat relative to the base. Another arrangement of the crank arms relative to the springs is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 8. As here indicated the cranks I9 extend directly inwardly from the ends of the springs 20 and lie in, or parallel to, the planes of the springs. In this arrangement as the seat moves forward or rearward the upper crank pins move along the straight line while the lower crank pins move along a curve with the end of the spring. It

follows that the movement of the seat will beV greater than the movement of the spring ends,

especially as the seat is, in a sense, the movement element and the spring is the follower element; that is to say, the spring is pulled along by the moving seat against tension. 1 Y

The springs may vary considerably in construction and arrangement while providing the desired gliding movement of the seat. In the arrangement shown in Figs. l to 3 the straight springs 1 and 8 having a larger cross-sectional dimension in the vertical plane (perhaps 2) and a much smaller horizontal cross-sectional dimension (perhaps 1A5) serve in a certain sense as cantilever beams anchored in the brackets lil and supporting the seat at their several ends while in another aspect they act as springs flexible in a horizontal plane and tensioned to return the seat to normal mid-position. The springs can be and preferably lare made strong enough to support the seat entirely independent of any sliding or roller support, even one designed to operate when an unusual load is carried by the seat. However, if it is considered necessary` or desirable, means may be provided for more positively supporting the seat when deflected beyond a predetermined limit. Such means is indicated in Fig. 3 in the form of casters 3|.

In Fig. 7 a spring of another form is shown having upper and lower spring beam members 22, 23 extending in opposite directions from a central connecting portion 24. A pair of springs of this type may be secured to the seat at the opposite ends of the upper portion as at 25 and 26 and to the base member also at the opposite ends of the lower portion as at 21 and 28. Suitable provision for the relative effective shortening of the spring must belmade as for example by making the spring ends slidable in the supports 25 to 28 or by making the connections, at least at one end, by means of cranks as in Fig. 2. Provision may also be made for turning of the ends as in suitable bearings. One advantage of springs of this form consists in the arrangement of the connections to the seat directly above the connections to the base and in the positioning of the connections to the base at the ends rather than at the centre. Springs such as shown at 29 in Fig. 9 may be used wherein also the connections to the seat are directly above the connections to the base. Such springs are especially suitable for shorter gliders or chairs.

It will be noted that the invention provides a glider construction wherein the supporting base and connecting mechanism may be 'entirely concealed beneath the seat and between the end members 30 thereof, which end members can be closed to conceal the support beneath the seat.

The foregoing particular description is illustrative merely and is not intended as defining the limits of the invention. Numerous modifications obviously may be made; for example, the spring ends may be anchored more or less rigidly; they may beanchored to permit turning as on the crank pins or to prevent such turning; the springs may be designed to provide vertical resiliency as well as horizontal and they may be of more complicated shape to more readily permit desired movement.

I claim:-

l. A glider comprising a lbase, a seat, means kfor supporting the seat upon the base for horizontal movement while preventing substantial vertical movement relative to the base comprising a flat spring extending horizontally and ilexible in a horizontal plane but relatively rigid in a vertical plane and having a portion secured to the base and another portion connected to the seat.

2. A glider comprising a base, a pair of flat substantially straight springs flexible to permit movement in a horizontal plane but substantially rigid to resist movement in a vertical plane secured to the base and extending horizontally in opposite directions, and a seat secured to and supported on the ends of said springs.

3. A glider comprising a base, a pair of parallel substantially straight springs flexible in a horizontal plane but substantially rigid in a vertical plane secured to the base, a seat connected to the ends of and carried directly by the springs, said springs acting to support the weight of the seat.

4. A glider comprising a base element, a seat l element and means for supporting the seat element on the base element for rectilinear horizontal movement comprising a pair of parallel springs connected at their ends to one element and at their central portions to the other element, said springs being flexible in a horizontal plane and substantially rigid in a vertical plane and acting thereby to sustain the weight of the seat element in substantially the same plane during horizontal movement of the seat and flexing of the springs.

5. A glider comprising a base, a horizontally movable seat and means supporting the seat on the base comprising a flat spring with its larger cross-sectional dimension vertically positioned connected rigidly to the base, connections between the spring and seat supporting the seat on the spring and causing the seat to move horizontally with the spring, said spring being tensioned to support and hold the seat in normal position but flexible horizontally to permit horizontal movement of the seat.

6. A glider comprising a base, a seat, and means supporting the seat on the base for horizontal movement relative to the base comprising substantially straight parallel springs secured in the base and connected to the seat having a large vertical cross-sectional dimension and a smaller lateral dimension whereby they are horizontally flexible. said springs serving in one aspect as relatively unyielding beams to provide support for said seat and in another aspect as springs tensioned to hold the seat in normal positionbut permitting horizontal movement under stress.

7. A glider comprising a base, a seat, two springs rigidly anchored in the base flexible in a horizontal plane but substantially rigid in -a vertical plane and having free ends projecting in vertical planes therefrom, and means for supporting the seat on the free ends of the springs comprising cranks each having one vertical crank pin journaled in the seat and one vertical crank pin journaled in the spring, the proportion and arrangement of parts being such that the cranks extend at an oblique angle to the vertical plane of the spring in all operative positions of the Seat.

8. A glider comprising a base, a seat and a pair of substantially straight steel springs secured rigidly to the base at their centers and extending therefrom, the seat being connected to and supported on the ends of the springs, said springs having a relatively large vertical cross-sectional dimension and a relatively small horizontal crosssectional dimension whereby they are relatively iiexible horizontally to permit horizontal movement and relatively rigid vertically to support the weight of the seat.

9. A glider comprising a base, a seat, a pair of substantially straight steel springs secured rigidly to the base at their centers, said springs having a relatively large vertical cross-sectional dimension and a relatively small horizontal cross sectional dimension to provide resistance to yielding vertically while permitting flexing horizontally, and cranks connected to the ends of said springs and to said seat to support the seat on the springs and to permit horizontal straight line movement of the seat as the springs bend in a horizontal plane.

10. A glider comprising a base, a seat, a pair of substantially straight steel springs secured rigidly to the base at their centers, said springs having a relatively large vertical cross-sectional l dimension and a relatively small horizontal crosssectional dimension and means for supporting the seat on the ends of the springs comprising cranks, each crank having a vertical crank pin extending upwardly and journalled in the seat and a second crank pin extending downwardly and journalled in the end of a spring, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE R. COOK.

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