US2439869A - Adjustable spring supported chair - Google Patents

Description

April 20, W48. R, J. SHARP ADJUSTABLE SPRING SUPPORTED CHAIR Filed Nov. 14, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1948 -72 ADJUSTABLE SPRING SUPPORTED CHAIR Renwick J. Sharp, Guatemala, Guatemala Application November 14, 1944, Serial No. 563,334

The present invention relates to improvements in chairs, particularly an adjustable chair for restaurants, malt shops, soda fountain counters and the like.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide improved revolving, swaying and adjusting mechanism for application to chairs to provide for their adjustability.

Further and more specific objects include the provision of a spring which can be flexed only in a lateral manner to cooperate with a ball support for the chair post wherein the post portion may sway; the provision of an improved spring construction for automatically regulating the position of the back of the chair in relation to the seat while the seat is being occupied; the provision of assembled parts permitting more adequate means for oiling and maintaining the associated parts lubricated; and to provide a chair which is more comfortable and appealing to incline prospective customers to visit the establishments where such luxury affords to the patrons a foretaste of the good things to follow.

With theforegoing and other objects in view, the invention further resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in' the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of that which is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein is shown what is now deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical midsection showing some parts in side elevation,

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Fi 3,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cantilever seat spring. 7

Referring in detail to the several figures and particularly first to Figs. 1 and 2, therein is shown a chair I having a seat bottom 8 supporting a padded apertured cushion 9. Bowed leaf springs l and H are provided with a pair of 12 Claims. (01.15541) flanges or ears l2 as shown in Fig. located approximately midway between the ends of the springs, each ear having an aperture to receive a bolt l3 which spans the space between the flanges 1 comprising the ears to engage apertured ear drums I4 formed in each rear corner portion of the seat bottom 8 thereby providing a support for the rear end of the latter. To the upper ends of the bowed springs l0 and H are fastened the padded back support l5, and the lower end of each spring is developed into a loop l6 loosely engaging the protruding end portions of a pin .H carried by a sleeve 18 welded or otherwise fastened to the post l9.

On the underside of the seat bottom 8 at each front corner thereof is fastened by any suitable means a bracket 20 which embraces the body portion of a bowed, stirrup-shaped spring member 2| to support somewhat yieldingly in a cantilever fashion the front side of the seat bottom 8, the two arms 22 of the spring member 2| being deflected toward each other and securely fastened within the apertured cap plate 23 screwed onto the tubular post l9. Said spring arms 22 are both confined to the space at the front side of the post l9, and each of them has three curved parts.

The tubular post I9 is extensibly supported within a threaded socket 24 of a revolving and swaying member 25 by means of a threaded disk 26 screwed into said socket. The disk 26 has a rod 21 axially secured to it which is provided with an elongated loop 28 at its end, said loop interlocking with a similar loop 29 attached to a rod 30 which extends through the seat bottom 8 and has a handle 3| fastened to it for the purpose of adjusting the height of these-at bottom 8 and cushion 9 relative to the member 25. The rod 30 is mounted axially of the post I9 and theaperture 32 in thecap 23 permits of a wabbling movement of the rod 30 in said aperture. By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the rod 30 extends through a hole 33 in the seat bottom and that 'a flanged collar 34 is secured to the rod in any suitable manner and held abuttingly against the underside of the seat bottom by means of the countersunk plate 35' riveted thereto. In Fig. 1 it will be seen that the handle 3| occupies the aperture in the cushion and is manually accessible to any occupant of the chair desiring to use it to adjust the seat to suit their convenience.

A split collar 36, 35a, shown on an increased scale in Fig. 4, is utilized to seal'the mouth of the socket 24, part 36 of the collar having a tongue 3! which travels in a groove 38 in the post IE! to prevent the latter from being withdrawn from the member 25 or rotated in relation thereto, each part 36, 36a being secured to the member 25 by means of a plurality of screws 39.

The revolving and swaying member 25 is cylindrically shaped and slightly below the bottom of the recess 24 it is outwardly flared at a point designated as {ill and then developed into a downwardly directed skirt 41 to overlie in a loose, surroundingmanner the upper portion 42 of the flanged base 43. Said upper portion is shown contracted and has an annular recess 44 into which are projected thepointportionsfi of a plurality of screws 45, said screws permitting revolving and swaying of the member 25 but are venting disengagement therewith: v

The member 25 is mounted to revolve sway aperturexil located axially of Y said base, a

threaded bolt- 52 being tapped into the hub-5.3 of the base and extendinginto the threadedportion of the cut spring to prevent rotation .of the latter; there being a cavity 54 extending into said spring to' a point; adjacentsaid ball 48. At the juncture of the ball with the spiral cut portion 55 of thespringisan annulargarcuated r'eccs's 56 and a set screw 51i is screwed into said recess t'o maintaina fixed relation of the member 25 with the spring 41. The spiral cut in'the spring 41 renders the same laterally resilient.

The recess 56'maybe suppliedwith alubricant through the tapped holeoccupied by the screw 5'|- to maintain the globular head in its semispherical seat lubricated. Also, a lubricant may be introduced-into the socket 24 before applyingthe split collar to maintain the threaded disk 26 and threaded portion of the socket 24 lubricated.

A foot rest, slidably mounted upon thelpost l9 and designated by the nurneialEB, is provided 'for the feet of the occupant sitting in the chair, and fdst'iiingmeans 59 are provided for securing the base to the floor BB.

Commenting further on the cut spring this member. 'mayfbe'con'si'dered a new article of manufacture, since it is separately saleable. It compiises a circular body having a globular head at one-end, is externally threaded at its opposite end, has a cavity opening out at the threaded end and exte'nding from such end to a point adfiace'nt said g'lobular' end, and has a spiral slit cut through the material between 1 said threadedendand globular end; there being an annular, a-icuated -groovefor-med in the circular body sums-cent to its'globularend a I From the :fere'goifig' description the operation is believed to be uhdefstariiiable; exce t that in 8161- ditioirit may bew'elrto state that the" hinge" axis or the seat bottomfais at the straight inner run 22st at the spring 2i, said run being slightly turhabl'e in'relatio'n to the seat'so that when the? springs I0 and H are depressed the seat back IE will be urgedagainst the .small of the back 'of the person occupying the seat, This action is also dependent upon the fact that the pivotal connection iii-for the lower ends of the bowed i 4 springs II is located in a considerably spaced relation to the ears [2.

The downward movement of the seat bottom 8 is limited to the point defined by the cap 23, and in the event springs ill and II should ever collapse, the weight of the person sitting in the seat would be carried springlessly by said cap 23, the interlocking links 28 and 29 being of sufllcient length to permit of this extreme depressing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a revolving and swaying adjustable height seat or chair, a seat bottom for supporting a cushion, a tubular post member, an apertured cap member screwed onto the upper portion of said post' member, a two armed cantilever spring having the freeend portions'o'f its arms mounted in said cap member and its body portion extended horizontally and connected by bowed downwardly directed runs with said arms, said body portion 'uiidei'lyingahdbeing pivoted to the forward por- 's'ubja'ciit said ca member, a pair of bowed springs each having looped end portions at one end pivotally engaging :the free end portions of said pin, means carried at their concave sides bythe central arched portio'ns of said'bowed springs pivotally related tome rear portion of saidseat bottom, and a seat back fastened to" and spanning the distance between the other ends ot saidfbowedsprings.

"2. The subject matter of claim 1, and brackets carriedby the fore portion of said seat bottom and loosely encircling the horizontarpornon of said cantilever-spring at spaced apart points. v

3. The subjectinatterv ofclaim 1, and, a base, a vertically extending member rotatively mounted to sway on said base, said member having a verticall'y extending elongated socket in its upper end, and said .post memberb'eing vertically adjustabliin'said socket.

4. The subject matter of claim 1 and, a base, a vertically extending member rotatively mounted to way on said base, said member having a vertically extending elongated socket in its upper end,fsaid p'ost member being verticallyadjustable in said socket, a split collar fastened to said rotatively'ahd swaying member and enclosing the mouth or said socket in a surrounding relation to Said pest member, and an inwardly directed tdfigue' "carried by at least one of the members comprising said split collar to engage a vertically extending groove in the outer surface of said po t'rne'mter. V

5.--The subject matter of claim 1 and, a base, a vertically extending member rotatively mounted to sway on said base, said member having a vertically extending elongated socket in its upper end, said post member: being-vertically adjustable in said socket, a split collar fastened to said rotatively and swaying member and enclosing the mouth of said socket-in a surrounding relation to said post member, an inwardly directed tongue carriedby at least one of the members compris ing said split collar to engage a vertically extending groove in the outer surface of said post member, said socket being threaded, a threaded disk screwed into said threaded socket supporting said tubular post and including a stem provided with a looped end occupying the tubular portion of said post member, said head being adjustable to support said post at various heights;- a rod provided with a looped end interlocking with the loop of said stem, a portion of said rod also 00 cupying a port-ion of; the tubular part of said post member and protruding through the aperture of said cap past the space-between the latter cap and said seat bottom and thence extending through an aperture insaid seat bottom intoa hole in said cushion; a manually accessiblehandle mounted on the end of said protruding rod for rotating said head, a collar fastened to said rod in an abutting relation to the underside of said seat bottom,- and means carried by said seat bottom to maintain said collar in said' abutting relation.

6.'In a chair of the kind described, a seat bottom' for supporting a cushion, a tubular post member, an apertured cap member screwed onto the upper portion of said post member, a two armed cantilever spring having the free end portions of its arms mounted in said cap member and its body portion extended horizontally and connected by bowed downwardly directed runs with said arms, said body portion underlying and being pivoted to the forward portion of said seat bottom, a pair of bowed springs each having end portions at one end pivotally related to said post member subjacent to said cap member, means carried by the central arched portions of said bowed springs pivotally related to the rear portion of said seat bottom, a seat back fastened to and spanning the distance between the other ends of said bowed springs, a base, an elongated vertically extending member rotatively mounted to sway on said base, said member having a vertically extending elongated socket in its upper end, said post member being mounted in said socket in a vertically adjustable manner, said base having a reduced circular upper portion provided with a circumferential recess and said rotating and swaying member having its lower portion annular and vaulted and provided with a depending skirt adapted to loosely overlie and envelop said contracted circular upper portion of I said base including said recess, there being an annular vaulted cavity in said annular vaulted lower portion and a cylindrical cavity superjacent said vaulted cavity terminating at its upper end in a semi-spherical seat, a vertically extending cylindrically shaped support provided with a globular head occupying said seat and having its lower end threaded and screwed axially into said base for supporting said rotating and swaying member in a vertically spaced relation to said base, said support having an elongated bore extending from its lower end to a point adjacent said globular head, there being a spiral groove cut in the wall of said support to render said wall resilient between said threaded end of said support and its globular head in order toprovide for the swaying movement of said rotating and swaying member, and means carried by said skirt and occupying a portion of said recess to limit said swaying movement.

7. The subject matter of claim 6 and, there being an annular groove formed in said support subjacent said globular head, and a set screw screwed into said cylindrical cavity and occupyble, an elongated vertically extending member provided with a hollow basal portion terminating in a downwardly directed skirt, said skirt circumferentially loosely surrounding said annularly recessed part of said base, the hollow within said elongated member being cylindrical throughout its upper portion and terminating in a semi-spherical seat wherein said head tumably fits, said skirt carrying means projecting internally therefrom into said recess to connect the parts together and to limitthe swaying movement of said elongated member, and means to support a chair bottom-upon said elongated member. 7

9. In a chair of the kind described, a base, an upstanding body provided at its top with a globular head and having its opposite end secured to said base, there being a spiral cut through the wall of said body between its anchored end and said globular head rendering the slit part flexible, an elongated vertically extending member provided with a hollow basal portion, the hollow within said elongated member being cylindrical throughout its upper portion and terminating in a semi-spherical seat wherein said head turnably fits, means carried by said hollow basal portion and cooperating with said base to limit the swaying movement of said elongated member, and a seat mounted upon said elongated member.

10. In a chair structure comprising an upstanding elongated body havinga screwthreaded vertical bore extending downwardly into its upper end portion, an upstanding rod having a screwthreaded head fixed to its lower end, said head screwing adjustably into said bore, said rod being in upper and lower sections which are slidably connected to allow variations in the length oi? the rod, a tube resting on said head and slidably mounted in said bore, said tube loosely containing said rod, said tube projecting above the upper end of said bore and said rod projecting above the upper end of the tube, a chair seat, and means yieldingly supporting said chair seat upon and above the upper end of said tube, said rod being accessible above said chair seat for rotation to adjust the height of the screwthreaded head carried by its lower end, said rod having a bearing in said chair seat.

11. The subject matter of claim 10, and a handle means secured to the upper end of the rod for use in manually rotating the latter to adjust the height of the chair seat, a cushion resting upon said chair seat, said rod extending through said cushion and said handle means resting in a depression in the latter.

12. In a chair structure comprising an upstanding elongated body having a screwthreaded vertical bore extending downwardly into its upper end portion, an upstanding rod having a screwthreaded head fixed to its lower end, said head screwing adjustably into said bore, a tube resting on said head and slidably mounted in said bore, said tube loosely containing said rod, said tube projecting above the upper end of said bore and said rod projecting above the upper end of the tube, a chair seat, and means yieldingly supporting said chair seat upon and above the upper end of said tube, said rod being accessible above said tube for rotation to adjust the height of the screwthreaded head carried by its lower end thereby to regulate the height of said chair seat.

RENWICK J. SHARP.

(References on following page) REFERENGES c'rmn- I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNIT D STATES PATENTS Number 8 Name Date McKinney Aug; 12, 1913 Koyama Nov. 9-, 1920 G21 May 3, 1921 Anderson Oct. 20, 1925 Weber Dec. 7, 1926 Manzell July 3, 1928 Meitzler May 30,1933 Stoll July 21, 1936 Sloan Apr. 9, 1940 Anderson June 4,1940 Pickwell Feb. 29, 1944

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