US2671497A - Kneeling pad for collapsible chairs - Google Patents

Description

March 1954 w. F. M INTYRE KNEELING PAD FOR COLLAPSIBLE CHAIRS Filed Nov. 2, 1951 Invezzio WjZZzbaw EMbInigwe, 6y fi %rn Patented Mar. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNEELING PAD FOR COLLAPSIBLE CHAIRS William F. McIntyre, Quincy, Mass.

Application November 2, 1951, Serial No. 254,547

4 Claims.

This invention relates to kneeling pads for portable chairs of the type frequently used during religious services in homes, retreats or places of worship, in funeral homes, or at other indoor or outdoor services where prayers are offered.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad or cushion adapted to be removably and pivotally attached to the rear legs of a folding chair, so that the pad may be swung downwardly parallel to the floor during prayer, or swung upwardly between or against the chair legs where it will be out of the way while the chair is in use or when it is collapsed for stacking or storage.

A recommended embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that the structural details of the kneeling pad herein illustrated and described may be varied without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the appended g claims, and that the kneeling pad may be removably attached to chairs of various types.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one type of folding chair equipped with the improved kneeling pad, the pad being shown in full lines in its raised position between the chair legs, and in broken lines in its lowered position parallel to the floor;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lowered kneeling pad, partly broken away, and also showing the removable clamps carried by the pad and attached to a pair of chair legs illustrated in section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration, the improved kneeling pad or cushion is removably and pivotally attached to the legs II of a folding chair I2 of a. conventional type. It will be apparent that the particular style or type of the chair is not pertinent to this invention, but it is preferred that the chair be collapsible, so that it may be stacked with similar chairs for storage.

The pad preferably comprises a rectangular channeled metal frame I3 comprising side members l4 and end members I5 suitably joined at the corners of the frame as by welding or otherwise, and a pad or cushion I6 of sponge rubber or the like, having its margins embraced by and secured within the channeled frame I3. The cushion may have a suitable covering (not 2 shown), if desired. The frame may be oval, or of other contour, as desired.

One side member I4 of the frame has slots I1 adjacent its ends for receiving the bowed portions H; of a rod I9 which passes through the channeled frame member and has outwardly projecting ends 20 received in bearings 2| carried by clamps 22, respectively. The rod ends 20 have a relatively tight, frictional fit in the respective bearings 2I, to provide pivotal connections which permit the pad to be swung upwardly and downwardly with respect to the floor on which the chair legs II rest, but which frictionally hold the pad in angularly adjusted position. Thus. the substantially flat, rectangular pad or cushion I3 may be swung upwardly to a position sub,- stantially between the chair legs, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, or downwardly substantially 29 parallel to the floor, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1 and as shown more clearly in Fi 3.

The outer corners of the pad or cushion are preferably equipped with spacing supports such as the rubberbuttons 23, applied to the underside of the frame, for example, to the frame ends I5 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so that the cushion is supported in spaced, substantially parallel relation to the floor when lowered, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The clamps 22 are of a size and shape to loosely embrace the chair legs I I, and the clamps are equipped with fastening means such as the wing screws 24 for removably securing the clamps to the chair legs at the desired elevation from the bottom of the legs. It is apparent that by tightening the screws 24, the clamps are supported in adjusted position relative to the floor on which the chair legs rest. The position of the clamps is usually so adjusted that, when the hinged kneeling pad is lowered until the buttons 23 rest upon the floor, the pad or cushion is parallel to the floor, as aforesaid.

When so lowered, the improved pad provides a soft and comfortable cushion on which the knees may rest during prayer. A chair equipped with such a. pad thus constitutes in effect a portable pew suitable for use in the home, at funeral parlors, in places of worship, or at outdoor services.

When the kneeling pad is not to be used, it may be folded upwardly between the chair legs as aforesaid, and when the folding chair is collapsed for stacking, the pad occupies no appreciable extra space, and would not interfere with the covers which are frequently placed over the folding chairs during storage. The pad may also be detached from the chair and used separately, whenever desired, and it is apparent that alternative or equivalent means may be employed for pivotally connecting the kneeling pad to the clamps 22. Indeed, for most economical manufacture, the pad may be attached to one chair leg by a single clamp and single hinge connection, in a manner similar to the pivotal mounting of a conventional sun shield in the interior of an automobile.

I claim:

1. A kneeling pad adapted for removable attachment to the legs of a chair, the pad comprising a frame, a cushion secured within the frame and having both its upper and its under side exposed, buttons on the underside of the frame at either end for supporting the lowered pad in spaced relation to the floor, a rod attached to the frame, a pair of clamps adapted to embrace the respective chair legs, and means pivotally connecting the ends of the rod to said clamps.

2-. A kneeling pad as described in claim 1, the connecting means comprising bearings carried by the respective clamps, and receiving the respective ends of the rod.

3. A kneeling pad as described in claim 1, the frame being substantially rectangular, and the 4 length of the frame being less than the distance between the chair legs, and the rod having ends projecting outwardly beyond the ends of the frame, whereby the pad is disposed substantially between the chair legs when swung to its uppermost position.

4. A kneeling pad adapted for removable and pivotal attachment to at least one leg of a chair, the pad comprising a cushion, a frame surrounding the periphery of the cushion and leaving the central part of the cushion exposed on both upper and under surfaces, a clamp adapted for removable attachment to the chair leg, buttons on the under side of the frame at either end for supporting the lowered pad in spaced relation to the floor, and means pivotally connecting the pad to the clamp.

WILLIAM F. McINTYRE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,316,687 Hammond Apr. 13, 1943 2,593,177 Patterson Apr. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 813 Great Britain 1911

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