US2688357A

US2688357A - Chair clamp

Info

Publication number: US2688357A
Application number: US362269A
Authority: US
Inventors: George H Towne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-06-17
Filing date: 1953-06-17
Publication date: 1954-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1971-09-07

Description

' Sept. 7, 1954 G. H. TOWNE 2,688,357

CHAIR CLAMP Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES CHAIR CLAMP George H. Towne, Waltham, Mass.

Application June 1'7, 1953, Serial No. 362,269

3 Claims. l

The present invention Arelates to a device for holding adjacent chairs in xed relation in a straight :or curved -row as ina public hall or the like.

"When chairs, such as folding chairs, are setup in a Vrow `in-.a public hall it is desirable that they be held immovable in the row so as lnot to ybecome disarranged as people move in and out of the seats.

Upito the present time, insofar as the inventor is aware, there has been no truly satisfactory device for this purpose. The 4devices which have been used are awkward to set in position, being either cumbersome to handle or having many bolts to tighten, and .usually require tools to attach xthem to `the chairs.

The present invention provides a .device which is attached to the lchairs simply ,and quickly and requires no tools .to set it firmly in position, yet it "will ,h'old the chairs securely until released. It engages and .holds `two adjacent chairs at three points spaced apart in triangular relation and holds the chairs securely lagainst movement relative :to each other in any direction.

Further vobjects and .advantages will be apparent from the 4following description of a preferred embodiment andthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation showing the vdevice of the present invention attached to and in position on one chair.

Fig. v2 is a top plan View of the device attached to and in position between two chairs.

Fig. 3 is a prospective View showing the device in position holding two chairs together, parts -of the `.chairs being broken vaway to reveal the device more clearly.

Fig. 41s a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of the present invention.

.In the drawings the device of the present invention which holds two adjacent chairs in fixed relation is indicated generally at I0. The two chairs shown in connection with the device `Ill are designated A and B and are one of a variety of l:folding type chairs such as are temporarily .setup in public halls. The particular type 4and construction of .the chairs A and 'B is shown for illustrative purposes only and it is to be understood that the device I is equally well adapted for use with rigid and folding chairs of varying construction so long as they include or may 4`be adapted to include certainstructural elements 1to `support .the device IIJ.

In the Jchairs A and B "shown, the Afront legs l-I and back 'legs I2 cross andare .pivoted .at 1I3.

A seat I4 is pivoted between upward extensions of the back legs l2 and is supported at the back by links l5 pivoted on vthe seat and on the upward extension of the legs II. Extensions of the lower ends of `the links l5 are stopped against a stretcher IB attached between the portions of the front legs II above the pivot points I3 and under the seat. The front legs Il extend above the seat and form the frame of the back of the chair.

The device IIl -of the 4present invention is comprised generally of a horizontal member 20 and a strut 2| having its lower end pivotally and slidably connected to a horizontal member. The device ill is placed between two chairs A and B which are side by side. Both vends of the horizontal member 20 are forked lto enclose respectively the two adjacent front legs and the two adjacent back legs of the chairs A and B and the forked ends are supported on stretchers I8 and I9 which are respectively across the front and back of the chairs. The ends of the forks hook over the stretchers to hold the horizontal member 20 Vin position.

As shown in Fig." 3, the horizontal member 20 is formed of a single rod bent double to provide two parallel rods 33 and 34 which are held in parallel relation by cross ties 35.

-At the forward end a fork 23 passes inside the front leg II of the chair A and a fork 24 passes inside the front leg I I of the chair B and the ends of the forks 24 are bent downwardly at 25 and 2B to hook `over the front of the respective stretchers I8.

At the vback end, the horizontal member l2l) extends back between the adjacent rear legs I2 of the chairs A and B and a generally U-shaped member 27 attached across the back end forms the fork at that end. Forks 28 and 29, whichA are the arms of the U-shaped member 21 `are directed back on the horizontal member and enclose the adjacent rear legs I2 of the chairs A and B between them. The `ends of the forks 28 and 29 are bent downwardly at 3| and 32 to hook over the inside of the respective stretchers I9.

When the device IIJ is put in position the horizontal ymember is dropped down on the stretchers I8 and I9. The downwardly

bent portions

25, 26, 3| and 32 hooking over the front `edges of the stretchers I8 and I9 .prevent it from sliding backward. The U-shaped member 21 passing around the back of the legs I2 prevents it from sliding forward. Most chairs, both 'rigid and folding, have stretchers ,between the front legs and between the back legs on which the horizontal member 20 may be supported as above. However, if there are no such stretchers, projections or studs secured on the insides of the legs will serve equally as well.

The strut 2| is pivotally and slidably connected to the horizontal member 2li by having its lower end 30 curled around a cylinder 36. The rods 33 and 34 of the horizontal member pass through holes parallel transversely through the cylinder so that the cylinder is slidable along the rods.

A U-shaped member 38 attached across the strut 2| down from its upper end 31 has arms 3S and 4i) which form two parallel forked portions 4| and 42 with the respective edges of the strut 2 I. When the strut 2| is in position the adjacent upper portions of the legs I under the seats I4 of the chairs A and B are enclosed between the arms 39 and 4l] of the U-shaped member 38 and the forked portion 4| encloses the stretcher Iii of the chair A and the forked portion 42 engages the stretcher I6 of the chair B.

It will be appreciated that the exact chair construction shown is not essential for the described engagement of the upper portion of the Strut 2 I. A construction, including members which extend downwardly below the seat, such as the upper portions of the legs I I under the seats, to be enclosed between the arms 39 and 4|) and then extending inwardly, such as the stretchers I6, to be enclosed by the forked portions 4I and 42 would be similarly engaged.

For example, the device lli is used with types of folding chairs which do not have a stretcher I6 but have an inwardly directed stud or rivet on the inside of the leg at approximately the same position which serves as a stop for a link such as the link |15 or to support the rearward end of the seat.

The strut 2| is made such a length that the forked portions 4| and 42 at its upper end 31 will enclose and rmly engage the stretchers IE when its lower end 30 is in a position on the horizontal member 20 from which it may be moved in order to draw the forked portions 4I and 42 away from the stretchers l5 far enough to be swung clear of them. For example, the strut 2| is firmly engaged between the stretchers I6 and the horizontal member 20 when its lower end 30 on the horizontal member which is closest to the stretchers I6. Thus, when the lower end 30 is slid along the horizontal member away from the mid-point, the upper end 31 will drop out of engagement with the stretchers I6.

As shown in Fig. l, the stretcher I8 at the front of the usual type of folding chair is higher than the stretcher I9 across the back and when in position the horizontal member 20 will be slanted. Therefore, to disengage the upper end of the strut 2| from the stretchers I6 the lower end of the strut will be moved most easily toward the rear in the direction of the arrows C. Conversely, when the lower end of the strut is toward the rear of the horizontal member, the lower end 3G is moved forward in the direction of the arrow D to engage the upper end 31 with the stretchers I6.

In operation to attach this device IIJ of the present invention to the two adjacent chairs A and B to hold them in fixed relation, the strut 2| is pivoted out of the way and the horizontal member 20 inserted between the chairs and dropped down into position enclosing the adjacent legs of the chairs and supported on the stretchers I8 and I9. The lower end 30 of the strut 2| is slid toward the rearward end of the horizontal member 2l). Then the strut is swung toward an upright position and guided into engagement with the stretchers I6 as its lower end is slid in the direction of the arrow b. When the upper end 31 of the strut is in engagement with the stretchers, its lower end remains frctionally held in position on the horizontal member until the lower end is forcefully slid toward an end of the horizontal member.

The device Ill as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is constructed to hold chairs side-by-side in a. straight line. It will be appreciated, however, that it may be made to hold chairs in a semicircular arrangement by changing the space between the forks at the ends of the horizontal member 20 and between the forked portions at the upper end of the strut 2|.

For example, Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention which holds chairs in a semi-circle facing inward. The parallel rods forming the body of the horizontal member are bowed out at the rearward end as indicated at` 43 to space the rear legs I2 apart and the central portion of the U-shaped member 21 is made correspondingly longer. The

forks

23 and 24 at the forward end may be bent toward each other to fit around the front legs snugly as indicated. The central portion of the U-shaped member 28 across the strut 2| is also lengthened to space the

arms

39 and 40 further apart to enclose the upper portions of the legs II.

It is to be understood that the above description is of a preferred embodiment of my invention and that certain variations may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

l. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each of said chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, inwardly extending projections on each of said legs, and a member extending downwardly and then inwardly below the seat at each side thereof, said device comprising in combination a horizontal member each end of which has portions spaced apart sufficiently to receive between a leg of each of said two adjacent chairs, said portions being respectively supported on the inwardly extending projections on the adjacent front and back legs of said chairs, a strut, and a slidable pivotal connection between the lower end of the strut and the horizontal member, the upper end of the strut being provided with two portions spaced apart to receive between them the members which extend downwardly below the seats at the adjacent sides of the seats of said `chairsandengage the respective inward extensions of said members, said strut being of sufiicient length to extend between said horizontal member and said downwardly and inwardly extending members when the lower end of the strut is in one position on the horizontal member but not when slid to another position.

2. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each of said chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, inwardly extending projections on each of said legs, and a member extending downwardly and then inwardly below the seat at each side thereof, said device comprising in combination a horizontal member having forked ends in which are respectively enclosed the adjacent front and back legs of said:

two adjacent chairs, the forks of the forked ends being respectively supported on the inwardly. ex-

tending projections on the respective legs of said chairs and having downwardly turned tips extending down past said projections, a strut, and a slidable pivotal connection between the lower end of the strut and the horizontal member, the upper end of the `strut being provided with two portions spaced apart to receive between them the members which extend downwardly below the seats at the adjacent sides of the seats of said chairs, said two portions each being forked to engage the inwardly extending portions of the respective members, said strut being of suflicient length to extend between said horizontal member and said downwardly and inwardly extending members when the lower end of the strut is in one position on the horizontal member, but not when slid to another position.

3. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each of said chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, a stretcher between the pair of front legs and between the pair of back legs, and a stretcher under the seat across the chair from side to side, said device comprising in combination a horizontal member having forked ends in which are respectively enclosed the adjacent front and adjacent back legs of two adjacent chairs, said forked ends being supported on the stretchers between the front legs and back 'legs of the respective chairs, a strut, and a slidable pivotal connection between the lower end of the strut 'and the horizontal member, the upper end of the strut being provided with two portions spaced apart to receive between them two adjacent legs of the two adjacent chairs, said two portions each being forked to enclose the respective stretchers under the seats of the two adjacent chairs, said strut being of sufcient length to extend between said horizontal member and said stretchers under the seats when the lower end of the strut is in one position on the horizontal member but not when slid to another position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS