US2717630A

US2717630A - Foldable reclining rocking chair

Info

Publication number: US2717630A
Application number: US434475A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burnell F Dowler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-06-04
Filing date: 1954-06-04
Publication date: 1955-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-13

Description

Sept. 13, 1955 B. F. DOWLER 2,717,630

FOLDABLE RECLINING ROCKING CHAIR Filed June 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BURNELL F. DOWL ER ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1955 B. F. DOWLER FOLDABLE RECLINING ROCKING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1954 R O T N E V m BURNELL E DOWLER ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,717,630 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 FGLDABLE RECLENHNG ROCKENG CHAIR Burnell F. Dowler, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Application June 4, 1954, Serial No. 434,475

10 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to a foldable reclining rocking chair of the type commonly known as lawn chairs or steamer chairs.

Chairs of this general type have been in relatively common use but many of these, while sufiiciently stable when new, after a short period of use develop looseness at the various joints, resulting in an extremely unstable structure which could well become dangerous to the occupant. Furthermore, many of these prior art chairs of this gen-- eral character, while foldable, could not be collapsed into a space of minimum dimensions in which the maximum thickness was substantially the sum of the width of certain of the frame members. Also, prior art chairs of this general character were often provided with frames or bases which were sufliciently stable when the occupant was sitting substantially upright, but in structures where the chair might be tilted back to an extreme degree where the occupant was in a substantially prone position the stability of the frame was materially reduced, and furthermore these frames were not constructed in such a manner as to provide sufiicient strength in this position of the chair.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a foldable reclining rocking chair which may be tilted from a position in which the occupant is substantialiy upright to a position in which the occupant is substantially prone.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair in which the framework comprising the base of the chair is of such formation that substantially the same stability and strength is provided regardless of the position of the occupant of the chair.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair in which the stresses developed during use thereof are substantially distributed over the entire base framework, thereby resulting in extreme stability regardless of theposition of theoccupant of the chair.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair in which stability of the framework .is maintained even though appreciable looseness may develop in certain of the joints.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair which, when collapsed, is of a thickness of substantially the sum of the width of certain of the frame members.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair which may be economically manufactured from relatively inexpensive, lightweight wood or other suitable members and which may have sufficient strength to support any occupant and maintain stability regardless of the position of such occupant.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable reclining rocking chair which may be erected or folded without the use of tools and which, when erected,

will maintain its position and stability without regard .for

the weight of the occupant or his position therein.

Cir

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a chair constructed in accordance with this invention with the framework in erected position, and with the chair positioned for upright seating of the occupant;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective taken from a somewhat diiferent viewpoint from Fig. 1 and showing the'chair in position for supporting an occupant in substantially prone position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the chair of this invention in folded or collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the joints between certain of the frame membersand one of the arm-rests; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the foldable foot rest and the manner of connecting the same to a portion of the chair framework.

With continued reference to the drawing, there is shown a chair constructed in accordance with this invention which may well include a base framework which serves to support an occupant-supporting framework 11. The base framework 10 may well comprise spaced, substantially horizontal lower side bars 12 and 13, connected by cross members 14 and 15. Cross member 14 may be positioned substantially adjacent one end of the side bars 12 and 13, and cross bar may be positioned substantially midway of the length of the side bars 1'2and 13. The cross bar 14 may extend outwardly of the side bars 12 and 13 and secured to the outwardly extending ends of such cross bar 14 are upwardly extending members 15 and 17, which are pivotally secured at their upper ends to downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 of arm rests and 21. The bar 14 is rotatably mounted in the side bars 12 and 13 and consequently the upwardly extending

members

16 and 17 are pivotally mounted at both their lower and upper ends.

A second pairof upwardly extending

members

22 and 23 are fixed to the outwardly extending ends of cross bar 15 and the

members

22 and 23 are also pivotally connected at their upper ends to the downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 of the arm rests 20 and .21, the upwardly extending

members

16 and 22 and 17 and 23 being substantially parallel. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upwardly extending members together with the side bars 12 and 13 and the arm rests 20 and 21 substantially provide a parallelogram on each side of the chair structure, which may be erected to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or may be collapsed downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Also pivotally secured to the downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 of the arm rests 20 and 21 at the same point as the upwardly extending

members

22 and 23, are

brace members

24 and 25, which are provided adjacent their lower ends with a connecting crossbar 26. Also, the

brace members

24 and 25 may be further strengthened by

cross braces

27 and 28 extending diagonally and secured at their ends to the

brace members

24 and 25. The side bars 12 and 13 are provided at the ends thereof opposite from the cross bar 14 with upwardly opening notches 29 and 30 which, when the chair .is in the erected position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, serve to receive the cross bar 26 on the

brace members

24 and 25, which thus hold the base framework 10 in upright or erected position.

As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, the upwardly extending

members

22 and 23 together with the

brace members

24 and 25 and a portion of the side bars 12 and 13 therebetween, provide what may be termed an A-frame and as will be hereinafter pointed out, this A-frame is intended to receive the major portion of the downward load imposed on the base framework by the occupant of the chair.

The occupant-supporting framework 11 may well comprise

side members

31 and 32 connected at their ends by cross members 33 and 34, the

side members

31 and 32 being pivotally mounted at 35 intermediate their ends on the same pivot as upwardly extending

members

22 and 23 and

brace members

24 and 25 of the base framework 10. Downwardly extending

link members

36 and 37 are pivotally mounted at 33 and 39, which points correspond with the pivotal mounting of upwardly extending

members

16 and 17 to the downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 of the arm rests 2t and 21, and the

link members

36 and 37 are pivotally connected at their lower ends by a cross bar 4% which is also connected to

side rails

41 and 42 pivotally connected to the cross bar 34 at the lower ends of

side members

31 and 32.

Also extending between the

link members

36 and 37 spaced from the upper ends thereof, is a cross member 43 and extending over this cross member 43 is an elon- 3 gated strip of fabric material 44, which may be secured at its upper end to cross member 33 and at its lower end to cross member 40. The fabric strip 44 provides a convenient and comfortable support for the occupant of the chair, and obviously will fully and firmly support and at the same time conform to the contours of such occupant. This fabric supporting strip 44 is, of course, substantially similar to the body-supporting portion of the conventional lawn or steamer chair.

Since it is desirable to provide a foot rest for the occupant of the chair of this invention, such foot rest may well take the form of relatively short side supports 45 and 46 connected at their outer ends by a foot-supporting bar 47 and pivotally mounted at their inner ends on the cross member 40, to which is attached the lower end of flexible fabric strip 44. As best shown in Fig. 5, the side supports 45 and 46 of the foot rest are provided adjacent their inner ends each with a recessed portion having a bevelled edge 48 which, when in the position shown in Fig. 5, engages a corresponding beveled edge on the forward ends of each of the

side members

41 and 42, which serve to prevent further downward movement of the side supports 45 and 46 and thereby firmly support the feet of the occupant. However, when desired the side supports 45 and 46 together with the bar 47 may be folded upwardly to the position shown in dotted 'lines in Fig. 1, and this further permits folding or collapse of the chair into a package of minimum dimensions.

As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, the entire occupant-supporting framework 11 pivots about the pivot points and may be moved from an upright position, as shown in Fig. 1, to substantially a prone position, as shown in Fig. 2. Due to the parallelogram arrangement of the framework, the

side members

41 and 42 will maintain substantially a horizontal position regardless of the location of the occupant-supporting framework 11. In order to prevent pivotal movement of such framework beyond a certain point, and to prevent the occupant from falling out of the chair when moving backward to a prone position, a cross bar 4% may be secured to the upwardly extending

members

16 and 17, and this cross bar 49 serves as a stop member engaging the side members 41 and 4-2 when the occupant-supporting framework is in the position shown in Fig. 2.

With the chair in upright position as shown in Pi g. l, the load occasioned by the occupant of the chair is distributed between the upwardly extending

members

16 and 17 and the A-frarne members formed by the

members

22, 23, 24 and 25. However, when the occupant-supporting framework 11 is moved to the position as shown in Fig. 2, the weight is still distributed between all of these members but a larger portion thereof is carried by the A-frame members. Since such a framework is inherently very stable and further since the side bars 12 and 13 are relatively long and extend under a relatively large portion of the chair, a firm support is provided and there is no danger of the chair tipping over backward as would be the case if the downward load were merely carried by a relatively short base framework made up, for instance, by the upwardly extending

members

16, 17, 22 and 23. In this manner a firm and stable support for the occupant-supporting framework 11 is provided, regardless of the position of such framework.

The major portion of the stability and strength described above is provided by the A-frame made up of the upwardly extending

members

22 and 23 and

brace members

24 and 25, and it is to be noted that the greater the downward load on this framework, the greater the holding power of the notches 29 and 30 in engagement with the cross bar 26. This provides means for preventing collapse of the chair with possible injury to the occupant thereof. It is also to be noted that any tendency for the parallelogram frame formed by the upwardly extending

members

16 and 17 and 22 and 23 is prevented by engagement of the cross bar 26 with the

notches

29 and 39, and this also adds to the holding power of such notches.

When it is desired to fold or collapse the chair to the position shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to disengage the cross bar 26 from the notches 2 and 30, whereupon the

brace members

24 and 25 may be moved to a position substantially parallel with the

side members

31 and 32 of the occupant-supporting frame 11, and the upwardly extending

members

16 and 17, 22 and 23, will pivot downwardly and into overlapping, substantially parallel relationship with the side bars 12 and 13. In order to permit further and substantially complete folding of the framework, the

side members

41 and 42 are provided with notches 50 and 51 which, as shown in Fig.

3, serve to receive the cross bar 49 which would otherwise engage the

side members

41 and 42 and prevent complete folding or collapse of the chair. Erection of the chair is accomplished simply by moving the frame members apart and re-engaging the cross bar 26 in the notches 29 and 30.

It will thus be seen that by the above described invention, there has been provided a relatively lightweight, inexpensively constructed chair which will permit the occupant thereof to rock in a substantially upright position or to occupy a substantially prone position, and in which the base framework provides a high degree of strength and stability while at the same time permitting substantially folding or collapsing of the chair. It will also be seen that the strength and stability of the structure of this invention will be maintained even though some play or looseness develops in the various pivot points or joints between the members forming the framework.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced substantially parallel horizontally disposed arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, a cross bar adjacent the opposite ends of said bars adjacent the opposite ends thereof receiving said cross bar to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at theapex of each said A-frame and at the points :of attachment .of said first pair of frame members to said .arm rests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in .upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load :will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said occupant-supporting frame includes parallel side members connected by across member anda foot rest, said foot rest having side supports connected at their .inner ends to said cross member and connected at their outer ends to a foot-supporting bar, said footrest being maintained in a substantially horizontal position "by cooperating means on the ends of said parallel side members and the inner ends of said side supports regardless of the position of said occupant-supporting frame.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2 in which said side supports of said foot rest are pivotally connected to said cross member so as to fold upwardly with respect thereto.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said base frame is provided with a stop member engageable by said occupant-supporting frame whereby movement of said occupant-supporting frame beyond a predetermined position is prevented.

5. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, a cross bar adjacent the opposite ends of said brace members, notches in the upper edges of said side bars adjacent the opposite ends thereof receiving said cross bar to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points of attachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

6. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, a cross bar adjacent the opposite ends of said brace members, means on said side bars adjacent the opposite ends thereof engaging said cross bar to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points of attachment of. said first pair of frame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupantsupporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

7. ,A foldable reclining rocking chair .comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members 'beingpivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on said side bars adjacent the opposite ends thereof engaging means on said brace members to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points of attachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

8. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on said side bars engaging means on said brace members to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points of attachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frarnes thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

9. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, brace means pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on said side bars engaging said brace means to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace means providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points of attachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

10. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and an occupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base frame comprising spaced side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to said arm rests, brace means pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the point of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on said side bars engaging said brace means to maintain said base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and said brace means providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and to said arm rests at a point thereonspaced from said apex whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 523,049 Miller July 17, 1894 2,113,145 Van Wyck Apr. 5, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 174,973 Switzerland June 17, 1935 660,904 France Feb. 26, 1929