US2728841A - Heater footstool - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27. 1955 D. w. WHITLOCK HEATER FOOTSTOOL Filed Aug. 16, 1954 35 45 46 13 37 0 1 16.8. 1: o Q Q I .31 N 4 31!: 34c 11 70 K33 "wdw FIG. 6.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent HEATER FOGTSTOOL Dean W. Whitlock, Rising Sun, Ind. Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,060 7 Claims. (Cl. 219-19) This invention relates to a heater footstool, in other words to a footstool which incorporates a heating element so that the feet of the user resting on the footstool will be warmed.

It is well known in medical circles that a large percentage of people above middle age suffer from peripheral circulatory deficiency with the result that such people continually suffer from cold feet and hands. It is of course possible to warm the feet by sitting in front of a fire but the temperature in front of a fireplace varies and it is inconvenient to have to shift ones chair to compensate for changes in temperature.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a footstool in which a heating element is incorporated so that the user may sit in a comfortable chair with his feet on the footstool and the feet will be warmed to any desired constant temperature.

It is an other object of the invention to provide a device as outlined above which will be entirely safe so that there is no danger from fire either by ignition of the footstool itself or the upholstery thereof or the floor or rug upon which the footstool rests.

These and other objects of the invention which I shall disclose in greater detail hereinafter or which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now disclose certain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the drawing forming a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a heater footstool according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the same as seen from the right end of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the top member to the same scale of Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the grille member on a greatly enlarged scale.

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram of one embodiment, and

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram of another embodiment.

Briefly, in the practice of my invention I provide a footstool of generally conventional appearance. The footstool may be made of the finest wood, such as walnut or mahogany and may be upholstered in fine leather or plastic material or fabric, as desired, so that the device may be made to fit with any decorative scheme desired. It will of course be understood that the device may be made in the cheapest possible manner of sheet metal construction and upholstered with inexpensive materials so that it may be produced for the mass market as well as for the luxury trade. A portion of the top of the footstool will be in the form of an ornamental grille and under the grille within the stool there is provided an electrical heating element and a chimney structure and other safety structure which will be described in greater detail.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, the general appearance of the footstool may be as shown in Figures l to 3. It will of course be understood that the specific configuration or style is not a limitation upon the present invention so that the showing of the footstool itself may be considered to be exemplary only. In the particular embodiment shown, the footstool has four leg members 10 which are connected together by lower longitudinal rails 11 and lower transverse rails 12, upper longitudinal rails 13 and upper transverse rails 14. The top member is indicated generally at 15 and carries a grille member 16 through which heated air may issue. The device is connected to an electrical outlet by means of the plug 17 and cord 18 and a control member 19 is provided at one end of the stool.

In the particular embodiment shown, the top member is separate and as best seen in Figures 4, 5, and 6, it comprises the longitudinal rail members 20 and transverse rail members 21. Within the framework constituted by the members 29 and 21 there is provided a supplementary frame, best seen in Figure 6, comprising the members 22 and 23. Between the members 21 and 22 the upholstery material 24, with suitable padding 25, is provided. The top member is secured to the framework constituted by the rails 13 and 14, in conventional manner. Generally speaking, in the structure of the footstool conventional cabinet making practices may be observed.

Extending between the members 22 and in the particular embodiment shown, extending across the entire width of the stool, is the grille 16. From Figures 4 and 5 it will be noted that the frame members 22 and 23 are covered with a heat insulating material such as asbestos, as indicated at 22a and 23a. The grille 16 is therefore in sulated from the rails 22 and 23. The grille itself may be of any desired ornamental or decorative appearance, as for example as shown in detail in Figure 7.

A supporting structure for the heating element and the flue is provided within the footstool. In the particular embodiment illustrated, there are provided two bars 30 disposed in spaced relation, extending between the lower rails 11 and secured thereto. A screen member 31 rests on the bars 30 and a transverse supporting bar 32 extends between the bars 30 and is secured thereto by the bolts 33. Insulating blocks 32a are provided to insulate the member 32 from the screen and the members 30. The heating element indicated generally at 34 is secured to the transverse rail member 32 by means of a bolt 35 and it is insulated from the bar 32 by means of a piece of heat insulating material 36.

The heating element which I have indicated generally at 35 does not itself form a part of the invention but it may comprise conventional electrical resistance wire seated in grooves in a ceramic piece.

A flue member 37 rests on the screen member 31 around the heating element 34 and extends upwardly into the space between the frame members 22 and 23. In the particular embodiment shown, the fiue member is cylindrical and its external diameter is such that it is snugly retained within the square space defined by the inner surface of the members 22 and 23. The flue member 37 is made from some fireproof material such as asbestos material or the like.

In order that the radiant heat from the heating element 34 not impinge directly upon the feet of the user, I prefer to provide a bafile member 38 mounted by means of wires 39 and 40 on the flue member 37. The member 38 is preferably substantially of the same size and configuration of the heating element so that the direct radiant rays are shielded and so that convection currents will be established around the bafile.

Beneath the supporting structure for the flue and the heating element I provide a-tray 41 of fireproof material. This may be .a ceramic shingle material or the like. The tray 41 is secured to the lower rail members 11 as seen in Figure 5. Preferably the tray member 41 will be covered with .a layer 42 of metallic'foil. The dimensions of the tray 41 will be such that it extends in all directions beyond the vertical projection of the flue, so that if a piece of paper .or the like :should fall through the grille 16 and be .ignited by the heatiugelement 34 and fall through the screen member 31, it cannot fall upon the floor or the rug but will he caught on the tray 41.

With the structure as described and with the heating element energized by electric current, a convection current is set up following the lines of the arrows of Figure 4. Air ,is drawn in between the tray 41 and the flue 3'7 and is heated by the heating element and flows upwardly through the hue and around the bafile 38 and through the grille 16. The battle 33 permits this convection flow while shielding the feetof the user from direct radiation.

In Figure 8 I have indicated diagrammatically the heating element .34 and a thermostatic element 45 together with a control knob 46 by means of which the thermostatic element can be set to maintain any desired temperature. In Figure 9 l have shownan arrangement where the heating element comprises, for example, three elements 34a, 34b, 34c, and wherein a sector type of switch d7 may be employed toenergize any number of the elements concurrently to provide a desired amount of heat.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple heater footstool so that the feet of the user may be warmed while resting in a comfortable position. It will further have been observed that the structure is fireproof so that there is no danger of setting on fire either the footstool itself or -a .fioor or floor covering thereunder.

It will be understood that numerous modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not intend to limit myself otherwise thanas set forth in the claims which .follow.

Having now fully described my invention, .what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a footstool having a frameworkcomprising lower rails .and upper rails secured to leg members, supporting means associated with said lower rails, an electrical heating .element secured to, and insulated from, said supporting means, a flue member of fireproof material resting on said supporting means and surrounding said :heating element, means associated with said upper rails for snugly retaining Ithe .upper end of said flue ,member, a grille secured to said upper rails over said flue .member and insulated from said rails, a tray member of fireproof material beneath said supporting means and heating element andoverlappingthe vertical projection .of said flue member in all directions, and means tor connecting said heating element to an electrical outlet.

2. In a footstool according to claim 1 a bafiledisposed in said flue, said baffle being of such size and configuration that its vertical projection is at .leastcoextensive with said heating element.

3. A footstool according to claim l, wherein thermostatic means are provided to control the temperature of said heating element. 7

-4. A footstool according to claim 1 in which said flue is cylindrical and said heating element and baffie are circular.

5. A footstool according to claim 1, wherein said tray is covered with a layer of metallic foil.

6. In a footstool having a framework comprising lower rails and upper rails secured to leg members, supporting bars secured to and extending between opposed lower rails in spaced relation, 21 flue supporting screen member supported on said supporting bars, a transverse support ing bar secured to and extending between said first named supporting bars substantially medially thereof, heat insulating pieces disposed between said transverse supporting bar and said first named supporting bars, an electrical heating element secured to said transverse supporting bar substantially medially thereof, an insulating piece between said heating element and said transverse supporting bar, a flue member of fireproof material resting on said screen member and surrounding said heating element, means associated with said upper rails for snugly retaining the upper end ofsaid flue member, a grille secured to said upper rails over said flue member, heat insulating material between said grille and said .upper rails, a tray member of fireproof material beneath said first named supporting barsand heating element and overlapping'the vertical projection of said flue member in all directions, and means for connecting said heating element to an electrical outlet.

7. In afootstool having a framework comprising lower rails and upper rails secured .to leg members, a supplementary frame secured to said upper rails and defining internally a square, supporting bars secured to and extending between opposed lower rails in spaced relation, a

flue supporting screen member supported on said supporting bars, a transverse supporting bar secured to and extending between said first named supporting bars substantially medially thereof, heat insulating pieces disposed between said transverse supporting bar and said first named supporting bars, an electrical heating .element secured to said transverse supporting bar substantially mediallythereof, an insulating piece between said heating element and said transverse supporting bar, a cylindrical flue member of fireproof material resting on said screen member, surrounding said heating element, and extending snugly into the square defined .by said supplementary frame, a baffle disposed within said flue member on the axis thereof and of .a size such that its vertical projection is substantially coextensive with said heating element, a grille secured to said supplementary frame .over said flue member, heat insulating material between said grille and said supplementary frame, a tray member of fireproof material beneath said first .named supporting bars and heating element and overlapping the vertical projection of said flue member in .all directions, said tray member :being covered with a layer of metallic foil, means for controlling the temperature ,produced by saidheating element, and meansfor,connectingsaid heatingelement-to an electrical outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,800 Blurne Dec. 30, '1924 1,534,221 Kercher et al. Apr. 21, 1925 1,566,986 Simmons Dec. 22, 1925 2,471,221 Lindstrom May 24,1949 2,485,880 Hawkins Oct. 25,1949 2,525-850 Andersen Oct. 17, 1950

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