US2753922A

US2753922A - Folding chairs

Info

Publication number: US2753922A
Application number: US358919A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles J Grimland
Original assignee: Thompson Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Thompson Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1953-06-01
Filing date: 1953-06-01
Publication date: 1956-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-10

Description

July 10, 1956 c. J. GRIMLAND FOLDING CHAIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1953 INVENTOR G /AELAS J GE/MLA/VD BY v ATTORNEY) C. J. GRIMLAND FOLDING CHAIRS July lb, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS FOLDING CHAIRS Charles J. Grimland, Temple, Tex., assignor t The Thompson Mfg. (10., Ada, kla., a corporation of Oklahoma Application June 1, 1953, Serial No. 358,919

15 Claims. (Cl. 155142) This invention relates to folding chairs and more particularly to such chairs of the all metal type.

In prior chairs of this general type numerous faults have been involved. For example, when the weight of the body or a substantial part of the weight is shifted back of the pivot point of the seat, the back of the seat will fold down a certain distance, thus rendering occupany of the chair relatively uncomfortable. Moreover, chairs of this general type when folded have been somewhat bulky and not flat and compact as they should be. Additionally, chairs of this general type are not provided with means for holding the parts locked, frictionally or otherwise, with the parts in the folded position so that the chair could be transported without its unfolding.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of folding chair which, when in use, will not have any tendency to fold due to the shifting of a substantial portion of the body weight back of the pivot point.

A further object is to provide novel means connected between the legs of the chair and the seat proper for guiding the elements of the chair between the folded and unfolded positions.

A further object is to provide such a chair wherein link means is provided between opposite sides of the seat and the front legs for the purpose of cooperatively moving the parts from unfolded to folded positions and to function in such a manner as to prevent any tendency for the chair to partially fold upon a shifting of a substantial part of the body weight back of the pivot.

A further object is to provide a chair of this character wherein the parts, when folded, are extremely compact with the legs in adjacent parallel relationship and with the seat proper arranged substantially Wholly within the legs forwardly and rearwardly thereof.

A further object is to provide novel means for holding the chair in the folded position against accidental unfolding, thus facilitating the transporting of the chair.

A further object is to provide novel pivot means for connecting the legs of the chair to each other and for connecting the rear legs to the seat proper so as to facilitate the compact folding of the elements.

A further object is to provide novel anti-skid feet for the chair to assist in preventing the chair elements from having any tendency to fold when the body weight is shifted back of the pivot.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the chair in the unfolded position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the mechanically inter-connected parts of the legs and seat showing the parts unfolded, parts being shown in section;

States Patent Figure 4 is a similar view showing the parts in the completely folded position;

Figure 5 is a reduced side elevation of the chair shown completely folded;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the links;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the link;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the upper end of a back leg of the chair;

Figure 11 is an elevation of the same at right angles to Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the same;

Figure 13 is an edge elevation of a seat supporting bracket;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of one of the legs and associated elements, parts being shown in elevation; and

Figure 15 is a detailed sectional view on the line 1515 of Figure 3.

Referring generally to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10 designates a seat proper for the chair suitably pressed preferably from sheet steel to form a seat surface 11 (Figure 2), and surrounding depending flanges, two of which are side flanges 12.

The seat is arranged between the supporting leg structures' therefor and such structures comprise a front leg unit indicated as a whole by the numeral 13 and a rear leg unit indicated as a whole by the numeral 14. The unit 13 is provided with a back rest indicated by the numeral 15 and preferably curved rearwardly of the plane of the front leg unit of the chair to provide a comfortable support for the back of the user. The back 15 is preferably formed of sheet steel or any other suitable metal and has the edge portion thereof at the sides and top curled as at 16 to form a continuous tube from end to end, this tube at the sides of the chair having substantially parallel portions 17 tightly fitted over the reduced ends 18 of the front legs 19 of the leg unit 13. These leg elements are preferably formed of tubular stock, and may be of steel or any other suitable material. The use of the unitary pressed and formed back 15 reduces the length of the relatively expensive tubing employed in the making of the chair.

The rear leg structure 14 comprises a pair of tubular leg elements 21. Referring to Figures 10, 11 and 12, it will be noted that the upper ends of the leg elements 21 are flattened as at 22 to provide spaced parallel walls closed at one side as at 23. The closure 23 forms a wall which is arcuate as at 24 (Figure 10). The are of this wall is concentric with respect to a center to be referred to.

A flat hinge element 26 (Figure 3) is provided with a shank portion 27 fitting between and welded to the side walls 22 of each leg 21 and is provided with an edge which fits the curved wall 23. The hinge element is provided with a second shank 28 at an acute angle relative to the shank 27 and this shank together with the upper end of the wall portions 22 is arranged within each front leg 19 in the manner shown in Figure 3. For the reception of these elements therewithin, each leg element 19 is slotted as at 29, and the shank 28 is pivotally connected to the leg 19 by a pin 30, the axis of which forms the center of the curved wall 23. Thus, this curved wall remains equidistantly spaced from the upper edge of the slot 29, and the gap between such end of the slot and the curved wall 23 may be maintained at a minimum. The pivot 30 (Figure 15) may be in the form of a semitubular rivet shouldered as at 31 for engagement with the shank 28 to assist in positioning this shank relative to the associated leg 19.

The plate 34 is arranged against each side flange 12 of the seat and is fixed thereto at opposite ends by suitable rivets or any other type of fastening elements 35. Each plate 34 is preferably formed of stamped relatively heavy sheet steel and is provided throughout the length of the top thereof, around the ends and partially therebeneath with a reinforcing and spacing flange 36 engaging against the side flange 12 of the seat.

The body of each plate 34 is maintained spaced from the adjacent seat flange 12 by means of the flanges 36, as shown in Figure 6. The lower edge of the body of the plate 34 intermediate the ends thereof is provided with a free edge 37 which is arcuate in shape as will be apparent from Figure 3, and terminates at its ends in recesses 38. The edge 37 is concentric with the axis of a pivot pin 39 carried by the plate 34 adjacent the top edge thereof as shown in Figure 3. A link 40 is connected at one end to each pivot pin 39 to be supported thereby relative to the plate 34. The opposite end of the link 40 is pivoted about a pin 41, Figure 6, carried by each front leg 19 and described in detail below.

The pin 41 is provided with a relatively reduced shank portion 42 extending through the leg 19 and riveted over as at 43 at the outer face of the leg 19. Adjacent the inner extremity of the leg 19, the pin 41 is provided with a tapered portion 44 engaging the leg 19 against a countersunk portion 45 thereof. Outwardly of the tapered portion 44 and spaced from the leg 19 the pin 41 is provided with an annular flange 46 beyond which is a cylindrical pin portion 47. At the inner extremity of such cylindrical portion, the pin 41 is provided with a second annular flange 48. The cylindrical portion 47 of the pin 41 lies in the plane of the body of the plate 34 and contacts with the semi-circular lower edge 37 thereof. The link 46 (Figure 6) is pivotally connected at one end to the pin 39, as stated, and is pivotally connected at its other end to the pin 41 between the flange 46 and the leg 19.

The devices referred to including the plate 34, link 40, etc. obviously are duplicated at opposite sides of the chair. The seat of the chair is pivotally supported with respect to the back legs 21 by means of brackets 50, one of which will be described. Such bracket is shown in Figures 3 and 4 and is shown in top edge plan in Figure 13. Each bracket 50 has an arcnate portion 51 seating against the inner side of the adjacent inner leg 21 and has its surface stamped inwardly to provide dimples 52 to facilitate the folding of the arcuate end 51 to the leg 21. The arcuate portion 51. of the bracket extends upwardly and terminates in an end 53 the forward edge 54 of which is inclined as shown in Figures 3 and 4 for a purpose to be described.

Each bracket 50 has a forwardly offset end 55 carrying a pivot pin 56 connected to the adjacent end of the associated plate 34. It will be apparent therefore that the seat is adapted to swing about the axis of the pins 56 between open and closed positions as will be further described below.

The upper edge of each bracket extension 55 is provided with a flattened portion 57, approximately perpendicular to the axis of the rear leg 21, and rearwardly of such edge 57, the top edge of the bracket extension 55 slopes relatively slightly downwardly as at 58. This is for the purpose of providing means for snapping the parts of the chair in folded position, the pin flange 46 .(Figure 6) sliding over the edge 57 and snapping downwardly therebehind along the edge portion 58 as will become more apparent below.

With the parts in folded position it is desirable to limit movement beyond the desired predetermined point, and to this end the sloping edge 54 of each bracket 50 is engageable with the adjacent edge of the link 40, as shown in Figure 4, when the chair is closed. To further assist in properly positioning the parts, each link 40 is provided in the normally lower edge thereof with a projection 61 (Figures 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9). This projection extends downwardly from the lower edge of the link and is offset laterally as shown in Figure 8. The projection 60, moreover, is curved away from the face of the link arcuately as at 61 (Figure 9) the radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of the adjacent front leg 19 to engage thereagainst during movement of the parts toward closed position.

As further described below, the mechanism referred to above takes into account the coefficient of friction between the legs of the chair and a supporting surface to assist in preventing a load on the rear edge portion of the seat from tending to fold the chair slightly away from its normal position, when occupied. To increase such coefficient of friction, each of the legs is provided with a novel tloor engaging element and a novel connection thereof with each of the legs. Referring to Figure 14 will be noted that each of the legs has its lower end reduced as at 65 and the lower extremity of each such reduced portion is swaged outwardly as at 66, the plane of the lower extremity of each leg being angled relative to the leg in accordance with the angular position which the leg will occupy relative to the floor. Each such reduced lower leg portion is provided with a foot indicated by the numeral 67 and preferably formed of rubber. Each foot has an upwardly extending sleeve portion 68 receiving the lower extremity of the associated leg and the opening within the sleeve portion 68 is shaped to receive the swaged lower edge of the leg. The bottom surface 69 of each foot is parallel to the plane of the lower swaged extremity of the leg, and within the lower extremity of the leg the foot is provided with a thickened portion 70, forming a section of a sphere, extending somewhat into the lower extremity of the leg. These feet are highly effective in use and are extremely long lasting, as further referred to below.

Operation When opened, the parts of the chair occupy the positions shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The pin portion 47 (Figure 6) will occupy the forward notch 38 as shown in Figure 3 and particular attention is invited to the fact that when the parts are in this position, the link 40 slopes upwardly and rearwardly at a substantial angle to a plane through the common axis of the pins 41 and the common axis of the pins 56. This is quite important in the functioning of the device to prevent partial folding of the seat when substantial body weight is placed on the rear edge thereof back of the pivot pins 56. Assuming that substantial weight is placed on the rear edge of the chair back of the pivot 56, there will be a tendency for the rear edge of the seat to swing downwardly, thus swinging the front edge of the chair upwardly. In most prior constructions this has resulted in a partial folding of the chair from its normal completely opened position with resultant discomfort to the person occupying the chair. Such operation is prevented by the present construction.

Application of a substantial weight on the seat 10 rearwardly of the pivot pins 56 will tend to swing the rear end of the seat downwardly and elevate the portions of the seat forwardly of the pivot pins 56. This tends to elevate the pins 39 connected to the rear ends of the links 40. If these links were substantially horizontal, upward movement of the pins 39 would exert a rearward pull on the links 40 and the horizontal component of movement of the pins 41 rearwardly would be infinitely small relative to the upward vertical movement of the pins 39. This would provide a lever ratio infinitely great, and the pins 41 would transmit a force to the lower ends of the legs 19 to move these legs partially rearwardly, thus resulting in partly folding the chain. However, by sloping the links 40 rearwardly and upwardly as shown in Figure 3, any tendency for the chair to partly fold under the conditions regreases:

ferred to will be prevented. Upward movement of the pivot pins 39 under such conditions would transmit to the pins 41 a force having a rearward component of movement which would be substantial in proportion to vertical movement of the pins 39, thus reducing the lever ratio tending to move rearwardly the lower ends of the legs 19. The coefficient of friction of the feet of the legs of the chair on the floor or other surrounding surface would be excessive with respect to the rearward forces transmitted to the lower ends of the legs 19, and rearward movement of the legs 19 would be prevented together with the preventing of any appreciable upward movement of the forward portion of the seat. Thus the construction shown eliminates any possibility that the chair will partially fold upon the placing of substantial weight on the seat rearwardly of the axis of the pivot pins 56.

The chair may be quickly and easily folded merely by grasping the top of the back 16 and pulling upwardly on the forward end of the seat while relieving pressure of the feet of thefront legs 19 on the floor. Upward movement of the seat will move the pivot pins 39 upwardly as the plates 34 swing with the seat. This exerts a rearward force on the legs 19, thus swinging the lower ends of the legs 19 rearwardly as the front end of the seat is elevated. The arcuate surfaces 37 of the plates 34 guide the pins 41 in their movement between the open and folded positions of the chairs as will be apparent. The pins 41 move out of the forward notches or recesses 38 and the pins swing downwardly around the arcuate edges 37 and thence upwardly and rearwardly into the rear recesses 38 when the seat reaches the folded position.

As the completely folded position is approached, the flanges 46 of the pins 41 will frictionally slide over the flattened upper edge 57 of the bracket extension 55 and after passing beyond such surface, will slightly snap downwardly over the relatively inclined edge portions 58. Thus the chair will be frictionally held in closed position against accidental opening and can be readily transported without any opening movement of the parts.

In the absence of any definite stop means, damage to the parts might occur if force is applied to the upper end portion of the seat at the fully folded position of the parts, tending to force the seat rearwardly. However, it will be noted that the brackets 50 are provided with the inclined edges 54 and these edges engage the rear lower edges of the links 40 when the folded positions of the parts are reached, thus positively limiting further movement of the seat and preventing any possible damage to the parts.

It will be noted that the links 40 occupy approximately the same angular position relative to the legs 19 in both the fully open and fully folded positions of the parts as will be apparent from a comparison of Figures 3 and 4. However, in an intermediate position while the parts are being folded, the links 40 will assume positions nearly parallel to the legs 19 and there is a possibility due to errors in exact manufacture and to mishandling of the parts, for the links 40 to tend to swing over at the tops so that the pins 39 will swing forwardly relatively to the center lines through the legs 19. The projection 60 provided on each link 40 prevents such inadvertent operation from taking place. When the intermediate position of the parts referred to is reached in which the links 40 are approximately parallel to the legs 19, the curvature 61 of the projections 60 will engage and fit the curved surfaces of the legs 19 to prevent any inadvertent operation of the character referred to, namely, the over swinging of the upper ends of the link 40. Thus, the folding operation is caused positively to take place in a proper manner.

Because the curvature 24 (Figure 10) is concentric with the axis of each associated pin 30, a constant gap will remain between the curved wall 23 and the upper extremity of the slot 29. This gap accordingly may be minimized as much as desired so as to be hardly noticeable. It also will be apparent that the width of the slot 29 need be only slightly greater than the space between the remote faces of the walls 22 (Figure 11). In this connection, attention is invited to Figure 15 wherein the hinge member 28 is shown in engagement with the shoulder of the associated rivet 30. In the making of the chair, assuming that the bottom of Figure 15 represents the inner side of the associated leg 19, the upper ends of the legs 22 will be initially formed to provide a very slight inclination of these legs toward each other at their upper ends. Therefore, the upper extremities of the legs 21 and their associated hinged members 28 necessarily will have to be sprung apart to be inserted through the slots 29 and this springing retains in the legs 21 a degree of resiliency necessary for seating the hinge members 28 against the shoulders 31, thus maintaining the walls 22 (Figure 11) centered in the slots 29 without rubbing or chafing against the side edges of these slots.

The formation of the back 15 of a single sheet of material is highly advantageous from the standpoint of economy in manufacture and comfort in the use of the chair. As shown in Figure 2, the tubular formation 16 at the center of the back of the chair curves backwardly, and the center of the back 15 therebelow also curves rearwardly. This provides an extremely comfortable back rest formed of a single sheet of material and the making of the legs 19 requires only straight sections of tubing which need not be bent, the upper ends of the tubing being slightly reduced to be inserted in the tubular formations 17, as shown in Figure 14. This not only eliminates the bending of tubing to form the back of the chair, but also reduces the amount required of the relatively expensive tubing in the making of the chair.

The particular formation of the feet 67 and their relationship to the lower ends of the legs of the chair also are important. The rubber or similar feet 67 are formed with recesses in their upper ends shaped to correspond to the formation of the lower ends of the legs to which they are to be connected. The sleeve portions 68 readily may be expanded for forcing the feet into position on the legs, and the swaged lower ends 66 of the legs will come to rest as shown in Figure 14, with the dome-like protrusion 71 projecting upwardly somewhat into the lower extremity of each leg. This protrusion tends to center the lower ends of the feet on the legs, thus tending to eliminate any undue force being applied against an edge portion of the swaged extremity of the legs. This tends to prevent in turn any biting of a lower edge of either leg into the rubber of the feet. When the chair is supporting the weight of a person, the rubber at the bottom of each foot will be subject to vertical forces which tend to deform the rubber of the bottom of each leg radially outwardly, thus relieving any cutting forces between each leg and the associated swaged end 66. Each bottom surface 69 is designed to have an angle to the axis of its associated leg corresponding to the angle between the supporting surface and the axis of such leg, and accordingly each surface 69 will rest flat upon the supporting surface as shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that the lower end of each leg is reduced in diameter to be received in the associated foot 67, and the external diameter of each foot corresponds to that of the associated leg, there being no radially outwardly projecting portions of the feet beyond the cylindrical surfaces of the legs. Thus, the bottom ends of the legs may be brought flat together as shown in Figure 5, the formation of the feet thus assisting in facilitating the fiat folding of the chair.

In this connection it will be noted that the oifsetting of the pivot pins 30 and 56 relative to the rear legs 21 also facilitates the fiat folding of the legs. These pivot pins are so located that the legs, when folded, will move into close proximity and even into actual engagement with each other as shown in Figure 4. Accordingly, the chair folds with extreme compactness. The rearward curvature of the back 15 permits this back to be extended downwardly beyond what will be the upper extremity of the seat when the chair is folded, and such upper extremity of the seat will be received in the curved portion of the chair back 15, as suggested in Figure 5.

The mechanism disclosed embodies the invention in a preferred form, but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitive. The invention is defined in the appended claims.

i claim:

1. A folding chair comprising pairs of front and rear legs pivotally connected on a common axis spaced from the lower ends thereof, a seat arranged between the legs at each side of the chair and pivotally connected to the rear legs on a common axis for the upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, a pin carried by each front leg and projecting inwardly therefrom, a link arranged adjacent each side of said seat, each link being pivotally connected at its rear end to said seat and at its front end to the associated pin, and means carried by said seat and engaging both of said pins to limit downward swinging movement of the forward portion of said seat.

2. A folding chair comprising pairs of front and rear legs pivotally connected on a common axis spaced from the lower ends thereof, a seat arranged between the legs at each side of the chair and pivotally connected to the rear legs on a common axis for the upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, a pin carried by each front leg and projecting inwardly therefrom, a link arranged adjacent each side of said seat, each link being pivotally connected at its rear end to said seat and at its front end to the associated pin, and means carried by said seat and engaging both of said pins to limit downward swinging movement of the forward portion of said seat, said links, when said means is in engagement with said pins, sloping upwardly and rearwardly at a substantial angle to a plane passing through the axis of said pins and through the common pivotal axis between said seat and said rear legs, whereby any upward swinging of said seat from such position will raise the rear ends of said links and transmit to said pins a movement having a substantial rearward component in said plane.

3. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs forming spaced side pairs of legs which converge upwardly, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about a common axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs, pivot pins connecting the sides of said seat with respect to said rear legs at a point below said common axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a generally downwardly opening recess receiving the associated coaxial pin to limit downward movement of the forward portion of said seat to an operative position, and a link pivotally connected at its rear end to each plate and at its forward end to one of said coaxial pins whereby, upon upward swinging movement of the forward portion of said seat, said links will transmit force to said front legs to move them rearwardly toward a folded position.

4. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs forming spaced side pairs of legs which converge upwardly, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about a common axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs, pivot pins connecting the sides of said seat with respect to said rear legs at a point below said common axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a generally downwardly opening recess receiving the associated coaxial pin to limit downward movement of the forward portion of said seat to an operative position, and a link pivotally connected at its rear end to each plate and at its forward end to one of said coaxial pins whereby, upon upward swinging movement of the forward portion of said seat, said links will transmit force to said front legs to move them rearwardly toward a folded position, each late having a lower arcuate edge concentric with the axis of the pivotal connection of the associated link with such plate, the forward extremity of each arcuate edge forming a part of the associated recess.

5. A folding chair constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said links, when said coaxial pins are in said recesses, slope upwardly and rearwardly at a substantial angle to a plane through the axis of said coaxial pins and through the axis of pivotal connection of said seat with said rear legs whereby upon upward movement of the forward portion of the seat, the rear ends of said links will move upwardly and impart to said coaxial pins a movement having a substanial component rearwardly in said plane.

6. A folding chair comprising a pair of normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined front legs and a pair of normally upwardly and forwardly inclined rear legs forming side pairs of legs, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about an axis spaced substantiaily above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged bctween said side pairs of legs and provided with side flanges, pivot pins having a common axis connecting each such side flange with respect to the adjacent rear leg at a point spaced below said first named axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate adjacent each side flange, each plate having a substantially vertical body portion and an edge flange turned toward and seating against the adjacent side flange whereby the body of each plate is spaced from the adjacent side flange, the body of each plate having spaced recesses for respectively receiving said coaxial pins in a normal unfolded position of said seat and in a folded position of said seat when the latter is swung upwardly, and means for transmitting movement from said plates to said front legs to swing the lower ends of the latter inwardly toward said rear legs when the forward portion of said seat is raised, said side plates being engageable with said coaxial pins to limit swinging movement .of said seat at a lower normal position.

7. A folding chair comprising a pair of normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined front legs and a pair of :normally upwardly and forwardly inclined rear legs forming side pairs of legs, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about an axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between saidside pairs of legs and provided with side flanges, pivot pins having a common axis connecting each such side flange with respect to the adjacent rear leg at a point spaced below said first named axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate adjacent each side flange, each plate having a substantially vertical body portion and an edge flange turned toward and seating against the adjacent side flange whereby the body of each plate is spaced from the adjacent side flange, the body of each plate having spaced recesses for respectively receiving said coaxial pins in a normal unfolded position of said seat and in a folded position of said seat when the latter is swung upwardly, and links connected between said plates and said coaxial pins for swinging the lower ends of said front legs rearwardly toward said rear legs when the forward portion of said seat is raised.

8. A folding chair comprising a pair of normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined front legs and a pair of normally upwardly and forwardly inclined rear legs forming side pairs of legs, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about an axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs and provided with side flanges, pivot pins having a common axis connecting each such side flange with respect to the adjacent rear leg at a point spaced below said first named axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate adjacent each side flange, each plate having a substantially vertical body portion and an edge flange turned toward and seating against the adjacent side flange whereby the body of each plate is spaced from the adjacent side flange, the body of each plate having spaced downwardly opening recesses for respectively receiving said coaxial pins in a normal unfolded position of said seat and 'in a folded position of said seat when the latter is swung upwardly, and a link pivotally connected to each coaxial pin and pivotally connected rearwardly of such pin with the associated plate, said links, when said seat is in a normal unfolded position, extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle to a plane through the axis of said coaxial pins and through said common axis, whereby downward force on said seat rearwardly of said common axis, in elevating the rear ends of said links will initially transmit movement to said coaxial pins having a substantial rearward component of movement in said plane.

9. A folding chair comprising a pair of normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined front legs and a pair of normally upwardly and forwardly inclined rear legs forming side pairs of legs, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about an axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs and provided with side flanges, pivot pins having a common axis connecting each such side flange with respect to the adjacent rear leg at a point spaced below said first named axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate adjacent each side flange, each plate having a substantially vertical body portion and an edge flange turned toward and seating against the adjacent side flange whereby the body of each plate is spaced from the adjacent side flange, the body of each plate having spaced recesses for respectively receiving said coaxial pins in a normal unfolded position of said seat and in a folded position of said seat when the latter is swung upwardly, a link pivotally connected at its forward end to each of said coaxial pins, pivot pins connecting the rear ends of said links to said plates, such pivot pins having a common axis which, when said seat is in a normal unfolded position, lies substantially above a plane through the axis of said coaxial pins and through said first named common axis, the body of each plate having a lower arcuate edge concentric with the common axis of said pivot pins.

10. A folding chair comprising a pair of spaced front legs normally sloping upwardly and rearwardly and a pair of spaced rear legs normally sloping upwardly and forwardly, said legs forming spaced pairs of side legs pivotally connected to each other for swinging movement on an axis spaced substantially above the lower ends of said legs, a seat having a normally substantially horizontal position between said side pairs of legs, said seat being pivotally connected to said rear legs for turning movement on a common horizontal axis below the pivotal connection of the legs of said side pairs to each other, there being a back connected between the upper ends of the front legs, said seat in its normal position, extending rearwardly of its pivotal connection with said rear legs whereby, when the seat is occupied there can be substantial weight placed on said seat rearwardly of its axis of pivotal connection with said rear legs, a pair of coaxial pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a recess receiving the associated coaxial pin to limit downward movement of the forward portion of the seat in its normal position, anti-friction feet car ried by the lower ends of said legs and engageable with a supporting surface, and a link connected at its forward end to each of said coaxial pins and at its rear end to the adjacent plate, said links, in the normal position of said seat, sloping upwardly and rearwardly at an angle to a plane through the axis of said pins and through the axis of the pivotal connection of said seat with said rear legs whereby, when the rear ends of said links are moved upwardly incident to upward movement of the forward portion of said seat, said links will transmit to said pins a force having a component in said plane which is less than the coefiicient of friction of said feet on the supporting surface.

11. A folding chair comprising pairs of front and rear legs pivotally connected on a common axis spaced from the lower ends thereof, a seat arranged between the legs at each side of the chair and pivotally connected to the rear legs on a common axis for the upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat, a pin carried by each front leg and projecting inwardly therefrom, a link arranged adjacent each side of said seat, each link being pivotally connected at its rear end to said seat and at its front end to the associated pin, means carried by said seat and engaging both of said pins to limit downward swinging movement of the forward portion of said seat, said seat being movable upwardly and the lower ends of said front legs being movable inwardly through the operation of said links to assume folded positions, and means carried by said rear legs and engaging said links to limit swinging movement of said seat to folded position.

12. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs forming spaced side pairs of legs which converge upwardly, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about a common axis spaced above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs, a bracket carried by each rear leg, coaxial pivot pins connecting the sides of said seat to the respective brackets at a point below said first named pivot means for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat from a forwardly projecting normal position to an upper folded position, coaxial stop pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a generally downwardly opening recess receiving the associated stop pin to limit downward movement of said seat, and a link pivotally connected at its rear end to each plate and at its forward end to one of said stop pins whereby, upon upward swinging movement of said seat, said links will transmit a force to said front legs to move them rearwardly toward a folded position, said stop pins being arranged in said recess when said seat is in normal position, each of said brackets havmg a portion engageable with one of said links to limit movement thereof to the folded position of said seat.

l3. A folding chair constructed in accordance with clalm 12 wherein each link is provided with a projection intermediate its ends engageable with the associated front leg to limit swinging movement of the links with respect to said legs during folding movement of said seat.

14. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs forming spaced side pairs of legs which converge upwardly, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about a common axis spaced above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs, a bracket carried by each rear leg, coaxial pivot pins connecting the sides of said seat to the respective brackets at a point below said first named pivot means for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat from a forwardly projecting normal position to an upper folded position, coaxial stop pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a generally downwardly opening recess receiving the associated stop pin to limit downward movement of said seat, and a link pivotally connected at its rear end to each plate and at its forward end to one of said stop pins whereby, upon upward swinging movement of said seat, said links will transmit a force to said front legs to move them rearwardly toward a folded position, said stop pins being arranged in said recess when said seat is in normal position, the forward ends of said links being movable over portions of said brackets as the folded positions of the parts are reached to be frictionally held thereby in such folded positions.

15. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs forming spaced side pairs of legs which converge upwardly, means connecting the legs of each side pair for pivotal movement about a common axis spaced above the lower ends of said legs, a seat arranged between said side pairs of legs, a bracket carried by each rear leg, coaxial pivot pins connecting the sides of said seat to the respective brackets at a point below said common axis for upward swinging of the forward portion of said seat from a forwardly projecting normal position to an upper folded position, coaxial stop pins each carried by one of said front legs and projecting inwardly therefrom, a plate carried by each side of said seat and having a generally downwardly opening recess receiving the associated stop pin to limit downward movement of said seat, and a link pivotally connected at its rear end to each plate and at its forward end to one of said stop pins whereby, upon upward swinging movement of said seat, said links will transmit a force to said front legs to move them rearwardly toward a folded position, said stop pins being arranged in said recess when said seat is in normal position, each bracket having a forward upper edge portion substantially perpendicular to the axis of the associated rear leg and an upper edge portion rearwardly of said first named edge portion sloping slightly downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the lower edges of the forward portions of said links being movable over and in frictional engagement with the first named upper edge portions of said brackets and thence rearwardly therebeyond to folded position of the parts to maintain the parts in folded positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,638,879 Rastetter Aug. 16, 192'! 1,813,653 Alder et al July 7, 1931 2,211,289 Orton Aug. 13, 1940 2,238,817 Morgan et al Apr. 15, 1941 2,509,107 OConnor May 23, 1950 2,629,429 'Baumfeld et al Feb. 24, 1953 2,652,098 Nordrnark Sept. 15, 1953 2,654,419 Nordmark Oct. 6, 1953