US2767776A

US2767776A - Folding chair

Info

Publication number: US2767776A
Application number: US536894A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald K Allen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-09-27
Filing date: 1955-09-27
Publication date: 1956-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1973-10-23

Description

Oct. 23, 1956 D. K. ALLEN FOLDING CHAIR E'iled Sept. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Deva/a K AV/en 5M v 14 TTORNEK Oct. 23, 1956 ALLEN 2,767,776

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Sept. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5074/0 K flfle/f United States Patent FOLDING CHAIR Donald K. Allen, Kansas City, Kans.

Application September 27, 1955, Serial No. 536,894

6 Claims. (Cl. 155-148) This invention relates to folding chairs and refers particularly to a folding bridge or utility chair which is completely collapsible upon itself to occupy a minimum volume of storage space.

Previously, many types of folding chairs have been provided for home and general seating purposes in auditoriums and other places of entertainment. The main objection to these conventional types of folding chairs in both their home and professional use is that, despite their relative collapsibility compared to non-collapsible chairs, they, nevertheless, take up too much storage space and the partially collapsed frames contain too much dead air volume. Storage space is at a premium in modem-day small houses and apartments as well as in public entertainment places. Additionally, the existing conventional types of folding chairs are not convenient for insertion into auto trunks for transportation to picnic spots and the like due to, again, the incomplete folding of the chair frame in its collapsed position.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight, compact, attractive, folding utility or bridge chair which has a completely collapsible frame which, in collapsed position, takes up a minimum of storage space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a completely collapsible folding utility or bridge chair which may be easily and conveniently stored on closet shelves, in car trunks or may be hung on closet walls or doors. 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide a folding utility or bridge chair which is completely collapsible upon itself, is strong, has a dependable, simple folding and unfolding operation, is highly portable and nestable with a plurality of folded like chairs for multiple storage thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a completely collapsible folding utility or bridge chair which may be stored in either a flat or erect position when collapsed without either the back or seat portion contacting the floor.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith, there is shown an embodiment of the invention and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicated like parts.

Fig. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of the inventive chair in erect assembled position.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the inventive folding chair in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the inventive chair of Fig. 1 in erect position.

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional elevation of the inventive chair illustrating an intermediate stage in either the folding or unfolding process thereof.

Fig. 6 is a side sectional elevation of the inventive fold- -ting chair just before it is in a completely folded position or just after the unfolding process is begun, illustrating the positions of the various parts.

Referring to the drawings, the structure of the chair itself will be first described and then the operation and motion of the parts relative one another in the folding and unfolding process.

The inventive folding chair has a pair of front legs 10 rigidly attached to a crossarm 11 at their upper ends. 'For convenience of manufacture of the chair, an inverted U-frame may be employed to form the front legs 10 and their crossarm 11. The chair also has a pair of rear legs 12 rigidly attached to a crossarm 13 at their upper ends. Again, an inverted U-frame may be employed to provide the rear legs 12 and crossarm 13. The front leg U-frame is preferably of greater Width than the rear leg U-frame so as to fold thereover when the chair is collapsed. The front 10 and rear 12 legs are angled outwardly at their bases in assembled side view of the chair to provide a stable sitting base therefor. A U-frame having a crossarm 14 and rearwardly extending legs 15 :is rotatably fastened by clip 16 to the front leg crossarm to form a seat base. The seat base U-frame is preferably of essentially the same width as the front leg U-frame. The seat base U-frame lies essentially horizontally in the assembled side view of the chair. The chair back is preferably formed of another U-frame having crossarm 17 and legs 18. The back U-frame is rotatably fixed at its free lower ends by bolts 18a to the rear legs below their crossarm 13 and also to the free rearwardly extending ends of the seat base U-frame 15 by bolts 15a above its connection to the rear legs 12. The back U-frame is preferably of greater width than the seat base and front leg U-frarnes. The inner sides [of the legs 18 of the back U-frame are attached to the outer sides of the rear legs 12 and the outer sides of the legs 15 of the seat base U-frame are fixed to the inner sides of the back U-frame legs 18. Rotatable positioners 19 are fixed between the rear legs 12 and the ends of the back U-frame by bolts 18a to compensate for the width differences therebetween. In assembled side view of the chair, the back U-frame angles rearwardly from the vertical to provide a leaning rest. Back shield 20 is preferably mounted relative crossarm 17 of the back U-frame to provide a rest thereon. A pair of linkages 21 connect the front legs 10 below their crossarm 11 with the interconnection of the back U-frame with the rear legs. Bolts 21a engage the front ends of linkages 21 with front legs 10 and bolts 18a engage the rear ends of the linkages. The linkages 21 attach the outer sides of the front legs 10 to the outer sides of the back U-frame legs 18 at the aforementioned rotatable connection with the rear legs 12. The linkages 21 assume an essentially horizontal position in the assembled side view of the chair and carry a portion of the lateral loads thereof. A seat plate 22 is connected to-the seat base U-frame by a pair of pivoted arms 23. Arms 23 are attached to the underside of the seat plate at flange 24 by bolts 24a and to the insides of the seat base U-frame legs 15 by bolts 25. The seat plate 22 is essentially the same width as the seat base U-frame crossarm 14 and the front leg crossarm 11. The seat plate 22 rotatably engages the rear leg crossarm 13 by depending flanges 26 from the lower side thereof. Flanges 26 are positioned between the rear legs 12 so as to clear the rearward extension of the seat base U-frame legs 15 as they move back and forth during the folding and unfolding of the chair. Seat plate 22 also has turned under flange 27 at the rear end thereof whereby to engage the ends of the seat base U-frame legs 15 when the chair is in erect assembled 7 position. Flange 27 may be formed by the bending under of the rear edge of seat plate 22, if such is desired. Flange 27 receives and abuts the ends of the seat base U-frame legs 15 when the chair is in assembled position. Seat plate 22 lies on top of the seat base U-frame and in an essentially horizontal position when the chair is in assembled position. Cushioned seat 28 may be fixed to the upper surface of seat plate 22.

In operation, to close or collapse the folding chair from the position as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the front of the seat plate 22 is grasped with one hand and the back crossarm 17 with the other. The front of the seat plate 22 is lifted against a counterforce with the other hand against the back crossarm 17. This action rotates the front of the seat plate 22 up over the arc of the pivotal arms 23 attaching it to the seat base U-frame legs 15 and the seat plate 22 may then be shoved rearwardly, thus clearing the depending seat base U-frame leg receiving flange 27 from the seat base U-frame leg ends 15. The front edge of the seat plate 22 is then pushed backwardly and the back U-frame crossarm 17 is pushed forwardly simultaneously roughly parallel one another whereby the back legs 18 rotate about their connection with the seat base U-frame legs 15 towards the seat plate 22. The rear legs 12 rotate inwardly in side view around their connection with the lower ends of the back U-frame legs 18 and linkages 21. Rear legs 12 also rotate inwardly in side view relative the underside of the seat plate 22 through the flange 26 connection with the rear leg crossarm 13. The front legs 10 rotate inwardly in side view relative the seat base U-frame legs 15 through the clip 16 connection to the seat base U-frame crossarm 14, and also relative linkages 21 through the connections therewith. Seat plate 22 moves rearwardly over the arc of pivoted arms 23 relative the seat base U-frame legs 15 and the seat plate 22 and seat 28 pass under the back rest shield 20.

Referring to Figs. and 6, as well as Fig. 2, the chair, in folded position, may be described as follows: The rear legs 12 are folded between the front legs 11. The seat base U-frame overlies the front leg U-frame. The back U-frame is outside of and partly overlying the seat base U-frame. The seat plate 22 and seat 28 are between the back legs 18 and overlying the seat base U-frame. In Fig. 2 the lower linkage 21 is disconnected from the front leg to better show the interrelationship of the parts in folded position.

To open the inventive folding chair from the folded position, the back cross arm 17 is separated from the seat base U-frame crossarm 14. The operator reaches therebetween and seizes the front of seat plate 22 and seat 28. The seat plate 22 is pulled forwardly while the back cross arm 14 is pushed rearwardly. The back U-frame rotates in side view around the connection with the seat base U-frame leg ends away from the seat base U-frame. The front legs 10, under the impetus of the linkages 21, rotate through the clip 16 connection away from the seat base U-frame. The rear legs 12 rotate around the back U-frame and linkage 21 connection as the seat 22 is pulled through away from the seat base U-frame. The seat plate 22 moves forwardly over the arc of the pivotal arms 23 relative the seat base U-frame and the downwardly depending rear flange 27 thereon engages the end of the legs of the seat base U-frarne as the chair comes into assembled position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to 4 be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs rigidly attached to a crossarm at their upper ends, a pair of rear legs rigidly attached to a crossarm at their upper ends, a U-frame rotatably fastened at it closed end to the crossarm of the front legs, a U-shaped back rotatably fixed at its free lower ends to the rear legs below their crossarm and to the free rearwardly extending ends of the U-frame above its free lower ends, linkages connecting the front legs below their crossarrn and the connections of the U-shaped back with the rear legs, a seat plate positioned above the U-frame and connected to the side arms thereof by a pair of pivoted arms attached at one end to the bottom of the seat and at the other to the U-frame, said seat having a turned under flange at the rear end thereof whereby to engage the ends of the arms of the U-frame and a fitting fixed to the underside thereof whereby to rotatably receive the crossarrn of the rear legs.

2. A folding chair comprising a U-frame defining a pair of front legs in inverted position, a U-frame defining a pair of rear legs in inverted position, a U-frame seat base rotatably fastened at its closed end to the crossarm of the front leg U-frame, an inverted U-frame defining a chair back rotatably fixed at its free ends to the rear leg U-frame below the crossarm thereof and to the rear ends of the seat base U-frarne above its free ends, a pair of linkages connecting the front leg U-frame below its crossarm to the interconnection of the rear leg and the back U-frames, a seat plate connected to the side arms of the seat base U-frame by a pair of pivoted arms attached at one end to the bottom of the seat and at the other to the seat base U-frame arms, said seat having a turned under flange at the rear end thereof whereby to engage the ends of the arms of the seat base U-frame and a fitting fixed to the underside thereof whereby to rotatably re ceive the crossarm of the rear leg U-frame.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the front leg U-frarne is of greater width than the rear leg U-frame so as to fold thereover, the seat base U-frame is essentially the same width as the front leg U-frame, the back U-frame is of greater width than hte seat base and front leg U-frames, rotatable positioners are fixed between the back U-frame and rear leg U-frame at the connection thereof to compensate for the width difference therebetween and the seat is essentially the same width as the seat base and front leg U-frames.

4, A folding chair comprising an inverted U-frame defining a pair of front legs, an inverted U-frame defining a pair of rear legs, a U-frame seat base rotatably fastened to the front leg crossarni, the free ends thereof extending rearwardly, a U-frarne forming a back with its closed end and having its free ends rotatably fixed to the outer sides of the rear legs below the crossarm thereof, the free ends of the seat base U-frame attached to the inner sides of the U-frame back above its connection to the rear legs, linkages attaching the outer sides of the front legs below the crossarrn to the outer sides of the back U- arm at its interconnection with the rear leg U-arm, a seat plate positioned relative to the U-at'm seat base. a pair of arms rotatably connecting the underside of the eat plate to the inner sides of the seat base LI-arm, the rear edge of the seat plate bent under to form a seat base U-arm receiving flange, a rear leg crossarm receiving fixture attached to the underside of the rear end of the Seat plate to rotatably receive the crossarrn of the rear leg U-arm, said fixture positioned between the rear legs so as to clear a path for the rearward extension of the seat base U-arm legs as they move backward and forwardiy as the chair is folded and unfolded.

5. A folding chair as in claim 4 wherein the front leg U-frame is of greater width than the rear leg U-frame so as to fold thercover, the scat base U-frame is the same essential width as the front leg U-frame, the back U- frame is of greater width than the seat base and front leg U-frames, rotatable positioners are inserted between the back U-frame and the rear leg U-frame at their connection to compensate for the width differences thereof, and the seat is essentially the same width as the seat base and front leg U-frame,

6. A folding chair comprising an inverted U-frame defining a pair of front legs, an inverted U-frame defining a pair of rear legs, said rear and front leg U-frames angled outwardly at their bases in assembled side view to provide a stable base for the chair, a U-frame forming an essentially horizontal seat base in assembled side view rotatably clipped to the crossarm of the front leg, the free ends thereof extending rearwardly, an inverted U- frame forming the chair back with its closed end and having its free ends rotatably fixed to the rear legs below the crossarm thereof, the back angling rearwardly from the vertical in assembled side view to provide a leaning rest for the chair, the free ends of the seat base U-frame attached to the arms of the back U-frame above its connection to the rear leg U-frame, linkages attaching each of the front legs below the front leg crossarm to the corresponding interconnection between the rear leg and the back U-arrns, said linkages essentially horizontal in assembled side view, a seat plate attached to the seat base U-arms by a pair of pivotal arms and rotatably engaged with the rear leg cross arm by a fitting depending from its lower side, said seat plate lying on the seat base U-arm tops and in essentially horizontal position in assembled side view, and a seat base U-arm abutting and receiving flange depending from the rear end of the seat plate engaging the rear ends of the seat base U-arms in assembled position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,005,715 Kovats June 18, 1935 2,705,043 Hoven Mar. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 467,370 France Mar. 28, 1914 551,727 France Jan. 12, 1923 607,196 France Mar. 23, 1926