US2770288A

US2770288A - Combination high chair and vehicle

Info

Publication number: US2770288A
Application number: US389279A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward S Peyton
Original assignee: JOSEPH F MAZZEI
Current assignee: JOSEPH F MAZZEI
Priority date: 1953-10-30
Filing date: 1953-10-30
Publication date: 1956-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-13

Description

13, E. SQPEYTO N COMBINATION HIGH CHAIR AND VEHICLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 00;. so, 1953 INVENTOR E fife f0 72 ATTORNEY Nowl3, 1956 E. s. PEYTON 2,770,233

COMBINATION l-{IGH CHAIR AND VEHICLE Filed Oct. 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I v INVENTOR :ii' a. 7. SP6 9 i0 72 y/WW ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1956 E. s. PEYTON cousmnxou HIGH 0mm AND VEHICLE o5 Sheet-Sheet 5 m Q W Filed Oct. 30. 1953 ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1956 E. s. PEYTON 2,770,233

7 COMBINATION HIGH CHAIR AND VEHICLE Filed Oct. 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 93 INVENTOR Wm, 13, 1956 E. s. PEYTON 2,779,233

COMBINATION HIGH CHAIR AND VEHICLE Filed Oct. so, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR' E fii' e yfiw m AORNEY United States Patent CGMBINATION HIGH CHAIR AND VEHICLE Edward S. Peyton, Miami, Fla.,

to Joseph F. Mazzei, County, Pa.

assignor of fifty percent This invention relates to a novel structure for use by infants and young children forming a combination article of furniture and vehicle capable of being used both indoors and out of doors by infants and young children.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a structure forming a combination baby carriage, stroller, walker, bouncer and high chair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which may be readily folded to provide a compact unit for storage or for carrying in the trunk of an automobile.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the structure arranged to form a walker;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the structure partially extended to form a stroller;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the stroller looking from right to left of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the front portion of the guard and through the tray supported thereby, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure Figure 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the structure as seen in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the position of the extensible structure to form a bouncer;

Figure 10 is a substantially central longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the structure extended to form a high chair;

Borough of Hollidaysburg, Blair Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 12-12 of Figure 3;

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view partly in elevation and showing the spring support in its position of Figure 9 and taken at a right angle to Figure 9, and

Figure 14 is a cross sectional view through the seat as it would appear removed from the vehicle structure.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the combination vehicle in its entirety is designated generally 15 and includes a chassis, designated generally 16. The chassis 16, as best seen in Figures 1, 2, 6, 9 and 10, in

2 ,770,288 Patented Nov. 13, 1956 cludes a pair of transversely spaced outwardly opening side channel members 17 which are connected at their forward ends by a rigid U-shaped member 18 having rearwardly extending ends or legs 19 which are secured in the forward ends of the outwardly opening channels 17 by suitable fastenings 20. The forward end of the chassis 16 is supported by a pair of front caster wheels 21 the curved forks 22 of which have upwardly extending kingbolts 22a which extend vertically through and are journaled in the channel members 17 and legs 19. As best seen in Figure 10, bearing brackets 23 are secured to and depend from the undersides of the rear ends of the channel members 17. An axle 24 extends through the bearing brackets 23 and has rear wheels 25 journaled on the ends thereof which are disposed outwardly with respect to the side members 17 for supporting the rear end of the chassis 16 and for combining with the front caster wheels 21 to support the chassis in substantially a horizontal plane. Rods 26 have forward ends which are secured in the rear ends of the channel members 17, as by additional fastenings 20, and said rods 26 have upwardly curved opposite ends disposed rearwardly of said channel members, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

The vehicle structure 15 includes an extensible leverage system, designated generally 27, which includes a pair of U-shaped bottom levers 28 and 29. The lever 28 is journaled on a shaft 30 which extends through the legs 28a thereof, near the intermediate portion 28b of said lever. The ends of the shaft 30 extend outwardly through the channel members 17 near their rear ends. As seen in Figure 3, spacing sleeves 31 are disposed on the shaft 30 between the legs 28a and the channel members 17 for retaining the lever 28 properly centered in the chassis 16. The lever 28 cooperates with the spacing members 31 and shaft 30 for maintaining a proper spacing between the rear end portions of the channel members 17.

The vertically disposed inner and intermediate portions of the channel members 17 are provided adjacent their forward ends with longitudinally extending slots 32 and with notches 33 which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly relatively to said channel members 17 and which open at their upper ends into the slots 32. The notches 33 are longitudinally spaced from one another and from the ends of the slots 32. Pins 34 are fixed to and project outwardly from the terminals of the legs 29a of the lever 29 andsaid pins 34, which are disposed in alignment, engage the slots 32 or corresponding notches 33. The lever 29 is wider than the lever 28 and the legs 29a thereof straddle the legs 28aand are pivotally connected thereto in crossed relationship by a rod or shaft 35 which extends turnably through the legs 28a and 29a at points slightly nearer the terminals of said legs than the intermediate portions 28b and 29b of the levers. The terminals of the legs 29a, from which the pins 34 project, are preferably flattened and outwardly oifset slightly as seen at 290 in Figure 6 so as to be disposed relatively close to the adjacent inner sides of the channel members 17.

The extensible leverage system 27 includes upper pairs of

levers

36 and 37 which are pivotally connected in crossed relationship, substantially intermediate of their ends, by a rod or shaft 38 which extends turnably through the intermediate portions of said

levers

36 and 37. The levers 36 straddle the levers 37 and have lower ends which are disposed on the outer sides of and pivotally connected to the terminals of the lever legs 28a by pivot pins 39. The lower ends of the lovers 37 are disposed on the inner sides of the lever legs 29a and pivotally connected thereto by pivot pins 40 adjacent the intermediate lever portions 2%.

A substantially U-shaped seat and back rest supporting frame, designated generally 41, is formed of angle iron and includes a depending outer flange 42 and a substantially horizontal top flange 43 which extends inwardly from the upper edge of the flange 42. The frame 41 includes transversely spaced legs 44 having upwardly inclined rear end portions 45, the rear ends of which are connected by the intermediate portion 46 of the frame 41, which is thus disposed above the level of the forward portions of said legs 44. Slotted bars 47 are secured in the forward ends of the legs 44 by fastenings 48 which extend through the ends of said bars. The bars 47 have longitudinally extending slots 49 extending to adjacent the ends thereof and the slotted portions of said bars are inwardly offset with respect to the depending flange 42 of the frame 41.

The upper ends of the levers 36 engage the inner side of the depending flange 42 of the legs 44 near the upturned leg portions 45 and are pivotally connected thereto by pivot pins 58'. The opposite upper ends of the levers 37 engage the adjacent sides of the slotted bars 47 and are slidably connected to said bars and to the frame 41 by double headed pins 51 having shank portions turnably engaging said last mentioned ends of the levers 37 and slidably engaging the slots 49. Each pin 51 has a head which slidably fits between the bar 47 and the adjacent frame flange 42, as seen in Figure 2, and the other heads of the pins 51 are disposed on the adjacent sides of the last mentioned ends of the levers 37 away from bars 47 and may be formed 011 said pins after the pins are passed through the levers 37. The first mentioned headed ends of the pins 51 are of a size to prevent their passing through the slot 49. Thus, the levers 37 are pivotally and slidably connected to the frame 41 while the levers 36 have pivotal engagement only with the frame.

A seat 52 is supported on and suitably secured to the top flange 43 of the frame legs 44 and extends from adjacent the rear ends of the leg portions 44 forwardly to a point intermediate of the ends of said leg portions. The seat 52 has a restricted or narrowed forward end 53 providing spaces between the side edges of said restricted seat portion 53 and the forward parts of the leg portions 44 to accommodate the legs of a child. A pair of bracket members 54 have lower ends secured as by fastenings 20 to the inner side of the depending flange 42 and said brackets or bars 54 extend upwardly and forwardly through slots 55 in the top flange 43, as best seen in Figure 4. The brackets or bars 54 are disposed immediately behind the seat 52. A back rest 56 has rigid strap members 57 projecting forwardly from the side edges thereof and adjacent the bottom edge of said back rest the forward ends of which are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the brackets 54 by pivot pins 58 to combine with said brackets to form hinges for the back rest 56. The other rear ends of the strap members 57 are turned inwardly and engage the rear side of the back rest 56 and are suitably secured thereto as by additional fastenings 20. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, a bar 59 has its intermediate portion secured to the intermediate portion of the rear side of the back rest 56 by suitable fastenings 20 and has outwardly turned back upper and

lower end portions

60 and 61 which are spaced rearwardly from the intermediate portion of said bar 59 and which are provided with openings 62. A spring projected latch 63 is mounted on the outer side of each of the turned back

portions

60 and 61 and has a bolt 64 which is spring projected inwardly through the opening 62 thereof and into engagement with the intermediate portion of the bar 59. A brace rod 65 has a laterally offset end 66 which turnably engages an opening 67 in the depending flange 42 of the rear frame portion 46. The brace rod 65 extends upwardly and toward the back rest 56 from the inner edge of the top flange 43 of the rear frame portion 46 and has a laterally turned opposite free end 68 which engages in the bight portion of the lower turned back end 61 and under the bolt of the lower latch 63, by which thebrace 65 is releasably retained connected to the back rest 56, for supporting said back rest in a raised position, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10.

The wide rear portion of the seat 52 is provided with a relatively large opening 69, as seen in Figures l0 and 14. Bars 70 are secured to the underside of the seat 52 and extend longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of the opening 69 and have downwardly offset side edge portions 71 forming supports adapted to engage beneath the flanged rim of a conventional childs toilet pot for demountably supporting the pot beneath the opening 69 to provide a childs toilet. A seat cushion 72 is disposed on the upper surface of the wide rear portion of the seat 52 to normally close the opening 69 therein and has its rear edge disposed adjacent to the bottom edge of a back rest cushion 73 which is disposed against the forward side of the back rest 56. If desired, the opening 69 may be omitted and the

cushions

72 and 73 may likewise be omitted.

A pair of rigid rear supporting links 74 have lower ends disposed on the outer sides of the frame legs 44 which are pivotally connected thereto by the fastenings 50. The lower ends of a pair of front links 75 likewise straddle the frame legs 44, forwardly of the pivots 50 and are pivotally connected at 76 to the flange 42 of said legs 44 behind and adjacent the slotted bars 47. The

links

74 and 75 extend upwardly in substantially parallel relationship to one another and are pivotally connected by pivot means 77 at their upper ends to the outer sides of substantially parallel legs 78 of a substantially U-shaped guard rail 79. The pivots 77 of each guard rail leg 78 are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between the pivots 50 and 76. The guard rail 79 has an open rear end defined by the distal ends of the legs 78 which are spaced apart a distance sufficient to straddle side edges of the back rest 56. The front end of the guard rail 79 is closed by an intermediate or bight portion 80 thereof. The terminals of the legs of a substantially U- shaped bail 81 are pivotally connected to the guard rail legs 78 and the rear links 74 by the rear pivots 77. Said legs 82 of the bail 81 are disposed on the outer sides of the rear links 74 and the guard rail legs 78 and the intermediate bail portion 83 extends across the rear side of the back rest 56 and is normally latched in the upper turned back bar portion 60 by the upper latch 63, as illustrated in Figure 4, in the same manner that the brace portion 68 is latched in the lower bar portion 61.

The

links

74 and 75 have male sections of separable snap fasteners 84 fixed to and projecting from the outer sides thereof near their upper ends. A cross strap 85 has female snap fastener portions 86 connected to the ends thereof and which selectively engage the male fastener portions 84 for attaching the ends of the cross strap 85 to either the rear links 74 or the front links 75. A crotch strap 87 has a looped upper end 88 slidably engaging the intermediate portion of the cross strap 85 and extends downwardly therefrom through a slot 89 in the front seat portion 53 and is secured to the underside of the seat by a fastening 20, as illustrated in Figure 10.

A tray 90 has a flanged rim which is detachably supported on the forward guard portions 78 and the guard portion 80. The guard portions 78 have recessed bot tom portions 91 to receive a stationary tray holding bar 92 which is secured to the underside of the tray 90 and a slidably mounted spring projected holding bar 93. The

bars

92 and 93 are disposed longitudinally of the tray adjacent the ends thereof and the bar 93 has a longitudinal slot 94 slidably engaging headed studs 95 and is urged outward of the tray by a housed coil spring means 96 which bears against the inner end of the bar 93, all as clearly illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. The bar 93 may be retracted inwardly to disengage the tray from or for applying the tray to the forward part of the guard rail 79.

As illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 9, l0 and 13, a pair of inverted U-shaped wire hangers 97 are swingably suspended from the rod 38 between the levers 36. An

expansion coil spring 98 is wound about the legs of each of the hangers 97. After application of the springs 98, the lower free ends of the legs of the hangers 97 are turned outwardly and back upon themselves to form spring stops 99 which engage the bottom convolutions of the two springs 98. The wire hangers 97 are con nected to swing in unison on the shaft 38 by a relatively stiff strand of wire 100 which extends between said hangers 97 and is suitably secured to lower portions thereof. The strand has an element 101 extending rearwardly therefrom which is provided adjacent its rear free end with two longitudinally spaced upwardly offset downwardly opening substantially inverted U- shaped

portions

102 and 103. The strand portion 101 extends over the lever portion 29b and when the inner inverted U-portion 102 thereof is in engagement with the lever portion 29b, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 10, the wire hangers 97 will be swung rearwardly to inoperative positions as the extensible lever structure 27 is collapsed from its position of Figure to its position of Figure 1, so that the wire hangers 97 will pass downwardly behind the shaft 35 as best illustrated in Figure 2. On the other hand, when the rear inverted U-portion 103 is in engagement with the lever part 2921, as illustrated in Figure 9, the wire hangers 97 are held in forward positions so that the legs thereof will straddle the shaft 35 when the extensible supporting structure 27 is collapsed, so that the springs 98 will rest upon said shaft 35, as illustrated in Figure 9, to prevent a complete collapsing of the supporting structure 27.

An inverted U-shaped tubular handle 104 has collars 105 secured to the lower ends of the legs thereof, each of which carries a latch structure 106 the bolt 107 of which is spring projected inwardly through the collar and handle end. The handle ends fit telescopically over the upturned ends of the rods 26, as best seen in Figure 12, and over rod members 108 which are hingedly connected to the upper ends of the rods 26 as seen at 109 and which form hinged extensions thereof. The rods 26 have outwardly projecting stops 110 which limit the downwardsliding movement of the handle ends thereon and by which the latch bolts 107 are properly positioned to be spring projected into keeper recesses 111 of the rods 26 for releasably latching the handle to said rods for rigidly positioning the handle 104 in an operative upwardly and rearwardly inclined position relatively to the chassi 16, as seen in Figures 2 and 10. The latch bolts 107 maybe manually retracted for disengagement from the keeper recesses 111 to allow the handle ends to he slid upwardly out of engagement with the rods 26 so that the lower ends of the handle will be disposed around the hinged rods 108 with the latch bolts 107 positioned to be spring projected into upper keeper recesses 112 of the rods 108. Thus, the handle 104 is latched to the rods 108 in a raised position out of engagement with the rods 26 so that the handle 104 and the hinged rods 108 may be swung relatively to the rods 26 about the hinged points 109 forwardly and downwardly to a folded position of the handle, as illustrated in Figure 1.

With the parts of the vehicle in either their position of Figure 2 or 10, for example, by manually lifting the lever ends 290 the pins 34 can be disengaged from the notches 33 and permitted to slide forwardly in the slots 32 beyond the forwardmost notches 33. With the wire hangers 97 held in rear positions by engagement of the strand portion 102 with the lever portion 2%, said hangers will pass behind the shaft 35 as the extensible supporting structure 27 is collapsed. This is accomplished by a folding of the pivoted

lower levers

28 and 29 accomplished by a sliding of the lever ends 29c and their pins 34 forwardly of the chassis 16 until the pins 34 engage the forward ends of the slots 32, and the collapsing of the upper pairs of

levers

36 and 37 by the headed pins 51 of the forward ends of the levers 37 sliding in the slots 49 to adjacent the forward end of the frame 41, so that the extensible supporting structure 27 may assume a fully collapsed or folded position, as illustrated in Figure 1. The handle 104 is then released and swung downwardly to its folded position of Figure 1 and the vehicle 15 is then positioned to be used by a child as a walker with the cross strap connected to the front links 75. The seat 52 is disposed sufiiciently close to the chassis 16 so that a child seated thereon with its legs straddling the crotch strap 87 and extending downwardly between the forward seat portion 53 and the frame legs 44, and downwardly through the extensible supporting structure 27 and chassis 16 may place his feet upon the supporting surface of the wheels 21 and 25' for propelling the vehicle 15 by movement of the legs, as a walker.

With the vehicle arranged as illustrated in Figure 1, the bolts 64 of the latches 63 may be retracted for disengaging the brace portion 68 and the bail portion 83 from the keeper bar 59. The brace 65 may be swung to the left as seen in Figure 3 so as to rest in an inoperative position on a supporting hook 114 which is secured to and extends inwardly from the rear frame portion 46. With the back rest thus released, the back rest may be swung downwardly and forwardly over the seat 52 and the guard rail 79 and links '74 and 75 may likewise be moved downwardly and forwardly all to their dotted line positions of Figure 1 and in which the vehicle 15 is fully folded and is sufficiently compact so that it can be readily stored or carried in an automobile trunk.

Assuming that the parts are arranged as illustrated in full lines of Figure 1 to form a walker, as previously described, said structure may be readily converted into a stroller by swinging and latching the handle 104 in an extended, operative position, as illustrated in Figure 2, after which the frame 41 is manually grasped and lifted relatively to the chassis 16, causing the extensible supporting structure 27 to be extended and with the

pins

34 and 51 sliding rearwardly relatively to the chassis 16 and frame 41. As the pins 34 slide rearwardly in the slots 32 said pins will drop by gravity into the forwardmost notches 33, whereupon the vehicle 15 is disposed to form a stroller, as illustrated in full lines of Figure 2 and in Figure 3. The cross strap 85 may be detachably connected, as previously described, to either the rear links 74, as illustrated in Figure 2, or to the front links 75, if preferred. Likewise, it will be readily apparent that the frame 41 and parts supported thereby may be disposed in a higher stroller position, if desired, by further lifting the frame above its level of Figure 2, so that the pins 34 will ride over the back edges and out of engagement with the forwardmost notches 33 and into engagement with the notches disposed immediately therebehind. In either of these stroller positions the vehicle 15 may also be utilized as a baby carriage for younger children by merely releasing the brace 65, as previously described, and swinging said brace to its inoperative position against the hook 114, after which the back rest 56 may be swung downwardly and rearwardly about its pivot 58 to its dotted line position, resting on the rear frame portion 46. As the bail 81 is connected to the back rest 56 it will be moved rearwardly and downwardly therewith causing the

links

74 and 75 to be swung rearwardly about their pivots 50 and 76 causing the guard rail 79 to be displaced rearwardly to its dotted line position. In the dotted line position of the parts as seen in Figure 2, it will be readily apparent that thevehicle forms a baby carriage and in this position if desired the cross strap 85 may be disconnected from the links and stored for example beneath the seat cushion 72. Thus, a baby may may be placed in a reclining position on the seat and back rest While wrapped in blankets or in a hunting.

Assuming that the vehicle 15 is arranged to form a stroller as illustrated in full lines in Figure 2, by lifting and displacing the strand portion 101 forwardly so as to thereafter engage its part103 with the lever portion 29b, as illustrated in Figure 9, the wire hangers 97 will be positioned to straddle the shaft 35 when the supporting structure 27 is lowered toward a collapsed position. By then lifting the forward lever ends 290, the pins 34 will be disengaged from the notches 33 and said pins may be allowed to slide in the slots 32 toward the forward ends thereof and beyond the forwardmost notches 33 to thereby permit the supporting structure 27 and the parts supported thereby to move downwardly toward a collapsed position. However, before the supporting structure 27 reaches its fully collapsed position the lower portions 99 of thewire hangers 97 will have straddled the shaft 35 and the bottom convolutions of the springs 98 will have come to rest upon said shaft to prevent the supporting structure 27 from being collapsed beyond its position of Figure 9 without further compressing the springs 98. Thus, the pins 34 will be spaced a substantial distance from the forward ends of the slots 32 and the supporting structure 27 and parts supported thereby will be yieldably supported by the coil springs 98. In this position of the supporting structure 27 and with the parts supported by the frame 41 disposed as illustrated in full lines in Figure 2 or as shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 15 is arranged to function as a bouncer and the springs 98 will provide a spring support enabling the frame 41 and parts supported thereby to yield upwardly and downwardly. Likewise, if

desired, the handle 104 may be unlatched and swung to a folded position as illustrated in Figure 1 when the vehicle is utilized as a bouncer.

It will also be apparent that with the handle 104 latched in a raised position that the extensible supporting structure 27 may be extended as previously described from any one of the positions as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 or 9 and the pins 34 may be permitted to engage in the notches 33 spaced more remote from the forward ends of the slots 32 than the notches 33 engaged by the pins 34 to form a stroller. Thus, the more fully extended support 27 will combine with the frame 41 and parts supported thereby to form a high chair, as illustrated in Figure 10. When arranged to form a high chair, the tray 90 is applied to the guard rail 79, as previously described and the cross strap 85 may be connected either to the rear links 74, as illustrated, or to the front links 75. The extensible support 27 may be adjusted by a selective engagement of its pins 34 with the notches 33 so that the forward end of the frame 41 will be at a proper level to slip beneath a dining room table and with the forward end of the guard 79 and tray 90 disposed above the level of the top of the table, for most convenient use of the structure 15 as a high chair. It will also be apparent that the tray 90 may be employed and mounted as illustrated in Figure 10 when the vehicle is disposed in its other positions as illustrated in the drawings and as previously described.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combination vehicle of the character described comprising a wheeled chassis having spaced sides, an extensible supporting unitcomprising a system of jointed levers having a lower end connected to the chassis sides, a seat supporting frame having spaced sides connected to and supported by the upper end of said supporting unit, said supporting unit having a lower part and an upper part pivotally connected to the chassis sides and frame .sides, respectively, and a lower part and an upper part pivotally and slidably connected to the chassis sides and frame sides, respectively, means adjustably latching said last mentioned lower part of the supporting unit to the chassis sides at different spaced intervals from the first mentioned lower part of the supporting unit for main- 8 V taining said supporting unit in different extended positions for supporting said frame at different elevations above the chassis, a seat mounted on and supported by theframe sides, a back rest connected to and supported by the frame sides and extending upwardly from the rear end of said seat, said supporting unit including lower pairs of levers, a lower shaft pivotally connecting the individual levers of said pairs of lower levers in crossed relation, upper pairs of levers, an upper shaft pivotally connecting the individual levers of said upper pairs of levers in crossed relation, said last mentioned lower part of the lower end of said supporting unit being slidable relatively to the chassis and away from said first mentioned lower part of the supporting unit when said latch means is released for completely collapsing the supporting unit and to position said frame immediately above and adjacent the chassis, hanger members swingably suspended from said upper shaft of the supporting unit, coil springs supported on said hanger members, and positioning means connected to said hanger members and adjustably connected to a portion of the jointed lever system for locating said hanger members to either straddle said lower shaft or to pass to one side thereof when the supporting unit is moved toward a fully collapsed position, said springs engaging between the upper and lower shafts of the supporting unit when the hanger member are disposed to straddle the lower shaft and the supporting unit is unlatched from the chassis and moved to adjacent a fully collapsed position for yieldably supporting the frame above the chassis in a partially extended position for yielding movement toward and away from said chassis.

2. A combination vehicle of the character described comprising a wheeled chassis having spaced sides, an extensible supporting unit comprising a system of jointed levers having a lower end connected to the chassis sides, a seat supporting frame having spaced sides connected to and supported by the upper end of said supporting unit, said supporting unit having a lower part and an upper part pivotally connected to the chassis sides and frame sides, respectively, and a lower part and an upper part pivotally and slidably connected to the chassis sides and frame sides, respectively, means adjustably latching said last mentioned lower part of the supporting unit to the chassis sides at different spaced intervals from the first mentioned lower part of the supporting unit for maintaining said supporting unit in different extended positions for supporting said frame at different elevations above the chassis, a seat mounted on and supported by the frame sides, a back rest connected to and supported by the frame sides and extending upwardly from the rear end of said seat, and spring means supported by a jointed part of the supporting unit lever system, means selectively arranging said spring means for engaging another jointed part of the lever system in one selected position of the spring means for supporting the lever system in a partially extended position when the last mentioned part of the lower end of the supporting unit is unlatched from the chassis whereby said frame is yieldably supported above and spaced from the chassis.

, 3. In a combination vehicle of the class described, a wheeled chassis having spaced sides, a seat, back rest, a guard rail, a frame, an extensible supporting unit having a first lower portion pivotally connected to the chassis sides,'a second lower portion pivotally and slidably connected to the chassis sides, a first upper portion pivot-ally connected to said frame and a second upper portion slidably connected to the frame, latch means releasably latching said second lower portion of the supporting unit to the chassis sides in positions differently spaced from said first lower portion for maintaining the supporting unit in different extended positions for supporting the frame at different levels above the chassis, said seat being' secured to and supported on said frame, said back rest being swingably connected to the frame for swingawaass ing movement between a folded position above and adjacent the seat and frame, a substantially upright position relative to the seat and a reclining position relative to the seat, said guard rail being disposed above and extending along the sides and across the forward part of the frame, links having spaced portions pivotally connected to the frame and to the guard rail for swinging movement of the guard rail longitudinally of the frame, means pivotally connected to the back rest and to the guard rail for causing the back rest to swing forwardly 1 and rearwardly relative to the frame simultaneously with the guard rail, said frame having a rear portion engaged by and supporting the back rest in the reclining position thereof, and a brace connected to said rear frame portion and detachably connected to the back rest for supporting the back rest in the upright position thereof.

4. In a combination vehicle as in claim 3, said guard rail comprising a front portion and transversely spaced side portions, said means pivotally connected to the back rest and guard rail comprising a U-shaped member having an intermediate portion extending across the rear side of the back rest and pivotally connected thereto and forwardly extending side portions having forward ends pivotally connected to the sides of said guard rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 223,120 Doellinger Dec. 30, 1879 317,468 Morstatt May 5, 1885 848,465 Homeyer Mar. 26, 1907 1,088,419 Heyer Feb. 24, 1914 1,622,108 Hawkinson Mar. 22, 1927 1,764,914 Vande Mark June 17, 1930 2,428,935 Hansburg Oct. 14, 1947 2,494,045 Kauffman Jan. 10, 1950 2,578,311 Lorenz Dec. 11, 1951 2,604,143 Boyajian July 22, 1952