US2900013A - Chair or the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 18, 1959 2,900,013

E. F. HAMILTON CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed April 19, 1956 INVENTOR. 171,94 fflflM/l 70A;

United States Patent 'te CHAIR OR THE LHQE Earl F. Hamilton, Columbus, Ind., assignor to Hamilton Manufacturing Corporation, Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application April 19, v1956, Serial No. 579,210

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-196) This application relates to a chair, and especially to a rocking chair of the type adapted for use by relatively small children. It is an object of the invention to produce a chair which can be shipped in knocked-down condition, which can readily be assembled, and which, when assembled, will prove sturdy and durable in use. Another object of the invention is to produce a chair of knocked-down construction which lends itself to production from metal sheet and tubing and which will have an attractive appearance when assembled.

The preferred form of chair embodying my invention is characterized by a frame formed of three principal elements, such elements comprising two similar side members and a back member. Each side member is desirably formed of metal tubing and is bent to provide a rocker section, an upright section extending generally vertically from the front end of the rocker, and an arm section extending rearwardly from the upper end of the upright section. The back member, also desirably formed of metal tubing, is bent into an inverted U-shape. The ends of the back member are flattened and formed into hooks engageable in slots in the rocker sections of the side members, and means are provided for securing the rear ends of the arms to intermediate points on the back member after engagement of the hooks in the slots. The seat is mounted in the frame through the medium of brackets one of which extends along and is secured to each side of the seat and has end portions received in slots in the side and back members.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the assembled chair;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled chair;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical fore-and-aft section through the chair-seat on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the seat on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental transverse section through the seat on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the joint between a rocker and the back member, portions of the construction being broken away to show in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view, also on an enlarged scale, of the joint between the rocker and back member, portions of the construction being broken away and shown in section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The chair illustrated in the drawing comprises a pair of similar side members each designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10. Each side member is desirably formed of a length of metal tubing bent to provide a base portion or rocker 11, an upright 12 extending upwardly from the front end of the rocker, and an arm 13 extending rearwardly from the upper end of the upright. A back member, designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 15, desirably comprises a length of metal tubing bent into a general U-shape to provide a horizontally extended intermediate portion 16 and two 2,900,013 Patented Aug. 18, 1959 Desirably, the back member is provided with cross members 18 or other support for the back of the occupant of the chair.

At the lower end of each of the vertical portions 17 of the back member, the tubing forming such back member is collapsed as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the col lapsed portion of the tubing is trimmed into ,a general hook-like conformation characterized by the presence of a notch 20 defining an upwardly projecting finger or bookextremity 21. Each of the rockers 11 is provided in its upper face with .a slot for the reception of a hook 19. The books 19 are desirably formed to open rearwardly so that, with the back member 15 disposed generally parallel to the rocker 11, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. -6, each hook-extremity .21 can be passed through .the slot in the associated rocker and the back member then swung forwardly in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 6,) to cause the hook-extremity 21 to move rearwardly within the rocker and upwardly toward engagement with the inner wall of the rocker. The trimming incident to the formation .of the hook 19 leaves downwardly presented shoulders 22 which, in the ultimate relative position of the back member and rocker, .seat .on the upper surface of the latter.

The rear ends of the arms 13 are adapted for connection to the vertical portions 17 of the back member 15. For this purpose, the rear ends of the arms are desirably collapsed, bent downwardly as indicated at 25 in Fig. 2, and cambered to fit against the front faces of the upright portions 17, to which they are secured by bolts 26.

The seat of the chair comprises a sheet-metal seatpan 30 the front and rear edges of which are rolled in wardly to provide stiffening beads 31. Along each side of the pan 30, the metal thereof is bent downwardly to provide, near the rear of the seat, an ear 32; and, forwardly from such ear, the pan-material is bent to pro vide an inwardly extending flange 33 spaced downwardly from the body of the pan. The seat-pan 30 may be covered with upholstering material 35 secured to the pan in any convenient manner.

For the purpose of securing the seat in position in the chair-frame, I employ brackets 37. Each of such brackets desirably comprises a length of metal strip having a central portion which extends along the side of the seatpan and is secured thereto by a rivet 38 extending through the ear 32 on such pan. The forward end of each bracket 37 may be secured to the seat-pan by a sheet-metal clip 39 which is riveted to the inner face of the bracket and provided with a lip 39' embracing the inner edge of the flange lip 33 on the seat-pan. The ends of each bracket 37 are offset outwardly of the seat for reception in slots provided respectively in the back portions 17 and uprights 12, as shown in Fig. 4.

As produced by the manufacturer, the various elements of the chair-namely, the seat-pan 30 with upholstery 35 and brackets 37 attached, the two side members 10 and back structure 15-may be arranged to form a compact package for storage and shipment. To erect the chair, it is necessary merely to engage the side members 10, conveniently one at a time, with the books on the lower ends of the vertical portions 17 of the back structure and to swing the side members relative to the back to bring the ends 25 of the arms into engagement with the vertical portions 17, inserting the ends of the seat-brackets 37 into the slots in the uprights 12 and vertical portions 17 as the side members and the back structure approach their final relative position. With the ends of the seat brackets 37 received in the uprights 12 and vertical portions 17 and with the rear ends of the arms in position against said Vertical portions 17, the bolts 26 are applied and tightened to complete the assembly.

:front of said base portion, and an arm extending rearwardly from the upper end of the upright portion, said back structure including a pair of rigidly interconnected,

generally vertical elements, means for connecting said vertical elements respectively with the base portions of 'said side members, said means being unreleasable when said back structure is in upright position but releasable when the back structure is swung rearwardly relative to the side members, the upright portions of the side members being provided with rearwardly facing openings and the vertical elements of the back structure being provided with forwardly facing openings, said seat having projections etxending respectively forwardly and rearwardly for reception in said openings as the back structure is swung into said upright position; and means for securing the rear ends of said arm portions to said vertical elements.

2. In a chair, a seat, a pair of similar side members, and a back structure, each of said side members being formed of a length of metal stock bent to provide a base portion, an upright portion extending upwardly from the front of said base portion, and an arm extending rearwardly from the upper end of the upright portion, said back structure including a pair of rigidly interconnected, generally vertical elements, means for connecting said vertical element's-respectively with the base portions of said side members, said means being unreleasable when said back structure is in upright position but releasable when the back structure is swung rearwardly relative to the side members, means for supporting said seat from said side members and vertical elements, and means for securing the rear ends of said arm portions to said vertical elements.

3. The invention of claim 2 with the addition that said base portions are curved to serve as rockers.

4. The invention of claim -2 with the addition that said side members are formed of tubular stock, said first named means comprising rearwardly facing hooks on the lower ends of said vertical elements, the base portions of the side members being provided in their upper surfaces with slots for the reception of said hooks.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS D.118,610 Teague Jan. 16, 1940 430,111 Carl June 17, 1890 458,808 Judd Sept. 1, 1891 950,194 Stockwell Feb. 22, 1910 1,694,013 Johnson Dec. 4, 1928 2,608,240 Booth Aug. 26, 1952

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