US2930431A - Folding chair with folding and locking kneeler - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1960 R. s. GELLER 2,930,431

FOLDING CHAIR WITH FOLDING AND LOCKING KNEELER Filed Oct. 22, 1957 Him I 10 MM?! H m "'IIH I ,l I y INVENTOR.

' QM m m:\ W wmW' ATTORNEYS FOLDING CHAIR WITH FOLDING AND LOCKING KNEELER Roscoe G. Geller, Owego, N.Y., assignor to Stakmore Co., Inc., Owego, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application October 22, 1957, Serial No. 691,626

6 Claims. (Cl. 155-166)- This invention relates to folding. benches or platforms and more particularly to folding kneeling benches adaptable for use in connection with folding chairs or other collapsible furniture.

Collapsible furniture such as folding chairs are wellknown and their use in connection with temporary social, fraternal or religiously organized meetings is common. Thus, for example, the use of the folding chair to provide temporary, easily storable seating facilities in religious observances where more permanent arrangements are not feasible has long been known. In many such religious observances, in addition to the temporary seating facilities, a kneeling bench is also a required particular in the proper conduct of the service.

Heretofore, such kneeling benches have been provided separately or have been attached to the folding chairs by cumbersome, unsatisfactory means. Further, known kneeling benches, when actually attached to the folding chair by folding means, have not been compact, and have tended to unfold during handling of the chairs for storage.

. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to accomplish the folding of an auxiliary bench or kneeler used in connection with folding chairs or other collapsible furniture in a new and novel manner; and to fold the parts in such relation that they lock in folded position and can be unlocked only by exerting a pull on a particular part of the folded assembly.

It is another object of this invention to provide a platform or kneeler with a self-locking folding linkage for use in connecting it with a folding chair.

A further object of this invention is the new and novel vertical and compact storage of the kneeler against the chair.

tA still further and more general object of this invention is a new and novel supporting apparatus capable of supporting vertical loads and being readily storable in a minimal space against a vertical surface, which surface also constitutes part of the supporting apparatus.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in one illustrative embodiment of this invention in which a pair of transverse ribs support ahorizontal platform, the surface of which is suitable for kneeling, sitting, or other purposes. Each of the transverse ribs has pivotally affixed thereto a vertical upright,'and these uprights provide the main vertical support for the horizontal p1atform. Extending portions of the transverse ribs each have pivotally related therewith a pair of linking members, which members are also pivotally connected to folding chair uprights or other vertical surfaces with which the horizontal platform is to be utilized. Each of the vertical uprights operatively associated With the transverse ribs also has a linking member pivotally con- "nected thereto and also pivotally connected with one of "According to one aspect of this invention, it is a fea-' ice.

ture that the transverse ribs and the linking members associated therewith move in a particular relationship with each other during the folding operation and interact to move the various parts automatically into the desired positions. -Thus, the angular movement of each of the operative elements is dependent upon the angular movement of each of the others.

It is another feature oft/his invention that the length of each of the linking members and the distance between pivots is so selected that the center of gravity of the system tends to urge the platform or kneeler against the folding chair uprights or other vertical surface when in its folded position.

The foregoing and other'objects and features of this invention will be clearly understood from a consideration of the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the invention shown in Figure l but with the kneeler and linkage partly folded; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the invention with the chair, kneeler and linkage all 'shown as in their folded positions; and Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the invention with the parts folded as in Figure 3. t

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, the illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown associated with a folding chair 10. The chair 10 may be of any of the well-known types of folding chairs in common use. Although the invention is shown as associated with a folding chair and will de described in such a combination, it is to be understood that the use of this invention is not so limited and it is adaptable for use with any other vertical upright or surface. The components and their inter-connecting pivot points in the illustrative embodiment are identified by numerals and letters, respectively, in the accompanying drawings.

In Figure 1, a transverse rib 2 is shown disposed in a substantially horizontal normal operative position and secondarily supported at a predetermined distance from one end thereof by pivotal connection 0 to one end of a vertical upright member 3. transverse rib 2 is supplied by a chair back member or leg 9 through links or linking members 1 and 5. Linking member 1 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the chair leg 9 at point a and is pivotally connected at the other end thereof to the other end of the transverse rib 2 at point b. Linking member 5 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the chair leg 9 at point 7 and is pivotally connected at a predetermined distance The vertical upright member 3, operatively associated with the transverse rib 2, also has a linking connection to the linking member 5 through a linking member 4. This linking member 4 is pivotally connected at one end to the upright member v3 at point d a predetermined distance from one end of the upright member 3; and linking member 4 is pivotally connected at its other end to the other end of linking member 5 at point e. Platform 6 is shown, in Figure 1, disposed on the transverse rib'2 in a substantially horizontal position. However, it is to be understood that'the platform 6 may be arranged to assume a horizontal position at any point along its opera tive cycle, as will be described with reference to Figure 2,;

if the application of this invention so requires.

The primary support for It is also to be understood that a similar set of component linking members 1 through and inter-connecting pivot points a to g is located at each end of the platform or kneeler 6, and is associated with the chair 10, as shown in Figure 4.. In this illustrative embodiment, members 1 through 5 may be of wood, metal or other suitable construction; and with the relative thickness of the members as shown in Figure 4, it is preferred that linking members 1, 4 and 5 be of a fiat, thin metal and that transverse rib 2' and upright 3, which act as support members, he of wooden construction and relatively thick in cross-section.

From the description thus far it will be apparent that the linkage includes two four-bar linkages with two of the links of one system formed by extensions of two links of the other system. In analyzing the linkages they must be referred to, in accordance with mechanism terminology, by their opposite pivots because some of the actual structural elements have different parts of their length forming different links in the different systems.

The front four-bar linkage includes a fixed link af which is the portion of the chair leg 9 between the pivots a and f. An upper link fg swings about the fixed pivot f. The free end of the link fg is connected with the pivot a by a jointed arm comprising a forward link ab and a rearward link bg.

This jointed arm, which will be referred to, in analyzing the linkage systems, as the arm abg has its joint flexed upwardly when the linkage is in its extended position, as shown in Figure l. The joint of this arm abg is flexed downwardly when the linkage is folded, as shown in Figure 3.

In order to have the linkage fold in the intended manner and lock closed, the combined lengths of the links af and ab must be substantially equal to the combined lengths of the links fg-and bg; and the loading on the pivots b and g, as the mechanism approaches folded condition, must be such as to urge both of the links fg and ab to swing clockwise about their fixed pivots f and a. In the construction illustrated, all of the links of the front linkage are of different length.

The rear four-bar linkage includes a link cg which is actually the rearward part of the rib 2 and which is, therefore, an extension of the link bg of the front linkage. A link eg of the rear linkage is an extension of the link fg of the front linkage. The other two links of the rear linkage are the links cd and de.

In this rear linkage it is necessary that the combined lengths of the links cg and eg be substantially equal to the combined length of the links cd and de; otherwise the flat and compact folding of Figure 3 cannot be obtained.

Because of the fact that two of the links of one linkage are extensions of two links of the other system, one

angle of each linkage must have a fixed relation to one angle of the other linkage for all positions of the mechanism. When the extensions of the links are straight, as is the case in the construction illustrated, the related angles of the two different linkages must be equal at all times. For example, the angle fgb of the front linkage is always equal to the angle cge of the rear linkage.

If the pivots f, g and e are not in a straight line, or the pivots b, g and c are not in a straight line, then the angle fgb may not be equal to the angle cge; but with links of one system rigid extensions of links of the other system, these related angles must maintain a definite relationship. In this way the folding or unfolding of one linkage controls the folding and unfolding of the other.

The chair 10 is shown folded in Figure 3 in order to emphasize what a compact unit can be obtained with this invention, but it, will be understood that the folding of the kneeler is completely independent of the folding of the chair; and the folding kneeler of this invention can be used equally well with chairs that do not fold.

The linkages shown in Figures 1-3, and which have been described, are for one side of the chair. Similar linkages are connected to the chair leg 9 and to the plat.-

form or kneeler 6 at the other side of the chair. The fixed relation of the chair legs to one another, and the rigid connection of the kneeler 6 to the ribs 2 at both sides of the chair, causes the linkages on both sides of the chair to work together.

In the construction illustrated, the linkages on both sides of the chair are also connected by a cross brace 12 between the ribs 2 immediately under the platform 6', and by another cross brace 13 rigidly connected at opposite ends to the upright members 3.

The kneeler is.most conveniently folded by placingthe toe of the operators shoe under the platform 6 and lifting the foot to raise the parts somewhat beyond the positions shown in Figure 2. The foot is then pressed forward against the-cross brace 13 to move the upright or leg members 3 in fiat against the bottom of the platform 6.

During this folding movement the pivot d moves forwardly across a center line which extends from pivot c to pivot e. Expressing this'movement in another way, it may be said that the toggle ca'e, formed by links cd and de, moves through its straight position and flexes slightly toward the front, i.e., toward the chair legs 9, when the linkages are folded.

This movement of the pivot d past center is important because it locks the linkage in folded condition. Any force against the kneeler platform 6 toward the rear in Figure 3; or any pull by gravity when the chair is tilted rearwardly or is moved toward a horizontal position with the kneeler lowermost, during stacking or shipping, cannot unlock the folded linkage. This results from the fact that force against the kneeler platform to unfold thelinkage tends to flex the toggle cde further toward the front and such movement of the toggle is impossible because the link cd is already up against the underside of the platform and cannot move forward any further.

When the locked kneeler linkages are to be unfolded, the force to unlock the linkages must be applied to the upright or leg members 3 in such a way as to pull the pivot (I back past the center line between pivots c and e so that the toggle cde flexes to the rear as shown in Figures l and 2. This is most conveniently done by putting the toe of the operators shoe under the cross brace 13 and pulling this cross brace rearwardly.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments but is capable of modification, substitution and rearrangement of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination comprising a chair having back legs, folding linkages connected with each of the chair legs, each of said linkages including an upper link, a first pivot connection joining the chair leg to the upper link, a jointed arm comprising front and rear links with their connecting joint folded downwardly when the linkages are folded, a second pivot connection joining one end of the jointed arm to the chair leg at a distance below the first pivot connection, another pivot connection joining the other end of the jointed arm to the upper link, the links of the jointed arms forming with the upper link and the portion of the leg between the first and second pivot connections a first four-bar linkage, a kneeling platform,

a second four-bar linkage connecting the kneeling platform to the first four-bar linkage, two of the links of the second four-bar linkage being extensions of two of the links of the first four-bar linkage, and the kneeling platform being substantially horizontal when the linkages are in an unfolded condition.

2. The combination described in claim 1 and in which the combined length of the front link and the space be: tween the first and secondpivot connections is substantially equal to the combined length of the upper link and the rear link of the jointed arm.

3. The combination described in claim 1 and in which the second four-bar linkage has top and bottom forward links and top and bottom rearward links, the top and bottom forward links being extensions of links of the first four-bar linkage.

4. The combination described in claim the top forward link of the second four-bar linkage is an extension of the rearward link of the jointed arm and the bottom forward link of the second four-bar linkage is an extension of the upper link of the first four-bar linkage.

5. The combination described in claim 3 and in which the combined length of the top and bottom forward links of the second four-bar linkage is substantially equal to the combined length of the top and bottom rearward links of said second four-bar linkage.

6. The combination comprising a chair having rearward legs, a kneeler assembly including a kneeler platform and links connecting the platform to the rearward legs of the chair, the links being movable to shift the i5 and in which platform from a substantially horizontal position. to a folded and upwardly-tilted position adjacent to the rearward legs of the chair, said links including a four-bar linkage with opposite bars that are of unequal length, and

said links including two links pivotally connected to form a toggle which flexes rearwardly when the kneeler is in its substantially horizontal positon, and which passes through a straight condition to a position where the toggle flexes toward the front and in a position where rearward force on the platform urges the toggle to flex further forward, at least one of the links of the toggle being against a stop when the assembly is folded to prevent further forward flexing of the toggle and thus maintain the kneeler assembly locked in folded condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,098 Clarin Apr. 10, 1951 20 2,804,122 Baum Aug. 27, 1957 2,843,189 Lockshin' July 15, 1958

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