US3031230A

US3031230A - Retractable footrest

Info

Publication number: US3031230A
Application number: US833193A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard C Roe; Othel W Robbins
Original assignee: SCHNADIG CORP
Current assignee: SCHNADIG CORP
Priority date: 1959-08-12
Filing date: 1959-08-12
Publication date: 1962-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 1979-04-24

Description

April 24, 1962 R. c. ROE ETAL RETRACTABLE FOOTREST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1959 3 x 9 \3 z 4 w 7 4 5 (2 M m w m n v 9 z wzwm ATTORNEYS.

April 24, 1962 R. c. ROE ETAL 3,031,230

RETRACTABLE FOOTREST File d Aug. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent hfrce 3,3l,23 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 3,031,230 RETRACTABLE FOOTREST Richard C. Roe and Gthel W. Robbins, Rushville, 11111.,

assignors to Schnadig Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,193 6 Claims. ((11. 297-432) This invention relates to a retractable footrest, and more specifically, to a footrest structure adapted to be secured to a chair, sofa and the like for movement between retracted and extended positions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a footrest structure which may be connected to the underframe of a chair, such as a stuffed lounge chair, and which may be easily moved into extended operative position in front of the chair or into a concealed retracted position beneath the chair. Another object is to provide a retractable footrest which is adapted to rest on a floor surface when extended but which is raised into a suspended condition above the floor as it is urged into retracted condition. In this connection, it is a specific object to provide means for guiding the frame of the footrest structure into raised concealed condition and for holding the same in such condition when the footrest is retracted. Thus, even when the chair is shifted or lifted during cleaning or moving, the retracted footrest will tend to remain in fully retracted condition. A still further objectis to provide a footrest structure which is simple and yet extremely sturdy and compact in construction.

Other objects will appear from the specification and the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken side elevational view of a chair equipped with a retractable footrest structure embodying the present invention, the footrest structure being shown in extended condition;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the extended and elevated footrest, the cushion of the footrest being partially broken away to illustrated internal structural features thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the footrest structure mounted upon a chair and disposed in extended and elevated condition;

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 but shows the footrest in fully retracted condition; and

FIGURE 5 is a broken perspective view illustrating structural details of the footrests structure.

In the structure illustrated in the drawings, the number generally designates a chair having legs 11 connected at their upper ends to an underframe 12. The chair is preferably an upholstered chair, such as the lounge chair in the illustration given, and the underframe of the chair must be spaced above a floor surface. It will be understood, of course, that aside from the features already mentioned, the chair may be any of a variety of types or styles and that if desired the footrest may be connected to a sofa, loveseat, etc.

Secured to the chairs underframe are a pair of parallel rails or tracks 13. The tracks are horizontally disposed and extend from the front to the rear of the chair, being secured at their ends to the underframe by screws 14. As indicated in FIGURE 5, the tracks are generally C-shaped in cross section with their open sides disposed in spaced opposition. However, at the ends of each track, the open sides are closed by front and

rear stop members

15 and 16 which are welded or otherwise secured thereto.

The footrest proper is generally designated by the numeral 17 and includes a footrest cushion or platform 18 having a pair of transversely extending front and

rear straps

19 and 20 secured to its undersurface. As shown in FIGURE 2, these straps have depending end portions or ears pivotally connected by rivets 21 to the upper ends of front and

rear legs

22 and 23, respec tively. Thus, the legs are connected to the footrests panel or platform for pivotal movement in vertical planes with reference to said platform.

At their opposite lower ends, the legs are pivotally connected by transversely extending pins or rivets 24 to a U-shaped frarn 25 formed from a single piece of tubular stock. The U-shaped frame extends generally along a horizontal plane and has a pair of spaced rearwardly extending arms 26 and a transversely extending front connecting portion 27. The rear end portions of the arms are apertured for rotatably receiving a transverse bar 28 which is provided at its ends with a pair of hanger or rider elements 29. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, the rider elements 29 have laterally or outwardly turned upper portions disposed within the channels of tracks 13 and have vertical depending portions extending below the tracks or channels, rod 28 being secured to the lower ends of the depending portions. The rider elements also include rearwardly extending guide plates 30 (FIGURE 5) which are disposed within the channels and which maintain the tracks and rider elements in proper operative relation by resisting forces applied to frame 25 which might otherwise tend to move bar 28 into an angular position and thereby cause removal of the rider elements from the tracks.

A transversely extending U-shaped strap 31 hangs below tracks 13 and is provided with a pair of vertical side portions 32 and a horizontal intermediate portion 33. The upper ends of side portions 32 are welded or otherwise secured to the tracks between the front ends and the longitudinal midpoints thereof and, as indicated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the intermediate portion 33 is spaced above a floor surface and is disposed at an elevation slightly lower than the bottom ends of rider elements 29. It will also be noted that the intermediate portion is slightly lower than the undersurface of the frame 25 adjacent rod 28. Preferably, the leading edge of the intermediate portion slopes downwardly and forwardly, as shown in FIGURES 3-5, for reasons which will appear shortly.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 5, it will be seen that the front legs 22 of the footstool are arcuate in shape with the central portions curved rearwardly when the footrest is in an elevated condition. It will also be noted that the front legs are shorter than the rear legs so that when the footrest 17 is elevated, the supporting surface of panel 18 slopes downwardly and forwardly. The upper ends of both the front and rear legs are flattened to provide flat abutment surfaces 34- and 35, respectively which engage the under-surfaces of

members

19 and 20 to limit forward pivotal movement of the legs and forward movement of the footrest 17 with reference to frame 25 when the footrest is raised. However, the upper front corners of the legs are rounded so as to permit rearward and downward movement of the footrest into lowered condition. Preferably, the front and rear legs are connected by rivets 24 to opposite sides of each arm 26 of the frame so that the front and rear legs will not engage each other and obstruct movement of the footrests 17 between raised and lowered positions.

Since the front legs 22 are shorter than rear legs 24 and since frame 25 slopes downwardly and forwardly when it is in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the center of gravity of the footrest 17 is disposed Well in front of a vertical plane equidistant between the rivet connections 24 for the front and rear legs, thereby providing a stable footrest when the same is in elevated condition. However, the footrest may be quickly and easily lowered by simply urging panel 18 rearwardly and upwardly until the center of gravity has been deplaced rearwardly a sufficient distance to cause the legs to pivot downwardly and rearwardly under their own weight and the weight of the panel. When the footrest 17 is fully lowered, the undersurfaces of straps or

members

19 and 20 rest upon the tubular arms of frame adjacent the rear thereof, as indicated in FIGURE 4. The footrest may then be retracted by urging frame 25 rearwardly along tracks 13 until guide members engage stops 16 (FIGURE 4).

During rearward movement of the frame, legs 26 move into surface engagement with the intermediate portion 33 of strap 31 so as to cause an upward pivotal movement of the free end of the frame about rod 28. As retraction is continued, curved surfaces of the arcuate front legs extending below arms 26 engage the intermediate strap portion 33 to cause further upward pivotal movement of the frame and the collapsed footrest carried thereby. Finally, when the frame is in fully retracted condition, its front connecting portion 27 is disposed well above the level of the pivot rod 28 and the entire assembly is snugly disposed beneath chair 10. Since the tubular connecting portion of the retracted frame is then disposed between tracks 13 and is at substantially the same elevation as those tracks, the frame and collapsed footrest 17 are concealed from ordinary view, particularly when the structure is viewed from the front of the chair.

When the frame and footrests are retracted, as shown in FIGURE 4, a major proportion of the length of the curved front legs 22 is disposed behind the supporting intermediate portion 33 of strap 31. Consequently, the front arms of the retracted footrest assembly tend to resist forward sliding movement of the frame even when the chair 10 is moved about or even lifted or carried. On the other hand, the frame may be easily extended when use of the footrest is desired by simply reaching beneath the front of the chair, gripping the tubular connecting portion 27, and pulling that portion downwardly and forwardly.

When the footrest assembly is fully extended (FIGURE 3), the tubular connecting portion 27 of the U-shaped frame 24 rests upon a floor surface and provides rigid support for the elevated footrest unit 17. Thus, it is believed apparent that the structure of the present invention constitutes an extremely sturdy and durable footrest assembly which may be easily moved into extended and elevated position in front of a chair or into collapsed and retracted position beneath said chair.

While in the foregoing, we have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A retractable footrest structure comprising a pair of spaced horizontal and parallel tracks adapted to be secured to the underframe of a chair above a floor surface, a U-shaped frame having a pair of rearwardly extending a rms, means slidably and pivotally connecting the rear ends of said arms to said tracks for horizontal sliding movement of the frame along the tracks between extended and retracted positions and for upward and downward pivotal movement of the front end of the frame about said connecting means, said frame sloping downwardly and forwardly into front end contact with a floor surface when said frame is in extended position, a collapsible footrest mounted upon said frame and being adjustable between elevated and lowered positions with reference thereto, a support member rigidly secured to and extending between said tracks in spaced relation above a floor surface, said support member being engageable with said frame and footrest to pivot the frame upwardly out of contact with a floor surface as said frame is moved rearwardly into retracted position, and at least one element carried by the front portion of said frame and projecting downwardly therebelow when said footrest is collapsed, said support member being engageable with said element projecting below said frame to hold said frame in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position when the same is fully retracted between said horizontal tracks.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said footrest includes a footrest panel, said element comprising a leg pivotally connecting said panel to said frame, said leg being curved to provide an arcuate bearing surface extending below said frame and engaging said support member for directing said frame into an upwardly and forwardly sloping position when the frame is retracted.

3. A retractable footrest structure comprising a pair of spaced horizontal tracks adapted to be secured to the underframe of a chair above a floor surface, a U-shaped frame extending generally in a horizontal plane and having a pair of rearwardly extending arms, means slidably and pivotally connecting the rear ends of said arms to said tracks for horizontal sliding movement of the frame along said tracks between extended and retracted positions and for upward and downward pivotal movement of the front portion of said frame about said connecting means, said frame when in extended position sloping forwardly and downwardly from said connecting means and having its front portion in contact with a floor surface, a collapsible footrest mounted upon the front portion of said frame and being adjustable between elevated and lowered positions with reference thereto, a transversely extending support member rigidly secured to and extending between said tracks in spaced relation above a floor surface, said support member having an upper surface engageable with the arms of said frame to pivot the front portion of the frame upwardly out of contact with a floor surface when said frame is urged rearwardly into retracted position, and at least one element carried by the front portion of said frame and projecting downwardly therebelow when said footrest is collapsed, said support member being engageable with said element projecting below said frame to hold said frame in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position when the same is fully retracted between said horizontal tracks.

4. A retractable footrest structure comprising a pair of horizontal and parallel channel members adapted to be secured to the underframe of a chair above a floor surface, said channel members being spaced apart and disposed with the channels thereof in opposing relation, a U-shaped frame extending generally in a horizontal plane and having a pair of rearwardly extending arms, rider elements slidable along said channel members and being pivotally connected to the rear ends of said arms for upward and downward pivotal movement of the front of said frame and for forward and rearward movement of said frame between extended and retracted positions, said frame sloping downwardly and forwardly from said rider elements into contact with a floor surface when said frame is in extended position, a collapsible footrest mounted upon the front portion of said frame and being adjustable between elevated and lowered positions with reference thereto, said footrest comprising a panel connected by front and rear legs to said frame, said legs being pivotally connected at their upper ends to said panel and at their lower ends to said arms of said frame and being movable in vertical planes between upstanding condition when said footrest is elevated and generally horizontal positions when said footrest is lowered, a support member rigidly secured to and extending between said channel members in spaced relation above a floor surface, said support member being engageable with the arms of said frame for urging the front portion of said frame upwardly out of contact with a floor surface as the frame is moved into retracted position, and at least one element carried by the front portion of said frame and projecting downwardly therebelow when said footrest is collapsed, said support member being engageable with said element projecting below said frame to hold said frame in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position when the same is fully retracted between said horizontal tracks.

5. A retractable footrest structure comprising a pair of horizontal and parallel channel members adapted to be secured to the underframe of a chair above a floor surface, said channel members being spaced apart and disposed with the channels thereof in opposing relation, a U-shaped frame extending generally in a horizontal plane and having a pair of rearwardly extending arms, rider elements slidable along said channel members and being pivotally connected to the rear ends of said arms for upward and downward pivotal movement of the front of said frame and for forward and rearward movement of said frame between extended and retracted positions, said frame sloping downwardly and forwardly from said rider elements into contact with a floor surface when said frame is in extended position, a collapsible footrest mounted upon the front portion of said frame and being adjustable between elevated and lowered positions with reference thereto, said footrest comprising a panel connected by front and rear legs to said frame, said legs being pivotally connected at their upper ends to said panel and at their lower ends to said arms of said frame and being movable in vertical planes between upstanding condition when said footrest is elevated and generally horizontal positions when said footrest is lowcred, and a support member rigidly secured to and extending between said channel members in spaced relation above a floor surface, said support member being engageable with the arms of said frame for urging the front portion of said frame upwardly out of contact with a floor surface as the frame is moved into retracted position, said front legs of said footrest being arcuate in shape and providing curved bearing surfaces disposed beneath said arms of said frame when said footrest is collapsed, said suppont member being engageable with said bearing surfaces when said footrest is collapsed and when said frame is retracted to hold said frame in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position between said horizontal tracks.

6. A retractable footrest structure comprising a pair of spaced horizontal and parallel tracks adapted to be secured to the underframe of a chair above a floor surface, a U-shaped frame having a pair of rearwardly extending arms, means slidably and pivotally connecting the rear ends of said arms to said tracks for horizontal sliding movement of the frame between extended and retracted positions and for upward and downward movement of the front end of the frame, said frame sloping downwardly and forwardly into front end contact with a floor surface when said frame is in extended position, a collapsible footrest mounted upon the front of said frame and being adjustable between elevated and lowered positions with reference thereto, said footrest including a panel and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to said panel and to said frame, said legs being movable along vertical planes substantially parallel with said tracks between upstanding positions when said footrest is elevated and lowered positions when said footrest is lowered, at least one of said legs being arcuate in shape and providing a curved bearing surface projecting downwardly beneath the arms of said frame when said footrest is collapsed, and a support member rigidly secured to and extending between said tracks in spaced relation above a floor surface, said support member being engageable with the bearing surface of said leg to urge the front of said frame upwardly as the same is retracted and to support said frame in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position when the same is fully retracted between said horizontal tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 749,524 Bowen Jan. 12, 1904 2,458,185 McDonald J an. 4, 1949 2,526,623 Maurer Oct. 24, 1950 2,555,144 Londerman et al May 29, 1951