US3133760A

US3133760A - Child's collapsible chair

Info

Publication number: US3133760A
Application number: US175657A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robinson Lytton
Original assignee: DISPENSARY
Current assignee: DISPENSARY
Priority date: 1962-02-26
Filing date: 1962-02-26
Publication date: 1964-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1981-05-19

Description

May 19, 1964 1.. ROBINSON CHILD'S COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR Filed Feb. 26, 1962 BINSQN 4/ 3,133,760 Patented May 19., 1964 3,133,760 CHILDS CGLLAPSIBLE CHAIR Lytton Robinson, Dispensary, Mercury, Nev. Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,657 7 Claims. (Cl. 297-174) This invention relates to a collapsible chair for children and constitutes a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Serial No. 838,742, filed September 8, 1959, and entitled Childs Collapsible Chair, now abancloned.

chairs, have certain inherent disadvantages. More often than not, such chairs are susceptible of tilting over, particularly if the child is active and leans or sways from side to side. Furthermore, such chairs are oftentimes difiicult to carry from place to place. In other instances, the chairs are not able to be conveniently opened for receiving or removing the child; in other faces, they are not susceptible of being locked to maintain the child therein. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to a fully collapsible childs chair, which may be conveniently carried from place to place, and yet which is easy placement of the child therein or movement of the child as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible infants or childs chair which has a rugged, simple f Without the possibility of tilting or other unstable movement of the chair.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally achieved by providing a collapsible childs chair for attachment to a table top which comprises vertical back means. Upper horizontal frame A lower horizontal frame means is pivotably coupled to a lower end portion of the back means. Seat means lower horizontal frame means.

had by reference to the drawings, showing merely an illustrative embodiment, and in which:

1 is a perspective view of the improved collapsible childs chair according to the present invention in open position mounted to a table top indicated by the dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 chair taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIGURE 1;

to securing the same to a table top;

, FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of one of the frame members of the chair of FIG- URE 1; and,

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view partly cut away of one of the vertical frame members for engaging the under side of the table as shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown, the back rest 12 constitutes part of a back means including vertical

tubular supports

13 and 14 constituting the upwardly extending arms of a U-shaped member having a lower horizontal connecting portion 15. The lower edge of the back rest 12 is swingably coupled to the horizontal portion sleeves may 24 in turn pivotable arrangement provided by the sleeves and fork structures. The other ends of the upper

horizontal frame tubes

25 and 26 terminate at 2'7 and 28 in positions above the top surface of the table It).

upper horizontal frame members. the upper ends of letter d ness of the table top 10.

The assembly is completed by a brace means including an intermediate U-shaped tubular he upper ends of are pivoted at 45 and 46 to the upper

horizontal frame members

27 and 28. Intermediate portions of the vertical braces at 47 and 48 to the lower

horizontal frame members

29 and 30. Adjacent the lower end of the vertical brace portion 42, there is provided a horizontal brace member 49 pivoted at 50 to the lower end of the vertical brace 42 and extending under and generally parallel to the second horizontal frame member 29 to pivot to the vertical frame tube as at 51. This brace means effectively serves to inter-connect the vertical frame means with the upper and lower horizontal frame means in such a manner as to cause a parallelogram type of collapsing of the same when it is desired to collapse the chair.

To positively prevent any inadvertent collapsing of the structure, there are provided locking brace means in the form of overlapping

members

52 and 53 having their overlapping ends pivoted together as at 54 and their outer ends pivoted to the lower horizontal brace member 3% as at 55 and to the vertical frame member 36 as at 56. An abutting stop 57 is provided on the overlapping end portion of the member 52 to engage the lower edge of the overlapping member 53 and thus check movement of the members to a substantially aligned position. Preferably, the alignment is slightly over centered so that a positive locking action will be insured. Intentional crooking of the members, on the other hand, will enable the entire chair to be readily collapsed in the manner of a collapsing parallelogram.

An important feature of this invention is the sliding pivot coupling between the upper

horizontal frame tubes

25 and 26 and the upper ends of the vertical back means comprising the

tubes

13 and 14. With particular reference to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that as a consequence of this sliding and pivotal coupling arrangement provided by the sleeve such as the sleeve 24, the spacing as indicated by the letter d in FIGURE 3 between the upper feet and 41 of the vertical frame member and the opposing ends of the upper horizontal frame members shown at 27 and 28 may be varied without in any sense collapsing the structure and without having to change the ninety degree angular relationship between the vertical frame means and the lower horizontal frame means. Thus, the

locking braces

52 and 53 may remain locked while the upper horizontal frame members are pivoted about the pivot points and 46 to vary the spacing as indicated by the letter d in FIGURE 3. Thus, securement of the collapsible chair to the table top 10 is greatly facilitated since it is a simple matter to increase the spacing d sufficiently to readily accommodate the thickness of the table and then slide the

sleeves

24 and 25 rearwardly until the components assume the relative positions illustrated in FIGURE 1.

In order that any inadvertent sliding and pivoting movement of the sleeve and fork structures as described be avoided, there is provided a locking button shown in detail in FIGURE 4 on the ends of at least one of the

tubular members

25 or 26. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 4, a button 58 is arranged to project normally above the tube member 26 being biased upwardly by a leaf spring 59 internally within the tube 26. Also, the end of the tube is provided with a stationary projection or button 60. With this arrangement, forward movement of the tube 26 within the sleeve 24 in a direction to the left as viewed in FIGURE 4 will be checked by the stationary button 60 being received within a coved portion 61 of the sleeve to prevent movement of the tube 26 completely out of the sleeve. In this position, the button 58 will be free of the front end of the sleeve 24 and will thus pop up, thereby locking the sleeve 24 and tube 26 against relative movement. When it is desired to effect relative movement to vary the spacing d as described in FIG- URE 3, the button 58 may be manually depressed, thereby permitting the tube 26 to slide rearwardly within the sleeve 24 as shown in FIGURE 4.

It will be readily appreciated that some variation in the distance d as shown in FIGURE 1 may be tolerated by bending of the tubes themselves. However, in order that the collapsible chair may be adapted to tables of considerable variation in table top thickness, it is desirable to make each of the

vertical tubes

35 and 36 of the vertical frame means adjustable in overall length. This is achieved as illustrated in FIGURE 4 by means of the telescoping

tubular end portions

38 and 39. These telescoping tubes are receivable within the

main tube members

35 and 36, the telescoping member 39 being provided with an elongated slot 62 receiving a screw 63 in the outer telescoping member 36 for guiding the telescoping movement and checking the extent of telescoping movement. A compression spring 64 is incorporated within the tubular member 36 as shown so that the

telescoping tubes

38 and 39 and end

engaging shoes

40 and 41 are always biased upwardly. With this arrangement, the variation possible for the distance d is equal to the length of the slot 62 in the telescoping tube 39.

The operation of the childs collapsible chair will be evident from the foregoing description. Initially, the chair is collapsed by crooking the overlapping

members

52 and 53 shown in FIGURE 3 and as indicated by dotted lines so that the right angular relationship between the vertical frame means and lower horizontal frame means can change in a parallelogram type manner to collapse the members. In this connection, it should be noted that it is not necessary that the sleeve 24 slide on the upper horizontal frame member 26 during the collapsing operation but may remain locked in position by the detent button 53. In this latter instance, the upper and lower horizontal frame means will remain substantially parallel during the collapsing operation as will also the vertical frame means 36 and the intermediate vertical braces 43. With the chair completely collapsed, it is simple to transport from one area to another.

To secure the chair to the table 10, it is preferable to open the chair completely and lock the overlapping

members

52 and 53 so that the same will assume the position shown in FIGURE 1. The small detent button 58 may then be depressed and the

sleeves

23 and 24 slid forwardly so that the

ends

27 and 28 of the upper horizontal frame members may be raised to increase the spacing d as indicated at d in FIGURE 3. The table edge may then readily be engaged or sandwiched between the upper frame members and the upper ends of the vertical frame tubes.

After the chair has been positioned as described, the

sleeves

23 and 24 are then urged rearwardly which will bring the

upper ends

27 and 28 of the horizontal frame members against the table top until the structure is altered from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to that shown in FIGURE 1. The telescoping

tubular portions

38 and 39 will be forced within the

tubular members

35 and 36 in the event the table is relatively thick so that the spacing d will adjust itself automatically to the thickness of the table top. When the

sleeves

23 and 24 are fully retracted, the detent buttons 58 will pop out to lock the same in position. The chair is then ready to receive a child.

Removal of the chair from the edge of the table 10 is achieved in a reverse manner by simply pressing the detent button such as indicated at 58 in FIGURE 4 and sliding the

sleeves

23 and 24 forwardly along the upper

horizontal frame members

25 and 26. This action will cause pivoting about the pivot 46 to raise the

front ends

27 and 28 and enable easy removal of the chair from the edge of the table. The

locking members

52 and 53 may then be crooked and the entire structure readily collapsed for transportation or storage.

While only one particular embodiment of this invention has been set forth and described, various modifications that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The childs collapsible chair is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the exact embodiment set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible childs chair for attachment to a table AA A 44 g r 3,133,760 5 top, said chair comprising: vertical back means; upper members enables collapsing of said chair in the manner horizontal frame means; sliding pivot means slidably pivof a parallelogram. oting one end of said upper horizontal frame means with A Collapsible childs Cha r according to claim in an upper d portion of id back eans; s id horizontal which said sliding pivot means includes a sleeve member frame means including another end portion designed to 5 Slidable n S id 116 end of said upper horizontal frame ack means, seat means coupled to sa1d lower honzontal and pivoted to diametrically opposite sides of sa1d sleeve frame means; vertical frame means pivotably connected 50 that Said Sleeve y Swing in a Vertical P to said lower horizontal frame means, said vertical frame A Collapsible childs Chair according to Claim ill means having one end designed to be received under said which the Portion of sa1d pp horizontal brace m ans t bl t m ll b l d th d of d upper receivable In said sleeve includes spring biased button horlzontal frame means, at least one vertical brace posimeans normally Posltlohed to block telescoplhg movebrace being pivoted to sa1d upper horizontal frame means; A p childs Chair according to claim ill a honzontal brace havmg one d plvoted to d i l WhlCh sa1d one end of said vertical frame means lncludes brace ad acent to its lower end and having its other end a tetescoplng tube telimlhatlhg 111 an under table el'lganhg extending parallel to and below said lower horizontal lf h P Y received in a remaining P frame means to pivot to said vertical frame means and t of sa1d Vertlcal frame means, and Spring means b a locking brace for holding sa1d lower horizontal frame salfi telescoplhg tube p y to heal against the means and said vertical frame means at right angles to under slde of said table.

each other, said sliding pivot means enabling said upper A Qouapstble childs chair achordillg to claim n horizontal frame means to be pivoted about the Pivot WhlCh sa1d vertical back means includes a U-shaped tube and said one end f Said vertical frame means may be tion of said U-shaped tube, in which said vertical frame varied, the one end of said upper horizontal frame means mean? comprises a p tube, the n s f the arms sliding and pivoting relative to said back means so that of sa1d h P t engaging h nd r ide of said said vertical spacing can be changed with said lower table: and m Whlch Said Vertical brace C mprises a horizontal frame means and said vertical frame means h P tube, the arms of Which are pivote at Intert fl h l at h angles by sa1d lockmg brace mediate points to said lower horizontal frame means and tion thereof, whereby said one portion may be swung References Cited in the file of this Patent out of its normal position to define an opening in said UNITED STATES PATENTS back means; and clip means intercoupling said one por- 40 5 5 McNamara Aug 11 1908 1,049,159 Simmel Dec. 31, 1912 3. A collapsible childs chair according to claim 1, in 2,451,667 Ducey Oct. 19 1948 which said locking brace includes two overlapping mem- 2 545 313 Jackson Mar. 20, 1951 bers ivoted together and extending between said lower 2 707,9 7 Gibson May 10 1955 2,954,073 Junkunc Sept. 27, 1960 pivoted respectively to said lower horizontal frame means FOREIGN PATENTS and said vertical frame means so that crooking of said 374,786 a ce Feb. 18, 1907

Claims

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CHILD''S CHAIR FOR ATTACHMENT TO A TABLE TOP, SAID CHAIR COMPRISING: VERTICAL BACK MEANS; UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS; SLIDING PIVOT MEANS SLIDABLY PIVOTING ONE END OF SAID UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS WITH AN UPPER END PORTION OF SAID BACK MEANS; SAID HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS INCLUDING ANOTHER END PORTION DESIGNED TO BE RECEIVED OVER SAID TABLE TOP; LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS PIVOTABLY COUPLED TO A LOWER END PORTION OF SAID BACK MEANS; SEAT MEANS COUPLED TO SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS; VERTICAL FRAME MEANS PIVOTABLY CONNECTED TO SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS, SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS HAVING ONE END DESIGNED TO BE RECEIVED UNDER SAID TABLE TOP VERTICALLY BELOW SAID OTHER END OF SAID UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS; AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL BRACE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS AND SAID BACK MEANS AND PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS, THE UPPER END OF SAID VERTICAL BRACE BEING PIVOTED TO SAID UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS; A HORIZONTAL BRACE HAVING ONE END PIVOTED TO SAID VERTICAL BRACE ADJACENT TO ITS LOWER END AND HAVING ITS OTHER END EXTENDING PARALLEL TO AND BELOW SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS TO PIVOT TO SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS; AND A LOCKING BRACE FOR HOLDING SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS AND SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER, SAID SLIDING PIVOT MEANS ENABLING SAID UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS TO BE PIVOTED ABOUT THE PIVOT POINT OF SAID UPPER END OF SAID VERTICAL BRACE SO THAT THE VERTICAL SPACING BETWEEN SAID ANOTHER END PORTION THEREOF AND SAID ONE END OF SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS MAY BE VARIED, THE ONE END OF SAID UPPER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS SLIDING AND PIVOTING RELATIVE TO SAID BACK MEANS SO THAT SAID VERTICAL SPACING CAN BE CHANGED WITH SAID LOWER HORIZONTAL FRAME MEANS AND SAID VERTICAL FRAME MEANS STILL HELD AT RIGHT ANGLES BY SAID LOCKING BRACE.