US3136272A - Collapsible stools and chairs - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1964 A. SPRIGMAN 3,136,272

COLLAPSIBLE STOOLS AND CHAIRS Filed March 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/ Z 7 INVENTOR. ART/IMF 5Fk/6MA V June 9, 1964 A. SPRIGMAN COLLAPSIBLE STOOLS AND CHAIRS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1962 June 9, 1964 A. SPRIGMAN 3,136,272

COLLAPSIBLE STOOLS AND CHAIRS Filed March 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 XX/MMM,

United States Patent 3,136,272 C(DLLAPSIBLE STGGLS AND CHAIRS Arthur Sprigman, New Hyde Park, N.Y., assignor to Murray Lifl', Brooklyn, NY. Filed Mar. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 179,911 3 Claims. (Cl. 108-118) This invention relates to collapsible stools and chairs. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide collapsible stools or chairs to which the flexible seat portion will be so connected to the outwardly-extending upper ends of the chair legs that it will not be unduly strained, the load being assumed by flexible strap loops extending under and along the four sides of the seat portion at an angle to one another and connected to the upper ends of the chair legs by specially prepared block means for receiving the loops.

It is another object of the invention to provide a collapsible stool or chair which will have crossed legs on four sides of the chair, and in which the upper and lower ends of the cross leg members are joined by upper and lower specially prepared blocks from which the seat portion and the foot projection will respectively extend.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a collapsible stool or chair having the above objects in mind, which may have arm and back rests and carried by vertically-extending posts extending through upper and lower blocks on collapsible crossed leg members and collapsing therewith.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible stool or chair having the one immediately above object in mind, in which fastener catches are unnecessary to lock the seat portion to the posts, the outward extension of the crossed leg members being limited automatically by the nature of the construction, in which there are pairs of crossed legs lying on all four sides of the chair and joined together at the corners by blocks disposed at their upper and lower ends.

Other objects of the invention are to provide collapsible and portable stools or chairs having all of the above objects in mind, which will be of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, light in weight, durable, wherein the parts are paralleled with one another when collapsed and making for a compact item for storage in an auto trunk or other limited storage spaces, easy to open and collapse, free of sliding parts, comfortable, of pleasing appearance, and effective and efficient in use.

A still further object of the inventionis to provide a collapsible chair structure having the foregoing objects in mind and in addition having convenient means to lock the structure in its open position.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the opened collapsible stool or chair constructed according to one form of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the collapsed stool,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of one corner of the opened top of the stool with the corner of the flexi ble seat material lifted to show one of the corner blocks,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a corner of the opened stool,

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional View of thecorner block as viewed on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the intersection of the crossed leg members as viewedon line 6-6 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the foot bloc V ner in which one of the legs is spread from the foot block upon the stool being opened,

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of'an opened collapsible chair constructed according to a modified form of the invention with a back thereon and employing corner blocks for supporting the chair seat and cross leg braces, FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of one corner of the seat of the opened chair, FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view corner of the seat part of the chair, 7

FIG.- 12 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the one corner of the chair asviewed on line 12-12 of FIG. 11,

of one FIG. 13 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the chair taken through one side of the back part thereof as viewed on line 13-13 of FIG. 9,

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary transverse sectionalview looking in plan upon the crossed brace bracket at the lower end of one chair leg and as viewed on line 14-14 of FIG. 9,

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary elevational view of the top part of the collapsed chair,

,FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternative chair form of the invention in which a twist lock mechanism has been provided to prevent the collapsing of the chair until so desired,

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary plan view through 17-17 of FIG. 16 to show the seat strap securing fittings,

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view in side elevation through 18-18 of FIG. 16 showing the twist lock member in its unlocked position, FIG. 19 is a plan view taken on line 19-19 of FIG. 18, FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 19,

FIG. 21 is a view taken on line 21-21 of FIG. 17,

FIG. 22 is a view taken on line 22-22 of FIG. 16,

FIG. 23 is a view taken on line 23-23 of FIG. 18, and

' FIG. 24 is a plan view. taken on line 24-24 of FIG. 16. Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 to 8, 21 repre sents corner blocks, there being four in' number, on the stool or chair to which crossed leg members or braces 22 and 23 of pairs of crossed leg members located respectively on four sides of the chair, are respectively pivotally connected, angled ninety degrees from each other and connected to the corner block and within respective bifurcations 24 and 25 thereof by respective pivot pins 26 and 27 as best shown in FIG. 5 and with the ends of the leg members respectively having tongue projections 28 and 29 to fit the respective bifurcations 24 and 25, FIG. 5. Each pair of the crossed leg members --22 and 23, there being four pairs in number, one on each side of the stool, and pivotally joined with one another by a pivot pin 31 extend through the leg members as best viewed in FIGS. 2 and 6, and upset in rivet fashion as indicated at 32 and 33, to hold the leg members together. A spacing washer 34 is provided between the cross leg mem bers to keep'them spaced from one another and from binding when being collapsed or opened, The lower ends of crossed legs 22, 23 of the respective pairs are joined in a similar manner to foot blocks 36 having rubber cushions 37 on their bottom faces for engagement with the floor or ground surface in a non-skid manner and fixed thereto by rivet 38.

j The lower ends of the leg members 22, 23 respectively have tongue portions 39, 41 that are respectively pivotal- Patented'June 9, 1964 san ers 1y secured to bifurcated portions 42 and 43, extending ninety degrees from one another, by respective pivot pins 44, 45. Thus, it will be .seen that the upper and lower ends of the cross leg members 22 and 23 are adapted tovbe collapsed upon one another about their pivot pin 31 while being retained at their upper and lower ends by the seat and foot blocks 21 and 36.

The seat blocks 21 are extended in height and are fashioned to receive in a manner, similar to which it receives the upper ends of the cross leg members 22 and 23, strap loops 46 and 47 running across the sides of the flexible seat portion 48 to the underside of which they are stitched as indicated at 49. These strap loops receive all of the strain of the weight of a person seated onthe stool. The upper portion of the block 21 is cut to provide recesses 51 and 52, ninety degrees apart and into which respective strap loops 46 and 47 extend and are retained by respective pins 53 and 54 running through the recesses and the respective loops 46 and 47. The corner of the seat portion as best seen at 55 is not put under strain and overlies the block 21 to cover the same. Thus, with the flexible and foldable seat portion 48 so connected with the stool leg members so as not to be put directly under strain, it willstand up longer and enhance the life of the stool.

' When the stool or chair is opened as shown in FIG. 1 and weight is applied to the seat, the outward extent of the upper ends of the leg members and their distance from one another and connection with loops are such that the weight is so distributed that there is a tendency to force their outer ends and the blocks 21 outwardly and downwardly and overcenter rather than inwardly and upwardly. When the stool is relieved of its weight on its seat portion and with the seat material being flexible, the upper ends of the leg members and the blocks 21 are drawn toward one another from what may be considered an overcenter position and readily and easily the leg members are folded and collapsed upon themselves so that the stool consumes little space for the purpose of being stored. In thisform of the invention, there has degrees from each other into which the respective strap loops 67 and 68 of the flexible seat portion 66 are respectively secured by their respective pins 81 and 82. These strap loops 67 and 63 are secured to the seat portion 66 respectively by stitchings 33 and extend across the full side of the seat 66 so that the strain on the seat bottom resulting from the weight of the person sitting therein is assumed by the loop straps. The corners of the seat portion 66 are cut away at 84 since they need to assume none of the seat strain and to accommodate the corner posts 61. The arm rests 64 have loops 85 on their front and rear ends and are joined to the upper ends of the posts by metal rings 86.

The rear posts 61 are respectively provided at their upper ends with blocks 67 that are fixed thereto by pins 88 and for the purpose of supporting the back rest 65. Journalled in these respective blocks 87 are pins 89 that respectively extend laterally from vertically-extending rods -91 about which loop seams 92 of the back rest 65 are extended and supported. This back rest can thus swivel on the blocks 87 to accommodate the inclination of the back of the person and can fold up along with the arm rests 64 being of flexible material and .along with the folding of the brace rods 57 and 58, the seat portion 66 and the bringing'together of the posts, 61, all in the manner as best shown in FIG. 15 with the parts collapsed and folded upon one another.

It will be seen that there has also been provided a foldable chair in which only the blocks 59 slide upon vertical posts 61 and in which there is no need for fixing the blocks 59 to the post 61 when the chair parts are extended. The cross legs in their'connections with the post 61 measure the distance to which the chair parts been a complete absence of vertically-extending posts and/or friction-binding sliding parts. The outward ex tension of the parts and the height of the stool is readily limited by the joining together of the lower'ends of the legs by the foot blocks 36 and of the strap loops 46 and 47 with the upper blocks 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 to 15, there is shown a collapsible chair constructed according to another form of the invention in which cross braces 57 and 58 of four pairs of cross braces are joined to corner blocks 59 at their upper ends that are respectively slidable upon respective vertically-extending posts 61 while their lower ends are joined to bottom blocks 62 which do not serve' as foot members but which are fixed by pins 63' to the lower ends of the post 61. There are four pairs of crossed braces 57' and 58 and four posts 61 that serve as foot members, carry arm rest straps 64 at the opposite sides of the chair and a back rest 65. The provision of the blocks 59,- 62 and the connection of the cross braces 57 and 58 therewith is the same as with the first form of the inventionp Likewise, a seat bottom portion 66 is similarly connected by strap loops 67 and 68 to the corner blocks 59 by respective pins 81 and 82. The only real difference in the construction of this second form of the invention is thus the inclusion of the posts per blocks 59 have bifurcated portions 71 and 72 that respectively receive respective tongue portions 73 and 74 of respective cross members 57 and 58 and respectively secured thereto by pivot pins 75 and 76.

' Each block 59 has recesses 78 and 79 angled ninety are extended and the weight of the person on the seat portion 66 will force the blocks 59 downwardly on the post 61 and the upper ends of the braces into overcenter positions.

To collapse the chair the blocks 50 are drawn upwardly on the post toward the rings 86 and the back rest blocks 87 so that all the parts of the chair are substantially paralleled with one another as best shown in FIG. 15. Referring now to FIGS. 16 through 24, 'four pairs of leg'meinbers 161 and 102 are each pivoted on pins 103 to form four compressioned support trusses. Each member 101 and 102 is pivotally secured at its lower end to a foot block 164, and at its upper end to a seat block 106. Four corner posts 107 are secured at their lower ends to blocks 10? while slideably passing freely through blocks 1'36. Each seat block 166 has secured to it two straps 108 and 169 at right angles to one another by means ofthe hangar members 111, straps 108 and 109 are secured to a flexible seat member 112 by means of stitching 113.

A flexible back rest member 114 is pivotally secured to the rear corner posts 167 by the spreader members 116 and pivot blocks 116. Arm rests 117 are secured to corner posts 107 by hangar members 118.

Thus far the chair of FIG. 16 is substantially identical with that of FIG. 9. However, the two side truss pairs 101, 102, are each provided with a folding locking strut assembly comprising hinge studs 119, 121, hinge pin 120, struts 122, 123, and pivot pins 127 and 128. Strut 122 is pivotally secured to legmernber 101 by pin 127 while strut 123 is similarly pivoted to leg 102 by pin 128.

The two hinge studs 119, 121 are journalled and secured together by hinge pin 120. a A cylindrical stud portion of hinge stud 119 fits within and is journalled in the hollow tubular body of strut 122, while a corresponding cylindrical portion of hinge stud 121 fits within and is journalled in the hollow tubular body of strut 123. An annular groove 129 in stud 112 cooperates with a pin 131 in strut 122 to retain stud 119 on strut 122 while allowing angular rotation therebetween. In like manner, annular groove 132 in hinge stud 121 cooperates with pin 133 in tubular strut 123 to retain them together while allowing co-axial angular rotation therebetween. It can be seen that the hinge assembly 119, 120, 121 can be rotated only when struts 122 and 123 are folded about pins 127 and 128 so as to'be co-axial as in FIGS. 16, 19, 20 and the solid line position illustrated in FIG. 18.

In the unlocked position of hinge pin 120 shown in FIG. 18, pin 120 has its axis parallel to the axes of pins 127 and 128. Consequently, struts 122 and 123 can be angulated into the dotted position shown in FIG. 18 thereby permitting the chair to be folded into its closed position.

Conversely, after the chair is opened to the position corresponding to the solid lines of FIG. 18, the hinge members 119 and 121 on each side, together with hinge pins 120 may be rotated ninety degrees to the position shown in FIG. 20. By virtue of the fact that the axis of pin 120 is now rotated ninety degrees away from the axes of pins 127 and 128, struts 122 and 123 are now incapable of displacement into the open position, and the chair structure is locked in its open position.

This condition will persist until pins 120 are again rotated into the unlocked position shown in FIG. 18.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible self-locking chair comprising pairs of crossed brace legs pivoted to one another intermediate the length thereof, upper blocks pivotally receiving the upper ends of adjacent four pairs of crossed legs arranged ninety degrees apart from one another and respectively along the front, rear and sides of the chair, a seat portion having straps running to the corners of the seat portion at an angle to one another and means for respectively joining said seat straps to the block at a corresponding angle with the respective pairs of cross legs, the extremities of the straps being spaced such a distance apart as to allow outward overcentering downward force upon the blocks tending thereby to spread the crossed legs and seat portion to its open position when the seat portion is weighted, whereby the seat portion proper will be relieved from the seat strain and the straps will apply over center downward force upon the blocks when the chair is opened, each of said upper blocks having bifurcated portions angled ninety degrees from one another, saidcrossed legs having tongue portions extending into the bifurcated portions of the blocks and pivot pins extending through the bifurcated and tongue portions to pivotally join the crossed legs to the blocks, and said upper blocks having recesses correspondingly cut therein above the bifurcated portions and similarly angled ninety degrees apart and said straps being in forms of loops extending into the respective recesses and pins carried on the upper block and extending through the recesses and the loops to secure the loops to the blocks.

2. A collapsible self-locking chair comprising pairs of crossed brace legs pivoted to one another intermediate the length thereof, upper blocks pivotally receiving the upper ends of adjacent four pairs of crossed legs arranged ninety degrees apart from one another and respectively along the front, rear and sides of the chair, a seat portion having straps running to the corners of the seat portion at an angle to one another and means for respectiveley joining said seat straps to the block at a corresponding angle with the respectivepairs of crossed legs, the extremities of the straps being spaced such a distance apart as to allow outward overcentering downward force upon the blocks tending thereby to spread the crossed legs and seat portion to its open positionwhen the seatportion is weighted, whereby the seatportion proper will be relieved from the seat strain and the straps will apply over center downward force upon the blocks when the chair is opened, each of said upper blocks having bifurcated portions angled ninety degrees from one another, said crossed legs having tongue potrions extending into the bifurcated portions of the blocks and pivot pins extending through the bifurcated and tongue portions to pivotally join the crossed legs to the blocks, and said upper blocks having recesses correspondingly cut therein above the bifurcated portions and similarly angled ninety degrees apart and means for securing the ends of the straps in the recesses in the blocks.

3. The collapsible self-locking chair as defined in claim 1 and vertically extending posts slidably mounting said upper blocks and fixedly mounting the lower blocks, the pair of crossed legs at each side of the chair having a folding locking strut assembly including opposed interlocking hinge studs, a hinge pin extending through the opposed hinge studs, a tubular strut pivotally secured to one side leg and to one stud, and a tubular strut pivotally secured to the other side leg and to the other stud, said studs having stop faces for engaging one another as the tubular struts are pivoted upon their pivot connection with the legs to thereby limit the folding movement of the struts while permitting the folding of the struts in a diametrically opposite direction for the collapse of the legs, said hinge studs being journalled in the struts thereby permitting the studs to be turned in the struts and whereby to lock the struts in their extended positions and the legs to be braced against inward collapse.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 244,215 Fenby July 12, 1881 283,119 Knapp Aug. 14, 1883 398,943 Crandall Mar. 5, 1889 1,185,568 Zeunert May 30, 1916 1,285,580 Bachtel Nov. 26, 1918 1,381,136 Ribeiro June 14, 1921 1,390,836 Stoll Sept. 13, 1921 1,481,521 Marsh Jan. 22, 1924 1,509,881 Severin Sept. 30, 1924 1,842,338 Wenz'et al. Jan. 19, 1932 1,942,112 McQuilkin Ian. 2, 1934 2,818,910 Hawkins Jan. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 666,871 Great Britain Feb. 20, 1952 1,112,257 France Nov. 9, 1955 856,035 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1960

Claims (1)

1. A COLLAPSIBLE SELF-LOCKING CHAIR COMPRISING PAIRS OF CROSSED BRACE LEGS PIVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH THEREOF, UPPER BLOCKS PIVOTALLY RECEIVING THE UPPER ENDS OF ADJACENT FOUR PAIRS OF CROSSED LEGS ARRANGED NINETY DEGREES APART FROM ONE ANOTHER AND RESPECTIVELY ALONG THE FRONT, REAR AND SIDES OF THE CHAIR, A SEAT PORTION HAVING STRAPS RUNNING TO THE CORNERS OF THE SEAT PORTION AT AN ANGLE TO ONE ANOTHER AND MEANS FOR RESPECTIVELY JOINING SAID SEAT STRAPS TO THE BLOCK AT A CORRESPONDING ANGLE WITH THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF CROSS LEGS, THE EXTREMITIES OF THE STRAPS BEING SPACED SUCH A DISTANCE APART AS TO ALLOW OUTWARD OVERCENTERING DOWNWARD FORCE UPON THE BLOCKS TENDING THEREBY TO SPREAD THE CROSSED LEGS AND SEAT PORTION TO ITS OPEN POSITION WHEN THE SEAT PORTION IS WEIGHTED, WHEREBY THE SEAT PORTION PROPER WILL BE RELIEVED FROM THE SEAT STRAIN AND THE STRAPS WILL APPLY OVER CENTER DOWNWARD FORCE UPON THE BLOCKS WHEN THE CHAIR IS OPENED, EACH OF SAID UPPER BLOCKS HAVING BIFURCATED PORTIONS ANGLED NINETY DEGREES FROM ONE ANOTHER, SAID CROSSED LEGS HAVING TONGUE PORTIONS EXTENDING INTO THE BIFURCATED PORTIONS OF THE BLOCKS AND PIVOT PINS EXTENDING THROUGH THE BIFURCATED

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