US3350134A - Glider oscillating on rollers - Google Patents

Description

A. L. KOTLER Oct. 31, 1967 GLIDER OSCILLATING ON ROLLERS .F'il-ed July 25, 1966 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,350,134 GLIDER OSCILLATING ON ROLLERS Aaron L. Kotler, Glencoe, Il1., assignor to The Goshen Manufacturing Co., Inc., Goshen, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed July 25, 1966, Ser. No. 567,635 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-246) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE On the lower portion of a glide settee there is provided first bracket plates having downwardly-facing concave rims projecting transversely inwardly therefrom, and mounted on the settee base below said first bracket plates and spaced laterally relative thereto are second bracket plates having upwardly-facing concave rims projecting transversely outwardly therefrom, said oppositelycurved rims being vertically aligned and forming sockets within which rollers are carried to permit back and forth gliding movement of the settee, said rollers being carried between said laterally spaced bracket plates to prevent the inadvertent dislodgement of said rollers.

This invention relates to improvements in outdoor fumiture, and more particularly to a new and improved glidesettee.

A so-called glide-settee is a dual-seat furniture piece for use on lawns or porches which is designed to travel backwardly and forwardly on a virtually level plane, in contrast to conventional swing seats which swing upwardly and downwardly as they travel back and forth.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new roller-type support structure for glide-settees which is simpler and more economical in design than the complex rocker-type support assemblies heretofore employed, while still providing a smooth, substantially level gliding motion.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a novel glide-settee structure which is rugged and durable in construction, which is quiet in operation, which is light weight, and which is reliable and dependable in use.

With the above and other objects in view, which other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter, the invention comprises the new and improved glide-settee shown and described herein, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein the same reference numerals designate the same or similar parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glide-settee with the novel support assembly featured in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the movable support assembly, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, a portion thereof being broken away and shown in section; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2 showing the movable support assembly when the seat frame is shifted from its normal, centered position.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the numerals and 11 designate the two, facing seats incorporated in the present glide-settee structure, each of said seats preferably being designed to accommodate two or more persons. Said seats 10, 11 are formed of a plurality of closely-spaced slats 12 supported between side members 13 and contoured upright back elements 14, and include spaced pairs of curved, unitary arm and leg members 16 which are supported on elongated parallel horizontal frame elements 17 and 18. Spanning said frame elements intermediate the length thereof are floor boards 19 upon which a persons feet rest when seated on the settee.

In the illustrated glide-settee, a canopy 21 is supported above the seats 10, 11 by means of posts 22 extending upwardly from the backs of said seats. It is to be understood, however, that this is not a critical feature and the invention is not to be limited in this respect.

Glide-settees of the type herein concerned are so designed that they may be propelled backwardly and forwardly on a substantially level plane through slight movement exerted by a person or persons seated thereon, thus providing a soothing and restful motion. Unfortunately, in conventional glide-settees relatively complicated movable, elliptical rockers and supporting frames are utilized to permit back-and-forth gliding movement of the seat frame, which prior movable support assemblies are relatively expensive and add to the manufacturing cost of the settee.

In accordance with the present invention, and with reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that bolted or otherwise secured on the inner faces of the lower, parallel frame elements 17, 18, beneath each of the seats 10, 11, are bracket plates 23, each of which plates has an elongated, downwardly-facing concave rim 24 projecting transversely inwardly therefrom, said rim curving downwardly from a high point intermediate the length thereof and having downturned end portions terminating at the lower edge of said bracket plate (FIG. 2). There are two pairs of said plates 23 mounted in opposed relationship on the lower frame elements 17, 18, and spanning said frame elements between each of said pairs of bracket plates are cross bars 25 which add strength and rigidity to the frame. Decorative scroll work or the like is ordinarily carried between the seat side members 13 and the lower frame elements 17, 18, but has not been shown in the drawing in order to permit a clearer view of the novel movable supporting assembly characterizing the present invention.

The elongated, parallel frame elements 17, 18 in thepresent invention are supported on a unitary base member 26 formed of tubular or rod stock which is secured to and extends downwardly at an angle from the intermediate section of the frame to form a supporting base having its side portions aligned below said elongated frame elements (FIG. 1). Secured to said tubular base and positioned immediately below each of the plates 23 on said frame elements 17 and 18 are bracket plates 27, and projecting from the outer faces of said lower plates are upwardly-facing concave rims 29 having upturned ends, as shown. Thus there is provided vertically-spaced and oppositely-facing pairs of rims 24, 29, the function of which will now be seen.

As best appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, a wheel or roller 31 is carried within each of the pairs of opposed rims 24, 29, said rims forming cages or sockets with the rollers resting on said lower rims 29 (FIG. 2) and the oppositely-curved upper rims 24 bearing on the upper portions of said rollers 31. Said rollers are preferably formed of solid rubber in order to promote quietness, as well as to provide rollers which are durable and longlasting, but the invention is not to be limited in this respect. Axles 32 connect the wheels or rollers 31 on the opposite sides of the settee, said axles being designed to turn with said rollers and ensuring they will roll conjointly during the backward and forward travel of said glide-settee. When the settee is in its normal, at-rest position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rollers 31 will seek the lowermost point on the concave lower rims 29 on which they ride, and the oppositely-curved upper rims 24 which support the seat frame will center themselves on said rollers, as illustrated.

When it is desired to move the glide-settee comprising the present invention backwardly and forwardly, slight foot pressure on the floor boards by a person seated on said settee will cause the seat-supporting frame elements 17, 18 to ride in the desired direction over the tops of the rollers 31 while said rollers simultaneously roll in the same direction on the bottom rim members 29 mounted on the stationary base element 26. The seat frame will continue its travel in said direction until the rollers 31 reach the ends of the concave rims, at which point the curved nature of said roller rims causes said rollers to reverse and begin rolling in the opposite direction. Slight motion by the rider plus the momentum of the seat frame will carry said frame past the center position to the opposite ends of the rims, where the travel direction of the rollers is again reversed, thus continuing the back and forth gliding movement of the settee. The travel distance of said settee in each direction is determined by the length of the rim members 24, 29, of course, and the curved nature of said rims functions to gently slow the movement of said settee before it reverses direction, thus promoting the smooth, restful gliding action of said settee.

One of the novel and important features of the present structure is that as the rollers 31 travel upwardly and downwardly on the curved lower rims 29 the reversely-curved upper, frame-supporting rims 24 impart opposite vertical movement as they simultaneously ride on the tops of said rollers, thus compensating for the slight upward and downward movement of said rollers and providing substantially level gliding action. To accomplish this function it is essential that said oppositelyfacing curved rims 24, 29 are formed on the arcs of curves of approximately the same radii, of course.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved and simplified glide-settee support assembly which has several important advantages over the complex rocker structures heretofore used. Principally, the simplified design of the present unit provides a structure which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, said unit is dependable and long-lasting, and it is relatively quiet in operation.

It is to be understood, of course, that numerous variations or modifications in the illustrated structure are possible and it is intended to cover herein not only the structure hereinabove described but also any and all modifications or variations thereof as may come within the spirit of said invention, and within the scope of the following claim.

What I claim is:

A glide settee having a pair of longitudinally-movable elongated parallel horizontal frame elements carrying oppositely-facing seats, a stationary base member below said frame elements, roller assembly between said base and frame elements, said assembly comprising: first bracket plates mounted on the inner faces of said horizontal frame elements, each of said bracket plates having a downwardly-facing concave rim projecting transversely inwardly therefrom; second bracket plates mounted on said base member below said first bracket plates and spaced laterally-inwardly therefrom, each of said second bracket plates having an upwardly-facing concave rim projecting transversely outwardly therefrom, the oppositely-curved rims on said first and second bracket plates being formed on arcs of curves of substantially the same radii and being vertically aligned so that said spaced plates and said aligned rims form roller sockets; and a roller movably carried in each of said sockets with said roller riding on the lower rim and the upper rim bearing on the top of said roller to permit back and forth gliding movement of the settee, said rollers having smooth peripheral surfaces, and said rollers being connected in pairs by axles and being movably sandwiched in spaced relationship between said laterally-spaced bracket plates to prevent their inadvertent dislodgement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 742,932 11/ 1903 Tuttle 287246 1,366,625 1/1921 Zoulek 297246 1,43 8,817 12/ 1922 Fishburne 297--246 1,956,772 5/ 1934 Morton 297-246 2,567,612 9/ 1951 McGehee 5129 2,627,895 2/1953 Lussier 297-246 2,959,210 11/1960 Pearlstine 297-344 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner.

Images