US3563605A - Rocking and rolling leg rest with lock means - Google Patents

Abstract

A rocking and rolling leg rest including end members provided with apertures having inclined supporting surfaces and a body supporting member resiliently and rollingly carried by the end members and normally located in an upper position, the supporting member having projecting tongues disposed in the apertures to engage the supporting surfaces of the apertures when the supporting member is tilted and moved downwardly and rolled sidewise under pressure applied to the top thereof. Rollers are provided on the support engaging portions of the tongues to facilitate tilting thereof and means can be provided to lock the supporting member in the upper position.

Description

United States Patent David Pinkas [72] Inventor 207 Wolfpit Ave., Norwalk, Conn. 06851 [21] Appl. No. 837,421 [22] Filed June 30, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 16, 1971 [54] ROCKING AND ROLLING LEG REST WITH LOCK MEANS 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 297/439 [51] Int.C1 A47c 9/12 [50] Field of Search 297/429, 439, 270; 108/136; 248/399 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 169,897. 11/1875 Farnham 312/235 2,085,164 6/1937 Mead 297/439 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gillian Att0rney--Johnson and Kline ABSTRACT: A rocking and rolling leg rest including end members provided with apertures having inclined supporting surfaces and a body supporting member resiliently and rollingly carried by the end members and normally located in an upper position, the supporting member having projecting tongues disposed in the apertures to engage the supporting surfaces of the apertures when the supporting member is tilted and moved downwardly and rolled sidewise under pressure applied to the top thereof. Rollers are provided on the support engaging portions of the tongues to facilitate tilting thereof and means can be provided to lock the supporting member in the upper position.

ROCKING AND ROLLING LEG REST WITH LOCK MEANS Heretofore, rocking footrests have been made with slings to receive and support a leg. These devices were limited in their use, expensive to manufacture, and could not be used as a rocking seat should it be desired.

The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the prior art by providing a device which is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct, which can be easily assembled, and which has a resiliently mounted, body supporting element that can be controlled.

It is an object of this invention to provide a comfortable leg resting and massaging stool.

This is accomplished by having end members provided with apertures to receive projecting portions on a body supporting member to permit limited movement of the body supporting member with respect to the end members and also to provide means for holding the body supporting member against undesired movement so that the device can be used as a leg rest and a stool.

The tilting and rolling action of this invention provides comfort, massaging action and relaxation of leg muscles by allowing self adjustment of the resting position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view, partly in section, of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the invention in rocking and rolling position.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the body supporting member.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the body supporting member.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the body supporting member with the locking slide in projected position.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the slide retracted.

As shown in the drawing, the rocking leg rest of the present invention comprises a pair of end members 10, which are preferably identically shaped. These members have rockers 12 on their lower surfaces and are provided with apertures 12, herein illustrated as two in number. The ends are connected by an elongate member 13 having the ends thereof provided with a pair of lugs 14 received in notches 15 formed in the end members. They are secured together by adhesive and/or fasteners 16 as required. The end members and elongate member can be made of wood, plastics or other suitable material capable of providing the desired support.

A body supporting member 20 is disposed between the end members 10. As illustrated, it comprises a base 21 having relatively narrow tongues 22 projecting at each end and can be provided with suitable upholstery 23. It is mounted with its tongues 22 extending into the upper apertures 12 and is urged to an upper position, wherein the tongues engage the top 12a of the aperture, by resilient means. As herein illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the resilient means comprises a spring 25 disposed in a recess lla formed in the end member and having one end connected, as by a pin 26 passing through an end loop 25a in the spring, to the end member and the loop 25b at the other end is secured to the tongue 22 by a fastener or connector 27. The resilient means while normally holding the supporting member in the upper position of FIG. 6 yields to enable it to move downwardly as shown in FIG. 7 under weight applied to said supporting member 20.

As shown, the apertures 12 are substantially wider at the upper end than the tongues 22 and permit the supporting member to tilt with the edges engaging the inclined supporting surfaces 12b to cause the member 20 to move downwardly in the front and upwardly in the rear, as shown in FIG. 2, after the supporting member has moved downwardly a predetermined distance and also form stops for the body supporting member.

The edges of. the tongues are provided with rollers 30 mounted in brackets 31 or other friction reducing means for engagingthe su porting surfaces 121) to facilitate movement an t e trltrng o the body supporting member whrle supporting a leg or the like during a rocking operation with the attendant massaging of the leg.

When it is desired to use the device as a stool, means is provided for holding the body supporting member 20 in fixed relation to the end members 10. As herein illustrated this comprises slides 35 slidably mounted on the undersurface of the base 21 and each tongue by headed screws 36 operating in slots 37 (FIG. 4) and slidable from a retracted position (FIG. 7) to projected position (FIG. 6) in which side wings or wedges 38 on the slide engage the supporting surfaces 12b and prevent movement of the body supporting member with respect to the end members. A finger grip 39 aids in moving the slide between retracted and projected positions.

The device of the present invention is of simple construction, can be readily shipped in knocked down condition and easily assembled, and serves as a tiltable rocking leg rest or a seat as required.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Iclaim:

l. A rocking and rolling leg rest having a pair of end members provided with rocker surfaces and means to secure the end members together, each of said end members being provided with apertures having opposed inclined lower supporting surfaces, a body supporting member disposed between the end members and having a tongue at each end extending into the adjacent aperture in the end member, and resilient means at each end thereof including a spring having one end connected to the end member and the other end connected to the tongue yieldably supporting said body supporting member in a normal upper position with respect to said end members with the tongue disposed above the lower supporting surfaces of the apertures, said means enabling the supporting member to tilt and move downwardly under pressure applied thereto with said tongues engaging the inclined supporting surfaces of said apertures in the end members causing movement of said body supporting member, said opposed aperture being substantially wider than the tongue and said opposed inclined supporting surfaces causing the body supporting member to have a tilting and rolling action adapted to massage the muscles of a leg supported thereon.

2. The invention as defined in claim I wherein the tongues have roller means on the support engaging surfaces thereof.

3. The invention as defined in claim I wherein the body supporting member has a slide at each end movable from a retracted position to a projected position in which portions of said slide engage the supporting surfaces of said apertures to prevent downward movement of the body supporting member.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the end members above the apertures have a recess opening in the aperture and wherein the resilient means has said spring normally disposed in said recess and with one end secured to the end member and the other end secured to the tongue disposed in the aperture.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the means securing the end members together comprises a transverse member having spaced projecting portions at each end and wherein the end members have cooperating recesses therein to receive said projecting portions.

Claims (5)

1. A rocking and rolling leg rest having a pair of end members provided with rocker surfaces and means to secure the end members together, each of said end members being provided with apertures having opposed inclined lower supporting surfaces, a body supporting member disposed between the end members and having a tongue at each end extending into the adjacent aperture in the end member, and resilient means at each end thereof including a spring having one end connected to the end member and the other end connected to the tongue yieldably supporting said body supporting member in a normal upper position with respect to said end members with the tongue disposed above the lower supporting surfaces of the apertures, said means enabling the supporting member to tilt and move downwardly under pressure applied thereto with said tongues engaging the inclined supporting surfaces of said apertures in the end members causing movement of said body supporting member, said opposed aperture being substantially wider than the tongue and said opposed inclined supporting surfaces causing the body supporting member to have a tilting and rolling action adapted to massage the muscles of a leg supported thereon.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the tongues have roller means on the support engaging surfaces thereof.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the body supporting member has a slide at each end movable from a retracted position to a projected position in which portions of said slide engage the supporting surfaces of said apertures to prevent downward movement of the body supporting member.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the end members above the apertures have a Recess opening in the aperture and wherein the resilient means has said spring normally disposed in said recess and with one end secured to the end member and the other end secured to the tongue disposed in the aperture.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the means securing the end members together comprises a transverse member having spaced projecting portions at each end and wherein the end members have cooperating recesses therein to receive said projecting portions.

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