US358554A

US358554A - Folding chair

Info

Publication number: US358554A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1904-03-01

Description

(No Model.)4

A. I.. I-IINES.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented Mar. I, 1887.

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I ,E "W u Snom/Foz llNrran STATES PATENT GFFICE.

ANDREW L. HINas, or CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,554, dated March l, 1887. Application filed April 8, 1886. Serial No. H1827?. (No modelj) .To all whom .it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW L. HINES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Fatou and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Chairs7 of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in folding chairs or stools; and it consists of the peculiar and novel construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed ont in the claim.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved folding chair or stool which shall be very simple, strong, and durable in construction, cheap and inexpensive of manufacture, and thoroughly effective for the purposes designed.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved chair which shall fold very closely and compactly, so that it will occupy but a smallspace, which is especially desirable in packing them away or for transportation; to provide au improved folding back, which shall be very rigid and firm when it is adjusted for use, and to provide an improved form of folding legs, which shall be braced against lateral strain when unfolded fornse and protected from injury when folded against the chair or stool bottom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l. is a vertical sectional view of my improved chair unfolded and adj usted for use. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the chair folded for shipment or storage. Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view of the device in its folded position, as shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached perspective views of parts of my improvements.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures, A designates my improved folding chair or stool, which comprises the seat B, the back @adapted to fold downwardly upon the seat, and the legs D, the peculiar construction and arrangement of the several parts of which I will now proceed to describe more fully and in detail. A

The seat B comprises an open frame, b, and

a seat, b', suitably secured thereto, the said open frame of the seat consisting of the par- .allel side rails and the transverse parallel rails,

`eled or inclined downwardly and forwardly,

and have the brace or strengthening blocks bA2 suitably secured thereto.

The back C of the chair also comprises an open frame, which is hinged or pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear ends of the seat-frame, as at c, and the lower ends of the side rails of the said frame of the foldable back extend downwardly and bear against the beveled or inclined rear ends of the seat-frame when the said back C is adj usted to an upright position for use, the` said back C lying at an angle to the scat and theinclination of the rear ends of the side bars of the seat-frame corresponding to the angle that the back lies to the seat, so that the parts will bear rmly and squarely against each other when they are adjusted for use, as will be very readily understood. I

E designates cleats or battens that are secured to and depend downwardly from the side rails of the seat-frame; and to the front transverse rail of the seat-frame is secured supports or blocks F, which are separated from the cleats E for a short distance.

G designates swinging carriers or blocks, which are pivoted at one end to the middle of the cleats or baltens E, and are arranged on the inner face thereof, said carriers being adapted to swing from one side to the other of the seatframe and the cleats E and lieflush therewith, so as to be concealed from view.

The legs -D are arranged in pairs at each side of the seat-frame, as shown at E E2, and each pair of legs is pivoted together at their middle, as at c. The upper end of each leg E of each pair is pivoted to the outer free end of the swinging blocks or carriers, as at f, and the upper free end of each leg E2 of each pair is pivoted to the fixed or stationary blocks or supports F, as will be very readily understood. The legs of each pair are adapted to fold together or one upon the other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and they are also adapted to fold edgewise and flat against the chair-seat. (See Figs.

IOO

2 and 3, above referred to.) The legs E of each pair are connected together for strength and simultaneous operation by means of tie bars or rods h h, which are secured to the opposite faces thereof, so that they bear against the opposite edges of the legs E'l of each pair when they are folded together, and the said legs E2 of each pair are also connected together by a transverse bar, I, and braced by inclined or angular braces t', suitably secured in place and together for great strength.

The operation of my inventionis as Ifollows: When it is desired to fold the chair or stool together for shipment or storage, the hinged or pivoted back is. folded downwardly upon the seat and the legs are then folded together or upon each other, to execute which the swinging carriers or blocks are turned or adjusted from their position on one side of the seat to the other side of the said seat, and the pivoted ends of the legs lie or fit snugly between the cleats E and the supports or blocks F, after which thelegs are folded flat against the seat, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. To unfold the chair and adjust it for use, the pivoted back is turned to an upright position, so that the lower ends thereof bear against the inclined y rear ends of the side rails of the seat-frame, and the legs are distended or adjusted ont of alignment with each other, and the swinging blocks are turned on their pivots to bear against the opposite side of the seat, the free outer ends ofthe foldable legs resting on the door or other place to support the device in an upright position.

It will 'be observed that I provide an improved chair or stool that will fold very compactly for storage or transportation, that the device is very simple, strong, and durable in its construction, that it can be easily and very readily adjusted in a very short time, and that it can be manufactured and sold at a small expense.

I do not desire to confine myself to the eX- act details of construction and form and proportion of parts herein shown and described, as I am aware that changes therein can be made without departing from the principle of my invention.

'Ihe method of attaching or hinging the legs to the seat of the chair is not claimed herein. I would also have it understood that a chair having a hinged back is old, and that it has been proposed to brace such a back by causing the ends thereof to bear upon the seat adjacent to the hinge-point. I'hese constructions I disclaim.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an improvement in folding chairs, the seat-frame having the rear ends of its side rails beveled as described, and the brace-blocks b2, rigidly affixed to the lower sides of the rails, and having their rear terminal ends also beveled, the inclination ofthe beveled ends of the brace-blocks corresponding to the inclination ofthe siderails of the seat-frame, in combination with a folding back having the side rails thereof hinged at an intermediate point of their length to the seat-frame and extended beneath the seat at the rear end thereof when turned to an upright position to bear against the rear beveled ends of the side rails, and the xed braceblocks of theseat, and a pair offoldinglegs connected to the under side of the seat,whereby the hinged back is adapted to fold upon the upper side of the seat and the two pairs of legs to fold against the under side of the seat, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as' my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. ANDREW L. vHINES. Witnesses;

DANIEL B. GREEN, GUs'rrN G. HIOKMAN.