US3734028A

US3734028A - Guided cafeteria high chair

Info

Publication number: US3734028A
Application number: US00216164A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Robertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-01-07
Filing date: 1972-01-07
Publication date: 1973-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-22

Abstract

Wheeled cafeteria high chair is operatively connected to a guide assembly which in its operative extended position maintains the high chair in a path uniformly spaced away from a cafeteria serving table and its tray support and arranged to eliminate damaging mechanical shocks otherwise transmitted from an occupied moving child''s high chair to the tray support of a cafeteria. In its retracted position the guide assembly does not interfere with the mobility of the high chair.

Description

United States Patent [191 Robertson 3,734,028 [451 May 22,1973

GUIDED CAFETERIA HIGH CHAIR William D. Robertson, 4512 West Third, Amarillo, Tex. 79106 Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 Appl. No.: 216,164

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1964 Cirami ..104/245 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-George l-l. Libman Attorney-Ely Silverman [57] ABSTRACT Wheeled cafeteria high chair is operatively connected to a guide assembly which in its operative extended position maintains the high chair in a path uniformly spaced away from a cafeteria serving table and its tray support and arranged to eliminate damaging mechanical shocks otherwise transmitted from an occupied moving childs high chair to the tray support of a cafeteria. In its retracted position the guide assembly does not interfere with the mobility of the high chair.

10 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 1&3 102 101 IPATENTEB w 22 I975 SHEET 2 OF 3 GUIDED CAFETERIA HIGH CHAIR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of art to which this invention pertains is chairs and seats with pivotal means connected to move to inoperative positions and swing and folding brackets.

The prior art has known of foldable brackets and arm rests on chairs but has not, in spite of the wide spread use of cafeteria serving tables to which children have access and in spite of the sensitivity of filled liquid and food containers on such cafeteria tray supports (as contents of such containers are subject and sensitive to impact applied by children in high chairs to such tray supports) there has been to date no satisfactory apparatus for propelling and maintaining children in wheeled high chairs as used in cafeterias at a safe yet convenient distance from the serving tray support while a parent or other custodian of a child in a high chair selects food at a cafeteria serving counter and propels such chair along a cafeteria serving aisle and his own food along the serving tray support. The fear of impact by child and/or chair against the cafeteria serving tray support, and the effect of such impact is avoided by this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Wheeled cafeteria high chair is operatively connected to a guide assembly which, in its operative extended position, engages a cafeteria tray support rail with plurality of sets of rolls supported on a rigid frame that is pivotally attached to the frame of the cafeteria high chair: the roller assembly is resiliently urged by spring means to provide an adequately forceful yet releasable engagement of the rollers and the tray support.

The roller frame structure and supports cooperate with the roller assembly and a pivotal attachment to maintain the path of the propelled high chair parallel to the length of the tray support notwithstanding irregularities in floor and tray support rail while spaced away therefrom and from the cafeteria serving table. The size and location of the guide assembly not only provides adequate spacing of chair and tray support and serving table but also provides that the roller assemblies adequately firmly grasp the tray support rails for purpose of convenient guiding of the high chair and child along the cafeteria serving aisle while impact absorbing elements and overload release characteristic of the guide assembly eliminate passage of damaging impact from the chair to the tray support.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of guided cafeteria high chair apparatus 28 according to this invention as seen from the front thereof with the chair guide assembly 21 in its lowered and withdrawn position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the guided high chair apparatus 28 shown in FIG. 1 as seen along the direction of the arrow 2A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus 28 and a child 23 supported therein with the chair guide assembly 21 in its extended and raised position and operatively connected to a rail of a tray support assembly 24.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus 28 of FIG. 2 as seen along the direction of the arrow 4A of FIG. 3 with the tray support 24 partly broken away.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the guide assembly 21 of apparatus 28 when adjacenta curved portion 26 of tray support 24 as seen along the direction of the arrow 5A in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of zone 6A of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of parts in zone 7A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a front view of another embodiment of guided cafeteria chair 29 with its chair guide assembly 21 in its raised and extended position, as in FIG. 3, and showing parts in a zone comparable to zone 8A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 in zone 9A of FIG. 8 as seen along the direction of the arrow 98 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view along plane 10A10A of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an end view partly broken away along direction of arrow 11A of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of guided cafeteria high chair assembly 28 comprises a wheeled cafeteria high chair 20 and a cafeteria high chair guide assembly 21 in operative combination whereby to support a child 23 in a desired movable relation of that apparatus 28 relative to the tray support 24 of a cafeteria serving table 108.

The usual cafeteria tray support 24 of a cafeteria serving table, as 108, comprises two to five (three are shown) elongated sturdy relatively rigid horizontally extending lengths of rail or tubing, as 101, 102, 103, each of which has a smooth exterior surface. Each rail or tubing, like 102, is sufficiently spaced apart transversely of its length from its neighboring tubes, as 101 and 103 to permit ready cleaning and avoid jamming fingers while sufficiently close to provide adequate mechanical support for the loaded trays, as 109, slidably supported thereon.

Each of the rails or

tubing

101, 102 and 103 is a hollow metal tube or a solid wooden bar usually cylindrical in exterior outline and is firmly attached to and firmly supported at the bottom portion thereof by horizontally extending rail supports, 105 and 106 that extend transversely to

such rail lengths

101, 102 and 103 and are spaced about 6 feet apart along the length of such rails 101-103 and is supported at one central end on a rigid vertical wall 107 of a serving table 108.

Food trays, as 109, are slidably supported and moved along such usual cafeteria tray support 24. The conventional trays, as 109, are used to support conventional food-carrying plates, bowls and glasses and eating utensils. The cafeteria rails are supported above the floor or ground 27 of the serving aisle 25 adjacent the serving table 108, and the seat support frame wheel assembly 40 of the guided high chair assembly 28 moves along such floor or ground and aisle parallel to the length of such tray support rails 101-103. The rails may have curved portions as at 26. (FIG. 5)

The guided high chair assembly 28 is conveniently, smoothly and reliably movable parallel to the length of such rails 101 103 with a child therein while child and chair assembly are kept spaced away from such rails during such movement.

A sharp blow against or along any of the rails, as 101-103 of the usual tray support, at one point, especially between supports, as 105 usually causes sufficient vibration of the rails at other points on such rail, one to five yards distant therefrom to vibrate and spill some of the liquid content of food and drink containers as cups, bowls and glasses usually filled to their practical limit of capacity, as well as the semi-fluid contents, as gravies and sauces of some plates which are supported on trays as 109 supported on the tray support 24.

The guided cafeteria high chair assembly 28, comprises a cafeteria high chair 20 and a cafeteria high chair guide assembly, as 21, in operative combination. The cafeteria high chair 20 comprises a seat support frame 30 and a seat support frame wheel assembly 40 in operative combination. The terms left and right as used in the following description refers to the left and right hand side of the occupant 23 of the chair 38 of the guided cafeteria high chair assembly 28. Forward and rearward refer to forward and rearward movement as would be viewed by the occupant when in that assembly 28. Upward and downward refer to upward and downward direction as viewed by the upright occupant of the assembly 28.

The seat support frame 30 is a rigid vertically extending structure which comprises a vertical rigid left front tubular leg member 31, a vertical right front tubular leg member 32, a vertical left rear leg member 33, a vertical right rear leg member 34. The top of the left front leg 31 and the left rear leg 33 are firmly joined to and by a horizontally extending left arm rest 35. The right front vertical leg 32 and the right rear vertical leg 34 are firmly joined at the level of the top of the vertical front leg member by and to a horizontally extending right arm rest member 36. The top of the rear left leg member 33 and the top of the rear right leg member 34 are firmly joined to and by a horizontal rigid back member 37. Members 31-37 are rigid tubular steel with smooth exterior surfaces.

A chair seat 38 is located below the right and left arm rests and is firmly fixed to the seat support frame 30 by firm attachment at its edges to a horizontally extending left longitudinal seat brace 45, a horizontally extending right longitudinal seat brace 46, a front horizontally extending transverse seat brace 47 and a rear horizontally extending seat brace 48. The left longitudinal seat brace 45 is firmly joined at its front and rear ends to the

left leg members

31 and 33 and the right longitudinal seat brace is firmly joined at its front and rear ends to the

right leg members

32 and 34. The front seat brace 47 is firmly joined at its left and right ends to the left front leg member 31 and the right front leg member 32, respectively. The rear seat brace 48 is firmly joined at its left and right ends to the rear left leg member 33 and the right rear leg member 34, respectively. The brace members 45-48 are formed of rigid tubing and rigidly joined together: a rigid metal plate 49 may substitute for or supplement

brace members

47 and 48. A seat back 49 is supported on

members

33, 35 and 37.

The seat support frame wheel assembly 40 comprises a left front ground engaging wheel 41, a right front ground engaging wheel 42, a rear left ground engaging wheel 43 and a rear right ground engaging wheel 44. These ground engaging wheels are firmly yet rotatably affixed to the seat support frame. The rear members rotate about a fixed horizontally extending

axle pins

43A and 44A, respectively, firmly attached to

legs

31 and 33 near the bottom thereof. The

front wheel members

41 and 42 are rotatably yet firmly attached by rigid vertically extending

fork members

71 and 72 to the bottom of the front

vertical leg members

31 and 32, re-

spectively. The

forks

71 and 72 rotate about a vertical axis and pin extending upward through and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of

leg members

31 and 32, respectively. Each of the front

ground engaging wheels

41 and 42 rotate about a

horizontal axle pin

41A and 42A parallel to the ground 27 and transverse to the longitudinal length of the

leg members

31 and 32.

The cafeteria high chair guide assembly 21 comprises a guide roller assembly 51, a guide frame assembly 52 and a guide frame connector assembly 53 operatively combined.

The guide roller assembly comprises a roller support plate 55,

roller yoke plates

56 and 57 and

rollers

61, 62, 65 and 66. Guide roller support plate 55 is a rigid flat metal plate at the front end of which is pivotally attached a front yoke plate 56 and at rear end of which is pivotally attached a rear yoke plate 57. The front yoke plate 56 is a flat rigid triangular metal plate and is pivotally joined near the center thereof to the rigid roller plate 55 by a rigid front yoke pivot pin 58. The rear yoke plate 57 is also a flat rigid triangular plate of the same size and shape as 56 and firmly yet pivotally joined to the roller plate 55 by a rigid rear yoke pivot pin 59. Each of the pins 58 and 59 is firmly fixed at its base to the roller plate 55 and extends transversely to the width of the roller support plate 55. The free end of each such pin extends downwardly as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 from the base thereof and provides for firm yet pivotal support of each of the

yoke plates

56 and 57. Each of

plates

56 and 57 rotates in a plane parallel to but spaced below the bottom surface of the flat roller plate 55.

The front yoke plate 56, through

pins

62 and 63, rotatably supports near its front corners a front inner roller 60 and front outer roller 61, which are each tough rigid plastic bodies with axially symmetrical curved conical shapes concave outwardly (or radially) of such surface. The front inner roller 60 is rotatably supported on a rigid cylindrical front inner roller pin 62. The front outer roller 61 is rotatably yet firmly located on a rigid cylindrical front outer roller pin 63:

rollers

60 and 61 freely rotatably move about the longitudinal axis of the rigid

cylindrical pins

62 and 63. The front roller pins 62 and 63 are firmly fixed at their bases to the front yoke plate 56.

The inner roller 60 is closer to the chair assembly 20 than is the outer roller 61 in the position of parts shown in FIG. 3.

The upper portion 94 of roller 60 and the entire roller 61 are identical in size and shape. However the inner roller 60 has, at its bottom firmly attached thereto an additional lower cylindrical portion 93; the outer surface of cylindrical portion 93 is tangent to the bottom of portion 94. The outer surface of inner roller 60 accordingly extends from yoke plate 56 further (or below in position of parts shown in FIG. 3) than does the outer surface of outer roller 61.

The triangular rear yoke plate 57 rotatably supports near its rear corners a rear inner roller 65 and rear outer roller 66 which are, respectively, identical in rigidity, composition, size and shape to front inner roller 60 and front outer roller 61, respectively. The rear inner roller 65 is longer than outer roller 66 and is rotatably supported on a rigid rear inner roller pin 67. The rear inner roller rotates about the longitudinal axis of that rigid cylindrical pin 67. The rear outer roller 66 is rotatably yet firmly located on a rear outerroller pin 68, such roller 66 rotatably moves about the longitudinal axis of the rigid cylindrical pin 68. The bases of roller pins 67 and 68 are firmly fixed to the rear yoke plate 57 and extend transversely thereto, as do pins 63 and 62 relative to plate 56.

One end of a resilient helical roller plate spring 70 is firmly attached to a hole in the rear corner 64 of the triangular front yoke plate 56 and the other end of spring 70 is firmly attached to a hole in the front corner 69 of the triangular rear yoke plates: spring 70 resiliently urges the yoke plates to a stable position whereat the vertical plane between the central longitudinal axes of

pins

62 and 63 is parallel to the vertical plane between the central longitudinal axes of

pins

67 and 68 and perpendicular to the plane between the central longitudinal axis of front and rear

inner pins

62 and 67.

The guide frame subassembly 52 comprises a rear rigid guide arm 81 and a front rigid guide arm 82. Each of these arms is formed of a rigid metal tube and is firmly joined at its peripheral or top end in position of parts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to the roller plate 55 and, at its bottom or central end to the guide frame connector subassembly 53.

The guide frame connector subassembly 53 connects the guide frame subassembly 52 to the chair support frame and pivotally supports the guide frame subassembly 52 and the guide roller subassembly 51.

The guide frame connector subassembly has

spring elements

74 and 98 that soften or limit impact transfer between the seat support frame 30 and the tray support 24 when such impact is parallel to the rails of the tray support 24 or applied thereto in a vertical direction or applied to the tray support rail 103 in a horizontal direction.

Additionally the connector subassembly 53 is located sufficiently below the level or height of the chair seat 38 that an infant in such seat is unable to effectively apply force directly to any part of the guide assembly and therethrough to the tray support 24 adjacent to the guided cafeteria high chair assembly 28. The guide frame subassembly 53 comprises a longitudinally extending hinge plate 85 and a hinge bar 75.

Hinge plate 85 is formed of a single rigid bent flat metal sheet. The hinge plate has a bottom horizontal portion 185, a middle upwardly and inwardly sloped portion 186 and an upper vertical plate portion 187. The upper vertical plate 187 has vertically extending slots 187B and 1888 open at the top edge of that plate portion.

Bolts

187A and 188A pass through the slots and firmly attach to the left horizontal brace 45 (in the embodiment illustrated) as shown in FIG. 11.

The outer (left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and 11) end of bottom horizontal portion 185 is continuous with and rigidly and firmly joins the outer lower end of middle portion 186. The top of middle portion 186 extends to and is continuous with and firmly attached to the bottom of upper vertical plane portion 187. The front and rear ends of horizontal portion 186 form C- shaped

slots

86 and 87 that firmly fit legs, as 31 and 33, of frame 30 as shown in FIG. 5. The

bolts

78 and 79 are firmly fixed to middle portion 186 of plate 85 and project laterally as shown in FIGS. 7 and 11. The

bolts

187A and 188A are located in slots 187B and 188B and firmly hold the hinge plate 85 in adjustable yet fixed position and height on the chair frame 30. Thereby the plate 85 and remainder of assembly 21 is firmly yet adjustable held to the seat support frame 30 at any desired height and is readily detached from or attached to such frame. The assembly 21 is shown as attached to left side of seat support frame 30 but may alternatively be attached to the right side thereof.

Hinge plate 85 has front lower notch 86 and a rear notch 87, shown in FIG. 5, for vertically adjustable yet firm engagement with the chair frame leg members to front and rear thereof, as 31 and 33 and a front hinge bar support collar 76 and a rear hinge bar support collar 77 for support of the hinge bar 75. The front and rear hinge bar support collars, as 76 and 77 are each rigid laterally projecting sturdy metal collars firmly attached to the front and rear respectively of the hinge plate. Each of the

collars

76 and 77 is firmly attached to and held by

bolts

78 and 79, respectively to the plate nuts, as 78A and 78B (shown in broken away portion of FIG. 11) clamp each bolt, as 78 to the plate 85.

The hinge bar 75 is a straight, horizontal (in position of FIGS. 1-4) rigid solid cylindrical rod and passes through holes therefor in

guide arms

81 and 82 near the bottom of said arms. A set screw, as 77A in each collar as 77 holds the hinge bar 75 against rotation relative to the plate 75. A slot 89 in bar 75 holds the central end 73 of a spiral guide arm spring 74 which is wound around bar 75 between collar 76 and arm 82. The movable end of spiral guide frame spring 74 firmly yet resiliently engages a rigid ear 84 firmly attached to and projecting from arm 82 parallel to hinge bar 75. The spiral spring 74 thus resiliently urges the rollers of the roller assembly 51 downward against the top of the outermost rail 103 of the tray support 24.

A spring collar 99 is a rigid annular collar: it is firmly attached to the hinge bar 75 between

arm

82 and 81. A helical guide frame spring 98 is wound around bar 75 and is elastically compressed between the front of collar 99 and the rear of front rigid guide arm 82.

Spring

98 and 74 absorbs mechanical shock parallel to the length of hinge bar 75 between frame 30 and rail 104.

The base end of the spiral guide arm spring 74 is thus firmly attached to the hinge bar 75 at one end and thus fixed relative to the plate 85 and the frame 30. The outer end 80 of such guide arm spring 74 resiliently engaging the frame subassembly 52, and the

arms

81 and 82 are pivotally attached to the hinge bar 75 by reason of the hinge bar 75 passing through holes therefor in and through the walls of the tubing of which

arms

81 and 82 are made, such holes being near to but slightly (one-fourth to one-half inch) spaced away from the lower (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) ends of

arms

81 and 82.

Spring 74 thus urges frame assembly 52 downwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to the position thereof shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 when the

rollers

60, 61, 65 and 66 do not engage a tray support rail, as 103.

The outer lower curved surface 91 of the roller 61 is shaped so that the lower edge of a transverse plane section including the line of the axis of the central pin 63 thereof has the same radius of curvature as the upper outer surface 92 of rail 103 which that roller surface is intended to engage. The outer roller 61 is not as long as the inner roller 60 and does not extend over the rail 104 as much as one-half (six-twelfths) of its diameter but does extend down five-twelfths of the rail diameter from the top thereof.

The upper curved surface 94 of the roller 60 is of the same shape and size as roller 61.

The upper curved surface 94 of the roller 61 is shaped so that the lower edge of a transverse plane section including the line of the axis of the central pin 62 thereof has the same radius of curvature as the upper outer surface 92 of rail 104 which that roller surface is intended to engage.

The inner roller 60 is longer than the outer roller 61 and extends vertically over the rail 104 at least as much as one-half (six-twelfths) of its diameter and so extends down the full length of the rail diameter from the top thereof due to the vertical (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) extension of the cylindrical portion 93 downward from the curved portion 94.

Accordingly these rollers provide that the movement of the guided chair assembly 28 toward the rail 103 does provide an upward component on the pivotally mounted frame subassembly 52 that softens impact therebetween and causes no substantial loss of engagement of the

rollers

60 and 65 with the rail 104. Outward motion of the guided chair assembly 28 away from the rail 24 does provide vertical component to the roller assembly 51 as might, when the force of spring 74 is overcome cause loss of engagement of

outer rollers

62 and 66 with the, guide rail 104.

The guided high chair assembly 28 is provided with a firm attachment of the hinge subassembly 53 to the leg or frame assembly lower than the level of the seat 38. This particularly permits that a parent, as 110, guiding such chair with one hand on the chair and another hand at the bend of the

arms

81 and 82 is able to maintain a firm guided relation of the chair assembly 28 to the rail 103. Additionally a person guiding the guided chair assembly 28 may readily lift the guide frame subassembly 52 and pivot it about the attachment of the connector subassembly 53 so as to release the chair from its relationship to the rail 104 so that the guide assembly 21 is then located in the lowered and retracted position thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In such position the outer edges of the guide frame subassembly 52, namely the roller plate and the thereto attached yokes and rollers, are located within the outline of the chair frame 30 and so, during movement of a child through a crowded cafeteria on such apparatus 28 such guide assembly 21 does not provide any interference with the motility of the chair and infant seated therein.

The rigid compression resistant characteristic of frame 52 and its attachment to plate 55 and frame 30 provides a firm maintenance of alignment of both the front and the rear portions of the chair frame 30 relative to the guide rail 103 along which assembly 28 is guided in the aisle 25. At the same time there is some slight twisting allowable about the vertically extending axis extending from the front to rear center of the hinge assembly 53 to the center of the roller plate 55.

The spring loading of the roller plate 55 relative to the connector assembly 53 effectively isolates vertical vibrations created by the child in the chair seat 38 from the rail 103.

Additionally, any forward or backward lunging of the infant in the chair 38 of assembly 28 with motion of the infant forward as shown by the arrow 96in FIG. 4 or rearward as shown by the arrow 97 in FIG. 4 does not create any perceptible impact against the rail 103 be cause such motion of the chair assembly 28 results, be cause of the action of assembly 21, only in a longitudinal motion of the

rollers

61, 62, 65 and 66 and roller plate 55 along that rail and some rotating of the frame assembly 52 against the clamping action of helical guide frame spring 98 so that no effective shock is passed to the rail 103 by such motion of the chair or the occupant thereof.

The

rollers

60 and 61 are each made ofa high impact resistant plastic such as polyethylene which is however sufficiently soft to not scratch the usual metal guide rails of the cafeteria which is important inasmuch as the surface finish of such guide rails must be preserved to permit the efficient cleansing of such surface, which cleansing is important in an establishment for dispensing food for human consumption.

The rotatable movements of the

yoke plates

56 and 57 relative to the roller plate 55 permit that the roller assembly 51 does not loose engagement with nor suffer any shock when a curved portion of guide rail such as 26 is met by such roller assembly. The structure of the roller assembly 51 provides for accommodation of the inner and outer

front rollers

60 and 61 and the inner and outer

rear rollers

65 and 66 to the curvature of the bent portion 26 of the rail 103. The roller plate spring 70 normally provides for a resilient positioning of such rollers as above described and so maintains a nonjamming relationship of such rollers to the rail 103.

The chair assembly 20 herein provided has the wheels of assembly 40 spaced apart further than the width of the chair seat 38 and the front-to-rear distance of axles of the wheels 42 and 43 is also greater than the front-to-rear distance along the seat 38 of the chair 20. The connector assembly 53 hinge plate is firmly attached to the inside; (that is, to the rear of the front leg member 31 and the front of the rear leg member 33 of frame assembly 30.-As shown in FIG. 2 the roller assembly 51 and does not extend a greater front to rear distance than does the frame at that vertical distance below the attachment of the connector assembly 53 to the frame 30 whereat is located the roller assembly 51 in its lowered and retracted position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, the guide assembly 21 provides no interference with motility and convenience of motion of the apparatus 28 in the retracted and lowered position of the guide assembly 21 after such chair has been used on a serving line in a cafeteria.

Dimensions of an exemplary embodiment of guided high chair assembly according to this invention are set out in Table I.

In another embodiment, 29, of apparatus according to this invention a firm yet pivotal support assembly 1 1 1 is provided in guide assembly 21 between the guide frame assembly 152 (which is identical to 52 but used in embodiment 29)and the guide roller assembly 151 (which is identical to assembly 51). The pivotal support assembly 111 comprises a pivot support plate 112,'a pivot sleeve 113, a pivot shaft 114, a pivot arm and a pivot connector 116. The pivotal support plate 112 is a rigid flat rectangular metal plate which is firmly attached to the outer ends of guide arms 82 and 83 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 8). The long edges of plate 112 are parallel to hinge bar 75. The pivot sleeve 113 is a rigid cylindrical sleeve which is firmly fixed, as by welding, to the bottom surface of pivot support plate 112. The longitudinal central or cylindrical axis of'sleeve 113 extends transversely to the length and long edges of plate 112 and hence also transverse to the length of hinge bar 75. Hinge bar 75 is parallel to the length of chair assembly 20. The pivot shaft 114 is a sturdy cylindrical shaft one end of which smoothly and rotatably 9 fits into the sleeve 113 and is held in position by a lock nut 114A on a threaded portion 1148 of shaft 114. Another end of shaft 114 is firmly attached, as by welding, to a pivot arm 115. Pivot arm 115 is a rigid sturdy steel plate. The pivot connector is a heavy bolt that is firmly attached to roller support plate 55 and to arm 115. The pivotal support assembly 111 provides that roller support plate 55 and the remainder of guide roller assembly 51 may rotate in a vertical plane parallel to the plane wherein the central longitudinal axis of hinge bar 75 is located when the plate 55 is in the elevated and extended position of parts shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Such rotation permits chair assembly to tilt about a horizontal axis, as when the floor of aisle is bumpy, while moving parallel to the length of tray support rails as 103 while maintained in contact with the pair of

rollers

60 and 61 and the pair of

rollers

65 and 66. The inclusion of assembly 111 makes for improved control of the chair 20 and smoothness of ride to the occupant of the guided high chair assembly 29.

A straight rigid metal bar 88 is firmly attached at its ends to the

arms

81 and 82 near to the pivotal attachment of the

arms

81 and 82 to guide bar 74, and maintains the dimensional stability of those ends of

arms

81 and 82.

The

bolts

187A and 188A are attached to the left seat brace 45 to hold to the frame side panels as 135 and 136 that extend from the side frame braces 45 and 46 to

arm rest

35 and 36, respectively. Accordingly the use of

bolts

187A and 188A does not require drilling of additional holes in the frame 30.

Where bolts as 187A and 188A are not available C- clamps, as 186A and 1868 may be used to grasp legs as 31 and 33 and be attached to the front and rear edges of plate portion 187 as shown in FIG. 7 and so provide for height adjustment of hinge plate 85 and assembly 21 on frame and attachment of such assembly 21 on either side of the chair 20.

The chair 20 shown may have an adjustable foot rest 29 on

members

31 and 32 and a food tray, as 39 supportable on the arms and 36. The guide assembly 21 does not interfere with the location or support or use of such structures.

TABLE I Dimensions of Apparatus 28 LENGTHS (Parallel to Hinge Bar 74) Inches Axle 41A to axle 43A (FIG. 2) l6 1% Pin 58 to pin 59 (FIG. 4) 8 9% Front edge of roller 61 to rear edge of roller 65 (FIG. 4) l2 Center of arm 81 to center of arm 82 at plate 55 (FIG. 4) 6 Plate 55, front to rear (FIG. 4) 9 9% Rod 74, total length 9 9% Outer radius of curvature on upper outer ortion 93 of roller 60 :6 *FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are drawn to scale. HEIGHT Floor 27 to top of seat back 37 36 Floor 27 to bottom of seat 38 23 It; Floor 27 to top of plate 55 (FIG. 3) 33 Hinge bar 74 to top of arm 35 8 Hinge bar 74 to top of bar 55 (FIG.

3) l4 Roller 60, total height (with lip 160) l )6 Roller 61, total height (with lip 161) 0.575 Height of lip 161 Va Force downward on plate 55 by spring 74 3 Lbs. Vertical ad'ustment in slot 1878 and 188 l WIDTH (Horizontal Distance in FIGS. 3 and 4) Plate 55 l h Center of wheel 41 to center of wheel 42 (FIG. 1) 15 1% Axis of bar 74 to center of straight rail 103 located between pins 12 Diameter at base of roller 60 I I la Diameter at bottom of

roller

60, 61 9/16 Outside of 35 to outside of 36 I2 Pin hole in roller 60 for pin 62 17/64 Hinge rod 74,

diameter Arm

81, 82, diameter 34

Plate thickness

55, 56, 57 12 ga.

Plate thickness 18 ga.

Tubing

101, 102, 103, outside diameter 1 Spacing 181 between arm 81 and rear collar 77 with spring 88 between collar 99 and arm 81 as in FIGS. 7 and 4 k I claim:

1. A guided high chair assembly comprising a high chair assembly and a guide assembly,

said high chair assembly comprising a plurality of vertically extending rigid members, a seat, and wheels, said seat supported on said rigid vertically extending members and said vertically extending members supported on said wheels, said wheels rotatably attached to said vertical members near to the bottom of said vertical members, at least two of said vertically extending members being spaced apart longitudinally of the horizontally measured length of said high chair,

said guide assembly comprising in operative combination a connector means, a rigid spacer and positioning means and a roller means; said rigid spacer and positioning means comprising a rigid arm extending transversely to the length of said chair; said roller means comprising a plurality of axially symmetrical rollers spaced apart along the length of said chair, and another axially symmetrical roller spaced apart transversely to the direction of spacing of said first plurality of rollers, the axis of symmetry of each of said rollers extending transversely to the length of said chair; and said rollers are rotatably supported on supports attached to said rigid arm, and those supports are located in a plane in fixed spatial relation to said rigid arm,

said connector means comprising a hinge means, said hinge comprising one hinge part which is fixed to said vertically extending rigid members and another part which is fixed to said spacer and positioning means, said one hinge part being pivotally attached to said other hinge part along a fixed axis of rotation extending parallel to said length of said high chair assembly.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in one direction transversely to said chair length and each said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in another direction transversely to said one direction and transversely to said chair length.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in one direction transversely to said chair length and inanother direction transverse to said one direction.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said one hinge part is located below said seat and said apparatus comprises also resilient means attached to said high chair assembly and to said guide assembly urging said rigid spacer and positioning means in the direction of extension of said roller means, said apparatus also comprising a shock absorbing means attached to said high chair assembly and to said connector means, said shock absorbing means comprising a spring means between, on one end, a seat attached to said high chair assembly of said chair, and on another end, said spacer and positioning means, said spacer and positioning means comprising longitudinally spaced rigid arms longitudinally movable along the length of said high chair assembly. 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said roller means comprises a rigid roller support plate and a plurality of pairs of rollers, each pair of rollers spaced apart from the other longitudinally of said chair and supported on said rigid roller support plate, and each pair of such rollers comprising rollers spaced apart transversely of said chair length, each pair of said rollers is mounted on a rigid pivotal plate, said pivotal plate extending in a direction parallel to the length of said chair, a pivot support for each said rigid pivotal plate attached to said rigid roller support plate and extending transversely to the length of the chair and parallel to the axes of said rollers, said pivot supports for each of said pivotal plates spaced apart on said rigid roller support plate along a distance extending parallel to the length of said chair and a resilient spring under tension joins said pivot plates to urge them into a fixed relation to each other.

6. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein a pivotal support for said roller support plate is firmly attached to said positioning and spacing means, said pivotal support extends along an axis transverse to the length of said chair assembly and said rigid roller support plate is mounted pivotally on said support.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein one roller of each of said pairs of rollers is closer to the connector assembly than the other member of said pair and the roller closer to said connector means is longer than the other.

8. A high chair guide assembly comprising, in operative combination, a connector means, a rigid spacer and positioning means and a roller means; said rigid spacer and positioning means comprising a rigid arm extending transversely to a first pivotal axis; said roller means comprising a plurality of axially symmetrical rollers spaced apart along the length of said first pivotal axis, and another axially symmetrical roller spaced apart transversely to the direction of spacing of said first plurality of rollers, the axis of symmetry of each of said rollers extending transversely to the length of said axis; and said rollers are rotatably supported on sup ports attached to said rigid arm, and those supports are located in a plane in fixed spatial relation to said rigid arm,

said connector means comprising a hinge means, said hinge comprising one hinge part and another hinge part which another part is fixed to said spacer and positioning means, said one hinge part being pivotally attached to said other hinge part along said first pivotal axis and wherein each of said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in one direction transversely to said axis and each said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in another direction transversely to said one direction and transversely to said axis and wherein said roller means comprises a rigid roller support plate and a plurality of pairs of rollers, each pair of rollers spaced apart from the other longitudinally of said chair and supported on said rigid roller support plate, and each pair of such rollers comprising rollers spaced apart transversely of said length of said chair. 9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said apparatus comprises also resilient means attached to said one hinge part and to said second hinge part urging said rigid spacer and positioning means in the direction of extension of said roller means, said apparatus also comprising a shock absorbing means,

said shock absorbing means comprising a spring means between, on one end, a seat attached to said connector means, and on another end, said spacer and positioning means, said spacer and positioning means comprising longitudinally spaced rigid arms longitudinally movable along the length of said first axis and wherein one roller of each of said pairs of rollers is closer to the connector assembly than the other member of said pair and the roller 'closer to said connector means is longer than the other. 10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein a pivotal support for said roller support plate is firmly attached to said positioning and spacing means, said pivotal support extends along an axis transverse to the length of said chair assembly and said rigid roller support plate is mounted pivotally on said support.

Claims

1. A guided high chair assembly comprising a high chair assembly and a guide assembly, said high chair assembly comprising a plurality of vertically extending rigid members, a seat, and wheels, said seat supported on said rigid vertically extending members and said vertically extending members supported on said wheels, said wheels rotatably attached to said vertical members near to the bottom of said vertical members, at least two of said vertically extending members being spaced apart longitudinally of the horizontally measured length of said high chair, said guide assembly comprising in operative combination a connector means, a rigid spacer and positioning means and a roller means; said rigid spacer and positioning means comprising a rigid arm extending transversely to the length of said chair; said roller means comprising a plurality of axially symmetrical rollers spaced apart along the length of said chair, and another axially symmetrical roller spaced apart transversely to the direction of spacing of said first plurality of rollers, the axis of symmetry of each of said rollers extending transversely to the length of said chair; and said rollers are rotatably supported on supports attached to said rigid arm, and those supports are located in a plane in fixed spatial relation to said rigid arm, said connector means comprising a hinge means, said hinge comprising one hinge part which is fixed to said vertically extending rigid members and another part which is fixed to said spacer and positioning means, said one hinge part being pivotally attached to said other hinge part along a fixed axis of rotation extending parallel to said length of said high chair assembly.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in one direction transversely to said chair length and in another direction transverse to said one direction.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said one hinge part is located below said seat and said apparatus comprises also resilient means attached to said high chair assembly and to said guide assembly urging said rigid spacer and positioning means in the direction of extension of said roller means, said apparatus also comprising a shock absorbing means attached to said high chair assembly and to said connector means, said shock absorbing means comprising a spring means between, on one end, a seat attached to said high chair assembly of said chair, and on another end, said spacer and positioning means, said spacer and positioning means comprising longitudinally spaced rigid arms longitudinally movable along the length of said high chair assembly.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said roller means comprises a rigid roller suppoRt plate and a plurality of pairs of rollers, each pair of rollers spaced apart from the other longitudinally of said chair and supported on said rigid roller support plate, and each pair of such rollers comprising rollers spaced apart transversely of said chair length, each pair of said rollers is mounted on a rigid pivotal plate, said pivotal plate extending in a direction parallel to the length of said chair, a pivot support for each said rigid pivotal plate attached to said rigid roller support plate and extending transversely to the length of the chair and parallel to the axes of said rollers, said pivot supports for each of said pivotal plates spaced apart on said rigid roller support plate along a distance extending parallel to the length of said chair and a resilient spring under tension joins said pivot plates to urge them into a fixed relation to each other.

8. A high chair guide assembly comprising, in operative combination, a connector means, a rigid spacer and positioning means and a roller means; said rigid spacer and positioning means comprising a rigid arm extending transversely to a first pivotal axis; said roller means comprising a plurality of axially symmetrical rollers spaced apart along the length of said first pivotal axis, and another axially symmetrical roller spaced apart transversely to the direction of spacing of said first plurality of rollers, the axis of symmetry of each of said rollers extending transversely to the length of said axis; and said rollers are rotatably supported on supports attached to said rigid arm, and those supports are located in a plane in fixed spatial relation to said rigid arm, said connector means comprising a hinge means, said hinge comprising one hinge part and another hinge part which another part is fixed to said spacer and positioning means, said one hinge part being pivotally attached to said other hinge part along said first pivotal axis and wherein each of said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in one direction transversely to said axis and each said roller means has a rotatable surface extending in another direction transversely to said one direction and transversely to said axis and wherein said roller means comprises a rigid roller support plate and a plurality of pairs of rollers, each pair of rollers spaced apart from the other longitudinally of said chair and supported on said rigid roller support plate, and each pair of such rollers comprising rollers spaced apart transversely of said length of said chair.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said apparatus comprises also resilient means attached to said one hinge part and to said second hinge part urging said rigid spacer and positioning means in the direction of extension of said roller means, said apparatus also comprising a shock absorbing means, said shock absorbing means comprising a spring means between, on one end, a seat attached to said connector means, and on another end, said spacer and positioning means, said spacer and positioning means comprising longitudinally spaced rigid arms longitudinally movable along the length of said first axis and wherein one roller of each of said pairs of rollers is closer to the connector assembly than the other member of said pair and the roller closer to said connector means is longer than the other.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein a pivotal support for said roller support plate is firmly attached to said positioning and spacing means, said pivotal support exTends along an axis transverse to the length of said chair assembly and said rigid roller support plate is mounted pivotally on said support.