US3806189A

US3806189A - Chair with moving seat and mirror

Info

Publication number: US3806189A
Application number: US00333758A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Simjian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-02-20
Filing date: 1973-02-20
Publication date: 1974-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-23

Abstract

A chair construction in which a rotating seat causes concomitant counterrotation of a mirror. The chair includes a stationary leg supported frame, a seat rotatably mounted to the frame and a mirror support arm and mirror pivotally mounted to the frame and caused to undergo pivotal motion responsive to the rotation of the seat. The parts forming the chair construction are readily assembled when supplied in kit form.

Description

United States Patent [191 Sim jian 14 1 Apr. 23, 1974 1 CHAIR WITH MOVING SEAT AND MIRROR [76] Inventor: Luther G. Simjian, 7 Laurel Ln.,

Greenwich, Conn. 06830 22 Filed: Feb. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 333,758

[52] US. Cl 297/185, 297/349, 350/305 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 7/62 [58] Field of Search 297/185, 349, 240; 350/305; 248/425; 108/139 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 826,917 7/1906 Bedell 297/349 2,510,351 6/1950 Simjian 297/185 UX 2,811,083 10/1957 Simjian 297/185 X 2,897,727 8/1959 Simjian 350/305 3,004,571 10/1961 Gerbrandt... 108/139 X 3,043,622 7/1962 Milner 297/240 3,131,968 5/1964 Alt 297/185 Primary Examiner.lames T. McCall [57] ABSTRACT A chair construction in which a rotating seat causes concomitant counterrotation of a mirror. The chair includes a stationary leg supported frame, a seat rotatably mounted to the frame and a mirror support arm and mirror pivotally mounted to the frame and caused to undergo pivotal motion responsive to the rotation of the seat. The parts forming the chair construction are readily assembled when supplied in kit form.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures awe-seesaw PATENTEBAPR 23 I974 SHEET 3 [IF 3 CHAIR WITH MOVING SEAT AND MIRROR BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is related to a chair construction having a mirror mounted for movement with the chair seat in coordinated manner. Chairs of this type have been disclosed in my earlier patents, specifically in U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,301 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,302 dated Oct. 15, 1940; U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,351 dated June 6, 1950; U.S. Pat. No. 2,811,083 dated Oct. 29, 1957; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,727 dated Aug. 4, 1959.

These patents reveal a chair construction in which a rotating seat is adapted to rotate a mirror carried by the chair so that a person occupying the seat of the chair may adjust the mirror relatively to a stationary cooperating mirror. Chairs of this particular type are used by women to aid them in adjusting their hair and dress, as those skilled in the art will fully appreciate.

While, as stated above, I have previously conceived and developed a number of constructions embodied in chairs of the particular class, I have directed my recent effort toward the development of a simpler and less expensive chair construction. Particularly, I aimed at and have achieved now a chair construction which lends it self to kit form, that is, the parts can be distributed in kit form via mail order channels and then assembled by the recipient using a minimum of skill and tools, and following only simple directions. In this manner, the chair is more adapted for mass distribution, is less expensive in reaching the user and has several other advantages not previously achieved. The individual parts providing in combination the new chair construction are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, are light for shipment, yet sturdy and rugged to support a person.

I have thus outlined broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof which follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective side and top view of the chair and mirror assembled for use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the chair with mirror attached to chair;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is a sectional view along line 3a-3a in FIG. 3 showing the leg attachment;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view along line 4-4 in FIG. 2:

FIG. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, along line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded elevational view. partly in section. showing the chair construction;

FIG. 7 is a plan view along line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view along line 8-8 in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view, partly in section, along line 9--9 in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures and FIG. 1 in particular, numeral 12 identifies a chair seat, adapted to rotate upon a leg supported frame, not visible in FIG. 1. A mirror 14 fastened to a U-shaped support 16 is adapted to be adjusted in height, as is indicated by the double headed arror 18. The mirror support 16 is coupled to the seat and frame to cause upon rotation of the seat 12 a concomitant counterrotation of the mirror support 16 and mirror 14, indicated by the double headed arrow 20.

Referring now to the other figures and FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7 in particular, a four cornered frame 22 is supported by a set of legs 24 which are removably mounted to the frame by a respective bolt 26 and nut as shown in FIG. 3a. The frame, most suitably a metal stamping or thin casting, is provided with a circular vertical ridge portion 28 which toward the center continues as a cylindrical vertically disposed side wall 30 and a centrally disposed circular aperture. The frame 22 includes also a peripheral, generally horizontally disposed, flange 32 which serves for stiffening the frame and is used also, in part, for another purpose as will be more clearly apparent later.

The seat comprises upholstery 12A which is supported on a dish shaped metal plate 123. One longer stud 34 and two shorter studs 36 are secured through corresponding equidistantly spaced holes in the seat plate 128 and then fitted with a respective mushroom shaped low friction bushing 38, the stud penetrating through the central aperture of the associated bushing. The bushings, most suitably, are made of Nylon or Teflon or other low friction polymeric plastic material. The center of the studs is located in a circle and the bushings 38 are disposed and shaped in such a manner that the flat upper side of the head is in contact with the underside of the plate 128 and the curved side of the head of the bushing is adapted to engage the crest of the ridge 28, and that the side of the bushing is in sliding rolling contact with the cylindrical side wall 30 of the frame 22. Hence, the bushings 38 serve as spacing and bearing means between the seat and frame. A flat washer 40 and locking nut 42 are used on the shank of each stud to secure the seat 12 against the frame 22. However, as will be noted, the seat by virtue of the bushings is rotatable relative to thecentral axis of the frame, this axis being defined by the center of the circular aperture in the frame.

A V-shaped bracket 44 is mounted to the side of the frame 22 causing the apex of the bracket to extend outwardly from the center of the frame 22 in a direction which is considered the front of the chair. A mirror support arm 46 has a generally horizontal and a continuing vertical portion, see FIGS. 2 and 6. The front end of the horizontal portion of the arm terminates in a nose shaped portion 48 having an aperture. A hinge pin 50 pivotally secures the nose shaped portion 48 of the arm 46 to the bracket 44 using a washer 52 and lock nut 54. A slotted cam is screw mounted upon the horizontal portion of the arm 46 at a point intermediate the central axis of the frame and the pivotal attachment of the arm 46. The stud 34 is sufficiently long to engage the slot 62 of the cam 60, the stud acting as a driving pin. The driving pin, therefore, pivots the arm 46 disposed underneath the seat about the pin 50 responsive to rotation of the seat 12. The shape of the slot 62 and the purpose of its widening at one end has been described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,351 supra.

A stabilizing means is used to support and stabilize the mirror support arm along its pivotal motion. The stabilizing means includes, in part, a horizontal rod or tube 64 fastened through a hole in the arm 46 and a pair of slotted upstanding guides 68, made preferably of low friction polymeric thermoplastic material. The slots of the guides 68 engage the flanged portion 32 of the frame 22, see FIGS. 2, 8 and 9.

The vertical portion of the mirror support arm 46 terminates in a flange 70 having two holes 72. A plate 74 having two matching apertures 76 is secured over the flange and the legs of the U-shaped mirror support 16 pass through the

apertures

72 and 76. At least one of the holes 76 is of oblong shape and narrowed at one end to lock by friction the U-shaped legs of the mirror support when the legs are spread, but to permit vertical sliding motion of the support for adjusting the mirror height when the legs of the support are manually urged toward each other. In this manner the height of the mirror is adjusted for the height of a respective person.

lt will be apparent that the above described construction is characterized by extreme simplicity and that the parts can be assembled easily and conveniently without special tools and skills. Hence, an improved and simplified arrangement has been achieved which constitutes a significant advance in the art.

I claim:

1. An article of the type described comprising in combination:

a leg supported flanged chair frame having a circular central aperture with a ridge portion adjacent said aperture;

a seat;

a plurality of bearing bushings;

means mounting said bushings to said seat for causing said bushings to engage said frame at the top and side of said ridge portion and extending into said aperture and including means for gripping said frame whereby to retain said seat rotatable about its central axis in overlying relation to said frame and substantially concentric with said aperture;

a bracket fastened to said frame and extending outwardly from said frame and central axis;

a mirror support arm having a horizontal portion disposed underneath said frame and a continuing vertical portion directed upwardly beyond said seat;

pivot means mounting the end of said horizontal portion to said bracket;

a cam mounted to said horizontal portion at a location intermediate said pivot means and said central axis when said horizontal arm portion is disposed in its central position, being intersected by said central axis;

a drive pin fixed to said seat and extending downwardly for engaging an aperture in said cam whereby said pin pivots said arm responsive to rotation of said seat, and

support and stabilizing means fastened to said arm and slidably engaging the flanged part of said frame for stabilizing said mirror support arm.

2. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 1, said frame being formed of sheet metal.

3. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 1, the side of said ridge portion engaged by said bushings being of cylindrical shape.

4. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 3, said bearing bushings being made of low friction polymeric plastic material; said means mounting said bushings including a plurality of studs, each stud extending through the center of a respective bushing, and each bushing adapted, to rotate.

5. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 4, said bearing bushings being equidistantly spaced along a circle corresponding to said central aperture and said cylindrically shaped side of said ridge portion.

6. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 4, one of said studs forming also said drive pin.

7. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 1, the flanged portion of said frame extending substantially horizontally outward from said frame.

8. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 7, said support and stabilizing means including a pair of spaced slotted guides, the slots engaging said flanged portion and sliding therealong responsive to rotation of said seat.

9. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 4, said bearing bushings being of mushroom type configuration, the head portion of said bushings providing spacing between the underside of said seat and the top of said ridge portion and interposing a low frictional bearing surface.

10. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 9, a mirror mounted to a U-shaped support, and means coupling said support in extensible relation to said arm at its end remote from said pivotal mountmg.

11. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 10, said U-shaped support passing through a pair of apertures, one aperture for each leg of said U- shaped support, and at least one of said apertures being oblong and shaped for locking said support whereby to arrest vertical motion of said mirror support.

12. An article of the type described comprising in combination:

a seat;

a plurality of bearing bushings made of low friction material;

stud means fastened to said seat for mounting said bushings in fixed radial spacing to said seat and causing said bushings to engage said frame at the top and side of ridge portion adjoining said aperture, and including means for securing said frame to said seat, whereby to retain said seat rotatable about its central axis in overlying relation to said frame and spaced in fixed relation from the ridge portion of said frame;

a bracket fastened to said frame and extending outwardly from said frame and central axis of said seat;

said cam for rotating said arm about its pivotal mounting responsive to rotation of said seat, and support and stabilizing means fastened to said arm and slidably engaging a flanged portion of said frame for stabilizing said support arm while undergoing rotation.

Claims

1. An article of the type described comprising in combination: a leg supported flanged chair frame having a circular central aperture with a ridge portion adjacent said aperture; a seat; a plurality of bearing bushings; means mounting said bushings to said seat for causing said bushings to engage said frame at the top and side of said ridge portion and extending into said aperture and including means for gripping said frame whereby to retain said seat rotatable about its central axis in overlying relation to said frame and substantially concentric with said aperture; a bracket fastened to said frame and extending outwardly from said frame and central axis; a mirror support arm having a horizontal portion disposed underneath said frame and a continuing vertical portion directed upwardly beyond said seat; pivot means mounting the end of said horizontal portion to said bracket; a cam mounted to said horizontal portion at a location intermediate said pivot means and said central axis when said horizontal arm portion is disposed in its central position, being intersected by said central axis; a drive pin fixed to said seat and extending downwardly for engaging an aperture in said cam whereby said pin pivots said arm responsive to rotation of said seat, and support and stabilizing means fastened to said arm and slidably engaging the flanged part of said frame for stabilizing said mirror support arm.

4. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 3, said bearing bushings being made of low friction polymeric plastic material; said means mounting said bushings including a plurality of studs, each stud extending through the center of a respective bushing, and each bushing adapted to rotate.

10. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 9, a mirror mounted to a U-shaped support, and means coupling said support in extensible relation to said arm at its end remote from said pivotal mounting.

11. An article of the type described and as set forth in claim 10, said U-shaped support passing through a pair of apertures, one aperture for each leg of said U-shaped support, and at least one of said apertures being oblong and shaped for locking said support whereby to arrest vertical motion of said mirror support.

12. An article of the type described comprising in combination: a leg supported flanged chair frame having a circular central aperture with a ridge portion adjacent said aperture; a seat; a plurality of bearing bushings made of low friction material; stud means fastened to said seat for mounting said bushings in fixed radial spacing to said seat and causing said bushings to engage said frame at the top and side of ridge portion adjoining said aperture, and including means for securing said frame to said seat, whereby to retain said seat rotatable about its central axis in overlying relation to said frame and spaced in fixed relation from the ridge portion of said frame; a bracket fastened to said frame and extending outwardly from said frame and central axis of said seat; a mirror support arm having a horizontal portion disposed underneath said frame and a continuing vertical portion directed upwardly beyond said seat; pivot means mounting the end of said horizontal portion of said arm to said bracket; an apertured cam mounted to said horizontal portion of said arm at a location intermediate said pivotal mounting and said central axis when said horizontal arm portion is disposed in its central position, being intersected by said central axis; one of said stud means extending into the aperture of said cam for rotating said arm about its pivotal mounting responsive to rotation of said seat, and support and stabilizing means fastened to said arm and slidably engaging a flanged portion of said frame for stabilizing said support arm while undergoing rotation.