US3879086A

US3879086A - Foldable sunshade attachment for a chair

Info

Publication number: US3879086A
Application number: US399384A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francesco Moceri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-09-21
Filing date: 1973-09-21
Publication date: 1975-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 1992-04-22

Abstract

A foldable sunshade attachment is adapted to be removably mounted to a well-known type of collapsible lawn chair. It mounts releasably but rigidly to an upper cross member of the back member of the chair, as by a strap-type bracket mount secured to said cross member; and said mount adjustably carries an upright column including an elongated first tubular rod component of the attachment. A second rod component is adjustably secured to the first rod component and carries at its end a sunshade. The attachment features multiple adjustments of the rod structure of the improvement, such as, in addition to a tilt of the latter''s shade, to permit (a) a sliding axial elongation of the rod structure as a whole, (b) an angular adjusting rotation of a rod component about its own axis, and (c) a pivotal swing of the rod structure in a vertical plane relative to the chair.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Moceri 1 Apr. 22, 1975 FOLDABLE SUNSl-IADE ATTACHMENT FOR A CHAIR [76] Inventor: Francesco Moceri. 733 Lantz. West.

Detroit. Mich. 48203 [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 399,384

248/45. 42. 38. 412. 188.5. 403/104; 151/19 A. 85/1 R. 50; 135/16. 20 A 497.163 12/1951 Canada 403/104 Prin1ar E.ran11'ner.lames T. McCall Attorney. Agent. or FirmCullen. Settle. Sloman & Cantor [57] ABSTRACT A foldable sunshade attachment is adapted to be removably mounted to a well-known type of collapsible lawn chair. It mounts releasably but rigidly to an upper cross member of the back member of the chair. as by a strap-type bracket mount secured to said cross member; and said mount adjustably carries an upright column including an elongated first tubular rod component of the attachment. A second rod component is [56] Rele'ences Cited adjustably secured to the first rod component and UNITED STATES PATENTS carries at its end a sunshade. The attachment features 398.712 2/1889 Endean 297/184 multiple adjustments of the rod structure of the im- 2.546.157 3/1951 Hume 403/351 provement. such as. in addition to a tilt of the latters 31559431 7/195l 243/38 shade. to permit (a) a sliding axial elongation of the rod structure as a whole. (b) an angular adjusting rocgan r 3.243.230 3/1966 01m 297/184 i mg 2J3? 21::323332222 zl itfis g gsg 3.724.885 4/1973 Becker 403/104 rellmive m thegchair FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 183.651 4/1936 Switzerland 297/1114 9 Chin 23 Drawinl! J0 f a 3" 4 ,Ja 9'7 7 ,1 ;7\ 4 g 5 -1! I I Lro I FATENTEU APRZ 2 lSYS SHEET 3 BF 5 FIGJE FOLDABLE SUNSI-IADE ATTACHMENT FOR A CHAIR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The attachment has obvious application as an improvement to enhance the desirability of many types of outdoor or lawn furniture or beach furniture including chairs. chaises. benches. paids. head rests and the like. More or less obvious extensions of the combination concept of the attachment will render it suitable for corresponding application to other sorts of furniture or to other uses.

2. Summary of the Invention The attachment assemblies are inexpensively produced of tubular lengths made from aluminum. plastic. stainless steel. etc.. inexpensively formed for the purposes of the invention. contributing a lightness in weight to an attachment which will in many instances be applied to a lawm chair correspondingly fabricated to a great degree of tubular components. as an example. made from aluminum. and the assembly of these lengths with similar clamp devices. as mentioned hereinafrer. The multiple adjustabilities of the attachment render it widely adaptable to the convenience of the user. and in a manner also very conveniently and easily performed. Furthermore. the nature of the attachement is such that it is quickly and easily collapsed along with associated chair or equivalent components for manual or automobile transportation as desired.

In the present invention a frictional clamp device surrounds and is rotatable about the axis of the rod part or column. the clamp device presenting a formation or part which is externally eccentric of the axis of rotation of the clamp device: and it is this part or formation through which a frictional clamping action of the device is cxertcd in the adjusting. and fixedly holding after adjustment. of the rod component of the attachment's column. Adjacent the top of the column rod component a generally similar second elongated rod component or member has a pivotal articulation permitting a swing of the second member in a plane including its own axis and the axis of the first rod; and the second rod component carries at its end a shade member of the attachment. with a pivotal feature of the second member permitting a tilting adjustment of the shade to suit the conveiencc or comfort of the chair's occupant.

In several versions of the invention. the clamp device comprises a generally cylindrical clamp sleeve molded of an appropriate plastic which has an eccentric mount on the first-mentioned column rod. with an integral and also eccentric member or formation of the cylindrical piece also having an external eccentricity which. on rotation on the rod component. takes releasable wedging and clamping engagement with the top crosspiece of the chair. In other vertions of the improvement. ther is also a sleeve component which rotates on the axis of the first-mentioned rod part. and also has an external eccentric clamping configuration; but in these instances the clamping action is exerted radially of the rod axis. and as between tclescoped rod pieces. rather than as exerted directly against a chair part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofa collaapsible lawn chair equipped with a first version of the attachment of the invention, the view illustrating in solid and dotted Ill 2 line. also indicating by arrow. certain simple manual adjustments which can be made:

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation in larger scale. being partially broken away and vertically sectioned in a plane including the axis of the attachments frictional clamp device and at 90 to a chair part to which the clamp is secured:

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in horizontal cross section in line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a secondary tubular rod component of the attachment. and the latters shade as carried by that component;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section on line 55 of FIG. 4. showing a miniature electrical lamp as associated with the shade;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view. as from the line 6-6 FIG. I. illustratinig a clamping connection which pivotally articulates to one another the two rod componcnts of the attachment's column.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a very simple switch conveniently accessible to control the electrical energization of a lamp of the attachment such as appears in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section through an axis of the switch. as on line 8-8 of FIG. 7'.

FIG. 9 shows in elevation the compactness of the chair and attachment as collapsed for handling;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view. partially sectioned on a line including the axis of an upright rod component. in accordance with a further modified embodiment of the invention. features of coating other attachment components as well as the chair or other support having been omitted. but being assumed to correspond with features eariler shown.

FIGS. I I and 12 are. respectively.generally horizontal cross sections on lines II1I and l2-I2 of FIG. I3. illustrating eccentricities of the clamp device of the embodiment of FIG. 13;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified embodiment of the attachment invention as applied to an extension rod piece clamped to the chair back rest;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary. enlarged scale view in upright cross section on line l4-I4 of FIG. I3.

FIG. I5 is a horizontal cross section on line I5I5 of FIG. 14 showing eccentricities of certain frictional clamp components of the version of FIGS. I3 and [4:

FIG. I6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of a foldable sunshade attachment;

FIG. I7 is a sectional view taken on line I7l7 of FIG. I6;

FIG. [8 is a side elevational view of still another modified form of a foldable sunshade attachment;

FIG. I9 is a sectional view taken on line I9l9 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified clamp device in larger scale. being partly broken away and vertically sectioned in a plane including the axis of the attachments frictional clamp device and at 90 to a chair part to which the modified clamp device is secured;

FIG. Zl is a side elevational view of the adjustable mounting device and modified clamp device illustrated in FIG. 20 and showing the clamp device in a locking position.

FIG. 22 is a side elevational view illustrating a modified foldable sunshade attachment secured to a flat support having a cushion thereon for use at the beach; and

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary vertical elevational view. with parts broken away. showing a modified Bowden cable construction for use with the devices illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 22.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The device of the invention. as generally designated in one embodiment appearing in FIGS. l-9 inclusive (of which certain features are to be carried over in other embodiments). is shown as releasably applied to an entirely conventional type of collapsible lawn chair 12. being adapted to he applied in a generally similar fashion to other types or designs of outdoor furniture. in which protection from the rays of the sun is desired. A screen ll ofnet material may be proportional for removable application to the chair and attachment combination.

Chair 12 incorporates a framework 13 in the main constituted by uniformly sized parts of rigid tubular aliminum. plus a pair of armrests 14 which may be injection or otherwise molded of an appropriate synthetic plastic material. or die cast of an appropriate metal. The armrests 14 each present a pair of parallel downwardly extendiing integral flanges l; and the lateral spacing of these flanges from one another is such as to snugly receive therebetween certain tubular components of the frame structure [3.

Thus. said frame comprises a pair of parallel front upright and laterally spaced tubular legs 16 which are appropriately braced in their lateral spacing by sheet metal aluminum brace members (not shown). Frame 13 also includes a rear rigid tubular aluminum leg unit I8 of U-shaped outline presenting a pair of upright legs l9 integrally connected rigidly with one another by a bottom bight or cross piece [9. A similarly U-shaped seat support 20 of the same aluminum tubing presents a forward bight portion 2] and parallel rearwardly extending side lengths Z2; and these lengths are pivotally connected with the front legs [6. as by elongated rivets 23 somewhat to the rear of bight 21. with nylon spacers (not shown] interposed between the legs and the side parts 22 of seat frame member 20. The upper extremities of the front and rear leg structures l6. 19 are received between the flanges of armrests I4 and are pivotally mounted for swing relative thereto by pin or rivet elements like the pivots 23.

An upright backrest component 24 substantially completes the conventional struturc of chair [2. It is of inverted U-shaped outline. being pivotally connected by rivets or pins 25 to the respective armrests 14 at points spaced well upwardly from the bottoms of upright legs of back rest 24. The latter is disposed between the armrest ]4 in the usual parallelogram relationship with the same and the seat support 20. Two collapsible over center-type bracing linkages pivotally articular the chair's scat support 20 and rear rest 24 with the rear leg unit 18 for optional collapse along with armrests 14 to the compact arrangement shown in FIG. 9. Each linkage is a coventional one. including an upper U-shaped link 26 passing beneath and around the rear of a seat member leg 22, being pivotally con nectd at 27 to the bottom ofa side arm of rear rest support 24". a lower link strap 28 pivoted to a medial point on an upright 19 of rear leg unit I8; and a common pivotal connection of these link elements to the rear of seat member 20. as at a transverse horizontal rod 29 which extends through links 26. seat parts 20 and the entire width ofchair structure 12: and at its ends serves as a stop engageable by rear legs 19 to brace the chair in its set-up condition of FIG. 1.

Rod 29 serves as a central pivot of the over-center linkage just described; and strips of decorative flexible strap material (not shown) pass beneath said rod and are interwoven and anchored at ends thereofto the seat and backrest parts 20; 24 to complete an operative chair structure.

A first embodiment 10 of the attachment. as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. has a normally rigid but releasable pivotal mount to the chair backrest 24, as at an integral upper horizontal cross piece 24' of the latter. This permits the attachment 10 to swing in a horizontal front-to-rear plane at to said cross piece. as indicated in solid and dotted line in FIG. I, over and above adjustments in other respects hereinafter described.

To this end. a special adjustable mount of FIGS. I. 2 and 3 comprises a clamp strap or bracket 30 bent in a U-shape which. in the operative position of FIGS. 1 and 2. presents parallel. rearwardly extending upper and lower arms 31. 3| connected by an integral bight portion forwardly encircling the chair frame cross member 24'. The

legs

31, 3! have aligned apcratures to journal a generally cylindrical friction clamp sleeve or collar 32 of the clamp device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

To this end. the upper arm 3l of the mounting bracket 30 is provided with a circular hole 33 of relatively large diameter. in which there is fitted a flanged circular bearing grommet or bushing 34; while the lower arm 31 of the bracket carries in alignment with the latter's upper opening 33 an opening 35 of somewhat smaller circular diameter. A second stamped and flanged bushing or grommet 36 is snugly fitted in opening 35; and a retaining washer 37 fixedly surrounds grommet 36 and bracket 30 beneath the lower bracket leg 3] The frictional clamp collar or sleeve member 32 mounted by clamp bracket 30 is a unitarily molded. rigid one-piece member of a suitable plastic. such as nylon; and it presents a lower barrel or spool-like part 38 which rotates atop a horizontal flange of the lower bushing or grommet 36. Member 32 also has an integral upper portion which is sized in a circular outline at 39 to run within the vertical flange of upper grommet 34, with an integral shoulder immediately thereabove running on the horizontal flange of grommet 34'. and a top grip formation 40 of member 32 is conveniently accessible for manipulating the clamp member 32 on clamp device 30.

As appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, the frictional clamp sleeve or collar component 32 is formed to provide a throughbore 42 which is eccentric of its external contours. including a mildly arcuate concave wedging formation 43 of the spool portion thereof; and the eccentric bore 42 telescopingly receives a lower tubular aluminum rod component 44 of attachment 10; this is of substantial length. and carries other components of the attachment to be described. Rod part 44 internally receives an electrical wiring lead 45 and is shown as being equipped with a manipulating knob 46 tightly threaded on its lower end. through a hole in which knob the electrical connector extends.

By preference. an arcuate wear plate 47 is fixedly positioned on the rear of chair cross part 24, being externally engageable and disengageable frictionally by the eccentric convexity 38 of clamp part 32.

Thus. a rotation of said part at its hand grip 40 will cause the larger diameter portion of its eccentricity to wedge against wear plate 47, thus releasably clamping the rod portion or component 14 to chair 24 at its cross part 24'. The clamping action is one which brings the legs 3|, 3] of the clamp together, due to an inherent downward thrust of the spool section 38 as its larger diameter portion comes into progressively tighter frictional engagement with wear plate 47. accompanied by a downward camming effect on the part 32 at said eccentric concavity. as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2. At the same time. the radial compression of the clamp member 32 causes the latter to progressively tightly grip the exterior of rod component 44. This exerts a locking action on said component which restrains the latter both against longitudinal shift of member 44 in said clamping part 32 and against rotation relative to the latter about its own axis. An oppositely directioned rotation of member 32 at its grip 40 relative to rod component 44 not only releases the latter for rotatable adjustment about its own axis and for longitudinal adjusting slide. but also relaxes the compression on clamp strap arms 3]. 31'. thereby loosening the device so that it may be swung as a whole in a vertical plane at 90 to chair part 24'.

As illustrated in HO. 1 the rod element 44. as it extends substantially above the frictional clamp member 32 of attachment is bent slightly forwardly and flattened at 47 (see FIG. 6). being laterally aperaturedjust prior to the flat 48 to enable its internal conductor 45 to be taken out.

Said flat pivotally receives a second. relatively elongated tubular component 50 of the attachment 10. To this end. and end of tube member 50 is slotted at 51 to provide parallel furcations 52 which straddle the end of the flat 48 of tube 47; and a screw 53 as disposed through aligned openings in the flat and furcations. threading into a circular hand piece 54. so that manipulation of the latter will increase and decrease a clamping action exerted by the forked elements on the flat 48 as the hand piece threadedly takes up or backs off on the thread of screw 53. Thus. a supplemental angular adjustment of the attachment 10 at its second rod component 50 is possible in a vertical plane. in supplementation or substitution for the corresponding vertical adjustment described above which is possible by rotating clamp component 32 with the arms 31. 31' relaxed at their normal grip on the chair crosspiece 24'.

A tubular nylon hand piece 56 is telescopingly sleeved on the end of the secondary rod component 50 and is fixedly telescoped on the end of another aluminum tube part 57, thus in effect constituting the latter an extension component of part 50; and the bore of nylon member 56 is sized for a frictional rotative fit on the end of part 50. with an enlargement 58 of the latter serving as a hand piece to effect a rotation of extension tube component 57 about its own axis and that of component 50. A tilting adjustment of part 57 (and a shade thereon to be described). in the direction of the double-ended arrow indicated in FIGS. 1 and 6. is thus possible. Electrical conductor 45 enters through a hole 59 in part 56 and into the bore of tubular member 57; and emerges (FIG. 5) through another hole 60 at the opposite end of tube 57. At this terminal zone. tube part 57 is flattened at 61. per FIG. 5, for attachment thereto of an ornamental sunshade 62 of the attachment l0. Said flat and the conical top of shade 62 are apertured to receive bolt and nut means 63 which mount thereto a miniature electrical lamp fixture 64. with emergent leads 65 of conductor 45 secured as shown in FIG. 5. As thus energized under control of a switch device (to be described) the miniature lamp 66 as applied to fixture 64 will afford a desired degree of illumination for night reading by an occupant of chair 12.

FIGS. 7 and 8 more or less schematically illustrate a type of simple switch device, generally designated 68. which is highly compact and inexpensive in construction. being convenient for manual operation by an oc cupant of the chair 12.

Switch 68 comprises an open-sided. electrically conductive sheet metal casing 69 presenting at one end a contactor indentation 70 against which a ground terminal of a conventional miniature electrical dry cell 7l will bear. the casing being equipped with a side terminal binding post 72 to which a ground lead 73 of the two-lead conductor 45 is secured. Casing 69 presents a circular opening 74 at its end opposite the contactor indentation 70 thereof; and a non-conductive plastic mounting member in the form of an insulating sleeve 75 extends coaxially into this opening. the sleeve being externally threaded for screw engagement with a nut 76 disposed within casing 69 just to the rear ofthe latter's opening 70. Sleeve 75 provides a knurled enlargement 77 representing a finger piece by which it is threaded into and through nut 76 into end engagement with battery or dry cell 71 in a zone surrouding the latters positive contactor 78, thus engaging the ground end of the cell with the casing contactor 70.

Sleeve 75 is also internally threaded at 79 for threaded mating engagement with a conductive stem 80; and a semi-rigid contactor part 81. for example a suitable gauge of copper wire. is fixedly mounted in a bore in stem 80. so that the contactor 81 will shift axially. as indicated by arrow in H6. 8. for electrical engagement with dry cell contact 78 when the element 80 is threaded in one direction in the threaded bore of the sleeve 75. just as it departs in the opposite direction from the battery contactor when element 80 is oppositely rotated.

The stem 80 carries an integral extension finger 83 for this type of threading manipulation. this extension. as appears best in FIG. 7, being engageable to limit the adjusting motion by engagement with a fixed pin 84 paralleling the axis of rotation of the stem and imbedtied in the knurled piece 77 of element 75. The contactor part 81 is provided externally of stem 80 and sleeve 75 with a [80 bight 85 capable of accommodating movement of casing 68 relative to the external electrical connections; and bight 85 has an electrical connection to a second electrical lead part 86 of the conductor 45. as at a sleeve-type union piece 87.

The bight also affords a semi-rigid finger piece for the manipulation of switch 68. The latter is conveniently disposable within reach of the chair occupant and may. if desired. be fixedly connected conveniently to one of the arm rests M of chair l2. as suggested in FlG. l.

FIG. 9 illustrates the chair. as equipped with the attachment 10, in its collapsed compacted form for transportation or storage; and the arrangements involving other modified versions of the attachment afford similar compactness. Said attachment is first clamped in substantially parallel relation to rear rest 24. and the latter chair seat. arm rests and linkages are collapsed in the usual way of lawn chairs ofthc sort in question. As finally folded the column of attachment 10 will be clamped in a partially extended condition by

devices

32 and 54, resting on top of the chair structure I2.

FIGS. I0, I] and I2 illustrate a second embodiment or adaptation of an attachment pursuant to the invention. this embodiment being generally designated by the reference numeral 90. It comprises an upright tubular mounting sleeve 9], which may be an adequate length of the tubular aluminum stock of the chair frame. this sleeve being intended to be mounted to the crosspiece 24' of the frames back rest by an appropriate removable clamp as in the manner suggested in regard to the third embodiment of the attachment appearing in FIGS. I3. 14 and IS. The attachment 90 includes a first elongated rod component 92 (FIGv I3) which is equipped at its lower end and within mounting sleeve length 9I with a fixedly connected cylindrical stop sleeve 93, which stop member. like rod component 92. is in an eccentric relation to mounting member 91.

As thus disposed, rod element 92 is slidable axially within the bore 94 ofa nylon bushing 95 having an external cylindrical surface eccentric of said bore and the rod part 92; and the mounting sleeve 91 is preferably fixedly connected adjacent its top of the bushing 95, by a staked connection 96. The mounting tube 9] is telescoped above its top by a cylindrical clamping sleeve 98, which sleeve has an eccentric top bore I00. A rubber clamp bushing 10! is fitted tightly into the bore I of clamp sleeve 98, with the bore 102 of this bushing in alignment with the bore 94 of bushing 95, said bushing bores slidably receiving rod component 92 when the ecccntricities of the bushings are similarly disposed in annular relation to one another and to the rod.

Thus, with the parts in the relationships shown in FIG. 13, an appropriate twist of clamp sleeve 98 relative to mounting member 91, or vice versa. causes the eccentricities of the

bushings

95 and 101 to shift annularly relative to one another in a way to wedge or lock the rod components in the radial sense relative to mounting sleeve 91, thus to prevent axial or annular rotative shift of rod 92 in an adjusted position. the rod en largement 93 serving as a stop to prevent outward sepa ration of rod 92 from the clamp device.

It is to be understood that the embodiment 90 of the attachment appearing in FIGS. 10, II and I2 will incorporate secondary rod component means and a ro tatable and annularly adjustable coupling of such means to the component 92, thus to afford the multiple angular, sliding, pivoting and tilting actions described above in reference to the first adaptation.

Reference being had to FIGSv 13, I4 and 15, the third attachment shown therein. and generally designated by the reference numeral I04, is in the main similar to the corresponding device 90 of FIGS. I0-I2'. and mounts rigidly to the rear crosspiece I2. In this instance, the mount is through the agency of a transverse sheet metal strap paralleling the crosspiece l2 and of a saddle-like cross section in a vertical plane at 90 to the latter such as to mate about the external circular contour of member 12'. Medially of its length, the saddle I05 has an arcuate convexity at 106 which straddles the circular contour of an elongated mounting tube 107: and a pair oflike clamp parts 108 encircle extremities of the saddle piece on opposite sides of the convexity I06 to clamp the saddle to cross member 12'. These clamps are closely of the nature of conven tional hose clamps of adjustable girth; and screws 109 are applied to end nut members IIO of the respective clamps to rigidly take them up in clamping position. These screws may be backed off a bit to enable an angular adjusting swing of the rod mount I07 in a plane at 90 to chair part I2. then re-tightened to hold the attachment I04 (and other components thereof as above referred to) in a desired setting.

In the embodiment I04 of FIGS. I3I5, a rod component 112 of tubular aluminum stock has adjustable telescoping engagement with the upper portion of mounting member 107 at a lower integral enlargement I13 of rod element II2, which enlargement presents a bore continuation II4 of the bore of rod component I12 proper. A rigid plastic clamping sleeve I16 has a circular bore [I7 which mates slidably and telescopingly over an eccentric but cylindrical outer surface of the rod portion 113; and an eccentric frictional clamp bushing or sleeve 118 fixedly fits within the lower end of the clamp sleeve 116; the bore of I [9 of bushing I18 slidably telescopes the top of mounting piece 107 in axial alignment with the bore 114 of the eccentricity I13 on rod component 112. Thus, a rotation of clamp sleeve 116 relative to mounting rod 107 and the rod eccentricity 113. or vice versa. will bring the frictional clamp bushing I18 carried fixedly within said sleeve into frictional and radial wedging or clamping engagement with mounting part I07, thus fixedly securing rod component 112 in a rotatively adjusted or slidably adjusted position relative to mount I07; and a reversing rotation of sleeve II6 will release member I12 for an angular or sliding axial adjustment, then re-clmping as desired. As indicated above, secondary components of the adator structure I04, as will those of the alternative structure 90 of FIGS. I0-I2, include features of selective adjustment such as were described in detail in reference to FIGS. I-6, inclusive.

To assist in mounting the upright tubular rod 107 to the chair structure, said rod may have a spring bracket 120 (FIG. I3) rigidly riveted thereto adjacent the lower end thereof, which bracket is releasably engageable with the cross piece 27 of the seat frame unit 20, at which the upper linkage piece 26 is pivotally connected to said unit. A release of clamps I08 and lift of the rod I07 will free the rod structure I04 from chair I2 should it be desired to dismantle the chair-attachment combination.

FIG. 16 illustrates another form of attachment, designated by the numeral I40, which is functionally and structurally similar to the attachment 10 previously described but of a simiplified and more economical construction. Where applicable the same numbers will be used to designate similar parts.

The rod or tubular element 44 of attachment I40 extends substantially above the adjustable mount I42 to be subsequently described. The upper end portion of the tubular element 44 is bent slightly forwardly and flattened to provide a flat or tongue 48. A relatively short component 144 is slotted at one end to provide a pair of parallel furcations which straddle the flat 48 of rod 44. The furcations of the component I44 are connected to the flat 48 by means ofa screw 53 which is disposed through aligned openings in the flat 48 and furcations. The screw 53 is threaded into the nut 54 to secure the parts together.

The other end of the component 144 is provided with a tubular recess 145 which receives in a tight or pressed fitting relation one end of a first elongated tubular rod I50 which is easily bendable. A second elongated tubular rod 152 receives and is adapted to slide on the first rod I50. The inner end of the second rod I52 carries a tubular nylon or plastic hand piece I54. Hand piece I54 is fixedly secured to the second tubular rod I54 and is provided with a transversely extending opening 156 which threadedly receives the threaded stem 158 of screw I60. With such a construction the second elongated tubular rod I52 may be moved relative to the first rod I50 and thereafter the second rod 152 is adjustably secured to the first rod I50 by means of manipulating the screw I60 and urging the threaded stem 158 into engagement with the first or inner rod I50 as best ilustrated in FIG. I7.

The second tubular rod I52 at the outer end thereof is flattened at 61 for attachment thereto of an ornamental sunshade 62. The sunshade 62 is fixedly secured to the flat M by means of the bolt and nut means 63.

After the hand piece 154 has been adjusted in the manner described previously. further adjustment of the sunshade 62 is permitted by manually bending the tubular rod I50. The rods I50 and I52 are of light weight construction made for example from aluminum or plastic.

FIGS. and 2I illustrate a modified adjustable mount I42 for the rod 44 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. I6 and I8 and is similar in certain functional and structural respects to the adjustable mount illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive. A comparison of the drawings will indicate that the adjustable mount I42 of FIGS. 20 and 2] does not utilize the acruate wear plate 47 of FIG. 2. The frictional clamp collar or sleeve member 143 of the adjustable mount I42 differs in certain respects from the corresponding sleeve member 32 dc scribed previously. Sleeve member I43 is provided on one side thereof with a flat surface I64 which extends from the bottom to a point near the center of the concave wedging formation 43 as best illustrated in FIG. 21. A yieldable O-ring I66 is provided around the spool portion of sleeve member 143. When in a non-adjusted position. the flat surface I64 is parallel to the cross member 24' with sufficient clearance therebetween to permit the adjustable mount 142 to slide on the cross member 24'.

In use. after the adjustable mount I42 has been positioned on the chair frame cross member 24 in the manner described previously. the knob or top grip formation of the sleeve member 143 is rotated in a direction to move the flat surface 164 away from the cross member 24' to a position perpendicular to the cross member 24' as shown in FIG. 21, whereby the cross member 24' rests in the concave recess 43 with the O- ring I66 engaging same as best illustrated in FIG. 20. At such time the clamp member 143 fixedly secures the rod 44 and the component parts carried thereby to the cross member 24 of the chair.

Thereafter it is still possible to rotate the rod 44 relative to the chair and to the clamped adjustable mount I42. This is achieved by providing in the upper end of knob 40 a resilient bushing 168. The rod 44 bears against the bushing I68 and the internal surfaces of the clamping member 143 as shown in FIG. 20. The rod 44 may be rotated to overcome the friction between rod 44 and the bushing I68 and sleeve member 143 to permit further adjustment of the sunshade 62.

The modified sunshade attachment I69 illustrated in FIG. I8 is similar too the construction shown in FIG. I6 and may be used with the adjustable mount I42 previously described. The attachment I69 of FIG. I8 utilizes a bendable Bowden wire or cable construction I70 in place of the tubular rod 150. The wire construc tion 170 consists ofa tubular Bowden wire I72 having a solid rod or core I74 therein. One end of the core I74 is secured in the component 144. The other end of the wire construction I70 or of the core 174 is adapted to fit into the end of the second rod I52 and to be secured thereto by means of the handpiece I54 and screw I60. The Bowden wire construction 170 is easily bendable and thus permits further adjustment of the sunshade 62 as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. I8 after the hand piece I54 is set. The bendable rod or core I74 retains the wire I72 in a position after bending.

FIG. 22 illustrates a modified sunshade attachment 180 which is adapted to be attached to a support other than a chair for use. as an example. at the beach and directly upon the ground. The attachment I includes a relatively flat support or base I82 on which is mounted a pillow or cushion I84. A wire construction I70. previously described. forms a column I86. One end of the column I86 is anchored to one side of the support 182. The other end of the column I86 is provided with a flat mounting lug 88 to which is appropriately secured a sunshade 62. The Bowden wire construction forming column 186 permits a person to bend the column I86 and to move the sunshade 62 to a position to suit the user. The column 186 includes the bendable Bowden wire I72 through which the bendable rod or core 174 extends. The core I74 maintains the column I86 in a selected position after bending.

In connection with any of the embodiments heretofore disclosed. with the exception of FIG. 22. a head rest may be secured to the vertical rod part 44. FIG. I6 illustrates a mounting bracket I90 having a tubular portion I92 surrouding rod portion 44 and a pair of arms I94 terminating in a pair of laterally extending flanges 196 to which a yeildable or soft cushion I98. forming a headrest. is secured. The arms I94 may, as an example. be connected by a nut and bolt 200 or equivalent means to maintain the brackets I90 in a fixed position on rod part 44.

What is claimed is:

l. A shade or like attachment for an article of furniture having a horizontally extending cross part. comprising a column unit supporting a shade or like member at an upper end of said unit. said unit including an elongated rod component. bracket means for rigidly but rcleasably attaching said column unit in a vertically extending relation of its said rod component to and above said cross part. and means including a clamp device providing for adjustments of the position of said units rod component longitudinally in the direction of its length and angularly about its own axis. said device including a sleeve unit telescoped on said rod component and rotatable about the axis thereof in a vertically spaced relation to said part. said sleeve unit comprising a rotatable annular clamp element having an external surfaceeccentric of said axis which. upon rotation of the sleeve unit and element about the axis. radially and externally engages against a portion of said furniture cross part and frictionally but releasably clamps said rod component in the latters said longitudinally or angularly adjusted position relative to said cross part. said column unit having a further elongated rod component. and means pivotally articulating said rod components to one another for an adjusting swing of said further elongated rod component in a plane including the axes of both of said components.

2. The attachment of claim I. in which said lastnamed means includes means for clamping said rod components together as adjusted in said plane. and for individually adjusting said further component angularly about its own axis.

3. The attachment of claim I, in which said elements eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wcdging action of the element.

4. The attachment of claiim l, in which said element's eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wcdging action of the element. said bracket means encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms between which said clamp element operates.

5. The attachment of claim I, in which said elements eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wedging action of the element, said bracket means encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms between which said clamp element operates. said element having por- 12 tions engaging the respective arms of said bracket means to draw the arms toward one another into compressive axial engagement with said clamp element as the latter acts wedgingly upon said cross part.

6. The attachment of claim 1, in which said sleeve unit further comprises a manipulating sleeve in externally telescoped relation to said eccentric annular clamp element and rotatable concurrently with the latter in said releasable frictional clamping of the firstnamed rod component.-

7. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a part on the axis thereof also externally telescoped by said manipulating sleeve. the latter having sliding rotation on said part in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.

8. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a formation fixed thereon eccentric of the axis thereof and also externally telespcoped by said manipulating sleeve. the latter having sliding rotation on said fixed formation in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.

9. The attachment of claim 1, in which said rod component has a further formation fixed thereon concentric with the axis thereof and also externally telescoped by said mainipulating sleeve. the latter having sliding rotation on said eccentric fixed formation and eccentrically of said concentric formation in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.

Claims

1. A shade or like attachment for an article of furniture having a horizontally extending cross part, comprising a column unit supporting a shade or like member at an upper end of said unit, said unit including an elongated rod component, bracket means for rigidly but releasably attaching said column unit in a vertically extending relation of its said rod component to and above said cross part, and means including a clamp device providing for adjustments of the position of said unit''s rod component longitudinally in the direction of its length and angularly about its own axis, said device including a sleeve unit telescoped on said rod component and rotatable about the axis thereof in a vertically spaced relation to said part, said sleeve unit comprising a rotatable annular clamP element having an external surface eccentric of said axis which, upon rotation of the sleeve unit and element about the axis, radially and externally engages against a portion of said furniture cross part and frictionally but releasably clamps said rod component in the latter''s said longitudinally or angularly adjusted position relative to said cross part, said column unit having a further elongated rod component, and means pivotally articulating said rod components to one another for an adjusting swing of said further elongated rod component in a plane including the axes of both of said components.

2. The attachment of claim 1, in which said last-named means includes means for clamping said rod components together as adjusted in said plane, and for individually adjusting said further component angularly about its own axis.

3. The attachment of claim 1, in which said element''s eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wedging action of the element.

4. The attachment of claiim 1, in which said element''s eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wedging action of the element, said bracket means encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms between which said clamp element operates.

5. The attachment of claim 1, in which said element''s eccentric surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross part in the wedging action of the element, said bracket means encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms between which said clamp element operates, said element having portions engaging the respective arms of said bracket means to draw the arms toward one another into compressive axial engagement with said clamp element as the latter acts wedgingly upon said cross part.

6. The attachment of claim 1, in which said sleeve unit further comprises a manipulating sleeve in externally telescoped relation to said eccentric annular clamp element and rotatable concurrently with the latter in said releasable frictional clamping of the first-named rod component.

7. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a part on the axis thereof also externally telescoped by said manipulating sleeve, the latter having sliding rotation on said part in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.

8. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a formation fixed thereon eccentric of the axis thereof and also externally telespcoped by said manipulating sleeve, the latter having sliding rotation on said fixed formation in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.