US468052A - Furniture - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' D. W. CANNON.

FURNITURE Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENNIS \V. CANNON, OF IVEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,052, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed March 30, 1891. Serial No. 386,914. (No model.)

To aZZ whom may concern:

3e it known that I, DENNIS IV. CANNON, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVest Chester, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally-to furniture of such character and construction as to be capable of being converted at will into a number of distinct articles of furniture employed for different purposes,and especially to the class of such furniture which comprises structures convertible into a chair, or table, as desired.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate, and herein I describe, a preferred form of a good embodiment of my invention, the particular subject matter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitely specified.

It is the object of my invention to provide a device of the foregoing character of a simple and inexpensive construction, easily changed from one position or adjustment to another, in which the chair when used is provided with arms, and in which the table, when the device is used as a table, is not only of the ordinary height'of a table, but is capable of being extended to form a top of any desired size.

In the drawings Figure 1 illustrates the employment of a structure embodying my invention as achair,-the removable leaves of the table top being shown partly in full and partly in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device employed as a table.

In the drawings, A is the base of the structure, the same consisting, in the form shown in the drawings, of four substantially vertical members a a a a connected by rungs b b and connected with so as to support the horizontal member 0. The member 0 forms a seat when the device is used as a chair, but when the device is used as a table, said member serves no purpose, except, perhaps, to assist in bracing the vertical members or legs referred to. The two rear legs a a are rigid throughout their length, and are employed as the support upon which are mounted a pair of what I term arm-brackets cl (1 The two front legs, a a are jointed intermediate of their length, at the points 6 e by suitable hinges, which permit the upper ends of said legs to either stand upright or to be swung rearwardly. The arrangement and proportions of the jointed upper ends of said members, and of the arm brackets, are such that when said upper ends are swung rearwardly they reach to and rest upon the upper portions of said brackets, and are conveniently attached thereto by the engagement of hooks L, which said swinging ends carry, with staples or kindred keepers Z mounted in the bracket arms. v

E is the movable or swinging frame which serves both as the back for the chair and as the top for the table, the same being united to the basal portion of the structure by a sliding connection of any preferred character but preferably of that shown in the drawings.

G G are a pair of slide rods extending in parallelism along the under or inner side of said frame for a portion of its length, which rods are conveniently secured to said frame by having their ends inturned and being driven into the substance thereof. Said rods as to their lower ends each embody a loop or depression, g.

h h are a pair of eyes or keepers of any preferred character formed as a part of or applied to the rearward part of the upper ends of the members a (1. through which eyes the respective rods G G are entered and in which they are adapted to slide in the adjustment of the device from one position or set to another. By reason of the depressions g in the rods G the frame F can be brought down in horizontal position to be used as a stand or table top, notwithstanding the location of the eyes L at the rear of the members a a. \Vere it not for said depressions g, the eyes 71 would necessarily be so situated as to project above the members a a which would interfere with the desirability of the structure as a chair. M are a pair of staples or eyes formed as a part of or mounted in said frame beyond the upper ends of said rods G G. Two upper staples j are entered in the upperportions of the respective members on a and two lower staples j are entered in the lower portions of said legs.

K is a hook or similar contrivance two of which are mounted in the swinging frame.

The arrangement of the device when employed as a chair will be readily apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2. In such use the swinging frame, assumed first in horizontal position, is slid by means of its rods G through the eyes h it until the upper ends of the former reach said eyes, and said frame, being then in a vertical or substantially vertical position, the hooks K are abreast of the staples 9' and are engaged therewith whereby said swinging frame is locked securely to the basal portion of the structure and constitutes, as stated, the back of the chair.

The upper portions of the legs a a are swung rearwardly and rested upon the arm brackets, in which position thehooks L which said legs bear are in range for engagement with the staples Z of said brackets, and, when so engaged, said hinged upper members are locked firmly into position to act as arms for the chair.

To convert the device into a table, the hooks. K and L are disengaged from the staples in which they have been described as engaged; the swinging frame is lifted, its rods G sliding through the eyes It until it is at the proper height. It is then brought into a horizontal position, when its front or upper ends will rest upon the jointed members of the legs a a which have in the meantime been swung to an upright position. Thereupon the hooks L are engaged with the staples '11, and the hooks K engaged with the staples j, whereby the whole structure is rendered rigid and strong.

Heretofore devices adapted to be alternately converted into chairs and tables have been defective in that owing to the necessity for the swinging member acting as the back of the chair, a limitation has been imposed as to the size of said swinging member, and therefore only a stand, or table having a small top could be provided. My invention however comprehends means whereby the swinging member may be extended as follows:

m m, n n, 0 0, andp p, are respectively pairs of cleats or sockets applied to the inner or under surface of the swinging frame F at each of its four'sides.

M N O and P are four extensions, adapted to fit the sides and ends respectively of the swinging frame, and each provided with a pair of tongues, designated m n 0 and F respectively, adapted to engage with the cleats described. These extensions may be of any form and dimensions preferred, depending upon the size and shape of the table required. In the drawings I have shown them as of such shape as to form a round or oval top. The tongues and lugs described are well adapted to form the union between the swinging frame and the leaves, inasmuch as while firmly supporting said leaves when in place, at the same time permits them to be detachable and readily applied and removed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a combined chair and table, in combination, the legs, two of which are jointed and their upper portions adapted to occupy alternately upright and horizontal positions to serve as supports for the table top and arms for the chair respectively, devices to support the arms when the latter occupy a horizontal position, the seat 0, the movable frame F adapted for alternate employment as a chair back and table top respectively, and means for securing said frame in its respective positions of adjustment, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, a basal structure embodying a seat and legs, two of which legs are rigid, and two of which are jointed, arm brackets adapted to receive and support the upper ends of the jointed legs when the latter are bent sidewise, eyes mounted in said rigid legs, a top, rods mounted on or attached to the under side of said top, and engaged in said eyes, substantially as set forth.

In combination, a basal structure embodying a seat and connected legs, two of which are rigid and two of which arejointed, arm brackets adapted to receive and support the upper ends of the jointed legs when the latter are bent sidewise, eyes mounted in the rear of said rigid legs, a top, rods each embodying a loop or depression mounted on or attached to the under side of said top, and

engaged with said eyes, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a basal structure, embodying a seat and legs, two of which legs are rigid, and two of which are jointed, arm brackets adapted to receive and support the upper ends of the jointed legs, eyes mounted on the rigid legs, a top, rods mounted on or attached to the under side of said top, and engaged in said eyes, a locking device such as a hook connected with the upper end of each jointed leg and adapted to make engagement alternately with a keeper on an arm bracket and a keeper connected with the top, and locking devices such as hooks connected with the lower portion of the table top and adapted to make engagement alternately with the upper and lower portions of the rigid legs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my 7 name this 10th day of March, A. D. 1891.

DENNIS l/V. CANNON.

In presence of- F. NORMAN DIXON, J. HOWARD MORRIS.

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