Folding chair

March 7, 1933.

1,900,486

W. E. CLARIN

FOLDING CHAIR

Filed May 28, 1931

Sheets-Sheet 1

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March 7, 1933.

1,900,486

W. E. CLARIN

FOLDING CHAIR

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March 7, 1933.

1,900,486

W. E. CLARIN

FOLDING CHAIR

Filed May 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

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Patented Mar. 7, 1933

1,900,486

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

WEBNER E. CLARIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

FOLDING CHAIR .-, Application filed May 28,

My invention relates to a f olding chair.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a folding chair which has its various parts and elements so arranged that ⁵ it will be folded up automatically when it is thrown either forwardly or backwardly upon the floor or upon any similar flat surface.

Another object is to provide a folding chair which has its seat mounted on the legs ¹⁰ so that it may be readily raised and folded while the legs remain in their standing position.

A further object is to provide a chair which is so arranged that it may be readily folded 15 up by placing a foot upon the brace which, connects the rear legs, and then pulling on the back-rest part which extends upwardly from the front legs.

A still further object is to provide a light 20 and durable chair, which is constructed of thin metal, so arranged as to provide the maximum of strength with a minimum of material, and to furnish a very serviceable chair at a small cost. .

25' Another object is to provide a removable shoe for the leg of such a chair, which is very *simply and economically constructed.

These and various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the fol30 lowing description, taken in connection, with' the accompanying drawings in which this invention is illustrated in its preferred form of construction; it being understood that various other arrangements and forms of con³⁵ struction may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing ₄₀ this chair in its open or unfolded position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, also showing in dotted lines how the seat may be readily raised without disturbing the open position of the legs.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view, showing the chair in. its closed or folded position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 4—4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views, 50 taken respectively on lines 5—5 and 6—6

1931. Serial No. 540,577.

of Fig. 2, showing the leg and brace construction.

Fig, 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken on line 7—7 of Fig. 1, illustrating the pivotal connection of the legs. . 55

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the seat, taken on line 8—8 of Fig. 2.

Figs; 9 and 10 are side views, showing respectively, how this chair readily and automatically folds or closes when it is cast 60 backwardly and likewise forwardly upon the floor or a similar flat surface. &lt;

Fig. H is an enlarged detail view, with parts broken away, illustrating the pivotal connections between the legs and seat. 65

Fig. 12 is an elevational view, illustrating the shoe mounted in the chair leg.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view, taken on line 13—13 of Fig. 12.

Figs, 14 and 15 are views of the shoe 70 per se.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention, showing it in the preferred form of construction. This comprises a pair of front legs 20 and a pair of rear legs 21 75 which are mounted therebetween and are pivotally connected thereto by means of a pair of pivot pins 22. Each pin extends through two legs and through a reinforcing and spacing plate or strap 24 secured to leg 80 20 and extending upwardly thereon, and through a short spacing plate 25 secured to leg 21.

The front legs 20 are connected and braced by means of cross-braces or bars 27 and 28, 85 at the intermediate and at the lower parts, respectively; and the rear legs 21 are similarly connected and braced at the lower parts by means of a cross-brace or bar 29,

For the purpose of, economy and simplic- 90 ity, the. construction is arranged to provide each pair of legs with ah integral upper connecting member, so that a pair of legs and the connecting member therefor are made from one. bar or member , which is bent into 95 the desired shape. By this construction the front legs 20 are integral with the upper connecting member 30 which forms the frame part of the back-rest; while the rear legs 21 are integral with their upper connecting bar loo ,486

Means is also provided for limiting the closing movement of the seat, and this, means preferably comprises a rib 47 extending inwardly from a. leg 20, immediately beneath pivot pin 26 thereon, as best shown in Fig. ⁷⁰11. The lower doubled edge of frame member 36 abuts and rests against the rear face of this rib when the seat is swung into its closed or folded position, substantially as indicated in Figs. 4 and 11.

Means is provided for limiting the opening movement of the two pairs of legs and whereby the legs are normally retained in the open position. This means preferably comprises a pair of links 49, each link hav- ⁸ing one end pivotally connected by a rivet or pivot element 50 to a· front leg 20, between pivot pins 22 and 46,. and having the other encl of the link movably connected with the rear leg, preferably by a rod 51 connecting ⁸⁵said ends of the links and being slidable in slots 52 provided in the upper parts of the rear legs 21. When the legs are folded, the connecting bar 31 at the tops of the front legs bears against the folded seat, thereby ⁹⁰limiting the folding or closing movement of the legs.

These novel chairs are especially desirable and serviceable for use in class rooms and assembly halls, and where large groups ⁸⁵of people are assembled, as they tend toward safety if a disturbance or panic should suddenly result; for the reason that these chairs will readily and automatically fold or close when they are upset or thrown upon the floor, ¹⁰⁹either forwardly or backwardly. When the chair is thrown forwardly, the front edge of the seat will automatically slide upwardly, as best shown in Fig. 10, and the rear legs will automatically fold between the front ¹⁰⁵legs, due to gravity and the impact of the chair upon the floor, thereby folding the chair flat Upon the floor. When the chair is thrown backwardly upon the floor or a similar flat surface, then as the back-rest frame ¹¹⁰30 touches the floor the two pairs of legs automatically collapse or fold, and the bar 31 at the tops of the rear legs will slide along the lower face of the seat and thus automati- _rcally force the seat towards its closed posi- ^Jtion, thus folding the chair flat on its back upon the floor. This will enable the people to walk freely over the folded chairs on the floor, which'may have been thrown either forwardly or backwardly on the floor, by the rush of . the people during the panic.

ft is also apparent from the drawings ancl the above description that the seat may be readily- swung or moved upwardly toward the folded position, without folding or disturbing the standing legs, as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby furthermore adapting these chairs for assembly halls and classrooms and the like where the chairs are placed close together, and the persons are

1,900 which is preferably bent so as to be flat or horizontal on the top, to provide a flat rest for the forward portion of the seat. A backrest plate or panel 32 is secured on frame ^c part 30, to provide the back-rest for the chair. .,. ,

The stock for constructing this chair, and especially for making the legs or supporting members, is preferably arranged in the form 10 of thin sheet metal bars “δ” which have their two edge portions curved over to form a pair of curled or cylindrical edge portions “c”, thereby providing a sturdy reinforced construction, and at the same, time a very eco1? nomical one. The cross-braces or bars 27, 28 and 29 are preferably likewise made of the same stock as the legs, comprising the curled edge portions, as indicated in the .... drawings, thus producing further economy in the construction of this chair. The ends, df the braces or bars are suitably curved, substantially as indicated in the drawings and are welded to the middle or web portions of the legs.

2&amp; The seat 35 in the present chair preferably comprises a metal frame member 36 and a panel or seating member 37 mounted therein, said panel preferably being of rigid material and having cushioning means on the 20' top thereof which may consist of inner fibrous material 38 and outer fabric 39 enclosing the same, as best.shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. Said member 36 preferably consists of a strap .... or strip of sheet metal which is arranged to provide a main side portion or depending portion which has its upper part bent inwardly to provide a horizontal top flange 40, ancl Which has its lower part doubled over to provide a doubled portion 41 having at -θ' the upper edge thereof an inwardly bent flange 42. the seating member 37 With the. edfe portions of fabric 39 being clamped between the flanges 40 and 42. The frame member embraces the seating member therein, and ‘‘⁵ it has its ends connected at the rear of the seat, as by means of an overlapping lip 43. _

Ih the present form of chair the seat is preferably mounted between the legs by having ears or lugs 45 provided on the sides of ⁹⁹ the. seat, adj acent the rear part thereof, and the ears preferably extending downwardly from the frame means 36. A rivet or pivot element 46 extends through the ear and through leg 20 and the spacing plate 24, as ³⁵ best shown in Fig. 11, thereby connecting the seat pivotally and swingably with the front legs, and providing support for the rear portion of the seat. The front part of the seat rests freely and detachably upon the ⁶⁹ horizontal top part or bar 31 which connects the tipper, front portions of the rear legs, so that the seat may be readily raised from said top bar 31 and swung to its folded position, Without disturbing the legs in their open or ⁶⁵ standing position.

1,900,486 3 frequently called upon for short talks or replies,_ and are expected to rise in their seats.

This chair is furthermore equipped with shoes of a novel construction; and to simplify ⁵ the construction, the shoe is composed of only two members, an upper rigid member 55, whereby the shoe is mounted on the chair leg, and a lower pliable member 56 secured thereon, to bear upon the floor without mar¹⁹ ring the same.

The upper member 55 is preferably made from a single bar or plate, as a strap of sheet metal which is curved at. its central portion to provide a curled or rounded portion 57, and also two arms or branches 58 extending upwardly from said rounded portion to provide stem means mountable in channel means 59 provided m the chair leg, preferably by extending the curled edge portions “&lt;?” at ²⁰ the lower part of each leg away from the web portion “δ” thereof, as indicated in Fig. 13. The arms 58 are also provided with bowed portions 59 near the upper end, and the strap or member 55 is made from slightly ²⁰ resilient material, so that the arms are normally firmly retained in the leg but are also detachable therefrom.

The member 56 is composed of pliable material, preferably of rubber, and is arranged substantially in the form of a block. During the construction the material of this block is caused to enter in and around the curved or curled portion 57 of the upper member 55; and for the purpose of provid³⁵ ing a more secure connection the curved portion 57 has a notch 61 provided in its intermediate part, so that the plastic rubber or material will enter through this notch as well as through the ends of said portion 57 ⁴⁰ during the manufacture of the shoe, so as to completely fill said portion and to be firmly anchored thereon.

It should be noted that this shoe is detachably mounted in the leg; and that when the shoe is positioned in the leg, the lower end of the leg bears or rests'directly upon the curved or curled portion 57 of the metal members 55, thereby preventing this lower end of the leg from cutting or descending into the pli⁵⁰ able material or rubber of the block 56. As this, block is of rubber or similar pliable material it will not damage or mar the floor, and it will at the same time: bear upon the floor with a sufficient amount of friction to prevent slipping over a highly polished floor. This shoe construction thus provides a very efficient and desirable shoe for a chair leg, or the leg of an article of furniture, and at the same time provides a simple and a very ⁶⁰ economical construction.

It is also apparent from the above disclosure that this construction and arrangement of the legs and the seat, and of the entire chair, provides an exceedingly serviceable ⁶⁵ and valuable folding chair.