Folding chair

Dec. 13, 1938. a. f. draper 2,139,673

FOLDING CHAIR

Original Filed Feb. 6,. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEYS

Dec. 13, 1938. a. f. draper 2,139,673

FOLDING CHAIR

Original· Filed Feb. 6, 1935 ' 3 Sheets-Sheet- 2

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ATTORNEYS

Dec. 13, 1938. a. f. draper 2,139,673

FOLDING CHAIR

Original Filed Feb. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3

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ATTORNEYS

Patented Dec. 13, 1938

2,139,673

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,139,673 FOLDING CHAIR Arthur F. Draper, Ferndale, Mich. Application February 6, 1935, Serial No. 5,232 Renewed March 7, 1938

Claims. (Cl. 155—136)

The present invention pertains to chairs, and more particularly to chairs of the collapsible type adapted to be folded to occupy a minimum amount of space when they are not in use.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a folding chair which will occupy an exceptionally small amount of space when folded, the chair being comprised of parts providing for stability and mechanical strength and being arranged and assembled whereby they may be readily moved from their extended position to their folded position or the reverse. In combination with a chair of this type it is another aim of the invention to provide a simple and efficient means for holding the parts in their folded position so that the chair may be quite easily carried about.

It is another object of the present invention to provide, in combination with a folding chair, means which automatically functions, as a result of movement of the collapsible parts from their folded position to their extended position, to hold the parts in their extended position, the holding means being designed to prevent the accidental release thereof and yet to require but a simple manual operation in order to release the same to permit folding of the chair.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the parts of the folding chair may be adjusted to compensate for wear resulting from use in order that the looseness resulting from such wear may not reduce the stability of the chair.

With the above and other ends in view the invention is more fully disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair in its extended position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a detail;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the chair in its folded position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of a detail;

Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sections taken on lines 7—7 and 8—8 respectively of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a plan of a detail;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the chair partially collapsed;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a modification;

Fig. 12 is a cross section of a part of the. chair shown in Fig. 11, and

Figs. 13 and 14 are cross sections taken respectively on line 13—13 and 14—14 of Fig. 11.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts.

The seat part of the present chair comprises a ⁵marginal frame formed of wire or rods. Each side of the marginal frame is formed of two parts i and 2 which are looped together intermediate their ends as designated at 3. Straps 4 extend from Side to side of the seat frame and are inter- ¹⁰woven as illustrated in Fig. 1 to complete the seat. At the four corners of the seat the free ends of the wire members i and 2 are each pivotally united with the upper end of an arm 5, the chair structure thus having four arms 5 attached to the ¹⁶seat with one of such arms disposed at each corner of the seat frame. The lower end of each arm 5 is pivotally attached, by means of a pin 6 to a bracket 7 which is common to all of the arms.

Four legs are provided, the legs being desig- ²⁰nated in pairs by numerals 8 and 9, and each leg having a ground engaging flat foot 10. The upper ends of each of the legs 8 and 9 are mounted on one of the pins 6 which are employed to pivotally attach the arms 5 to the bracket 7, and the legs 8 ²⁵and 9 are thus pivotally secured to the bracket 7 with one adjacent to each arm. The arms 5 are preferably formed of I-beam cross section and the legs 8 and 9 are formed of channel irons proportioned so that the arms may move into and out of 30 the channels, as will hereinafter appear. On each leg 8 is connected a pair of wire elements ί I with each extending toward one of the legs 9. The adjacent free ends of the wires 11, extending from opposite legs 8, are connected to a latch element 35 12 having a retainer part 14 adapted to receive the ends of a pin 13 in its respective leg 9. ‘ when the pin 13 extends into the part 14 the latch element 12 is retained against sliding movement relative to the leg 9 and the legs 8 and 9 are thus 40 tied together. The latch element 12 may be rocked by manual pressure to move the retainer part 14 out of engagement with the pin 13 so as to permit sliding movement of the latch element relative to the leg 9, at which time the legs 8 and 45 9 may be relatively pivoted.

The upper end of each arm 5 is connected to the leg 8 or 9 which is pivoted on the same pin 6 by an articulated tie member 15, the connection of each tie member to its respective leg and arm 50 being in each case pivotal. When the latch elements 12 have their retainers 13 disposed in the notches 14 they cooperate with the wire elements ί I in holding the legs 8 and 9 in the extended position shown in Fig. 1 by tying the four legs to- 55

2,139,673 gether so as to prevent further spreading movement thereof. The tie members 15 serve to tie the seat frame, arms and legs together to prevent pivotal movement of the legs in a direction oppo5 site to that prevented by the wires 11 and latch elements 12. With the legs and arms held in the position described they hold the seat frame members I and 2 in an extended position and the chair is in condition for use.

Secured to the point where the two central strap members 4 intersect is a flexible cord !6 which extends downwardly and through an aperture 17 in a socket 18 formed in the center of the bracket 7. On the free end of the cord 15 16 is secured a cap 19 and in the socket 18 is mounted a coiled spring 20.

When it is desired to fold the chair from the position shown in Fig. 1, through the position shown in Fig. 10, to the position illustrated in 20 Figs. 4 and 5 the latch elements 12 are rocked manually to withdraw the retainers 14 from engagement with the pins 13. The legs 8 and 9 are then pointed upwardly, relative to the showing in Fig. 1, and the articulated tie members 15 25 fold and are received between their respective legs and arms, there being a space provided between the legs and arms due to the fact that the legs are constructed of channel irons and the arms being I shaped in cross section. As illus30 trated in Fig. 7 each arm 5 is received in the leg, 8 or 9 as the case may be, which is pivoted to the bracket 7 on the same pin 6 as the particular arm and by drawing downwardly on the cord 16 at the same time the legs are swung up35 wardly the upper ends of the arms 5 will be drawn inwardly and the legs and arms may be swung to assume the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 wherein the strap members 4 are concealed within the same. At this time the sev40 eral feet !0 will be in contact, one with another, and the cap 19 is slipped over the same. Each foot 10 has an aperture 21 and the cap 19 has a series of spring fingers 22 received in the apertures. In order to permit the cap to be placed 45 as above described the strap members 4 are drawn against the spring 20 by the cord !6 to compress the spring so that resilient pressure is constantly exerted on the cord 16 tending to draw the cap 19 into tight engagement with 50 the feet 10.

To again extend the parts of the chair the cap i 9 is removed and the legs 8 and 9 and arms 5 are swung outwardly on the bracket 7. As the legs are pivoted outwardly the latch elements 12 55 will slide down the legs 9 and the retainers 13 will enter the notches 14 to hold the legs as above described.

It is apparent that the stability of the chair as above described is governed by the wires i 1 60 with their latch elements 12 and by the tie members 15 and that any looseness in these elements would destroy the stability. In order to provide for adjustment to eliminate looseness resulting from wear an adjustable device is pro65 vided and is illustrated by way of modification in Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive. In this modification the seat la is mounted on the upper end of four arms 5α, the lower end of each arm being pivotally attached to a bracket 7α. The bracket 7α 70 has a projecting pilot 23 slidably received in a bracket 24 and the four supporting legs 8α and 9α have their upper ends pivotally attached to the bracket 24. A set screw 25 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 24 and is screwthread75 ed into the pilot 23 so that by rotating the set screw the brackets 7α and 24 may be moved relative to one another. Wires I la are attached to the legs 8α and are united in pairs by cross members 26, as shown in Fig. 14, and the cross members 26 are received in notches 14α in the 5 legs 9α. Articulated tie members 15α extend from the upper ends of the arms 5α to the lower ends of the adjacent legs 8α and 9α, the wires Ha and tie members 15a serving to hold the legs and arms against pivotal movement. By ¹⁰rotating the set screw 25 so as to move the brackets 7α and 24 apart the wires Ha and tie members 15α may be placed under tension.

With the exception of the adjustable feature the modified embodiment is the same as the first 15 described form and the folding operation is identical. Therefore reference may be had to the description of the first described form for an understanding of the modified form.

Although a specific embodiment of the present ²⁰invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated. ²⁵