Child's saddle stool

Jan. 27, 1959 h. benson 2,871,014

CHILD’S SADDLE STOOL

Filed Nov. 29, 1955

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United States Patent Office

2,871,014

Patented Jan. 27, 1959

2,871,014

CHILD’S SADDLE STOOL

Haskell Benson, Chicago, III., assignor to The Benson Company, Inc., Chicago, ΙΠ., a corporation of liiinois

Application November 29, 1955, Serial No. 549,637

Claims. (Cl. 272—1)

This invention relates to a stool intended primarily for use by children and made to simulate the equestrian saddle made popular in recent years by its close association with so-called “Western” motion pictures. Entertainment of this character has been made available in larger volume since the advent of television and is perhaps the prime choice of children between three and twelve years of age. Merchants have catered to this trend by introducing various accoutrements having a Western flavor such as cowboy hats, toy revolvers, holsters, bandannas, chaps and so forth.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a simulated horse and Western saddle mounted together as a stool in order that the child may, while astride the same before the television screen, transport himself into the scenes being played thereby to stimulate his imagination and increase his pleasure by the apparent realism of his own role.

Other objects reside in mechanical details of construction whereby the head, hindquarters and saddle may be rigidly carried on a set of three crossed legs.

Another object lies in accomplishing the foregoing object by means whereby the head, hindquarters, saddle and base parts may be shipped in disassembled condition in order to utilize a shipping carton of minimum dimensions.

Still a further object is to provide a “knocked down” article as stated which can be readily assembled by an unskilled person using simply a pair of pliers.

Other objects will become apparent from the ensuing description which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred mode of carrying the invention into practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a left side elevation of a stool in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the saddle with parts in phantom to reveal the framework thereof;

Fig. 3 shows a left side elevation including some of the characteristics of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 shows an exploded perspective of the frame parts of Fig. 2.

In considering any of the figures it will be noted that the structure is symmetrical about a vertical, longitudinal plane which may be regarded as bisecting the same, except of course for minor variations in the design of the head and hindquarters justified by artistic license.

Broadly regarded, the invention comprehends the provision of a set of elongated legs, preferably three in number, intersecting at their approximate mid-length in the manner of the well-known camp stool and cojoined at the intersection. A saddle of leather or other suitable material is provided with pockets on the underside for individual reception of the legs. One leg extends in the longitudinal mid-plane referred to above and may be provided with a sleeve for receiving a post for supporting the head portion of a fanciful horse. Partial hindquarters and a tail may also be provided and are carried on a ' 2 wire sub-framework forming part of a main framework or tree which lends the requisite rigidity to the saddle. Preferably all of the framework is fabricated in smaller sections adapted for reassembly by the customer whereby 5 the several parts may be shipped separately in compact fashion in a carton of minimum dimensions.

Thus, turning to Fig. 1, I have shown a stool in accordance with the invention comprising a saddle 10, a head section 11, a hindquarters section 12 and base 13. 10 The saddle 10 is preferably of leather or equivalent material of such flexibility that it may, when disjoined from its rigid framework, be folded or deformed to fit the limitations of a predetermined minimum shipping carton. The saddle includes a seat or jockey 16, side 15 flaps 17--—17 formed as depending lateral extensions thereof, pommels 18—18 of double thickness, the inner and outer parts 18α and 186 of which form a pair of pockets 19—19 for a purpose to be explained, a horn 22 also formed of inner and outer parts 22α and 22b defining a 20 pocket 23 also to be explained, and a cantie 24 also formed of inner and outer parts 24α and 246 defining a pocket 26.

The base 13 includes a plurality of legs 31α, 316 and 31c, e. g. three, of dowel rod or the like intersecting at 25 approximately their mid-length and there joined as by a wire loop, three-pronged stud and nuts, ring or other means forming no part of the invention per se. Desirably the joining means is such as to allow separation or collapse of the legs into a bundle for compactness in shipping. 30 Rubber feet 32 may be added to prevent sliding on a smooth floor or damage thereto.

At its upper end leg 31α is received in pocket 23, and legs 316 and 31c in pockets 19—19 respectively whereby the legs are splayed to a degree affording a sufficiently 35 wide, and therefore safe base but prevented from further splaying during use. It has been found that, by employing leather and substantial stitching, the several pockets 19—19 and 23 will possess sufficient strength to withstand the strains exerted by the normal, vigorous actions 40 of the child while seated thereupon and projecting himself into the spirit of his assumed role.

Further to implement the illusion the stool may, alternatively, include a head portion 11 which may be molded of rubber or plastic composition and suitably 45 colored. A wooden post 35 is integrated with the head proper during molding and ; is fitted into a socket 36. Preferably the socket 36 comprises a tubular pocket part 37 for the post 35 and an open-ended sleeve part 38 received over the leg 31α prior to insertion thereof in the ₅₀ pocket 23. In this way the head 11 and socket 36 are detachably securable and therefore may be regarded as an accessory to be purchased at the will of the customer. Similar considerations may obtain with respect to the simulated hindquarters 12 which are also of rubber or 55 composition fabricated in shell like form to receive the sub-framework to be detailed heerinafter. A tail 39 is included to complete the illusion. As will appear subsequently the hindquarters 12 and its sub-framework may be regarded as detachably: secured and also sold, if de₆₀ sired, as an accessory. Thus a customer may have his choice of a saddle and base, a saddle and base together with a head, or a saddle and base together with a head and hindquarters.

In order to permit folding or other deformation of the ₆₅ saddle for compactness in shipping the tree therefor is desirably sectionalized in the manner now to be described which has, as a separate feature, the detachability of the hindquarters section.

Turning now to Figs. 2 to 4 the tree includes a formed Yq wire forward member 41 and a similar rearward member 42. The member 41 is essentially U-shaped and includes lateral elements 43—43 conformed substantially to the re2,871,014 spective margins of the saddle as represented by the junction of the side flaps 17—17 with the seat 16, the bight 44 of the same being deformed forwardly and upwardly to conform to .the contour of the horn 20.

. The member 42 includes lateral elements 45—45. also conforming to the fold between the seat 16 and flaps 17—17 and, in effect, constituting a continuation of the elements 43—43. Frame member 42 includes an upwardly extending portion 47, in this case arched, conforming to. the outline of the cantie 24 and received in the pocket 26 . thereof whereby , to support the same. Transverse strength is contributed by a strut 49 welded or otherwise united to the junction of .the elements 45—45 with the arch 47. As noted heretofore, collapsibility of the framework is preferred. Accordingly the distal ends of the elements 43—43 and.45—45 terminate in hooks 51 for mutual engagement. Following initial assembly in this manner the hooks , may be bent to form closed loops thereby to avoid , subsequent inadvertent disengagement. It will be apparent that, even though the hinged joints represented by the hooks 51 may yield insufficient rigidity the same is actually provided. Inasmuch as the saddle has utility only when sat upon, the weight of the child acts to separate the feet 32 which, in turn,, separate the opposite ends of the legs 41a, 31b and 31c. Thus the seat of the saddle is stretched and placed under tension .along with its tree.

For supporting the hindquarters section 12 an auxiliary wire frame portion 50 is provided which comprises a pair of elements 52—52 terminating in hooks 51a and continuing as a loop 53. This latter fits within the hollow hindquarter section 12 and is restrained therein by the underlying margins 10 thereof. It will be understood that by making the contour of the loop 53 slightly larger than the available dimensions within the hindquarters 12 this latter and the member 50 may both be momentarily deformed to permit mutual engagement whereafter the tension of the member 50 expands the body of the section 12 to preserve its shape.

Intermediate the elements 52—52 and the loop 53 there is provided a pair of shallow, inverted U-shaped deformities 54—54 adapted to rest on the member 49 in order that, when the hooks 51α are engaged with the hooks 51 the member 50 is a cantilevered structure for rigid support of the section 12.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.