Untitled record

Application filed November 11,1895, Serial No. 568,538. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Robert J. Hubbard, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Clemens, county of Macomb, State of Michi5 gan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Chairs; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it io appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to an improved folding chair; and it consists of the construc15 tion, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the 20 chair in folded position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the chair in expanded position ready for use. Fig. 3 is a detail view of portions of the structure, showing a portion of the seat-frame and one of the rear legs with 25 the toggle-joint, the adjacent front leg being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is .a detail view of a portion of one of the front legs. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the chair in folded position on the line 5 5, Fig. 1. .30 Fig. G is a side elevation of a chair in folded position.

The aim of my invention is to provide a. chair of this class in which the seat and rear legs shall fold up compactly and closely with35 in the front legs and back of the chair into the closest position possible.

My invention is also designed to provide a folding chair of simple and economical construction, readily folded and expanded, and 40 one which shall be durable.

I carry out my invention as follows:

A represents the seat-frame provided with any suitable seat - covering, slats a being shown in the drawings; but I do not limit my45 self thereto, as the seat may be of any desired construction. The sides of the seat-frame are cut away at the rear thereof, as indicated at a'.

B B denote the front legs and back posts of 50 a chair, the front legs and back posts beingmade in one continuous piece.

C C represent the rear legs. The rear legs at the top thereof and the front legs intermediate the length thereof have a jointed or pivotal connection with the rear end of the seat- 55 frame, as by means of a rod D. These pivotal connections, as indicated at cl cl, Fig. 1, may either be made by a single rod running across the chair, as indicated in Fig. 1, or a separate pintle or pins maybe employed, ob- 60 viously, to effect the joint. I do not limit myself to any specific manner of making this jointed connection of the seat-frame with the top of the rear legs and with the front legs.

In this manner it is observed that the' rear 65 legs have a jointed connection with the rear portion of the seat-frame, the joint of the rear legs with the seat-frame being common with that of the front legs and seat-frame. The cut-away portions of the side portions of 70 the seat-frame, as at a' a', are designed to be sufficient to receive the upper ends of the rear legs, so that the outei’ edges or sides of the seat-frame and rear legs shall be in the same vertical plane. 75

E E' represent the two arms of a toggle lever or joint having a sliding fulcrum or jointed connection at their adjacent ends, as shown at e, in the front legs, B. To this end each of the front legs is constructed with an 80 elongated slot (indicated at 6) to receive the fulcrum pin or pivot e and permit said pin or pivot to be reciprocated in said slot. To give firmness to the structure and prevent wear, I have preferred to provide the front 85 .legs, B B, with a countersunk slotted plate b' about said slot. The outer extremity of the arm E has a jointed or pivotal connection with the adjacent rear leg, as indicated at c. The upper end of the arms E' of the 90 toggle-lever has aejointed or pivoted connection with the adjacent portion of the seatframe, as indicated at a². The two arms E E' may thus be connected to the sides of the seat-frame by a rod a^s running across under- 95 neath the seat, as indicated in Fig. 1, or separate pivot-pins may be employed as required. The sides of the seat-frame are each cut away or recessed, as indicated at A', Fig. 3, more particularly, and the rear legs are each ico cut away or recessed, as indicated at C', the cut-away portions A' C' being sufficient to receive the adjacent portions of the arms E E' of the toggle-lever, respectively, when the

556,418 chair is in folded, position, the upper ends of the rear legs being set into the seat-frame sufficiently to permit the lower ends of the arms E' to project downward to the upper 5 end of the arm E when the toggle-lever is in folded position,as indicated more particularly in Fig. 1.

The pivotal points or fulcrums of the seatframe and rear legs with the front legs are i o preferably at a point centralbetween the front and rear edges of the front legs, as indicated fully in Fig. 4, for example. The elongated slots δ are formed, however, to the front of the center between said front and rear edges 15 of the front legs. It will be apparent by this construction that when the seat is raised into folded position the pins or joints e will rise in the elongated slots δ, the upper ends of the arms E' folding into the recesses A', 2o while the arms E fold into the recesses C'.

The back posts toward their upper ends are provided with a cross bar or brace B', against which the seat-frame may fold, said brace B' being engaged with the back posts toward 25 their rear edges thereof, so that the seatframe may fold up thereagainst wholly within the front and rear edges of the back posts, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The front legs are provided toward their front 30 edges and toward the base thereof with cross bars or braces B~, against which the rear legs, C, may fold. The rear legs, C C, are preferably tapered, so as to fold wholly within the front and rear edges of the front legs, as in35 dicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The chair may be provided with any other braces, as may be desired.