Tray Support For Hydraulic Beauty Shop Chair

Abstract

A tray-supporting device which is attachable to a hydraulic lift beauty shop chair having a central piston and an upstanding base. The device consists of a sleeve, a bent piece of tubing, and a tray or trays carried by the tubing. The sleeve is coaxially fitted to the piston for free turning thereabout, and rides atop the base. The tubing has an arm fixed to the sleeve. and an upright post spaced an optimum distance from the piston axis and movable along a concentric path to locations convenient to a beauty operator working around the chair. The trays are free to turn on the post and are adjustably mounted at optimum levels for the operator, the trays being maintained at such levels independently of the height of the chair.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to beauty shop equipment, and more particularly to a tray-supporting device attachable to a beauty shop chair having a central piston and upstanding base on which the device is wholly supported for easy turning and convenient location of the tray around the chair within easy reach of the beauty operator working in the area adjacent to the chair.

A beauty shop customer or patron usually prefers to sit in the chair facing a mirror so that she can watch the progress of the work being done and indicate her desires relative thereto. Beauty shop items, such as hair rollers, pins, shears, bottles of liquids, etc., used by the beauty shop operator or worker are normally carried in trays supported on carts or bases having caster wheels. These tray supports are always getting in the way of the operator as she moves about in the course of work, and often get knocked over, creating a mess which has to be cleaned up. Further time and effort are required to restore the items to sanitary working condition. While broadening the wheelbase of the tray support increases its stability, it also increases the amount of floor area occupied thereby, with an even greater possibility of the operator tripping thereover. Furthermore, the tray support is difficult to wheel about, especially when there is a cushioned pad on the floor on which the beauty operator stands.

In some shops, the trays are placed on a stationary table or bench located adjacent to the chair, and the operator stands nearby, swinging the chair as necessary during the progress of the work on the patron. While this is somewhat of a solution to the problems presented by the aforementioned wheel-type bases, the patron cannot always watch the work which sometimes progresses contrary to the desires of the patron, and results in work which must be redone or else you have a dissatisfied customer. Moreover, in addition to the effort required to swing the chair, the operator has to stand for extended periods in substantially one spot, which is more tiring than where there is opportunity to move about during the work. However, when greater movement is involved, the operator is often at a considerable distance from the tray when an item is needed. Thus, when the operator is holding the customer's hair with one hand an overly long reach is required by the other hand with a greater chance of disturbing the hair or dropping the item, thus adding to the time required for the job, and making the work more fatiguing.

In view of the foregoing, it is clear that any device which would not clutter up the work area and which serves to locate items conveniently within reach of the operator as she moves about in the course of work would minimize the danger to and improve the efficiency of the beauty operator, thus benefiting the beauty shop industry greatly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a tray-holding device of simple, inexpensive construction which is easily movable and does not clutter the work area of a beauty operator, yet serves to locate the tray conveniently within easy reach of the operator, for the safety, comfort and efficiency of the beauty operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which supports the tray for positioning along a path concentric with the central axis of a beauty shop chair and at optimum level within easy reach of a beauty operator working in the area around the chair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is readily attachable to a hydraulic lift beauty shop chair, and supports the tray for easy movement to various positions around the chair conveniently within the reach of a beauty operator working in the area adjacent to the chair, regardless of the height of the chair.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the provision of a tray-supporting device attachable to a hydraulic lift beauty shop chair having a central piston and an upstanding base. The device includes a sleeve which is coaxially fitted to the piston for free turning about the axis thereof and rides on the upper end of the upstanding base. A bent piece of tubing has an arm portion fixed to the sleeve and an upright post spaced an optimum distance from the piston axis for disposition over the area in which a beauty operator works during a beauty operation. The post is movable along a path concentric with the piston axis, and carries a tray, or trays, which can be located conveniently for the operator. The trays are adjustable for mounting at optimum levels and are free to turn on the post to provide easy access to the contents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydraulic beauty shop chair, showing a tray-supporting device embodying the principles of the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the beauty shop chair and attachment device of the present invention, such view illustrating the positioning of the trays along a circular path which is concentric with the piston of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing the upper end portion of the upright post and illustrating the manner of supporting the trays on the post for free turning and vertical adjustment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a beauty shop chair 8 and a tray-supporting device 10 embodying the principles of the present invention. Typically, the chair is of the hydraulic lift type having an upstanding base 12 in which a vertically movable piston 14 is slidably fitted. The piston constitutes the sole central support of a chair seat 16, having the usual backrest 18, armrests 20, and footrest 22, as shown in FIG. 2. The lower end of the base 12 is fixed to a broad floor plate 24, and its upper end 26 defines a circular surface disposed in a horizontal plane. Pivotally mounted on the base are the usual levers 28 and 30, operable in well-known manner for raising and lowering the piston.

The device 10 includes a length of metal tubing 32 bent to the curved configuration shown to provide an upright post 34, and a laterally extending arm 36. The post supports a pair of trays 38, and the arm is fixed to a sleeve 40. The sleeve surrounds the piston 14, and is coaxially fitted thereto for free turning about the axis A thereof, as shown in FIG. 3. The lower end of the sleeve is in engagement with the upper end 26 of the base 12, and rides thereon during turning. During turning of the sleeve, the post 34 generates a surface of revolution which is concentric with the axis of the piston. Thus, the trays 38 move along a path concentric to the piston axis.

The length of the arm 36 is chosen to place the post 34 at an optimum distance beyond the chair to clear the lateral projections thereof and locate the path of the trays over the floor area around the chair in which the beauty operator moves about and works in performing a beauty operation. Such work area is generally defined by the usual cushioned pad 42, provided for the operator to stand on and fragmentarily shown in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that the trays are wholly supported by the chair, independently of the work area defined by the pad, and therefore leave the area uncluttered. It is also to be noted that the piston 14 can be raised and lowered without disturbing the level of sleeve 40, whereby the level of the trays 38 is maintained the same throughout the various positions of the chair.

As better shown in FIG. 2, each of the trays 38 is formed with ribs 44 to provide compartments for holding hair rollers, pins, shears, bottles of fluid, and other items. Each tray is also formed with a central hub 46, through which the post 34 extends. Inviting attention to FIG. 4, each tray is adapted to be maintained at desired optimum level by a supporting collar 48. Each of the collars is slidably adjustably fitted to the post 34, in underlying relation to its tray, and is fixed to the post in desired position of adjustment by a setscrew 50. Once the optimum level of a tray is determined, such level is maintained throughout the various positions of the tray around the chair. The hubs of the trays are preferably journaled on the post 34 for easy turning of the trays to avoid the requirement for a long reach and provide easy access to the items contained in the trays.

The operation of the present invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Depending upon the height of the beauty shop operator, the collars 48 are adjusted to dispose the trays 38 at optimum level for the operator. With a customer in the chair 8, the levers 28 and 30 are actuated, as necessary, to dispose the customer at a convenient level for the operator. The operator then works on the customer, moving about in the work area as necessary, and pulling or pushing the post or a tray to locate the trays conveniently for the work at hand. Where a needed item is at the opposite end of the tray from the operator, the tray is easily turned to provide access to the item without need of stretching or overreaching. Should the operator accidentally bump the trays, they merely move away, rather than overturn or trip the operator.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the device of the present invention provides a tray support which leaves the work area around a beauty shop chair relatively clear and uncluttered, while providing for locating the trays at optimum level within convenient reach of the beauty operator working in the area around the chair, thus adding to the safety and efficiency of the operator.

Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom, and that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims that follow. For example, a split ring could be used in place of the sleeve and the post could be fixedly connected to the arm rather than formed integrally therewith.

Claims

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tray-supporting device attachable to a beauty shop chair having a centrally disposed vertical support and an upstanding base relative to which the support is vertically movable for adjusting the height of the chair, said device comprising:

a coaxial sleeve surrounding the support and supported on a horizontal portion of the base at a fixed height for free turning about the axis of the support;

a tray-supporting member secured to the sleeve for turning therewith, said member having a laterally extending arm and an upright post, said post being disposed abaxially an optimum distance beyond the chair and movable concentrically of the support axis by turning of the member for variously positioning the post over an area around the chair in which a beauty operator works; and

a tray mounted on the post at an optimum level, whereby said member can be turned for effectively locating the tray in various positions around the chair convenient to the operator and the tray is maintained at optimum level in its various positions independently of the height of the chair.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the chair is of the hydraulic lift type having a vertically movable piston which constitutes the chair support, the base receives the piston and has an upper end which is horizontal, and the sleeve slidably engages the piston and rests on said upper end of the base during movement of the piston, whereby the tray is supported at the same level regardless of the height of the chair.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the tray-supporting member is a bent piece of tubing consisting of an arm portion having one end thereof fixed to the sleeve and the other end thereof joined to an upright post portion on which the tray is mounted.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the tray is mounted on the post for rotation about the axis thereof, whereby the tray can be turned to provide easy access to the contents thereof.

5. A tray-supporting device attachable to a beauty shop chair having a centrally disposed vertical support and an upstanding base, said device comprising:

a coaxial sleeve surrounding the support and supported on a horizontal portion of the base for free turning about the axis of the support;

a tray-supporting member secured to the sleeve for turning therewith, said member having a laterally extending arm and an upright post, said post being disposed abaxially an optimum distance beyond the chair and movable concentrically of the support axis by turning of the member for variously positioning the post over an area around the chair in which a beauty operator works; and

a tray mounted on the post at an optimum level, whereby said member can be turned for selectively locating the tray in various positions around the chair convenient to the operator and the tray is maintained at optimum level in its various positions;

said tray having a central hub journaled on the post, and said post having an adjustable supporting collar underlying the tray, whereby the tray is mounted on the post for rotation about the axis thereof and can be turned to provide easy access to its contents.