Folding Chair And Table Set

Abstract

A folding chair and table set in which the chairs individually fold for storage under the table. Each chair is individually attached to the table and can be moved about a central pivot for the comfort of the user. The folding of the chairs reduces the distance from the front legs to the back legs of the chair and in addition reduces the overall height of the chair to permit it to be stored under the table top without raising the top.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to folding chair and table sets of the type disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 2539603, issued Jan. 30, 1951.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A folding chair and table set is provided in which the front legs and seat are folded up against the back of the chair and the lower leg portions of the back are folded to reduce the overall height of the folded chair. The folding chair is attached to the table and when folded engages under the top of the table for storage.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a folding chair and table set which permits the chairs to be folded into compact units, stored under the table top when out of use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 looking the direction of the arrows with parts broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the chair units in erected position shown in dotted lines in folded position with parts broken away and in section for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a detail of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse cross section taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the central pivot and hinge structure;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the table illustrating the stored chairs in folded condition; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the chairs in their unfolded position of use attached to the table.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a folding chair and table set constructed in accordance with the invention.

The set 10 includes a table generally indicated at 11, having a generally rectangular base 12, a generally rectangular top 13 and a plurality of upright legs 14 which extend between and connect the top 13 to the base 12.

A plurality of folding chairs generally indicated at 15 are secured to the table 11 to form a folding chair and table set 10.

Each of the folding chairs 15 include a back member 16 having a cross bar 17 extending transversely intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof. A seat 18 is connected to the bar 17 by a hinge 19 to permit the seat 18 to be folded against the back member 16 as can be seen in FIG. 3. Leg extensions 20 are secured to the lower end of the back member 16 by hinges 21. Front legs 22 are secured to the front corners of the seat 18 by hinges 23 so that the legs 22 can fold against the bottom of the seat 18 when the chair 15 is in its folded position. An arcuate arm 24 is connected to the legs extension 20 by a pivot pin 25 and has its opposite end connected to the underside of the seat 18 by a hinge 26. An arcuate brace 27 is pivotally connected to the back member 16 by a pivot pin 28 and has an L-shaped slot 29 formed in its outer end which slidably and pivotally engages a pivot pin 30 extending through the arm 24. A brace 31 is pivotally secured to the front leg 22 by a pivot pin 32 and is pivotally carried at its rear end by the pivot pin 30.

A bar 33 is secured to the leg extension 20 by a hinge 34 and extends horizontally therefrom with the chair 15 in erect position ready for use. The bar 33 carries a longitudinally slotted plate 35 on its outer end and is provided with a grooved slot 36 to receive a sliding tongue 37 positioned therebetween. A pin 38 extends through the end of the tongue 37 and the slotted plate 35 to secure the tongue 37 to the bar 33. A bar 39 is integrally formed with the tongue 37 and extends to a recessed hinge 40 as can be seen in FIG. 3. An arm 41 is connected to the recessed hinge 40 and extends in aligned relation to the bar 39 terminating at a bracket indicated generally at 42 secured to the base 12. The bracket 42 has a lower hinge leaf 43 secured to the base 12 by screws 44 and has a transversely extending pintle 45 connected therewith. An upper leaf 46 is secured to the lower leaf 43 by the pintle 45 and has a bracket plate 47 mounted thereon by a vertical pivot pin 48. L-shaped guide members 49 are secured to the upper leaf 46 to overlie the bracket plate 47 and guide it in its rotational movement about the pivot pin 48. The arm 41 is secured to a leaf 50 which in turn is mounted on the bracket plate 47 by a longitudinally extending pivot pin 51. The bracket 42 permits the arm 41 to hinge upwardly to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 6, to move from side-to-side about the pivot pin 48 and to rotate on its own longitudinal axis about the pivot pin 51.

A handle 52 is mounted on the back 16 of each of the chairs 15 to be grasped by the user when removing the chair from its folded storage position beneath the table 11. The chair 15 can be swung from side to side on the arm 41 and can be slid in and out by sliding the bar 33 on the tongue 37 to vary the distance of the chair from the table when in use. The chair 15 can be folded by raising the seat 18 against the back member 16 by first lifting the arm 27 to unlock the L-shaped slot 29 from the pivot pin 30. In folding the chair 15 the seat 18 is raised against the back 16 and then the arm 41 is raised, with the chair 15 being simultaneously moved inwardly to rest upon the base 12 in the position illustrated in FIG. 7.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A combination folding chair and table set comprising a generally flat base, a plurality of table legs secured to and extending upwardly from said base, a table top mounted on the upper ends of said table legs, a folding chair including a back member, a seat hingedly secured to said back member for folding upwardly into engagement with said back member, a pair of front legs hingedly secured to the under side of the forward edge of said seat member, a first one piece arm means extending between said back member and said front legs for normally maintaining said chair in erect position, a second one piece means slidably connected to said first means and pivotally connected to said seat for movement in consecutive transverse directions with said first means upon folding the chair from its normally erect position, and folding means for securing said chair to said base member.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the folding means securing said chair to said base member is longitudinally adjustable to permit the adjustment of the space between the chair in erected position and the table.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the folding means connecting said chair to said base member is mounted to said base member for pivotal movement about a vertical pivot.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the folding means connecting said chair to said base member is hingedly secured to said base member to permit said folding means to fold upwardly about a horizontal pivot as said chair is moved to storage position underlying said table top.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said folding means for connecting said chair to said base includes a guide slot and tongue slidingly mounted in said guide slot for permitting longitudinal adjustment of said means to adjust the distance of said chair with respect to said table with said chair in erected position.