U.S. patent number 3,815,952 [Application Number 05/270,869] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-11 for portable folding chair.
Invention is credited to Lawrence D. Minsker.
United States Patent |
3,815,952 |
Minsker |
June 11, 1974 |
PORTABLE FOLDING CHAIR
Abstract
A folding chair which may be collapsed into a compact,
rectangular package. The chair is made up of a seat, backrest, legs
and a sliding frame member, all articulated in such a way that by
means of the frame slidably connected to the seat and pivotally
connected to the backrest and the rear leg member and the front leg
member pivotally connected to the rear leg member and the backrest
member, the chair folds into a compact, relatively thin
package.
Inventors: |
Minsker; Lawrence D.
(Jamestown, NY) |
Family
ID: |
26756978 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/270,869 |
Filed: |
July 11, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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75527 |
Sep 25, 1970 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/47 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
4/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
4/00 (20060101); A47C 4/24 (20060101); A47c
004/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/46,48-50,52,53,56-58,16,17 ;248/432,434 ;108/120 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mitchell; James C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 75,527,
which was filed Sept. 25, 1970 and now abandoned.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A portable folding chair comprising,
a seat,
a backrest frame,
front legs,
rear legs,
and a U-shaped frame member,
said rear legs being pivotally connected to said front legs at an
intermediate part of each,
slot means on said seat,
means on the legs of said U-shaped frame member slidably received
in said slot,
means connecting the rear ends of said U-shaped member to the lower
end of said backrest frame,
the rear end of said seat being pivotally connected to said
backrest,
the upper ends of said front legs being pivotally attached to said
backrest below said seat,
the upper ends of said rear legs being pivotally attached to said
U-shaped member forward of its connection to said backrest.
2. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein said front legs are pivoted
to said rear legs at a point lower than the point at which said
front legs are pivoted to said backrest member and said rear legs
are pivoted to said U-shaped frame member.
3. The chair recited in claim 2 wherein the said backrest member is
pivotally attached to said U-shaped frame member at a point below
the point where the said backrest member is attached to said
U-shaped member and the said seat is pivotally attached to the said
backrest member at a point higher than the point where the said
front legs are attached to the said backrest member.
4. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein said backrest frame is
U-shaped and said U-shape has an intermediate part and two
legs,
said legs on said backrest comprising said means to connect said
U-shaped frame whereby said frame is connected to said
backrest.
5. The chair recited in claim 4 wherein the side legs of said
U-shaped backrest frame are disposed in planes in parallel to the
planes of said front legs and said rear legs when said chair is
folded.
6. The chair recited in claim 1 wherein said front legs are
connected together at their lower ends and said rear legs are
connected together at their lower ends.
Description
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved folding
chair.
Another object of the invention is to provide a folding chair that
is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple
and efficient to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a folding chair that
may be folded up into a compact, rectangular package.
With the above and other objects in view, the present invention
consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter
more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and
more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being
understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions,
and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit
or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a right side view of the chair in a completely open
position according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is a left side view of the chair in a one-third closed
position.
FIG. 3 is a left side view of the chair in a two-thirds closed
position.
FIG. 4 is a left side view of the chair in a completely closed
position according to the invention.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the chair in a completely closed
position.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the chair in a completely closed
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Now with more particular reference to the drawings, a portable
folding chair is indicated generally at 10. The portable folding
chair 10 has a front leg member 11 which is located at the front of
the chair when it is in the open position and can be generally
U-shaped with the upwardly directed front legs 11 being joined at
their lower extreme by front leg intermediate member 14. The front
leg member 11 can be made of tubular or other suitably shaped
material. The portable folding chair 10 also has a generally
U-shaped rear leg member 12 which is located at the rear of the
chair when it is in the open position and can be generally U-shaped
with the upwardly directed rear legs 12 being joined at their lower
extreme by rear leg intermediate member 13. The rear leg member 12
can be made of tubular or other suitably shaped material.
The backrest frame 16 is generally in the form of a U-shaped member
having backrest legs 15 and backrest intermediate member 18. The
backrest frame 16 supports the back support member 21 which is made
of molded plastic or other material and is located between the legs
15 and below the intermediate part 18 so as to support the back of
a seated person.
The chair frame 29 has chair frame legs 31 and integrally attached
intermediate chair frame member 30. Chair frame legs 31 are
slidably attached to chair seat 17 by slider 24 which moves in slot
22 on the underside of the chair seat 17. Intermediate chair frame
member 30 is pivotally attached to the extreme lower ends of
backrest legs 15 at lugs 20 which are attached to and disposed
forwardly from the intermediate chair frame member 30. Lug 20 and
intermediate chair frame member 30 form a stop which holds the
upper ends of front leg members 11 when chair is fully open. The
chair frame 29 is pivotally attached to the rear leg member 12. The
chair frame intermediate member 30 of chair frame 29 has lugs 20
fixed to it, spaced inward from the backrest legs 15. The lugs 20
at the ends of the chair frame intermediate member 30 receive
pivotally the backrest legs 15 at pivot 32. The backrest legs 15
also receive pivotally the front legs 11 at pivot 28. The backrest
legs 15 also receive pivotally the chair seat 17 at pivot 19. The
front legs 11 are also pivotally connected to the rear legs 12 at
pivot 23. The rear legs 12 are also pivotally connected to the
chair frame members 29 at pivot 27. The end of chair frame legs 31
opposite the chair frame intermediate member 30 is pivotally
attached to slider 24. Slider 24 moves in slots 22 on the underside
of the chair seat 17.
In the open position, front leg member 11 is located generally in
the front and lower part of the chair with the front leg
intermediate member 14 in spaced relation to and parallel with the
rear leg intermediate member 13. The front and rear leg
intermediate members 13 and 14 forming the base for the folding
chair 10. The front legs 11 extend upwardly and rearwardly from the
front leg intermediate member 14. Well toward its upper end the
front legs 11 are pivotally attached at 23 to the rear legs 11. The
ends of front legs 12 are against the chair frame intermediate
member 30 which stops the travel of the front legs 11 when the
chair is fully open. The extreme ends of front legs 11 are
pivotally attached to the backrest legs 15. When folding the chair,
front leg member 11 moves relative to the rear leg member 12 at
pivot point 23 and the backrest frame 16 at pivot point 28. The
travel of front leg member 11 is limited by the chair frame
intermediate member 30.
The rear leg member 12 is located generally in the rear and lower
part of the chair with the rear leg intermediate member 13 in
spaced relation to and parallel with the front leg intermediate
member 14, the leg members 13 and 14 forming the base for the
portable folding chair 10. The rear legs 12 extend upwardly and
forwardly from the rear leg intermediate member 13. Well toward its
upper end, the rear legs 12 are pivotally attached at 23 to the
front legs 11. The extreme ends of rear legs 26 are pivotally
attached at 27 to the chair frame legs 31. In folding the chair,
the rear leg member 12 moves in relation to the front leg member 11
at pivot point 23 and chair frame 29 at pivot point 27.
The backrest frame 16 is located generally in the rear and upper
part of the chair with the backrest intermediate member 18 in
spaced relation to and parallel with the leg intermediate members
13 and 14, it is the uppermost extreme of the chair and provides a
support for the back support member 21. The backrest legs 15 extend
generally upwardly and rearwardly and are pivotally attached to the
seat 17 at pivot point 19, and are pivotally attached to the front
leg members 11 at pivot point 28 and are pivotally connected to the
chair frame 29 at pivot point 32. In folding the chair 10, the
backrest frame moves in pivotal relation to the seat 17, the front
leg member 11, and the chair frame 29.
The chair frame 29 is located generally in the center of the
portable folding chair 10 with chair frame leg 31 extending from
front to rear and a chair frame intermediate member located
generally at the rear of the chair extending from side to side with
lugs 20 integrally attached to each end. The chair frame 29 is
pivotally attached to the backrest frame 16 at the lug 20. The
frame 29 is slidably attached to the chair seat 17 by slider 24
which moves in slot 22 in the underside of seat 17. When the
portable folding chair 10 is folded, the chair frame 29 moves in
relation to the backrest frame 16 at pivot point 32, and rear leg
member 12 at pivot point 27 and the chair seat 17 at slider 24 in
slot 22.
The seat 17 is pivotally attached to the backrest frame 16 at pivot
point 19. The chair seat 17 is slidably attached to the chair frame
legs 31 with slider 24 which moves in slot 22 in the underside of
seat 17. When the chair is folded, the seat moves in relation to
the backrest member 16 at pivot point 19 and the chair frame 29 at
sliding connection 24.
The backrest 21 is integrally attached to the back support means
and folds up with the backrest frame.
The portable folding chair 10 in a completely open position has
front leg member 11 and rear leg member 12 which at the pivot point
23, where they intersect, form an equilateral triangle with the
floor. The seat 17 is generally horizontal with the chair frame 29
sloping downwardly from the forward end of the seat 17 and the
backrest frame 16 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the rearward
end of the seat 17. The portable folding chair 10 in a completely
closed position has as its outside piece the backrest frame 16 with
legs 15 and upper intermediate part 18. Lying just inside the
backrest frame 16 are the front legs 11 with the intermediate
member 14. Lying just inside the front legs 11 are the rear legs 12
with the intermediate member 13. Lying just inside the rear legs 12
are the frame members 29 with the integrally attached lower
intermediate frame member which is the outer piece on the side
opposite the backrest upper intermediate part 18. The area enclosed
by the various frame members is occupied by the seat 17 which is
slidably attached to frame members 29 and pivotally attached to
rear legs 12, and by the backrest member 21 which is attached to
backrest frame 16.
The closing of the chair with the above prescribed mechanism would
be accomplished as follows; with pivot 23 between front leg member
11 and rear leg member 12 assumed as a central point for purposes
of this description, and front leg member 11 is held stationary.
From a fully open position the front leg member 11 is held in a
vertical position and the rear leg member 12 is moved toward front
leg member 11 turning on pivot 23 until front leg member 11, being
of a slightly larger dimension, completely surrounds rear leg
member 12. While the legs 11 and 12 have moved together, the
backrest frame 16 which is pivoted to front leg member 11 at pivots
28, to lugs 20 at pivots 32, and to the chair seat at pivots 19,
has moved forwardly and downwardly around pivot 32 which is
upwardly positioned in relation to pivot 23 until it lies parallel
with leg members 11 and 12. Chair seat 17 is pivotally attached to
backrest frame 16 and slidably attached to chair frame member 29.
When backrest frame member 16 is swung forwardly due to its
attachment to seat 17 at 19 the chair frame member 29 on pivot
connection 24 slides rearwardly in slot 22 of seat 17.
The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its
preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of
modification within a range of equivalents without departing from
the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is
commensurate with the appended claims.
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