U.S. patent number 3,879,086 [Application Number 05/399,384] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-22 for foldable sunshade attachment for a chair.
Invention is credited to Francesco Moceri.
United States Patent |
3,879,086 |
Moceri |
April 22, 1975 |
Foldable sunshade attachment for a chair
Abstract
A foldable sunshade attachment is adapted to be removably
mounted to a well-known type of collapsible lawn chair. It mounts
releasably but rigidly to an upper cross member of the back member
of the chair, as by a strap-type bracket mount secured to said
cross member; and said mount adjustably carries an upright column
including an elongated first tubular rod component of the
attachment. A second rod component is adjustably secured to the
first rod component and carries at its end a sunshade. The
attachment features multiple adjustments of the rod structure of
the improvement, such as, in addition to a tilt of the latter's
shade, to permit (a) a sliding axial elongation of the rod
structure as a whole, (b) an angular adjusting rotation of a rod
component about its own axis, and (c) a pivotal swing of the rod
structure in a vertical plane relative to the chair.
Inventors: |
Moceri; Francesco (Detroit,
MI) |
Family
ID: |
23579298 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/399,384 |
Filed: |
September 21, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/184.14;
135/16; 248/541 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
7/664 (20180801); A45B 11/00 (20130101); A47C
7/66 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
7/66 (20060101); A47C 7/62 (20060101); A45B
11/00 (20060101); A47c 007/66 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/184,188,194,217
;248/45,42,38,412,188.5 ;403/104 ;151/19A ;85/1R,50 ;135/16,2A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
183,651 |
|
Apr 1936 |
|
CH |
|
497,163 |
|
Dec 1951 |
|
CA |
|
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cullen, Settle, Sloman &
Cantor
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A shade or like attachment for an article of furniture having a
horizontally extending cross part, comprising a column unit
supporting a shade or like member at an upper end of said unit,
said unit including an elongated rod component, bracket means for
rigidly but releasably attaching said column unit in a vertically
extending relation of its said rod component to and above said
cross part, and means including a clamp device providing for
adjustments of the position of said unit's rod component
longitudinally in the direction of its length and angularly about
its own axis, said device including a sleeve unit telescoped on
said rod component and rotatable about the axis thereof in a
vertically spaced relation to said part, said sleeve unit
comprising a rotatable annular clamp element having an external
surface eccentric of said axis which, upon rotation of the sleeve
unit and element about the axis, radially and externally engages
against a portion of said furniture cross part and frictionally but
releasably clamps said rod component in the latter's said
longitudinally or angularly adjusted position relative to said
cross part, said column unit having a further elongated rod
component, and means pivotally articulating said rod components to
one another for an adjusting swing of said further elongated rod
component in a plane including the axes of both of said
components.
2. The attachment of claim 1, in which said last-named means
includes means for clamping said rod components together as
adjusted in said plane, and for individually adjusting said further
component angularly about its own axis.
3. The attachment of claim 1, in which said element's eccentric
surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross
part in the wedging action of the element.
4. The attachment of claiim 1, in which said element's eccentric
surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross
part in the wedging action of the element, said bracket means
encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms
between which said clamp element operates.
5. The attachment of claim 1, in which said element's eccentric
surface is inwardly concave for mating engagement with said cross
part in the wedging action of the element, said bracket means
encircling said cross part and having a pair of flexible arms
between which said clamp element operates, said element having
portions engaging the respective arms of said bracket means to draw
the arms toward one another into compressive axial engagement with
said clamp element as the latter acts wedgingly upon said cross
part.
6. The attachment of claim 1, in which said sleeve unit further
comprises a manipulating sleeve in externally telescoped relation
to said eccentric annular clamp element and rotatable concurrently
with the latter in said releasable frictional clamping of the
first-named rod component.
7. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a
part on the axis thereof also externally telescoped by said
manipulating sleeve, the latter having sliding rotation on said
part in the clamping action of the sleeve unit.
8. The attachment of claim 6, in which said rod component has a
formation fixed thereon eccentric of the axis thereof and also
externally telespcoped by said manipulating sleeve, the latter
having sliding rotation on said fixed formation in the clamping
action of the sleeve unit.
9. The attachment of claim 1, in which said rod component has a
further formation fixed thereon concentric with the axis thereof
and also externally telescoped by said mainipulating sleeve, the
latter having sliding rotation on said eccentric fixed formation
and eccentrically of said concentric formation in the clamping
action of the sleeve unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The attachment has obvious application as an improvement to enhance
the desirability of many types of outdoor or lawn furniture or
beach furniture including chairs, chaises, benches, paids, head
rests and the like. More or less obvious extensions of the
combination concept of the attachment will render it suitable for
corresponding application to other sorts of furniture or to other
uses.
2. Summary of the Invention
The attachment assemblies are inexpensively produced of tubular
lengths made from aluminum, plastic, stainless steel, etc.,
inexpensively formed for the purposes of the invention,
contributing a lightness in weight to an attachment which will in
many instances be applied to a lawm chair correspondingly
fabricated to a great degree of tubular components, as an example,
made from aluminum, and the assembly of these lengths with similar
clamp devices, as mentioned hereinafrer. The multiple
adjustabilities of the attachment render it widely adaptable to the
convenience of the user, and in a manner also very conveniently and
easily performed. Furthermore, the nature of the attachement is
such that it is quickly and easily collapsed along with associated
chair or equivalent components for manual or automobile
transportation as desired.
In the present invention a frictional clamp device surrounds and is
rotatable about the axis of the rod part or column, the clamp
device presenting a formation or part which is externally eccentric
of the axis of rotation of the clamp device; and it is this part or
formation through which a frictional clamping action of the device
is exerted in the adjusting, and fixedly holding after adjustment,
of the rod component of the attachment's column. Adjacent the top
of the column rod component a generally similar second elongated
rod component or member has a pivotal articulation permitting a
swing of the second member in a plane including its own axis and
the axis of the first rod; and the second rod component carries at
its end a shade member of the attachment, with a pivotal feature of
the second member permitting a tilting adjustment of the shade to
suit the conveience or comfort of the chair's occupant.
In several versions of the invention, the clamp device comprises a
generally cylindrical clamp sleeve molded of an appropriate plastic
which has an eccentric mount on the first-mentioned column rod,
with an integral and also eccentric member or formation of the
cylindrical piece also having an external eccentricity which, on
rotation on the rod component, takes releasable wedging and
clamping engagement with the top crosspiece of the chair. In other
vertions of the improvement, ther is also a sleeve component which
rotates on the axis of the first-mentioned rod part, and also has
an external eccentric clamping configuration; but in these
instances the clamping action is exerted radially of the rod axis,
and as between telescoped rod pieces, rather than as exerted
directly against a chair part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a collaapsible lawn chair
equipped with a first version of the attachment of the invention,
the view illustrating in solid and dotted line, also indicating by
arrow, certain simple manual adjustments which can be made;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation in larger scale, being
partially broken away and vertically sectioned in a plane including
the axis of the attachment's frictional clamp device and at
90.degree. to a chair part to which the clamp is secured;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in horizontal cross section in line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a secondary tubular rod
component of the attachment, and the latter's shade as carried by
that component;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section on line 5--5
of FIG. 4, showing a miniature electrical lamp as associated with
the shade;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, as from the line 6--6 FIG.
1, illustratinig a clamping connection which pivotally articulates
to one another the two rod components of the attachment's
column;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a very simple switch
conveniently accessible to control the electrical energization of a
lamp of the attachment such as appears in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section through an axis of the
switch, as on line 8--8 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 shows in elevation the compactness of the chair and
attachment as collapsed for handling;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view, partially sectioned on a line
including the axis of an upright rod component, in accordance with
a further modified embodiment of the invention, features of coating
other attachment components as well as the chair or other support
having been omitted, but being assumed to correspond with features
eariler shown.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are, respectively, generally horizontal cross
sections on lines 11--11 and 12--12 of FIG. 13, illustrating
eccentricities of the clamp device of the embodiment of FIG.
13;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified
embodiment of the attachment invention as applied to an extension
rod piece clamped to the chair back rest;
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, enlarged scale view in upright cross
section on line 14--14 of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a horizontal cross section on line 15--15 of FIG. 14
showing eccentricities of certain frictional clamp components of
the version of FIGS. 13 and 14;
FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of a modified form of a foldable
sunshade attachment;
FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken on line 17--17 of FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of still another modified form
of a foldable sunshade attachment;
FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken on line 19--19 of FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified clamp
device in larger scale, being partly broken away and vertically
sectioned in a plane including the axis of the attachment's
frictional clamp device and at 90.degree. to a chair part to which
the modified clamp device is secured;
FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of the adjustable mounting
device and modified clamp device illustrated in FIG. 20 and showing
the clamp device in a locking position.
FIG. 22 is a side elevational view illustrating a modified foldable
sunshade attachment secured to a flat support having a cushion
thereon for use at the beach; and
FIG. 23 is a fragmentary vertical elevational view, with parts
broken away, showing a modified Bowden cable construction for use
with the devices illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 22.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The device of the invention, as generally designated in one
embodiment appearing in FIGS. 1-9 inclusive (of which certain
features are to be carried over in other embodiments), is shown as
releasably applied to an entirely conventional type of collapsible
lawn chair 12, being adapted to be applied in a generally similar
fashion to other types or designs of outdoor furniture, in which
protection from the rays of the sun is desired. A screen 11 of net
material may be proportional for removable application to the chair
and attachment combination.
Chair 12 incorporates a framework 13 in the main constituted by
uniformly sized parts of rigid tubular aliminum, plus a pair of
armrests 14 which may be injection or otherwise molded of an
appropriate synthetic plastic material, or die cast of an
appropriate metal. The armrests 14 each present a pair of parallel
downwardly extendiing integral flanges 15; and the lateral spacing
of these flanges from one another is such as to snugly receive
therebetween certain tubular components of the frame structure
13.
Thus, said frame comprises a pair of parallel front upright and
laterally spaced tubular legs 16 which are appropriately braced in
their lateral spacing by sheet metal aluminum brace members (not
shown). Frame 13 also includes a rear rigid tubular aluminum leg
unit 18 of U-shaped outline presenting a pair of upright legs 19
integrally connected rigidly with one another by a bottom bight or
cross piece 19'. A similarly U-shaped seat support 20 of the same
aluminum tubing presents a forward bight portion 21 and parallel
rearwardly extending side lengths 22; and these lengths are
pivotally connected with the front legs 16, as by elongated rivets
23 somewhat to the rear of bight 21, with nylon spacers (not shown)
interposed between the legs and the side parts 22 of seat frame
member 20. The upper extremities of the front and rear leg
structures 16, 19 are received between the flanges of armrests 14
and are pivotally mounted for swing relative thereto by pin or
rivet elements like the pivots 23.
An upright backrest component 24 substantially completes the
conventional struture of chair 12. It is of inverted U-shaped
outline, being pivotally connected by rivets or pins 25 to the
respective armrests 14 at points spaced well upwardly from the
bottoms of upright legs of back rest 24. The latter is disposed
between the armrest 14 in the usual parallelogram relationship with
the same and the seat support 20. Two collapsible over center-type
bracing linkages pivotally articular the chair's seat support 20
and rear rest 24 with the rear leg unit 18 for optional collapse
along with armrests 14 to the compact arrangement shown in FIG. 9.
Each linkage is a coventional one, including an upper U-shaped link
26 passing beneath and around the rear of a seat member leg 22,
being pivotally connectd at 27 to the bottom of a side arm of rear
rest support 24'; a lower link strap 28 pivoted to a medial point
on an upright 19 of rear leg unit 18; and a common pivotal
connection of these link elements to the rear of seat member 20, as
at a transverse horizontal rod 29 which extends through links 26,
seat parts 20 and the entire width of chair structure 12; and at
its ends serves as a stop engageable by rear legs 19 to brace the
chair in its set-up condition of FIG. 1.
Rod 29 serves as a central pivot of the over-center linkage just
described; and strips of decorative flexible strap material (not
shown) pass beneath said rod and are interwoven and anchored at
ends thereof to the seat and backrest parts 20, 24 to complete an
operative chair structure.
A first embodiment 10 of the attachment, as best shown in FIGS. 2
and 3, has a normally rigid but releasable pivotal mount to the
chair backrest 24, as at an integral upper horizontal cross piece
24' of the latter. This permits the attachment 10 to swing in a
horizontal front-to-rear plane at 90.degree. to said cross piece,
as indicated in solid and dotted line in FIG. 1, over and above
adjustments in other respects hereinafter described.
To this end, a special adjustable mount of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
comprises a clamp strap or bracket 30 bent in a U-shape which, in
the operative position of FIGS. 1 and 2, presents parallel,
rearwardly extending upper and lower arms 31, 31', connected by an
integral bight portion forwardly encircling the chair frame cross
member 24'. The legs 31, 31' have aligned aperatures to journal a
generally cylindrical friction clamp sleeve or collar 32 of the
clamp device of FIGS. 1 and 2.
To this end, the upper arm 31 of the mounting bracket 30 is
provided with a circular hole 33 of relatively large diameter, in
which there is fitted a flanged circular bearing grommet or bushing
34; while the lower arm 31' of the bracket carries in alignment
with the latter's upper opening 33 an opening 35 of somewhat
smaller circular diameter. A second stamped and flanged bushing or
grommet 36 is snugly fitted in opening 35; and a retaining washer
37 fixedly surrounds grommet 36 and bracket 30 beneath the lower
bracket leg 31'.
The frictional clamp collar or sleeve member 32 mounted by clamp
bracket 30 is a unitarily molded, rigid one-piece member of a
suitable plastic, such as nylon; and it presents a lower barrel or
spool-like part 38 which rotates atop a horizontal flange of the
lower bushing or grommet 36. Member 32 also has an integral upper
portion which is sized in a circular outline at 39 to run within
the vertical flange of upper grommet 34, with an integral shoulder
immediately thereabove running on the horizontal flange of grommet
34; and a top grip formation 40 of member 32 is conveniently
accessible for manipulating the clamp member 32 on clamp device
30.
As appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, the frictional clamp sleeve or collar
component 32 is formed to provide a throughbore 42 which is
eccentric of its external contours, including a mildly arcuate
concave wedging formation 43 of the spool portion thereof; and the
eccentric bore 42 telescopingly receives a lower tubular aluminum
rod component 44 of attachment 10; this is of substantial length,
and carries other components of the attachment to be described. Rod
part 44 internally receives an electrical wiring lead 45 and is
shown as being equipped with a manipulating knob 46 tightly
threaded on its lower end, through a hole in which knob the
electrical connector extends.
By preference, an arcuate wear plate 47 is fixedly positioned on
the rear of chair cross part 24, being externally engageable and
disengageable frictionally by the eccentric convexity 38 of clamp
part 32.
Thus, a rotation of said part at its hand grip 40 will cause the
larger diameter portion of its eccentricity to wedge against wear
plate 47, thus releasably clamping the rod portion or component 14
to chair 24 at its cross part 24'. The clamping action is one which
brings the legs 31, 31' of the clamp together, due to an inherent
downward thrust of the spool section 38 as its larger diameter
portion comes into progressively tighter frictional engagement with
wear plate 47, accompanied by a downward camming effect on the part
32 at said eccentric concavity, as indicated by the arrow in FIG.
2. At the same time, the radial compression of the clamp member 32
causes the latter to progressively tightly grip the exterior of rod
component 44. This exerts a locking action on said component which
restrains the latter both against longitudinal shift of member 44
in said clamping part 32 and against rotation relative to the
latter about its own axis. An oppositely directioned rotation of
member 32 at its grip 40 relative to rod component 44 not only
releases the latter for rotatable adjustment about its own axis and
for longitudinal adjusting slide, but also relaxes the compression
on clamp strap arms 31, 31', thereby loosening the device so that
it may be swung as a whole in a vertical plane at 90.degree. to
chair part 24'.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 the rod element 44, as it extends
substantially above the frictional clamp member 32 of attachment 10
is bent slightly forwardly and flattened at 47 (see FIG. 6), being
laterally aperatured just prior to the flat 48 to enable its
internal conductor 45 to be taken out.
Said flat pivotally receives a second, relatively elongated tubular
component 50 of the attachment 10. To this end, and end of tube
member 50 is slotted at 51 to provide parallel furcations 52 which
straddle the end of the flat 48 of tube 47; and a screw 53 as
disposed through aligned openings in the flat and furcations,
threading into a circular hand piece 54, so that manipulation of
the latter will increase and decrease a clamping action exerted by
the forked elements on the flat 48 as the hand piece threadedly
takes up or backs off on the thread of screw 53. Thus, a
supplemental angular adjustment of the attachment 10 at its second
rod component 50 is possible in a vertical plane, in
supplementation or substitution for the corresponding vertical
adjustment described above which is possible by rotating clamp
component 32 with the arms 31, 31' relaxed at their normal grip on
the chair crosspiece 24'.
A tubular nylon hand piece 56 is telescopingly sleeved on the end
of the secondary rod component 50 and is fixedly telescoped on the
end of another aluminum tube part 57, thus in effect constituting
the latter an extension component of part 50; and the bore of nylon
member 56 is sized for a frictional rotative fit on the end of part
50, with an enlargement 58 of the latter serving as a hand piece to
effect a rotation of extension tube component 57 about its own axis
and that of component 50. A tilting adjustment of part 57 (and a
shade thereon to be described), in the direction of the
double-ended arrow indicated in FIGS. 1 and 6, is thus possible.
Electrical conductor 45 enters through a hole 59 in part 56 and
into the bore of tubular member 57; and emerges (FIG. 5) through
another hole 60 at the opposite end of tube 57. At this terminal
zone, tube part 57 is flattened at 61, per FIG. 5, for attachment
thereto of an ornamental sunshade 62 of the attachment 10. Said
flat and the conical top of shade 62 are apertured to receive bolt
and nut means 63 which mount thereto a miniature electrical lamp
fixture 64, with emergent leads 65 of conductor 45 secured as shown
in FIG. 5. As thus energized under control of a switch device (to
be described) the miniature lamp 66 as applied to fixture 64 will
afford a desired degree of illumination for night reading by an
occupant of chair 12.
FIGS. 7 and 8 more or less schematically illustrate a type of
simple switch device, generally designated 68, which is highly
compact and inexpensive in construction, being convenient for
manual operation by an occupant of the chair 12.
Switch 68 comprises an open-sided, electrically conductive sheet
metal casing 69 presenting at one end a contactor indentation 70
against which a ground terminal of a conventional miniature
electrical dry cell 71 will bear, the casing being equipped with a
side terminal binding post 72 to which a ground lead 73 of the
two-lead conductor 45 is secured. Casing 69 presents a circular
opening 74 at its end opposite the contactor indentation 70
thereof; and a non-conductive plastic mounting member in the form
of an insulating sleeve 75 extends coaxially into this opening, the
sleeve being externally threaded for screw engagement with a nut 76
disposed within casing 69 just to the rear of the latter's opening
70. Sleeve 75 provides a knurled enlargement 77 representing a
finger piece by which it is threaded into and through nut 76 into
end engagement with battery or dry cell 71 in a zone surrouding the
latter's positive contactor 78, thus engaging the ground end of the
cell with the casing contactor 70.
Sleeve 75 is also internally threaded at 79 for threaded mating
engagement with a conductive stem 80; and a semi-rigid contactor
part 81, for example a suitable gauge of copper wire, is fixedly
mounted in a bore in stem 80, so that the contactor 81 will shift
axially, as indicated by arrow in FIG. 8, for electrical engagement
with dry cell contact 78 when the element 80 is threaded in one
direction in the threaded bore of the sleeve 75, just as it departs
in the opposite direction from the battery contactor when element
80 is oppositely rotated.
The stem 80 carries an integral extension finger 83 for this type
of threading manipulation, this extension, as appears best in FIG.
7, being engageable to limit the adjusting motion by engagement
with a fixed pin 84 paralleling the axis of rotation of the stem
and imbedded in the knurled piece 77 of element 75. The contactor
part 81 is provided externally of stem 80 and sleeve 75 with a
180.degree. bight 85 capable of accommodating movement of casing 68
relative to the external electrical connections; and bight 85 has
an electrical connection to a second electrical lead part 86 of the
conductor 45, as at a sleeve-type union piece 87.
The bight also affords a semi-rigid finger piece for the
manipulation of switch 68. The latter is conveniently disposable
within reach of the chair occupant and may, if desired, be fixedly
connected conveniently to one of the arm rests 14 of chair 12, as
suggested in FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 illustrates the chair, as equipped with the attachment 10,
in its collapsed compacted form for transportation or storage; and
the arrangements involving other modified versions of the
attachment afford similar compactness. Said attachment is first
clamped in substantially parallel relation to rear rest 24, and the
latter chair seat, arm rests and linkages are collapsed in the
usual way of lawn chairs of the sort in question. As finally folded
the column of attachment 10 will be clamped in a partially extended
condition by devices 32 and 54, resting on top of the chair
structure 12.
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a second embodiment or adaptation of
an attachment pursuant to the invention, this embodiment being
generally designated by the reference numeral 90. It comprises an
upright tubular mounting sleeve 91, which may be an adequate length
of the tubular aluminum stock of the chair frame, this sleeve being
intended to be mounted to the crosspiece 24' of the frame's back
rest by an appropriate removable clamp as in the manner suggested
in regard to the third embodiment of the attachment appearing in
FIGS. 13, 14 and 15. The attachment 90 includes a first elongated
rod component 92 (FIG. 13) which is equipped at its lower end and
within mounting sleeve length 91 with a fixedly connected
cylindrical stop sleeve 93, which stop member, like rod component
92, is in an eccentric relation to mounting member 91.
As thus disposed, rod element 92 is slidable axially within the
bore 94 of a nylon bushing 95 having an external cylindrical
surface eccentric of said bore and the rod part 92; and the
mounting sleeve 91 is preferably fixedly connected adjacent its top
of the bushing 95, as by a staked connection 96. The mounting tube
91 is telescoped above its top by a cylindrical clamping sleeve 98,
which sleeve has an eccentric top bore 100. A rubber clamp bushing
101 is fitted tightly into the bore 100 of clamp sleeve 98, with
the bore 102 of this bushing in alignment with the bore 94 of
bushing 95, said bushing bores slidably receiving rod component 92
when the eccentricities of the bushings are similarly disposed in
annular relation to one another and to the rod.
Thus, with the parts in the relationships shown in FIG. 13, an
appropriate twist of clamp sleeve 98 relative to mounting member
91, or vice versa, causes the eccentricities of the bushings 95 and
101 to shift annularly relative to one another in a way to wedge or
lock the rod components in the radial sense relative to mounting
sleeve 91, thus to prevent axial or annular rotative shift of rod
92 in an adjusted position, the rod enlargement 93 serving as a
stop to prevent outward separation of rod 92 from the clamp
device.
It is to be understood that the embodiment 90 of the attachment
appearing in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 will incorporate secondary rod
component means and a rotatable and annularly adjustable coupling
of such means to the component 92, thus to afford the multiple
angular, sliding, pivoting and tilting actions described above in
reference to the first adaptation.
Reference being had to FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, the third attachment
shown therein, and generally designated by the reference numeral
104, is in the main similar to the corresponding device 90 of FIGS.
10-12; and mounts rigidly to the rear crosspiece 12'. In this
instance, the mount is through the agency of a transverse sheet
metal strap 105 paralleling the crosspiece 12' and of a saddle-like
cross section in a vertical plane at 90.degree. to the latter such
as to mate about the external circular contour of member 12'.
Medially of its length, the saddle 105 has an arcuate convexity at
106 which straddles the circular contour of an elongated mounting
tube 107; and a pair of like clamp parts 108 encircle extremities
of the saddle piece 105 on opposite sides of the convexity 106 to
clamp the saddle to cross member 12'. These clamps are closely of
the nature of conventional hose clamps of adjustable girth; and
screws 109 are applied to end nut members 110 of the respective
clamps to rigidly take them up in clamping position. These screws
may be backed off a bit to enable an angular adjusting swing of the
rod mount 107 in a plane at 90.degree. to chair part 12', then
re-tightened to hold the attachment 104 (and other components
thereof as above referred to) in a desired setting.
In the embodiment 104 of FIGS. 13-15, a rod component 112 of
tubular aluminum stock has adjustable telescoping engagement with
the upper portion of mounting member 107 at a lower integral
enlargement 113 of rod element 112, which enlargement presents a
bore continuation 114 of the bore of rod component 112 proper. A
rigid plastic clamping sleeve 116 has a circular bore 117 which
mates slidably and telescopingly over an eccentric but cylindrical
outer surface of the rod portion 113; and an eccentric frictional
clamp bushing or sleeve 118 fixedly fits within the lower end of
the clamp sleeve 116; the bore of 119 of bushing 118 slidably
telescopes the top of mounting piece 107 in axial alignment with
the bore 114 of the eccentricity 113 on rod component 112. Thus, a
rotation of clamp sleeve 116 relative to mounting rod 107 and the
rod eccentricity 113, or vice versa, will bring the frictional
clamp bushing 118 carried fixedly within said sleeve into
frictional and radial wedging or clamping engagement with mounting
part 107, thus fixedly securing rod component 112 in a rotatively
adjusted or slidably adjusted position relative to mount 107; and a
reversing rotation of sleeve 116 will release member 112 for an
angular or sliding axial adjustment, then re-clmping as desired. As
indicated above, secondary components of the adator structure 104,
as will those of the alternative structure 90 of FIGS. 10-12,
include features of selective adjustment such as were described in
detail in reference to FIGS. 1-6, inclusive.
To assist in mounting the upright tubular rod 107 to the chair
structure, said rod may have a spring bracket 120 (FIG. 13) rigidly
riveted thereto adjacent the lower end thereof, which bracket is
releasably engageable with the cross piece 27 of the seat frame
unit 20, at which the upper linkage piece 26 is pivotally connected
to said unit. A release of clamps 108 and lift of the rod 107 will
free the rod structure 104 from chair 12 should it be desired to
dismantle the chair-attachment combination.
FIG. 16 illustrates another form of attachment, designated by the
numeral 140, which is functionally and structurally similar to the
attachment 10 previously described but of a simiplified and more
economical construction. Where applicable the same numbers will be
used to designate similar parts.
The rod or tubular element 44 of attachment 140 extends
substantially above the adjustable mount 142 to be subsequently
described. The upper end portion of the tubular element 44 is bent
slightly forwardly and flattened to provide a flat or tongue 48. A
relatively short component 144 is slotted at one end to provide a
pair of parallel furcations which straddle the flat 48 of rod 44.
The furcations of the component 144 are connected to the flat 48 by
means of a screw 53 which is disposed through aligned openings in
the flat 48 and furcations. The screw 53 is threaded into the nut
54 to secure the parts together.
The other end of the component 144 is provided with a tubular
recess 145 which receives in a tight or pressed fitting relation
one end of a first elongated tubular rod 150 which is easily
bendable. A second elongated tubular rod 152 receives and is
adapted to slide on the first rod 150. The inner end of the second
rod 152 carries a tubular nylon or plastic hand piece 154. Hand
piece 154 is fixedly secured to the second tubular rod 154 and is
provided with a transversely extending opening 156 which threadedly
receives the threaded stem 158 of screw 160. With such a
construction the second elongated tubular rod 152 may be moved
relative to the first rod 150 and thereafter the second rod 152 is
adjustably secured to the first rod 150 by means of manipulating
the screw 160 and urging the threaded stem 158 into engagement with
the first or inner rod 150 as best ilustrated in FIG. 17.
The second tubular rod 152 at the outer end thereof is flattened at
61 for attachment thereto of an ornamental sunshade 62. The
sunshade 62 is fixedly secured to the flat 61 by means of the bolt
and nut means 63.
After the hand piece 154 has been adjusted in the manner described
previously, further adjustment of the sunshade 62 is permitted by
manually bending the tubular rod 150. The rods 150 and 152 are of
light weight construction made for example from aluminum or
plastic.
FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate a modified adjustable mount 142 for the
rod 44 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16 and 18 and is similar in
certain functional and structural respects to the adjustable mount
illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive. A comparison of the drawings
will indicate that the adjustable mount 142 of FIGS. 20 and 21 does
not utilize the acruate wear plate 47 of FIG. 2. The frictional
clamp collar or sleeve member 143 of the adjustable mount 142
differs in certain respects from the corresponding sleeve member 32
described previously. Sleeve member 143 is provided on one side
thereof with a flat surface 164 which extends from the bottom to a
point near the center of the concave wedging formation 43 as best
illustrated in FIG. 21. A yieldable O-ring 166 is provided around
the spool portion of sleeve member 143. When in a non-adjusted
position, the flat surface 164 is parallel to the cross member 24'
with sufficient clearance therebetween to permit the adjustable
mount 142 to slide on the cross member 24'.
In use, after the adjustable mount 142 has been positioned on the
chair frame cross member 24' in the manner described previously,
the knob or top grip formation 40 of the sleeve member 143 is
rotated in a direction to move the flat surface 164 away from the
cross member 24' to a position perpendicular to the cross member
24' as shown in FIG. 21, whereby the cross member 24' rests in the
concave recess 43 with the O-ring 166 engaging same as best
illustrated in FIG. 20. At such time the clamp member 143 fixedly
secures the rod 44 and the component parts carried thereby to the
cross member 24' of the chair.
Thereafter it is still possible to rotate the rod 44 relative to
the chair and to the clamped adjustable mount 142. This is achieved
by providing in the upper end of knob 40 a resilient bushing 168.
The rod 44 bears against the bushing 168 and the internal surfaces
of the clamping member 143 as shown in FIG. 20. The rod 44 may be
rotated to overcome the friction between rod 44 and the bushing 168
and sleeve member 143 to permit further adjustment of the sunshade
62.
The modified sunshade attachment 169 illustrated in FIG. 18 is
similar too the construction shown in FIG. 16 and may be used with
the adjustable mount 142 previously described. The attachment 169
of FIG. 18 utilizes a bendable Bowden wire or cable construction
170 in place of the tubular rod 150. The wire construction 170
consists of a tubular Bowden wire 172 having a solid rod or core
174 therein. One end of the core 174 is secured in the component
144. The other end of the wire construction 170 or of the core 174
is adapted to fit into the end of the second rod 152 and to be
secured thereto by means of the handpiece 154 and screw 160. The
Bowden wire construction 170 is easily bendable and thus permits
further adjustment of the sunshade 62 as shown by the dotted lines
in FIG. 18 after the hand piece 154 is set. The bendable rod or
core 174 retains the wire 172 in a position after bending.
FIG. 22 illustrates a modified sunshade attachment 180 which is
adapted to be attached to a support other than a chair for use, as
an example, at the beach and directly upon the ground. The
attachment 180 includes a relatively flat support or base 182 on
which is mounted a pillow or cushion 184. A wire construction 170,
previously described, forms a column 186. One end of the column 186
is anchored to one side of the support 182. The other end of the
column 186 is provided with a flat mounting lug 88 to which is
appropriately secured a sunshade 62. The Bowden wire construction
forming column 186 permits a person to bend the column 186 and to
move the sunshade 62 to a position to suit the user. The column 186
includes the bendable Bowden wire 172 through which the bendable
rod or core 174 extends. The core 174 maintains the column 186 in a
selected position after bending.
In connection with any of the embodiments heretofore disclosed,
with the exception of FIG. 22, a head rest may be secured to the
vertical rod part 44. FIG. 16 illustrates a mounting bracket 190
having a tubular portion 192 surrouding rod portion 44 and a pair
of arms 194 terminating in a pair of laterally extending flanges
196 to which a yeildable or soft cushion 198, forming a headrest,
is secured. The arms 194 may, as an example, be connected by a nut
and bolt 200 or equivalent means to maintain the brackets 190 in a
fixed position on rod part 44.
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