US2615502A - Folding leg structure for articles of furniture - Google Patents

Description

1952 c. SCHNEIDER 2,615,502

FOLDING LEG STRUCTURE FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Filed June 9, 1950 INVENTOR. 62/494155 $CH/VE/DEE,

Arrow/5y.

Patented Oct. 28, 1 952 FOLDING LEG STRUCTURE FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Charles Schneider, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 9, 1950, Serial No. 167,043

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-165) This invention relates to an improved furnitur construction. In particular, this invention re- ..lates to an automatic, collapsible and extensible self-actuating supporting device for use with an auxiliary article of furniture which is arranged to be swung from a concealed position within an associated article of furniture into extended relation therewith to provide a leg rest, such as an ottoman, with respect to a chair.

Prior devices include various supporting assemblies for positioning such a concealed auxiliary article for furniture into useable relationship with a chair or davenport. The construction of these prior devices usually included diagonal braces extending from an intermediate portion of a vertical leg to the frame of the auxiliary article of furniture. Unless these braces were carefully installed and properly aligned, collapsing and extension of the device was diflicult. After use, looseness and play developed in the assembly of the prior devices,.producing a feeling of insecurity and annoyance in a user of the furniture because of the unsteadiness of the auxiliary article of furniture.

It is to be noted that in the device or hardware for use in furniture construction and forming the subject matter of this application, a beam is provided which cooperates with a folding leg in such manner as to provide support for the auxiliary upholstered section in a desired plane in suitable proximity to the other portions of the article of furniture, the sections being firmly held in desired operative relation until such time as they are purposely folded into a more compact form wherein the auxiliary section is concealed within the main portion of the article of furniture.

The primary object of this invention is to design and provide an improved construction for a supporting device capable of being used with an auxiliary article of furniture (such as an upholstered ottoman, section of mattress, etc); to foldably associate said auxiliary article with another article of furniture wherein the supporting device is provided with both lateral and longitudinal stability.

An object of this invention is to design and provide a supporting device for use in furniture construction wherein a supporting leg is smoothly operable into collapsed or extended relation by automatic means.

Another object of this invention is to design and provide a supporting device for use in furniture construction of the type described above wherein spaced pivotal connections are provided between a supporting leg and supported beam member whereby lateral movement of the leg with respect to the member is virtually eliminated.

Generally speaking, this invention comprises an improved supporting device for use in furni ture construction, as above described, wherein a beam member of U section is adapted to be secured to a frame of an auxiliary article of furniture and a leg of U section is provided with spaced pivotal connections to said member to afford lateral stability. Likewise, the member is provided withv spaced pivotal connections to aplate member which is adapted to be secured to the article of furniture to which the auxiliary article is connected and within which the auxiliary article of furniture may be concealed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a furniture construction embodying this invention and shown in extended relation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken from the plane indicated by line II-'-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view partly in section of the construction embodying this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken ina vertical plane indicated by line IV--IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating associated articles of furniture in partially folded relation.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the associated articles of furniture in completed folded relation and ready for concealment in one of the articles of furniture.

Referring to the drawings, an article of furni-' ture, such as an upholstered chair, generally in-' dicated at I 0, may comprise a back member I l and a main seat cushion l2 supported on a hollow box-like compartment I3 formed in any suitable manner as part of a chair frame. Compartment I3 may be defined by a bottom wall I4 and upstanding vertical side and end walls I5. The

furniture generally indicated at I 1, said ottoman including an upholstered cushion 18 carried on a rectangular wooden frame I9.

In extended relation (Fig. 1), ottoman I1 is supported by a self-actuating, supporting device along longitudinal edges of web 22-are spaced longitudinally extending depending flanges -23 forming with the web a rigid, strong memberrob generally U-shaped cross-section.

A vertical supporting leg 24 may also be formed of U cross-section and includes spaced wallsifi joined by a transverse wall 26. Upper ends of walls 25 are pivotally connected to the ,outer ends of flanges 23 by a suitable pinor rivet bolt 2?. It should be noted that end portions of walls 25' enclose or overlap adjacent outer end portions of flanges -23 and that spaced aligned pivotal conneetions 28 areprovidedthrough' said end portionsu The-overlapping arrangement of the end portions-of walls 25n-and flanges 23 provide large bearing-surfaces 29 of generally rectangular shapewhen the-leg :24-is in extended relation; End-edges of-fianges 23 and of web- 22 "are provided 'along-lines perpendicular to the axis ofmember 2I andlie in the same plane. The endedges ot fianges23; when the device is in extended relation; abut the inner face -of'wall'26 and the end edge of web-22 =abuts the top-edgemargin of wall 28: Such anarrangement provides a a 4 pivotal mounting having great lateral and-:longitudinal stability because of the large bearing areas and theabutment of edgesof saidmember 2i with the transversewebof-the leg, and movement or play of leg-24 =with respect-to member. .is virtually eliminatedwheninex-- tended. relation.

The opposite bottom endoi leg may beprovidedwwith a suitable convex boss -3Ileadapted-'to: restupon a supporting surface without marring. Boss 30 mayabe integral with wall 26 and spaced from walls 25 to permit reception of the boss between flanges 23zwhen the leg is collapsed.

Ayflat plate member 3l ofgenerally rectangular shape isgprovided with a-pair of spaced depending :ears- :32-1receiving therebetween the inner end portion of member 2i. A pin or bolt 33 pivotally connects -the inner, endportions of flanges 23 and :ears32 and: provides spaced pivotal connecv none-J34" Each= pivotal connection: ,34; includes 1 enlarged contact surfaces between inner endv portionsofflanges 23 andgdepending'ears\32.: A laterallyistable pivotal mounting is thus afforded.

Plate-emembertl is adaptedqto be secured by suitable :wood screws to awooden' frame of the: ma seat, cushion I2 for pivotally connecting the; maimseat cushion-and the ottoman l l.

A: self eQQtllfl-tll'lg operating rodor arm 35 is provided: for q automatically i moving leg '24 i into collapsed assembled relation with beam member 7 21 :when the'ottoman is moved into; folded as sembled relation with the main seat cushion-I2;

35 extends-along member 2iina;paral-lel vertical plane and in diagonal relation-to member 21. The outer end of ;rod 35 115 pivotallylconnectedfat :35, abov sands sht y nwa lyoi p v:

otal connections 28, to. an upstanding extension 31 formed integrally,with the innerwall 25-;of leg 24-, At its gop osite rend. rod pirot lly;

' downward movement of pivotal connections 34.

connected at 38, rearwardly and slightly below pivotal connections 34, to a depending flange 39 integrally formed with the inner edge of plate 3|. Flange 39 merges with and lies in the same plane as the inner ear 32 and lies virtually in the same plane as extension 3'1.

When the member 2| and the plate member 3| arerin extended horiaontal position, a slight gap is provided between the rear edge of wall 22 on member 2! and plate 3|. When member 2| is moved slightly upwardly beyond a horizontal relationship with plate member 3!, the inner edge :oftop web-lzpmay abut the adjacent opposing edge of plate member 3|. The supporting leg assemblyvisthus positively locked against Tot-moveuottoinan I! from extended position as indicated in Fig. 1 to a collapsed and concealed position within compartment 13, a force may be suitably applied to ottoman I! so as to raise or elevate pivotal'connections-fi l of the ottomanto the main seat cushion 1 2 whileswinging the ottoman toward-'-the --eushion JZJ- The main seat cushion V I2 may pivotabout hinge point 18;- The I swinging movement ofmember 2 1- towardplate- 3 I= causes the operating arm- 35 to exert a turning force about :pivotalconnections 28 through its pivotal connection, 36 -=to leg-24-, causing leg 24 to swing inwardly towardmemberZI. Fig. 5 illustratesapproximately a-half-way position of ottoman=:Il and 'seat cushion 1-I2 IshoWingJeg Z t in approximately half-way folded relationship with member 2 I 11 As the ottoman-Ii is further-swung toward the bottom ofucushion I2,- leg 24 receivesadjacent i portions oi flanges 23 of. member :2 t when; .the ottoman --is :iniinal and in completed foldediirelation withrirespentto-seat cushion I21. Fig; fi-illustrates iottomanvl l andthe seat cushion I2 "lying-in parallel 'relationshi-p with the legals-i sembly completelyocollapsed and-with the ottomanaread-y :to *berswung :about hinge connection I 6 into. compartment 1 3.:

To movez-ottomanr ,I 1* from its. concealed position in compartment I3 to fully extended ire-z lation; the above-described operation, is reversed. Asthe ,zSEfit 'cushionvl 2 .15 swung about its pivotal mountingtand ottoman I I swung outwardly about its1piv0tal: mounting:withrespect to the seat cushion,operating;1rodr35tcausesleg 24 to move into (perpendicular locked. relationship with: the

member 12! when inofull extendedxrelation.

While the plate member :3 l: and-beam, member 2 I- have been aillustratedzas havin a pivotal connection 34 immediatelyv adj acent; the forward edge =margin; ,of seat "cushion: I2 it. :is understoodthat the supporting-legassemblymaybe moved= rear wardly if -'sovdesired. Normally theottoman I! is prpvided withvawfringe ,for concealing the ee-as e b y:

Itshould be particularly ,noted that each supe porting gdevioe includes .;a rigid "beam member and-1 legcofwzu; section; Whengextended, lateral play.

instabilitm; or: -uns teadiness between member--21 r and leg 24 is; virtually eliminated because of spaced pivotal connections 28 and therelatively large contact 1 suriaces betweenpend portions. .of

flanges/23 and -walls; j25;= Thevleg ZQds-rigidly-and positivelyvheld against turning about .the pivotal connections 2 8 beyond perpendicular relation .by-i abutment of end edges of flanges 23 againstithe transverse connectingwall. 26..

It should be-particularlynoted; that eachusupe W porting deviceflfl does not, employ side or front.

iasqnell rac a achevi eis c ab b Aing smoothlypperated whenxmovingltheJottoman into either collapsed or extended relation with a seat cushion I2. The construction of the supporting device is not only exceptionally strong but is capable of collapsing into a compact assembly occupying a minimum of space.

Other changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described for use in furniture construction in combination: a beam member of U cross-section adapted to be secured to an article of furniture with legs of the U section in depending relation when the device is extended; a plate member adapted to be secured to another article of furniture and having spaced depending elements receiving therebetween one end of the beam member; a leg of U section receiving the other end portion of the beam member; spaced pivotal connections between the beam member and leg and between the beam member and plate member; an extension integral with said leg and extending beyond the spaced pivotal connections between the leg and beam member; a depending Wall on the plate member lyin in the same plane as said extension; and an operating rod pivotally connected to the extension and to the wall of the plate member; end edges of the flanges of said beam member being arranged to abut the adjacent end portion of the web of said leg when said leg is in extended perpendicular relationship to said beam member.

2. A self-actuating supporting device for use in furniture construction including: a rigid beam member having a web and spaced longitudinally extending depending flanges; a rigid leg compris ing spaced side walls and a transverse connecting wall, the side walls at one end of said leg overlapping adjacent portions of the depending flanges of said beam member and having aligned pivotal connections with the adjacent end portions of said flanges; a plate member having a pair of depending ears providing spaced pivotal connections to opposite end portions of said flanges; an upstanding extension on one wall of the leg, a depending wall on the plate member merging with one of said ears; an operating arm pivotally mounted at one end to the extension above said spaced pivotal connections of the leg to the beam member and pivotally mounted at its opposite end to the depending Wall of the plate member normally behind the spaced pivotal connections of the plate member to the beam member when the le is in extended relation; the end edges of the flanges on the beam member adjacent'the leg abutting the transverse connecting Wall on the leg when the device is in extended relation.

3. Adevice of the character described for use in furniture construction in combination: a beam member of U cross-section including a, web and depending flanges and adapted to be secured to an article of furniture with the flanges in depending relation when the device is extended; a plate member adapted to be secured to-another article of furniture and having spaced depending elements receiving therebetween one end of the beam member; a leg of U section including rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a transverse connecting wall and receiving the other end portion of the beam member; spaced pivotal connections between the beam member and leg and between the beam member and plate member; an extension integral with one side wall of said leg; a depending wall on the plate member lying in the same plane as said extension; an operating rod pivotally connected to the extension and to the depending wall of the plate member; and end edges formed onthe flanges and web of the beam member in perpendicular relation to the axis of the beam member and arranged to abut the adjacent portion of the transverse wall on said leg when said leg is in extended relation to hold said leg in perpendicular relation. 1

CHARLES SCHNEIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb er

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