US2691410A - Collapsible furniture - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1954 w, BQUCHERA 2,691,410

COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Filed Dec. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 12, 1954 R w, BQUCHER 2,691,410

COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Filed Dec. 15, 1955 2 Shets-She'et 2 Patented Oct. 12, 1954 COLLAPSIBLE FURNITURE Raymond W. Boucher, Dothan, Ala., assignor to Hedstrom Union Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 15, 1:953, Serial No. 398,328

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in col lapsi'ble furniture. More particularly it provides improved collapsible frame structures designed to remova bly receive flexible sheet elements which, in conjunction with the frame structures, are adapted to serve as chairs, stools, or other items of furniture.

Heretofore, chair frames have been manufactured by suitably bending and shaping a single relatively long and substantially rigid metallic rod, with lower bends serving as feet, and with upper bends located and adapted to engage within pockets formed in a sheet element for supporting the sheet element in spread relation. on the frame. In the rod-shaping process, portions of the rod crosseach other at front and back, and at each side of the frame, and the crossingrpo'rtions have been rigidly connected together to provide needed rigidity. However, such frames occupy a relatively large space when "in use and when stored, and they are extremely awkward and space-consuming when it become necessary to ship one ora number of itemsfrom place to place. "Shipping costs are unduly thigh, and it has been dim-cult and expensive to adequately protect the items against damage in the course of shipment.

It is among the objects-of the invention to pro-- vide chair frames, and the like, of the mentioned general type, having needed rigidityand strength when set up for use but having the character of being readily collapsible for storing, shipping and handling purposes. According to the invention, each-frame, whether a chair frame or the frame of a stool or other furniture item, comprises-rod sections pivotally connected togetherat their ends with each rod seotioncrossing an adjacent rod section but with the regions-of said crossings shiftable by reason of pivoted *section' connectors which serve also as abutment seats for adjacent portions of the cross rodse'ctions when the frame is in spread open condition, the said pivotal connections of the ends of the rod sections, in conjunction with the said pivoted section-connectors, permitting convenient and eflicientlcollapsing of the frame from its said spread open condition to a "relatively compact condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readily collapsible chair frame, or the like, wherein a series of generally straight relatively rigid rod sections have their ends pivotally connected together with each rod section crossing another rod section, and with each pair of rod sections which cross each other connected together adjacent tothe region of their crossing by pivoted connectors which constitute abutment seats for crossing rod sections when the frame is in spread open condition, the pivotally connected end portions of the rod sections at one end of all of the rod sections constituting feet for resting on the floor, or other support, and the pivotally connected end portions of the rod sections at the other end of all of the rod sections constituting generally upstanding spaced frame portions for engaging in pockets of a flexible sheet element to support the sheet element in spread relation on the frame.

It moreover, my purpose and general ob ject to improve upon prior bent rod chair frames, and the like, and more especially to provide readily collapsible frames for chairs, and comparable items of furniture, of the general type which are formed from relatively rigid rod stock, and which removably support iflexible sheet .seat elements and the like.

In the accompanying "drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a-collapsible chair embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of the chair of Fig. 1 in a partially collapsed condit-ion;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing, on a larger scale, the locking toggle at the front of the chair frame :of Figs. 1 and 2;

4 is a fragmentary perspective view, on the scale of Fig. 3, showing a pivotal rod-sectiom connector which may be employed at opposite sides of the chair frame of Figs. 1 and 2.;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a collapsible stool frame embodying features of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a view of the under pocket side of a flexible sheet element adapted to be removably supported on the stool frame of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the so-called. butterfly type of chair as represented in Fig. 1 has a flexible sheet element 10 of any suitably strong material removably supported in relatively loose,

spread condition over the chair frame, the under side of the element I0 preferably being equipped with a conventional pocket I2 at each of the four corners of the element, within each of which a generally upstanding portion of the frame engages, only one of the pockets I'Z being visible in Fig. 1.

The invention relates to the frame structure whereby the chair, or other comparable item of furniture, may be readily converted between spread open and collapsed conditions.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1-4, the illustrated chair frame comprises four similar rod sections l4, l8, l8 and 23 and four similar longer rod sections 22, 24, 26 and 28. The lower end of rod section It is pivotally connected at 383 to thelower end of the longer rod section 22, and the lower end of rod section is pivotally connected at 32 to the lower end of the longer rod section 24. The upper ends of rod sections l4, [6 are pivotally connected together at St, and the upper ends of the longer rod sections 22, 24 are pivotally connected together at 38. In the same manner, the lower end of rod section 18 is pivotally connected at 38 to the lower end of the longer rod section 26, and the lower end of rod section 26 is pivotally connected at to the lower end of the longer rod section 28. The upper ends of rod sections i8, 29 are pivotally connected together at 42, and the upper ends of the longer rod sections 26, 28 are pivotally connected together at 44.

In the assembled frame, each rod section extends across and substantially in contact with an adjacent rod section but it is a feature of importance that the portions of the rod sections which are disposed across each other are relatively movable to permit variation of the angular relation of the crossing rod sections. To this end, each pair of crossing rod elements are pivotally connected together relatively close to the region of crossing of the sections. Referring to Fig. 2, each rod section has a connector member rigid thereon and pivotally connected to an adjacent similar connector member. The connector member on rod section it? is indicated at it pivotally connected at Hi to the connector member 2! on rod section 2G. The connector member I9 on rod section i8 is pivotally connected at it to the connector member 23 on rod section 22. Connector member i'i on rod section it is pivotally connected at ii toconnector member 29 on rod section 28, and connector members 25 and 27 on rod sections 24 and 25, respectively, are pivotally connected together at 25*.

Each connecting member is formed with a projecting abutment having a grooved edge for seating a rod section when the frame is spread open as in Fig. 1. This is best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the connector members it, 2i on rod section Hi, 28 are shown located above the region of crossing of rod sections M, 22, with the abutment grooves 15 2P at lower edge portions of the connector members so that rod section I seats in groove 2H and rod section 28 seats in groove 15 when the frame is fully spread.

The connector members 25, 2'! on rod sections 24, 28, as seen in Fig. 4, are located below the region of crossing of rod sections 2t, 26, which is true also of the connector members ll, 29 and IS, 23 at the opposite sides of the frame. Connected members 25, 2'! have their abutment grooves 25, El at upper edge portions thereof with groove 25 in position to constitute a seat for rod section 26, and groove 23 in position to constitute a seat for rod section 25 when the frame is fully spread.

Preferably, the pivotally connected lower ends of the rod sections are equipped with short cylinders 4'8 of rubber, or the like, to avoid marring of the floor when the chair, or comparable item, is used in-doors. Also, if desired, means may be provided for releasably maintaining the frame in its fully spread condition, such a means being indicated generally at 3, and shown in detail in Fig. 3, associated with the rod sections I4, 20 at the front of the chair frame. Toggle links 53, 52 are pivotally connected respectively to rod section [4 and rod section 20, are pivotally connected together at 54, with an inverted U-channel element 56 at the connection 54. Hence, when the links 50, 52 are pressed downward into alignment, the element 56 stops the links in substantial alignment and the toggle maintains the frame fully spread until the toggle is broken preparatory to collapsing of the frame.

Ordinarily, the sheet element I!) will be removed before collapsing the frame.

Figs. 5 and 6 relate to a modification in the form of a collapsible stool in the frame of which all of the rod sections 58 may be identical in shape and length, and fewer in number than in the chair frame of Figs. 1-4. All of the pairs of connector members, indicated generally at 69, may be identical, with all of the pairs located below the regions of crossing of the rod sections generally similar to the connector members 25 and 2'! of Fig. 4. The stool frame of Fig. 5 collapses generally in the same manner as the previously described chair frame.

A triangular shaped flexible sheet element 62, as shown in Fig. 6, has the corner pockets 64 at its under side, each adapted to engage over the upper pivotally connected end portions of a pair of rod sections, the same as described in connection with the sheet element iii of Fig. 1.

The herein disclosed collapsible frame features may be embodied in various items of furniture, and it is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible frame for an article of furniture, comprising a series of relatively rigid rods of which each rod is disposed in crossing relation to another rod to provide at least three pairs of crossing rods, the opposite ends of each rod being pivotally connected each to one end of a rod of a different pair of crossing rods thereby to provide at least three lower rod-end pivotal connections and at least three upper rod-end pivotal connections, connector means adjacent to the region of crossing of each said pair of crossing rods, each said connector means comprising two connector elements of which each is rigid on a different one of the crossing rods and the two connecting elements being pivotally connected together at a location spaced from the region of crossing of the rods on which said connector elements are rigid, the connector element on each crossing rod having a projecting abutment against which the adjacent crossing rod seats when the crossing rods are in a predetermined angular relation, with said lower rod-end pivotal connections adapted to rest on a support, and with said upper rod-end connections adapted to support a sheet element in spread relation to the frame.

2. A collapsible frame for an article of furniture, comprising a series of relatively rigid rods of which each rod is disposed in crossing relation to another rod to provide at least three pairs of crossing rods, the opposite ends of each rod being pivotally connected each to one end of a rod of a different pair of crossing rods thereby to provide at least three lower rod-end pivotal connections and at least three upper rod-end pivotal connections, connector means adjacent to the region of crossing of each said pair of crossing rods, each said connector means comprising a pair of pivotally connected ears of which one is rigid on each crossing rod adjacent to the region of crossing of the rods whereby the crossing rods are relatively movable about the pivot of the connector elements, and abutment means on each connector element for stopping relative movement of the crossing rods with the rods of each pair of crossing rods in predetermined angular relation such that said lower rod-end pivotal connections constitute spaced feet for resting on a support, and said upper rod-end pivotal connections constitute spaced elevated supports upon which a spread sheet element may be removably mounted.

3. A collapsible frame for an article of furniture, comprising a series of relatively rigid rods of which the opposite ends of each rod each is pivotally connected to an end of a different rod, with each rod constituting, with another rod, a generally V-shaped portion of the frame, and with each rod constituting, with still another rod, a generally inverted V-shaped portion of the frame, whereby the lower rod-end pivotal connections of said V-shaped portions of the frame constitute spaced feet for resting on a support, and the upper rod-end pivotal connections of said inverted V-shaped portions of the frame constitute elevated spaced supports for a sheet element which may be spread over the frame, each said rod being disposed in crossing relation to another rod, and means adjacent to each region of said crossing of rods pivotally connecting together the crossing rods, each said pivotally connecting means having abutments thereon upon which said crossing rods seat when the crossing rods are in a predetermined angular relation.

4. A collapsible frame for an article of furniture, comprising a series of relatively rigid rods of which each rod is disposed in crossing relation to another rod to provide at least three pairs of crossing rods, the opposite ends of each rod being pivotally connected each to one end of a rod of a different pair of crossing rods thereby to provide at least three lower rod-end pivotal connections and at least three upper rod-end pivotal connections, connector means adjacent to the region of crossing of each said pair of crossing rods, each said connector means comprising two connector elements of which each is rigid on a different one of the crossing rods and the two connecting elements being pivotally connected together at a location spaced from the region of crossing of the rods on which said connector elements are rigid, the connector element on each crossing rod having a projecting abutment against which the adjacent crossing rod seats when the crossing rods are in a predetermined angular relation, with said lower rod-end pivotal connections adapted to rest on a support, and with said upper rod-end connections adapted to support a sheet element in spread relation to the frame, and means associated with one of said pairs of crossing rods operative to releasably lock said crossing rods in their said predetermined angular relation.

5. In a collapsible chair and the like, a frame comprising at least three pairs of relatively rigid rods of which each rod has its opposite ends each pivotally connected to an end of another of said rods with some of the rod-end pivotal connections low down on the frame and constituting feet for resting on a support, and with an equal number of the rod-end pivotal connections at elevated locations on the frame for removably supporting a flexible sheet element in spread relation on the frame, each of said rods being disposed in crossing relation to another of said rods, a pair of pivotally connected connector elements adjacent the region of each crossing of rods with one element of each said pair rigid on each of the adjacent crossing rods whereby the crossing rods are relatively movable in closely adjacent parallel planes, each of said connector elements having a projecting abutment upon which one of the crossing rods seats when the crossing rods are in a predetermined angular relation, and a flexible sheet element having pockets at its under side whereby said sheet element may be removably spread upon the frame with each of said elevated rod-end pivotal connections engaged within a said pocket of the flexible sheet element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 172,068 Derbeken Apr. 27, 1954 244,215 Fenby July 12, 1881 2,587,543 Smith Feb. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,138 Great Britain 1877 967,608 France Nov. 8, 1950

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