US3215467A

US3215467A - Retractible attachment for chair arms

Info

Publication number: US3215467A
Application number: US396597A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcfarland Wendall; Jr Arthur C Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-09-15
Filing date: 1964-09-15
Publication date: 1965-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-02

Description

1965 w. MOFARLAND ETAL 3,215,467

RETRACTIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIR ARMS Filed Sept. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

Wanda/l McFarland A rfhur C. Mil/er, Jr. INVENTORS BY lam,

1965 w. MOFARLAND ETAL 3, 7

RETRAGTIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIR ARMS Filed Sept. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

Wanda/l McFarland Arthur 6. Mil/er, Jr.

1NVENT0R United States Patent 3,215,467 RETRACTIBLE ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIR ARMS Wendall McFarland, 127 N. Elmwood St., Davenport, Iowa, and Arthur C. Miller, Jr., 1105 N. 8th St, Burlington, Iowa Filed Sept. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 396,597 4 Claims. (Cl, 297-194) The present invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in chair attachments for use particularly, although by no means necessarily, in beauty salons, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a unique combination ash receptacle and cup holder which is always at hand for the convenience of a customer seated in a chair in such an establishment.

Another highly important object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the aforementioned character which is readily movable to an out-of-the-way position beneath the chair arm when said attachment is not in use.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved chair arm attachment of the character described comprising a combined tray and cup holder or coaster which may be expeditiously removed, emptied, cleaned and then replaced.

Another object is to provide an attachment of the character set forth which is adapted to be readily installed for use on :an arm of a conventional chair without the necessity of making structural alterations therein.

Other objects are to provide a chair arm attachment which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, showing an attachment embodying the present invention in use on a chair arm, the tray being retracted;

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view substantially similar to FIGURE 3 but with the tray in operative po sition;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the device;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in trans verse section through a side portion of the tray and its support;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section, showing the means for securing the tray in operative position;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially on the line 88 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken substantially on the line 99 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference numeral 10 designates generally a portion of a conventional chair arm .of the type frequently found in beauty parlors and other establishments. The arm 10 comprises the usual support 12 having an armrest 14 secured thereon by screws 16.

The embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a bracket of suitable metal designated generally by the reference numeral 18. The bracket 18 is to be mounted on the arm structure 10. Toward this end, the bracket 18 includes an elongated plate or bar 20 which is secured longitudinally on the arm 10 between the support 12 and the rest 14, said plate having spaced openings 22 therein which accommodate the screws 16.

The elongated plate 20 further includes a relatively wide forward portion 24 of generally inverted U-shaped cross-section which straddles the support 12. The depending side portions or legs of the channel portion 24 of the plate 20 are rolled in a manner to provide longitudinally split sleeves 26. The rear end portions of the sleeves 26 are formed to provide substantially hookshaped keepers 28 the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Mounted on the bracket 18 is an arm 2-8 which supports a combination tray 30. The arm 28 includes a rod or shaft 32 of suitable metal which is rotatable and slidable in either of the sleeves 26 of the bracket 18. The shaft 32 comprises a flattened, relatively wide forward end portion 34 which projects forwardly beyond the respective sleeve 26 for receiving the tray 30 thereon.

The tray 30, in the embodiment shown, includes an ash receptacle 36 having associated therewith a cigarette or cigar holder 38, together with a cup holder or coaster 40. Formed integrally with one longitudinal side of the tray 30 and depending therefrom is a longitudinally split tube or sleeve 42 which slidably receives and friction-ally grips the forward end portion 34 of the shaft 32 for re rnovably securing the tray in position on said shaft. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 6 of the drawing, a detent or dimple 44 in the split, resilient tube or sleeve 42, adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof, is engageable in a depress-ion 46 provided therefor in the member 34 for retaining the tray in position.

The shaft 32 has formed diametrically in its rear end portion an opening or bore 48. A spring-pressed detent 50 is mounted in the opening 48 and engageable with the keeper 28 for locking said shaft 32 and securing the tray 30 in an operative position.

It is thought that the use of the attachment will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the shaft 32 may be mounted for operation in either of the sleeves 26 and the spring-pressed detent 50 facilitates inserting said shaft. With the shaft 32 in the retracted poistion of FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, the tray 30 depends therefrom and is substantially concealed beneath the arm structure 10. When the tray 30 is to be used, said tray is pulled forwardly to the broken line position of FIGURE 2 of the drawing thus sliding the shaft 32 forwardly in the sleeve 26 in which said shaft is mounted. The tray 30 is then swung upwardly to a generally horizontal position which, of course, rotates the shaft 32 in the sleeve 26. The tray 30 with the shaft 32 is then manipulated for engaging the detent 50 in the notch or recess 52 defined by the keeper 28 on the rear end of said tube 26. Thus, the tray 30 is supported in a substantially horizontal operative position. The detent 50, it will be noted, is perpendicular to the .plane of the flattened end portion 34 of the shaft 32. Of course, to return the tray 30 to an inoperative position, the foregoing procedure is substantially reversed. The split, resilient sleeve or tube 42 permits the tray 30 to be readily removed from the support 28 when desired. In FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing there is shown, in broken lines, a tray mounted in the inner sleeve 26 of the bracket 18.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A chair arm attachment comprising a generally horizontal sleeve mounted on the arm, a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted in said sleeve, a tray afiixed to the shaft and sWing'a-ble to a substantially horizontal operative position, and means for releasably securing the tray in said operative position, said means including a keeper on one end portion of the sleeve, and a detent on the shaft cooperable with the keeper.

2. A chair arm attachment in accordance with claim 1, said keeper defining an upwardly opening notch, said detent being engageable by gravity in said notch.

3. A chair arm attachment in. accordance with claim 2, said shaft comprising an end portion of non-circular cross-section, said tray comprising a split, resilient marginal sleeve of non-circular cross-section slidably receiving said end portion of the shaft and frictionally and removably securing the tray thereon.

4. A ohair arm attachment in accordance with claim 3, said flattened shaft end portion having a depression therein, the last-named sleeve including a detent engageable in said depression.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 17,633 4/94 Wertheimer 297 -194 1,301,913 4/19 Corby 297l94- 1,979,301 11/34 Webb 108-26 2,375,565 5/45 Liakopulos 297--l94 3,095,236 6/63 Klassen 297-194 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A CHAIR ARM ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SLEEVE MOUNTED ON THE ARM, A SHAFT ROTATABLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SLEEVE, A TRAY AFFIXED TO THE SHAFT AND SWINGABLE TO A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE TRAY IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A KEEPER ON ONE END PORTION OF THE SLEEVE, AND A DETENT ON THE SHAFT COOPERABLE WITH THE KEEPER.