US2821241A - Chair attachments for tables - Google Patents

Description

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CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FOR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, Jasepfi 50k Wafi n,

Jan, 28, 1958 J. L. SCHWAHN 2,823,241

CHAIR ATTACX-IMENTS FOR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet? 59 v 21 55 f i se 1 21 JNVENTOR,

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Jan. 28 i958 J. L. scHwAHN 2,821,241

CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FoR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Afro/ United States, Patent CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FOR TABLES Joseph L. Schwahn, Masonville, N. J.

Application August 27, 1954, Serial No. 452,579

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-80) The object of the invention is to provide improvements both in certain types of tables and in weight-supporting extensions thereof, and more specifically in tables such as are commonly used for dining purposes, and seat extensions that in larger sizes may be used to support small children at the table while eating, or in smaller sizes used for the purpose of supporting dolls and pets beside children while the latter are eating.

In recent years there has been a rapidly increasing trend toward smaller homes, especially for young couples starting their married life and the rearing of young children, due in large part to the continuous increase in the cost of ground and the houses built thereon, and taking the form of bungalows, so-called split-level homes, cottages and the like. In these smaller homes space is constantly at a premium, wherefore as an example the former separate kitchen and dining rooms are combined in a single room of practically irreducible size, and with their combined areas relatively cramped at that. Thus it is, that an infants highchair occupies much needed space when not in use, involves a monetary outlay that frequently can be ill afforded, and which is usually discarded after a year, or two at the most, and has to be replaced when a second child arrives. To these conditions is added the fact that practically every infant above the nursing or bottle age presents a distinct difiiculty in getting him to eat rather than play at the table, and that it is much easier to get him to eat his meals if the doll or small pet to which he is most attached is sitting beside him, and "at substantially his own level above that of the table.

Another object, therefore, is to provide an improved seat construction, that can be retracted in collapsed form beneath such tables in particular, as those now fabricated from aluminum and stainless steel, both with and without the depending flange or trim that usually surrounds them, as an aid in the enhancement of their overall appearance, and the seat being such that it can be made of sufficient size and strength as to safely support an infant of tender years, or of smaller size and lighter weight adapted to support a doll, puppy, cat, or the like, fairly closely beside the chair extension of the infant.

As by far the great majority of these tables are equipped with the depending trim referred to, a further object is to provide a collapsible support, such as can be readily retracted and extended at will into and from a position in close juxtaposition with the under surface of the table top, without cutting or similarly marring the trim, as would otherwise be necessary.

With the objects thus broadly stated, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out in the following specification, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a pictorial perspective view of a portion of a table at which both a little girl and her doll are seated, each in a chair or seat-extension consistent with their respective sizes and weights, and com- 2,821,241 Patented Jan. 28, 1958 ICC prising two embodiments of the invention; Fig. 2 is enlarged perspective view of the dolls lighter weight-supporting seat in fully collapsed position beneath and supported by the under side of a table; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same, but showing the seat in a intermediate position between its fully collapsed and operatively extended positions; Fig. 5 shows the chair in fully extended operative position; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the seat in collapsed position closely adjacent to the under surface of a table; Fig. 7 is a bottom perspective view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the childs greater weight-supporting seat in fully collapsed position beneath and supported by the under side of a table or the like; Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 4, but showing the larger seat substantially midway between fully collapsed and fully extended positions; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the same chair in fully extended operative position; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the right hand seat-supporting frame from a position between the two frames of a unit; Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the collapsed seat unit in the position shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 12 is rear elevational view of the seat in fully extended position and viewed from the rear of the seat back; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a simple modified form of the seat, that comprises a different collapsing arrangement, and as viewed from beneath a table to which the seat is secured; Fig. 14 is a somewhat similar view showing the seat section of the unit folded upwardly against the back section; Fig. 15 shows the same unit in completely folded position, as a unit removed from a supporting table; and Fig. 16 is a bottom plan view of the unit, showing in full lines the collapsed unit of Fig. 15, while partially and fully retracted positions of said unit are shown in dash-and-double-dot lines.

Referring to Figs. 1-6, there is here illustrated a form or embodiment of the invention, that provides for the operative support of a relatively light-weight doll or pet I at a table 2, and reference is initially made to Fig. 1 which shows a child seated in a folding or collapsible or retractable chair extension 3, comprising this one embodiment of the invention, while adjacent to such childsupporting seat there is shown a smaller and lighterweight doll or pet-supporting chair extension 4, that comprises a modification of the invention hereinafter described. Secured fixedly to the under surface of a table top 5 are spaced brackets 6 and 7, which are duplicates of each other except that their supporting or table-engaging flanges 6a and 7a oppositely directed, and their inwardly or rearwardly directed and slightly undercut lugs 6b and 71) need not be as well defined or as deep as the corresponding outwardly or forwardly undercut lugs 66 and 7c. Said brackets are provided with horizontally elongated apertures or slots 8, in which are slidably secured the opposite end portions of a bar 9 whose ends are afiixed to and which extend between the adjacent pivotally secured ends of a pair of parallel rails 10, said rails being also provided with inwardly directed, freely projecting bolts or rivets 11, that are adapted to enter the undercut recesses above either the rearward bracket lugs 6b and 7b (when said chair is in retracted position, Figs. 1, 2), or the undercut recesses above the outwardly or forwardly undercut lugs 6c and 70 (when said chair is in extended position, Fig. 5).

The opposite free end portions of said rails are provided with elongated slots 12, having angularly directed extensions 13, that are directly upwardly when said rails are in their retracted positions (Fig. 3), and downwardly when in extended positions (Fig. 5). Slidable in these last-mentioned slots are oppositely directed bolts, rivets, or lugs, 14, carried by the laterally opposite edge portions of -.a back section 15, and by means of which said back sectionis able to assume a position more closely adjacent to said brackets 6 and 7 when in retracted position (Figs. 1, 3), than when in extended position (Fig. 5), and thereby be adaptable .to a table of less width or depth than would otherwise bethe case.

Secured to 'said back 'section'by means of a suitable hinge 16 is a seat section 17, that in retracted position :folds closely adjacent to and parallel with said back .(Figs. 2, 3), and in extended position (Fig. 5) is at substantially right angles with said back, the spacing of said seat with respect to said table .and'parallel with the rails being determined by a suitable strap or the like 18, that is secured at one end to the center of the free edge of said seat and at its opposite end to the bar 9. By this construction, the .hingedly connected back and seat sections are operatively maintained in either extended or retracted positions, the chair sections being prevented from accidentally dropping from either of such positions by the engagement of the bar 9 in the undercut portions of the recesses adjacent above the bracket lugs 6b and 7b in one direction, and the lugs 6c and 7c in the opposite direction. 7

Referring to Figs. 7-l2, a modification of the invention here shown is of more substantial construction and rigidity than the former, so that it can support the greater Weight of a child, as compared with that of a doll or the usual pet. To the underside of the table are secured a pair of brackets 21, that correspond in function and general relationship with the brackets 6 and 7 hereinbefore referred to. Each of said brackets is provided with an outwardly directed angular or so-called bayonet slot 22, .and rearwardly with a more shallow diagonal slot above an undercut tongue 23, while beneath said last-mentioned slot is a horizontally elongated slot 24. Extending. in said last-named slots is a bar 25, that projects beyond each of said brackets and is secured to angularly directed projects 26 of a pair of channel rails 27, having in each case an elongated slot 28 in which slide lugs 29, carried by one end of each of a pair of links 30, the opposite end of each of which is pivotally secured at 31 to a lateral edge of a seat section 32 intermediate its forwardly and rearward edge portions.

Said seat section is hingedly secured at 33 to the normal lower edge portion of a back section 34, while the normal rearward edge of said seat is secured by means of a flexible strap 35 to a crossbar 36, whose opposite ends are secured to angular oifsets 37 fromsaid rails, and upon the same side of but spaced from said first-mentioned angular projections 26. Within the channels of said rails 27 are telescopically slidable rods 38, that terminate at their outwardly free ends in angular extensions 39 in planes parallel with the planes of said rails, and connected to said rails by transversely extending shoulders 40, the free ends of said extensions being connected together by a rod 41, that extends closely to the rear of said back section, so as to provide a rear support for said back section when in normal upright position (Figs. 9 and 12).

In the operation of this form of the invention, the seat is maintained when not in use in the retracted position shown in Figs. 7 and 11 by a rod 42, that extends between said rails 27, resting in the slightly downwardly sloping slot above the tongue 23, while the rod 25 is positioned in the inner ends of the slots 24, the back section 34 resting upon the spaced rods 36 and 41, while the seat section lies closely against the upper surface of said back section. To shift said seat unit into extended operative position, the rod 42 is raised and released upwardly from the supporting tongues 23, and the back and seat sections swung about the rod 25 as pivot, first through the position shown in Fig. 8, and finally into the fully extended operative position shown in Figs. 9 and 12, wherein therod 36 is positioned in the pair .of bayonet slots 22 of said supporting brackets. In this extended position the weight of a child upon saidseat 4 section is principally carried 'by the links 30, and the lower portion .otsaid back while in addition thereto its weight may be in part supported by the strap 35, which otherwise serves to prevent the child from sliding forwardly upon and from said seat section. It will be noted that when the seat as a unit is in retracted position, the rod 25 is in the forwardmost ends of the bracket slots 24, while it is positioned inthe rearmost ends of said slots when in extended position. Also, the weight of the child forces'the rod 36 into the downwardly directed or lowermostend portions of the bayonet slots 22, when the seat unit is in extended position, thereby insuring the seat as a unit, or in factany portion of it, from dropping with its occupant.

Referring to Figs. 13-16, a simplified form of retractable seat for a light-Weight object, such as the doll or pet hereinbefore referred to, is shown in a form that is well adapted for marketing as a separate unit, that can be readily mountedupon an existing table, as compared with installing it upon a table during the process-0f manufacturing it. This unit comprises a seat section 45, to which 'is pivotally secured a back section 46by means of a suitable hinge at 47. An L-shaped bracket comprises a normally horizontal portion 48, that when installed is firmly secured to the under surfaceof a table top 49, while by means of a bolt or the like extending through one of the verticallyspaced apertures 50 in a vertically extending portion 51 of said bracket,'there is secured to said bracket the central, transverse portion 52 of a rigid U-shaped member, whose side portions 53 serve as chair arms and are provided with elongated L-shaped slots 54. Bolts or studs55 carried :by each of the laterally opposite side edges of said back section 46 are normally. positioned in the downwardly directed outer ends 56 ofthe slots 54, to prevent said back section from being accidentally dislodged and shifting forwardly while in extended operative position as when in use. Otherwise, said bolts .or studs when lifted from said angular slot ends 56 may be shifted through and towards the opposite ends of said slots, until said seat and back sections are hingedly brought into parallelism (Figs. 14, '15) when they may be brought substantially or entirely within the longitudinal limits of the side portions 53 of said U-shaped member 52.

When thus brought into a fully collapsed position, the seat unit as a whole may be swungaboutthe bracket-supporting bolt or screw 57 by which it is pivotally secured to the table 49,until from the operative extended position shown in solid lines in Fig. 16, it passes through theangular positions represented by the angular dash-and-doubledot position 58, until it assumes the fully retracted dashand-doubledot.positionx59, completely beneath the table top. To make the seat until available for further use, it is simply swungreversely to the solid line position, and then extended :untilthe studs 55 drop by gravity into the slot ends '56,: and the back section brought into upright position, whileitheiseat section is'extended into its normal horizontal position, where it is held by a strap 60, of which one end is secured to the back-engaging edge portion of said seat, while itsoppositeend is secured to the lower portion ofthe depending bracket portion 5]..

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. A retractable seat unit, comprising a bracket adapted to be 'securedtoan extraneous support, said bracket having oppositelydirectedlugs and an intermediate elongated aperture, an oscillatable member having an extension projecting'intosaid aperture and an extension adapted when inengagement above said lugs to removably secure said member .in either retracted or extended positions, a back section pivotally secured to the outer free end portion of said member, a seat section pivotally secured at one edge to the lower portion of said back section, and means normally. supporting and'connecting the otherwise free edge portion'of said seat section to said bracket.

2. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to be secured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets having oppositciy directed tongues and an intermediate elongated aperture, a pair of oscillatable members, a bar connecting said members and extending through said apertures, an extension of each of said member being operative to engage either of the tongues of each of said brackets selectively to removably support said members in either retracted or extended positions, a back section extending between and pivotally secured to the free ends of said members, a seat section pivotally secured at one edge to the lower portion of said back section, and means connecting the free edge portion of said seat section to said bar to aid in supporting a Weight upon said seat section when in extended position.

3. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to be secured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets having oppositely directed tongues and an intermediate elongated aperture, a pair of oscillatable arm rests provided in their free end portions with elongated slots having angular end portions, and a bar connecting said members and extending through said apertures, an extension of each of said arm rests being operative to engage either of the tongues of each of said brackets selectively, to removably support said arm rests in either retracted or extended positions, a back section provided with lugs slidable in the slots of said arm rests a seat section pivotally secured at one edge to the lower portion of said back section, a strap connecting the free edge of said seat section to said bar, to aid in supporting a weight upon said seat section, said arm rest extensions when positioned above the outer tongues of said brackets and said back lugs when in the angular end portion of said slots cooperating to maintain said back in extended upright operative position with the free edge of said sent section supported by said strap.

4. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to be secured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets being provided with oppositely directed tongues and an elongated aperture, a pair of oscillatable arm rests of channeled cross section and provided with longitudinal slots, a bar extending through said apertures and connecting said arm rests, a second bar connecting portions of said arm rests spaced from said first bar and operative to rest upon one of the tongues of each of said brackets when in retracted position, a third bar extending between intermediate portions of said arm rests and adapted to rest upon the other of the tongues of said brackets when in extended position, a bar slidable in each of the channels of said arm rests, a back section pivotally secured to the outer free end of said last mentioned bars, a seat section having one edge portion pivotally secured to the lower edge portion of said back section, and links pivotally secured to the laterally opposite edge portions of said seat section and to said last-mentioned bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 651,539 Warren June 12, 1900 1,606,541 Straith Nov. 9, 1926 1,746,792 Rostetter Feb. 11, 1930

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