GB2023414A - Collapsible armchair - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible armchair comprises a metal foldable frame 1 to which is pivotably (15) attached a pair of wooden arms 4. The seat 6 is a flexible cloth and is secured to the frame by side bracing members 8 screwed one to each arm respectively. The bracing members 8 each have at least one a hinge 12 which permits the bracing member 8 and seat 6 to be folded in one direction, see chain dotted lines, and rigidly supported in the opposite direction. Further hinge members 12 may be provided in the U-shaped members 2. The braces 8 may alternatively be adjustably (24, 25) mounted on the arms 4 to permit reclining. The hinge 12 comprises two members 26, 27 pivoted (29) to one another by a link 28, the adjacent ends of members 26, 27 abutting when the chair is erected. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible armchair This invention relates to portable furniture and more particularly to a collapsible armchair.

There are a number of collapsible armchairs on the market which are light weight and portable, but in most cases these are less comfortable than the conventional armchair.

An aim of the present invention is to provide an armchair which overcomes the above disadvantage and is at the same time ideally suited for furnishing a lounge or bed-sitting room and can be collapsed to a compact unit for easy storage and transportation.

According to the invention there is provided a collapsible armchair comprising a foldable frame, a pair of arms pivotably attached to the frame and a flexible seat having side bracing members secured one to each arm, respectively, in which each bracing member includes at least one hinge which permits the bracing member and seat to be folded in one direction and rigidly supported in the opposite direction.

Conveniently, the foldable frame is made of two metal tubular U-shaped members which are hinged to each other at the side arms of the U-shape so that they open and close in a scissors fashion.

Preferably, the arms are made of wood and are of circular cross-section, the arms being upholstered at their intermediate portion, a recess being formed adjacent the ends of each arm for receiving the free end of one of the limbs of the U-shaped frame members which are pivoted in the recesses by a pivot pin.

Conveniently, the pivot pins pass through holes formed concentrically in the ends of the wooden arms and pass through holes formed adjacent the free ends of the U-shaped members. The pins are preferably held in position by plastic inserts located in recesses formed in the ends of the arms concentric with the pin holes.

The seat is preferably made from a fabric which is reinforced with a laminate of synthetic plastics material, e.g. a polypropylene web.

The bracing members of the seat are each made from a length of metal tube which is bent to form a seat part and a back-rest, the upper ends of the back-rest being further shaped to form a head-rest, the hinges being circular cross-section and being inserted in the tube intermediate the ends of the portion of the bracing member forming the back-rest.

The flexible seat is secured to the arms via the bracing side members, preferably by wood-screws which pass through holes formed in the tubular bracing members and are screwed into the wooden arms.

The foldable frame members may each include two hinges, one in each limb of the U-shaped members, to enable the frame to be folded into a smaller unit, each hinge being constructed to permit the hinge to pivot in one direction and form a rigid joint in the opposite direction so that they rigidly support the U-shaped members in their erect position and pivot to a folded position when the chair is collapsed.

In a modified construction of the collapsible chair the back-rest of the seat may be secured to the arms by adjustable means which permit the seat and back-rest to be moved to a reclining position.

Conveniently, the adjustable means may take the form of notched recesses formed in the arms, the wood-screws which secure the side bracing members to the arms being replaced by pins which project into the notched recesses at each side of the chair. Each notched recess is preferably formed by a shaped apertured metal plate secured into the recess, the plate having notches formed along the lower edge of the aperture formed in the plate.

According to the invention there is also provided a hinge comprising two hinged members pivoted to each other by an intermediate link member, the link member being located in a recess formed in the adjacent ends of the hinged members, in which the closing wall of the recess is formed by the free adjacent ends of the hinged members which abut and hold them in an aligned position, the hinged members being pivotable relative to one another away from their aligned position towards a second position whereby they lie side by side parallel to one another.

The hinged members are preferably made of a metal rod which can be inserted into tubular metal members to hinge one relative to the other.

Embodiments of the collapsible arm-chair, according to the invention, will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a collapsible arm-chair according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-section of a frame joint, taken along the line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken along the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1, of a means for securing the flexible chair seat to one of the chair arms; Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal axial crosssection through an improved hinge according to the present invention;; Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 showing movement of the hinged joint, in chain dotted outline, to its closed or folded position, and Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of a modification of an adjustable means for moving the flexible seat to a reclining position, and Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the armchair in the collapsed condition ready for transport.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the armchair comprises a foldable frame 1 of metal tubular material including two U-shaped members 2 which are hinged to each other at intermediate points of the side arms of the U-shape members by bolts 3 so that they open and close in a scissors fashion. Pivotably attached to the free ends of the U-shaped frame members are arms 4 made of wood having a circular cross-section. The arms are upholstered at 5 intermediate their ends, by expanded polystyrene or other suitable material covered with a cloth material which is secured by a draw-tape or elastic material (not shown) at its ends.

Secured to the arms 4 is a flexible seat generally indicated at 6 which includes a cloth material laminated to a web of polypropylene such as that sold under the Trade Mark "TAIPA". The flexible material laminate is formed with tubular side pockets 7 in which are located bracing members 8 each made from a length of metal tube. The metal tube is bent to a seat part 9, a back-rest 10 while the upper end of the back-rest is further shaped to form a head-rest 11. Intermediate the ends of the bracing member forming the back-rest is inserted a hinge 12 which permits the back-rest part 10 of the flexible seat to be folded towards the seat part 9 as shown by chaindotted outline in Figure 1. The hinge 12 will be hereinafter described in detail with reference to Figures 4 and 5, but it will be understood that the flexible seat, in its erect position, is rigidly supported by the hinges 12.

To enable the U-shaped members 2 to be folded to their closed position, the free ends of the arms of the members 2 are pivoted in recesses 13 formed adjacentthe ends of the arms 4, see Figure 2. The tubular members 2 are each drilled with a hole 14to receive a pivot pin 15 which is located in a hole 16 drilled concentrically in the ends of the wooden arms 4. The pivot pin 15 is held in position by an insert 17, of plastics material, which is held in a recess 18 in the ends of the arms concentric with the hole 16.

At the forward and rearward points of the armchair at which the side bracing members 8 contact the arms 4 the bracing members have drilled holes 19 for wood-screws 20 to secure the flexible seat 6 to the wooden arms 4, see Figure 3.

To facilitate the folding of the frame 1 into a more compact unit, each limb of the U-shaped members 2 is provided with a hinge 12 of the kind used in the bracing side members. In this case the hinges are inserted in the tubular U-shaped frame members to that in their open or unfolded position the hinges lock the limbs of the frame rigid and the more weight applied to the chair seat maintains them in their locked position. To fold the frame the lower ends of the U-shaped members 2 are pivoted about their hinges 12 towards the bolts 3 and the frame is folded to its closed position.

Figure 6 illustrates a modification of the means for securing the flexible seat to arms 4. The arms are formed adjacent their rear ends with an inwardly facing recess 21, a brass plate 22, formed with an elongated aperture 23, is screwed over the recess 20 providing a number of notches 24 formed along the lower edges of the recess. Instead of the woodscrews 20 the bracing members 8 are provided with pins 25 which can be located in pairs of notches 24 at the sides of the chair arms to enable the seat and back-rest to be moved to a reclining position.

The hinge 12 will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

The hinge comprises two rod shaped hinged members 26 and 27 pivoted to each other by an intermediate link member 28. The link member 28 is flat with curved ends and is pivoted to each hinge member by a hinge pin 29. The link member is located within a recess 30 formed in the adjacent ends of the hinged members, so that the closing wall of the recess is formed by the free adjacent ends of the hinge members 26 and 27 which abut and hold the hinge members in an aligned position.

The hinge 12 can be pivoted to a folded or closed position as shown in chain dotted line in Figure 5.

The hinge member 26 is pivoted about the link 28, relative to the hinge member 27 to a right angle position orto a fully closed position in which the hinge members 26 and 27 lie parallel to one another.

The virtue of this form of hinge is that the hinge members are rigidly held in an aligned or open position, and fold towards a closed position when pivoted in the opposite direction.

It will be appreciated that although only one hinge 12 has been shown in each bracing member 8, each bracing member can include further hinges, for example, at the bend between the seat part 9 and the back-rest 10 to facilitate the adjustment of the flexible seat to a reclining position. This construction will be required when using means illustrated in Figure 6.

The armchair according to the present invention has many advantages over conventional armchairs, for example, the chair can be used as a guest chair when further seating is required and after use can be readily collapsed for storage.

In its collapsed condition the chair becomes a compact unit which can be easily packaged for transport and takes up very little space when stored in a warehouse with the consequential saving in costs to the distributor.

Various other modifications can be made to the invention, for example, a leg rest accessory can be provided to be attached to the bracing members where they projectforwardly from the seat part.

Figure 7 shows a side elevation of the arm-chair in the collapsed condition in which the back rest 10 of the flexible seat is folded about the hinge 12 and the tubular frame members 2 are pivoted towards each other. The chair can then be carried by gripping the side bracing members 8.

Claims (16)

1. A collapsible armchair comprising a foldable frame, a pair of arms pivotably attached to the frame and a flexible seat having side bracing members secured one to each arm respectively, in which each bracing member includes at least one hinge which permits the bracing member and seat to be folded in one direction and rigidly supported in the opposite direction.

2. A collapsible armchair according to claim 1 in which the foldable frame is made of two metal tubular U-shaped members which are hinged to each other at the side arms of the U-shape so that they open and close in a scissors fashion.

3. A collapsible armchair according to claim 1 or 2 in which the arms are made of wood and are of circular cross-section, the arms being upholstered at their intermediate portion, a recess being formed adjacent the ends of each arm for receiving the free end of one of the limbs of the U-shaped frame members which are pivoted in the recesses by a pivot pin.

4. A collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim, in which the pivot pins pass through holes formed concentrically in the ends of the wooden arms and pass through holes formed adjacent the free ends of the U-members.

5. A collapsible armchair according to claim 4 in which the pins are held in position by plastic inserts located in recesses formed in the ends of the arms concentric with the pin holes.

6. A collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim in which the seat is made of fabric reinforced with a laminate of synthetic plastics material.

7. A collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim in which the bracing members of the seat are made from a length of metal tube which is bent to form a seat part and a back-rest, the upper ends of the back-rest being further shaped to form a head-rest, the hinges being of circular cross-section and being inserted in the tube intermediate the ends of the portion of the bracing member forming the back-rest.

8. A collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim in which the flexible seat is secured to the arms via the bracing side members, preferably by wood-screws which pass through holes formed in the tubular bracing members and are screwed into the wooden arms.

9. A collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim in which the foldable frame members each include two hinges, one in each limb of the U-shaped members, to enable the frame to be folded into a smaller unit, each hinge being constructed to permit the hinge to pivot in one direction and form a rigid joint in the opposite direction so that they rigidly support the U-shaped members in their erect position and pivot to a folded position when the chair is collapsed.

10. A collapsible armchair according to any of claims 7 to 9 in which the back-rest of the seat may be secured to the arms by adjustable means which permit the seat and back-rest to be moved to a reclining position.

11. A collapsible armchair according to claim 10 in which the adjustable means take the form of notched recesses formed in the arms, the woodscress which secure the side bracing members to the arms being replaced by pins which project into the notched recesses at each side of the chair.

12. A collapsible armchair according to claim 11 in which each notched recess is formed by a shaped apertured metal plate secured into the recess, the plate having notches formed along the lower edge of the aperture formed in the plate.

13. A hinge for use with a collapsible armchair according to any preceding claim, in which the hinge comprises two hinged members pivoted to each other by an intermediate link member, the link member being located in a recess formed in the adjacent ends of the hinged members, in which the closing wall of the recess is formed by the free adjacent ends of the hinged members which abut and hold them in an aligned position, the hinged members being pivotable relative to one another away from their aligned position towards a second position whereby they lie side by side parallel to one another.

14. A hinge according to claim 13, in which the hinge members are made of a metal rod which can be inserted into tubular metal members to hinge one relative to the other.

15. A collapsible armchair substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A hinge substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 and Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.