US2689598A - Convertible article of furniture - Google Patents

Description

, p 1954 H- POLLACK ETAL 2,689,598

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2.

INVENTORS HYMA/V POLLACK DAV/D BRA/VD ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1954 H. POLLACK ET AL 2,689,598

CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE I Filed on. 26. B51

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' INVEIVmRS HYMAN POLLACK DA V50 BRA/VD ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1954 CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Hyman Pollack, Brooklyn, and David Brand, Bronx, N. Y.

Application October 26, 1951, Serial No. 253,386 '1 Claims. (01. 155-40) This invention relates to convertible articles of furniture, more particularly to a combination of an understructure and a removable superstructure capable of serving as a chair, this being a continuation-in-part of our application filed April 25, 1950, Serial No. 157,894, now Patent No. 2,64%,506, dated July 7, 1953.

In our said previous application, as well as in certain commercial forms of convertible furniture articles of this category, the upper component is adapted to serve as a stationary chair, both when in assembled relation to the device, and when operatively detached therefrom. It is within the contemplation of our present invention to provide a structure of this class in which the upper component is capable of various uses, such as a high chair when operatively attached to the device, or either a stationary chair or a rocker when used as a separate and independent member. And in this aspect of our invention, it is an object to enable the said improved upper chair component to be operatively employable with the understructure of our said prior invention, with all the advantages thereof intact, without in anyway interfering with the table of our said prior invention, but with all the advantages of having as an upper detachable component a chair unit that can selectively be used either as a rocker or a stationary chair.

It is another object of our invention to present a chair member having a base portion comprising two rocker bar elements for rockable engagement with the floor, and yet which can firmly and immovably be attached to the understructure.

Still another object of our invention is the provision of a rocker chair member, particularly adapted for a convertible article of furniture, having a rocker base portion shaped to permit a limited rocking movement, and to effect a braking action for both forward and rearward movements, so as to provide a rocking chair that is safe for children.

It is further within our contemplation to provide positive rocker brake means whereby the device can be readily transformed from a rocker to a stable chair.

And it is our object to enable the above-stated objectives to be accomplished by a simple and readily fabricated device.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of our invention showing the under and superstructures in assembled relation, and supporting, as a high chair, the rocker-chair component of our invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 1 taken along line 33, thereleasable stop and locking means for the upper and lower sections being shown in locked position;

Figure 4 is a view like Fig. 3, but with the stop and locking member in retracted position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of Fig. 2 taken along line 5-5, the rear rocker brake-member being shown in full lines in its inoperative position, and in dot-dash lines in its operative position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the rocker-chair member shown in a rocking position, a portion being removed for clarity;

Figure 8 is a view like Fig. 7, the rocker-chair member being shown in its rearwardly inclined position with the rear flat braking portion in full engagement with the floor V Figure 9 is a view like Figs. 7 and 8, but showing the rocker-chair member in its forwardly disposed position, with the front flat braking portion in full engagement with the floor;

Figure 10 is another fragmentary side elevation of the rocker-chair member, showing the rear rocker stop in engagement with the floor; and

Figure 11 is a front view of the structure of Fig. 10, showing the intermediate or auxiliary v rocker stop in operative positions.

As in the case of our above-mentioned previous invention, the device comprises an understructure in interlocking engagement with a superstructure. The understructure is generally designated as l5, and the superstructure is generally designated as IS. The said understructure is substantially similar in construction to the corresponding part described in our said previous patent application; but the superstructure includes certain important differences which will hereinafter be more specifically pointed out. Suflice it to say, for the present, that the superstructure includes a rocker-chair member I! which is mounted upon the supporting structure I8, thereby presenting a device which, in its assembled form, constitutes a high chair. However, the rocker-chair member I! together with its supporting structure [8 may, as will hereinafter be explained, be removed from the understructure l5, and employed either as a rocking chair, or as a conventional stable or stationary chair.

The understructure comprises two inverted U-shaped leg members l9 and 2! member l9 consisting of front leg 2!, rear leg 22 and lateral connecting bar 23; and leg member 25 consists of front leg 24, rear leg 25 and lateral connecting bar 26. Attached to the inner surfaces of leg members it and 2c are the rail members generally designated as 27 and 28 containing the parallel rails 29 and 3B, respectively, joined by the rear bar 3!, the forward portions of said rail members containing the hand-gripping loop-s 32 and 33, respectively. Both of these loops con-- tain downwardly extending arcuate sections 3 1 and rearwardly extending lower sections 35.

As in the case of our said prior invention, it is preferred that the lateral bars 23 and of the leg members be disposed above the rails 23 and 39, thereby providing lateral supports against which the superstructure can slidably move when being operatively assembled thereon.

The said supporting member I3 of the superstructure contains the two base rocker bars 36 and 3'! connected together by the rear connecting bar 33, the forward portions of the said rocker bars being joined to the respective hand gripping portions 39 and as, each of these having the loops di and the upper inwardly extending supports 42 which support they chair [6 by suitable fasteners 44.

The device is further provided with combination stop and lock means similar to that described in our prior application, for stopping the forward or rearward movement of the superstructure upon the understructure, and releasably looking it in said predetermined assembled position. Said means, in the preferred form illustrated (Figures 3 and i), comprises an elongated element 55 extending thrcughthe rail 29 and proportioned to enter the aperture 46 in the forward flat portion 3? (see also Fig. 7) of the rocker bar 36. Disposed below and in abutting engagement with the head of element 'is the spring 48 p0- sitioned within the rail 2'3--the lower portion of the element having fixedly mounted thereon the cam knob t6 containing thereon the cam surface 56. In the position shown in Fig. 4, the highest point of the cam surface is inengagement with the undersideof rail 29, thereby causing a downward retraction of element 35- and its withdrawal from aperture 46; the superstructure can readily be made to slide over the rail. Upon a rotation of the knob 49 through an angleof 96, thelowest portion of the cam surface 55 comes into engagement with the underside of rail 23-, thereby permitting the locking' element 55 toenter the aperture 46, and effect an interlocking of the rail 29 and rocker bar 36, substantially in the manner described in our previous application; When this occurs, it is obvious that the superstructure cannot move relative to the understructureunless the engaged parts are released by operatively manipulating the knob 29. The arrangement is hence such that, as in the case of our prior invention, the hands are left free to grasp the loops 3| and 32 of the superstructure and manipulate it slidably upon the understructure, since the cam knob 49 will frictionally maintain itself in its unlocked position after it had been moved thereto.

Rotatably attached to the'rear connecting bar 38 of the rocker-chair member is the rear rocker brake stop 5!, this device being rotatable, by a simple manual manipulation, between its upper inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig.5 and also in Figs. 1, 2, '7, 8 and 9, andits lower In this position,

operative or rocker-braking position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 5 and also in Figs. 10 and 11. In the preferred structure of said stop 5 l a tube 52 is slidably and rotatably mounted on a shaft 53 extending through the diametrically opposite holes 54 and 55 in connecting bar 38, and the hole 56 in the cam member 51. The cam member 57 is in fixed engagement with the said bar 38, and has a concave cam surface proportioned to receive the said tube 52- and maintain it substantially normal to bar 38. Mounted over the shaft 53 is the spring 59 which is in abutment with cross-pin 80, thereby urging the tube 52 into frictional engagement with said cam surface 58. The operative end of the tube contains the rubber base cap 6| for engagement with the floor, the opposite end containing the removable plug 62.

The arrangement is hence such that the said stop member 5| may assume one of two positions, as aforesaideither the illustrated upright inoperative position or the downwardly-extending operative position, since the said concave cam surface 58 permits only such two positionings of the stop memberthereby readily enabling the rocker-chair member to be quickly converted from a rocker to a stable chair, or vice versa, as will more clearly hereinafter appear.

The rocker bars 36' and. 37 are each specially shaped so. as to provide three main sections, the aforesaid fiat forward braking section til, the rear flat braking section '63 and the intermediate arcuate rocking section 54. The functions of these sections will hereinbelow be described.

There is also an intermediate or auxiliary rocker stop comprising a substantially U-shaped rod with lateral legs 66 and 61 connected by the base bar E8, the said lateral legs having at their extremities the outwardly disposed horizontal extensions 69 and lil, respectively, rotatably supported by the brackets "H and 72, respectively, which are attached to the underside of seat '15. The said arms 69 and 13 contain the terminal portions 73 and M. The said auxiliary stop can accordingly be rotatably manipulated from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 9, for example, to the operative position shown in Figures 10 and 11. In the said inoperative position the legs 66 and '67 and the connecting bar 69 are disposed against the underside of the seat 15, the terminal portions 13 and 14 extending downwardly, as clearly indicated in Fig. 9. When it is desired to bring the said auxiliary stop 65 into its operative position, the said terminal portions 73 and 74 are moved rearwardly, whereupon the legs 66 and. 61, together with the connecting base bar 68 are brought downwardly so that said base bar is in engagement with the floor.

In opera-tively assembling the superstructure 16 upon the understructure i5, the loops M of the hand-gripping portions 39 and 40 are'grasped with both hands, and the rocker bars 36 and 31 placed upon the rails 23 and 3!] ofthe understructure, the superstructure being slid rearwardly until it is brought to a stop by the releasable locking element 45, hereinabove described. In the preferred structure illustrated,

the lateral bars 23 and 26- of the'understructure are, as aforesaid, spaced above and laterally outwardly with respect tothe said rails 29 and 39,

the said lateral bars 23 and 26 having mounted thereon the two inwardly extending guiding elements 16' and 11, respectively, in the manner of our previously referred to invention. These elements are preferably, although not necessarily, cylindrical members, which members are in spaced relation to and above the corresponding rails 29 and 30. The distance between element '16 and rail 29, and between element 11 and rail 30, is preferably such as to permit the forward fiat portions 47 of the rocker bars 36 and 31 to slidably move between the corresponding guiding elements and rails, substantially in the manner of the structure described in our said prior application.

When the device is assembled in the manner above described, a high-chair structure is presented wherein the chair It is maintained in stationary and stable condition, in view of the fact that the flat forward brake sections 41 of the rocker bars 36 and 37 are in full engagement with the correspondingly positioned rails 29 and 30, and locked in said position in the manner aforesaid. When it is desired to remove the superstructure, the cam knob 50 is operatively rotated to retract the locking element 45, in the manner above described, and the superstructure then slid forwardly for placement upon the floor.

As appears from Figs. 7 to 11, there are various positions that can be assumed by said rocker chair member. In the position shown in Fig. '7, the rocker bars 36 and 31 have their arcuate intermediate or rocker portions 64 resting upon the floor, the seat 15, which is parallel to the forward flat portions 41, being tilted rearwardly, which is most desirable for rocking chairs. Due to the comparatively short length of said arcuate portions 34, the rocking motion is limited to the angle A (Fig. 7), said angle being defined by the forward and rear limits I8 and 19 of arcuate rocker portions 64. Upon a rearward rocking motion, the fiat rear portions 63 of the rocker bars come into full engagement with the floor 86, as indicated in Fig. 8, such engagement being in effect a braking action and therefore causing a discontinuance of the rearward rocking movement, particularlybecause there are no arcs or curved positions in sections 63. Similarly, upon a forward rocking movement, the front flat section 4? comes into full engagement with the floor 86, as clearly shown in Fig. thereby effecting a similar braking action upon the forward rocking movement of the device.

It is thus apparent that the rocker bars 36 and 3! are so shaped as to permit a rocking movement, but of a limited degree, thereby enabling the device to be safely used by a child. Nevertheless, the shap of each of said rocker bars is such as to enable the chair to be firmly and immov'ably secured to the understructure, in'the manner aforesaid, to provide a safe and secure high chair arrangement.

Should it be desired to convert the rocker into a stationary chair, the stop member 5| is operatively swung downwardly to the position shown in Figs, 10 and 11, whereupon the terminal 6| comes into engagement with the floor. Since the said terminal is, as clearly appears from the drawing, spaced rearwardly from the fiat forward section 4'! and in the same plane with the underside thereof, it is apparent that the chair is now in a stable position. And in the event it is desired to create a more secure braking action against rocking, the said auxiliary stop 65 is operatively swung downwardly to the positions shown in Figs. 10 and 11, whereby the terminal Bl, the base bar 68 of member 65, and the bottom of the forward fiat section 41, all being in the same plane, are simultaneously in engagement with floor 8! It is of course obvious that stops 5! and 65 can be either separately or combinatively used as stop means.

The structure described above, while substantially similar to the invention of our first-filed application above mentioned presents certain improvements thereover, particularly in the form of the said novel rocker-chair member. Yet it is apparent that the said rocker-chair component can be employed, not merely as an independent unit, but also together with the understructure without interfering with any of the advantages of the invention set forth in the parent application.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a convertible article of furniture, an understructure and a superstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure having leg members, two parallel rail members, and relatively short guiding elements spaced above and disposed over a minor fractional portion of said rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member having a seat portion and a supporting member for the seat portion, the said supporting member containing two spaced rocker bars each having an arcuate rocking section, said rocker bars being slidably disposed upon said rail members and in underlying slidable engagement with said guiding elements, portions of said rocker bars being out of engagement with said railmembers and said guiding elements.

2. In a convertible article of furniture, an understructure and a superstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure having leg members and two spaced rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member having a seat portion and a supporting member for the seat portion, the said supporting member containing two spaced rocker bars each having an arcuate rocking section and a substantially straight section, said rocker bars being slidably disposed upon said rail members; and locking means releasably securing the said straight section of one of said rocker bars to the underlying rail, portions of said rocker bars being out of engagement with said rail members.

3. In a convertible article of furniture, the combination according to claim 2, characterized by the rail members having straight sections, the said rocker bars being of tubular configuration, the straight section of at least one of said rocker bars having an apertured portion disposed over the straight section of the underlying rail, the said locking means having a retractable locking element supported by said underlying rail and adapted to extend into said apertured portion.

4. In a convertible article of furniture, an understructure and a superstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure having leg members and two spaced rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member having a seat portion and a supporting member for the seat portion, the said supporting member containing two spaced rocker bars each having a forward and a rear straight braking section and an intermediate arcuate rocking section, said rocker bars being slidably disposed upon said, rail" members, said rail members containing straight sections; and locking means on at least one of the straight sections of said. rails releasably securing thereto one. of. said straight brak ing sections, whereby the said straight braking section will be maintained in contact with the straight section of the underlying rail and the rocker member held against movement, portions of said. rocker bars: being out of engagement with said rail members.

5.111 a convertible article of furniture, an understructure and a superstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure having leg members and two spaced rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member having a seat'porti'on and a: supporting mem' ber for the seat portion, the saidsupporting member containing two spaced rocker bars and a rear connecting bar therebetween, each of said rocker bars having an. arcuate rocking section and a substantially straight front braking section, said rocker bars being slidably disposed upon said rail members; and. a rear rocker brake stop rotatably mounted upon said connecting bar, said stop being movable to an operative braking position in which the base of the stop is adapted for engagement with the floor, the length of the said stop being such that when it is in said braking position the base of the stop is in the same plane as the said front braking section, portions of said rocker bars being out of engagement with said rail members when said stop is in said braking position.

6. In a convertible article of furniture, on un derstructure and a superstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure havingleg members and two spaced rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member having a seat portion and a'supporting member for the seat portion, the said supporting members containing two spaced rocker bars and a rear connecting bar therebetween, each of said rocker bars having an arcuate rocking section and a substantially straight front braking sec-- tion, said rail members containing straight sections thereon, said rocker bars being slidabiy disposed upon said rail members, said front braking sections being engageable along the length thereof with the straight sections of said rail members; and a rear rocker brake stop rotatably mounted upon said rear connecting bar, said stop being movable between an inoperative and an operative position, the stop having a base 8? which is inthe same plane as the: said front braking sections when the stop. is in said operative position, portions of said rocker bars to the rear of' said front braking sections being out of engagement with said rail members when said stop is in said. operative position.

7.. In a convertible article of furniture, an understructure and. asuperstructure removably supported thereby; the said understructure having leg. members and two. spaced rail members; the superstructure comprising a rocker-chair member'having a seat. portion and a supporting membe]: for the seat portion, the said. supporting members containing two spacedrocker bars and a rear connecting bar'therebetween, each of said rocker bars having an arcuate rocking section and. a substantially straight front braking section, said rail members containing straight sections. thereon, said: rocker bars being slidably disposed upon said raiL members; said front braking. sections'being'engageab'le along the length thereof with the straight sections of said rail memhere; a rear rocker brake stop rotatably mounted upon, said rear connecting bar; and an auxiliary rocker stop pivotally mounted on the underside of said seat portion, said stops being movable to predetermined operative braking positions, both of said stops having base portions which are in the same plane. as the said front braking sections when the stops are in theirsaid operative positions, portions of said. rocker bars to the rear of saidfront brakingv sections: being out of engagement with said rail members when both of said stops are in their said operative positions.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS QTHER REFERENCES Stroll-O-Chair Pamphlet, published by Baby Carriage Manufacturing Qompany.

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