US2991035A - Combination walking stick and stool - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1961 W. A. PUCKETT COMBINATION WALKING STICK AND STOOL Filed Dec. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VENTOR M14 752 A. Pia/(77 ATTORNEY- July 4, 1961 w. A. PUCKETT 2,991,035

COMBINATION WALKING STICK AND STOOL Filed Dec. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR WALEZ 14. PVJ/(f/T ATTORNEY United States Patent O 2,991,035 COMBINATION WALKING STICK Walter This invention relates to a combination walking stick and stool, and it particularly relates to such a combination wherein the stool is collapsible against the walking stick.

There have, heretofore, been various attempts made to provide a collapsible stool which could be easily carried about and set up when desired. However, these prior type stools usually required some anchoring means such as soft ground into which the base of the stool could be inserted, or a tree against which it could rest, etc. There was generally no provision made for a collapsible stool which'could be set up on either soft or hard ground or without any other supporting means. Those fewattempts which did involve this condition were usually ineffective since the stools were not sufliciently strong or steady to serve the purpose. There were even some attempts to combine a collapsible stool with a walking stick; "However, these devices, too, were not adapted to be used on any surface and were, in addition, too heavy, bulky and complex.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a combination walking stick and stool which overcomes all the above defects of prior devices of this general type and which is capable of being set up on any surface that is capable of supporting an ordinary stool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination walking stick and stool wherein the walking stick is removable from the stool, but which when present, acts as a fourth leg and as a back rest.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination walking stick and stool wherein when the stool is collapsed against the stick, the entire assembly can readily be used as a crutch or the like.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved combination walking stick and stool, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the present invention, the device being illustrated with the stool in open position in full line and in closed, collapsed position in dotted outline.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the device in closed position.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a combination device, generally designated 10, comprising a stool portion 12 and a walking stick portion 14. The stool portion 12 is adapted to be collapsed against the walking stick portion 14.

The stool portion 12 comprises a seat 16 generally diamond-shaped in outline, having oppositely-disposed narrow ends from which the edges taper outwardly toward a curved median portion of relatively large diameter (as best illustrated in FIG. 6).

At the forward end of the seat 16, on the underside thereof, is provided a hinge plate 18 connected to seat 16 by rivets or the like indicated at 20. A hinge 22 is pro- 2,991,035 Patented July 4, 1961 'ice . 2 vided along the forward edge of plate 18 and hingedly connects the plate 18 to a mounting plate24. A tubular leg 26, preferably constructed of aluminum or the like, is attached to mounting plate 24 by rivets or the like 28. Similar tubular legs 30 and 62-are connected to the op posite-sides of the median portion of seat 16 by similar hinge plates 34 and 36 respectively. I J

The legs 26, 30 and 32 are connected to each other by pivotal links 38 and 40 (best shown in-FIG. 2); these links being respectively connected between legs 26 and 30 and between legs 26 and 32 by pivot pins shown respectively at 42, 44 and 46 in FIG. 2. The legs 30 and 3-2 V are also connected to the stick 14 by pivoted links 48 and 56' which are also connected to legs 30 and 32 by the respective pivot pins 44 and 46 and which are inclined toward each other to form an apex portion. At this apex portion, the two links 48 and 50 are provided with straight flange portions 52 and. 54 which are held together within the legs of a clamping member 56 by a pivot pin 58. The clamping member 56 itself encircles the walking stick 14 to releasably connect the links 48 and 50 to the walking stick. The legs 30 and 32 are further connected to each other by a pair of links 60 and 62 which are pivoted to each other by a pivot pin 64, while the median portion of leg 26 is connected to the underside of the seat 16 by a collapsible bracing means in the form of links 66 and 68 which are respectively pivoted to the leg 26 by pivot pin 70 and to the seat 16 by pivot pin 72 positioned in a flange 74 of a plate 76 fixed to the underside of seat 16 by rivet or the like 78.

The seat 16 is releasably and pivotally secured to the walking stick 14 by a clamping collar 80 having ears 82 embracing a flange 84 extending from a plate 86 at the rear end of the seat 16. The plate 86 is secured to seat 16 by rivets or the like 88 and a pivot pin 90 extends through the ears 82 and flange 84 to pivotally connect the parts.

Depending from the underside of the seat16, adjacent the front end thereof, is an eyelet 92 to which is pivotally connected an eyelet 94 integral with a hook 96. This hook 96 is provided with an opening 98 in its lateral arm; this opening 98 being of a size to snugly embrace the walking stick 14 just below the handle 100 on the walking stick.

In the use of the above-described device, when it is desired to use it as a seat, the parts are merely brought into the positions shown in full line in FIG. 1. This provides a sturdy, four-legged stool wherein the walking stick 14 acts as a. back-rest. If desired, the clamping collars 56 and 80 can be released from the walking stick 14 and the walking stick can then be removed. When this is done, there is provided a three-legged stool which is still sturdy enough to support a person although it lacks a back-rest and is, of course, not quite as sturdy as the four-legged stool. However, it somewhat compensates by being lighter and easier to move about.

With the stool portion 12 attached to the walking stick portion 14, when it is desired to collapse the assembly into a compact unit, the seat 16 is merely lifted up into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 1, after having first released the pivot connection between links 60 and 62 by merely moving these links toward each other. With the assembly in this collapsed, or closed, position, a person can use the entire assembly as a cane or crutch by means of the handle 100. Then when the person reaches a place where he wishes to rest, he merely drops the stool portion 12 back into the full line position of FIG. 1. In this connection, it should be noted that in the collapsed position, the hook 96 is slipped over the walking stick 14 to retain the parts in the collapsed position (as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6). Therefore, when the person wishes to use the device as a stool, he merely releases the hook 96 and pulls the seat 16 and its accompanying parts down into the proper position.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may-bevariously embodied, and the scope of-the invention is to be determined as claimed.

' Having thus set forth and disclosed the-nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A combination walking stick and stool comprising an elongated separable walking stick, a clamping collar releasably positioned intermediate the ends of said stick, a pivot connection on said clamping collar, a generally diamond-shaped four-sided, four-cornered relatively flat seat having a flange secured thereto at the top thereof at one narrow corner. pivotally connected to said pivot connection on said clamping collar, a leg hingedly connected to the underside of said seat at each of the other one narrow and two wide corners thereof, bracing link means connecting said three legs to each other and to said seat, said bracing link means including a pivoted link between the leg which is pivoted to the other narrow corner of said seat and each of the other two legs which are each pivoted to a wide corner of said seat, a second pivoted link pivoted to each said first mentioned pivoted links at one of their ends and to each other at their other ends, a

foldable bracing link between said narrow seat corner leg and the bottom-of said seat, and a foldable bracing link connecting said two wide seat corner legs to each other, a second walking stick clamping collar pivoted to the pivotal connection at said other ends between said second pivoted links, sai d second clamping collar being releasably positioned onsaid walking stick in spaced relationship to said-firstmentioned clamping collar thereon, that portion of said walking stick above the plane of said seat serving as a back rest and that portion of said walking stick below the plane of said seat. serving as a support when said seat and its associated parts are pivotally collapsed thereagainst, and as a fourth leg when said seat and its associated parts are laterally displaced from said walking stick.

,References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,414,771 Cantleberry May 2, 1922 2,766,813 Kay Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,846 Norway July 27, 1914 326,736 Germany Oct. 2, 1920 163,509 Great Britain May 26, 1921

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