US3051527A - Portable foot and leg rest - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Bv @cf/Apo J/VcA/E/v/VA fe( MQ Arron/Vey R. J. MCKENNA PORTABLE FOOT AND LEG REST Aug. 28, 1962 Filed Aug. ll. 1960 v OO 1 yrs Aug. 28, 1962 R. J. MoKr-:NNA

PORTABLE FOOT AND LEO REST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. ll. 1960 INVENTOR. ,Qa/ARD JMC/@MVA 3,651,527 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 3,051,527 PORTABLE F091" AND LEG REST Richard J. McKenna, 20540 Eastwood Ave.,

Cleveland, Ohio v Filed Aug. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 48,948 3 Claims. (Cl. 297-439) My invention relates to a portable foot and leg rest for use with chairs, primarily with rocking chairs, but which also has various applications as a relaxer and las a support for the feet and legs of injured persons both in the home and in hospitals.

An object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive yet highly attractive and practical means for supporting the legs and feet of a person occupying a rocking chair, thus providing firm and uninterrupted support While the chair is in motion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pivotal foot and leg rest which will maintain lfirm support for said members of the body especially when used in conjunction with a rocking chair.

Another object of my invention is a device of this character having an adjustable foot and leg supporting member so that it can be adapted to various sizes or heights of chairs, and, when used as a relaxer, to the desired angular position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a relaxer, particularly for persons with varicose veins, and especially for women in pre-natal or post-natal condition, which will give full support to the legs while the rest of the body is in a horizontal position.

A still further object of my invention is its ability to remain upright when the feet and legs of a person using my device are removed and then, by a simple manipulation, the whole unit can be folded or collapsed into a compact article with a carrying handle, and can be conveniently stored away.

Another object of my invention is its simplicity of construction, its adaptation to economical manufacture and its comfort and effectiveness in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description of the embodiments thereof progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawings:A

FIGURE l is a perspective view of my foot and leg rest forming one embodiment of my invention and showing the same in use;

FIGURE 2 is a side View illustrating the adjustabili-ty of my device;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the foot and leg rest shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view, broken away at the bottom, showing the leg rest tilted to allow for adjustments to any desired height;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the foot and leg rest shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of my device in its folded or collapsed position; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of my invention shown in use as a relaxer.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a construction including relatively adjustable members comprising a floorengaging panel member 1 and a foot and leg support 2, each of which may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, plastic, berglas or metal. The floor-engaging member 1 is a at rectangular member having cemented or otherwise fastened along one end thereof a U- shaped piece of rubber or other resilient friction means 3 which will prevent shifting of [the device when in use.

The member 1 is also provided with a stand 4 welded or otherwise secured `to a cross piece 5, which cross piece is fastened to the member 1 by means of clamps 6. This stand 4 provides a support for my device when not in use, as in FIGURE 2, but can be folded back against the member 1 when it is desired to collapse the device either for carrying or storage, as in FIGURE 6.

The member or panel 1 is provided with a pair of hinge elements each of which consists primarily of an upper open coiled portion 7 and spaced apart depending straps 8 and 8 which telescope over the upper end of the floor engaging member 1 and extend down along opposite ends thereof. These straps are fastened to the member l by any suitable means, such as indicated at 9 and extend downwardly from the top to beyond the mid point of the member 1 and provide means on the back side of the member 1 with which the band portion 10 of the member 2 is frictionally engaged when the leg rest 2 is in any one of its leg supporting positions.

The straps 8 and 8 converge above the top end of the member 1, as at 11, and are secured together as by welding or the like, the extreme upper ends of the straps 8 extending beyond the weld and terminating in the upper coil portion 7, for purposes which will be presently described.

The `foot and leg support 2 comprises essentially a at panel which may have its plane surfaces covered with a cushioned layer if desired to provide additional oomfort to the user.

The panel or support 2 has a marginal band comprising two side portions 12 and l12 and an end portion 10 which preferably constitute a continuous Iband along three sides of the support 2. This band is secured to the support as at 13 and is substantially U-shape, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The base of this U-shaped band which comprises the portion 10 and the adjacent end portions of the side members 12 and 12' is spaced longitudinally from the inner end 1.4 of the support 2 to receive the oor engaging mem'ber 1 within the space so that the support 2 and the member 1 are `capable of relative movement along the longitudinal axis of the member 1 to any adjusted relative position. The selected position may be maintained by the weight of the extended support 2, as shown, for instance, in FIGURE l, Whether or not this member is supporting the users feet and legs. When it is desired to readjust the position, it is merely necessary for the user to lift the outer end of the member 2 slightly and to slide this support to another selected position and when the lifting effort on the support 2 is released, its weight will cause the edge 14 of the support 2 to engage the straps 8 while the transversely extending yband portion 10 will frictionally engage the straps 8. With such frictional engagement on both sides of the member 1, the support will stay in the selected adjusted position.

The open coiled ends 7 of the hinge elements are each coiled in the same direction, the convolutions being spaced apart and terminating in the free ends 15.

It will thus be seen that when the foot and leg support 2 is moved upwardly along the member 1 from the position shown in FIGURE l, the transverse band portion 10 will enter the open coiled ends 16 between the convolutions and when the support 2 is flipped over from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 6, the portion 10 will assume the position shown in FIG. 6 whereby the support 2 will now lie substantially parallel with the back side of the oor engaging member 1 and will -be suspended from the top thereof in substantially the position shown in this ligure.

When the parts are in the position shown in FIG. 6

3 for transporting or for storage, the stand 4 will be in the the Aposition shown vin FIG. 6 and it will thus be seen that when so folded or collapsed, the device forms a very compact structure which may easily be transported or stored.

In FIG. 7 the versatility of this device is .illustrated wherein it may be utilized as a relaxer whereby a persons legs and feet may be supported in an inclined upright position against the Hoor engaging panel 1 while the-supporting member 2 is utilized to support the member 1 in its upright angular position. In this manner of use, the open coiled ends 7 of the hinge element engage the floor to support the mem-ber 1 while the forward end or edge v17 ofthe panel 2 also engages the floor to provide a rigid supporting means for supporting the legs andfeet of the user in the desired angular position.

The angular position may be adjusted'in this type of use by drawing the end 3 of the member 1 to the right in FIG. 7, which will release the frictional holding relationship between the members 1 and 2 and, in such position, the panel 2 may be'adjusted in either direction along themember 1. If lesser angle of the member 1 with the kiloor is desired, the panel 2 is adjusted upwardly, as in FIG. 7. If a wider angle of the panel 1 with the oor is desired to effect a higher elevation in supporting the Vfeet and the legs, the panel 2 is adjusted downwardly of the panel 1.

As used in FIG. 7, the stand 4 may be retracted as shown and also as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The cross piece ofthe stand 4 is bent upwardly at its opposite ends, as illustrated at 5', and when the device lis in the position shown in FIG. l, these bent ends act as av limiting means for the angular position of the stand 4.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a portable foot and leg rest which is simple of construction and which is versatile in its application in use. The device is one which affords comfortto the user and when the user is seated in a rocking chair, as in FIG. l, the rocking motion of the user will rock the device about its lower end, as a fulcrum, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1, without disturbing the selected relative adjustment of the members 1 and 2.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A portable foot and legrestand relaxer. comprising aV floorengaging panel member adapted, when in use, to engage the oor with one of its ends as a fulcrum, and a tiltable foot and leg supporting panel having `a transverserportion embracing saidiirst panel, said panels being relatively slidable one along the other, cooperating means carried by said relatively slidable panels whereby the panels may be stacked one over the other in substantially parallel relation for storage or carrying, said last named means including a hinge member at the end ofr'said first panel for pivotally and slidably receiving and guiding said transverse portion when said panels are moved to stacked position.

2. A portable foot and leg rest anderelaxer compsing a oor engaging panel member adapted, when in use, to engage the floor with one of its ends as a fulcrum, and a tiltable footand leg supporting panel having a-transverse portion embracing said rst panel, said panels -being relatively slidable one along the other, cooperating means carried by ysaid relatively slidable panels whereby the panels may -be stacked one over the other in substantially parallel relation for storage or carrying, said last named means including a pair of laterally spaced apart hinge members secured to one end of said floor engaging panel and-having free end-portions extending'beyond said one panel end, said free 'endportions being formed to receive said transverse panel embracing portion and to permit the ltiltable panel to ybe disposed adjacent to and substantially parallel with the opposite side of the irst panel.

3. A portable foot and leg rest and relaxer comprising a floor engaging panel member adapted, when in use, to

engage the floor with one of its ends as a fulcrum, vand a `tiltable foot and le-g supporting panel having a transverse portion embracing said first panel, said panels being relatively slidableone yalong the other, cooperating means carried by said relatively slidable panels ywhereby the panels may be stacked one over the other insubstantially parallel relation for storage or carrying, said last named means including'a pair of laterally spaced yapart -hinge members secured to one end of said'oor engaging Ypanel and having free end portions extending beyond said one panel end, said free endfportions being vformed to receive said transverse panel embracing portion and to permit the tiltable panel to be disposed adjacent to and su-bstantially parallel with the opposite'side of the'rst panel, said hinge members having depending straps disposedon opposite faces of said iloorv engaging panel and along the path o f and for engagement with said transverse ernbracing portion and the adjacent end of said supporting panel whereby to frictionally retain the supporting panel in a selected elevated position with respect tothe oor panel.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images