US3128123A - Convertible chairs - Google Patents

Description

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CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS pril 7 19 Filed April 2 1962 5 Sheets-s l OVZAAM BY I To/wa April 7, I964 Filed April 2, 1962 W.v SCHREIER CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y me TOR j/ m/ ouQ/u ATTORNE/ April 7, 1964 w. SCHREIER CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 2, 1962 INVEl/TZJR ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 w. SCHREIER CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS Filed April 2. 1962 Fig.4. I

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 MAWJM m ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 w. SCHREIER 3,128,123

CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS Filed April 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTUR am ELF-6 United States Patent 3,128,123 CONVERTIBLE CHAIRS Wilhelm Schrcier, London, England, assignor to P.

Fanghanel and Company Limited, London, England, a company of Great Britain Filed Apr. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 184,367 Claims priority, application Great Britain Apr. 4, 1961 13 Claims. (Cl. 297-118) This invention relates to convertible chairs and is particularly concerned with an arm chair which is capable of being converted into a settee.

Many forms of convertible furniture are well known but in the past most such conversions have been to provide a different use for the article concerned. For example, it is common practice to provide both arm chairs and settees which convert into beds.

However, in present day domestic premises the available living space is generally comparatively small and many people prefer to include only a moderate amount of furniture in a living room in order to create an atmosphere of spaciousness. However, such an arrangement has the disadvantage that only a few people can be seated comfortably in the room and on occasions when more people are present additional chairs need to be brought from other rooms.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved arm chair which may readily be converted into a settee.

According to the present invention there is provided a convertible arm chair having a back, first and second arms and a seat, means for moving the second arm into line with the first arm and means for moving the back into line with the seat.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a chair frame according to the invention with some parts removed for clarity,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of FIG. I converted to its settee position,

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III of FIG. 4 but showing the frame in the chair position,

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IVIV of FIG. 3 but showing the frame in the settee position, and

FIG. 5 is a part sectional view of a modified chair back.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 the chair base frame comprises two co-operating parts indicated generally at 1 and 2. The parts are in the form of shallow boxes the part 1 comprising a front wall 3 and a side wall 4 respectively constituting the front and side walls of the base frame, a rear wall 5 constituting half the rear wall of the base frame and an inclined wall 6. The part 2 comprises a side wall 7 constituting the other side wall of the base frame a rear wall 8 constituting the other half of the rear wall of the base frame and an intermediate wall 9. Thus the part 1 is generally quadrilateral whilst the part 2 is generally triangular and these parts are hinged together at the juncture of the walls 5 and 8 by a hinge 10 the pivot 11 of which is located externally of the base frame. The part 1 is provided with legs 12., 13 and 14 extending downwardly and respectively terminating in castors 15, 16 and 17 and the part 2 is provided with a single leg 18 terminating in a castor 19. As shown in FIG. 1 when the two parts of the base frame are in the chair position the walls 6 and 9 lie adjacent one another and the legs and their castors are disposed one at each corner of the frame.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4 a rod 20 extends transversely across the part 1 inwardly of its front wall 3 and ice parallel thereto. The rod passes through apertures such as 21 in the walls 4 and 6 and is axially slidable against the action of a coil spring 22 acting between the wall 6 and a transverse peg 23 carried by the rod. A lever 24 comprising arms 25 and 26 is pivoted at 27 to the part 1 so that its arm 25 which has a bifurcated outer end extends downwardly to embrace the rod 2t) on the side of the peg 23 remote from the wall 6. The arm 26 extends freely through an aperture 28 in the wall 6 and is bent to constitute a catch 29 for co-operation with an element 30 having an upstanding front wall 31 carried at the juncture of the walls 7 and 9 of the part 2. A spring 32 acts between the arm 26 and the upper part of the aperture 28 to urge the catch 29 towards its closed position. A tube 33 slidable on the rod 2i) extends between the arm 25 and a toggle 34 carried by a shaft 35 journalled between the front wall 3 and the wall 5 of the part 1. inwardly of the wall 5 the shaft 35 carries an operating handle 36 which may be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 to the position in chain dotted lines where it serves as an additional support for the base frame as will be described hereinafter. Rotation of the handle causes the toggle to engage with the tube 33 and moves the latter to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 so that the lever 24 is rotated and the catch 29 moved out of engagement with the front wall 31 of the element 30. At this time the rod 20 is moved in the same direction by engagement of the arm 25 with the peg 23 so that its end 37 may release a further catch to be described hereinafter. During movement of the rod 20 to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 its opposite end extending outwardly of the wall 6 passes freely through slots (not shown) formed in the front wall 31 and the catch 29.

Tubular supports 38, 39 and 40, 41 extend across the two parts of the base frame and their outer ends project respectively beyond the walls 4 and 7 to carry upwardly extending strips 42, 43, 44 and 45. Each of the strips is embraced by a co-operating support tube 46, 47, 48 and 49 formed with diametrally opposed axially extended slots 50 and 51 (FIG. 4) and pivoted at its lower end to its associated strip by a pin such as 52. As shown in FIG. 4 the upper end of the strip 44 is formed with an inclined shoulder 53 the outer edge of which is of a height to pass freely through the slot 50. At its inner end the shoulder 53 adjoins an upwardly projecting tongue 54 the inwardly facing surface 55 of which is normal to the shoulder 53 and the outwardly facing surface 56 of which extends parallel with the side edge of the strip 44 and terminates in a shoulder 57 of a height to pass freely through the slot 51. Thus the tube 48 may extend upwardly as shown in FIG. 4 with the upper part of the slot 51 above the shoulder 57 or it may pivot as shown in FIG. 1 until the slot 5% passes over the shoulder 53 and the inwardly facing surface 55 of the tongue 54 engages the Wall of the tube above the slot 50. The arrangement of the other strips and tubes is identical with that of the strip 44 and the tube 43 except that the strips 43 and 45 are oppositely disposed so that the tubes 47 and 49 pivot in the opposite direction.

The strips 42, 43, 44 and 45 and the tubular supports 46, 47, 48 and 49 are adapted to receive arm units as will hereinafter be described.

Referring now to FIG. 1 the chair frame further comprises a seat frame indicated generally at 53 and a back frame indicated generally at 54. The seat frame 53 is generally rectangular and comprises a front bar 55, side bars 56 and 57 and a tubular rear bar 58. A pair of box structures 59 and 60 is formed integrally with the seat frame at the two rear corners thereof to co-operate with the back frame of the chair as will hereinafter be described. The back frame 54 comprises top and bottom bars 61 and 62 and side bars 63 and 64 together with support rods 65 and 66 respectively extending alongside the side bars 63 and 64 and journalled in bearings such as 67 to be rotatable relative to the side bars. At their upper ends the support rods are bent at right angles to constitute legs 68 and 69 respectively terminating in castors 7t) and 71. As shown in FIG. 1 the leg 69 is longer than the leg 68. At their lower ends the rods 65 and 66 are bent to constitute feet 72 and 73 which are mutually at right angles with their associated rods and legs. These feet respectively co-operate with the boxes 59 and 69 as will now be described.

The box 59 comprises an upper plate 74 extending in the plane of the upper surface of the seat frame 53 and having an inner depending wall 75 the lower edge 76 of which lies at an acute angle to the plane of the plate 74. The box also comprises a lower plate 77 which is inclined generally upwardly of the seat frame from the back towards the front thereof and includes a part 78 which lies in a plane at an acute angle to the plane of the upper plate 74. At the juncture of the bars 56 and 58 the box 59 is formed with an aperture 59a for receiving the lower end of the support rod 65 so that its foot 72 lies between the plates 74 and 77. As shown in FIG. 3 a web 79 connects the plates 74 and 77 and serves as a bearing for the foot 72 the outer extremity of which is held beneath the upper plate 74 to maintain the back frame in the chair position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The foot 73 is similarly located between the upper and lower plates 80 and 81 of the box 66 (FIG. 2) but in this case the configuration of the box is different from that of the box 59; the inner part of the lower plate 81 is bent to lie in a plane parallel with that of the part 78 of the box 59. In addition the box 69 is provided with a depressed portion 82 for receiving the foot 73 through an aperture 83. It will here be appreciated that the inner part of the lower plate 81 of the box 69 inclines towards the upper plate 80 and this box is therefore not provided with a downwardly extending inner depending wall such as 7 on the box 59.

The seat frame 53 is provided with a pair of socket elements 84 and 85 for co-operating with balls 86 and 87 respectively carried at the upper ends of the legs 12 and 14 of the base frame of the chair. As shown in FIG. 1 the socket element 35 extends downwardly below the seat frame by a greater distance than the element 84 and in addition the leg 14 of the base frame extends upwardly therefrom at a greater distance than the leg 12.

The seat frame is supported on the base frame by the ball and socket joints so as to be tiltable thereabout from a first position in which the box 60 rests upon the part 2 of the base frame or a block (not shown) carried thereby to a second position in which the front corner of the seat frame constituted by the juncture of the bars 55 and 56 is closely adjacent the part 1 of the base frame. As shown in FIG. 1 the bar 56 of the seat frame 53 carries towards its forward end a downwardly extending hinged strap 88 formed with two apertures 89 and 90. This strap passes alongside the outer surface of the side wall 4 within a guide box 91. The holes 69 and 9G in the first and second positions of the seat frame co-operate with the end 37 of the rod 20 (FIG. 4) as described above. A coil extension spring 92 is fixed at its upper end to the bar 56 and at its lower end to the rod 29 so that the seat frame is biased towards its second position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 chair arms have been indi cated by chain dotted outlines 93 and 94. No constructional details of these arms will be given since it is intended that individual manufacturers may use a standard wood or metal frame construction suitably upholstered but in order that the arms may co-operate with the support tubes 46, 48 and 47, 49 it is intended that they shall incorporate suitable socket members indicated at 95 and 96 in FIG. 3. These socket members may conveniently be castings and the member 95 comprises similar front and back walls 97 and 98 the lower front edges of which are cut back to provide shoulders one of which is shown at 99 in the front wall 97. The front and back walls 97 and 98 are joined by a top wall 109 and a bottom wall 191 which extends outwardly beyond the front and back walls to constitute flanges by which the socket may be secured to the arm frame. The front and back walls 97 and 98 are also joined by a side wall 102 the lower part 163 of which extends normally upwardly from the bottom wall 191 and the upper part 164 of which is inclined towards the side edge 165 of the socket and terminates short of the upper wall 199 to define therewith an aperture 166. The opposite side edge of the socket is open between the front and rear walls 97 and 98 to accommodate the tube 46.

The socket 96 comprises front and rear walls 107 and 108 a top wall 199 and a bottom wall 111) extended outwardly of the front and back walls to constitute flanges by which the socket may be secured to the arm frame. The socket also comprises a side wall 111 extending downwardly from the top wall 169 but terminating short of the bottom wall 111) and a side wall 112 extending upwardly from the bottom wall 116 but terminating short of the top wall 199 to define therewith an aperture 113. The lowermost part 114 of the side wall 112 extends normally upwardly from the bottom wall 110 and the uppermost part 115 of this side wall is inclined towards the side edge of the socket.

The sockets for the other arm 94 are identical with those described above and are similarly disposed relative to the base frame so that the back walls 98 and 198 become the front walls. When the sockets are in the full line position as shown in FIG. 3 they closely embrace their associated tubular supports and strips so that the supports cannot pivot relative to the strips and the arms 93 and 94 are held firmly in an upright position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 chain dotted lines 116 indicate upholstery constituting a seat cushion and chain dotted lines 1117 indicate upholstery constituting a back cushion and it will be noted that the rear end of the seat cushion extends beneath the back cushion.

It will be appreciated that as described above the chair frame is in the chair position. In order to convert the chair of FIGS. 1 and 3 into the settee of FIGS. 2 and 4 it is necessary to effect the following operations:

(1) Raise, pivot and tilt the arms 93 and 94;

(2) Release the locking catches and pivot the base part 2 about the base part 1 until the arm 94 is in line with the arm 93;

(3) Release the back frame 54 from locking engage ment with the seat frame 53 and lower the back frame until it is in line with the seat frame;

(4) Move the back frame axially relative to the seat frame until its cushion 117 is contiguous with the seat cushion 116 and lock the parts in the settee position.

As shown in FIG. 3 the upper surface 118 of the chair arm 93 is inclined downwardly from the front of the chair to its rear generally parallel with the upper surface of the seat cushion 116. Since the arm 93 in the settee position is to constitute part of the settee back it is necessary both to raise the arm and pivot it until the surface 118 is generally horizontal and to tilt it so that it slopes outwardly away from the chair frame. The sockets and 96 permit this lifting, pivoting and tilting operation to be performed. As will be clear from FIG. 3 the arm 93 may be lifted until the shoulder 99 of the socket 95 is above the shoulder 53 of the strip 42 and the lower surface of the bottom wall of the socket 96 is above the shoulder 53 of the strip 44. This lifting movement will also have lifted the rear of the arm 93 more than the front so that it is tilted until its upper surface 118 is generally horizon tal and the arm assumes the position shown in chain dotted lines 119. The tubular supports 46 and 48 will then lie respectively against the parts 164 and of the walls 162 and 112.

In this position the tubular supports 46 and 48 may pivot relative to their associated strips 42 and 44 as indicated in FIG. 4. If the arm 93 is then released it remains supported by engagement of the shoulder 99 of the socket 95 with the shoulder 53 of the strip 42 and engagement of the lower surface of the bottom wall 110 of the socket 96 with the shoulder 53 of the strip 44. The other arm 94 may be similarly lifted, pivoted and tilted it being remembered that the sockets co-operating with the tubular supports 47 and 49 are identical with the sockets 95 and 96 and permit the supports 47 and 49 to be tilted outwardly from the base frame in the opposite direction to the supports 46 and 48.

The latching mechanism is then released by rotating the operating handle 36 as shown in FIG. 4 to its chain dotted position 36a. Rotation of the handle causes the toggle 34 to engage the tube 33 and release the catch 29 as described above. This movement also moves the rod 20 to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 to release its end 37 from engagement with the aperture 89 of the hinged strap 88.

The base part 2 is then pivoted about the base part 1 until its wall 8 lies alongside the wall 5 of the base part 1 and its wall 7 is co-linear with the wall 4 of the base part 1. This position is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. During movement of the base part 2 the chair frame is prevented from tilting over by the handle 36 which is of such a length that in the position 36a it serves as an additional leg for the chair.

The back frame 54 is then lowered by rotating the support rods 65 and 66 until the legs 68 and 69 stand away from the back frame as shown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 3. This movement of the legs to which access is gained through an openable flap (not shown) in the upholstery of the chair back also rotates the feet 72 and 73 until the latter lie respectively along the web 79 of the box 59 and the similar web of the box 69. The back frame may then be hinged downwardly about the boxes 59 and 60 until the castors 70 and 71 support the back frame.

It will here be appreciated that when the latch mechanism was released as described above to free the end 37 of the rod 26) from engagement with the hinged strap 88 the spring 92 would have caused the seat frame to pivot about the ball joints 86 and 87 until the corner of the seat frame at the juncture of the bars 56 and 55 moved downwardly towards the base frame so that the strap 38 was lowered to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 where its aperture 90 is latched by the end 27 of the rod 20. This movement would have caused the seat frame to tilt in the manner shown in FIG. 4 so that when the back frame 54 is lowered as described above it is tilted in the same manner since it is wholly carried by the seat frame and the leg 69 which is longer than the leg 68 maintains this desired degree of tilt. When the back frame is lowered as described above it will be appreciated that the lower surface of the back cushion 117 is spaced from the rear surface of the seat cushion 116. The back frame is then moved longitudinally towards the seat frame the feet 72 and 73 sliding between the upper and lower plates of the boxes 59 and 6% until the gap between the cushions 116 and 117 has been closed. As will be appreciated during this movement the foot 72 is held firmly between the depending wall 75 and the part 73 of the bottom plate '77 of the box 59 and the foot 73 is similarly held between the upper and lower plates of the box 60. It will here be seen from FIG. 4 of the drawings that the foot 73 is formed with a fiat 121 for close engagement beneath the upper plate 80 of the box 60.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the leg 68 carries a spring clip 121 which when the back frame is moved longitudinally towards the seat frame as described above engages over the element 30 carried by the part 2 of the base frame. This engagement serves to lock the parts in the settee position.

Reference has been made above to tilting the seat frame on the ball joints 86 and 87. It will be apparent that the axis about which the seat frame tilts extends both generally diagonally of the seat frame and also at a small acute angle to the plane containing the seat frame. This ensures that when the seat frame is tilted from its chair position to its settee position the edge of the upholstery of the seat frame extending along the bar 56 is truly parallel wih the side wall 4 of the base frame. It will be appreciated however that if, in the settee position a variable gap width between the upholstery of the seat frame and the upholstery of the arm 93 can be accepted then the axis about which the seat frame tilts can extend parallel with or more nearly parallel with the plane containing the seat frame.

It will be appreciated that reversal of all the movements set out above enables the settee readily to be re-converted to its chair position the parts being finally locked into place by returning the handle 36 to its full line position.

FIG. 5 of the drawings shows a modification of the seat frame and back frame of the chair which simplifies its construction and enables the boxes 59 and 60 and support rods 65 and 66 to be omitted. In this arrangement in which only one side of the frame is shown in FIG. 5 the box 60 is replaced by a tube 122 extending inwardly alongside the bar 57. A housing 123 is provided around the open end 124 of the tube 122 and carries a trunnion 125 pivoted between opposed side walls of the housing 123. The trunnion is formed with an aperture 126 through which a rod 127 of circular cross-sectional shape is slidable. The lower end 128 of the rod is of reduced diameter to engage within a recess 129 in the housing 123 and the back frame 54 is carried on the upper end of the rod 127. A bar 130 has its lower end secured to the trunnion 125 and extends alongside the rod 127 within the frame 54 to be slidable therealong and is pivoted at its upper end 131 with a link 132 having a slot connection 133. The upper end of the link 132 is pivoted at 134 intermediate an arm 135 having a handle 136. The arm 135 is carried at one end of a rotatable shaft 137 extending across the frame to a similar linkage on the other side thereof. This similar linkage does not however include a handle 136.

In this arrangement each of the legs 68 and 69 is separately pivoted to the back frame 64 and provided with a locking strap such as 138.

In operation from the chair position the legs 68 and 69 are first pivoted to their outward positions and the back frame lifted generally vertically to free the reduced diameter end 128 of the rod 127 from the recessed part 129 of the housing 123. It will be appreciated that the slotted connection 133 permits this lifting operation to take place. The back frame is then rotated with the trunnion 125 until it adopts the chain dotted position shown in FIG. 5 when the handle 136 is pulled downwardly to rotate the shaft 137. This causes the link 135 to be moved as shown in the chain dotted position outwardly of the back frame and upwardly along it so that the frame is moved towards the seat frame with the rod 127 extending within the tube 122. It will be appreciated that the shaft 137 causes the linkage on the other side of the back frame to perform the some movement.

It will be appreciated that all the arrangements above described provide a chair frame Which is readily convertible to a settee position so that three people can readily be accommodated thereon. It has been found that although the mechanism of the chair imposes some limita tions on the manner in which the frame is upholstered nevertheless considerable variation in styling can be achieved so that chairs constructed in accordance with the invention will not all present the same visual appearance. Furthermore, a chair in accordance with the invention can be upholstered in the conventional way and will not present an obvious appearance of being convertible.

It will also be appreciated that the base frame may be effectively hidden by polished wood strips or upholstered panels and that other conventional upholstery techniques 5 may be employed to hide the base frame and its operative mechanism from view.

In addition although as described above the two arms are mounted on first and second frame parts it will be understood that the arm 93 could be removably mountable at different inclinations either on the part 1 or the seat frame 53 and the arm 94 could be removably mountable on the first or second frame parts, the seat frame 53 or the back frame 54. Such arrangements would enable the part 2 to be ararnged to move longitudinally of the part 1 or to be omitted.

I claim:

1. A convertible armchair frame comprising a seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame and a second arm frame, in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, mounting means for said second arm frame, said mounting means being capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position, in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame.

2. A convertible armchair frame comprising a seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame and a second arm frame, in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, mounting means for said second arm frame, said mounting means being capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position, in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame and pivot means for the seat frame so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined downwardly towards the back frame and in the settee position the aligned upper surfaces of the seat frame and the back frame are inclined downwardly towards the back frame of the settee.

3. A convertible armchair frame comprising a generally rectangular seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame and a second arm frame in which the seat frame, and the back frame, are movable to an aligned settee position, mounting means for said second arm frame, said mounting means being capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame, and pivot means for the seat frame, said pivot means having an axis extending generally diagonally of the seat frame and at an acute angle to the plane containing the upper surface thereof, so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined downwardly towards the back frame and in the settee position the aligned upper surfaces of the seat frame and the back frame are inclined downwardly towards the back frame of the settee.

4. A convertible armchair frame comprising a rectangular seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame and a second arm frame, in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, the back frame, the first arm frame, and the seat frame being carried by a first frame part, and the second arm frame being carried by a second frame part pivoted to the first frame part and capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame, and pivot means for the seat frame, said pivot means having an axis extending generally diagonally of the seat frame and at an acute angle to the plane containing the upper surface thereof, so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined down- Gil 5? wardly towards the back frame and in the settee posi tion the aligned upper surfaces of the seat frame and the back frame are inclined downwardly towards the back frame of the settee.

5. A convertible armchair frame comprising a rectangular seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame, and a second arm frame, in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, the back frame, the first arm frame, and the seat frame being carried by a first frame part, and the second arm frame being carried by a second frame part pivoted to the first frame part and capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position, in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame, and pivot means for the seat frame, said pivot means having an axis extending generally diagonally of the seat frame and at an acute angle to the plane containing the upper surface thereof, so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined downwardly towards the back frame and in the settee position the aligned upper surfaces of the seat frame and the back frame are inclined downwardly towards the back frame of the settee and coupling means between the back frame and the seat frame to permit the back frame to be moved longitudinally relative to the seat frame in the settee position.

6. A frame according to claim 5, in which the back frame incorporates two additional legs carried by said coupling means and movable to support the back frame when the latter is aligned with the seat frame.

7. A convertible armchair frame comprising a rectangular seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame extending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame,

and a second arm frame in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, the back frame, the first arm frame, and the seat frame being carried by a first frame part and the second arm frame being carried by a second frame part pivoted to the first frame part and capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position, in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame, and pivot means for the seat frame, said pivot means having an axis extending generally diagonally of the seat frame and at an acute angle to the plane containing the upper surface thereof, so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined downwardly towards the back frame and in the settee position the aligned upper surfaces of the seat frame and the back frame are inclined downwardly towards the back frame of the settee said arm frames carrying arms movable from a first position, in which their upper surfaces incline downwardly from the front to the back of the chair frame to a second higher position in which their upper surfaces extend substantially horizontally and the arms are tilted outwardly relative to the seat frame.

8. A frame according to claim 7, in which the arm frames each comprise two cylindrical arm supports pivotable relative to fixed elements, and each arm includes a pair of sockets to embrace said supports the sockets being so shaped that, in said first position they prevent tilting movement between the supports and the elements and, in said second position they permit said tilting movement.

9. A fname according to claim 7 in which the arm frames each comprise two cylindrical arm supports pivotable relative to fixed elements, and each arm includes a pair of sockets to embrace said supports the sockets being so shaped that, in said first position they prevent tilting movement between the supports and the elements, and, in said second position the sockets are supported by said elements and they permit said tilting movement.

10. A convertible armchair frame comprising a rectangular seat frame, a back frame, a first arm frame ex- 9 tending permanently alongside one side edge of the seat frame, and a second arm frame, in which the seat frame and the back frame are movable to an aligned settee position, the back frame, the first arm frame, and the seat frame being carried by a first frame part having a front wall, a rear wall half the width of the front wall, and three legs, and the second arm frame being carried by a second frame part of generally triangular formation having a rear :wall of the same length as and hinged to the rear wall of the first frame part and at least one leg and being pivoted to the first frame part and capable of adopting a chair position, in which said second arm frame extends alongside the other side edge of the seat frame, and a settee position, in which said second arm frame is substantially aligned with the first arm frame, and pivot means for the seat frame, said pivot means having an axis extending generally diagonally of the seat frame and at an acute angle to the plane containing the upper surface thereof, so that in the chair position the upper surface of the seat frame is inclined downwardly towards the back frame and in the settee position the aligned upper sur- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,737 Turner Feb. 22, 1927 2,059,397 Robinson Nov. 3, 1936 2,466,204- Brown Apr. 5, 1949 2,582,555 Miller Jan. 15, 1952 2,604,926 Davis July 29, 1952 2,610,329 .Strathaus Sept. 16-, 1952 2,993,529 Brown July 25, 1961

Claims (1)

1. A CONVERTIBLE ARMCHAIR FRAME COMPRISING A SEAT FRAME, A BACK FRAME, A FIRST ARM FRAME EXTENDING PERMANENTLY ALONGSIDE ONE SIDE EDGE OF THE SEAT FRAME AND A SECOND ARM FRAME, IN WHICH THE SEAT FRAME AND THE BACK FRAME ARE MOVABLE TO AN ALIGNED SETTEE POSITION, MOUNTING MEANS FOR SAID SECOND ARM FRAME, SAID MOUNTING MEANS BEING CAPABLE OF ADOPTING A CHAIR POSITION, IN WHICH SAID SECOND ARM FRAME EXTENDS ALONGSIDE THE OTHER SIDE EDGE OF THE SEAT FRAME, AND A SETTEE POSITION, IN WHICH SAID SECOND ARM FRAME IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE FIRST ARM FRAME.

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