US3438675A - Adjustable footstool - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1969 J C, SEGUN ET AL 3,438,675

ADJUSTABLE FOOTSTOOL Filed Ju1y-14, 1967 sheet of 2 ATTORN EY April 15, 1969 y J. csr-:sum ET AL 3,438,675

ADJUSTABLE FooTs'rooL Filed July 14. 1967 Sheet Z of 21 I I 1 1 l 1 l l I 1 1 AT ORNEY United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 297-439 6 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A footstool comprising a stationary base supporting spaced arcuate rails and an adjustable footrest including arcuately curved runners in sliding engagement with the said rails.

The present invention relates to the general art of furniture manufacture and more particularly is directed to a. footstool constructed to be readily adjustable along arcuate paths to suit the comfort of the user.

Presently available footstools, as currently being manufactured, are generally stationary in nature and include more or less decorative bases covered by a pillow or cushion construction. Such prior art stools are generally designed from an aesthetic point of view primarily and from a comfort consideration secondarily. Under usual circumstances, the user can adapt to the design of the footstool and can thus enjoy ease and comfort without inconvenience with footstools of various dimensions and configurations. However, in the case of invalids, convalescents, gout and arthritis sufferers and similar incapacitated persons, in many instances, the usual, presently available, stationary stools are not entirely satisfactory, and these aficted persons are unable to conveniently adapt themselves to the available design. Under such circumstances, it has been found necessary to provide footstools that .are adjustable in nature so that the individual needs of the user can be accommodated.

Prior workers in the field have approached the problem and have designed various types of adjustable furniture. These prior art designs have employed springs, locking pins, motors and other more or less complicated equipment. Such prior art designs have all resulted in eX- tremely expensive and complicated devices. In addition, the very complexity of the systems have proved to be a hindrance on many occasions, inasmuch as the persons using the stools could not make the required adjustments without outside aid.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide an improved footsto-ol of the type set forth.

lt is another object of the instant invention to provide an improved adjustable footstool including sliding, arcuate surfaces.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an adjustable footstool featuring interlocking base and footrest construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable footstool including arcuately curved footrest adjusted tracks.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable footstool wherein the top plane of the footrest may be readily varied.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an adjustable footrest that may be readily varied in position by an incapacitated user without outside help.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable footrest designed to maintain any adjustable position through friction and without the need for additional pins, locks or clamps.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable footrest that is simple in design, rugged in construction and inexpensive in manufacture.

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Other objects and fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the footrest rocked to one end of the track, the phantom lines indicating the position of the footrest after it is rocked to the other end of the track.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modified footstool construction.

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of invention selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings we show in FIG. 1 our adjustable footstool 10 which includes a stationary supporting structure generally designated A. and an adjustably movable footrest portion, generally designated B. The footrest B is rockable along arc 12 to a plurality of angular positions, two of which areindicated as 66, 68 with respect to the support A, as will hereinafter be more fully explained and as schematically indicated in FIG. 4.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support A rises above the floor engaging legs 14, 16, 18, 20. The front and rear faces 22, 24 are spaced by the web 64 and respectively join the legs 16, 18 and 14, 20. The left and right sides 26, 28 respectively join the legs 14, 16 and 18, 20, all to provide a sturdy, stationary support to operatively engage the adjustable footrest B. Each side 26, 26 terminates upwardly in an arcuate tract 30, 32 which may be L-shaped, as best observed in FIG. 3. The radius of the arc 12 may be widely varied as desired, keeping in mind that as the radius of the arc increases, the possible angular adjustment between the footrest B and the support A decreases. Similarly, as the radius of the arc 12 decreases, the more sharply may the adjustable angle between support and the footrest be increased.

We prefer to fabricate the support from wooden members to facilitate manufacture using readily available, woodworking, hand operated tools. However, the support could also be manufactured from other materials such as metal or plastic and still fall within the scope of our invention. The tracks 3th, 32 may be cut in any well-known manner and are shown with the track bases 34, 36 nearest the legs to provide more solid support. The "bases respectively inwardly joint the vertical paths 38, 40 which terminate upwardly to provide the footrest engaging, arcuately formed, vertical channels. The upwardly positioned side extensions 56, 58 and 60, 62 respectively define the tracks 3l), 32 and are integrally formed with the sides, 26, 23 to provide unitary construction of great strength.

The footrest B includes a rectangular top 42. which may be fabricated from plywood or chip board. The upper surface of the top 4Z may be upholstered with a pillow 44 if desired and then covered with fabric, leather or plastic 46 in any well known manner to provide a cornfortable surface for the user. A- pair of arcuately curved, track engaging flanges 48, 5l) perpendicularly depend from the underside of the top a2, and are spaced below the respective left and right edges 52, 54 thereof to respectively contact the tracks 30, 32 in arcuate engagement therewith. Each flange 48, 50 terminates downwardly in an arcuate extension piece 70, '72 from which the arcuate legs 74, 76 depend at right angles.

It is the essence of this invention that the cross sectional congurations of the footrest extensions and arcuate legs 70, 74 and 72, 76 are carefully formed to readily respectively fit within the support tracks 30, 32 and to provide an arcuate sliding engagement. it will be observed that the top 42 may be easily positioned in any arcuate angle with respect to the support A by simply sliding the nages 48, 50 in the tracks 30, 32. The friction between the respective surfaces 78, 80; 82, 84; 86, 88; and 90, 92 assures that the desired arcuate location will be maintained once the footrest B has been initially positioned.

In FIGS. -7, we show a modified type of adjustable footstool that operates and functions similarly to the footstool hereinabove described. In this modication, the left and right sides 94, 96 are each machined to provide a pair of similar, inwardly facing, arcuately curved grooves 98, 100. Each side 94, 96 terminates upwardly in an arcuate friction. Surface 102, 104 which receives a similarly curved surface 106, 108 formed at the bottom of the outside runners 110, 112.

As best seen in FIG. 7, depending from the top 114 at the transverse edges are a pair of outside runners 110, 112 and a pair of inside runners 116, 118 all of which are arcuately shaped to the Same curvature. As stated previously, the outside runner friction surfaces 106, 108 are in sliding engagement with the right and left side upper surfaces 102, 104. The inside runners 116, 118 are medially drilled at a point overlying the grooves 98, 100 to provide holes 120, 122 t0 receive the guide ends 124, 126 of the cross dowel 128 therein. For reasons both of structural stability and economy of manufacture, we prefer to construct the cross dowel 128 of three-quarters inch round wooden dowel, reduced at each end to onehalf inch to provide the friction ends 124, 126. The shoulders 130, 132 formed by the end reduction brace against the respective inner runners 116, 118 to provide a sturdy construction. Also, braces 134, 136 connect the sides 94, 96 to lend additional strength to the support. If desired, the bottom surfaces 138, 140 o-f the inside runners 116, 118 can be carried lower for sliding engagement against the braces 134, 136.

It is thus seen that we have provided a modified type of adjustable footstool wherein the arcuate mating surfaces 102, 106 and 104, 108 serve to slidingly permit arcuate top adjustment and `frictionally prevent easy angular displacement. Similarly, the dowel ends 124, 126 engaged within the grooves 98, 100 function in the same manner. And optionally, the inside runner bottom surfaces could also frictionally engage the braces 134, 136 if so desired by extending the bottom surfaces until they touched the braces.

Although we have described `our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an adjustable footstool, the combination of (A) a stationary base,

(1) said base having a pair of spaced upwardly extending sides, i

(a) said sides terminating upwardly in arcuately curved surfaces,

(b) and said sides each being cut to provide inwardly facing, arcuate grooves; and

(B) a movable top engageable over the said base,

(l) said top having a pair of spaced outer runners depending therefrom,

(2) said top having a pair of spaced inside runners depending therefrom; and

(C) groove engaging means extending outwardly from the said inside runners and being respectively slidingly engageable in the said grooves, whereby the position of the top may be arcuately varied with respect to the said base.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said outer `runners are arcuately shaped at the bottom thereof, the said arcuate shape being the same as the said curved surface of the base sides.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said outer runners are arcuately shaped at the bottom thereof, the said arcuate shape being the same as the said curved surface of the base sides, and wherein the said outer runners are in respective sliding engagement with the said base sides.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said inside runners terminate downwardly in arcuately shaped surfaces, said arcuate shape being the same as the said curved surface of the base sides.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said inside runners terminate downwardly in arcuately shaped surfaces, said arcuate shape being the same as the said curved surface of the base sides, and frictional means in contact with the said arcuately shaped surfaces.

6. In an adjustable footstool, the combination of (A) a stationary hase,

(l) said base having a pair of spaced sides, said sides including curved top engaging means,

(a) said top engaging means of the base comprising arcuately curved, L-shaped tracks; and

(B) a movable top engageable over the said base,

(1) said top carrying depending, spaced base engaging means, said base engaging means overlying the said spaced sides of the base and being engageable therein,

(a) the said base engaging means comprising arcuately curved, L-shaped engageable ends,

(b) the said engageable ends being in sliding engagement with the said tracks and having arcuate frictional resistance therewith,

(C) whereby the said arcuate frictional resistance between the said engageable ends and the said tracks serve to lock the said top in any desired arcuate angular position relative to the said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,433 lO/l935 Carrington 297-439 X 2,219,799 10/ 1940 Zuck et al 297-407 2,528,331 10/1950 Bell 297-439 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 297-46l

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