US2377649A - Convertible chair - Google Patents

Description

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l*CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed June 24, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sum/Ms Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.317.649 CONVERTIBLE cnam Norman T. Quinney, Miami, Fla.

Application :une 24, 194s, semi No. 492,113

s claims. (c1. s-2s) This invention relates to a convertible mobile chair, and has for the primary object the provision of a device oi this character which will be extremely durable and may be easily and quickly I adjusted to assume a straight chair position, a

reclining chair position and a bed-forming position and when in the latter-named position may have such parts as the foot rest. arm rests and guard rails folded out-of-the-way so that an invalid person may be slid thereon from a bed or returned to the bed in a like manner with the least amount of disturbance to said person and with the least amount of exertion on the `part of the person or persons carrying out the transferring of the invalid person.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is a sideelevation illustrating a convertible chair constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figurel 2 is a side elevation illustrating the device converted into bed-forming position.

Figurer3 is a top plan view illustrating the device while in bed-forming position.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, illustrating the device while in bed-forming position.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the liie 5-5 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view illustrating the foot rest in an operative position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the foot restin a folded position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion of the supporting structure and the wheels in operative position to render the device mobile.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating one of the wheels and its connection with a leg of the supporting structure.

Figure l0 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the means of releasably securing the wheel in an operative position.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the adjusting arms and its roller connected either to the back rest or the leg rest.

Figure i3 is a perspective view illustrating one of the leg braces.

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the mounting of one of the arm rests.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the positions that can be occupied by one of the guard rails on the back rest.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the operating levers and its securing means.

Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating a tray which may be mounted on the arm rest.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modiiled form of my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a chair seat frame, 6 a chair back frame and 1 a leg rest frame. Said frames are connected by hinges 8 which will permit the chair back frame and the leg rest frame 1 to swing relative to the chair seat frame and the latter `is mounted on a supporting structure 9 consisting of legs I0 connected by braces I I, a pair of which has journaled thereon a shaft I2 forming part of an operating means. The legs are arranged in front and rear pairs and are preferably constructed of tubular stock and the rear pair of legs has a curvature thereto so that the lower ends will be disposed rearwardly of the upper ends.

The frames 5, 6 and 'l are constructed of T iron stock providing thereto supporting ilanges I3 and retaining iianges I4. Connected to the supporting ilanges I3 are spring constructions I5 each preferably constructed of interwoven wire elements having their ends connected to the supporting anges by coil springs I8.

Mounted on the spring constructions and within the retaining flanges I4 are cushions II preferably of the inner spring type, as shown in Figures 5 and 12. The cushions rest within the retaining flanges and thereby are prevented from shifting or becoming disarranged on the frames. However, the cushions may be easily removed for cleaning and other purposes and protrude suillciently beyond the retaining flanges to render the convertible chair extremely comfortable to the user as well as presenting a neat appearance thereto.

The legs III include removable lowerI end sections I8 releasably secured in place by set screws I9 and have pivoted thereto arms 20 formed on heads 2| journaled on stems 22 of pilot type wheels 23. The heads 2I are socketed to receive spring influenced plungers 24 slidable in the removable endsections I 8 of the legs. The

plungers are equipped with linger pieces operating in bayonet slots 26 formed in the end sections I8 whereby the plungers 24 may be manually retracted to disengage from the heads 2l so that the wheels 23 may be swung relative to the legs or to assume inoperative positions, as shown in Figures l and 2, supported on the braces by hooks 21. When the wheels are in operative position the device is rendered mobile so that it can be conveniently wheeled from one place to ancharacter 28 they may swivel relative to the legs and include shanks 28 that enter the legs and receive the set screws I3.

As before stated, the frames 8 and 1 may swing relative to the frame 5. The purpose of this is to form a straight chair, as shown in Figure 1, or an inclining chair wherein the back rest is tilted rearwardly and the leg rest upwardly or the back rest as well as the leg rest may be brought into substantially the same plane with the seat of the chair for the purpose of forming a bed.

To support the back rest and leg rest in horizontal position, legs 30 are provided and each is of telescopic sections, the -sections being adjustably secured together by set screws 3l. The legs 3|! are pivotally connected tothe frames 6 and 'I and braces 32 of the folding type are provided between the legs 30 and the frames 6 and 1 to sustain the legs in operative position. 'I'he frames may be readily collapsed to permit folding of the legs-30 into the frames 8 and 1.

Each brace 32 includes a pair of sections hingedly connected, as shown at 33, and one section carries a removable pin 34 which may be passed through the other sections to prevent collapsing of the brace. It is preferable that the pin 34 be anchored by a flexible element 35 to prevent its loss.

To prevent the legs 30 from moving out of the frames 6 and 1, spring influenced slidably mounted locking rods 38 enter the free ends of said legs 30 and are carried by brackets 31 provided on the frames 6 and 1. The rods are provided with handle portions 38 operating through slots in the frames 6 and 1 whereby they may be manually retracted out of engagement with the legs when desiring to free the latter for movement into operative position.

An operating means for the simultaneous actuation of the back rest and leg rest is provided and may be conveniently operated by a person occupying the seat or by anyone else standing at either side of the device. The operating means includes front and rear bell crank levers 40 and 4I pivotally mounted on the legs I0 and each at one end thereof is provided with a roller 42 secured thereto by a pintle 43 and on which the roller rotates.

The frames 6 and 1 are equipped with angle iron plates 44 and said plates and said frames 8 and 1 are provided with aligning slots to slidably receive the pintles 43 for guiding the movement of the bell crank levers and permitting the rollers to roll in contact with the frames 8 and 1. The other ends of the bell crank levers 40 and 4| having pivotally connected thereto connecting links 45 which are in turn pivotally connected to operating levers 48 secured on the shaft I2. The operating levers at their free ends are provided with hand grips 41 located at opposite sides of the seat frame and adjacent thereto and slightly below the cushion oi the seat frame. 'I'he operating levers 46 are provided with slotted enlargements 48 which slidably receive arcuately curved racks 43 secured on the seat frame 5 by brackets 50. The racks are provided with double rows of teeth 5I engageable by forked detents 52 slidably mounted on the hand levers and spring influenced, as shown at 53. The detents are provided with hand grips 54 located within the hand grips 41 so that the person actuating the levers may easily disconnect the detents from the rack bars to free the levers for pivotal movement in the adjustment of the back and leg rests simultaneously.

comparatively narrow rigid shelves 55 are secured on the sides of the seat frame 1 adjacent the lower edges of said frame and are provided with slots through which the operating levers 46 freely move.

Resilient type arms 56 are hinged on the shelves, as shown at 51, and have connected thereto plates forming arm rests 58. The arms 56 each includes an arcuately curved portion and a straight portion extending at right angles thereto and which may be brought to rest on the shelf for supporting the arm rest in an operative position in the plane above the seat. The arms 56 being hinged will permit the arm rests 58 to be swung downwardly into dotted line position, as shown inFigure 2, so as to be out of the way and to permit a person to be slid on and oil of the seat from either side thereof. When the arm rests 58 are in operative position, lugs 58 extend through openings in the shelves and may be engaged by spring influenced -plungers 6U slidably mounted on the under faces of the shelves. The lugs 58 are apertured to receive the spring 40 iniluenced plungers. The plungers of each shelf are connected to links 6ly which are in turn eccentrically pivoted on a disc 6I'. The discs 6I' are secured to shafts journaled in the shelves and provided with finger pieces 62 whereby the plungers GII may be retracted for freeing the arms to allow the arm rests to be swung downwardly out of the way. It will be seen that when the arm rests are in operative position, they are prevented from accidentally moving out of said po` sition by the latching mechanism of which the spring influenced plungers form a part.

Guard rails 86 are provided for the back rest and are principally used when the device is in bedforming position and each is of substantially U shape having hook shaped ends 61. The hook shaped ends of the guard rails engage with eyes 38 on the frame 6. To releasably secure the guard rails in operative position, clamps 33 are provided and are carried by the frame 8.

When the device is ln use as a bed and it is desired to slide a person thereon. the guard rail upon one side may be lowered as well as the arm rest. This permits the device to be arranged in close proximity to a bed on which the person is lying. The person may be moved oi! oi' the device onto the bed in a like manner.

A combined head and knee rest 1II is provided and may be arranged on the back rest, as shown in Figure 2, when the device is in bed-forming position and retained in position by hooks 1I engaging lugs on the frame I, or the device may be secured between the seat frame and leg frame when the latter is in a depending position to underlie the knees of the legs of the person occupying the chair. thehooks1l being employed to secure the combined head and knee rest in position by engaging lugs 12 on the frames li and 1.

The free end of the leg rest is equipped with a foldable foot rest 13 which may be arranged in an operative position when the leg rest is in a depending position so that the person may rest the feet thereon. The foot rest 13 includes chan nel brackets 14 to which are hinged arms 15 carrying a foot engaging plate 16. The arms 15 are provided with slots 11 to receive turnbuckles 1l carried by the brackets 14 to retain the plate 1l in an inoperative position. To retain the plate 16 in an operative position, it is provided with a slot 19 to receive va turn buckle 80 on the lower end of the leg rest.

A tray Il may be removably mounted on the arm rests 58 and is located so as to extend across the lap of the person occupying the chair. The tray includes legs 82 which enter sockets provided in the rest 58 whereby the tray will be supported in a plane above said arm rests 58 and across the lap of a person and permit the tray to be easily removed when desired. l

An ash tray 83 is removably mounted on one of the arm rests. The ash tray 83 may be swung into diierent positions owing to its connection with the arm rest.

Hand grips 85 may be provided on the end of the frame 1.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that a durable mobile type of convertible chair has been provided and the construction is such that it may be easily adjusted to provide a straight chair, an inclined chair or a bed, and when adjusted into a bed it may be arranged alongside of a bed in which a person is lying so that the person may be easily slid onto the device and returned to the bed in a like manner. A device of the kind described will be found to be extremely useful in hospitals and like places as well as for home use.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a convertible chair, a longitudinal intermediate frame, end frames hingedly connected to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by the frames, legs supporting the intermediate frame, bell crank levers pivoted on the legs and one ot said bell crank levers slidably connected to one of the end frames and the other bell crank lever slidably connected to the other end frame, roldable legs pivoted to the end frames for supporting the latter horizontally and in a. plane with 'the intermediate trame, braces connecting the iirst named legs, an operating lever pivotally supported on the braces; and means connecting the operating lever to the bell crank levers for the simultaneous swinging of the end frames upwardly and downwardly relative to the intermediate frame.

2. In a convertible chair, a horizontal intermediate frame, end frames hingedly connected to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by the frames, said end frames each including pairs o! spaced depending walls with the walls of each pair provided with aligned slots, legs supporting the intermediate frame, bell crank levers pivoted on said legs and extending freely between the depending walls of the intermediate frame, pins carried by the bell crank levers and extending into the slots of the depending walls, rollers journaled on said pins andriding against the end frames between the depending pairs of walls thereof, foldable legs pivoted to the end frames for supporting the latter horizontally in the same plane with the intermediate frame, braces connecting the ilrst mentioned legs, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the braces, and means connecting the operating lever to the bell crank levers for the simultaneous swinging oi the end frames upwardly and downwardly relative to the intermediate frame.

3. In a convertible chair, a horizontal intermediate frame, end trames hinged to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by the frames, legs supporting the intermediate frame, bell crank levers pivoted o'n the legs and one of the bell crank levers slidably connected to one of the end :frames and the other bell crank lever slidably connected to the other end frame, foldable legs pivcted to the end frames for supporting the latter horizontally, braces connecting the tlrst mentioned legs, a curved rack bar carried by the intermediate frame and including a double row of rack teeth, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the braces and having a slotted portion slidably receiving the rack bar, means connecting the operating lever to the bell crank levers for the simultaneous swinging of the end frames upwardly and downwardly relative to the intermediate frame, and a birurcated detent carried by the operating lever to engage with the double row of teeth of NORMAN T. QUINNEY.

` the rack bar.

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