US2888976A - Seat device - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1959 c. w. HART SEAT DEVICE Filed Maron 24, 1955 ignited States Patent s e SETTDEVICE ChaleslV. HartyPark-Ridge, Ill: Application-March 24,1955; serial Nd: 496,385 aciaims; (crassstayY This invention relates toa` sea't"de`vice, actually and primarily an auxiliary seat, adjustable as to effective heightland primarily for use by children.

Thefseatdevice hereof, howeverphaslmany iuses, not specifically `limited to use by children-but is of` general utility `as Willhereinafter appear.

Thisseat device may serve as ari-auxiliaryfor adjustable seat, in 'combination with a conventional chair or an automobile seat, or other more orti less conventional seating device.`

Theseat device hereof may alsowbeused alone as a hassocktypefseat. The seat devicevwin any use,l as itis made up of a plurality of cooperating layers or lamina, is in effect adjustableto various heights as may be de sired. i

Generally described, the seat device in its" preferred form comprises a threeLlayer-construction of substantially square units of suitable material and preferablyof such thickness that in the* use 'of one; -two #oralll-threei'n stacked relation, a seatdevice of varying and desiredhightmay be"provided. Details of the preferred construction-will hereinafter be disclosed.

The principal object of 'this invention is the provision of a seat device which is adjustable or possibly, more accurately, is capable of arrangement to provide seating of differing heights.

A further object is to provide a seat device of wide usefulness and adaptability. Other objects are to provide such a device which is light in weight, simple in construction, but which, however, is sturdy and relatively simple and cheap to produce.

The invention hereof is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation in perspective showing the device positioned on an ordinary chair;

Figure 2 is what might be termed an exploded view, in perspective, a portion broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the assembled device; and

Figure 4 is a perspective of a part of a unit.

1n the drawing the seat device is designated in its entirety by numeral 10, shown in Figure l, as positioned on a straight chair 11 of the type ordinarily referred to as a dining room or dinette chair. It is to be understood that the showing of the seat device 10 as positioned on chair 11 is merely representative and that the seat device 10 may be positioned on any other type of chair, on an automobile seat, or on `the floor to provide seating at a desired height. The desired height may be obtained by appropriate and suitable combination f the elements which make up the seat device 10.

By way of example, seat device is shown as made up of three cooperating elements or parts 13, 14 and 15. Each of these parts 13, 14 and 15 are preferably of the same dimensions, except as to height, so that they will stack evenly. The height of the parts preferably differ so 2 that bydiifrent combinations differing over-all heights or seat adjustment may *be obtained.`

AI preferred size of elements is aboutflZ/z to 13 inches squarebut could just as well be anywhere from between about 10 to 16 inches square.` If desiredthe individual parts may be round or of disc shape, or rectangular, or of other desired shape. In anycase Athe dimensions `of these parts are to be such that they will `seat on-the chair orthe like Awithwhich they are to be used and'will provide comfortable seating area.

The parts or * layers 13, 14"and 15-are preferably of different heights so that the parts in various combina` tions will afford seatings of desired height. If these parts are respectively of heights of l inch, `l inch and `2 inches, the three'of these parts 13,"14-and 15,1Awhen stacked on a chair seat, willraisethe seat by 4 inches, a single l inch part willgof `course,-raise `the seat by`l inch, the-tWol inch parts, stacked, by 2 inches, and a il inch part stacked with the 2 inch part will raise'ltheseat by 3 inches. The combination ot" units, as described, selectively stacked las explainedgprovide seating selectively l, 2, 3 or 4 inches high.

While the seat device has been described as made up of threepar'ts,` it may alternatively be comprised of a greateror evenless number of parts, say, from 2 to 5. Asingle seat part would not provide lfor any height variation.` More than v'e Aparts would be cumbersome and tendV tofb`e` unwieldy.`

The individual parts of seat device-10 are pr'eferably `made`-`ofi"fibe`rlboard of the `type ordinarily referred toas liber` insulating' board! Suchlboard isreasonably finnland provides a degree of resilience. It is of light weightand of* relatively low cost andadniirably adapted-to' the purpose:` p

Byiwaylof example, eac'hbfpar'ts` 13, 14 `and15may conveniently comprise a block 4ofiiber insulation board, say 121/2 x 121/2 and of thicknesses say, l, l and 2", respectively.

Each of the parts 13, 14 and 15 is formed with similar lugs or projections 22, 23 and 24, each provided with a similar slot or opening 27, 28 and 29. A suitable member such as strap 32 may be passed through slots 27, 28 and 29 to retain the group of parts 13, 14 and 15 in assembled relation. Alternatively, slots 33 may be provided in the edges of the parts 13, 14 and 15 and an elastic band 34 may be applied to hold the parts assembled.

Preferably the top seat part 13 is provided with a foam rubber or felt layer designated at 36 and this is suitably covered with an upholstery fabric or sheet plastic or the like 37.

All the surfaces of parts 14 and 15 and edges and bottom of parts 13 are preferably covered or coated `with a suitable non-skid or non-slip compound, numerous of which are readily available. Most of such compounds have a rubber or rubbery base, suitable solvent, and a finely divided filler, and a coating of which dries to a non-slipping skin or surface coating.

A coating of such friction or non-slip composition on the supporting surfaces of the parts of the seat will assure that they do not slip in use.

Since many chair seats and the like are formed slightly convex, if desired the bottom surfaces of units 13, 14 and 15 may be formed with a slight concavity, as indicated in Figure where such formation is shown. Such construction will assure firm Contact of the auxiliary seat on the chair seat, or like, on which it may be placed.

The auxiliary seat above described displaces the telephone directory as a makeshift seat elevator for bringing little Percys mouth above the edge of the dinner table when he visits grandma. Such makeshift is dangerous. The telephone book or Sears catalog, or the like, usually lfavlcented.J June `2t, 1959V has more or less slippery surfaces and may slide little Percy onto the floor, and in addition the book available is seldom of the thickness to aiord proper elevation.

The seat of the invention overcomes the deiiciencies of makeshifts as referred to and provides seating readily adjustable as to height which is safe and which is cheap and simple to manufacture. The seat device hereof may be used on an ordinary chair or any relatively flat surface of suicient area, as, for example, as a hassock on the floor. In any use, however, by the use of the various combinations of the various parts a seat height as desired may be obtained.

The invention hereof having been fully described, I claim:

1. A seat device of selective varying overall height comprising a plurality of independent stacking blocks of ber insulation board assembled in superimposed relation, each block of substantially equal and approximately square area, at least one unit of the plurality of blocks differing in thickness from that of another unit of such plurality of blocks, each such block similarly positioned and adjacent an edge thereof provided with a slot extending through the thickness of the block, a face of a unit of the plurality of blocks shaped to concave form and approximating the general convexity of surface usual to dining room chair seats, the concave form of the face of the block extending substantially to but not entirely to three of the edges of the substantially square unit whereby an upstanding ilange-like portion bounds the concavity along three of the edges of the unit, another unit of a set provided with an upholstered surface and securing means of cross section substantially of the cross section of said slots extending through the slots of the superimposed assembly of blocks and restraining displacement of the blocks of an assembly, one with respect to another thereof.

2. A seat device of selective varying overall height comprising a plurality of independent stacking blocks of ber insulation board assembled in superimposed relation, each block of substantially equal and approximately square area, at least one unit of the plurality of blocks differing in thickness from that of another unit of such plurality of blocks, each such block similarly positioned and spaced from a corner'formed by contiguous side edges thereof slotted, the slots extending from face to face of the unit, a face of a unit of the plurality of blocks shaped to concave Aform and approximating the general convexity of surface usual to dining room chair seats, the concave form of the face of the block extending substantially to lbut not entirely to three of the edges of the substantially square unit whereby an upstanding flangelike portion bounds the concavity along three of the edges of the unit, another unit of a set provided with an upholstered surface, and securing means positioned in said slots and extending across the top and bottom faces of the stack of superimposed blocks and securing the blocks as a unit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 79,441 Boughton June 30, 1868 291,931 Piutti Ian. 15, 1884 1,752,105 Nash Mar. 25, 1930 2,022,557 Gaggiano Nov. 26, 1935 2,060,298 Gailey Nov. 10, 1936 2,108,242 Wallace Feb. 12, 1938 2,297,771 Johnson Oct. 6, 1942 2,321,486 Holt June 8, 1943 2,659,484 Averill Nov. 17, 1953 2,700,462 Kramer Jan. 25, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 924,785 France Mar. 17, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Dennison Mfg. Co., 1907 catalogue, p. 29 items. (Copy in Design Div.)

Modern Plastics Catalog, October 1939 p. 75. (Copy in Design Div.)

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