US2920685A - Infant's swivel chair - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 12, 1960 A. E. TREBILCOCK INFANTS SWIVEL CHAIR Filed May 29, 1957 INVENTOR. ANNA E- TREBILCOCK ATTORNEYS rest members.

United States Patent INFANTS SWIVEL CHAIR Anna E. Trebilcock, Normandy, Mo. Application May 29, 1957, Serial No. 662,413

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-69) This invention relates in general to a swivel chair, and in particular, to a universally movable swivel chair for infants which comprises a tiltable seat movably mounted on a support member.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a new type of chair for infants. Another object of the invention is to provide a chair in which the infant is free to move within limits, can play safely, is protected from injury, and is prevented from falling out. Another object is to provide a chair with a universally movable seat for an infant, said chair having stop limiting means which are completely inaccessible to the infant and which are sufliciently rugged to withstand the severe movement.

Another object is to provide a swivel chair which comprises a supporting member and a tiltable seat member mounted for universal but limited movement therein. Another object is to provide a chair which is designed for quick and forceful movement by the child, but which protects the child at all times and allows the feet of the child to reach the floor at all times.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the ar rangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an infants swivel chair embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a front horizontal view of the swivel chair shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the chair, with the curved bottom partially broken to show the connection between the curved bottom, the guard rail and the seat, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1 showing the seat tilted to one of its maximum tilted positions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an infants swivel chair I having a supporting memberl and a tiltable seat member 3. The supporting member 2 has three or more, preferably four, upstanding legs 4 which are relatively short so that the feet of the infant are always capable of reach ing the floor. If desired, the bottoms of the legs 4 may be provided with rubber or plastic tips 5 of flat metallic The legs 4 are connected by curved sup ports 6 which are either welded to the legs or are integral therewith. The curved supports 6 are formed from segments of a circle, and may have a smooth or polished upper surface if desired to contact the seat member 3. The curved supports 6 intersect substantially at a central point between and equidistant from the legs 4, which point may be on or near the floor, and have an upstanding round peg 7 suitably secured thereto, preferably by welding, at the intersection. Suitable braces 5 are pro vided between the lower portions of the legs 4 and the curved supports 6.

The tiltable seat member 3 comprises a curved member 9, preferably in the form of the major portion of a semisphere, which supports a flat seat 11 suitably secured to the curved member 9 by means of screws .13. The seat 11 is positioned above the top of the legs 4. The curved portion 9 is hollow and is provided with a circular opening 14 in the center of the bottom portion thereof, said opening being adapted to receive the peg 7 therethrough. The peg 7 extends into and through the opening 14 a predetermined distance. The plane of the opening 14 is substantially parallel to the seat 11.

The seat 11 is provided with a circumscribing holding means or guard rail 15 having a protective upper margin 16 and an opening 17 through which the childs legs may extend. The lower portion of the guard rail 15 is positioned between the curved bottom 9 and the seat 11, which is provided with a pad member 18. The lower portion of the guard rail 15 is provided with inturned flanges 10 struck therefrom. The seat 11 is retained in position on said flanges 10 by bolts 12, as well as by the screws 13. The opening 17 is also suitably padded, as shown at 19, and the central portion of the opening 17 may be provided with a vertical strap 20 adapted to fit between the childs legs to prevent the child from slipping through said opening 17 and out of the chair 1. If desired, the strap 20 may be made so that it is removable, as shown in Fig. 4-.

The guard rail 15 may be provided with holes or openings for decorative purposes and ventilation if desired and may be so constructed as to receive a removable tray 21 preferably at a point directly above said leg opening 17 at the front of the chair so that articles such as toys or food may be placed within the reach of the infant. The tray 21 is attached to the guard rail 15 in some suitable fashion, preferably by means of hooks 22. The tiltable seat 3 simply rests upon the supporting member 2 by gravity and does not necessarily have to be fixedly secured thereto, but is free to tilt or move in any direction within limits as best shown in Fig. 4. The amount of tilt is controlled by the size or diameter of the hole 14 in the bottom of the semisphere support 9, whose outside surface is smooth, and by the diameter of the peg 7. The seat is free to move in any direction until the edge 23 of the opening 14 abuts against the upstanding peg 7. Thus, it is apparent that the seat is free to rotate or pivot in any direction with the curved smooth bottom portion 9 sliding on upper portions of the curved supports 6 substantially along their entire length. The seat 11 is always above the top of the legs 4 regardless of the degree of tilt thereof. The radius of curvature of the curved bottom 9 is equal to approximately one-half the diameter of the seat .11.

In practice, it has been found that legs about 8 inches high and a rail about 8 inches high provide a satisfactory arrangement for small infants, the diameter of the hole 14 being about three inches. The support member 2 is slightly wider than the tiltable seat 3 to prevent the chair from tipping over. Obviously, the dimensions are subject to change depending upon the size of the infant or child for whom the swivel chair is designed. In certain instances, the dimensions may be such that the chair will be suitable for use by adults, in which event the holding means will be replaced by a conventional back rest or the like. However, the curved bottom, curved support means, and tilt limiting means can remain substantially as shown.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which do not con-v stitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is: I

1. A swivel chair for infants comprising a supporting member having an even number of legs adapted to rest on the floor, the oppositely positioned legs having concave supports connected therebetween, said curved supports intersecting at a point equidistant from said legs, projecting means extending upwardly from said curved supports at said intersection, a tiltable seat member slidably positioned in said curved supports, said tiltable seat member having a relatively fiat seat and a curved bottom extending downwardly therefrom slidably positioned on said curved supports, said curved bottom being semispherical in shape and said supports between opposite legs being semicircular in shape, said curved bottom contacting said curved supports substantially over their entire length, said curved bottom having an opening in the bottom thereof, said projecting means extending upwardly through said opening in the bottom of said tiltable seat member for limiting the tilting of said member, said seat having circumscribing guard means extending upwardly therefrom, said guard means having an opening therein adjacent to said seat to permit the legs of an infant to extend therethrough.

2. A swivel chair for infants comprising a supporting member having four legs adapted to rest on the floor, the oppositely positioned legs having concave curved supports connected therebetween, said curved supports intersecting at a point equidistant from said legs, a peg extending upwardly from said curved supports at said intersection, said peg being below the level of the tops of said legs, a tiltable seat member slidably positioned in said curved supports, said tiltable seat member having a relatively fiat seat and acurved bottom extending downwardly therefrom slidably positioned on said curved supports, said curved bottom being semispherical in shape and having a radius of curvature substantially equal to one-half the diameter of said fiat seat, said supports between opposite legs being semicircular in shape, said curved bottom contacting said curved supports substantially over their entire length, said curved bottom having a circular opening in the bottom thereof, the plane of said circular opening being substantially parallel to the plane of said seat in said tiltable seat member, said peg extending upwardly through said circular opening in the bottom of said tiltable seat member for limiting the tilting of said member, said seat having circumscribing guard means extending upwardly therefrom, said guard means having an opening therein adjacent to said seat to permit the legs of an infant to extend therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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