US2675860A - Folding high chair - Google Patents

Description

April 0, 1954 F. w. SCHROEDER FOLDING HIGH CHAIR 2 Shess-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1953 INVENTOR. FQEDEPJQKL W- SCHQOEDEQ V ATTQQQMEYS April 20, 1954 F. w. SCHROEDER FOLDING HIGH CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 50, 1953 q i F 3 "w n K QC) .LL

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IIIHIHUZI INVENTOR. F'rmacaexzuzJv- \MSomoEoan Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STAT ES 1 PATENT OFFICE FOLDING HIGH CHAIR Frederick W. Schroeder, Strasburg, Ill.

Application January 30, 1953, Serial No. 334,139 7 Claims. (01. 155 -127) This invention relates to a folding highchair, and more particularly; has referenc to a chair ofthi's type characterized by its adaptability for collapse into the form of a relatively small and thin box capable of being carried like a brief case or traveling bag:

Summarized briefly, the invention includes a back plate; and arms; a seat, and a base all hinged to and collapsible against the backplate. Braces means are provided that are themselves collapsible againstthe arms and base: respectively, said brace means being separably connectible' to the seat-so as to hold the seat, arms, and" base an extended position when the high chair isto be used. A removable tray and back rest aresupported by thearms-andseat respectively; when the chair-isin use. n movement of the several parts to a collapsed position, the back plate and" base, together with top and bottom strips carried by the back plate, coact to confine all the remaining parts of the assembly, thus forming said assembly into a thin, box-like container, which container is equipped with a carrying handle;

The. desirability of a. high: chair collapsible into a light, compact, and readily portable box-like shape will: bev well appreciated to those parents whose living: quarters are: decidedly cramped, or who are requiredlt'o travel frequently with small children.v

Obviously; persons" whose living conditions are afi'ected. in; this: manner are generally unable to make use of a. conventional high. chair, which is ordinarily bulky. The main; object of the present: invention can; accordingly, be stated.v as being the provision of a high chain which, when collapsed; will: take up a minimum of area and will be readily portable; but; which, when ex tended; for use, will define a comfortable chair a seat, back,. and. tray areav approximating: those of an. ordinary; conventionally designed highchair.

Another object of importance is to. provide. a highchair assta-ted? which, while; possessing. the desirable characteristics noted. above;, will never the less be rugged, soas to: withstand hard and long 'usage.

Another object of importance is to provide. a foldable high chair as' statedv in which the move.- ment ofv the parts to extended and: collapsed positions respectively can be accomplished. with ease and-speed.

Still another: object is toprovide a. high chair as stated which,.. though. possessing: the several desirable: characteristics noted: above, can yetL be manufactured in quantity productionatrelatively low cost.

e Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the high chair as it-appears: when unfolded and ready for use;

Figure 2 isa perspective view showing the high chair folded into the form of a small carrying case;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the high chair unfolded;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 4'-4 of Figure 3;

' Figures isa transverse sectional view on line 5-5 oiFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged, detail sectional view on line 6-45 of Figure 4, showing aseparabl connectionbetween the brace means and seat;

Figure '7 is a sectional view: on line. 7-4 of Figure it;

Figure 8- is a" sectional view, on an enlarged scale; taken substantially on line 8-8. of Fi ure:4 and showing the details of the connection of the trayto the arms;v

Figure 9' a side elevational view of the high chair; as. it appears While being folded; and:

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional View; portions being: broken. away,. taken on line I B'lll oi Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the. high chair; constituting; the: present. invention. includes a, back platev designated. generally by the: reference numeral Hi The: back plate itself. comprises a number of. connected. parts, the: main part being a plate member [-2. The plate member. I2 is formed; from a relatively thin ,.flat piece of. material of rectangular outer configuration, and; could be. fashioned: from. plywood or: any other materialhaving the requisite characteristics of strength. and. lightness.

The plate member: 12 has a pairof guide rails hi1. secured to its opposite longitudinal edges; The guide rails Mi extend for substantially the full height of the plate member i2, and-as shown in Figure 5, have inner longitudinally extending recesses [6 of right angled cross sectional shape, thereby to provide-a slid'eway on the front surface of the plate member.

A bottom strip [-8 is also included as a part of the back plate H, and extends the length of 0md e of the plate member" I2, said bottom strip it being fixedly secured in any suitable manner to the plate member, and project ing forwardly and horizontally therefrom.

The back plate also includes a top strip 19, which is hingeclly connected to the top edge of the plate member I2, in a manner to be discussed in detail hereinafter.

When the high chair is folded as shown in Figures 2 and 10, the plate member it will form one side of a carrying case, while the relatively narrow bottom and top strips it, it will provide the bottom and top portions of said case.

Receiving and fixedly connected to the lower ends of the guide rails it are lower support brackets 20. Each of these is of L-shape. Upper support brackets 22 are formed similarly to the brackets at, but are disposed oppositely to the brackets it, as best shown in Figure 1.

Hinge support plate 24, formed as flat, relatively small bars, are pivotally connected at one end, as at it, to the inner walls of the lower support brackets 29, said hinge support plates 24 projecting forwardly beyond the front edge of the bottom strip l8, and being pivotally connected, at their projecting ends by hinge pins 23 to angular hinge brackets St.

A base 32 is formed from a hat, rectangular piece of material, and is substantially coextensive in length and width with the plate member i2. The purpose of so dimensioning the base 32 is to cause the base to coact with the plate member 62, in forming the opposite sides of the carrying case when the high chair is folded (see Figure 2).

The hinge brackets 32; are fixedly connected in any suitable manner to the inner or upper surface of the base 32, at a location spaced a short distance from the back edge of the base. As a result, the base 32 can appropriately be considered as being hinged to the bottom end of the back plate H, for swinging movement between one position (shown in Figure 1) in which the base projects forwardly and horizontally from the back plate, and a second position (shown in Figure i which the base 32 is collapsed against the back plate ll. It will be understood, in this connection, that the back plate is considered as including not only the plate member l2, but also the top strip it and bottom strip it, against which the base 32 abuts in the collapsed position of said base.

It may be noted that the hinge connection of the base to the back plate is a double hinge connection, the base pivoting about the points 26 and 2% during the swinging movement of said base between its respective extreme positions.

Secured fixedly to the upper surface of the base 32, and spaced inwardly from the free or front edge of the base, are angular hinge brackets 34, said brackets to including triangular wear plates 36 having inturned lips that will engage the beveled lower ends of a pair of lower braces 38. The lower braces 38 are pivotally connected, at said lower ends thereof, to the respective brackets 34 and wear plates 36, and in the extended position of the base 32, the lower braces extend upwardly from the base, said lower braces being inclined from the vertical in the direction of the back plate H as best shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 4.

Upper braces have been designated by the reference numerals all, and cooperate with the lower braces 38 in holding a seat 62 in a forwardly extended position. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the upper braces 40 are pivotally 4 connected to the arms of the high chair, but it is important, at this point in the description, to note only the manner in which the braces 38, 30 are connected to the seat 42.

This connection is shown in detail in Figures 6 and '7, and as will be noted, at opposite sides of the seat :32, at the free or front edge of the seat, there are mounted C-shaped latch plates or keepers 34, said latch plates being secured to the seat 32 by means of screws 46 or equivalent fastening elements. Each latch plate straddles its associated side edge of the seat 42.

Each keeper or latch plate 44 has its bight portion spaced outwardly a short distance from the adjacent side edge or" the seat at, and slidably engaged between said bight portion and adjacent side edge is a latch key 28 having oppositely extended lips on its respective ends forming finger grips, whereby the key can be shifted back and forth in its associated keeper, to the right and left in Figure 6.

Each key 68 has a button hole slot 50, and extending through said slot is a connecting pin 52 the inner end of which is adapted to extend into a recess 53 formed in the adjacent side edge of seat (i2 and registering with the button hole slot.

Intermediate its ends, the pin 52 has diametrically opposite grooves 54 (see Figure '7). It will be noted, in this regard, that when the key 18 is shifted to the left in Figures 6 and 7, the large end of the button hole slot will be so located as to permit extraction of the pin 52. When, on the other hand, the key 38 is shifted to the right in Figures 6 and 7, the opposite edges of the narrow end of the button hole slot will engage in the groove 5d of the pin, and will lock the pin against withdrawal.

It thus becomes apparent that when, as shown in the drawings, the pin 52 extends through registering openings formed in the overlapping ends of the braces 38, til respectively, and is locked to the seat d2, said connecting pin will represent a separable connection between the braces and seat that holds the several parts against movement to collapsed position.

To opposite sides of the seat 42, at the back edge thereof, there are connected channeled hinge plates 55, each of said plates straddling its associated side edge of the seat 42 and being pinned to said seat. Projecting outwardly from the bight portion of each plate Ed is a stud 58, said stud extending into a complementary recess formed in the adjacent guide rail i i, thus to provide a hinged connection between the seat 42 and the back plate ii.

The location of a hinge axis of the seat d2, said hinge axis being defined by the studs 58, i such as will cause the rear edge portion of the seat 42 to extend into the path of slidable movement of a back rest 60, when the seat 42 extends forwardly from the back plate. This construction is best shown in Figure 4, wherein it will be seen that the back rest it is formed from a flat piece of approximately rectangular material, so dimensioned as to thickness as to permit the same to be slidably mounted for up and down movement in the recesses it of the guide rail. Thus, when the back rest Bil is slidably shifted in one direction, it will project above the back plate ii, and subsequent movement of the seat 42 to extended position relative to the back plate will cause the seat 42 to form a stop that will retain the back rest in its upper position. When, subsequently, the seat 42 is collapsed, it will no 51 longer extendiri the path of slidabl'e" movement of the back metro, and the back rest canbe slidably' adjusted downwardly from the position thereof shown in Figure 4, to a location at which it is substantially in registration with the plate member i2;

At its upper end, the back rest Eil'can beformed with an opening, to afford convenience in grip-- ping the back rest 69 when said back rest is to be adjusted between its respective positions.

A pair of arms is included in the high chair, said arms being designated by the reference numeral 62 and beingpivotally connected, at their inner or'rear' ends; to the upper support brackets 22 of the back plate H. The arms 62, at a loca'--- tionspaced well inwardly from. the outer or free endsthereof, have pivotal connections 64 to-theupper ends of the upper braces 40. The" upper braces 49' are thus connected to the arms 62 such. amanner as to cause said upper braces to either depend from the arms in the manner shown in: Figure 4, or be collapsed against the arms, in longitudinal contact therewith, when the arms: themselves are to be collapsed against the? back plate.

A tray. has been designated by the reference numeral 66",. and can. be'formed from a rectangupiece of; material having arecessed t'op surface; The opposite side edge portions of the tray 6% rest upon the respective arms 62, and are. detachably connected to the arms 62 selected positions; of adjustment. The selected positions of adjustment" are such as to permit; the tray 66to: be adjusted either toward or away from the? back. rest 69,. depending upon the size of thechildto be accommodatedin thehigh chair;

The nature of the connection of the tray to the; arms: 62; is best shown in Figure 8, and as will=be noted, securedto the underside of the tray 66,-, adjacent each side edge thereof, is a relati-vely elongated, shallow'slide housing 88; The slide-housing fiilcanbe formed from asingle piece of metal material, having a low, upwardly extending peripheral flange abutting against the underside: of the tray 66, saidhousing: being: secured permanently to the tray: by screws" 89 or their equivalents.-

Spaced. longitudinally of the slide housing- 68 areopenings said openings being spacediequal distances apart for substantially the full length ofthehousi-ng.

At one side of the housing, intermediate the opposite ends thereof, I provide a longitudinal slot- 72.. A. slide M from a flat length of bar material, slidably reciprocable within the: hous ing 68, and is formed, throughout its length, with; a longitudinal series of uniformly spaced button hole slots 16; A laterally projecting handie 18. is integrally provided upon one side edge or. the slide 14, and projects through the slot: E2 of housing68. Ihe opposite ends of slot 124 limit movementof. the handle, and hence: the slide: 14,- in oppositedirection within-the housing.

A flat plate 8%! is fixedly secured to the. upper. surface of each arm 62, and has an upwardly-- projecting stud or latch pin 82., The pint 82. is formed with opposed grooves (Figure 8)., in which are engageable the opposite side ed'gesof the her row, portions of the button. slots 16.

It willbe seen that the tray 66. can be located any desired distance from the backrest 60, When the tray 6% has been located at its proper distance from the back rest, the pin 82* will projectathrough-one of: the several openings T0. Sub-' seqnently; movement of the handle 18' irr the a, direction of the: arrows shown in Figure 8, will be effective: to shift the slide 14 to a position in whichone of the button hole slots 16' will bev strip [9* can swing between one position shown in- Figure 45, in which position it is coplanar withand projects upwardly from the plate member l2, and a second position shown in Figure 10. In its second position the top strip forms the top wall of a carrying case. A carrying handle 83 is attached tothe top strip, and a pin 90, on the outer or free end of base 32, engages in anopening provided in a locking strap 92, that is attached to the top strip IQ, for the purpose of holding the several parts against movement from. their collapsed position.

In use, and assuming that the high chair has been unfolded, said high chair can be positioned upon a conventional chair, not shown, and will have a tray, seat, and back rest portion approximating in size the corresponding parts of a conventional high chair, Subsequently, when the high chair is to be folded, the pins 52 will first be disengaged from the braces 38, it. It may be noted that the pins. 52' will not he accidentally lost when so disengaged, since the key '48 can be returned to its locked position for the purpose of holding the pins. in their associated keepers.

In any event, when this step in the folding operation has been accomplished, the seat 42 can be swung upwardly-in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 9, and the arms e2 can be swung downwardly. Base 32 is also swung upwardly, the lower braces 33 collapsing against the base while the upper braces collapse against their associated. arm 62. The double hinge connection of the" base to the back plate permits the base to move into registration with the plate member I I? in the collapsed condition of the parts.

The tray 56 will, of course, previously have been detached from. the arms as, and can be. inserted. in the space between the plate" member l2 and base 32, as shown in Figure 10. Similarly, collapsing of the seat permits the back rest Si? to move to its lower position.

After the parts havebeen completely collapsed, a flat, box-like carrying case will result, which. can be readily carried and stored in a small area.

, In afull size device, such a case is 12 X 16 x 2 inches in size, and its compactness will thusbe readily appreciated.

It. is believed. apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only -;intended to be illustrative of the principles of back plate and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly from the base and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; and means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof.

2. A fold-able chair comprising: an upstanding back plate; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged to the back plate to swing between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the back plate and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being connected to the back plate at a location between the connections of the base and arms thereto; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly from the base and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; and means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof.

3. A foldable chair comprising: an upstanding back plate; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged thereto to swing between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the back plate and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being con-- nected to the back plate at a location between the connections of the base and arms thereto, said back plate and base being formed as fiat members substantially coextensive with each other in height and width; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly therefrom and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof, the arms, seat, and braces all being disposed between the back plate and base in the collapsed condition of the parts, to form the back plate and base into a container therefor; and a carrying handle on the back plate.

4. A foldable chair comprising: a back plate including an upstanding plate member and a bottom strip secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate member; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged to the plate member to swing between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the plate member and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being connected to the plate member at a location between the connections of the base and the arms thereto, said plate member and base being flat and substan tially coextensive with each other in height and width; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower brace hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly therefrom and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof, the arms, seat, and braces all being disposed between the plate member and the base in the collapsed condition of the parts, to form the plate member and base into opposite sides of a container therefor, said bottom strip forming the bottom of said container; and a carrying handle on the upper end of the plate member.

5. A foldable chair comprising: a back plate including an upstanding plate member and a bottom strip secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate member; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged to the plate member to swing between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the plate member and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being connected to the plate member at a location between the connections of the base and the arms thereto, said plate member and base being fiat and substantially coextensive With each other in height and width; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly therefrom and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; means separably connecting the u per braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof, the arms, seat, and braces all being disposed between the plate member and the base in the collapsed condition of the parts, to form the plate member and base into opposite sides of a container therefor, said bottom stri forming the bottom of said container; a carrying handle on the upper end of the plate member; and a back rest slidably mounted on the back plate to extend the same upwardly in said first position of the arms, base, and seat.

6. A foldable chair comprising: a back plate including an upstanding plate member and a bottom strip secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate member; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged to the plate member to swin between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the plate member and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being connected to the plate member at a location between the connections of the base and the arms thereto, said plate member and base being fiat and substantially coextensive with each other in height and width; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly therefrom and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof, the arms, seat, and braces all being disposed between the plate member and the base in the collapsed condition of the parts, to form the plate member and base into opposite sides of a container therefor, said bottom strip forming the bottom of said container; a carrying handle on the upper end of the plate member; a back rest slidably mounted on the back plate to extend the same upwardly in said first position of the arms, base, and seat; and a tray removably connected to and extendin between the arms in said first position of the arms.

7. A foldable chair comprising: a back plate including an upstanding plate member and a bottom strip secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate member; arms, a base, and a seat all hinged to the plate member to swing between a first position in which they project forwardly and horizontally from the plate member and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst, the seat being connected to the plate member at a location between the connections of the base and the arms thereto, said plate member and base being flat and substantially coextensive to each other in height and width; a pair of upper braces hinged to the arms to swing between a first position in which they depend from the arms and a second position in which they are collapsed against the arms; a pair of lower braces hinged to the base to swing between a first position in which they extend upwardly therefrom and a second position in which they are collapsed thereagainst; means separably connecting the upper braces, lower braces, and seat in the first positions thereof, the arms, seat, and braces all being disposed between the plate member and the base in the collapsed condition of the parts, to form the plate member and base into opposite sides of a container therefor, said bottom strip forming the bottom of said container; a carrying handle on the upper end of the plate member; and a back rest slidably mounted on the back plate for movement between opposite extreme positions in one of which said back rest projects above the back plate to extend the same upwardly, and in the other of which the back rest is retracted into substantial registration with the plate member of the back plate, said seat, in the first position thereof, extending into the path of slidable movement of the back rest to provide a stop limiting movement of the back rest to the second named extreme position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 597,739 Prentiss Jan. 25, 1898 841,135 Finch Jan. 15, 1907 1,760,365 King May 27, 1930 1,946,826 Agati Feb. 13, 1934 2,340,788 Aylor Feb. 1, 1944 2,521,200 Beckenhauer Sept. 5, 1950 2,585,721 Bachand Feb. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 269,715 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1927

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