US2518381A - Armchair with table attachment - Google Patents

Description

Patented ug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARMCHAIR WITH TABLE ATTACHMENT Elsie M. Runkles, Detroit, Mich.

Application August 20, 1949, Serial No. 111,395

This invention relates to arm chairs having table or desk attachments, and may be considered an improvement on the disclosures of Patents 1,803,947 and 1,891,691, issued respectively May 5, 1931 and December 20, 1932.

An object of the invention is to provide in an improved manner for hinging one end of a table member to a support and for adapting such member and support .to be slid into and from a compartment provided in one of the arm-form'- ing side members of a chair, whereby said member may be swung after withdrawal from the compartment from its vertical position admitting it to and from the compartment to a horizontal position of use.

Another object is to provide an improved support normally housed in a compartment formed in the other of said arm-forming side members and slidable forwardly to serve as a seat for the free end portion of the table member. Another object is to form the last-mentioned support with one or more recesses for articles, and to render such recesses accessible by fore wardly actuating such support to its seating position for the table member.

Another object is to adapt the table member to be swung laterally while maintaining its horizontal position, so that an occupant of the chair may leave the same without necessity of iirst unloading the table member.

Another object is to horizontally hinge one end portion of a table member to a forward 4exL tension from a support retained within a compartment formed in one of the arm-forming side members of a chair, and to provide a support for the other end portion of the table member on the other of said side members, and to ver:- tically pivot said extension on the corresponding support so that the table member, as disposed `for use, may be swung laterally in unison with said extension to allow ingress and egress to and from the chair, and to equip the extension with an auxiliary support for the table member, safe'- guarding the latter from collapse when so swung.

These and various other objects are attainedl by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved chair, showing its table member and the two'l.

supports for such member withdrawn from their .compartments preliminary to` upward swinging of said member to its use position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the chair, showing in full lines the normal use position of the table 8 Claims. (Cl. 155-188) member and in dash lines a laterally swung use position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, corresponding to the full line showing of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the table member and one of its supports,

` taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

l,form arms and to also comprise portions of the chair base. The members 2 and 3 are respectively formed with similar compartments 5 and 6 opening in the front faces of such members and extending to the top, bottom, and rear portions of said members. Slidably fitted in the `compartment B and normally occupying its rear portion is a table support 1. The upper portion of such `support carries a forwardly projecting extension 8 normally occupying the front portion of the compartment 6, said extension being pivoted on the support by a vertical pin 9, being thus adapted to swing laterally when in the forwardly projected position illustrated in Fig. 1. A table member IIJ has one of its end portions lapping the extension 9 and hinged thereto along the upper edge of the extension, as indicated at II, such member being normally housed within the compartment 6 together with the support 'I and said extension. The hinge Il adapts the table member to assume either the vertical position of Fig. l or the horizontal use position, best shown in Fig. 2. In such use position the table member extends between the chair arms,

slightly below their top faces, the free end of such member being then usually seated on a support I2, carried by the side member 2. Such support is normally housed within the compartment 5 and is slid forwardly, as per Fig. 1, when required to seat the table member. It is to be noted that the compartment 6 must have substantially the maximum vertical extent afforded by the corresponding Side member 3 in order that the table member may be accommodated in such compartment when not in use, while having ade- `quate length to allow the described seating on the support I2. In the outer face of the support I2 are formed two recesses or pockets I3 '(Figs. 3 and 4) to which access is had in the withdrawn position of said support. These recesses serve to receive writing or sewing materials, or other articles suited to occasionally occupy the table member.

It is desirable to afford ingress and egress to and from the chair without necessity of lowering the table member from its use position, particularly since such lowering would entail preliminary removal of any articles resting on such member. Pivotal mounting of the extension 8 on the pin 9 in conjunction with an auxiliary support I4 Von said extension `permits Aswinging of the table member as exemplified in dash lines in Fig. 2. Said auxiliary support is formed by an arm vertically piVoted at I5 on said extension and occupying the vertical plane of .therextension when not in use. Said arm is positioned for use by swinging it on the pivot I5 to diverge nfrom said extension, whereby saidarm functions as a brace, affording support to the rtable member at a point materially spaced from the hinge '.IZI. The arm I4 may be formed of heavy wire with an end portion .upwardly inserted in .the -extension to form the pivot I5, the other end -portion being lformed with a return bend .I6 asa seatfor the table member. ,A wear plate Il secured to the under faceof vthetablememberbasa shoulder Isengageable by the arm lli to establish the use 'position of such arm.

. .A pair of plates I9 secured to vthe front faces of .the .chair arms sufficiently overlap 'the upper ends of the compartments 5 and 6 to .establish f forward limiting positions for the supports I2 .and 7. Thesupport I2 has a shoulder 20 at its top to engage the correspondingplate I9 and vthe upper end of .the front face of thesupport'fl exercises a like function. Finishing strips 2| and ,22,jof any suitable material are 'securedrespec- .tively to the front faces of the support I2 -and table member, the latter being materially reinforced by .its strip 22. When the 'table `attachment .is housed in the side members 2 and '3, said strips seat against said members, 'covering the compartments 5 and.

The described attachment vadds 'utility to any `arm chair and is kparticularly a -convenience to invalids, convalescents, or others, 4whose ycondition requires considerable occupancy of such a chair.

What 1 claim is:

l. In combination, a Achair having 'arm-forming side members and a forwardly opening compartment'in lone such member, a table membersup- 'port normally occupying the rear portion of said compartment, a forward extension I'from' said v`"support, `normally occupying the front portion of1said-compartment, said-support and extension being forwardly slidable in unison Yto dispose fthe extension in `an exterior relation to 'the 'compartment, 'a table member having lan `end `portion substantially parallel and adjacentto'saidrextension, means Vhinging said'end `portionfto :the Y.ex-

Stension, establishing a substantially .horizontal fsupport normally occupying the rear portion .of

one of said compartments, 4a forward extension from `said support, .normally occupying `the front portion of said compartment, said 'support and extension being forwardly slidable in :unison =to 'dispose the extension 'in an :exterior .relation to the compartment, a table member having an end portion substantially parallel and adjacent to said extension, means hinging said end portion to the extension, establishing a substantially horizontal pivotal axis for the table member, and a support for the other end 'portion of the table member, normally occupying the other of said compartments and forwardly slidable to establish a seat for the last-mentioned end portion.

V3. In the combination -set forth Yin claim 2, a pair of cover members for said Acompartments secured respectively to thefront margin of the table member and to the front end of the lastimentioned support, and normally engaging the front faces of said side members.

4. "The combination set forth in claim 2, the

,last-.mentioned support having a recess in its outer face exposed by a forward sliding of such supportfand receiving articles to be used on the table member.

,5. Jn :the combination set forth lin Iclaim 2, coacting stops on theLside members of the .chair 'andfon Ythe table member supports,` limiting .forwardfsliding of suchsupports.

6. In-combination, `a `chair having arm-forming side :members and a forwardlyopening compartment in rone such member, a .table member support normally occupying the rear Yportionlof saidcOmpartment, la forward extension from the front portion of said support, normallyoccupying the `front portion -of said compartment, means pivotingrsaid ,extension on said support affording the extension swinging travel .about a substanvtially vertical axis, said support and Aextensionibeing forwardly slidable in unison to dispose --the .extension in an exteriorrelation `to the V,compartment, a .table member .having an end .portion isubstantially parallel `and adjacent to said extension, means Ahinging said end .portion to ,the extension, vwhereby the table member may be swung from a substantially vertical position of registration vwith said compartment to ua substantially horizontal position of use, means icarried by the other of said side `members for.sup porting the otherend .portion of the table member in its position of use, Aand an auxiliarysup- Aport for the table .member carried `by said .extensionand adjustable toengage the table member in spacedfrelation tosaid hinging means to maintain the horizontal use position of the table .member when. swung in Y.unison Vwith said 4exten- .sion about said vertical axis. l'

F1. The combination set .forth in claim 6, .said auxiliarysupport.comprising an arm pivoted Aon saidextension to `swing about a vertical axisfrom a position substantially in the vertical plane .of

the extension to a divergent relation to .such plane. Y

8. VThe.combination set forth in claim v6,.,said

Aauxiliary support comprising an .arm .having an end -.portion upwardly .inserted and pivotal inthe extension, said arm .being upwardly bent-tofpro- The following'references are of 'fiile -of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA I IF N I S Name Date Runkles Dec...20, '1932 record .fin @the Number

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