US2625988A - Back rest for planklike seats - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 R. MacMlLLAN BACK REST FOR PLANKLIKE SEATS Filed March l, 1949 Patented Jan. 2 0, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BACK' REST Foa PLANKmKE SEATS Ronald MacMillan, Windsor, Ontario, Canada' Application March 1, 1949, serial No. 79,012

101mm.` (c1. 155-133) This invention relates to improvements in back rests for plank-like seats, and refers particularly to back rests for use in row boats, on bleacher seats and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a back rest which is not merely readily attachable to and detachable from a plank-like seat, but which may also be readily assembled or taken apart and packed in a exible back support which forms part of the assembly, so that the entire rest then occupies a very limited amount of space and may be handily carried from place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a back rest in the assembly of which no screws, bolts or other similar fastening means are employed in order to simplify the assembling and disassembling of the device.

Having thus briefly stated some of the objects and advantages of the invention I will now describe a preferred embodiment thereof with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a front view thereof, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the top of the device only.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail showing a joint between one upper and one lower member.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail showing the attachment of one engaging member to a lower member. and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the disassembled parts in the flexible back support.

Referring to the drawing, vI designates a flat plank-like seat upon which my back rest is adapted to be mounted. 'I'he latter consists essentially of two lower members 2, two upper members 3 and a flexible back support 4. The lower members 2, which are usually tubular and are identical, are placed parallel to one another so that they extend transversely over the seat I and are spaced so as to provide suflicient seating room between them. Projecting from the front of each member 2 is an @,Ilgagng member 5 which extends down in front of the seat I and terminates immediately beneath the latter in a rearwardly bent extremity. When the lower members 2 are tubular they may be flattened adjacent their front extremities each to receive one end of one of the engaging members 5 which are U-shaped. Each member 5 is then secured in its lower member 2 either by centerpunching the latter as shown at 6 in Figure 5, or in any other preferred manner. The rear portions of the lower members 2 are upwardly and rear wardly curved so that their rear extremities 1 are upwardly inclined. The upper members 3, which are preferably tubular and straight throughout their length, are identical, and are suitably supported on the rear extremities 1 of the lower members so that they extend upwardly therefrom. In order that the upper members 3 may be readily attached to or detached from the rear extremities 1 of the lower members cooperating engaging means are provided on the adjacent ends of the upper and lower members. In the present instance the upper tubular members 3 are of uniform diameter throughout their length and the rear extremities 1 of the tubular members 2 are of reduced diameter for a short distance from their ends to fit snugly into the upper members 3 and rigidly support the latter.

The back support 4, which is usually made of suitable fabric, is tubular and closed at its upper extremity so that it may be readily mounted over the upper member 3 and supported upon the upper extremities of the latter. In order to prevent the upper members 3 being drawn toward one another by the weight of a person leaning against the back support 4 a suitable transverse brace 9 is employed which in the present instance consists of a somewhat resilient strip of metal. The ends of the latter project into the slots I0 formed substantially opposite one another in the upper members 3 intermediately of the height of the latter. Moreover in order to hold the back support 4 in position opposite sides of the latter may also be slotted at Il for the passage of the ends of the brace 9 therethrough, in which case the central portion of the said brace lies in the rear of the back support 4.

From the foregoing it will be clearly seen that in order to assemble the device it is merely necessary to engage the coacting extremities of the member 2 with the members 3, place the back support 4 over the upper ends of the upper members 3, and insert the brace 9 in position. To install the device the engaging members 55 are merely brought into engagement with the front margin of the seat l. Thus not only is my back rest readily demountable, but it may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled without recourse to screws or other similar fastening means. Moreover all the separate parts may be placed in the back support 4, as diagrammatically shown in Figure 6, and the said support utilized as a wrapping, so that the disassembled seat 3 back then occupies very little room and can be conveniently carried.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that alterations and modifications may be made thereto provided they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

A back rest includingtwo lower tubular members adapted? to lierv transversely and in spaced relation across a plank-like seat, the rear extremities of the lower tubular members beingrearwardly and upwardly inclined, a substantially U-shaped engaging member-mounted on the front extremity of eachlower member-and. projecting therefrom to engage the front margin of the seat, substantially verticalfupperf tubular members extending upwardly from said .rear extremities, the adjacent extremities of the upper and lower tubular members fittingone into the.. other to rigidly support the uppermembersQa flexible tubular back support closed at its upper extremity mounted over both thev upper tubular members, and a resilient brace each end of which is in detachable engagement With a slot formed in one of the upper members t0 hold the latter in spaced relation, said flexible back support being slotted adjacent each side for the passage of the brace therethrough to prevent accidental detachment ofthe back support.Y

RONALD MACMILLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The-.following references are of record in the le of this patent: l

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,422,915" Benson et al. July 18, 1922 20 2,137,312 'Thompson Nov. 22, 1938

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