US2869620A - Adjustable ottoman - Google Patents

Description

H. GLEITSMAN ADJUSTABLE OTTOMAN Jan. 20, 1959 Filed March 14, 1957 INVENTOR.

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6 Claims. (Cl. 15S-169) The present invention relates to ottomans.

So-called posture chairs now in widespread use, are recommended as a health attribute due to the complete relaxation that they provide. However, said posture chairs" are relatively expensive, cumbersome, and do not lend themselves readily to the decorative schemes of living rooms or the like.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a relatively inexpensive and simple device which can be used to convert any conventional chair or seat into a posture chair and which is of pleasing appearance, so as to not interfere with the decor or decorative scheme of furniture used in the particular room in which said device may 'be used.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In thedrawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a posture chair or seat formed by the ottoman of the present invention in association with a conventional chair;

Fig. 1A is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the ottoman illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1A;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on a reduced scale, taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and illustrates a modification.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7--7. ofFig. 5; 4

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 an ottoman 10 pursuant to the present invention, as utilized with a conventional chair C to form a posture chair. The ottoman is of the backless seat or bench type and comprises a base member 12 provided with the legs 14, said base pivotally mounting a bench top or seat 16.

The base member 12 is a rigid member, preferably formed of metal or other suitable material, and provided with a peripheral upwardly directed flange 18 and having the cut-outs 20 to reduce the weight thereof. At each corner thereof, the base 12 is provided with a leg 14, which is suitably secured thereto, as by the securing means 22. Each leg mounts a freely rotatable caster 24. The seat member or bench top 16, which may be formed of any suitable material and which is preferably padded and upholstered, is hinged at the bottom and adjacent the rear end 26 thereof, as. by the hinges 28-28 to the flange 18 of the base member 12. When the ottoman 10 is utilized per se, as a backless seat or bench, the seat member 16 thereof is in the normal or horizontal position thereof, as illustrated in broken line in Fig. 2, with the forward or free end 30 of the seat supported on the flange 18, and the opposite or hinged end 26 thereof being secured by means of the hinges 28 to the base member 22.

Pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention, provision is made for a relatively simple and eflicient adjustable detent mechanism, generally indicated by the reference numeral 56, to retain the seat 16 in different tilted or adjusted dispositions thereof for utilization as an adjustable foot rest in connection with the conventional chair C to convert the latter into a posture chair. More specifically, provision is made: for first and second telescoping U-shaped detent means 31 and 33, respectively, which constitute the adjustable detent 56 for retaining the seat 16 in adjusted tilted dispositions thereof. The first U-shaped detent means 31 has a rod-like bight, or pivot part 32 provided with the spaced arms 44 and 46. The pivot 32 is disposed on the inner or upper surface 34 of the base member 12. adjacent the side thereof opposite the hinges 28, being mounted for rotation in a semicircular pivot housing or sleeve 36 which is suitably secured on the surface 34, as by the securing elements 38. The pivot 32 projects from the housing 36, at the opposite ends thereof, as at 40 and 42 respectively. The rod-like arm 44 is suitably secured, as by welding, to the end 40 of the pivot member 32 and the other rod-like arm 46 is similarly secured to the other end 42 of the pivot rod 32. The rod 46 differs from the rod 44 in that the rod 46 is provided with a tail or bent portion 46, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The base member 12 is provided with a cut-out to accommodate the tail 48, for a purpose which is hereinafter explained in detail.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the pivot member 32 and the arms 44 and 46 secured at the opposite ends thereof form the rigid assembly 31 and that said pivot member is mounted for rotary movement within the housing 36 to move the arms 44 and 46 to and from retracted and operative dispositions thereof. In the retracted or inoperative position thereof, the arms overlie the upper surface 34 of the base member, as illus trated in the broken line disposition of the arm 46 in Fig. 2. The erect or operative disposition thereof is illustrated in the full line disposition of said arm 46 in Figure 2. It will be noted that in the inoperative disposition of the arm 46, the tail 48 thereof projects into the opening 50 in the base member 12 and that in the erect position of said arm 46, said tail 48 projects through the opening and underlies the base member 12, in engagement with the bottom surface 52 thereof, so as to constitute a detent for retaining the U-shaped assembly 31 in the upright disposition thereof.

The second U-shaped detent means 33 of the detent assembly 56 is a rigid adjustable device constituted by a cross bar or bight 58 provided at the opposite ends thereof with the tubular elements or arms 60 and 62. The tubular element 60 is adapted to telescopically receive therein arm 44 of the device 31, and the tubular element 62 is adapted to telescopically receive therein arm 46 of said device as best illustrated in Fig. 4.. Each of the tubular portions 60 and 62 of the assembly 33 is similar in construction and is provided with the adjustable thumb screw 64 for releasably locking the associated tubular portion in a longitudinally adjusted position on the associated arm 44 or 46, as the case may be.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the arms 44 and 46 are telescopically received in the tubular parts 60 and 62, respectively, and that said tubular parts may be releasably secured by means of the thumb screws 64 in various adjusted positions longitudinallyof the associated arms 44 and 46. For example, the adjustable detent assembly 56 may be raised or lowered, in a vertical direction, from the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 2,

by releasing the thumb screws 64 and raising or lowering the U-shaped device 33 relative to the U-shaped device 31, as may be required, and then securing said device 33 in the desired adjusted position by'tightening the thumb screws 64. It will be apparent that in theerect disposition thereof, the cross piece 58 of the detent assembly 56 will engage the undersurface of the seat 16, adjacent the front 3t) thereof, as illustrated in full line in Fig. '2 so as to releasably retain the seat in a desired adjusted or tilted position thereof to provide a desired pitch or slope to the seat .member 16 which may be readily changed or varied by merely readjusting the device 33 relative to the device 31. The detent assembly 56 is releasably retained in the erect position thereof, and prevented from inadvertent collapse to the inoperative position thereof by the engagement of the tail 48 with the undersurface 54 of the base member 12, as previously explained. Further, it will be apparent that in the horizontal or broken line disposition of the seat member 16, the detent assembly 56 is rotated to the retracted or inoperative position thereof, shown in broken line in Fig. 2, wherein it is disposed on the base 12 within the upstanding peripheral flange 18 thereof, and between the bottom of the seat member 16 and the upper'surface 34 of base 12, so as to be hidden from view.

Referring now to Figs. through 7 in detail, there is illustrated a modification in the construction'of the detent assembly 56. Pursuant to the present modification, there is illustrated an adjustable detent assembly 56A constituted by first and second U-shaped detent devices 31A and 33A engaged in telescoping relation. The device 31A is constituted by the vbight element or pivot rod 32A which is mounted for rotary movement about its longitudinal axiswithin the sleeve or housing 35, as previously described in connection with the rod 32, and which is provided at each of the ends 4t) and 42 thereof with a tubuiar member or arm '70 which is suitably secured thereto, as by weldingor the like. The members 70 are preferably rectangular in cross section and open at the upper ends '72 thereof. A portion 74 is bent in at the upper end of each sleeve-like member 70 to provide a detent element or a stop for engagement with the tooth 80 of rack element 76 which is telescopically received in each of the tubular members 70. The rack elements 76, interconnected by the rod 78 constitute the second U- shaped detent device 33A, which is telescopically related to the first detent device 31A to constitute the adjustable detent assembly 56A. The cross member 78 provides means by which the rack arms 76 can be simultaneously adjusted longitudinally of engaging a predetermined one ofthe teeth 8% thereof with the associated detent '74!- so as to preset the detent assembly 56A to a desired adjusted disposition thereof whereby to retain the seat- 16 in a desired tilted condition thereof, the latter being engaged by the cross member 78. It will be noted that the detent assembly 56A is retained in the erect disposition thereof, against inadvertent collapse, by the engagement of the bottom ends 82 of the sleeves 7i) on the upper surface 34 of the base member 12.

It will be understood, therefore, that the adjustable detent assembly 56A functions substantially in the same manner as the detent assembly 56, the former being raised the rod 78 and moving the rack elements 76 thereof inwardly or outwardly relative to members 70 as required. The rod 58 being utilized for this purpose in the detent assembly 56. In the raised adjusted dispositions thereof the rod .78 engages the undersurface of the. seat 16 in the same manner as in the case of the rod 58 of the detent assembly 56. In the inoperative position thereof, the detent assembly 56A is also, hidden from View, being disposed on the upper surface 34 of the base 12, between the latter and the seat part 16 and within the upstanding flange 18.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood. that varthe associated sleeves 76 for ious changes may be made in thepresent invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An ottoman comprising a base support, a part pivotally mounted on said support for movement from a seatdefining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest defining dispositions thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, and an adjustable detent assemblymounted by said base support for pivotal movement "from an inoperative disposition overlying said support'to an'operative disposition substantially normal to said base sup port, said detent assembly comprising a first substantially U-shapcd means mounted for pivotal movement on said base support and a second substantially U-shapedmeans mounted by said first U-shaped means for adjustment in a vertical direction relative :to said base support in the operative disposition ofsaid detent assembly, and means for releasably locking said second U-shaped means on said first .U-shaped means in adjusted dispositions of said second .U-shaped means.

2. An ottoman comprising a base support, apart pivotally mounted on said support for-movement from a seatdefining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest defining dispositions thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, and an adjustable detent assembly mounted by said base support for pivotal movement from an inoperative disposition overlying said support to an operative disposition substantially normal to said base support, said detent means comprising a rod mounted for rotary movement about its axis on said base support, a pair of spaced arms carried by said rod transversely thereof for movement to and from a position overlying said base support and a position normal thereto, an additional pair of arms in adjustable telescopic relation to said first pair of arms, respectively, said additional pair of arms constituting a detent for said part in said adjusted disposition thereof, and means to releasably retain said additional pair of arms in adjusted disposition relative to said first pair of arms. V

3. An ottoman, as defined in claim 2, further characterized in that the arms of one of said fpairsare hollow and the arms of the other of said pairs are telescopically received in the arms of said one pair, respectively.

4. An ottoman comprising a base member fnounted by a plurality of legs, a seat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from a seat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest defining disposition thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, an upright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said base member, an inverted U-shaped member mounted inadjustable telescoping relation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seat in said angular dispositions thereof, and means for releasably retaining said second member in adjusted telescoping relation on said first member.

5. An ottoman comprising a base member mounted by a plurality of legs, a seat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from a seat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest defining dispositio'ns thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, an upright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said base member, an inverted U-shaped member mounted in adjustable telescoping relation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seat in said angular dispositions thereof, said second member having hollow arms in which the arms of said first member are received, and means for locking the arms of said second member in adjusted position on the arms of said first :member.

6. An ottoman comprising a base member mounted by a plurality of legs, a seat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from a seat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest defining dispositions ithereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, an

upright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said base member, an inverted Ushaped member mounted in adjustable telescoping relation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seat in said angular dispositions thereof, the arms of said second U- 5 shaped member being constituted by toothed rack elements, said first U-shaped member having hollow arms in which said rack elements are received, respectively, and each of said hollow arms having a detent for releasable engagement by the teeth of the associated rack ele- 10 ment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Longfellow May 24, Weld Aug. 24, Hencke May 16, Kirk June 18, Everts Aug. 27, Wetmore et al. June 24, Blanke June 19,

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