US3285656A

US3285656A - Height adjusting devices for chairs, tables, and the like

Info

Publication number: US3285656A
Application number: US474841A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lars R Elfstrom
Original assignee: SYSTEM COMMUNICA AB
Current assignee: SYSTEM COMMUNICA AB
Priority date: 1965-07-26
Filing date: 1965-07-26
Publication date: 1966-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-15

Description

Nov. 15, 1966 1.. R. ELFSTROM HEIGHT ADJUSTING DEVICES FOR CHAIRS TABLES, AND THE LIKE Filed July 26, 1965 INVENTOR LA R5 RICHARD ELFSTROM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,285,656 HEIGHT ADJUSTING DEVICES FOR CHAIRS, TABLES, AND THE LIKE Lars R. Elfstrom, Goteborg, Sweden, assignor to System Communica Aktiebolag, Goteborg, Sweden Filed July 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,841 2 Claims. (Cl. 297-337) The present invention relates to a height adjusting device for chairs, tables, and the like, of the type where the seat or table top, respectively, is disposed on the end of a tube, the lower and straight "end-portion of which slides onto or into, in the latter case, a sleeve-shaped, vertical column fixed on an under-frame.

The object of the invention is to create a simple height adjusting device inexpensive to produce, convenient to handle and attractive both from the point of view of appearance and cleaning.

The invention is substantially characterised by the supporting tube being provided with a number of displaceable bodies, preferably balls, the lowermost of which is carried by the column, there being a blocking member, capable of being introduced between two adjacent displaceable bodies through an opening in the tube, and disposed at a requisite distance from the upper end of the column.

In the case of chairs, tables and the like, where the seat or table top and the like can be raised like a flap from its position of use, the blocking member can, according to the invention, consist of a pin fixed to the underside of the seat or table top.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention, and in the said drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents a side elevation of a chair provided with a height adjusting device according to the invention, and also partially a section through the said device;

FIGURE 2 shows a vertical cross section through one of the details according to a somewhat modified design; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross section through the chair along the line III-III in FIGURE 1.

The numeral 1 in the drawing denotes a chair underframe of conventional design. From this frame rises a vertical column 2. A compression spring 3 is disposed on the upper end of the column. The lower, straight endportion of a tube 4 is slidably fitted to the column 2 as a part of the said tube, which then curves off and continues upwards at such an angle that balls 5 disposed inside the tube fall by gravitation on to the lowest ball held in position by the column 2, interacting with the spring 3. After a further bend, the tube 4 continues upwards at a more acute inclination while successively being flattened, the top end of same being fitted with a slidably rotatable adjusting arrangement 6 of a back rest 7. At the upwardturned side of the tubular portion between the two bends, two supporting brackets 9 for a seat 8 are fitted, and between them is a plate 10 fixed to the underside of the seat. The said plate 10 is provided with a projection acting as a blocking member e.g. a pin 11 which, when the seat is set in position of use by being hinged on the pivot 13, is made to enter between two adjacent balls 5 through an opening 12 provided in the tube 4.

Upon raising the seat into vertical position, the blocking member 11 is withdrawn from the tube 4, allowing same to be adjusted to required height. The balls are then 3,285,656 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 moved in either one or the other direction in relation to the tube. After completed adjustment, the seat is restored to horizontal position, and the blocking member 11 then pushes its way through between two adjacent balls disposed at a requisite distance from the upper end of the column and which happen to be positioned at the opening 12 (according to the amount of height adjustment), with the result that the balls disposed between the blocking member 11 and the column 2 transmit the load to the column on the underframe.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 2 diifers from that described above only by the frame-supported column being made in the form of a sleeve 14 into which the lower, straight end-portion of the tube 4 is capable of being telescoped.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawing as these may vary in different ways without deviating from the fundamental idea of the invention, according to the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Height adjustable furniture support comprising a column, means for vertically supporting said column on a horizontal surface when in use, a tube telescopically connected at one end to said column, a spring mounted on said column, a series of balls freely moveable and individually rotatable in said tube with adjacent balls bearing against one another and having one of said balls bearing against said spring, said tube having a side opening, a support pivotally mounted on said tube, and a blocking member carried by said support for being inserted at times through said tube side opening and between an adjacent pair of said balls when said support is in its load supporting position.

2. Height adjustably furniture support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tube telescopically connected end is straight and positioned in line with said column, said tube further has a portion extending on an angle from said straight end portion and away from said column permitting said balls to roll under gravity towards said column when in use, said support has one edge hingedly connected to said tube angular portion and said tube slot is positioned on a side of said tube angular portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 580,665 4/ 1897 Goshorn 248-162 1,711,526 5/1929 Forsyth 297-338 1,826,643 10/ 1931 Anderson 297-338 2,017,300 10/1935 Wiesmau 254-98 2,331,990 10/ 1943 McArthur 248-423 2,714,498 8/ 1955 Wufhrich 248-354 2,854,180 9/ 1958 Brunckhorst 182-202 2,875,007 2/1959 Fox 248-1885 3,090,466 5/ 1963 Wright 182-202 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,071,304 12/ 1959 Germany.

11,484 of 1888 Great Britain. 360,111 11/1931 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

F. K. ZUGEL, Examiner.

Claims

1. HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE SUPPORT COMPRISING A COLUMN, MEANS FOR VERTICALLY SUPPORTING SAID COLUMN ON A HORIZONTAL SURFACE WHEN IN USE, A TUBE TELESCOPICALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END TO SAID COLUMN, A SPRING MOUNTED ON SAID COLUMN, A SERIES OF BALLS FREELY MOVABLE AND INDIVIDUALLY ROTATABLE IN SAID TUBE WITH ADJACENT BALLS BEARING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING ONE OF SAID BALLS BEARING AGAINST SAID SPRING, SAID TUBE HAVING A SIDE OPENING, A SUPPORT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID TUBE, AND A BLOCKING MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FOR BEING INSERTED AT TIMES THROUGH SAID TUBE SIDE OPENING AND BETWEEN AN ADJACENT PAIR OF SAID BALLS WHEN SAID SUPPORT IS IN ITS LOAD SUPPORTING POSITION.