US1496284A - Foot rest - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1924.

W. F. AMSDEN FOOT REST Filed Feb. 16. 1923 MIN I Inveniar:

WiZZianzFflmsden,

Patented June 3, 1924.

\VILLIAIVI F, AIVISDEN, OF SEWICKLE-Y, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOOT REST.

Application filed February 16, 1923. Serial No. 819,458.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM F. AMSDEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot Rests, of which the following is a specification.

My present inventionrelates to a foot rest, and particularly to that type which may be applied to the floor of an automobile, or the like, although the device is not limited there-' to and may find application in other conditions and circumstances.

In this art it is particularly advantageous to provide a foot rest which may be adj ustable for the comfort and convenience of different passengers and which may be readily adjusted to the needs of each. To this end my invention contemplates such a device which may be instantly adjusted through horizontal and vertical distances between the minimum and maximum requirements of different persons.

My invention further comprises a foot rest secured to end members, which are in turn pivoted to standards, these standards slidably engaging a track on the floor of the vehicle in a manner'which will permit positioning in a rigid manner at the point desired. The end members may be so constructed to afford vertical adjustment if further desired.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, a preferred form of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, as this is merely the embodiment which is most satisfactory at this time.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a plane elevation of the device showing two positions.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of an end member.

Fig. 4 is a detail.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated, I have illustrated a track 1 of any suitable material and of a length which will be determined by the circumstances under which the device is used, this track having a substantially plane upper surface and a toothed under surface 2, for a purpose more fully described hereinafter. The track 1 is suitably secured to the floor of the vehicle, as by means of screws 3, or the like. Duplicate tracks and associated partswill be provided for each foot rest, which obviously may be either individual or of a sufficient length to accommodate several passengers. Upon each track I mount a standard 4 having an apertured base 5 adapted to encircle the track 1, said base having a toothed surface 6 similar to the surface 2 and adapt" ed to engage the same. The maximum diameter of the aperture in the base 5 must besuificient to allow the standard 4 to be readily moved back and forth on the track when the toothed surfaces 2 and 6 are out of engagement. The upper portion of the standard 4 is provided with a socket adapted to receive a pivot member 7 secured to an end member comprising portions 8 and 9, which portions are secured together in a manner to permit relative movement therebetween, as by wing bolt 10 operating in slot 11. The other end of the portion 9 of the end member is secured to a foot rest 12 of any desired extent, as will be best determined by circumstances.

It will be apparent that the weight of the foot rest 12 and the end members swinging about the pivot 7, the lower portion of the end member engaging the floor or track, as the case may be, as a fulcrum, will tend to raise the standards 4, thus pressing the toothed or roughened surfaces 2 and 6 into engagement. This insures the standards 4- maintaining their position in a rigid manner. If, however, the passenger using the foot rest, desires to push the device away from, or pull the same toward, himself, by lifting the foot rest 12 which frees the roughened surfaces 2 and 6, may move the entire structure in the desired direction. Upon removing the support from the foot rest and allowing, its weight to again act about the pivot'7, causes the standard 4 to rigidly engage the track 1 in its new and more comfortable position for the passenger. It will thus be seen that the device may be readily adjusted in a horizontal direction to suit the various needs of individual passengers without the use of tools and without even touching the hands to the de vice, as the entire structure may be readily adjusted by-the foot. In case a horizontal adjustment is desired of greater extent than the length of the track 1, the end members and their foot rest 12 may be rotated about the pivot 7, 180, thus occupying a position diametrically opposed to the first position,

which adjustment, therefore allows a radius of actionequalstotwice the lengthiof thezend members, plus the length of the track.

It a vertical adjustment is desired, the wing nut 10 is loosened, which frees the movable portion 9 of the end member from the rigid part 8 and allows the former to be swung upwardly to new positionzbetween horizontal and vertical, depending upon the extent of slot 1:1. Upon reaching -the desired height, :the wing nut 10 maybe tightened and this position maintained.

The placing of a passengers toot upon the foot .restcauses annpward movement of the standard 4:, which has the efi'ect of bringing thetoothed, or roughened surfaces 2 and 6 into closer engagement, which absolutely prevents relative movement between the standard and the track and insures=that the foot rest is maintained in its desired position.

\Vhat I claim is z 1. A device of the characterdescribed, including a track secured to the floor of a vehicle, vertical standards engaging said track, and movable thereon, end members rotatably secured to the standards, and a foot rest secured to the end members, said end members having a portion thereot between the standards and the foot rest, engaging said track, said end members including meanstoadpist the elevation of the "foetal-est above the vehicle floor.

.2. The deviceot claim 1, thetrack engaging portion of the end members beingmovable relative to the remainder of the end;

.members, and means to prevent movement therebetween.

3. The device of claim 1, said end mem- .bers beingsplit longitudinally whereby the elevation of the foot rest may be fixed.

4. The device OfGltLlDl 1, that portion of the end member engaging the track being rotatably mounted on thestandard, and rotata'ble independently .of :that portion of the end meniber .carrying the foot rest, and means Ito secure the two parts together in any resired relativeposition.

The device of claim 1, said end members including substantially elliptical ele ments split longitudinally part waylot their length, and independently amovableaneans to secure the independently anovable parts :to each .other in any position.

.6. The device of claim 1,5flldfit1210li engaging portion of the end members being between the standards-and the afoot rest and constituting a fulcrum, said :foot rest constituting the point of application of force, whereby the weight of a foot on the foot rest causes an. upward force-to be exertedon the standards so that standards and track are pressed together and movement :between track and standards is prevented.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM F. aarsn isn.-

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