US1571509A - Adjustable support - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2,1926. 1,571,509

T. W. CONNOLLY ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed August 16, 1924 alto: mg

Patented Feb. 2, 192a UNITED STATES THOMAS; W. CONNOLLY, 01? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT.

Application filed August 16, 1924. Serial No. 732,498.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it lrnown that I, THOMAS Vi CON- HOLLY, a citizen or the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Jlingoles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Supports, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to adjustable supper a, and. purpose of my invention is the provision of an adjustable support of extremely simple, inexpensive, and durable construction which is particularly applicable to adjustable chair backs, but which may be used in any other connections where an adjustable support'ls necessary.

It is also purpose of my invention to prrn ide an adjustable support including a supporting member adapted for pivotal connection to the chair back, and a locking member pivoted on the chair frame so as to normally gravitate to one position in which the supporting member is locked against movement to prevent lowering of the chair back, and which is movable by the supporting member to another position in which the supporting member is freely movable to permit lowering of the chair back.

I will describe only one form of adjustable support embodying my invention and one adaptation thereof, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing one form of adjustable support embodying my invention in applied position with respect to a chair back;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the chair, with the adjustable support in back supporting position;

Figure is a View similar to Figure 2, showing the chair back in completely lowcred position;

Figure *lis a vertical sectional view taken on the line l--ii of Figure Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a stationary element 15 which, in the present instance, is a part of the chair frame, and a pivoted element 16 comprising the chair back, it being noted that the element is pivoted on the stationary element by means of hinges 17 whereby the back is capable of being adjusted to various inclinations In the present instance I have shown two stationary elements 15 and two adjustable supports associated with the stationary elements. As the two supports are identical in construction a description of one will sutlice for all.

As shown in Figure 2, the stationary element 15 is formed with an opening 18, and within this opening is mounted a locking member including a stationary plate 19 secured to one wall of the opening and a movable plate 20 pivoted on the stationary plate and provided with an opening 21 through which a supporting member or connecting rod 22 is adapted to slide. The upper end of the supporting member is pivotally connected at the point indicated at 23 to the plate 24 securedto the pivoted element or chair back 16, and this supporting member is threaded at its opposite ends to accommodate nuts 25 and 26 which constitute lugs or abutments, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

A spring latch 26 is secured to the plate 19 of the locking member, and this latch is curved to provide a bill 27 arranged to receive and secure the movable plate 20 in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2.

In operation, the plate 20 ot the locking member normally gravitates to the inclined position shown in Figure 2, wherein the wall of the opening 21. has binding engage ment with the supporting member 22 when the pivoted member 16 is in inclined posi tion as shown, so as to exert a downward )lGSSlll'Q 117011 the S11 )OOl'tlIN member.

Through this binding engagement the supporting member is locked against downward movement so as to firmly retain the seat back in inclined position. However, the supporting member can be moved up wardly through the opening of the plate to effect any desired elevation or adjustmentof the seat back, but as soon as the seat back is released so that its own weight can again be exerted upon the supporting member, the plate 20 will again function to bite the supporting member and thus lock the latter against downward movement.

The supporting member 22 is capable of occupying an extreme elevated position as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 2, or an extreme lowered position as shown in ill) solid lines in Figure 3. 111 the extreme elevated position, the nut 26 elevates the plate 20 so that the latter is engaged by the bill 27 of the latch 26, and in this position of the plate 20 it is disposed at right angles to the supporting member or rod 22 so that the wall of the opening 21 will be ineffective to engage the rod and lock the latter against downward movement whereby the rod can be moved downwardly to permit a lowering of the chair back 16. In the lower extreme position as shown in Figure 3, the nut 25 engages the plate 20, thus forcing the latter downwardly away from the bill 27 so that the plate can gravitate to its normal posi tion wherein it operates as a locking means for the rod 22, as has been previously described.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of adjustable support embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

hat I claim is:

1 An adjustable support comprising a supporting member adapted for pivoted connection to a pivotal element, and a locking member adapted to be pivoted on a station ary element to normally gravitate to one position in which the supporting member is locked against movement to prevent low ering of the pivotal element and which is movable by the supporting member to another position in which the supporting memher is freely movable to permit lowering of the pivoted element, and a latch associated with the locking member to secure the latter in thefsecondmentioned position and thus allow lowering of the pivoted element, and abutments on the supporting member,- one of which is adapted to engage the locking member as the supporting member reaches its uppermost position and move the locking member into engagement with the latch, and the other of which is adapted to engage the locking member when the supporting member reaches its lowermost position and move out of engagement with latch for securing the movable plate in a' position in which the rod is freely movable through the opening in both directions, and

lugs on the rod; one of said lugs being adapt- I ed to engage the movable plate to force the latter but of engagement with the latch and the other lug to engage the movable plate to lift the latter into engagement with the latch.

3. In a device of. the class described a hinged apertured plate adapted to be mounted upon a fixed object a latch member in coact-ion with the plate to hold same at one time against hinged movement, and a rod slidable through the aperture of said plate and provided with means to respectively engage the plate and disengage same from said latch, the hinged plate functioning when disengaged from said latch to permit its aperture to be .cantedwith respect to the rod and to hold the latter in its position of adjustment.

4. In a device of the class described, a swinging plate having an opening therein, a rod slidable through the opening in the plate and adapted to be angularly positioned with respect to the walls of the opening so as to be brought into lockingcontact therewith; and means to permit the plate to be held in one position so that said rod may be moved along a line representing the true longitudinal axis of the opening to thereby permit the rod to slide freely and to be ield out of locking contact with the walls of said opening includinga spring latch engageable with the plate, and portions on the rod for respectively engaging the plate with and disengaging the same from said latch.

THOMAS W. CONNOLLY.

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