US1841035A - Theater chair - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 12, 1932. I ISRAEL 1,841,035

THEATER CHAIR Filed June 27, 1929 jaw Q M M Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE MAX ISRAEL, OF WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS THEATER CHAIR Application filed June 27,

This invention relates to a chair particularly designed for use in theaters, halls or other audience rooms. In theaters particularly, the rows of chairs or seats are commong'ly placed as close together as possible, in order to thereby increase the seating capacity of the theater. The rows are usually so close that a person seated in one of the ordinary theater chairs must rise in order to permit to anyone to pass in front of him.

Chairs have been heretofore proposed which were so designed that the chair could be temporarily pushed backward when passage between the rows of seats was desired.

.5 while the seat was normally maintained yieldingly in forward position.

My present invention relates to improvements in theater chairs of the type above described and particularly to the provision of lo means by which further backward movement of the chair is prevented, if the chair in its backward movement encounters an obstruction such as the knees of a person seated in the next rearward row.

In my improved construction, the chair is locked against farther rearward movement upon encountering such an obstruction, while it is left free for the usual return forward movement, by which also the parts are reset.

My invention further relates to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a theater chair embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the supporting frame work, and

) Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of certain latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a theater chair having a seat portion and a .back 11 forming a unit therewith. The chair i is provided with a supporting frame work comprising front members 14, back members 16, braces 18, and cross frame members 19 and 20.

A U-shaped track member 22 is also prol vided between each pair of adjacent chairs,

1929. Serial No. 374,223.

the front portion or bend of the member 22 being secured to one of the front members 14 and the rear ends of the legs of the member 22 being secured to the back brace 19.

The seats 10 are each provided with depending brackets 24 and 26 at each side thereof, each bracket being provided with an upper guide roll 27 positioned to engage the track member 22. A lower guide roll 28 on each bracket 24 engages the lower side of the track 22 and prevents upward displacement of the seat.

The track 22 is mounted with a forward and downward inclination, and the rolls 27 are so disposed that the seat 10 is positioned substantially horizontally but will normally move downward to the forward limit of travel of the seat.

A rack bar 30 is secured to the braces 19 and 20 under each seat 10 and is provided with rack teeth 32 and with a cam portion 34 for purposes to be described.

A forwardly extending lever is mounted on a bracket 42 secured to the underside of the'seat 10. The lever 40 is provided with a cross pin 44 normally engaged by a hook 46 pivoted on a stand 47 and yieldingly held in engaging position by a spring 48. A latch 50 is pivoted at the forward end of the lever 40 in position to engage the rack teeth 32 when the lever 40 is released from the hook 46.

A shield or safety member 52 is pivoted at the rear side of the back 11 and at its lower end is provided with a plunger 54 slidable in a bearing member 56 and positioned to engage the hook 46.

Having described the details of construction of my improved chair, the method of operation and utility thereof are as follows:

When the occupant is seated in the chair, the force of gravity normally maintains the chair at its extreme forward position, which may be determined by stop pins 60 in the members 22 or in any other convenient manner. If a person wishes to pass between the rows of seats in front of the occupant, the seat 10 may be pushed manually rearward, allowing sufficient clearance while the occupant remains seated. As soon as the person has passed, the seat will immediately return by gravity to its normal forward position.

If, however, continued rearward movement of the seat would cause engagement with a person seated in the next rearward row, the shield or safety device 52, as soon as it touches the person seated rearward, will be itself held from rearward movement while a slight continued movement of'the seat will cause the plunger 5%. to, engage the hook i' and causing the same to be engaged by the hook 46, thus resetting the latch mechanism.

I have thus provided a theater chair capable of convenientrearward movement to permit passage in front thereof and l have also providedv a safety device by which further rearward movement is promptly prevented if an obstructionofany sort at the rear of the seat is encountered. By the use of my improvement, the convenience of pa-' trons of theaters or slmllar places 1s much in creased, as: the frequent necessity for rising is largely eliminated. A

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is c 1. A theater chair comprising a frame, a seat yieldingly mounted in said frame and normally maintained in forward position, said seat being manually movable rearward, means to variably limit such rearward movementat any one of aplurality of rearward positions, and a control mechanism for said limiting means, said control mechanism rendering said limiting means operative when a portion of saidmechanism is engaged by an obstacle at the rear of said chair.

2. A theater chair comprising a fra me, a seat yieldingly mountedin saidframe and normally maintained in forward position, said seat being manually movable rearward, means to lock said seat from further rearward movement in any one of a plurality of rear- Ward positions, and a control mechanism for said locking means, said control mechanism rendering said locking means operative when a part: of said mechanism is engaged by an obstruction at the rear of said chair.

3. A theater chair comprising a frame, a

seat yieldingly mounted in said frame and normally maintained inforward position, said seat being manually. movable rearward,

a locking device to limit rearward movement 'mally inoperative, and means to release'said latchand render said locking device operative upon engagement of said means with an obstruction at the rear of the said chair, said locking device and latch being reset by return movementof said seat to forward position.

5. In a seatconstruction, a frame comprising track members each formed of a piece of rectangular bar stock bent to the form of a U -shaped bow and horizontally disposed, means of supporting said track members in spaced relation and at an upward and rearward slope, and seats mounted on said track members and slldable forwardly by gravity thereon, each seat being supported on the adacent legs of two U-shaped traclrmembers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. 7

- MAX ISRAEL.

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