Abstract:
A multi-function chair comprising a fore and a hind leg pivotally combined together and adapted to be altered to become a chair or a light duty truck or to be folded up to become a small dimension for storing away.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The dimensions of common chairs generally cannot be reduced when the chairs are not in use, nor can such chairs be used for other purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of this invention is to provide a multi-function chair which may be folded to occupy a small dimension when not in use or to be altered to become a light duty truck. 
     This invention comprises a seat, a backrest, a fore leg, a hind leg and two extending tubes as the main parts. 
     The seat consists of two parallel tubes and a plurality of parallel crosswise plates fixed on and extending between the two tubes. The backrest is made up of a U-shaped tube frame and a plurality of parallel crosswise plates fixed on the frame. 
     The fore leg is a rectangular frame and the hind leg is a U-shaped frame, both legs pivotally combined together with a shaft tube passing through the longitudinal center of both, so that the legs are adapted to turn freely in relation to each other. 
     Two extending tubes are linked with the upper ends of the hind leg by two respective linking members and are contained within and can be moved back and forth in the two parallel tubes of the seat so that the fore and the hind leg can be moved. In use as a chair, the upper end of the fore leg engages two stop projections under the seat. 
     If the fore leg and the hind leg are folded up, this chair becomes a small dimension, convenient for storing away. 
     The chair of this invention may also be adapted to be used as a light duty truck. To convert the chair to such use, the lower end of the hind leg is pulled toward the lower end of the fore leg so that the hind leg is in a longitudinally straight line with the parallel tubes. The upper ends of hind leg are then inserted into the respective openings of the parallel tubes, whereby the hind leg upper ends, the linking members, and the extending tubes are hidden from view inside the parallel tubes. The fore leg is then secured from movement by means of two brackets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the multi-function chair in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the multi-function chair in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the multi-function chair after folded up in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the multi-function chair altered into a light duty truck in the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the multi-function chair altered into a light duty truck in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-function chair according to the present invention comprises seat 1, backrest 2, fore leg 3, hind leg 4 and two extending tubes 5 as the main parts. 
     Seat 1 comprises two parallel tubes 11 and a plurality of parallel crosswise plates 12 mounted on and extending between tubes 11. The rear ends of tubes 11 are fixed with slide wheels 13 and have a pin hole 14 near wheels 13 for a pin 15 to fit in for combining L-shaped fasteners 16. Fasteners 16 have the horizontal sections pinned together with tubes 11 and the vertical sections bolted together with frame rod 21 of backrest 2. Stop projections 17 are fixed at the undersides of the rear ends of tubes 11, provided with a projection edge 171 for the two fore leg corners to hold when the invention is used as a chair for leg 3 in position. The front ends of tubes 11 contain holes in which are inserted the extending tubes 5 can move back and forth in tubes 11. Tubes 11 are provided with pin hole 18 for pin 19 to run through to limit moving distance of extending tubes 5 with pin 19 also running through straight slots 51 in tubes 5. Brackets 10 are provided at about the longitudinal centers of parallel tubes 11 to restrict movement of the fore leg 3 when this chair is altered into a light duty truck. 
     Backrest 2 comprises a U-shaped frame 21 and a plurality of parallel crosswise plates 22 mounted on frame 21. Frame 21 has two bolt holes 23 at both the lower sides for bolts 24 to screw in L-shaped fasteners 16 for combining backrest 2 with seat 1 firmly at a right angle. 
     Fore leg 3 is made of tubes and is rectangularly shaped, having its rear section engaging stop projections 17 when unfolded as a chair, but engaging with brackets 10 when altered as a truck as shown in FIG. 5. Fore leg 3 has shaft hole 31 at the longitudinal center for shaft tube 32 to pass through, and bolt 33 passes through shaft tube 32 to screw with nut 34 for securing fore leg 3 and hind leg together. In order to enable fore leg 3 to move pivotally in relation to hind leg 4, gasket 35 is placed between the both 3 and 4 inserted therethrough by shaft tube 32. The front section of fore leg 3 has two anti-sliders 37 at both corners to prevent fore leg 3 from sliding on the ground. 
     Hind leg 4 is U-shaped, having shaft hole 41 at the longitudinal center for shaft tube 32 to pass through for securing with fore leg 3 and pin hole 42 at both upper ends for pins 53 to insert for connecting with linking tubes 52 having pin holes 57 for pins 53 to insert. The bending corners of hind leg 4 are covered with anti-slide tubes 36 to prevent this chair from sliding on the ground and to keep the horizontal portion of hind leg 4 from becoming dirty by a gap between said portion and the ground. 
     Both extending tubes 5 have a straight slot 51 for pin 19 to pass through so that extending tubes are confined to move back and forth in parallel tubes 11, and pin holes 54 for pins 55 to pass through for combining with linking tubes 52 having pin holes 56 for pins 55 to insert too. Linking tubes 52 also have pin holes 57 for pins 53 to pass through for combining with hind leg 4. 
     Above-mentioned pins 19, 53 and 55 must be secured in position without falling off after combining the related parts, and must function as pivots enabling the related parts to move around smoothly. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, it can be understood that the rear section of fore leg 3 engages with the stop projections 17 and the upper ends of hind leg 4 link with linking tubes 52 so that this chair has strength enough to support a person&#39;s weight. 
     FIG. 3 shows this chair being folded for easier storage. When extending tubes 5 are pulled out of the outer end of parallel tubes 11, fore leg 3 and hind leg 41 kept cross to each other are folded to rest under seat 1. Backrest 2 is also pushed downward to rest on seat 1, which forms a compact dimension handy for storing away. 
     The chair of this invention may also be adapted to be used as a light duty truck, as is shown in FIG. 4. To convert the chair to such use, the lower end of the hind leg 4 is pulled toward the lower end of the fore leg 3 so that the hind leg 3 is in a longitudinally straight line with the parallel tubes 11. The upper ends of the hind leg 4 are then inserted into the respective openings of the parallel tubes 11, whereby the hind leg 4 upper ends, the linking members 52, and the extending tubes 5 are hidden from view inside the parallel tubes 11. The fore leg 3 is then secured from movement by means of the two brackets 10, as shown in FIG. 5. The remaining exposed section of the hind leg 4 serves as the pulling handle.