Improvements in Convertible Chairs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Convertible Chairs.
I, JOHN KLUENTER, of Phillipsburg, in the County of Warren, and State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to convertible chairs of the class in which the position of
the different parts of the chair may be altered so as to adapt the chair for different
uses as the person using the same desires.
The invention has for its object to provide such a chair with a mattress contained
upon a separate frame set into the chair so that when folded in one position, it
will form a complete seat and back for the chair, and when opened into another
position, will form a bed or couch. It has for a further object to construct the
frame of the chair so as to receive the mattress sections and to brace the several
parts in the different positions of the chair. The invention also has for its object
to provide an improved concealed foldable stop to prevent and hold the chair
against rocking upon its rockers; and also to regulate the adjustments of the
back of the chair and to secure the back in any of its adjusted positions.
In the acompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 represents a perspective of the chair opened to form a bed or couch.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the chair when adjusted to form a rocking
chair.
Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing a portion of
the foldable stop.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of this stop and the means for connecting a cross
rod thereto; and
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the frame in which the mattress sections
are carried.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of
the drawings.
The letter A indicates the base frame of a chair which is provided with side
frames A¹ upon each side at its rear, and at its front with a horizontally and
vertically extending frame A³ which forms the arm and front side frame of the
chair. The front and rear side frames are connected together at their lower ends
by rockers A3 and also by the cross piece A' at the front and a cross bar A5 at the
rear. Within the base frame of the chair, a mattress frame B is secured by any
suitable means, for instance by screws passing through the sides of the frame
and into the chair base. This mattress frame is composed of three sections B1, B2
and 133, respectively, and the sections contain suitable mattresses packed therein
The section B₁ has the
to render the same yielding and comfortable in use.
mattress thereof projected upon one side, as at 61, so that when the section is
folded upon the section B2, as shown in Fig. 2, the projecting portion b¹ will con-
stitute the seat of the chair. The section 13 has the mattress or packing material
projected as at so as to form the back of the chair, or when the chair is converted
into a couch, this section forms the head or pillow portion thereof. The section Bª
077

page_text: is filled with a mattress section, as at 62, which lies substantially flush or slightly
above the upper portion of the frame 12.
The sections B and B are secured together by a hinge B so as to allow a space
between said sections, into which space the front cross piece A of the base frame A
will project. The sections B and B are also secured together by a hinge B so
that the back section B3 may be adjusted at different inclinations. To limit the
downward inclination or swing of the back section, the side frame of the section 132
is slightly extended and formed with an inclined face, and the side frame of the
back section B3 is formed with a corresponding extended inclined portion 65 which
abuts against the inclined wall, and thus forms a stop and brace for the back
section when at its limit of downward adjustment.
C
The back section B³ is provided with a cross piece 16 at its lower end having
therein an aperture 6 through which passes an inclination adjusting bar C which
is formed at its lower end with a projection adapted to seat in any one of the
series of apertures & formed in the plate D which is of a curved shape and is
secured to the rear cross bar A5 of the chair frame. The adjusting bar C is secured
in its position by a set bolt or screw 7 which passes through the outer wall of the
cross piece B6 and bears against the bar C to hold it at its adjustment. By
loosening this set screw, a limited adjustment of the back section may be secured
and if a greater inclination or adjustment of the section is desired, the bar C may
be lifted by means of the handle c¹ and the projection c at the lower end of the bar
set in another of the series of apertures d formed in the plate 1), when the set screw
will be again tightened and the parts firmly held in their adjusted positions.
When the back is in its extreme lowermost position, the weight thereof is partially
supported by a depending support E which is pivoted at its upper end to the back
section, as at e, and rests upon the floor at its lower end when used as a support.
When folded against the back of the back section, it is secured in a folded position
by means of any suitable catch, for instance the turn-button e' which is pivoted
upon the cross piece 68 of the back section and engages a portion of the support E.
The rear side frames A¹ are formed at their upper portion with a seat a¹, and the
side frames B7, of the back section 133 are cut away to form a shoulder 6º, which
fits into and seats itself in the seat a³, so as to form a practically continuous surface
between the rear side frames, the arms and the side frames of the back section,
whereby the back section is supported and also held against any forward
movement.
The seat section B' is provided with supports F pivoted thereto, as at f, so as to
support the outer edge of the section when the same is adjusted to form a couch
as shown in Fig. 1. These supports F are adapted to swing upon their pivots f,
and to lie within recesses f¹, formed in the cross bar upon which they are pivoted.
The convertible chair, when adjusted as in Fig. 2, constitutes a rocking chair of
a very ornamental design and comfortable for use, but when it is desired to hold
the chair against oscillation or rocking, as for instance when the parts are open as
in Figure 1, a foldable stop G, carried by the rear ends of the rockers is adapted to
engage the floor to prevent oscillation of the rockers. Each of these stops is pivoted
at g, within a slot a², formed in each rocker and the stops are connected together
by means of a cross bar G¹, extending from one to the other. In order to prevent
any rotation of this cross bar, by means of which the stops are swung in and out
of their slots, a lug g' is provided upon the inner surface of each of the stops G
and upon this lug an angular head 2 is located, which fits into an angular recess
formed in each end of the cross rod G¹. The stops and cross rods are connected
together by means of a screw g³, or other securing means, which passes through
an aperture in the stop and lug and into the end of the cross rod G. When the
stops are folded into the slots a² formed in the rockers, the lug g¹ will lie on a
recess formed in the opposite inner faces of the rockers. When the foldable
stops are opened, as in the position shown in Figure 1, the wall g' thereof will
bear against the end wall of the lower portion of the slot a², so as to form a
limiting stop against any further movement of the stop G, and thus hold the same

page_text: in a vertical position. When the stops G, are folded into the slots, they are com-
pletely concealed from view and the rear portions of the rockers are of the usual
appearance, while the operating cross bar of the stops will extend from one rocker
to the other and may be finished in an ornamental manner.
The projecting surface of the seat section B of the mattress and the back
section B3 are both finished or upholstered with any desired ornamental material
so that when the sections are folded to form a chair, the same will be of a rich
and ornamental appearance. The under side of the section 13 is covered with a
suitable fabric H to form a mattress surface when the section is unfolded to form a
couch, and this fabric H, is carried over and tufted upon the mattress located in
the section 12. An extended end H¹ of this fabric projects beyond the section B³
so that it may be secured over the upholstery upon the projected surface of the
back section by any suitable means, for instance by means of a cord or elastic h.
When the section is to be used as a part of a chair, this loose flap H₁ of the cover
may be folded upon itself, as shown in Figure 2, and laid between the sections B¹
and B2 and thus be concealed from view.
It is obvious that changes may be made in the several details of construction
which have been described with particularity and that such changes will not be a
departure from the spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A convertible chair comprising a mattress frame formed in three pivoted
sections consisting of a head or back, middle, and seat or foot section, the seat or
foot section being separated a distance from the middle section by the attachment
of the sections at points removed from the pintle to embrace the front cross bar of
the chair, exterior and finishing side frames provided with arms and cross bars
attached to the middle section, and an exterior edging or finishing applied to the
sides and end of the back section; substantially as specified.
2. In a convertible chair, a base portion, oppositely located rockers provided
with grooves upon their upper surfaces and with slotted ends, and concealed stops
connected together by a cross piece and adapted to be held in the slotted ends of
the rockers so as to lie within said grooves when the rocker is in use; substan-
tially as specified.
3. In a convertible chair, pivoted stops provided upon oppositely located rockers,
and a detachable cross rod extending from one stop to the other and secured
against rotation on said stops by engagement with a projection- from said stops;
substantially as specified.
4. In a convertible chair, a base portion provided with rockers, concealed stops
pivoted in grooves formed in said rockers, inwardly projecting lugs upon said
stops, and a cross rod extending between said stops and held against rotation by
said lugs; substantially as specified.
5. In a convertible chair, à base portion provided with rockers, concealed stops
pivoted in grooves formed in said rockers, angular lugs provided on said stops, a
cross rod seated upon said lugs and extending between the stops, and securing
means passed through the apertures in said lugs and into said cross bar; substan-
tially as specified.
6. In a convertible chair, a base portion provided with a rear cross bar, a concave
socket plate supported thereon, an adjustable back section carried by said base, a
guide plate upon said section, an inclination adjusting bar passed through said
guide plate and provided at its lower end with a projection to seat in said socket
plate and at its upper end with an operating handle, and a set screw located in
said guide plate to hold said bar at its adjusted position; substantially as specified.
7. In a convertible chair, a base portion provided with upwardly extending side
frames comprising arms having seats at their rear upper ends, a pivoted back
section provided with side frames having shoulders to engage said seats, a cross

page_text: bar located upon the base below the pivotal point of the back, a reciprocating bar
supported in a guide plate at the lower end of the back and engaging a socket
carried by said cross bar, and means for securing said reciprocating bar against
movement in said guide plate; substantially as specified.
Dated thie 18th day of January 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.