Adjustable folding safety chair

#The present invention relates to folding slat type chairs and more generally to X-shaped folding supports or cradles.

#A number of folding X-configured chairs are available in the art. Conventionally, to my knowledge, the two legs of the X are attached to a screw or pivot pin for folding and unfolding and may include a stop mounted on one of the legs to establish the unfolded separation of the legs at a desired angle for sitting and to provide stability. Closely representative of such a design is U.S. Pat. No. 404,589 issued in the name of Batt, which discloses seat and back sections which are pivotally joined by a pin and a cross bar or stop which is joined to the bottom of the seat for defining the angle between the opened back and seat. U.S. Pat. No. 1,342,650 issued to Schlegel, also discloses a folding chair in which back and seat sections are commonly mounted on a pivot pin. In addition, a pair of cross bars or members are provided, one mounted to the rear of the back above the seat and the other mounted beneath the seat in front of the back (or leg) section, again apparently to define the angle between the opened back and seat.

#To my knowledge, the screws or pins are used in prior art chairs to lock the seat and back sections together and to thus provide stability. The use of pivot pins however, fixes the position of the seat relative to the back and vice versa. Among other limitations, this prevents adjustment of the length of the seat or back during use and adjustment of the relative longitudinal position of the seat and back when folded.

#The above and other aspects of my present invention are described with respect to the drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a slat or stave chair which incorporates my present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the chair of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my X-shaped folding slat chair 10. The chair comprises a backrest-forming and leg-forming longitudinal section 12 and an intersecting seat-forming and leg-forming longitudinal section 14. The back-forming generally upright section 12 is formed of a number of spaced longitudinal slats 16. The slats 16 are mounted to an upper transverse support bar 18 and a lower transverse support bar or sill 20 which maintain the desired spacing 17 between the slats 16. Similarly, the seat-forming section or member 14 comprises a number of longitudinal bars or slats 22 having space 23 between the adjacent slats. The slats 22 are mounted on a front transverse support bar 24 and a rear transverse support bar 26.

#Referring also to FIG. 2, an upper locking bar 28 extends transversely across and is mounted to the rear side to the back section 12 just above the seat-forming section 14. A lower locking bar 30 extends across and is mounted to the front side of the back-forming section 12 just beneath the seat section 14. The back section 12 forms a back rest 11 as well as legs 15, while the seat section 14 forms the seat 13 as well as the legs 17.

#The locking bars 28 and 30 are spaced apart at a sufficient distance to define a transverse array of apertures in the back member 12 so that the seat member 14 can be slidably adjusted bi-directionally through the back 12, as indicated by arrow 32. The spacing between the bars 28 and 30 is just slightly greater than the width w of the slats 22 to permit ease of sliding movement yet to firmly lock the back and seat at the maximum angle .theta..sub.max when the seat is unfolded.