Eccentrically Rotatable Chair

The present invention relates to chairs for business and home use and particularly chairs which are mounted for movement eccentrically on a base. The term "chair" is herein used in a generic sense to include stools and other seating devices.

Office chairs are customarily supported on four casters each of which comprises a small wheel mounted eccentrically on a spindle. When the chair is moved from one position to another, the caster wheels swing about the spindle axes into alignment with the direction of movement and roll along the floor. If the floor is carpeted, the chair is more difficult to move especially when someone is sitting in the chair and the repeated swinging and rolling movement of the casters soon wears through the floor covering. In order to protect the floor covering, boards of fiber or plastic are provided underneath the chairs. However, these are unsightly and interfere with cleaning. Most stools such as those used for example in drafting offices and most chairs used in the home are not provided with casters. They hence must ordinarily be lifted in order to be moved from one position to another. They can be slid along the floor only with difficulty and with resultant wear of the floor covering. For example when a person wishes to move up to or away from a table he usually moves his chair by a series of jerking, sliding movements. This is hard on the person, the chair and the floor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chair which is very comfortable and which is easily movable from one position to another. In accordance with the invention the chair seat is rotatably mounted on a single leg or column which is provided at its lower end with a special caster and is connected by a horizontal arm with a central pivot post on a circular base plate. The arm holds the leg upright and permits easy movement of the chair by swinging about the pivot post while the special caster rolls on the base plate. Moreover, the arm is telescopically extensible to permit movement of the chair seat and the leg supporting it toward and away from the pivot post. The special caster at the lower end of the leg comprises a single support ball which bears on a ring of small bearing balls so that it can rotate freely in any direction.

Moreover, the chair may be provided with a back rest which is mounted on a back support by a spring loaded ball and socket arrangement which permits universal movement of the chair back. The ball and socket arrangement by which the backrest is supported is similar to the caster at the lower end of the chair leg in that it comprises a larger ball which bears on a ball bearing comprising a ring of small bearing balls.

Chairs in accordance with the present invention may take a variety of forms. They may for example be office chairs with a seat and backrest and with or without arms. They may be stools provided with a footrest but without arms or back. They may be chairs suitable for use in the home for example as dining chairs, easy chairs or occasional chairs. The chairs in accordance with the invention may thus be in many shapes and sizes.

The nature, objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of preferred embodiments shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a full section elevational view of a chair in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a modification;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view on a smaller scale illustrating how the chair moves in a circular motion;

FIG. 3 is a side view on a smaller scale of the chair shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the chair;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the chair;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the horizontal arm of the chair taken approximately on the line 6--6 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are cross sectional views taken approximately on the lines 7--7, 8--8, 9--9, and 10--10 respectively in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinally section of a portion of the horizontal arm taken approximately on the line 11--11 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a stool in accordance with the invention having a foot rest but no arms or back;

FIG. 13 is a side elevation of a chair having a back but no arms and usable for example as a dining chair;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of an arm chair usable for example as an office desk chair;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of a loung chair also capable of office use;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view illustrating a modification of the caster shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view illustrating a modification of the caster construction shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a side elevation of another chair having a back but no arms;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged vertical partial section taken on the line 19--19 in FIG. 20;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of a lower part of the chair of FIG. 18; and

FIG. 21 is a vertical section taken on the line 21--21 in FIG. 20.

A chair in accordance with the invention as shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-11 comprises a seat 1 supported by a single leg or column 2 having at its lower end a caster 3. The leg 1 is connected by an arm 4 with a central pivot post 5 of a circular base plate 6 on which the caster 3 rests. The arm 4 is swingable about the pivot post 5 so that the chair seat 1 and leg 2 move in an orbital path about the axis of the pivot post while the caster 3 rolls on the base plate 6. The chair is shown as having a backrest 7 mounted for universal movement on a back support 8.

The leg or column 2 comprises a main portion 2a and an upper portion 2b having at its lower end a cup-shaped reduced portion 2c which is rotatably received in the upper end of the main portion 2a. A ball bearing 10 comprising a ring of bearing balls in a suitable retainer is interposed between the lower end of the cup-shaped portion 2c and an internal flange 2d in the main portion 2a of the leg so as to support the upper leg portion 2b for free rotation. The upper portion 2b of the leg is retained on the main portion 2a by a bolt 11 having a pivot head 11a below the flange and a washer and nut 11b above an internal flange 2e in the upper leg portion 2b. The nut on the bolt 11 is tightened only sufficiently to hold the two leg portions in assembled relation without interfering with free rotation of the upper leg portion 2b on the main leg portion 2a.

The seat 1 comprises a base plate 1a formed, for example of plywood, a cushion 1b, for example of foam rubber or plastic, and a cover 1c of fabric or flexible sheet plastic which covers the cushion 1b and extends beneath the base plate 1a. The seat 1 rests on a flange 2f provided at the upper end of the upper leg portion 2b and is secured in place by screws 12 which extend through holes in the flange 2f and are screwed into the base plate 1a of the seat. A lower edge of the cover 1c is clamped between the flange 2f and the base plate 1a of the seat thereby further holding the cover. It will be understood that by reason of the seat 1 being mounted on the upper leg portion 2b, it is freely rotatable about the axis of the leg, the load of the seat and an occupant being taken by the ball bearing 10.

The caster 3 at the lower end of the leg 2 comprises a ball 14 received in a socket comprising a generally cylindrical sleeve 15, the internally threaded upper end of which is screwed onto an externally threaded reduced lower end portion 2g of the leg. The sleeve 15 has a restricted lower end portion 15a which retains the ball 14 in the sleeve while permitting a portion of the ball to project beyond the lower end of the sleeve as seen in FIG. 1. The ball 14 is supported by a ball bearing 16 which seats on the lower end of a hollow cylindrical spacer 17 that is received in the tubular sleeve 15 and abuts the lower end of the leg. The ball bearing 16 comprises a ring of small bearing balls received in a suitable retainer as seen in FIG. 8. The dimensions of the sleeve 15 and spacer 17 are selected so that the ball 14 protrudes below the lower end of the sleeve and is rotatable freely in all directions on the ball bearing 16 while being retained by the restricted lower end 15a of the sleeve. The ball 14 has a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the sleeve 15 and is formed of suitable hard durable material, for example metal or plastic. It may be either solid or hollow. As the chair swings about the central pivot post 5, the ball 14 rolls freely on the base plate 6.

The horizontal arm 4 comprises a tubular outer portion 4a which is fixed to the leg 2, for example by welding, and an inner portion 4b which is rotatably connected with the central pivot post 5 which projects up from the base plate 6. To provide such connection, the inner portion 4b of the arm 4 is provided with a downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 4c that is received in an upper portion of the pivot post 5. A ball bearing 18 comprising a ring of small bearing balls in a suitable retainer (FIG. 10) is interposed between the lower end of the cylindrical portion 4c and an internal flange 5a in the pivot post 5. The ball bearing 18 takes vertical loads of the arm 4 while permitting free rotation of the arm about the pivot post. The arm 4 is held in assembled relation with the base by a bolt 19 having a pivot head 19a inside the arm and a nut 19b below the flange 5a. The nut is tightened sufficiently to hold the arm in place while permitting free rotation on the ball bearing 18.

The horizontal arm 4 is extensible by virtue of a telescopical connection between the outer portion 4a and the inner portion 4b. As seen in FIGS. 1, 6 and 11 such connection is provided by a slide 20 which is fixed at one end in outer arm portion 4a and extends slidably into inner arm portion 4b. The slide 20 is longitudinally slotted to receive a track 21 which is secured in inner arm portion 4b by screws 22. A plurality of bearing balls 23 in the sides of the track 21 engage opposite sides of the longitudinal slot 20a in slide 20 while other bearing balls 24 in a transverse portion of the track 21 engage a downwardly projecting rib portion 20b of the slide 20 to provide lateral and vertical guidance of the telescopic parts while permitting free movement of the outer arm portion 4a inwardly and outwardly with respect to the inner arm portion 4b. Movement of the chair toward and away from the central pivot post 5 is thereby permitted. For example a person seated at a desk can move backwardly away from the desk and then swing to the side in order to get up. Inward movement toward the central pivot post is limited by abutment of the end of outer arm portion 4a with the end of inner arm portion 4b. Outward movement is limited by engagement of an upwardly projecting portion 21a of the track 21 with a shoulder 20c of the slide 20 (see FIGS. 1 and 11). Further stability of the arm is provided by longitudinally extending internal ribs 4d in the inner arm portion 4b engaging opposite faces of an enlarged portion of the slot 20a in the slide 20.

If desired, the horizontal arm 4 can be spring biased for extension or contraction. For example as illustrated in FIG. 1A a light tension spring 25 is connected at one end to the slide 20 and is anchored at the other end by means of an eye or hook which receives the bolt 14 which anchors the arm 4 to the pivot post 5. In this case the bolt 14 is extended and screwed into an internally threaded lug 4e provided in the inner arm portion 4b. By virtue of the bias thus provided, the chair will automatically retract from an outer position to an inner position closer to the pivot post when unoccupied. Conversely the spring 25 may be a compression spring so as to tend to hold the chair in its outer position.

As shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-5, the backrest 7 is circular and comprises a circular base plate 7a, for example of plywood, a cushion 7b, for example of foam rubber or plastic, and a cover 7c of for example flexible plastic or fabric. As seen in FIG. 1 the covering material 7c covers the front, edges and back of the backrest. The support 8 for the backrest is tubular and comprises a horizontal portion 8a which is fixed to the upper leg portion 2b, for example by welding, and extends rearwardly beyond the seat 1 and a generally vertical portion 8b which extends upwardly from the horizontal portion 8a a sufficient distance to support the backrest at an appropriate height. The backrest is mounted on the support 8 by a universal joint comprising a ball 26 received in a socket 27. The ball 26 has an internally threaded bore and is screwed onto a threaded stem 28 which extends rearwardly from a plate 29 secured to the back plate 7a of the backrest 7 by means of screws 30. While the plate 29 could be secured to the back of the backrest in a manner similar to the mounting of the seat 1, a neater appearance is provided by securing the plate 29 to the inner face of the back plate 7a before the cushion 7b and covering 7c are applied. The socket 27 comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve secured on the upper end of the back support 8, for example by welding. At its forward end 27a, the opening of the sleeve 27 is restricted so as to retain the ball 26 in the sleeve. A ball bearing 30 is pressed against the ball 26 by a washer 31 and spring 32 which acts between the washer and a plug 33 screwed into the internally threaded rear end portion of the sleeve 27. The ball 26 is thereby pressed into the restricted opening at the forward end of the sleeve 27 with the result that the backrest 7 can be tilted in any direction to a desired position and will thereupon be retained in that position by frictional engagement of the ball 26 with the restricted end portion of the sleeve 27. Moreover, the backrest 7 can be moved rearwardly against the pressure of the spring 32. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the bearing 30 comprises a circle of small bearing balls in a retainer which keeps the balls in proper circumferential position. The plug 33 can be screwed into the sleeve 27 a variable amount to vary the spring pressure on the ball 26. Preferably, however, the plug 33 protrudes slightly beyond the rear end of the sleeve 27 and is formed of plastic material, for example nylon so that it would not mar any wall surface which it may happen to engage.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the seat 1 can be swung around the pivot post 5 to any desired position. Moreover, as described above the seat may be moved inwardly toward or outwardly away from the pivot post 5 by an amount permitted by the telescopic interconnection of portions 4a and 4b of the horizontal arm 4. In movement of the seat to different positions, the ball 14 of the caster 3 rolls freely on the base plate 6 by reason of the ball bearing 16 through which the supporting ball 14 carries the weight of the seat and any occupant. Moreover, the seat 1 is freely rotatable on the leg 1 by virtue of the ball bearing 10 and the backrest 7 is mounted on the back support 8 in such manner as to permit universal movement of the backrest.

Chairs in accordance with the invention may assume different configurations according to the uses for which they are intended. Several different configurations are illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 12 to 15. Thus for example in FIG. 12 there is shown a stool comprising a seat 1, leg 2, caster 3, horizontal arm 4, pivot post 5 and base plate 6 as described above. However, there is no back and hence no back support. On the other hand the stool is provided with a T-shaped footrest 35 comprising a tubular portion 35a which is affixed to and extends forwardly from the leg 2 and a transverse tubular portion 35b at the forward end of the portion 35a. As the footrest 35 is affixed to the leg 2, for example by welding, it is carried around with the seat 1 when swung about the pivot post 5.

In FIG. 13 there is shown a chair which is suitable for use as a side chair or dining chair. As in FIG. 1 it has a seat 1, leg 2, caster 3, arm 4, pivot post 5 and base plate 6. However, it will be noted that the seat 1, instead of being round is generally rectangular and is inclined slightly rearwardly. Moreover, the chair has an upholstered back 37 which is fixed to the rear of the seat 1. Moreover, the arm 4 is shorter and the base plate 6 is smaller than in FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 shows an arm chair for use as an office desk chair or in the home. The chair shown in FIG. 14 is similar to that of FIG. 13 except that it has arms or sides 38 forming a unitary structure with the seat 1 and the back 37. Moreover, the arm 4 is somewhat longer and the base plate 6 corresponding larger.

In FIG. 15 there is shown a lounge chair suitable for use in the home and also in certain office applications such as in a conference room. The chair shown in FIG. 15 is generally similar to that of FIG. 14 but somewhat more massive.

In FIG. 16 there is shown a variation of the caster illustrated in FIG. 1. The caster 40 comprises a support ball 41 received in a socket 42 which is generally cylindrical but has a restricted lower end portion 42a to retain the ball in the socket. A ball bearing 43 is interposed between the ball 41 and a bearing plate 44 which is screwed into the internally threaded upper end portion of the socket 42. The ball 41 has a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the cylindrical portion of the socket 42 but greater than the restricted opening at the lower end of the socket so that the ball protrudes beyond the socket and is supported by the bearing 43 for free rotation in all directions. The bearing 43 is similar to the bearing 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 and comprises a circle of small bearing balls in a suitable retainer. The bearing plate 44 is provided with a central upwardly projecting stem 44a adapted to be received in a bore provided in the lower end of a leg 45 which is shown in broken lines and may for example be the leg of a chair or table. The caster 40 can thus be mounted on furniture like an ordinary caster. However, the stem 44a does not rotate in the bore of the leg since, unlike an ordinary caster, the caster of the present invention does not need to swivel. Movement in all directions is provided by rotation of the support ball 41 on the ball bearing 43.

A variation is illustrated in FIG. 17 where the bearing plate 44 does not have a stem portion but is provided with recessed screw holes so that it can be secured to a leg 45 or to the base of an article to be supported by means of screws 46. Otherwise the caster is of the same construction as is illustrated in FIG. 16.

A variety of materials can be used in construction of chairs in accordance with the present invention. Tubular portions such as the leg 2, arm 4, back support 8 and sleeves 15 and 27 are conveniently made of thin wall aluminium or magnesium tubing. However, alternatively, plastic tubing may also be used. The bearing balls are preferably steel while fittings such as bolts 11 and 19 may conveniently be steel or other metal. The support balls of the casters and ball 26 of the back mounting may be steel or other metal but are preferably high strength plastic, for example nylon. They are of sufficiently large diameter to take the loads imposed upon them without unduly high stress concentration. For example the support balls of the caster may have a diameter of the order of 1 to 4 inches, or larger.

In FIGS. 18-21 there is shown a chair of somewhat simplified construction having a seat and back rest but no arms. The chair comprises a main support member 50 having a lower horizontal arm portion 50a, an upright support portion 50b for supporting a seat 51 and an upper horizontal arm 50c and vertical portion 50d for supporting a back 52. The horizontal arm portion 50a is telescopically extendible and rotatable through 360.degree. with respect to a central pivot post 53 which defines a vertical axis of rotation. The central pivot post 53 comprises a strong threaded stud 54 which extends through a central hole in a fitting 55 and is screwed into a circular bearing plate 56. The fitting 55 is secured to a base plate 57, for example by rivets 58. If it is not desired to move the chair from one location to another, the fitting 55 can be secured directly to the floor, for example by screws or bolts whereupon the floor serves as a base for the chair.

An elongated channel 59 secured to the lower side of the horizontal arm portion 50a of the main support member 50 has a horizontal web portion 59a, downwardly extending vertical portions 59b and in-turned flange portions 59c. The bearing plate 56 is received in the channel 59 between the web portion 59a and inturned flange portions 59c as seen in FIG. 21. A ball bearing 60 comprising a plurality of balls 60a in an annular retainer 60b is interposed between the bearing plate 56 and the web portion 59a of the channel 59. A ball bearing 61 comprising a plurality of balls 61a in an annular retainer 61b is interposed between the bearing plate 56 and the in-turned flange portions 59c of the channel 59. The ball bearings 60 and 61 permit rotation of the main support member through 360.degree. relative to the central pivot post.

Moreover, the elongate channel 59 permits movements of the main support member 50 relative to the central pivot post in a direction longitudinal of the horizontal arm portion 50a so that the upright portion 50b supporting the seat 51 can be moved closer to or farther away from the vertical axis of rotation. Such longitudinal movement is limited by stop bars 62 which are inserted into end portions of the channel 59 and secured by screws 63 which also secure channel 59 to the horizontal arm portion 50a of the main support member 50. Since the bearing plate 56 is rigid and is rigidly secured to the base, tilting or rocking of the arm portion 50a of the main support member 50 about a longitudinal axis is prevented. The support portion 50b of the main support member 50 is thereby held in an upright position.

At the lower end of the upright support portion 50b there is provided a single rolling support which takes vertical loads and thereby supports the support portion 50b and seat 51 together with the load imposed by the person sitting on the seat. The rolling support is shown as a ball bearing 65 comprising a plurality of balls 65a and an annular retainer 65b. The retainer is rotatably mounted on the lower side of the main support member 50 at the foot of the upright portion 50b by fittings 66 and 67 and a screw 68 which extend through a hole in the main support member. The balls 65a have rolling engagement with the lower face of the main support member 50 and with the base 57. Hence the retainer 65b does not take vertical loads but merely serves to position the balls. While the ball bearing 65 is shown as having eight balls, it will be understood that the number of balls can be varied.

The seat 51 is padded and has a central post 70 mounted in a fixture 71 at the upper end of the vertical support portion 50b of the main support member 50. If desired, the seat may be rotatable as for example in FIG. 1. Alternatively, it may be mounted non-rotatably since the entire chair is rotatable about the central axis defined by the pivot post 53. Preferably, however, it is vertically adjustable and can be fixed in selected vertical position by means of a knob 72.

The back 52 is padded and is mounted on an upper end portion of the main support member 50 by a universal mounting fixture 73 which is like that shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, the upper end portion of the main support member 50 is slotted as indicated at 50e to permit vertical adjustment of the back.

While the main support member 50 may be tubular, for example of rectangular cross section, it is shown as being a solid bar. It must be torsionally rigid so the mounting of the main support member on the central pivot post as described above keeps the chair upright. If the main support member is of suitable channel cross section, the additional channel member 59 may be unnecessary.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the drawings and are herein particularly described, it will be understood that many variations, modifications and adaptations of the invention are possible and that the invention is thus in no way limited to the illustrated embodiments.