US2469896A - Adjustable pedestal stool - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1949. H. M. scHAEF ADJUSTABLE PEDESTAL STOOL Filed June 15, 1945 agi/'a9 I N VEN TOR 1554/391117 /7 inf/45W 1 Ell/,

Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in stools or the like, and more particularly to a novel supporting structure and the association of its component parts including novel means to co-act with relatively movable parts to automatically lock the same in selected relative positions to vary the height of the stool.

Stools of the general character of that embodying the present invention have been employed heretofore, but in most known Iinstances positive means is provided to` release a clutching mechanism for holding the parts adjusted, while in other known instances no means is provided to prevent sticking and inadvertent gripping of such clutch mechanism.

In the instant device a construction is provided wherein two relatively movable members are telescopically associated one within the other and are secured in adjusted relative positions by a novelly constructed, easily engaged and actuated clutch mechanism of a type adapted to respond instantly to any actuating force applied thereto.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism for locking two relatively movable parts in selectively adjusted positions, of a kind which embodies novel means to insure quick response to actuation of mechanism operable to enable the locking elements to move to unlocked position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of the character referred to including a tubular standard and a base embodying novel structural features useful primarily in providing a rm support for the standard nothwithstanding the presence of some unevenness in the surface upon which said base is rested. f

Another object is to provide a stool of kthe character described wherein means is provided in the seat thereof operable to release mechanism normally retaining the stool in a selectively adjusted position, which means is effective to prevent inadvertent locking of said mechanism during adjustment. Y

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent in the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and which is considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments Cil ofthe invention, embodying the same or equivalent principle, may be used and structural changes may be made, as desired, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectional view through a stool embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the locking mechanism illustrating it in unlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional'view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the disclosure of the stool illustrated in the accompanying drawing, said stool is comprised generally of a base II having a tubular standard or support I2 extending upwardly therefrom and receiving telescoped into its upper end a tubular post I3 depending downwardly from a seat I4. Suitable locking mechanism, to be described'in detail hereinafter, is provided within the telescoped portions of the tubular standard I2 and tubular post I3 to retain said parts in adjusted relative positions.

The base I I preferably is formed from a circular piece of sheet material, such as sheet metal, suitably dished to provide a lower circumferential margin l5 having a plurality of downwardly struck offsets constituting foot portions I6 on its peripheral margin adapted to provide, as in the present instance, a three-point support for said base, whereby any irregularities in the surface upon which said base rests are compensated'for. The base II is provided with a central aperture surrounded by a downwardly extending flange I'I internally threaded to receive the threaded lower end of the tubular standard I2. A cap ring "I 8 is threaded onto the lower end of the standard I2 prior to its being mounted on the base plate I I and said cap is then rotated about the standard so as to carry it downwardly into tight bearing engagement with the top surface of the bas vI I. The cap ring I8 serves to reinforce the mounting of the standard I2 in the base II and also provides an ornamental collar at the mounting'of the standard on the base II.

The upper end of the tubular standard I2 is suitably provided with a pair of sleeve bushings i9 and 20 which preferably are welded or otherwise rmly secured in place, and the bushing I9 has an external annular ange 2| adapted to t tightly against the upper end of the standard I2 so as to provide a smooth exterior surface at the meeting of the tubular standard and the flange 2I. The tubular post I3, depending from the seat I4, is of such external diameter as to have a snug sliding t within the sleeve bushings I9 and 20 so as to be freely movable into various positions of adjustment relative to the standard I2.

As shown', the: uppfg'er'nd ort-he' tubular post I3 is threaded externally and is mounted within a flanged collar 22 firmly secured, as by rivets 23,

ings. The rolling elements 48 are, as shown, disposed around the conical portion 31 of the fitting 34 and are of such size as to be wedgingly bound between the conical surface and the inside surface of the tubular standard l2 only when said rolling elements yare moved upwardly part of the length of said conical portion '31.

When the rolling elements 48 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 they rest upon the dished raceway 41 against the conical portion 31 and are spaced inwardly from the inside surface of the standard I2 so las to permit the inner tubular post I3 to be moved freely into various positions with respect to said standard. Such positioning of the rolling elements 48; is attained only when the stem 38 has been depressed so as to lower the dished raceway 41 relative to the fitting 34. Howto and depending from the bottom face of the seat I4. The seat I4 preferably includesa sheet metal circular member 24 and a c'vr portion 25, the latter being of substantially smaller diameter than the portion 24 and being adapted to be seated in an annular depress'edprtibn 26 in the top face of the member 24. In the present disclosure, the circular member 24 is suitably depressed centrally, asa't 21, so as to dispose the angdcollar 22' below theplaneof the downwadly turned circumferential flange 28 on the member 24. Tli centraihepressejd portion 21 includes awall portin 2Q which has an aperture in axial alignment with the ifubular.4 post I3 in which is secured a. cylindrical 'cupl'lilemember 3l. The cup-likemernber I extends downwardly no .the @hier its @a baroni wir e nal's 'is aptured t'o receive freely therethrough a rod 33 provide lv or a purpose to be. described in dtail li'ereinaflier.'I A

The locking mechanism provided for holding the tubular post I3 -in an adjusted 'position relative to th tubular standard yI2 is best shown in Figs. 14 and 2 andiscarried entirely bythe tubular post vI3'. As'show'n, a cylindrical fitting 34is fitted into the lower end of the tubular post-I3 and is secured therein. preferably bifibck screws 35. 'Said I i iftt`in` y diameter l tothe vuissl'vle diameter of-thetub'u a* `v t I 3 arida-downwardly extendmasonic/,a1 pQrl19n-lf--1 An axial Obe'ee is' Drovided in the tti-hg 34.126: receivehfor free sliding movementtherethrough, astem -387w-hic`zh extends upwardly -into the tubularjlpost and is `provided on its upper end with'a head. 39. A spring 4l surrounds the stem 38 and 4ifsdisposedbetween the innerl end of the hitting 34 'and the head 3S so as;v toV normally urge the stein` upwardly into the tubular post I3., The stem 38heXtends downward- -ly'fbeyond' the lower end of -th'e conical portion 31 of `iittingY 34 and its lower end is suitably reduced in diameter and threaded Vasat 42. j

A washer43rfbestshown in Fig. 2,v is fitted over the threaded' endf 42 of the Ystein 38 and is secured rmlyon said stem as by a lockwa'sher and nut44y andj-respectively. The washer 43 issubstantially dish-shaped toprovi'de a recess 46 having jan internal "diameter ofsuch size as to fitv f 'reely'over the lowjer `end 'of the conical portion 31 Yof the fitting 34 in the event said washer is positioned So as to', telescope 1thereovei'. The washer A43 'also includes a circumferential flange 41 disposed at the upper end of the walls dening f the recess 46 `which is inclined upwardly and outwardly so, as to `provide an annular inwardly downwardly inclined surface or dished raceway adaptedto-su-pport apjlurality'of rolling elements 48 which in the present instance are ball bearever, in the absence of such pressure, the spring 4I will urge the raceway 41 upwardly relative to the iitti'ng 34 so as to carry the rolling elements i'nt'o such position that they are tightly wedged betweeny theconical portion 31 and the inside surface of the standard I2. Such a position of the rolling elements is illustrated in Fig. 1 and when said elements are thus positioned, the tubular member 3l' and wholly inc l'osed within the tubular post I3. The upper end'of the rod 33 projects into the depressed central portion21 of the seat I4 and is provided on its end with a button 52 disposed in accessible through an opening 53 in the cover 25. A spring 54, located between the bottom wall 32 of the cuplike member 3| and the button 52 normally retains the rod 33 inan elevated position with astop-pin 54' thereon in abutmentY with the wall v32.

The lower end of thorod 33 is adapted to cooperate with the head 39` on the stem 38. However, due to variances in the over-all length of assembled units, the 'rod 33 carries an adjustable element on its lower end to compensate for such variations. As shown, the lower end of the rod 33 may be t apped, as at 55, to receive a screw 55 having a lock nut 51thereon, which screw is adjustableto vary the `effective over-all length of the rod 33 so as to insure contact between said rod and the stem head 39.

It should be evident at this time that upon the application of manual pressure downwardly on thebutton 52, the vrod 33 is `moved downwardly to similarly carry the `stern 38A in a downward direction to thereby move the dished raceway 41 away from the rolling' elementsv '48. The rolling elements 48 being then in a wedged position, and being incapable of following the raceway '41 downwardly, it is then necessary to grasp the seat I4 and elevate it slightly while holding the rod 33 depressed. Such upward movement of the seat', and likewise of the tubular post I3, releases the rolling elements 48 from their wedging position, whereupon th'ey drop onto the raceway 41 and, because of the inclination 'of the said raceway, they roll inwardly away from the wall of the tubular standard I2; The post I3 may then be repositioned; It is evident that the rolling elements 4B are thereby so 'located "as to vbe sufficiently spaced from the wall of the standardIZ that they are not liable to be frictionally engaged thereby, during adjustment of the stool, with sufficient force to cause them to be drawn upwardly into a wedging locking engagement.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, and specifically disclosed in the accompanying drawing, it should be evident that the invention may embody a wide variety of modications in detail structure without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l. A stool comprising, in combination, an upright tubular member, a second tubular post;

telescoped into the upper end of said tubular member, a cone carried on the lower end of said tubular post, a stem carried in the tubular post and extending through the cone, a washer on said stem including a ring having a hollow hub portion, at least the top surface of said ring being inclined upwardly outwardly radially, a plurality of rolling elements seated on said top surface of the ring surrounding the cone, and a spring to normally urge said washer into telescoped relation with said cone to move the rolling elements outwardly radially into wedging engagement between the cone and tubular member.

2. A stool comprising, in combination, an upright tubular member, a second tubular post telescoped into the upper end of said tubular member, a cone carried on the lower end of said tubular post, a stem carried in the tubular post and extending through the cone, a washer on said stem including a ring having a hollow hub Dortion, a plurality of rolling elements seated on said ring surrounding the cone, said ring having a roller supporting surface having its inner peripheral edge located on a plane below its outer peripheral edge whereby the rolling elements tend to rest against the cone, a spring to urge said washer into telescoped relation with said cone to move the rolling elements upwardly into wedging engagement between the cone and tubular member, and a rod associated with said stem operable to overcome the action of said spring and shift the washer downwardly to permit said rolling elements to roll inwardly away from said tubular member.

3. A stool comprising, in combination, an upright tubular member, a second tubular post telescoped into the upper end of said tubular member, a cone carried on the lower end of said tubular post, a stem carried in the tubular post and extending through the cone, a washer on said stem including a ring having a hollow hub portion, said ring having a roller supporting surface having its outer peripheral edge elevated above the plane of its inner peripheral edge, a plurality of rolling elements seated on said ring surrounding the cone, a spring to normally urge said washer into telescoped relation with said cone to move the rolling elements outwardly into wedging engagement between the cone and tubular member, and manually operable means engageable with the stern actuable to shift the washer downwardly against the action of said spring whereby said rolling elements move inwardly radially by gravity out of their wedging engagement.

4. In an adjustable stool or the like, the combination of a vertically movable seat supporting tubular post, a stationary tubular member telescoped over the post, a conical fitting carried on the lower end of said post, rolling elements surrounding said tting for locking engagement between the fitting and the surface of the tubular member, shiftable means including a stem extending through said tting into the tubular post normally retaining the rolling elements in such locking engagement, a control rod effective to move said shiftable means to enable the rolling elements to move into an ineffective position, said rod being enclosed within said tubular post and being accessible for manipulation through an opening in the seat, and means on said rod adjustable to vary its effective length to insure contact between the rod and stem.

5. In an adjustable stool or the like, the combination of a vertically movable seat supporting tubular post, a stationary tubular member telescoped over the post, a conical tting carried on the lower end of said post, rolling elements surrounding said tting for locking engagement between the fitting and the surface of the tubular member, shiftable means including a stem extending through said iitting into the tubular post normally retaining the rolling elements in such locking engagement, a control rod effective to move said shiftable means to enable the rolling elements to move into an ineffective position, and means on said rod adjustable to vary its effective lngth to insure contact between the rod and s em.

6. In an adjustable stool or the like, the combination of a vertically movable seat supporting tubular post, a stationary tubular member telescoped over the post, a conical fitting carried on the lower end of said post, rolling elements surrounding said fitting for locking engagement between the fitting and the surface of the tubular member, shiftable means including a stern eX- tending through said fitting into the tubular post normally retaining the rolling elements in such locking engagement, and a control rod operatively associated with said stem and depending through an opening in said seat and through the tubular post, sai-d control rod being engageable through the seat opening for actuation to move the shiftable means and permit the rolling elements to move into an ineffective position.

'7. In a stool having a tubular support, a seat mounted on said support, said seat comprising a circular member having a downwardly turned annular flange and a depressed central portion, a circumferential shoulder in the peripheral margin of said member, a collar secured to and extending downwardly from the depressed central portion, said collar providing a fitting to mount the seat on the tubular support, and a cylindrical member secured to said depressed portion within the collar, said cylindrical member and depressed portion having aligned openings through which a rod extends, and a cover seated on the circular member and of a size to fit snugly within the circumferential shoulder having an opening registering with the rod openings so that access may be had to said rod.

8. In a stool having a tubular support, a seat mounted on said support, said seat comprising a circular member having a downwardly turned annular flange and a depressed central portion, a collar secured to and extending downwardly from the depressed central portion, said collar providing a fitting to mount the seat on the tubular support, and a cylindrical member secured to said depressed portion within the collar, said cylindrical member and depressed portion having aligned openings through which a rod extends, and a cover seated on the circular mem- `ber having Lan l:mening .registering `with the :rnd

npenings sothat access-may be'had'to saidrod.

HAROLD M. 1SCHAEF.

REFERENCES CITED "The fo'llowng references are of `record in the fiile of this patents UNITED STATES PATENTS vNumber Name Date Matthe Apr. *21, 1885 -Homer Jan. 12, :1897 Adler Feb. 17, 1903 Coy Jan. 30, 1906 Fagerstrom Apr. 10, 1906 Trumbull AMar. 19, 1907 Number Number

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