SIT AND STEP STOOL

• US 3,599,750 A
• Filed: 12/24/1968
• Issued: 08/17/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Security Pacific Business Credit, Inc. (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Serwer Arthur
• Inventors: SERWER ARTHUR
• Application Number:
  US04/786,691
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• US Class Current: 182/15
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 91/04 Elastic supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 12/02 requiring conversion between the step and seat functions

Abstract

A two-step stool, with a base having three-step areas and mounting a top formed with a single step area and three substantially vertical legs spaced one from the other to provide feet-receiving apertures aligned with the step area on the base. A seat is carried by the top for movement between a position housed just beneath the single step and a position covering the single step area to permit the user to sit on the stool without getting dirty from the single step area. Three wheels, which facilitate movement of the stool about the floor, retract into the base when weight is applied to the stool to permit a bumper disposed about the lower edge of the base to rest upon the floor and minimize slippage when the stool is in use.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a. support means b. cover means disposed for movement between a first position disposed substantially entirely within said support means and a second position on top of said support means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support means includes:

a. a lower portion with at least one step area thereon; and

b. an upper portion with at least one step area thereon.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said cover is disposed for rotating movement about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the top of said support means.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said cover is also disposed for longitudinal movement with respect to the top of said support means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said cover means is disposed on a rod carried by said support means for both rotating movement about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the top of said support means and longitudinal shifting movement parallel to said axis of rotation to permit said cover means to move out of its first position by rotating same until it is clear of said support means, and into said second position by longitudinally shifting same and then rotating same in a direction to place same over the top of said support means.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said cover means includes means to prevent inadvertent dislocation thereof once disposed in said second position.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means to prevent inadvertent dislocation of said cover means takes the form of a lip disposed about the periphery of said cover means and so as to snugly surround at least a portion of the top of said support means.

8. The combination of claim 2 wherein:

a. said lower portion is formed as a substantially hexagonal hollow frustum of a cone; and

b. said upper portion is formed as a substantially hollow triangular frustum of a cone.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein a leg extends downwardly from each corner of said upper portion and is connected through an upper surface of said lower portion substantially midway between alternate ones of the hexagonal sides thereof.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein:

a. said legs are spaced one from the other to form openings into said hollow of said upper portion; and

b. stepping areas are provided on said lower portion in alignment with said openings.

11. A step stool comprising a. a base section formed with an upper surface;

b. a top section formed with an upper surface;

c. a cover section carried by said top section for disposition in either an in-use position covering at least a portion of said upper surface of said top section and a stored position wherein it is substantially within said top section spaced from said upper surface of said base section.

12. The step stool of claim 11 wherein:

said cover section is carried by a rod disposed on said top section for roTation about an axis perpendicular to said upper surface of said top section.

13. The step stool of claim 12 wherein said rod is also disposed for longitudinal movement in a direction parallel to said axis of rotation.

14. The step stool of claim 13 wherein spring means are provided to bias said cover section towards said stored position.

15. The step stool of claim 13 wherein:

said cover section is detented in both said stored and said in-use positions thereof.

16. The step stool of claim 11 wherein:

a. said base section is formed as a hollow substantially hexagonal frustum of a cone;

b. said top section is formed as a hollow substantially triangular frustum of a cone with a leg extending down from each corner thereof for interconnection to said base section.

17. The step stool of claim 16 wherein:

a each leg terminates in at least one tongue;

b. apertures are formed in said upper surface of said base section to receive said tongues; and

c. said tongues are formed for ready insertion in said apertures but so that they can not be readily removed therefrom;

18 The step stool of claim 16 wherein;

a. said legs are spaced to provide therebetween openings to receive at least the front portion of the feet or user; and

b. said base section is provided with stepping areas aligned with said openings.

19. A sit and step stool comprising:

a. a hollow base section formed in the configuration of a substantially hollow hexagonal frustum of a cone, open at the bottom and with an upper surface provided with three stepping areas b. a hollow top section formed in the configuration of a substantially hollow triangular frustum of a cone open at the bottom with an upper stepping surface and with a leg extending down from each corner thereof;

c. each of said legs terminating in a pair of spaced tongues formed for easy insertion but so as to prevent withdrawal from corresponding pairs of openings in the said upper surface of said base section;

d. each pair of said openings in said upper surface of said base section being disposed between said stepping areas so that when said top section and said base section are assembled said legs form openings aligned with said stepping areas;

e. a rod vertically disposed in said top section for rotative movement about an axis of rotation perpendicular to said upper surface of said top section and for longitudinal movement along said axis of rotation;

f. a seat carried by said rod at the upper end thereof;

g. said seat being formed substantially as hollow frustum of a triangle open at the bottom and sized to snugly fit over said upper surface of said top section;

h. said top section further including an opening in the side thereof to receive most of said seat and so that said seat may be stored within the hollow of said top section beneath said top surface thereof;

i. said seat further including detent means to prevent inadvertent movement of said seat from the stored position thereof as well as a tab extending down therefrom to facilitate grasping of said seat and rotation thereof out of said stored position;

j. said seat moving with said rod in a vertical direction, after rotation thereof out of said stored position, to a position above said upper surface of said top section and then rotating with said rod to a position above said upper surface of said top section for subsequent movement with said rod down to an in-use position over said upper surface of said top section;

k. three retractably mounted wheels carried by said base section for retraction upon application of weight thereto; and

l. rubber bumper disposed about the open periphery of said base section for engagement with a floor as said wheels retract. 20 The sit and step stool of claim 19 wherein spring means coact with said rod to said seat carried thereby into said stored position.