Adjustable footrest

• US 4,277,660 A
• Filed: 08/30/1979
• Issued: 07/07/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred Lemmer
• Original Assignee: Alfred Lemmer
• Inventors: Lemmer, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US06/071,264
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 318/551, 200/86.5, 200/153 C, 200/318, 200/320, 200/321, 200/322, 200/335, 200/337, 200/339, 74/522, 74/560, 74/512-514
• US Class Current: 200/86.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0098 Detached foot rests for under desk
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 16/025 adjustable, swivelling, rocking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated

Abstract

An adjustable footrest that can be set to any height, angular orientation and horizontal position and then locked by manipulation of a locking lever. The locking lever rotates to turn and release various clamping arrangements to permit free adjustment of the footrest.

Claims

1. An adjustable footrest comprising a footrest member, a supporting frame and a height adjustment arrangement interconnecting said footrest member and said supporting frame, said height adjustment arrangement comprising a support lever connected at one end with the footrest and pivoted at its other end to the supporting frame, a link attached to the supporting frame, a rod connected with the footrest and guided for movement along the link, said footrest member being carried on said rod to pivot with respect to the frame, a height adjustment clamping arrangement on the rod for locking the rod to the link, a pivot adjustment clamping arrangement for clamping said footrest member to said frame and a locking lever connected with both the clamping arrangements such that movement of the locking lever in one direction releases both said clamping arrangements to allow height and pivotal adjustment of said footrest member and movement of said locking lever in the opposite direction locks said footrest member against both height and pivotal movement.

2. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1, wherein said height adjustment arrangement includes resilient means arranged to exert an upward force on said footrest member.

3. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping arrangement comprises an eccentric mechanism having a first part mounted on the locking lever for rotation therewith and a second part which does not rotate with respect to said support lever, said rod extending axially through said parts, said parts having faces which cooperate to produce opposing forces when the parts are rotated with respect to each other to clamp said link between an element on said rod and said eccentric mechanism.

4. An adjustable footrest according to claim 3, wherein a stop is provided on said rod with said link being located between said stop and said eccentric mechanism.

5. An adjustable footrest according to claim 3, wherein said one part of the eccentric mechanism has a recess in the side thereof facing away from the other part and wherein said locking lever is fitted into said groove for rotation of said one part with said locking lever.

6. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1, and further including an arrangement for adjustment of the angular position of the footrest member in the supporting frame wherein said arrangement comprises a footrest support to which said footrest member is attached and which is mounted to tilt about an axis, said footrest support being formed with a guide extending concentric to said axis, and a clamping arrangement by which the footrest support at said guide is lockable in relation to the supporting frame, said clamping arrangement including a rotary member which, upon rotation, operates to release and lock said clamping arrangement, and means arranged to rotate the rotary member.

7. An adjustable footrest according to claim 6, wherein the clamping arrangement comprises a threaded coupling element and a threaded counterpart element, one of which elements is accommodated in the guide to be guidable therealong while the other element projects through the support lever of the supporting frame and threadedly engages the one element, and wherein the rotary member rotates one of said elements and the other of said elements being held from rotation.

8. An adjustable footrest according to claim 6 wherein said means arranged to rotate the rotary member comprises a portion of said locking lever.

9. An adjustable footrest according to claim 8, wherein the rotary member is a rotary lever fixed to the threaded coupling element of the clamping arrangement, said rotary lever engaging a driving part of said locking lever to be driven rotationally thereby.

10. An adjustable footrest according to claim 9, wherein said driving part of said locking lever is a projection integral therewith which projection engages in a slot of the rotary lever.

11. An adjustable footrest according to claim 9 wherein an adjustable connection is provided between said rotary lever and said threaded coupling element, said adjustable connection being constructed so that, upon release thereof, there is permitted a change in rotational position between the rotary lever and said threaded coupling element.

12. An adjustable footrest according to claim 6 wherein the guide formed on said footrest support is a slot and wherein said clamping arrangement includes a non-rotational part engageable with said rotary member, said non-rotational part being dimensioned to be closely guided in said slot.

13. An adjustable footrest according to claim 6, characterized in that the footrest support is formed with first flanges attached to said footrest member and further flanges having openings therethrough at said axis, with said rod extending through said openings and a sleeve extending between said further flanges.

14. An adjustable footrest according to claim 13, characterized in that said sleeve surrounds said rod.

15. An adjustable footrest according to claim 3 wherein an intermediate washer engages and is rotatable with said second part of the eccentric mechanism and further engages and is non-rotatable with respect to said other element of said clamping arrangement.

16. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1, and further including an arrangement for adjustment of the supporting frame in the horizontal direction, comprising an anchor means integral with the base, on which anchor means the supporting frame is horizontally guided, a further clamping arrangement for clamping the supporting frame to the anchor means, and actuating means cooperating with the clamping arrangement for locking and unlocking of the further clamping arrangement.

17. An adjustable footrest according to claim 16, wherein said actuating means comprises a further portion of said locking lever.

18. An adjustable footrest according to claim 16 wherein said further clamping arrangement is an eccentric mechanism.

19. An adjustable footrest according to claim 16 wherein said further clamping arrangement includes a toggle mechanism.

20. An adjustable footrest according to claim 17 wherein said locking lever is connected to said further clamping arrangement by way of a hinged lever hingedly attached to a rotational portion of the clamping device for locking same.

21. An adjustable footrest according to claim 16 wherein a spring arrangement is provided exerting a horizontal adjustment force between said footrest member and said frame.

22. An adjustable footrest according to claim 21 wherein said spring arrangement is attached to the supporting frame.

23. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1 wherein said supporting frame is constructed to support said footrest member on both sides thereof.

24. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1 wherein said locking lever projects up from said supporting frame to a location for convenient manipulation by a person using the footrest.

25. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1 wherein said footrest member includes at least one foot switch actuable by pressure on said footrest member upon locking of same with respect to said supporting frame.

26. An adjustable footrest according to claim 25 wherein said foot switch is arranged to be rendered inoperable by unlocking of said footrest member with respect to said adjustment frame.