Vertically adjustable swivel support with lock for use with seating

• US 5,297,849 A
• Filed: 10/07/1991
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Chancellor
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Chancellor
• Inventors: Chancellor, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US07/772,672
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 297/349, 297/338, 297/339, 297/345, 297/347, 297/348, 297/284 F, 248/423, 248/418, 248/404-414, 114/363, 114/194, 108/144-148
• US Class Current: 297/344.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/18 Chairs or stools with rotatable seat adjustable in height by rotation A47C3/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/24 with vertical spindle
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/004 for chairs or stools with central column, e.g. office chairs

Abstract

A swivel support for seating such as a boat chair, various vehicle seats and other types of chairs or seats which can swivel and be vertically elevated or lowered that includes a lock structure which will automatically lock the support in angularly adjusted position about a vertical axis when the support is lowered from its elevated position to its lowered position. Many boats are provided with chairs which can be elevated to provide occupants of the chair with a better position for fishing. Chairs of this type are conventionally capable of being swiveled or rotatable about a vertical axis to enable the occupant to assume different angular positions in relation to the gunwales of the boat for a more effective fishing position. The boat chair lock structure will automatically lock the boat chair against rotation or swivel movement when the boat chair is lowered such as when the boat is underway from one location to another. The lock structure for the chair includes components on the stationary base and the movable component of the chair which interengage in one of a plurality of selected positions about a vertical axis when the boat chair is lowered to lock the boat chair in the selected angular position automatically when the boat chair is lowered.

Claims

1. A lock for a vertically adjustable swivel support which includes a non-rotatable base member and a rotatable member supported from the non-rotatable base member at a rotational interface, said lock comprising a lock member mounted on the non-rotatable base member and a lock member mounted on the rotatable member, said support including manually controlled means to elevate and lower the rotatable member in relation to the base member and maintain the rotatable member in either position solely by said manually controlled means independently of the presence of any other externally applied force on the rotatable member, said lock members including means bridging the rotational interface between lock members when the rotatable member is in lowered position thereby preventing swivel movement of the support.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging the interface includes one of the lock members being constructed in the form of a polygonal cup-shaped member, the other of the lock members being constructed of corresponding polygonal shape for telescopic engagement with the cup-shaped member when the rotatable member is lowered.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said lock members is of square configuration for telescopic engagement in four, equally spaced positions of the lock members in relation to each other.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging the interface includes axially extending, radial teeth on opposed axial surfaces of the lock members which are interlocked when the rotatable member is lowered.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging the interface includes a stationary lock plate mounted on the non-rotatable base member, said lock plate having a non-circular opening therein, said rotatable member having a projection on a lower end thereof of noncircular configuration corresponding to the shape of the opening and telescoped into the opening in the lock plate when the rotatable member is lowered thereby preventing swivel movement of the support.

6. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said swivel support is a chair including a chair frame and the rotatable member depends from said frame and is in the form of a vertically disposed stem capable of rotational movement and vertical adjustment in relation to the base member, said base member including a tubular standard telescopically receiving the stem, said means to elevate said rotatable member in relation to the base member including means interconnecting the tubular standard and stem to vertically elevate and lower the stem and chair frame in relation to the tubular standard.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said chair frame includes a chair seat and back rest, said back rest including an enlarged opening, an inset back rest in said opening, means vertically adjustably supporting the inset back rest and angularly supporting the inset back rest to position it in different position in relation to the chair back rest.

8. In a chair comprising a seat for supporting an occupant, means supporting said seat for swivel movement about a generally vertical axis, manually controlled means connected to said seat and supporting means to elevate and lower said set without requiring the weight of a seat occupant, the improvement comprising lock means on said seat and supporting means that automatically locks the seat against rotation when said manually controlled means lowers said seat and automatically permits swivel movement when the seat is elevated, said manually controlled means including manually operated screw thread means interconnecting said seat and supporting means.

9. In a chair comprising a seat for supporting an occupant, means supporting said seat for swivel movement about a generally vertical axis, power controlled means connected to said seat and supporting means to elevate and lower said set without requiring the weight of a seat occupant, the improvement comprising lock means on said seat and supporting means that automatically locks the seat against rotation when said power controlled means lowers said seat and automatically permits swivel movement when the seat is elevated, said power controlled means including a gaseous lift interconnecting said seat and supporting means to power elevate and power lower said seat.