Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- "~
1~627S~ ;
FIE:LD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements in collapsible
supporting frames and has for its main object the provision of
a new concept of folding mechanism which permits to fold the
supporting frame into an extremely compact form. Another ob~ect
o this invention is to provide a collapsible supporting frame
that can be readily opened up or closed in one single operation,
thus being simple to operate. Still another object of this
invention is to provide a very light supporting frame. A
further object of this invention is to provide a supporting
frame wherein at the same time it collapses in width,the vertical
members fold forwardly and downwardly until they are sub- ;
stantially parallel to the horizontal members of said frame to
form an extremely compact bundle of components. A still further
object of this invention is to provid~e a sleigh comprising a
collapsible supporting frame which collapses forwardly and
downwardly on the runners of the sleigh at the same time said
runners are brought together to form an extremely low and
; ~ ~ compact unit easily transported and stored.- ` -i ;
Other objects will appear hereinafter~
: , . '
; . '
.,
'
'''',': ~ `~'
~6Z750
S T~MI~NT OF T~IE INVF~NTION
The invention consists essentially of a collapsible
supporting frame comprising foldable side assemblies with
vertically spaced substantially horizontal members, pivotally -
attached to substantially vertical members, collapsible means ~-
~ ,
connecting said foldable side assemblies to each other, r~ig
members which are substantially parallel to said horizontal
members and which are pivotally connected to the lower end of
said vertical members, and means to restrain unwanted collapsing
of said collapsible means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF D:R~WINGS
In the detailed description of the preferred
embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is
made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
15~ ~Fig. l ~ is a perspective view of a complete sleigh;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the sleigh shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the sleigh shown in Fig. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the sleigh - -
without a canvas; ~`
Q Eig. 5 is a perspective view o~ the stop lock preventing
unwanted collapsing o~ the collapsible means
connecting both side assemblies together; ~ `~
. . " ~'~ ;' :'
- 3 ~
.. ' ' ;' ~ ' ::~ . '
3L~6Z75~
Eig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the brackets
supporting the rear vertical members;
. -
~ig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracketsupporting the front vertical members;
~ig. 8 is a top view of a dif~erent embodiment of the col- -
lapsible means connecting both side assemblies at the rear;
Fig. 9 is a side view of a sub-section showing the attachment
of one of the rear cross members to one rear vertical -
member; ~ -
~g. 10 is a perspective view showing the attachment of one
of the front cross members to one of the front
vertical members;
,
~ig. 11 is a rear elevated perspective view of a sleigh com- ;
prising the collapsible means shown in Fig. 8;
Fig. 12 is a top view of a sleigh without a canvas in its
closed position;
Flg. 13 is a top view of a sleigh with a canvas, in its
closed position;
Fig.~14 ~is a slde view of the sleigh shown in Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a side view of the sleigh shown in Fig. 12;
Fig. 16 is a front view of the sleigh shown in Fig. l;
~ Flg~ 17 is a rear view of the sleigh shown in Fig. 1.
:- : : ::
~ Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding
; ~parts in each figure. ~ `
: '- ~ '
27SO
DESCRIPTION O~ Tl-lE P EFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred form of construction when assembled
with runners to form a sleigh, as illustrated in the accompanying - ~ -
drawings, comprises a pair of runners on which four vertical
tubular pieces are pivotally installed and interconnected in the
manner hereinafter shown.
Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the front
vertical tubular piece 11 is interconnected to the rear vertical
tubular piece 12 by an upper horizontal tubular piece 13 and .
a lower horizontal tubular piece 28 which are generally parallel
to the runner. These horizontal tubular pieces are pivotally ~ :
connected at one end by pivot 22 to vertical tubular piece 11 ~
and at the other end to vertical tubular piece 12. . `
: The vertical tubular piece 11 is pivotally connected
at its lower end by a pivot 22 to bracket 21 which is solidly
attached to the top of the runner. Similarly, vertical tubular
piece 12 is pivotally connected at its lower end by pivot 22
to bracket 23 which is solidly attached to the top of -
the runnera A stop 38 is provided at the rear of said bracket ~- -
20 23 to prevent excess rearward movement of the vertical tubular ~ .
piece 12 when it is in its erect position.
` : A similar side assembly is provided on the other side :: :
as appears from Fig~ 4.
' : :- ':,''
. ~ ~ These two side assemblies are interconnected in the .-
~followlng way~
at the f:ront, the two vertical tubular pieces 11, one for each . .:: :
~ : ::: :
side assembly, are interconnected by collapsible mean comprising :
an upper se~ of horizontal links 14 and 15, and a lower set of
-S- '` ': `' "' ~ '
~,~', .
~627S~l~
havin~ their dis-tal end connec-ted by pivot 22 to the top end
portion of r~spective vertical tubular piece 11, and their
proximal end connected together by pivot 22; and a lower set
of links 17 and 18 similarly having their distal end connected
together by pivot 22. Link 14 is connected to link 15 to form
an upper knee-joint and link 17 i~ connected to link 18 to
form a lower knee-joint.
One link 17 is provided with a shoulder lock 32 on ~' '
its upperside, said lock is adapted to contact with the corre-
sponding link 18 at the knee-joint, therefore limiting the
downward swing or movement thereof and providing a safety lock ''
when the sleigh is in the opened position.
The two sets of horizontal links, 14/15 and 17/1% are
pivotally interconnected at the knee-joints by a central
vertical bar 16 to maintain a parallel relationship between the
~wo sets of links and also to permit folding or unfolding the
lower,knee-joint 17/18 simultaneously with the folding or
unfolding o~ the upper knee-joint 14/15.
Front cross-bars 19 and 20 form an X in the open
position. The rear end of said cross-bars 19 and 20 are
'~
connected by pivots 22 to a swivel 24 which is solidly a~tached ;
to the top of the runners. The front end of said cross bars
19 and 20 are connected by pivots 22 to a swivel 3'3 which is ~-' '. ~ . ,.~ , ~ , .
solidly attached to bracket 34 which is in turn solidly mounted
on the central portion of vertical tubular piece 11. ~
., .
~ ,
'",'
- "
: l~6;~75~
1 Rear cross bars 25 and 26 forming an X in the open
position are connected by pivots 22 at their respective rear
and lower ends to a swivel 24 which is solidly attached to the
top of the runners. The forward and top end section of cross
bars 25 and 26 are respectively connected by pivot 22 to the
upper end of respective vertical tubular piece 12. Cross bars
19/20 and 25/26 are preferably pivotally connected together
at their respective junction points 20-A and 25-A.
These two sets of cross bars 19 and 20, 25 and 26
move the runners toward each other when the vertical tubular
pieces 11 and 12 are moved forward during the folding process.
Cross bars 19 and 20 also prevent forward or rearward movement
of a runner r~lative to the other. Cross bars 25 and 26 also
prevent sideway swing of the rear vertical tubular pieces 12.
The two side assemblies are also interconnected at the
rear by a collapsible mechanism comprising an upper set of links
30 and 31 having their distal end connected by pivot 22 to the
top end portion of respective vertical tubular piece 12, and
their proximal ends connected together by pivot 22; and a lower
set of links 34 and 36 similarly having their distal ends
connected by pivot 22 to the lower end section of respective
vertical tubular piece 12 r and their proximal ends connected
together by pivot 22. Link 30 is connected to link 31 to form an
upper knee-joint and link 34 is connected to link 36 to form a
lower knee-joint. Said upper knee-joint 30/31 and lower knee-
joint 34/36 being interconnected by pivot 22 to central vertical
bar 37, to maintain a parallel relationship between the two sets ,,, ; c-
of links and also to permit folding and unfolding of the lower
knee-joint 34/36 simultaneously with the folding or unfolding of
the upper knee-joint 30/31. The vertical link 37 is provided
with a loop 27 at its uppermost end to facilitate folding or
unfolding of the sleigh.
-7-
,,,,, .. -
:~0627S~
One link 31 is provided with a shoulder lock 32 at
the upper side, adapted to contact with the corresponding
connected link 30 at the knee-joint, therefore limiting the
downward swing or movement thereof to a horizontal line, equally
providing a sa~ety lock when the sleigh is in the opened
position.
As shown in Fig. 8 and 11, in one particular embodi-
ment of this invention, links 30 and 31 are curved rearwardly
to allow sufficient back clearance for the occupant of the
10 sleigh.
The rear set of cross bars 25 and 26 are used to bring
the runners together as the supporting frame is folded front-
wardly and downwardly on to the top of the runners, and also
to prevent sideway swing of the rear vertical tubular pieces 12
Openin~ o~ the sleigh is accomplished by pulling
upward on the loop 27 until the tubular pieces 12 rom~ into
contact with the stop 38; then pushing downward on both stop -~
locks 32 to lock the mechanism in safe operational position.
Folding of the sleigh is accomplished by pullins
simultaneously upward on the stop locks 32, then pushing forward
on the loop 27 to collapse the entire frame forward on top of
the runners while said runners are moved towards each other.
' ~.'
' ~ -
::
-- 8 -- . .
.. . .
~ ................................................................... : .
---` illq~627~i~
1 Therefore, as described hereabove I have invented a
new collapsible supporting frame and folding mechanism which
have particular application in collapsible sleighs but may also
find application in other structures. While the invention has
been illustrated in relation to a collapsible sleigh, it will
be obvious that it is susceptible to some changes and modifi-
cations and of applications to other structures without departing
from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I
do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement, formation
and structure of the several parts of the folding mechanism
herein shown, except as claimed.
For example, the runners could be replaced by skis,
blades, floaters or other rigid members. Similarly, wheels
or anchor means could be attached to such rigid members or
near the lower end of the vertical tubular pieces 11 and 12.
. : .
~' ~
`'~ . ~ ' '''.
-.
:.':" ~`.;
~. . '. .
..
_ 9 ~
,.. ~ , ~ .: .. .
