Independent seat rise stacking and row chair

Claim 2

A stacking chair comprising: first and second side frame members each made from a continuous tube and having a front and a rear leg member and an upper horizontal connecting member, the lower ends of each pair of leg members being spread apart to permit stacking of chairs; a back support tube of general inverted U-shape and having a pair of side forwardly projecting arms attached respectively to said side frame members and providing a central opening to receive a seat in lowered position; a back secured to said back support tube; a forward and a rear horizontal cross member, each connected between said forwardly projecting arms of said back tube and located toward the rear of said arms; a seat rotatably mounted to said rear cross member for movement between a horizontal position at which said seat is partially supported by said forward cross member and a raised position permitting an occupant to step backwardly into said opening between said forwardly projecting side arms of said back tube to facilitate passage of a person.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pair of hinge brackets mounted to the bottom of said seat and rotatably coupling said seat to said rear horizontal cross member.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 characterized in that said first and second side frame members and said back tube are made from tubes of square cross section and said front and rear horizontal cross members are made from tubes of round cross section.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said back includes a cushion member, and said apparatus further includes clip members attached to the sides of said cushion member and having outwardly extending tongues received in spaced slots on the inside of the upper portion of said back support tube.

Claim 6

Apparatus for connecting adjacent chairs in a row comprising: a pair of chairs each having a pair of side arch-shaped frame members with downwardly extending spread legs; a tubular back frame generally in the shape of an inverted U having its lower portions turned forwardly to form arms, said arms being secured adjacent the tops of said side frames; a front and a rear cross tube connecting the rear portions of said arms of Said back frame; a seat; hinge brackets connected to the bottom of said seat and rotatably received on the rear cross tube to permit said seat to be raised; said front cross tube being positioned to support said seat in a lowered position; and a connector assembly including an arm rest, an angularly extending support tube beneath said arm rest and adapted to be placed between and extend along the rear legs of two chairs placed side-by-side, a downwardly extending forward member connected to said support tube and paralleling the front legs of two such chairs, said connector assembly further including first leg-clutching bracket means on said angularly extending support tube of said connector and on said forward member thereof to slidably engage and couple with the outer surfaces respectively of the rear and front legs of one arch-shaped side frame member of one chair when said connector is lowered onto it, and second leg-clutching bracket means on said angularly extending support tube of said connector and said forward member thereof to slidably engage and couple with the inner surfaces respectively of the rear and front legs of the adjacent arch-shaped side frame member of the other chair when said other chair is lowered onto said connector after said connector is attached to said first-named chair.

Claim 7

Apparatus for connecting adjacent chairs in a row comprising: a pair of chairs each having a pair of side arch-shaped frame members with downwardly extending spread legs; a tubular back frame generally in the shape of an inverted U having its lower portions turned forwardly to form arms, said arms being secured adjacent the tops of said side frames; a front and a rear cross tube connecting the rear portions of said arms of Said back frame; a seat; hinge brackets connected to the bottom of said seat and rotatably received on the rear cross tube to permit said seat to be raised; said front cross tube being positioned to support said seat in a lowered position; and a connector assembly including an arm rest, an angularly extending support tube beneath said arm rest and adapted to be placed between and extend along the rear legs of two chairs placed side-by-side, a downwardly extending forward member connected to said support tube and paralleling the front legs of two such chairs, said connector assembly further including first leg-clutching bracket means on said angularly extending support tube of said connector and on said forward member thereof to slidably engage and couple with the outer surfaces respectively of the rear and front legs of one arch-shaped side frame member of one chair when said connector is lowered onto it, and second leg-clutching bracket means on said angularly extending support tube of said connector and said forward member thereof to slidably engage and couple with the inner surfaces respectively of the rear and front legs of the adjacent arch-shaped side frame member of the other chair when said other chair is lowered onto said connector after said connector is attached to said first-named chair.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 characterized in that arch-shaped side frame members are tubes having square cross sections and said first and second leg-clutching bracket means include channel-shaped brackets constructed to fit over the associated square section tube.