Air chairs and convertible sofas

Claim 2

An air chair comprising a frame provided with a seat support, a back support and a chamber disposed below and seat support and extending behind the back support, an aperture in the seat support and an aperture in the back support opening into the chamber, an inflatable cushion disposed on the seat support, an air spring disposed in the chamber, an intermediate tube connecting the air spring and the seat cushion through the seat aperture to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, an inflatable cushion disposed on the back support, a second air spring disposed in the chamber, an intermediate tube connecting the second air spring and the back cushion through the back support aperture to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, and means to selectively inflate the cushions individually, the air springs being bellows-shaped and adapted to be expanded by displacement of air thereinto from their respective cushions under pressure exerted on the latter, and to contract to force the displaced air back into the respective cushions on withdrawal of the pressure, the expansion aNd contraction of the air springs regulated by spring means secured to the respective air springs and adapted to tension them against expansion.

Claim 3

An air chair as described in claim 1, the means to inflate the air cushions comprising an air line connected to each of the intermediate tubes and leading to an air valve disposed on the chair frame.

Claim 4

An air chair as described in claim 2, the spring tensioning means for each air spring comprising a pair of coil springs secured in parallel to the chamber wall opposite the air spring-retaining wall, with the free end of each coil spring secured to a cable passed around a pulley disposed on the air spring-retaining wall, the other ends of the cables secured to the sides of the air spring at its free ends, thereby to retain the latter normally in a contracted state and to permit expansion of the latter upon the forcing of air thereinto under pressure exceeding the tension of the coil springs.

Claim 5

An air chair as described in claim 3, each of the inflatable cushions formed with flexible stays in the interior thereof to support the cushion walls.

Claim 6

An air chair as described in claim 3, the interior of each of the cushions provided with porous material adapted to shape the cushions.

Claim 7

A convertible sofa comprising an elongated frame formed of a back section and a seat section, means to selectively pivot the back section from a position angular to the seat section to a position to lie on the same plane therewith, means to lock the back section in each position, a chamber disposed below the seat section, a plurality of inflatable seat cushions disposed on the seat section, an aperture in the seat section below each seat cushion, opening into the chamber, an air spring disposed in the chamber beneath each seat cushion, an intermediate tube connecting each air spring with its corresponding seat cushion through a seat aperture to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, a plurality of inflatable back cushions disposed on the back section, an aperture in the back section behind each back cushion and a corresponding aperture in the rear wall of the chamber, a secondary air spring disposed in the chamber beneath each back cushion, an intermediate tube connecting each secondary air spring with its corresponding back cushion through the apertures provided to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, and means to selectively inflate the cushions, the air springs being bellows-shaped and adapted to expand by displacement of air therein from their respectively engaged cushions under pressure exerted upon the latter, and to contract to force the displaced air back into their respectively engaged cushions on withdrawal of the pressure, the expansion and contraction of air springs being regulated by spring means secured to the respective air springs and adapted to tension them against expansion, the intermediate tubes connecting each secondary air spring with its respective back cushion being bellows-shaped to permit pivotal movement of the back section of the sofa without disengagement.

Claim 8

A convertible sofa comprising an elongated frame formed of a back section and a seat section, means to selectively pivot the back section from a position angular to the seat section to a position to lie on the same plane therewith, means to lock the back section in each position, a chamber disposed below the seat section, a plurality of inflatable seat cushions disposed on the seat section, an aperture in the seat section below each seat cushion, opening into the chamber, an air spring disposed in the chamber beneath each seat cushion, an intermediate tube connecting each air spring with its corresponding seat cushion through a seat aperture to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, a plurality of inflatable back cushions disposed on the back section, an aperture in the back section behind each back cushion and a corresponding aperture in the rear wall of the chamber, a secondary air spring disposed in the chamber beneath each back cushion, an intermediate tube connecting each secondary air spring with its corresponding back cushion through the apertures provided to afford air intercommunication thereinbetween, and means to selectively inflate the cushions, the air springs being bellows-shaped and adapted to expand by displacement of air therein from their respectively engaged cushions under pressure exerted upon the latter, and to contract to force the displaced air back into their respectively engaged cushions on withdrawal of the pressure, the expansion and contraction of air springs being regulated by spring means secured to the respective air springs and adapted to tension them against expansion, the intermediate tubes connecting each secondary air spring with its respective back cushion being bellows-shaped to permit pivotal movement of the back section of the sofa without disengagement.

Claim 9

A convertble sofa as described in claim 6, the means to selectively pivot the back section comprising a plurality of hinges secured to the abutting edges of the back and seat sections and mounted upon a central axle.

Claim 10

A convertible sofa as described in claim 6, the means to selectively inflate the seat and back cushions comprising an air line connected to each of the respective intermediate tubes and leading to an air valve mounted in the sofa frame.

Claim 11

A convertible sofa as described in claim 6, the spring tensioning means for each air spring comprising a pair of coil springs secured in parallel to the chamber wall opposite the air spring-retaining wall, with the free end of each coil spring secured to a cable passed around a pulley disposed on the air spring-retaining wall, the other ends of the cables secured to the sides of the free end of the spring, thereby to retain the latter normally in a state of contraction and adapted to peRmit expansion of the air springs upon the forcing of air thereinto under pressure exceeding the tension of the coil springs.

Claim 12

A convertible sofa as described in claim 6, the means to selectively inflate the seat and back cushions comprising an air line connected to each of the respective intermediate tubes, all of the air lines leading to and coupled to a single air valve mounted in the frame.