This invention relates to chairs and more particularly to a chair which is readily convertible to various shapes and forms to suit different purposes.

Many different types of convertible chairs are known, some of which, for example, recline and others of which, for example, are convertible to form a divan or bed. Generally known convertible type chairs suffer aesthetically in one or more of their forms or, because of their adaptability to differing shapes do not achieve optimum comfort in one or more of the positions. Furthermore, in most instances with known convertible chairs the conversion operation from one position to another is complicated and/or difficult to perform and may even require considerable strength on the part of the user in order to perform a conversion.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved convertible chair which overcomes one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with known convertible chairs.

Thus one broad form of the invention provides a convertible chair comprising a seat, a back extending substantially along a rear side of said seat and a pair of arm cushions adjacent opposite ends of said seat, said arm cushions each being mounted on said chair for rotational movement about an axis through the arm cushion and normal to said back whereby each arm cushion may be rotated to any position between a first position wherein said arm cushions are on top of said seat at respective ends thereof, and restrict the width of said seat to minimum seating capacity, and a second position wherein said arm cushions provide a widthwise extension of said seat at respective ends thereof to extend said seat to maximum seating capacity.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one particular embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figures 1 - 5 inclusive, show schematically front elevations of a chair according to the invention in various different orien ations;

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Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 on an enlar ed scale showing the internal mechanism in broken lines;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of one side of the back of the chair, as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an end view of the arm cushion support mechanism in a locked position of the arm; and

Figure 10 is similar to Figure 9 with the arm in the unlocked position.

In the drawings the chair is shown to consist essentially of a seat 10, back 11 and arm cushions 12 and 13. Legs 14 support the seat 10. The chair is shown in Figure 1 in a first orientation wher'ein it is a single seater chair with the arm cushions 12 and 13 in a first position 36 resting on top of the seat 10 at opposite ends thereof. Clearly the arm cushions 12 and 13 define the seat portion therebetween as.well as acting as arm rests. In Figure 2 the arm cushions 12 and 13 have been rotated away from the seat 10 through an angle of almost 90° whereby the seat portion has been extended and could be used as a two seater chair with the arm cushions 12 and 13 providing somewhat higher arm rests at opposite ends of the seat 10.

In the position shown in Figure 3, the arm cushions 12 and 13 have been rotated through apprσximately 180° from the position shown in Figure 1 to an intermediate position 37 so that the chair becomes a very spacious two seater or a three seater chair. In addition, in this orientation the rotational axis 15 of the arm cushions 12 and 13 has moved in an arc from the position shown in Figure 1. Thus the arm cushions 12 and 13 are arranged beyond the ends of the seat 10 while still providing arm rests at a height above the seat 10.

In the position shown in Figure 4, the arm cushions 12 and 13 have been lowered by further movement of the rotational axis 15 to a second position 38 and extend the width of the seat 10. In other words, the arm cushions in effect provide seats which extend the seating capacity of

the chair to accommodate four or possibly more persons.

In the orientation shown in Figure 5, the arm cushions 12 and 13 have been further lowered to a third position 39 wherein they may provide seats for small children or a footrest for a person lying along the seat 10. Incidentally, it will be noted that in the position shown in Figure 4 the chair may be used as a divan. It should be appreciated that it is not necessary to convert both sides of the chair simultaneously and therefore the respective sides of the chair may be converted to any of the positions shown in Figures 1 to 5 independently of the other side of the chair. Furthermore, the respective sides may be oriented to a position wherein the arm cushions assume any position between the position shown in Figure 1 and the position shown in Figure 5. It will also be noted that the back 11 of the chair may assume differing orientations depending upon the position of the arm cushions on the respective sides of the chair. As is evident the rotational _' axis i5 moves in an arc between the uppermost position as shown in Figure 1 and the lowermost position as shown in Figure 5 although it will become apparent that the arm may be rotated on the axis 15 independently of movement of the axis 15.

As can be seen in Figure 6 the chair includes a seat frame 16 to which the legs 14 are affixed, although the actual attachment of the legs to the seat frame 16 is not shown in the drawings. The seat frame 16 in fact comprises a pair of parallel spaced frame members which extend substantially over the width of the seat 10. A pair of shafts 17 extend between the frame members of the seat frame 16 and project into the back 11 as can be seen in Figure 8 which shows one of the shafts 17. The extensions of the shafts 17 which project into the back 11 support a frame structure in the back 11. The frame structure consists essentially of spaced parallel plates 18 which extend between the shafts 17 and are mounted thereon and pivotal arms 19 which are mounted on the respective shafts 17. The plates 18 are held together by bolts 20 which pass through

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spacer sleeves 21 arranged between the plates 18. The plates support a number of L-shaped posts 22 which extend upwardly from the plates 18 to provide support for the back 11. The back 11 consists essentially of foam which is installed within an outer fabric casing and the outer casing has- pockets which accommodate the posts 22.

The rearmost plate 18 has a flange 23 at each end and one flange is evident in Figure 7. The flange 23 pivotally supports a plurality of elongate metal straps 24 which extend from the flange to approximately the free end of the pivotal arm 19. The straps 24 pivot on pivot pin 40 and are retained in generally parallel relationship by a U-shaped channel 25 which encompasses the straps 24 and extends for a significant distance along the length thereof. The channel ^' 25 is fixed to the two outer straps. The pivotal arms 19 are of tubular constructions as is more evident in Figures 9 and 10. A slot 26 in the front face of each arm 19 allows arm support shaft 27 to pass in_co the tubular channel with sufficient clearance to allow pivotal movement as will be evid-ent hereinbelow. Each of the support shafts 27 has a part spherical bearing 28 which is located in a complimentary bearing chamber 29 within the arm 19. The support shaft 27 extends rearwardly beyond the bearing 28 and through a slot 30 in the rear of the arm 19. A retaining disc 31 is held on the rearmost end of the support members 27 by a suitable nut 32 and between the rear surface of the arm 19 and the disc 31 a plurality of 'floating' discs 33 are arranged on the shaft 27. The floating discs 33 correspond in number to the straps 24 and each of the straps is located between a respective pair of adjacent discs 33 as is evident in Figures 9 and 10.

When the support shaft 27 is in the position shown in Figure 9 the weight of an arm cushion 12 causes the floating discs 33 to be compressed between the rear surface of the arm 19 and the retaining disc 31 in which case the metal straps 24 are tightly gripped between the discs 33 at that part which passes therebetween. A releasable connection 41 is formed between the straps 24 and discs 33. Thus, the

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- 5 - support shaft 27 is locked against rotational or pivotal movement and the arm 19 is locked against pivotal movement about the shaft 17. The latter locking occurs because the straps 24, arm 19 and flange 23 form a triangle wherein all points are fixed when the metal straps 24 are tightly held by the discs 33. An end post 34 is mounted on the arm 19 and held in place by spring clip 35 and a further L-shaped post 22 is mounted midway between the ends of arm 19 in a similar manner to the posts 22 which are mounted on the plates 18.

As will be evident the support shaft 27 is able to rotate about its longitudinal axis and pivot in a vertical plane by virtue of the part spherical bearing 28. The slot 30 controls the movement of the support shaft 27 against pivotal movement in a horizontal direction and limits vertical pivotal movement. The weight of the arm cushion 12 on the forward end of the support shaft 27 ensures that the arrangment is normally in the position shown in Figure 9. Any additional weight on the arm cushion 12, such as when it is supporting a user, will serve only to provide additional force to lock the support shaft 27 and the pivotal arm 19 in position. In order to change the orientation of the chair, the user merely raises the arm cushion 12 causing the support shaft 27 to move into the position shown in Figure 10, in which case it is possible to rotate the arm cushion 12 about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 27 to any position within a full 360°. In the position shown in Figure 10 it is also possible to lift or lower the pivotal arm 19 by lifting or lowering the arm cushion 12 or 13 as the case may be whereby the configuration of the back 11 of the chair will also change. Once the desired orientation is achieved, the arm cushion 12 is pushed downwardly to lock the discs 33 and straps 24 so that further movement is prevented and the member 27 assumes the position shown in Figure 9. It will be appreciated that pivotal movement of the arm 19 causes the discs 33 to slide along the straps 24.

As mentioned above the seat 10 and back 11 are formed from foam material hich is cu to shape and packed within

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an outer covering. The outer covering of the back 11 has some elasticity to allow its shape to change to the various configurations shown in Figures 1-5. Pockets in the covering accommodate the posts 22 and 34 to provide support for the back 11. The foam must also have an ability to change shape to accommodate the variations in shape of the bac .

It should be evident that the chair according to the present invention provides considerable advantages both aesthetically and ergonomica 11 y compared to known convertible chairs. The arm cushions are able to move upwardly and downwardly in an arc and are mounted for rotational movement through a full 360°. The unique mounting arrangement of the arm cushions enable a single movement thereof to release a mechanism which facilitates rotation of the arm cushions or movement thereof through the aforementioned arc whereby a change in the shape of the back 11 can. be effected to suit the new orientation of the arm cushions. The arm cushions may be moved individually to a desired position and the orientation of the back of the chair converted to aesthetically and ergonomically suit the new orientation.