The present invention relates to a hairdresser's station and, more particularly, to a hairdressers' station that includes a traveling assembly that is radially and cir- cu ferentially movable relative to a customer's chair. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hairdressing or haircutting can be a tiring occupa¬ tion. A hairdresser must often spend up to ten hours per day on his or her feet performing a variety of operations on a customer's hair such as, for example, cutting. The fatigue occasioned by such a schedule is physically debilitating and mentally fatiguing to such an extent that the quality of the service performed may suffer. Further, for some individuals with physical impairments standing is difficult, if not im¬ possible.

A hairdresser must also have ready variety of hairdressing implements, such as scissors, razors, curlers, and the like and expendable items, such as hairspray, gels, water, and the like. A fixed table provides a surface to hold such implements or items but must be reached by walking from a position contiguous with the customer's chair to the table and back again. This only increases the amount of walking a hairdresser must do and, concomintantly increases the fatigue suffered by the hairdresser.

It in desirous, therefore, to provide a device whereby a hairdresser may sit while cutting a customer's hair but still have a complete and easily attainable range of action around the customer. An example of a prior art appa¬ ratus is U.S. Patent No. 1,352,409 to Hoefner wherein a bar¬ ber's chair is disclosed as having a traveling stool attached thereto. The arrangement in accordance with the '409 patent is, however, quite complex to manufacture and use. Further, it does not provide for ease of use by the hairdresser to sit upon or alight from tfc.3 traveling stool, or swivel or elevate the traveling stool.

It is also desirous to provide a tray that is capa¬ ble of holding hairdressing implements and is readily moved relative to a customer's chair to υrovide close and easy

access to the implements while the hairdresser is cutting the customer's hair.

3RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a hairdresser's station that includes a customer ^r s chair and a traveling assembly that can easily and controllably be rotated circum- ferentially about the customer's chair, moved radially rela¬ tive to the hairdresser's chair and elevated relative to the customer's chair. Further, a hairdresser's station in accor¬ dance with the present invention is not complex to fabricate or use and is readily adapted to provide either a seat for a hairdresser or a tray to hold hairdressing implements or expendable items.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advan¬ tages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly point¬ ed out in the appended claims.

To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a hairdresser's station of this invention capable of being mounted on a floor comprises a customer's chair assem¬ bly including a customer's seat, a first base, and a first shaft for adjustably fixing the customer's seat to the first base; a traveling assembly for moving radially relative to the customer's chair assembly within a fixed range and cir- cu ferentially around the customer's chair assembly, the traveling assembly including a second base; -rolling means affixed to the second base for allowing the traveling assem¬ bly to travel freely over the floor, and a second shaft fixed at one end to the second base; rotation means in rotatable engagement with the first shaft; slide means in slidable engagement with the slide shaft for providing a point of attachment that is free to rotate about said first shaft; a

slide shaft fixed to the point of attachment of the rotation means and extending in a direction substantially perpendicu¬ lar to the first shaft; slide means in slidable engagement with the slide shaft for providing a point of attachment that is free to slide along said slide shaft; and fixng means for fixing the point of attachment of the slide shaft to the base of the traveling stool.

The hairdresser's station according to this inven¬ tion is easier and less expensive to manufacture because of its structure which is considerably simpler than that of prior hairdresser chairs.

Broadly, hairdresser's station may include a hair¬ dresser's seat disposed on the second shaft, the slide shaft being disposed vertically higher than the point at which the fixing means is attache:: to the second base. The fixing means thus form oblique angles with both the slide shaft and the second shaft. This allows much easier access to the hair¬ dresser's seat and also permits movement by the hairdresser for easy access to the customer and to facilitate manipula¬ tion of the traveling assembly without an encumbering struc¬ ture being in the way of the hairdresser.

Alternatively, the hairdresser's station may in¬ clude a tray disposed on the second shaft to hold hairdressing implements or expendable items. The fixing means also form an oblique angle with the slide shaft and the second shaft to provide ease of movement and operation by the hairdresser around the tray.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the inven¬ tion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side eievational view of a hairdress¬ er's station in accordance with the present invention, including a hairdresser's seat;

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Fig. 2 is a top view of a hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention, including a hairdress¬ er's seat;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a hairdress¬ er's station in accordance with the present invention, including a hairdresser's seat;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a traveling assembly in accordance with the present invention including a tray;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the tray of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of rotation means useful in a hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of slide means useful in a hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The preferred embodiment of a hairdresser's station capable of being mounted on a floor in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs. 1-3 and designated gener¬ ally by the numeral 10.

In accordance with the present invention the hair¬ dresser's station includes a customer's chair assembly, des¬ ignated generally by the numeral 12. The customer's chair assembly 12, in accordance with the present invention, in¬ cludes a customer's seat, a first base, and a first shaft for adjustably fixing the.customer's seat to the first base. As embodied herein, a customer's seat 14 is provided that in¬ cludes a seat back 16 and arm rests 18 disposed on a seat frame 20. A foot rest 22 is provided attached to seat frame 20 by a foot rest support 24. Customer's seat 14 may be, for example, Belmont model no. 598-FB-05-67, manufactured by Takara Belmont of Somerset, New Jersey.

S

As embodied herein, a first base 26 is provided for supporting customer's seat 14 through a first shaft 28. First base 26 preferrably includes first elevator means within it for controllably elevating the first shaft relative to the first base to controllably elevate the customer's seat relative to the first base. The elevator means, not shown, can be, for example, an hydraulic pump operably connected to first shaft 28 within first base 26. The elevator means are operated by, for example, a foot operated lever 30. Alterna¬ tively, the elevator means may be a screw-type jack or an electronically controlled gear assembly.

As embodied herein, first shaft 28 is a rigid cir¬ cular member, for example, a steel pipe. First shaft 28 may be of any material and configuration, however, that satisfies the purposes of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the hair¬ dresser's station includes a traveling assembly for moving radially relative to the customer's chair assembly within a fixed range and circumferentially around the customers chair assembly. As embodied herein, a traveling assembly, desig¬ nated generally by the numeral 32, is provided. In accor¬ dance with the present invention, the traveling asembly in¬ cludes a second base, rolling means affixed to the second base for allowing the traveling stool to travel freely over the floor, and a second shaft fixed at one end to the second base.

As embodied herein, the traveling assembly includes a second base 34. Second base 34 includes a hub 36 and a plurality of legs 38 extending therefrom. Legs 38 may be affixed to hub 36 by, for example, welding. The rolling means affixed to the second base for allowing the traveling assembly to travel freely over the floor preferably includes three or more casters fixed to the second base and in rolling engagement with the floor. As embodied herein a caster 40 is affixed to each of legs 38 such that casters 40 are in roll¬ ing engagement with floor 42.

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Also as embodied herein, traveling assembly 32 in¬ cludes a second shaft 46. As embodied herein, second shaft 46 includes a first portion 48 and a second portion 50. First portion 48 includes second elevator means for con¬ trollably elevating second portion 50 relative to second base 34. Second elevator means can be, for example, a spring- loaded shaft, not shown, disposed in first portion 43. A spring-;-loaded shaft useful in the present invention may be, for example, a Curry 1U6024 Pointed Power Pedestal, Mfg. No. CMT-21, manufactured by Curry Machine Co, of Monticello, Arkansas. Second elevator means are controllable by a lever 52 that is linked mechanically or electronically with second elevator means disposed with first portion 48. Alterna¬ tively, the second elevator means may be embodied as a hy¬ draulic lifting device.

Hub 36 may include a vertically adjustable joint to accommodate different models of customer's chairs. For exam¬ ple, a bolt 49 may be provided that is freely insertable through a hole in fixing means 64. Fixing means 64 is moveable longitudinally along hub 36. Hub 36 includes one or more internally threaded holes longitudinally spaced, match- mated to bolt 49. Thus, fixing means 64 may be moved longi¬ tudinally along hub 36 and locked in a desired position by inserting bolt 49 through the hole in fixing means 64 and engaging bolt 49 with a desired one of the internally threaded holes in hub 36.

Preferably, traveling assembly 32 includes a hair¬ dresser's seat 44 removably fixed to the second shaft 46 distal the second base 34. In this form of the invention the second elevator means is useful to controllably elevate hair¬ dresser's seat 44 relative to second base 34. As embodied herein, hairdresser's seat 44 is of a generally triangular shape and may be, for example, a Wise Pro Pedestal Seat, Mfg. No. WD-112, manufactured by the Wise Co. of Henderson, Texas. It should be understood, however, that hairdresser's seat 44 may be of any shape or con iguration to carry out the pur¬ poses of the present invention.

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Preferably, hairdresser's seat 44 is connected to second portion 50 of second shaft 46 through swivel means 54. Swivel means 54 may be, for example, a roller bearing and is provided so that hairdresser's seat 44 may be rotated freely relative to second portion 50 of second shaft 46.

Alternatively, traveling assembly 32 may include a tray removably fixed to the second shaft distal the second base. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, tray 80 is removably fixed to second shaft 46 at an end distal second base 34. Second portion 50 of second shaft 46 includes a narrowed-down neck portion 82. Neck portion 82 passes through a hole 84 in tray 80. Preferably, adjustable collar means are provided for adjusting and fixing the axial position of the tray along the second shaft. As embodied herein, adjustable collar means 86 include an annular collar that is removably attached to neck portion 82 by, for example, a removable pin that passes through collar means 86 and engages neck portion 82 at a hole therein to axially retain collar means 86.

Preferably, tray 80 includes a plurality of re¬ cessed portions 88 of a desired variety of sizes and shapes. Recessed portions 88 are provided to hold hairdressing imple¬ ments and expendable items. The choice of the number, shape, width, length or depth of recessed portions 88 is one of design choice and depends on the specific application of tray 80.

In accordance with the present invention the hair¬ dresser's station includes rotation means in rotatable engagement with the first shaft for providing a point of attachment that is free to rotate about said first shaft. As embodied herein and shown in Fig. 6, rotation means 55 pref¬ erably includes a first sleeve 56 and a first lubricatable bushing 57. First sleeve 56 provides a point of attachment 53 to which a slide shaft 58 may be attached, as is more fully explained below. First, lubricatable bushing 57 is dis¬ posed between first sleeve 56 and first shaft 28. As embod¬ ied herein, first shaft 28 is of a generally circular cross- section and first lubricatable bushing 57 and first sleeve 56

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are both of a generally annular cross-sectional configura¬ tion. Sufficient clearance, as designated by the numeral 59, is provided between the bushing and shaft 28 so that the bushing can freely rotate about shaft 28. In one form, first lubricatable the bushing 57 has grooves, not shown, on its surface adjacent shaft 28 to allow lubrication of the mecha¬ nism.

A hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention includes a slide shaft fixed to the point of attachment of the rotation means and extending in a direc¬ tion substantially perpendicular to the first shaft. As embodied herein a slide shaft 58 is provided that is attached to the first sleeve 56 of the rotation means. The slide shaft 58 can be attached to sleeve 56 by, for example, welding as illustrated by weldment 61 of Fig. 6. Alterna¬ tively the end of slide shaft 58 attached to sleeve 56 may be externally threaded and match-mated to an internally threaded hole in sleeve 56.

A hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention includes slide means in slidable engagement with the slide shaft for providing a point of attachment that is free to slide along the slide shaft. As embodied herein, slide means 60 are provided that slidably engage slide shaft 58. Slide means 60 preferably includes a second sleeve 62 and a second lubricatable bushing 63, as shown in Fig. 7. Second lubricatable bushing 63 is disposed between second sleeve 62 and slide shaft 58. In one form, second lubricatable bushing 63 has grooves, not shown, on the inner surface adjacent slide shaft 58 to allow lubrication of the interface between second lubricatable bushing 63 and slide shaft 58:

A hairdresser's chair in accordance with the pres¬ ent invention includes fixing means for fixing the point of attachment of the slide means to the second base of the trav¬ eling assembly. As embodied herein, fixing means 64 are pro¬ vided to fix second base 34, of traveling assembly 32 to slide means 60 at a point of attachment 67 to sleeve 62.

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Fixing means 64 is, preferably, a rigid tube that is, for example, welded to second sleeve 62 and second base 34 as il¬ lustrated by weldment 65 in Fig. 5.

Preferably, slide shaft 58 is disposed vertically higher than the point at which fixing means 64 is attached to second base 34. In this form, fixing means 64 forms oblique angles with both slide shaft 58 and second shaft 46. Specif¬ ically, fixing means 64 forms an angle θ]_> with slide shaft 58 and forms an angle Θ2 with second shaft 46. θi may or may not be set equal to Θ2 as a matter of design choice. By pro¬ viding the described arrangement of fixing means 64, a hair¬ dresser can easily and comfortably sit upon and alight from hairdresser's seat 44 when hairdresser's seat 44 is disposed on second shaft 46. When tray 80 is disposed on second shaft 46, as shown in Fig. 4, a hairdresser can comfortably and easily have access to tray 80 and customer's chair 14. The space between second shaft 46 and fixing r.eans 64 provides clearance for a hairdresser's legs while the hairdresser is entering the hairdresser's station 10 to sit upon hairdress¬ er's seat 44 or alight therefrom. This clearance also makes it easier for traveling asesembly 32 to be operated in a man¬ ner more fully explained below to move traveling assembly 32 radially and circumferentially relative to customer's chair assembly 12.

Preferably, stop means 66 are affixed to the end of slide shaft 58 distal the end fixed to rotation means 56. Stop means 66 are for stopping the radial movement of slide means 60 radially outward from customer's chair assembly 12. Stop means 66 may include, for example, a bolt 68 that engages a tapped hole, not shown, extending longitudinally into slide shaft 58. Bolt 68 retains a washer 70 on the end of slide shaft 58. Washer 70 is sufficiently large to pre¬ vent second sleeve 62 from passing it.

The operation of a hairdresser's station in accor¬ dance with the present invention can now be explained.

In the embodiment of the present invention wherein traveling assembly 32 includes hairdresser's seat 44, a

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customer may be seated in customer's seat 44, a customer may be seated in customer's seat 14 and a hairdresser may be seated on hairdresser's seat 44 in preparation for cutting the customer's hair. The hairdresser may move the traveling assembly 32 radially inwardly or outwardly by pushing, with his or her feet against floor 42 to cause traveling assembly 32 to move closer to or further from, respectively, cus¬ tomer's chair assembly 12. This radial movement is guided by slide means 60 that is in slidable engagement with slide shaft 58, slide means 60 being fixed, via fixing means 64, to second base 34 of traveling assembly 32. The radial movement 32 relative to customer's chair assembly occurs within cer¬ tain limits. The radial inward limit is set by first end 66 of slide means 60 abutting rotation means 56. Alternatively, the radial inward limit may be set by caster 40, affixed to leg 38, abutting base lip 67 of first base 26. The outer ra¬ dial limit is set by second end 68 of slide means 60 abutting stop means 66.

The hairdresser may cause traveling assembly 32 to move circumferentially around customer's chair assembly by pushing with his or her feet against floor 42 to cause trav¬ eling assembly 32 to traverse an arc 70 as shown in broken line in Fig. 2. Alternatively, or in addition, the traveling assembly 32 may be manipulated by hand, the hairdreser using his or her hands to pull or push the traveling assembly 32 relative to the customer's chair assembly 12. The ability to so manipulate traveling assembly 32 by hand is especially im¬ portant where the hairdresser does not have use of his or her legs.

It should be understood that while only one arc is illustrated in Fig. 2 an infinite number can be attained by selecting any one of an infinite number of radial positions prior to or during the initiation of circumferential movement of traveling assembly 32.

The relative vertical positions of and hairdress¬ er's seat 44 of customer's seat 14 may be changed by alter¬ nately, or in combination, changing the position of the first

elevator means or second elevator means, respectively, to raise or lower the hairdresser's seat 44 or customer's seat 14, respectively. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, hairdresser's seat 44 may be moved radially inward as illustrated by phan¬ tom outline 72 or may be moved radially outward and down as illustrated by phantom outline 74.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention wherein tray 80 is disposed on second shaft 46 is as explained above in reference o the embodiment of the pres¬ ent invention wherein hairdresser's seat 44 is disposed on second shaft 46 with the exception that the hairdresser is not provided with a place to sit. Hairdressing implements or expendable items are placed in recessed portions 88 of tray 80. Traveling assembly 46 can then be manipulated by the hairdresser by, for example, pushing it with his or her feet or arms to propel it radially or circumferentially relative to customer's chair assembly 12. In this way, the hairdressing implements or expendable items can be placed on tray 80 and tray 80 can then be located in a convenient loca¬ tion relative to the hairdresser as the hairdresser moves relative to customer's chair assembly 12.

Thus it can be seen that a hairdresser's station in accordance with the present invention can be easily and com¬ fortably used to change the relative position of a customer and a seated hairdresser or a tray holding hairdressing im¬ plements or expendable items. The hairdresser can choose any desired combination of relative elevations, radial.positions and circumferential positions for hairdresser's seat 44 or tray 80.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the hairdresser's station of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, a customers chair 14, hairdresser's seat 44 or tray 80 may be provided having different shapes or configurations than those shown in the drawings. Thus, it is intended that the υresent invention cover the modification and variations

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of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

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