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american made c. 1930's american industrial adjustable height factory stool designed and patented by clement uhl for the toledo metal furniture co., toledo, oh. the "uhl art steel" stool contains a maple wood saddle seat and adjustable backrest. the machine shop stool features a distinctive steel base containing four stretchers of concave metal straps connected to the legs and joined by a circular strip in the center or "spider." the steel components have been brushed down to bare metal. the bent steel heel ring or footrest is original and structurally sound and stable. salvaged from a chicago twine factory. perhaps the most important and revolutionary feature is the clement uhl-patented releasable clutch designed primarily for vertically adjustable "revolving" type stools in which the seat or top member is free to revolve with respect to the pedestal or spindle. the simple and efficient clutch is adapted to firmly hold the top member against -lowering relative to the pedestal member from any adjusted position and at the same time, is automatically operable to permit a raising of the top member relative to the pedestal member when a raising pressure is applied to the former and the latter is held against raising. the seat member of the stool has a shaft or spindle rigidly projecting a desired distance downward from its central portion, and carried by this shaft is a combined bearing and clutch sleeve that is co-extensive in length with the downwardly projecting portion of the shaft and has its upper end in bearing thrust contact with a stationary thrust collar or shaft carrying spider found on the underside of the seat through the medium of a plurality of loose or relatively rotatable bearings. the shaft at its lower end has a u-shaped member fixedly inserted therein with its legs projecting below the shaft end and bent outward under the bottom of a flanged collar to retain the sleeve on the shaft in a loose rotatable manner. it is therefore evident that the shaft and sleeve, while connected for free relative movements, are caused to have axial movements together. the clutch lever is of y form with its forked portion straddling the bearing sleeve below the pedestal sleeve in position for its crotch to engage in a registering notch of the bearing sleeve. the free ends of the fork arms of the lever are inwardly turned to form trunnions, which are fulcrumed in suitable bearings provided in a plate carried by the lower end of the pedestal sleeve 3' in encircling relation thereto. the plate at the opposite side of the sleeve is provided with an ear between which and the handle portion of the lever is disposed a coiled expansion spring to normally urge a movement of the lever into clutch engagement with a registering sleeve notch, as is apparent. the handle end of the lever may be swung upward against the tension of the spring to release its crotch from locking engagement with a notch. the seat or top member may be easily and quickly raised to any desired position within its range of adjustment by simply lifting upward thereon while the pedestal member is held down or in stationary position by the feet, or otherwise, the lever slipping out of engagement with and past the successive notches during the applied raising pull. the seat is firmly supported in any position of adjustment by reason of the engagement of the lever crotch with a notch in the sleeve, and the seat can only be lowered from such raised position by a manual movement of the clutch lever to released position. the toledo metal furniture company, manufacturer of uhl art steel furniture offered to druggists and soda dispensers, factories and offices a line of convenient, durable, economical and serviceable steel furniture. the uhl idea was conceived and the first chair brought into existence through the "sweat of the brows" of the uhl brothers, joe and clem, in a small bicycle repair shop in toledo, several years ago. this first chair when completed, although crude in comparison with the present-day product, proved the idea a success. it at once established the u-shaped formation of cold-rolled steel as the most ingenious method invented for securing in the legs of chairs, stands and tables a maximum of strength with a minimum of weight without any sacrifice of appearance. it proved that the novel patented truss-locking device was a marvel of simplicity and strength. it proved that the uhl "brain-child" was worth a careful bringing up. natural wear and tear evident. spring-loaded clutch lever in great working condition. base diameter measures 15 inches, stool height measures 26 1/2 inches, seat diameter measures 14 1/2 inches.
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early 1930's american depression era industrial adjustable height factory brushed steel machine shop toledo stool with original footrest
SKU:
UR-27729-18
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