U.S. patent number 3,601,446 [Application Number 04/860,745] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-24 for piece of furniture.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Expo-Nord AB. Invention is credited to Eric Sigfrid Persson, Signe Persson-Melin.
United States Patent |
3,601,446 |
Persson , et al. |
August 24, 1971 |
PIECE OF FURNITURE
Abstract
In a piece of furniture a body-supporting material has two
opposed parallel marginal portions which are anchored in channels
in two frame bars extending along said marginal portions.
Inventors: |
Persson; Eric Sigfrid (N/A),
Persson-Melin; Signe (N/A, SW) |
Assignee: |
AB; Expo-Nord (SW)
|
Family
ID: |
26654483 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/860,745 |
Filed: |
September 24, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 21, 1968 [SW] |
|
|
15,840/68 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/405;
297/452.11; 297/452.19; D6/374; 297/447.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
31/023 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
31/00 (20060101); A47C 31/02 (20060101); A47C
005/00 (); A47C 001/12 (); A47C 011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/445,446,499,452,455,459 ;5/82 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Claims
What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:
1. A piece of furniture comprising a flexible body-supporting
support means, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions
of said support means, elongated bead means on and extending along
said marginal portions, two elongated frame bar means, each of said
bar means extending along one of said marginal portions, means on
each of said bar means forming a number of channels, each one
extending along the whole length of said bar means and each having
a constricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of said bar means,
said bead means having a larger cross-sectional area than the width
of said constricted mouths of channels and being inserted into said
channels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions
of said support means in said channels, elongated crossbar means
connecting said frame bar means and being the sole rigid connecting
means between said frame bar means, and means for changing the
effective length of said crossbar means to stretch said support
means between said frame bar means.
2. A piece of furniture comprising a flexible supporting surface
means, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions of said
supporting surface means, first elongated bead means on and
extending along said marginal portions of said supporting surface
means, a flexible carrying means, two opposed substantially
parallel marginal portions on said carrying means, second elongated
bead means on and extending along said marginal portions of said
carrying means, two elongated substantially parallel frame bar
means, means on each of said bar means forming a first and a second
channel, each of said channels extending along the whole length of
said bar means and each having a constricted lateral surface of
said bar means, said first bead means having a larger
cross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths of
said first channels and being inserted into said first channels
from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said
supporting surface means in said first channel in each of said bar
means, and said second bead means having a larger cross-sectional
area than the width of said constricted mouths of said second
channels and being inserted into said second channels from one end
thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said carrying means
in said second channel in each of said bar means, elongated
crossbar means connecting said frame bar means and being the sole
rigid connecting means between said frame bar means, and means for
changing the effective length of said crossbar means to stretch
said supporting surface means and said carrying means between said
frame bar means.
3. A piece of furniture according to claim 2 in which said carrying
means is formed by an inflatable tube.
4. A piece of furniture comprising two elongated substantially
parallel frame bar means, means on each of said bar means forming a
first and a second channel, each extending along the whole length
of said bar means and each having a constricted lateral mouth in a
lateral surface of said bar means, elongated crossbar means
connecting said frame bar means and forming the sole rigid
connecting means between said frame bar means, length control means
for changing the effective length of said crossbar means, a
flexible carrying means, two opposed substantially parallel
marginal portions on said carrying means, first bead means having a
larger cross-sectional area than the width of said constricted
mouths of said first channels and being inserted into said first
channels from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions
of said carrying means in said first channel in each of said bar
means, said length control means serving to tighten said carrying
means between said bar means, a flexible supporting surface means,
two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions of said
supporting surface means, second bead means having a larger
cross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths of
said second channels and being inserted into said second channels
from one end thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said
supporting surface means in said second channel in each of said bar
means, said supporting surface means extending along a curve away
from said carrying means from one of said bar means to the other
when said carrying means is tightened by said length control
means.
5. A piece of furniture comprising a flexible body-supporting
support means, two opposed substantially parallel marginal portions
on said support means, elongated bead means on and extending along
said marginal portions, two elongated main frame bar means, each of
said main bar means extending along one of said marginal portions,
means on each of said main bar means forming a number of channels,
each one extending along the whole length of said main bar means
and each having a constricted lateral mouth in a lateral surface of
said main bar means, said bead means having a larger
cross-sectional area than the width of said constricted mouths of
said channels and being introduced into said channels from one end
thereof for anchoring said marginal portions of said support means
in said channels, elongated crossbar means connecting said main
frame bar means and being the sole rigid connecting means between
said main frame bar means, means for changing the effective length
of said crossbar means to stretch said support means between said
main frame bar means, and auxiliary frame bar means extending along
at least part of the length of each of said main bar means and
being connected thereto.
6. A piece of furniture according to claim 5 comprising at least
two substantially parallel flanges, extending in the same direction
from each of said main bar means, and at least one flange on said
auxiliary bar means engaging between and connected with said two
flanges of said main bar means.
7. A piece of furniture according to claim 6 comprising snap detent
means on said flanges of said main and auxiliary bar means for
locking said main and auxiliary bar means together.
8. A piece of furniture according to claim 6 comprising extensions
of said auxiliary bar means being bent away from said main bar
means for forming legs of the piece of furniture.
Description
This invention relates to a piece of furniture comprising a
body-supporting support means, two opposed, substantially parallel
marginal portions of the support means, and two frame bar means
each extending along one of the marginal portions.
The invention has for its object to simplify the manufacture of
such furniture thus making it less expensive, and to permit
unskilled persons readily to assembly the furniture details to a
finished piece of furniture, which implies that the furniture
details can be shipped and sold in a compact package. To this end,
the piece of furniture according to the invention is characterized
in that each frame bar is provided with one or more channels
running throughout the length of the frame bars and opening at the
bar ends, each of said channels having a lateral mouth leading into
a lateral surface of the bars, the material forming the
body-supporting support means being anchored in said channels and
movable along the bars in said channels.
The invention will be more fully described in the following,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate
some embodiments.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a piece of lounging furniture
according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a chair according to the
invention;
FIG. 3 is part of a section on line III--III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a section corresponding to FIG. 3 of an alternative
embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a cross section of a leg when using frame bar sections
according to FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a section of an alternative body-supporting support
means;
FIG. 7 is a section of still another embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of a channel end portion with a
wire wedged therein;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are views corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5 but of
further modifications;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment;
FIGS. 12-14 are views of still further embodiments.
In FIG. 1 there is shown a piece of lounging furniture having a
body-supporting support means, with two opposed, substantially
parallel marginal portions connected to frame bars 2 of metal or
plastic, each extending along one of the marginal portions. One
frame bar only is visible in FIG. 1 since the other frame bar lies
concealed behind the first one. Each frame bar 2 is provided
between its ends with two legs 3 supporting the piece of furniture
on a base. Each frame bar 2 is composed of a main section 4 which
extends throughout the length of the adjoining marginal portion of
the body-supporting support means 1, and three auxiliary sections
5, 6, 7 each of which runs along one longitudinal portion of the
main section 4. In the leg regions the auxiliary sections are
gently curved away from the main section 4 for the formation of the
legs 3. Thus one leg is formed by two adjoining extensions of the
auxiliary sections 5 and 6 while the other leg is formed in the
same way by the extensions of the auxiliary sections 6 and 7.
As will appear from FIG. 3, the main section 4 of each frame bar is
approximately U-shaped. In the upper side of the web of the main
section 4 of U-shaped cross section there are provided two
longitudinally extending channels 8, 9. These channels have
approximately circular cross-sectional shape with a constricted
lateral mouth leading to the upper side of the main section 4.
Extending between the channels 8 of the two main sections 4 (only
one is visible in FIG. 3) is a web material 10 the lateral margins
of which are doubled and sewn together by means of a seam 11. The
web material 10 runs throughout the length of the main sections 4.
The sidewalls of the web material 10 are inserted in the channels 8
of the main sections 4, and a flexible wire 12 is introduced
throughout the length of the respective main section 4 into the
fold of the web material lying in the channel 8. The wire 12 has a
cross-sectional dimension larger than the width of the channel
mouth so that the fold of the web material 10 is safely retained in
the channel 8. The web 10 constitutes a supporting surface for the
body-supporting support means 1 of the piece of furniture. In a
corresponding manner the lateral folds of a web 14 constituting a
carrying means for the web 10 are anchored in the channels 9 of the
main sections 4 by means of wires 13. Inserted between the two webs
10 and 14 is an upholstery cushion 14. Instead of designing the
carrying means as a web 14 which extends throughout the length of
the main sections 4, spaced transverse supporting bands can be
anchored along the main sections 4 by means of the channels 9.
The ends of the wires 12, 13 can be provided at the ends of the
channels 8, 9 with wedge means for jamming the wires at the channel
ends to prevent them from sliding into the channels. An example of
this is shown in FIG. 8 where the end of the wire 12 at the end of
the channel 8 is surrounded by an annular wedge 16 for instance of
resilient plastic which when driven into the end of the channel 8
is forced against the wire 12 for retaining it.
It is obvious that the folds of the webs 10, 14 and the wires 12,
13 can be introduced into the channels 8, 9 from either end of the
main sections 4, where the channels are open.
To keep the two frame bars together to form a rigid frame and to
stretch the web 14 snugly between the main sections 4 of the frame
bars, said main sections are interconnected by means of crossbars
of adjustable length, which are distributed over the length of the
main sections 4. These crossbars of adjustable length can be
designed in many different ways, but a particularly advantageous
embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. Here, coaxial holes are formed in
the two downwardly directed flanges 17 of each main section 4 and
one end of a cylindrical rod 18 is inserted in each of said coaxial
holes, while the other end of the rod has screw threads for
engagement with a nut 19. A spring clip 20 is inserted in a groove
in the rod 18 and bears against one flange 17 of the adjacent main
section 4. Opposite each of the rods 18 mounted in one main section
4 there is disposed a corresponding rod in the other main section
4. A tube 21 is passed onto the opposed, threaded ends of two such
opposed rods 18, and the nuts 19 of the two rods 18 bear against
the ends of said tube 21. By turning the nuts 19 the two main
sections 4 can be positively moved apart while stretching the web
14. Of course, one of the rods 18 inserted in the tube 21 may have
no screw threads and no nut screwed thereonto, in which case the
tube on the rod 18 in question will bear directly against the
spring clip 20 instead of a nut 19. By causing the rods 18 to
engage in fitting holes in the two flanges 17 of each main section
4 the two frame bars will be kept together to form a warp-proof
construction without need for any other transverse connection
between the frame bars than the transverse struts 18, 21 and the
material constituting the body-supporting support means.
The auxiliary sections 5, 6, 7 employed in the piece of furniture
of FIGS. 1 and 3 have within the region of the main section 4 the
cross-sectional shape appearing from FIG. 3, which shows the
auxiliary section 6 in cross section. The auxiliary section has two
flanges 22 which are engaged between, and lie in immediate
proximity to, the flanges 17 of the main section 4. Moreover, the
flanges 22 have holes for receiving the rods 18 by which the
auxiliary sections are anchored to the main section 4. Besides, in
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the auxiliary section has
outer flanges 23 which grasp the end portions of the flanges 17 of
the main section 4. The flanges 22 are preferably removed from the
leg-forming extensions of the auxiliary sections 5, 6, 7 so that
these extensions bear against each other by means of the flanges 23
as indicated in FIG. 1. It is also shown here that the leg-forming
extensions of the auxiliary sections can be kept together at the
lower ends by cup-shaped foot pieces 24 which are passed onto said
lower ends.
A chair of the same construction as the piece of lounging furniture
according to FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. Thus there is provided in
the chair a support means 1 which forms the seat and the back rest
and is carried by two frame bars 2 (only the front bar is visible
in FIG. 2). Each frame bar is partly formed by a main section 4 of
the type already described, which extends along the backrest
portion and the seat portion and also constitutes part of the front
legs 27 of the chair. In addition, two auxiliary sections 25 and 26
of the same kind as the earlier described auxiliary sections 5, 6,
7 are associated with each main section 4. The auxiliary section 25
follows the main section 4 along the front leg 27 and the seat
portion, and at the transition between the seat portion and the
backrest portion an extension of the auxiliary section 25 curves
gently away from the main section 4 to constitute part of each of
the rear legs 28 of the chair. The auxiliary section 26 follows the
main section 4 along the backrest portion of the chair, and at the
transition between the backrest portion and the seat portion an
extension of the auxiliary section 26 curves gently away from the
main section 4 to constitute part of each of the rear legs 28 of
the chair in the manner apparent from FIG. 2. The two frame bars 2
are interconnected on one hand by the support means 1 and on the
other hand by crossbars of the kind illustrated in FIG. 3. The ends
18 of the crossbars are visible in FIG. 2.
In the modification illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 the main section
4a of the frame bar has two substantially parallel flanges 17a
which are provided with V-shaped grooves 29 in their facing sides.
The associated auxiliary section 30 has outer flanges 23 of the
same kind as in FIG. 3, and an inner flange 31 provided with a rib
32 of V-shaped cross section. When the auxiliary section 30 is
moved towards the main section 4a with the flange 31 close to one
flange 17a of the main section the two flanges will flex slightly
apart when the main section and the auxiliary section are brought
together, until the rib 32 reaches and snaps into the groove 29
while the flanges 17a and 31 flex back into normal position for
detachably holding together the sections 4a and 30. The auxiliary
section 30 may be provided with a second flange 31 adjacent the
second flange 17a of the main section 4a, as is indicated by dash
and dot lines, to further improve the locking together of the
sections by snap action. When two auxiliary sections 30 each having
but one flange 31 shall be curved away from the main section 4a to
constitute a leg for the piece of furniture the flanges 31 need not
be removed from the leg-forming extensions of the auxiliary
sections 30 if the arrangement is made in accordance with FIG. 5
which shows a cross section of the leg. Here, one auxiliary section
30 has been connected to the main section 4a (not shown) with the
flange 31 lying in immediate proximity to one flange 17a of the
main section, while the flange 31 of the other auxiliary section 30
has been connected to the main section with the flange 31 in
immediate proximity to the other flange 17a of the main section, so
that the two flanges 31 can run beside one another within the leg
portion, as will appear from FIG. 5. To improve the appearance of
the leg two panels 33 can be inserted in the rabbets formed by the
flanges 23 of the auxiliary section 30, as is indicated by dash and
dot lines in FIG. 5.
One drawback of the arrangements according to FIGS. 3 and 4 resides
in that it may be difficult for technical reasons of manufacture to
have the holes bored in the flanges 22, 31 of the auxiliary
sections for receiving the crossbars 18 lie in register with the
corresponding holes in the flanges 17, 17a of the main section,
when the piece of furniture is assembled. This drawback can be
avoided by the construction shown in FIG. 9 where the auxiliary
section 34 fully corresponds to the auxiliary section 30 in FIG. 4
except that the inner flanges 35 have only been given the same
height as the outer flanges 23. At the ends the flanges 35 have
ribs 32 of V-shaped cross section for snap engagement in
corresponding grooves of V-shaped cross section in the flanges 17b
of the main section 4b. The rods 18 of the crossbars not shown in
FIG. 9 can then be received in holes formed in the flanges 17b
outside the region of the auxiliary section 34 which is thus
retained to the main section 4b only by the snap engagement of the
ribs 32 with the flanges 17b. As extensions of auxiliary sections
34 are curved away from the main section 4b to constitute furniture
legs there is also realized an advantageous leg construction, as
will appear from FIG. 10 which shows a cross section of a leg
formed by the extensions of two auxiliary sections 34. The outer
and inner flanges 23, 35 of the two extensions bear against each
other, and in the channel formed by these flanges there are
inserted from the leg ends bars 36 which have a cross-sectional
shape conforming to the channel cross section and thus keep the two
auxiliary sections 34 together to provide a rigid leg.
The main section 4a in FIG. 4 has but one channel 37 for anchoring
the body-supporting support means 1a. The later consists of a
tubular web material which at each margin of the support means is
sewn together by means of a seam 38 to form a fold in which an edge
wire 39 is inserted. The restricted mouth of the channel 37 in this
case is defined on one side by a bar or strip 40 detachable from
the main section 4a. To permit the fold of the support means 1a
with the wire 39 therein to be readily mounted in the channel 37
the strip 40 is removed and, after introduction of said fold,
secured in position again to prevent the fold with the wire therein
from sliding out of the channel. Between the seams 38 adjacent each
main section 4a the tube of the support means 1a is filled with an
upholstery material 41. The tube wall portion 42 forming the
supporting surface for the body of a person reclining in the piece
of furniture is of a larger width between the seams 38 than the
tube wall portion 43 located on the opposite side of the upholstery
material. When the main sections 4a are moved apart by means of the
crossbars not shown in FIG. 4 the wall portion 43 is thus stretched
or straightened while the wall portion 42 extends from the main
sections 4a curving away from the wall portion 43 according to the
shape of the upholstery 41.
FIG. 6 illustrates a main section 4c which like the main section 4a
in FIG. 4 has a single channel 37 and strip 40 for anchoring a
marginal bead 44 of the support means 1b to the main section. The
support means 1b is formed by a tube 45 of air-impermeable material
which is integral with marginal flanges 46 which in turn are
integral with the marginal beads 44 for engagement with the
respective main section 4a of the frame bars of the piece of
furniture. The tube may be closed at the ends and provided with
means for inflating the tube.
FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment that with regard to the support
means 1c and the anchoring thereof to the main sections
approximately corresponds to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3.
However, the main section 4d in FIG. 7 is tubular, and an auxiliary
section 47 of I-shaped cross section is inserted in the tubular
space of the main section. In order that a leg-forming extension
(not shown in FIG. 7) may be caused to curve away from the main
section 4d a wall 48 of the main section must be removed within the
leg area for permitting the auxiliary section 47 to emerge from the
tubular space.
FIG. 11 illustrates a lounging chair with a superstructure A
loosely mounted on a subframe B. The superstructure has a
body-supporting support means 1 which is carried by frame bars 4
extending along and connected to the margins of the support means
which is kept stretched between the frame bars by means of
crossbars in the manner earlier described. Only the ends 18 of the
crossbars are visible in this Figure. Since the superstructure A
cannot have any legs of its own the frame bars 4 must be
supplemented with some auxiliary sections, as has been described in
connection with the previous embodiments. A rack 60 having a row of
teeth or abutments is, however, mounted on each frame bar 4 within
the backrest area for a purpose to be described in the following.
The toothed racks can be secured to the frame bars 4 by means of
the crossbars. The subframe B can comprise two lateral bars 61 and
interconnecting crossbars 62 which need not, however, be of
adjustable length. The crossbars 62 are fixedly, but detachably
connected to the lateral bars 61 in any suitable way. The crossbars
62 may be of the same design as the frame bars 4 or can have any
other cross-sectional shape. The lateral bars 61 are bent in the
manner apparent from FIG. 11 so as to constitute front legs 63,
armrests and rear legs 64; the latter may be provided with wheels
65. The superstructure A rests on two crossbars 62 of the subframe
B at the upper ends of the front legs 63 and the rear legs 64. The
frame bars 4 are slidably supported on the crossbar 62 at the upper
ends of the front legs 63, and by means of the toothed racks 60
engage the crossbar 62 at the upper ends of the rear legs 64. The
superstructure A can be caused to take different positions of
inclination on the subframe B in that the crossbar 62 is engaged
with different pairs of teeth on the tooth racks 60.
FIG. 12 shows a section of a frame bar or main section 4e having a
single channel 50.
FIG. 13 illustrates in cross section an embodiment in which use is
made of a frame bar 4f having a single channel 51 which opens into
a lateral surface of the frame bar, and the upper side of the bar
may be covered with a neat molding 52, e.g. of plastic. A single
web 53 is doubled along a longitudinal fold and sewn together at
the margins into a flat tube whose lateral folds are anchored with
the aid of flexible wires 54 in the earlier described manner
respectively in the channel 51 of the frame bar 4f illustrated in
FIG. 13 and in the channel of a corresponding frame bar at the
other margin of the tube. An upholstery material 55 is inserted in
the tube between the frame bars. The tube may be air impermeable
and inflated with air instead of containing upholstery
material.
The use of an inflatable tube in connection with frame rods having
two channels has proved particularly advantageous. This is shown in
FIG. 14. Here, the frame bar 4 is of the same construction as that
in FIG. 3 which has two channels 8 and 9. A web 56 of the same
design as in FIG. 3 is anchored in the channel 8 by means of a wire
12. A fold of an air-impermeable web 57 in the form of a flat tube
is anchored in the channel 9 by means of a wire 13. The web 56 is
stretched between the frame bars by inflation of the tube. This
makes it possible to use crossbars of invariable length between the
frame bars, if this is desired. By letting the air escape from the
tube the webs 56, 57 can readily be removed without it being
necessary to dismount the crossbars or to shorten their length.
The flanges 17c of the frame bars illustrated in FIGS. 12-14 as
well as the corresponding flanges in the above-described other
embodiments of the frame bars can be utilized to mount
furniture-supporting legs in fixed or adjustable position.
* * * * *