Segmented Sling Seat Frame With Stabilizing Connection Means Having Concealed Adjustment For Facilitating Coverage Thereof

Abstract

Segmented sling-seat frame comprising a plurality of frame segments adapted to be connected by elongated tubular connection means including adjustment means for adjustment of an external dimension of said seat frame concealed therein, said connection means being of sufficient length to support the extremities of both frame members therein and to stabilize the coupling by sliding engagement with said frame members. Especially significant where said frame is a "free-standing" frame. Permits convenient adjustment of an external dimension of said frame, thereby facilitating coverage with a tubular seat cover or the like.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

Seating, particularly sling-seat frame construction, particularly of the "free-standing" type, adapted to stand by itself and not be connected to wooden or other substructure of a supporting nature.

2. Prior Art

Various means for adjusting an external dimension of a seat-frame for various reasons, including to facilitate coverage of said frame with a seat-cover and to remove wrinkles from the seat cover once in place on said frame, have already been devised and are a part of the prior art. Such prior art includes:

Scott, U. S. Pat. No. 488,095, issued Dec. 13, 1892; Tompkins, U. S. Pat. No. 584,905, issued June 22, 1897; Benson, U. S. Pat. No. 1,400,717, issued Dec. 20, 1921; Fry, U. S. Pat. No. 1,782,815, issued Nov. 25, 1930; and Quy, U. S. Pat. No. 3,294,451, issued Dec. 27, 1966. These patentees show, inter alia, interlocking bars, spring clamping devices, swaging extremities inside of a sleeve,

DOUBLE THREADED EXTREMITIES IN COMBINATION WITH A DOUBLE THREADED TURNBUCKLE, UNTHREADED EXTREMITIES IN COMBINATION WITH A SPACER CONNECTION IN WHICH THE EXTERNAL DIMENSION IS NOT ADJUSTABLE EXCEPT BY SELECTION OF THE LENGTH OF THE UNTHREADED EXTREMITIES AND THE SPACER CONNECTION INTO WHICH THEY FIT, AND THE LIKE. While all of these means have limited application for their intended use, they have mainly been satisfactory where they have been used in connection with underlying support means, such as a wooden frame, as shown in Fry. Where adjustable means have been otherwise employed, they have been exposed and unsightly, and have suffered from the obvious disadvantage of presenting an inherent structural weakness at the point of connection of the two extremities of the seat frame by the adjustable connecting device. This disadvantage has been particularly apparent where the frame has been a so-called "free-standing" frame, that is, with or without legs, but not designed or particularly adapted to be supported, especially at the point of its adjustability, by any underlying substructure, such as a wooden frame or the like. It is apparent that an improve segmented sling-seat frame, especially of the free-standing type, which includes a connection means which permits rapid and convenien adjustment of an external dimension thereof to facilitate covering of said frame, and which is economical, and which lends overall stability to the coupling between the individual segments of the frame, would be highly desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a segmented sling-seat frame, especially such a frame adapted to be "free-standing," that is, which may or may not be complete with legs but which does not require a supporting substructure, especially in the area of the adjustment means hereinafter more fully described, said frame comprising a plurality of frame segments adapted to be connected by stabilizing tubular connection means including concealed adjustment means for adjustment of an internal dimension of said seat frame thereby to facilitate the covering of said frame when assembled with a frame cover, at least one of said frame segments having thread means at an extremity thereof adapted to be coupled by said stabilizing tubular connection means to another of said frame segments at an extremity thereof, said stabilizing tubular connection means being an elongated tube having internal dimensions adapted to provide sliding engagement with the external surface of both said frame segments, said tube having fixedly secured and concealed therein nut means for engagement with said thread means when said threaded extremity of said first frame segment is inserted into said stabilizing tubular connection means and also having fixedly secured and concealed therein abutment means for abutment of the extremity of said second frame segment thereagainst when inserted into said stabilizing connection means, said stabilizing tubular connection means being of sufficient length to support the extremities of both frame members therein and to stabilize said coupling by sliding engagement with said frame members, whereby when said frame is assembled and a frame cover associated therewith, said connection means can be rotated for adjustment of a dimension of said frame and to loosen or tighten said frame cover. The invention moreover relates to such a frame in assembled form and adapted to have a frame cover in the form of a sling arranged thereover, such a connected frame with a frame cover in the form of a tubular sling arranged thereover, such a combination of frame and frame cover wherein said cooperating frame segments and said stabilizing connection means together comprise a lateral reach of said seat frame, such a combination wherein the stabilizing connection means and the extremities of the two frame segments together comprise the upper lateral reach of the back portion of an assembled seat frame, or the forward lower edge of said seat frame, or a lateral portion of said seat frame between the forward edge of said seat frame and the upper edge of said seat frame back portion, such a combination wherein said nut means and said abutment means within said stabilizing connection means are integral, such a combination wherein the relation of a dimension of said frame cover and the lateral reach of said frame is such that the stabilizing connection means is located substantially centrally of said lateral reach of said frame,

such an assembly wherein the assembled seat frame comprises such stabilizing connection means as a portion of the lateral reach of each of the forward lower edge of the seat frame and the upper seat back frame, and especially such frame which is a free-standing frame, with or without legs, adaped to be employed without supporting substructure, especially in the area of the stabilizing connection means.

OBJECTS

It is an object of the present invention to provide a segmented sling-seat frame, including frame segment connection means, having all the characteristics and advantages as stated in the foregoing. It is a further object to provide such a sling-seat frame which is adjustable by means of a stabilizing tubular connection means with respect to an external dimension of said seat frame. Additional objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and further objects will become apparent hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a segmented sling-seat frame including a stabilizing tubular connection means according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a detail of a seciton of a preferred form of frame and stabilizing tubular connection means according to the invention, taken along line A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective of a sling-seat frame according to the invention with a tubular seat frame cover draped loosely thereover; and

FIG. 4 is the same view as FIG. 3 after adjustment of the lateral dimensions of the frame by means of the stabilizing tubular connection means according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, the segmented sling-seat frame there shown is generally indicated as 1. It comprises two segments which are substantially mirror images of each other, respectively identified as 2 and 3. Stabilizing tubular connection means are shown at 4, 5, and 6. The stabilizing tubular connection means are of sufficient length to support the extremities of the frame members 2 and 3, which are respectively identified as 7, 8, and 9, and 10, 11, and 12 by sliding engagement therewith, and as will be noted constitute a substantial portion of the lateral reach of the assembled chair frame. This is necessary for stabilization purposes. Extremities 7, 8, and 9 of frame segment 2 are threaded at 13, 14, and 15, for engagement with an internal nut (not shown) in stabilizing tubular connection means 4, 5, and 6, respectively.

In the detail of FIG. 2, taken along the line A in FIG. 1, a section of a preferred form of the coupling is shown. Here again we have frame segment 3 with its extremity 10, for sliding engagement with the inner surface of stabilizing tubular connection means 4. Abutment 22 is provided internally of stabilizing tubular connection means 4, whereby the internal diameter is somewhat reduced, thereby providing limit means with respect to the maximum penetration of extremity 10 of frame member 3 in sliding engagement within stabilizing tubular connection means 4.

At the other end of the stabilizing tubular connection means, frame segment 2, with its extremity 7 and bearing threads 13 is shown in juxtaposition to the end of stabilizing tubular connection means 4. Internal of said stabilizing tubular connection means 4 is fixedly mounted nut 20, having threads 21 adapted to receive the complimentary threads 13 on the extremity 7 of frame segment 2. As shown, a chamber 23 is provided for receiving the portion of threads 13 which extend through nut 20 upon tightening of the frame by rotation of stabilizing tubular connection means 4, but this is immaterial. When the nut 20 and the abutment 22 are integral, as shown, threads 21 can equally well extend throughout the entire length thereof. In such case chamber 23 will be absent. Alternatively, nut 20 and abutment 22 may be separate rather than integral, but in any event at least one of them must be fixedly secured inside tubular connection means 4.

FIG. 3 shows the assembled frame including segments 2 and 3 and stabilizing tubular connection means 4 and 6. Tubular connection means 5 is not shown. Sling-style seat frame covers, in this case in the form of tubes 30 and 31, have been loosely disposed over the back section and the seat section of the seat frame. As will be noted, stabilizing tubular connection means 4 and 6 extend over a substantial portion of the lateral reaches of the chair frame at the forward edge of said seat and at the upper edge of said seat frame back portion.

In FIG. 4 is shown the same view as shown in FIG. 3, but with the frame segments having an external dimension adjusted by means of tubular connection means 4, 5 (not shown), and 6. By rotating the stabilizing tubular connection means slightly, lateral dimensions of the forward edge of said seat frame, the upper edge of said seat frame back portion, and at a further point therebetween,

the external lateral dimensions of the chair frame have been increased and the tubular seat frame cover, in this case of tubular form, has been tightened neatly thereabout and is now substantially wrinkle-free. As will be noted from FIG. 4, by selection of the relationship of the dimensions of the frame cover and the lateral reaches of the frame, upon tightening or extension of the frame lateral dimensions, the stabilizing tubular connection means is located substantially centrally of the lateral reaches of said frame.

In the foregoing figures and description, similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown, the seat frame is particularly designed to be free-standing, that is, it is not designed or particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with a supporting substructure, especially at the points or portions of the frame where the stabilizing tubular connection means are employed. As will be apparent, the chair frame may be supplied with or without legs (not shown). Numerous types of legs and connecting means therefor are known in the art and various are suitable for use in connection with the seat frame of the invention. For example, an upright post with floor engaging arms at its lower end and seat frame member engaging arms at its upper end (not shown) is one form of leg structure which can be used in conjunction with the seat frame of the invention and which is eminently suitable. Since it forms no part of the invention it is not further illustrated or described, nor are other of the innumerable leg structures which are suitable.

When reference is made herein to an underlying supporting substructure for the seat frame, such not being present in a chair or seat having a "free-standing" structure, reference is made to the Fry U. S. Pat. No. 1,782,815 which shows comparatively seat frames which do have and require such a supporting substructure.

As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, a sling-chair frame of the type involved in the present invention is usually covered by a tubular frame cover which is slipped over the chair frame merely as a matter of convenience. Innumerable other frame covers may be employed, such as those having loops through which frame members are slipped or passed, or the frame cover may be secured to the frame by clamps or in any other suitable manner, many of which are already known in the art. The frame cover, as is well known in the art, may be of fabric, of plastic, of fabric backed with plastic, or the like.

The seat frame may be of heavy gauge wire, or rod, bar, or tubing structure, and is usually rod-like in nature. It can for example be of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, plastic, or the like.

For securing the various portions of the frame together and for securing the nut and/or abutment within the stabilizing tubular connection means, any suitable means may be employed, for example welding, braising, soldering, and for the nut and abutment within the connection means also pressfitting, swaging, and cementing.

Although the external dimension of the frame subject to adjustment in the foregoing drawings and description has been of a lateral reach thereof, it is clear that it could as well be of a vertical reach, especially in a particular case when a tubular or other type of frame cover is employed in association with lateral frame members and which may therefore require adjustment of a vertical reach of the frame.

In any event, it should be clear from the foregoing that the stabilizing tubular connection means to serve its proper function of stabilizing the juncture or coupling between the frame segments, should be of sufficient length to support the extremities of both frame members through sliding engagement therewith. This then, together with the internal abutment and nut, which are concealed within the tubular connection means, provide together with the frame segments an attractive, stable, adjustable frame, which is readily employed for its intended purpose and economical to produce. Although the invention has been described with particular reference to a seat frame having two segments, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the number of segments employed is not a limitation. For example, two separate segments could be used for the back portion of a chair seat, two separate segments could be employed for the seat portion of the seating unit, or, for example, the seat frame, including a back portion, could comprise two side portions and a central portion. Other combinations will be apparent to one skilled in the art. As used herein, the term "seat" as employed with relation to "seat frame," has been used either as encompassing a back portion or not. Preferably and usually the seat comprises not only the seat portion per se but also a back portion. As already fully disclosed and pointed out, legs or a pedestal may or may not be present, but form no part of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of operation or the exact structure, methods, or procedures shown and described, as all the foregoing are subject to numerous variations and modifications not departing from the spirit of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Claims

I claim:

1. A segmented sling-seat frame comprising a plurality of frame segments adapted to be connected by stabilizing tubular connection means including concealed adjustment means for adjustment of an external dimension of said seat frame thereby to facilitate covering of said frame when assembled with a frame cover, at least one of said frame segments having thread means at an extremity thereof adapted to be coupled by said stabilizing tubular connection means to another of said frame segments at an extremity thereof, said stabilizing tubular connection means being an elongated tube having internal dimensions adapted to provide sliding engagement with the external surface of the extremities of both said frame segments, said tube having secured and concealed therein nut means for engagement with said thread means when said threaded extremity of said first frame segment is inserted into said stabilizing tubular connection means and also having secured and concealed therein abutment means for abutment of the extremity of said second frame segment thereagainst when inserted into said stabilizing connection means, said stabilizing tubular connection means being of sufficient length to support the extremities of both frame members therein and to stabilize said coupling by sliding engagement with said frame members, whereby when said frame is assembled and a frame cover associated therewith, said connection means can be rotated for adjustment of a dimension of said frame and to loosen or tighten said frame cover.

2. The combination of claim 1, in assembled form and adapted to have a frame cover in the form of a sling arranged over said frame.

3. The combination of claim 2, including said frame cover in the form of a tubular sling arranged over said frame.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the extremities of said cooperating frame segments and said stabilizing connection means together comprise a lateral reach of said seat frame.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said seat frame comprises a back portion and wherein said stabilizing connection means and said extremities of said two frame segments together comprise the upper lateral reach of the back portion of said assembled seat frame.

6. The combination of claim 4, wherein said stabilizing connection means and said extremities of said two frame segments together comprise the forward lower edge of said seat frame.

7. The combination of claim 4, wherein said seat frame comprises a back portion and wherein said stabilizing connection means and said extremities of said two frame segments together comprise a lateral portion of said seat frame between the forward edge of said seat frame and the upper edge of said seat frame back portion.

8. The combination of claim 4, wherein said seat frame comprises a back portion and said assembled seat frame comprises the extremities of said cooperating frame segments and one of said stabilizing connection means as the lateral reach of each of the forward lower edge of said seat frame and the upper edge of said seat frame back portion.

9. The combination of claim 2, wherein said nut means and said abutment means within said stabilizing connection means are integral.

10. The combination of claim 4, including said frame cover and wherein the relation of a dimension of said frame cover and said lateral reach of said frame is such that said stabilizing connection means is located substantially centrally of said lateral reach of said frame.

11. The combination of claim 1, wherein said frame is a free-standing frame, adapted to be employed without supporting substructure, but with or without legs.