U.S. patent number 3,876,250 [Application Number 05/422,600] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-08 for upholstery frame for a chair.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Vecta Group, Inc.. Invention is credited to Gunter F. Eberle.
United States Patent |
3,876,250 |
Eberle |
April 8, 1975 |
Upholstery frame for a chair
Abstract
Upholstery frame for a chair having independent back and seat
support means, preferably including a pair of substantially
identical side frame members of tubular metal or the like. The
upholstery frame includes a pair of opposed end rails
interconnected to define a substantially quadrilateral frame.
Preferably, each opposed side rail comprises a pair of vertically
spaced rail members. The upholstery frame is adapted for removable
connection to the side frame members of said chair.
Inventors: |
Eberle; Gunter F. (Dallas,
TX) |
Assignee: |
The Vecta Group, Inc. (Dallas,
TX)
|
Family
ID: |
23675581 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/422,600 |
Filed: |
December 6, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/451.7;
297/294; 297/440.22; 297/440.2; 297/452.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
4/02 (20130101); A47C 3/023 (20130101); A47C
4/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
4/00 (20060101); A47C 4/02 (20060101); A47c
007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/452,444,445,295,296,446,294 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Parsons, Jr.; Marion
Assistant Examiner: Marquette; Darrell
Claims
I claim:
1. A rigid upholstery frame for a chair having two spaced side
frame members, comprising:
two opposed side bars contoured to conform to said chair frame
members, each of said side bars consisting of two vertically
spaced, substantially parallel rails, said rails are maintained in
said spaced relation by attachment means rigidly connected to each
rail and located on the inboard side of said rails, by locating
said attachment means on the inboard side of said rails and by
maintaining said spaced vertical relation each side bar forms a
cavity that is contoured to the shape of the side frame member of
said chair;
two opposed end rods, each being rigidly connected at the terminal
sections of said side bars, thereby forming a substantially
quadrilateral frame;
support means connected to said side bars and end rods and
extending across said quadrilateral frame;
said attachment means having connecting means for cooperatively
joining said side frame members of said chair when they are
received in said contoured cavities formed by said side bars,
whereby said chair frame members nest in cooperative relation
between said parallel rails of said side bars, thereby forming a
rigid upholstery frame.
2. The upholstery frame in accordance with claim 1 wherein a
fastening panel is attached to one of said end rods and wherein an
upholstery envelope surrounds the upholstery frame and is attached
to said fastening panel.
3. The upholstery frame in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
attachment means consists of two horizontally separated plates.
4. In a chair comprising a pair of spaced side frames, an
upholstered back means attached between said frames and an
upholstered seat means attached between said side frames, the
improvement which is a rigid upholstery frame for each of said back
means and seat means comprising:
two opposed side bars contoured to conform to said chair frame
members, each of said side bars consisting of two vertically
spaced, substantially parallel rails, said rails are maintained in
said spaced relation by attachment means rigidly connected to each
rail and located on the inboard side of said rails, by locating
said attachment means on the inboard side of said rails and by
maintaining said spaced vertical relation each side bar forms a
cavity that is contoured to the shape of the side frame member of
said chair;
two opposed end rods, each being rigidly connected at the terminal
sections of said side bars, thereby forming a substantially
quadrilateral frame;
support means connected to said side bars and end rods and
extending across said quadrilateral frame;
said attachment means having connecting means for cooperatively
joining said side frame members of said chair when they are
received in said contoured cavities formed by said side bars,
whereby said chair frame members nest in cooperative relation
between said parallel rails of said side bars, thereby forming a
rigid upholstery frame.
5. The upholstery frame in accordance with claim 4 wherein a
fastening panel is attached to one of said end rails and wherein an
upholstery envelope surrounds the upholstery frame and is attached
to said fastening panel.
6. The upholstery frame in accordance with claim 4 wherein said
attachment means consists of two horizontally separated plates.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a chair construction. More particularly,
this invention relates to an upholstery frame for a chair which
provides firm but comfortable support for the user. Chair
components, including the upholstery frame, may be shipped
disassembled in a compact package and can be readily assembled for
use.
Numerous chairs have been proposed in the prior art using metal
frame members, usually tubular, bent to form back and seat supports
and providing resiliency for flexure in use. Such chairs have been
relatively inexpensive but have had a number of disadvantages. For
example, such chairs have not provided the proper support for the
user, being generally uncomfortable especially when used for an
extended period of time. Prior art chairs have also been bulky to
ship, even when shipped disassembled. Additionally, when prior art
chairs have been shipped disassembled, they have been difficult to
assemble for use. This invention has been evolved with the general
object of overcoming the disadvantages of prior art chairs and of
providing a lightweight chair which provides firm, comfortable and
interchangeable support for the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide an upholstery
frame which can be shipped disassembled in a compact package and
which can be readily assembled for use.
A further object of the invention is to provide an upholstered back
and seat support which is readily removable for cleaning or
replacement.
Still other objects, features and advantages of this invention will
become more fully apparent from the follwing detailed description,
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention contemplates a chair provided with a
removable seat and/or a removable back which are independently
supported from a pair of spaced side frames.
Preferably, the side frames are adapted to flex in a manner such as
to allow resiliently restrained backward movement of the back and
resiliently restrained downward movement of the seat. Each side
frame includes a first upwardly-extending shank, a bight and second
upwardly-extending shank. The bight of each side frame member
defines a base means. First upwardly-extending shank of each side
frame member is secured to the back, and the second
upwardly-extending shank of each side frame member is secured to
the seat. Preferably the terminal portion of first
upwardly-extending shank is angled rearwardly and the rest of the
first upwardly-extending shank is angled forwardly relative to the
bight, and the second upwardly-extending shank terminates in a
rearwardly-extending and downwardly-depending loop which defines
arm rests and provides connecting sites for the seat at the
terminal portion of the loop. In such manner flexure of the
seat-supporting portions allows resiliently restrained movement of
the seat, primarily in a downwardly direction, and to a limited
extent, in a rearward direction. The result of this support of the
seat, combined with the independent back support, is a chair which
is firm but very comfortable.
To secure the back and the seat to the side frame members, a
plurality of transverse openings is provided in the first
upwardly-extending shank and in the loop portion of the side frame
members through which fastening elements such as screws or bolts
are extended. With this feature, and with each side frame member
being in a common generally vertical plane, the side frame members
can be substantially identical, thereby facilitating manufacture
and also permitting shipping of the chair "knocked down" or
disassembled in a compact package, the chair being readily
assembled for use.
The removable seat or back comprise an upholstery frame having two
opposed side rails contoured to conform adjacent portions of said
side frames and receiving the adjacent side frame portions in a
nesting relationship, and two opposed end rails which connect the
side rails at the terminal portions thereof. The end rails together
with the side rails define a rigid, substantially quadrilateral
frame. Each opposed side rail preferably comprises spaced,
substantially parallel rail members which can receive terminal
portions of the end rails therebetween and which are integrally
connected to the end rails. Attachment means are provided in the
opposed side rails for securing the resulting interchangeable
upholstery frame to the chair side frames, and means extending
across the quadrilaterial frame is secured to the rails.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing,
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat upholstery frame of this
invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a back upholstery frame of this
invention provided with a plurality of supporting strips;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an upholstered back embodying the
present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an upholstered seat embodying the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, chair 10 comprises upholstered seat 11,
upholstered back 12 and a pair of spaced, substantially identical
side frame members 13 and 14, preferably of tubular metal, and most
preferably of stainless steel tubing. Side frame member 13 is
similar to side frame member 14 and comprises first
upwardly-extending shank 15 extending generally vertically,
including terminal portion 15a secured against one side of back 12
and preferably angled rearwardly and the rest or main portion 15b
which is preferably angled forwardly, both relative to base means
such as bight 16.
Second upwardly-extending shank 17 extends upwardly from the
forward end of bight 16 and terminates in rearwardly-extending and
downwardly-depending loop 18 which provides arm rest 19. Terminal
portion 20 of loop 18 extends forwardly toward shank 17 and
provides connecting sites for seat 11 which is secured to terminal
portion 20 and to the corresponding portion of member 14 at
opposite sides. A pair of screws 21 and 22 is provided for securing
terminal portion 20 to one side of seat 11 and another pair of
screws 23 and 24 is provided for securing terminal portion 15a to
one side of back 12. A similar connection is used on the opposite
side of the chair to secure side frame member 14 to the opposite
side of seat 11 and to the opposite side of back 12. By way of
example, side frame members 13 and 14 are of tubular stainless
steel having an outer diameter of one inch and a wall thickness of
approximately 3/32 inches. Suitable plugs 25 and 26 having
reduced-diameter body portions are provided for closing the ends of
member 13. Plugs 25 and 26 are inserted into the ends of side frame
member 13 with a press fit. A similar pair of plugs is provided for
side frame member 14.
A seat upholstery frame of this invention is shown in FIG. 2.
Opposed side rails 27 and 28 are integrally connected with opposed
end rails 29 and 30 to form a frame having a quadrilateral
configuration. Side rail 27 is made up of two spaced, substantially
parallel rail members 31 and 32. Similarly, side rail 28 is made up
of two spaced, substantially parallel rail members 33 and 34.
Terminal portions of end rail 29 are received between rail members
31 and 32 at one end and between rail members 33 and 34 at the
other end. In like manner, terminal portions of end rail 30 are
received between rail members 31 and 32 at one end and between rail
members 33 and 34 at the other. Rigid connections at the
intersections of the rail members and the terminal portions of the
end rails can be made in any convenient manner, e.g., by welding,
glueing and similar methods.
Attachment means such as plates 35, 36, 37 and 38 are secured by
welding or similar means to the corresponding rail members of side
rails 27 and 28, preferably on the inboard side thereof, and are
provided with threaded openings for receiving screws such as screws
21 and 22 (FIG. 1) for attachment means 36 and 35, respectively. If
desired, in order to facilitate attachment of upholstery to the
frame, fastening panel 39 made of wood or similar relatively soft
material can be taped or otherwise secured to end rail 29. In this
manner the upholstery can be stapled thereto or otherwise secured
in order to prevent shifting when in use. The end rails and the
rail members can be contoured as desired.
A back upholstery frame having substantially the same construction
is shown in FIG. 3. Opposed side rails 40 and 41 are connected to
opposed end rails 42 and 43. Attachment means 46 and 47 in side
rail 41 are provided with a threaded opening and screws 23 and 24,
respectively, are threadedly received therein. Similarly,
attachment means 44 and 45 are provided in side rail 40. Fastening
panel 48 is attached to end rail 43 using tape ribbons 49 and 50
and serves the same purpose as fastening panel 39 in FIG. 2. A
plurality of supporting strips such as 51 and 52 extend across the
frame defined by rails 40, 41, 42 and 43 and are attached thereto
in any convenient manner, e.g., by looping each end of such strip
around the respective rail and stapling or sewing. Similar
supporting strips also extend across the seat upholstery frame
shown in FIG. 2.
Upholstery envelope 53 (FIG. 4) is fitted over the back frame shown
in FIG. 3. Openings 54 and 55 permit ready access for screws 23 and
24, respectively, to respective attachment means 46 and 47. A
cushion made from foam rubber, flexible polyurethane foam, or the
like, is provided on one or both sides of supporting strips such as
51 and 52 and are held in place within the back frame when
upholstery envelope 53 is fitted thereover. In the same manner
upholstery envelope 56, provided with holes 58 and 57 for screws 22
and 21 (FIG. 1) and a similar set of holes on the opposite side
thereof is fitted over the seat frame shown in FIG. 2 after the
seat frame is provided with a desired number of supporting strips
and cushions. When the seat upholstery frame or back upholstery
frame are attached to tubular chair side frame members 13 and 14 in
the manner hereinabove set forth, the portions of chair side frame
members contiguous with the respective side rail members of the
upholstery frames are pulled in and nest against the outboard side
of the spaced parallel rails which make up the side rail members of
the upholstery frame, thereby providing a firm connection without
placing undue stress on the screws or similar fasteners which
engage the attachment means provided in the side rails of the
upholstery frames.
Convenient materials of construction for the rail members and the
end rails are steel rods, steel tubes, or the like.
While in the foregoing specification this invention has been
described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and
many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is
susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the
details described herein can be varied considerably without
departing from the basic principles of the invention.
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