US2367450A - Universal chair and cushion cover - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 15, 1945. TRUBITZ 2,367,450

UNIVERSAL CHAIR AND CUSHION COVER Filed Jan. 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PH. Zuav r2.

Jan. 16, 1945 P, TRUBITZ UNIVERSAL CHAIR AND CUSHION COVER Filed Jan. 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE 2,367,450 J v UNIVERSAL CHAIR AND CUSHION COV ER- v Phil Trubitz, Chicago, Ill. 3 Application January 21, 1942, Serial No.;42'7,558

2 Claims.

This invention is directed to chair or slip covers and pertains more particularly to improvements in such covers which afford adaptability thereof to chairs of many different sizes and shapes.

In thepast, various eXpedie-nts and adjustable constructions have been adopted to the end that a slip cover of universal character may be applied to articles of furniture of varying designand size with an equally beautifying effect. However, these prior covers have not afforded a dust-proof construction, they have not been well adapted to conform to the corners or to the general configuration of the article of furniture, and, furthermore, the corners thereof have had no adjusting or conforming effect upon the intermediate sections of the slip cover.

To the end that the entire body of the slip cover may be neatly conformed to the configuration of a wide variety of articles of furniture of varying sizes and designs and as an important object of this invention, there is provided herein an improved universal slip cover construction having corners constructed and arranged to conform the slip cover to the configuration of an article of furniture upon which it is placed independently of the general configuration of the slip cover thereto.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a universal slip cover or a universal cushion cover with take-up po tions at the shoulders of the back, corners of the arms, and corners of the cushion, these portions accommodating the corners or shoulders of the respective articles upon which the cover embodying the same is placed and, additionally, effecting a positive tensioning or drawing action upon the material of the cover intermediate the corners or shoulders. thereby to draw the cover over the entire surface of the article to simulate a custominade cover or the upholstery of the chair or cushion.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal slip cover which will fit both overstuffed furniture and wood-trimmed furniture, such as finger arm chairs and the like, neatly in the manner above set forth.

In the past, it has been found that the fitting of a universal slip cover to the arms of chairs having varying sizes and designs is one of themost difiicult problems encountered, and, accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a universal slip cover in which the arms may be adjusted. through a wide range of sizes and shapes to obtain a fit which simulates a custom-built slip cover or the upholstery upon the chair.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a universal slip cover with a back sectionhaving take-up portions so constructed and arranged that the wide variety of chair backs, represented generally by square back, club back, and wood ornamented back, may be accommodated with a neat and sightly fit, the fit being provided by the take-up of th material over the back of the chair toward the shoulder portions thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slip cover of the above character which is so constructed and arranged that the assembly thereof with the article upon which it is placed is greatly facilitated and results in a neat and dust-proof fit which is securely maintained.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, there is provided herein a universal, ready-made slip cover having dust-proof take-up portions arranged at the corners thereof, such as at the forward ends ofthe arms and the shoul-., ders of the back and at .the corners of the cushion, and which has flap members at the rear ends of the arm portions so constructed and arranged that the housewife, by arranging these rear por tions neatly inv the junction of the upholstery between the back and the respectivearm, may accommodate the arm of the slip cover to the length of the arm of thechair. h v

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptionandacccm panying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front, perspective view of a chair having a'slip cover-embodying the features of the invention incorporated therein: 1

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 of the forward end of one of the arms of the chair and the forward end of one corner of the cushion; f i

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the chair having a slip cover made in accordance with the features of my invention thereon;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a chair having a modified form of the slip cover thereon;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on a central line running from front to back .of' a cushion having the slip cover constructed inaccordance with my invention thereon; v

Figure 7 is a View of the assembled or completed slip cover of this invention as it would appear when laid out on a flat surface.

Figure Bis a fragmentary view similar to Figure '7 of the slip cover modified to be adapted to a T-shaped chair; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, broken, front perspective view of a T-shaped chair showing the adaptation of a slip cover construction thereto in accordance with my invention.

It is to be understood that the embodiments as shown herein are for illustrative purposes and may be changed or modified without departing from the sphere and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As will be apparent from the description hereinafter, the instant invention may be economically made of cretonne or other suitable fabric, but a stretchable fabric such as jersey or other knit material may also be used.

As shown in Figure '7, a universal slip cover embodying the present invention may include a back portion comprising a rear panel Ill and a front panel I I joined at their respective upper ends as by a seam I2. A degree of fullness illustrated at I3 is shown near the junction of the panels Ill and II caused by fiat wing-like members I4 which are secured by seams I5 to the lateral edges of the back and front panels. This fullness l3 illustrates the summit or back top covering portion of the back and disappears when the slip cover is in use on a chair or the like as illustrated by the snug fit in Figure 4. The inner or top edges of the wing portions I4 and the adjacent portions of the lateral edges of the back port on are cut away arcuately to define apertures for purposes to be presently described.

Referring specifically to Figure 3 which represents a cross-section taken as indicated in Figure 1, a preferable construction for completing the above mentioned apertures in accordance with the invention is shown. As will be seen from Figure 3, the material of the panel II is turned back beneath the panel as at I6. The aperture formed as above described is filled in with a substantially circular piece or patch of cover material I! which is turned back upon itself around its edge as at I8 and then again folded in a reverse direction to terminate in an anchoring margin I9. The folded back edges of the panel material and the circular piece I! are to be subsequently, permanently stitched as shown at 20. However, before this is done, a circular strip of the cover material is folded back upon itself and the free ends thereof are inserted between the edge of the panel and the edge of the respective circular piece I! as shown at 21 in Figure 3 with the result that a substantially circular envelope 22 is formed to overlie the respective piece of material I1 while the free ends thereof are permanently secured with the border of the respective piece H, the respective lateral edges of the wing members I4 and the panel material.

If desired, the envelope 22 may have a piece of elastic draw string 23 placed therein prior to the stitching operation, or it may be split as shown in Figure 2 and a non-elastic draw-string 24 may be placed therein.

Referring again to Figure '7, a seat portion 25 is joined along its rear edge to the bottom edge of the front panel I I as by seam 25a, and the arm covering portions 26 and lower rear covering portions 21, the respective portions 26 and 2'! being integral with one another, aresecured to the lateral edges of this seat portion as by seams 25b. The entire lower edge of the cover is bordered by a decorative member such as the pleated skirt shown at 28.

Referring again to Figure 7 and particularly to the arm covering portions 26 thereof, it will be seen that these portions 26 are provided with considerable fullness as indicated by the gatherings 26a. The arm portions 26 are likewise provided with apertures which are disposed to substantially coincide with the forward end of the arm of an article of furniture to which the cover may be adapted. Similarly to the constructions described above, the apertures in the arm portions are provided with substantially annular envelopes 29, the latter being provided with either elastic as described above, or draw-strings as shown at 29a. Similarly, the apertures are covered by substantially circular pieces of the cover material 30.

A also shown in Figure 7, the arm covering portions 26 are further provided with rearwardly extending flaps 3I which, as will be described presently, may be tucked in the chair at the junction between the rear of the arm and the back in greater or less amount determined by the actual length of the arm to be covered. 'lhese flaps 3| are further provided at their upper ends with extensions 3Ia which aid in securing the cover to a chair in a manner to be described presently Referring now to Figures 1, 4, and '7, the slip cover above described i applied to a chair, such as that shown in Figure 1, by first draping the rear panel I0 over the back of the chair and the front panel I I over the front surface thereof, the gathered intermediate section shown in Figure '7 extending over the top of the back portion of the chair and the take-up sections between the junction of the panels and the wings I4 extending over the shoulders of the back. The junctions of the seat portion 25 of the cover represented by seams 25a and 25b are then smoothed along the borders of the seat portion of the chair, thereby properly positioning the lower edge of the panel II andthe lower inside edges of the arm covering portions 26. Thereafter, the arm covering portions 26 are disposed over the respective arm of the chair with the take-up portions thereof coinciding with the forward ends of the respective arms and the portions 21 integral therewith draped downwardly and rearwardly of the respective arm panel of the chair.

At this stage of the assembly of the slip cover with the chair, the flaps 3| are positioned in the vicinity of the rear of the chair arm represented at 32 in Figure 1. By comparing Figures 1 and '7, it will be seen that the portions of the flaps 3| nearest the panel II as shown in Figure 7 will be disposed rearwardly and toward the bottom of the seat of the chair whereupon those portions may be tucked in the junction between the back of the chair and the respective arm thereof and this tucking may be continued upwardly toward the outer portions of the flaps 3| as shown in Figure 7 until the tabs 3 Ia remain undisposed of. These may then be tucked into the junction between the back of the chair and the respective arms at a point rearwardly and outside of the seat portion of the chair as represented at 33 in Figure 4. It will be understood that the last procedure above described represents the disposal of what may be termed surplusmaterial and that, therefore, considerable allowance is made for variations in the length of the arm of a chair to which the slip is to be attached. Depending upon whether the arm is shorter or longer, more or less of the tab 3i described.

After the slip cover has been positioned asa-bove described, the surplus material of the circular pieces I I at the shoulders of the back of the chair and the pieces 3!! at the front end of the arms of the chair may be tucked beneath the adjacent portions of the slip cover thereby to present smoothly covered corners. The nature of the tucks which may be taken in the pieces I? and 3D is shown clearly in the cross-section of Figure 3 where the. edge of the piece I? is tucked back upon the intermediate area thereof as at 28.

The foregoing procedure having been completed, the wing portions M may be moved downwardly over the lateral edge portions of the back of the chair as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4} the portions 21 which are integral with the arm covering portions 26 may be drawn rearwardly and across the back of the chair as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, these latter portions 2'! being joined by pieces of elastic 33 having one end fixed to one side of the slip cover and the other end thereof being provided with hooks 34 (Figure 7) for extending across the back of the chair and engaging the other of said portions 21.

Thereafter, the rear panel it may be draped over the entire back of the chair and hooked to portions l4 and 27 by hooks lfia to present an attractive appearance.

From the foregoing it Will be seen that the slip cover has now been disposed over the chair with the respective parts thereof extending over the respective parts of the chair. The surplus material at the corners and that at the rear of each arm having been tucked beneath the adjacent slip cover material and chair parts so that the cover has been generally accommodated to the size of the particular chair upon which it has been placed.

There are, however, other factors which are of primary importance in adapting a slip cover to a chair so that a custom-made cover is simulated. These are. first, that the cover be also accommodated smoothly to th particular shape of the chair and, second. that the cover be retained in the desired position of conformity to the. chair even after it has been sat in and thereby, to a. degree. deformed from the final position of adjustment.

To the end that the above attributes may be accomplished, the envelopes 22 and 29 having either elastic or draw-strings therein are provided at the shoulders and arm corners, respectively.

While either the elastic or draw-string constructions may be used entirely throughout the various take-up points in a slip cover, it has been found that the elastic, When utilized with downfilled constructions or other soft fillings, causes circular indentations in the upholstery with the result that a knob effect is obtained, Whereas with the draw-string construction the degree of ten sion at the take-up corner may be predetermined to avoid this effect. With either construction,

however, it will be seen that the takeup, whether accomplished yieldably by th elastic or by manipulating the draw-strings. has a tensioning effect upon the adjacent portions of the cover with the result that the cover is drawn taut over the chair throughout the various portions thereof to obtain an. appearance similar to that obtained with a custom-built fitted and patterned of furniture.

after the particular piece will be tucked in as above I As shown in Figure 2, after the slip cover has. been generally fitted to the chair, the draw-string 24 may be pulled sufficiently to obtain the tension desired, whereupon it may be tied and tucked slip cover which has been beneath the envelope 29 to the end that the ends of the draw-string may be thoroughly concealed. To impart dustproofness to the take-up portion utilizing draw-strings, the section of material 30 is provided with a flap 30a which may then be tucked beneath the envelope portion 29. As shown in Figure l, as an' example of a preferable embodiment of my invention the draw-string construction is used at the forward end of the arms (see Figure 2) while the elastic construction is used at the shoulders of the back (see Figure 3). As will be readily understood, when one is seated in a chair the principal Weight as between the arms and the back is against the back of the chair, and thus the back receives the greatest amount of deflection. In the con struction of Figure 1, it will be seen that due to the elastic in the envelopes 22 this deflection is allowed for by the yieldability of the envelopes 22 and the elastic therein, and thus when the Weight of a person is released from the back it will spring outwardly and the material of the cover, instead of wrinkling, will be taken up by the elastic in the take-up portions to present again an entirely smooth covering. While the elastic construction can, of course, be utilized at the forward ends of the arms, the draw-string construction is highly effective since there is a lesser degree of deflection in the arms, and thus the same degree of take-up is not ordinarily required.

From the foregoing it Will be readily understood that a wood ornamented chair may be snugly fit by the above described cover construction, particularly with respect to the back thereof since the folds which will necessarily appear in the initial fit of the cover may be taken up either automatically by the elastic or by-the pulling of the draw-strings to the desired degree.

The above take-up construction presented thus far in connectionwith the chair cover itself may likewise be applied to the cushion by applying the elastic or draw-string construction to the corners thereof. As will be seen in Figures 1 and 2; the cushion is provided with a slip cover 35 having apertures cut at the points of the cover coinciding with the front corners of the cushion. As in the case of the shoulders of the back of the chair cover, the apertures are covered with substantially circular pieces of the slip material 35 and are bordered by envelopes 3?. While the envelopes 3'! may enclose an elastic, it has been found that since many cushions are provided with a down filling the aforementioned knob effect is attained by the use of elastic whereas the pull of the draw-strings may be regulated before they are tied.

Preferably, the cushion cover is universal in nature; that is, the slip cover material extends over both. the bottom and top surface thereof, whereby the cushion may be reversed as desired. The cushion cover 35 is preferably bag-shaped and open along the rear edge, that is, the edge positioned adjacent the backv of the chair. After the cushion. is nserted in the cover35, it may be conveniently tied across the rear edge by means of strings 33.

In the construction shown in Figure 5, the take-up portion at the forward. end of the arms is provided with a downwardly extending slit 39 having lace holes 35a on each side thereof. In this construction it will be understood that the piece of covering material 40 for the aperture will have a downwardly depending elongated tab 4! so that the upholstery of the chair will not show through the slit 39. In such a construction the material on each side of the slit may be laced together to provide a drawing effect whereby the slip cover material may be drawn together across the front of the chair arm to intimately configurate the cover to the lateral curvatures thereof.

As stated heretofore, one of the greatest difficulties encountered in the past in fitting a universal chair cover to a chair is the accommodation of the cover to the arms thereof. This is particularly true in the case of a T-chair such as that shown in Figure 9. In such constructions the seat of the chair is T-shaped in that the front edge thereof is disposed forwardly of the forward end or surface of each of the arms, thus providing a cross piece at each end of the front margin of the seat.

To the end that a slip cover embodying the features of my invention previously described may be fitted to a T-shaped chair, there is pro vided herein a novel construction for fitting the cover to the seat of the chair which, in conjunction with the take-up construction previously described, neatly accommodates a cover to such a chair.

Such a slip cover is shown fragmentarily in Figure 8 wherein those parts similar to like parts shown in Figure 7 are similarly numbered. It will be understood, of course, that the construction of Figure 8 to be completed will include all of that shown in Figure I so far as panels and l l and the intermediate portions thereof are concerned, and also that the arm construction for the other arm of the chair is similar to that shown in the figure.

In the construction of Figure 8, the arm portion 26 is severed as at 4?. from the seat portion 25 at the forward end of the junction thereof represented by the stitch 25b. Similarly, the material in the portion 26 is severed along the line 43 thus forming a tab 44, which extends forwardly of the chair seat cross piece as shown in Figure 9 when the cover is disposed thereover. The cut 43 also defines a tab 45 which, when the cover is placed in the position shown in Figure 9, extends forwardly and around the front of the forward lower surface of the chair. This latter tab 45, of course, includes pleated skirt 28. It will be understood that the edge 46 of the tab 45 is formed by the cut 43 and that the position it takes in Figure 8 merely indicates an approyimation of the final position in which it is disposed when fitted on the chair as in Figure 9.

As in the construction shown in Figure 7, the forward section of the seat portion 25 constitutes the covering for the front intermediate surface of the chair, the material in this section servin as a reserve to accommodate chairs having seats of different lengths.

By reference to Figure 9, it will be seen that after the cover has been assembled upon the chair, the tab 44 is smoothed into a position covering the cross piece of the T-shaped seat, the forward portion thereof overhanging the front of the chair an amount depending upon the depth of this part of the chair. Thereafter, the skirted tab 45 is smoothed around the sides and front of the respective corners of the chair whereupon the forward section of the seat portion 25 is draped over the end of the tab 45 to provide a neat and tight arrangement wherein the upholstery of the chair is entirely covered by the various flaps whereby, as stated above, the cover can accommodate chairs having varying dimensions merely by overlying the front lower section of the chair in lesser or greater amounts. To complete the assembly of the cover as above described, hooks 41 secured to the forward section of the seat portion 25 may be engaged in the fabric which it overlies.

With regard to the construction shown in Figure 9, it is to be noted that although the ends of the arms are square, the take-up portions have automatically assumed this configuration by means of the elastic or the draw-strings, whichever construction is used. Furthermore, the fabric sections 30 have been manipulated to conform precisely to the configuration of the ends of the arms by the previously described tuck-in manipulation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided herein a universal slip cover which has incorporated therein novel take-up constructions for the parts which coincide with the corners of a piece of furniture upon which the cover is placed, such as the shoulders and the forward corners of the arms thereof, these takeup portions being so constructed and arranged that they not only include surplus cover material which may be smoothed over the respective parts of the chair to snugly fit the same, the remaining unused material being tucked beneath the adjacent portions of the slip cover but also include a construction whereby the major portions of the slip cover intermediate the take-up sections may be drawn taut and held in this condition to simulate a custom-made cover or the upholstery proper of the chair. Furthermore, in accordance with the invention herein, there is provided a universal slip cover construction wherein the major portion of the cover may be deflected by the weight of a person sitting in the chair, and when this weight is removed, the deflections in the cover, instead of becoming gathered and wrinkled upon the upholstery, are again drawn taut to provide the desired neat appearance.

I claim as follows:

1. A universal type slip cover comprising adjoining panel portions for covering opposite sides of a portion of an article of furniture, an intervening summit covering portion connecting said panel portions, a wing member secured to adjacent lateral edges of said panel portions, said wing member having a top edge and said summit portion having an edge cooperating therewith to define an opening, said wing and said summit portion having a draw string passage surrounding said opening, and an insert patch larger than the opening covering the opening and having a marginal portion adapted to be overlapped by the draw string passage.

2. A universal type slip cover comprising a back portion having a front panel and a back panel joined by an intervening summit portion, wing members secured to the adjacent lateral edges of said back panel and said front panel in spaced relation below the summit portion to define openings at the sides of the cover, the top of each wing member and the adjacent edge of the summit portion being provided with a draw string passage surrounding the opening, and an insert patch larger than the opening secured to the back portion for covering the opening and having a marginal portion adapted to be overlapped by the draw string passage.

PHIL TRUBITZ.

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