US3591233A

US3591233A - Article of furniture

Info

Publication number: US3591233A
Application number: US789832A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christian H Turcksin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-06-17
Filing date: 1969-01-08
Publication date: 1971-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-06
Also published as: AT285870B; NL6817097A; GB1234822A; ES159097Y; DE1779480A1; DE1779480B2; ES159097U

Abstract

An article of furniture, such as a chair, comprising: a base frame formed from at least two spaced-apart side sections interconnected by at least one cross-strut; at least one back and seat unit universally displaceable between said side sections by the suspension of said back and seat unit between said side sections by means of at least one elastic sheet secured at at least one end to at least one side section and being in supporting engagement with said back and seat unit and optionally provided with an elastic retaining strip securable at one end to said back seat unit and at its other end to a cross-strut in the front region of said base frame so as to limit the rising movement of the front of said back and seat unit when loaded.

Description

United States Patent {72] Inventor Christian H. Turcksin 2.981.318 4/l96l Lincoln l 297/452 69: Backstrasse, Detmold, Lippe, Germany 3, l 67,352 1/ l 965 Johnson .r 297/445 [2]] Appl. No.

789,832 [22] Filed Jan. 8, I969 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 [32] Priority June 17, I968 [33] Austria [31] A5794/68 {54] ARTICLE OF FURNITURE 11 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,308 9/1957 Hamilton Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P4 Machado AnorneyRichard G. Stephens ABSTRACT: An article of furniture, such as a chair, comprising: a base frame formed from at least two spaced-apart side sections interconnected by at least one cross-strut; at least one back and seat unit universally displaceable between said side sections by the suspension of said back and seat unit between said side sections by means of at least one elastic sheet secured at at least one end to at least one side section and being in supporting engagement with said back and seat unit and optionally provided with an elastic retaining strip securable at one end to said back seat unit and at its other end to a crossstrut in the front region of said base frame so as to limit the rising movement of the front of said back and seat unit when loaded.

PATENTEDJUL seem SHEET 1 OF 5 PATENTED JUL BIB?! 3,531,233

PATENTED JUL 6 l97| SHEET 3 [IF 5 PATENTEUJUL sum 3. 591. 233

SHEET 4 [IF 5 Fig.9

PATENTEDJUL 6197i 3 591233 SHEET 5 BF 5 ARTICLE-F FURNITURE The present invention concerns an item of furniture for sitting and/or reclining, such as an arm chair or couch, having a seating surface and a back between the sides of a base frame.

In the case of conventional chairs, the seat and back are movable only in a certain direction relatively to the suspension since the back and the seat are connected to one end of the base frame and the connecting area is suspended freely displaceable between the back and the seat.

Such known chairs have efficient spring suspension but do not permit a frequently desirable change of position of the seat and back relative to the frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an item of furniture which, in addition to simple construction, easy manufacture and efficient spring suspension, has an arrangement of the seat and back relatively to the frame adaptable to the desired position of the person using said furniture.

According to the present invention, seating and/or reclining furniture such as arm chairs, couches or the like having a seat and back arranged between the frame is characterized by the feature that the seat and back are suspended to be movable in all directions between the frame by means of at least one elastic band.

In a preferred embodiment, the elastic or resilient bandor sheet may be arranged in the region of the seat and secured in the region of its end to the frame above the seat. One or more bands may be provided on both the sides of the seat with one end being secured on the frame of the seat and the other end on the frame of the chair, preferably on the arms.

The elastic sheets maybe detachably secured to the side portions and the seat. Furthermore, an additional longer elastic strip may be associated with the side sheets at the rear of the seat, which longer strip operates as a subsequently acting spring element for receiving loads with constantly good spring properties; for limiting the change in the position of the seat and back an elastic supporting band may be provided at the front of the chair, which band may be detachably secured to the seat and a transverse strut of the frame.

. It is preferable to form the framework of two side portions rigidly or detachably connected together by means of crossstruts and having a U-shaped or rectangular base form of, for example, metal, wood or plastics material.

- The frames forming the seat and back may be connected at a certain and preferably obtuse angle relatively to each other, by welding or the like to form a rigid unit in the abutting area and provided with elastic bands or flexible tubes or the like resilient members to form the under springing of the seat and back.

The chair of the present invention is simple to construct, easy and economical to produce and has very efficient spring characteristics of its seat and back. The seat and back form a unit which is preferably arranged to be displaceable in every direction between the base frame. This seat and back is held on the base frame in a simple and reliable manner by means of one or more elastic sheets which permit movement of the seat and back according to the position of the body of the person using the chair. Because of the resilient and floating arrangement of the seat and back, these two loading surfaces, which are rigidly connected together, adapt themselves to the position of the body so that this seating and/or reclining chair may I be used as a multipurpose item of furniture. The loading capacity of the seat and the back is desirably very great and designed according to actual requirements, whilst at the same time, gentle suspension is ensured.

The construction of the base frame is very simple and assembly thereof is easy and attachment of the seat and back extremely simple.

The chair has an extremely efficient spring capacity and great loading capacity in addition to long life without signs of fatigue of the elastic sheets, tubes, bands or strips and represents a convenient chair, providing a favorable seating, reclining and leaning surface for the person using it.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an arm chair having a seat and back unit suspended in a base frame;

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view partly in section. of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view partly in section, of the securing region of the seat and back with the base frame according to the encircled region A in FIG. 2; 7

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in section, of a portion of the seat with attachment to the base frame according to the encircled region B of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a base frame;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of part of the frame of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a modified construction of a seat or chair having two seats and backs arranged side by side;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair;

FIG. 10 is a section through the chair taken on the line H of FIG. 9; I

FIG. 11 is a section through the same chair taken on the line llll of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a rear view of a part of the same chair corresponding to the encircled region C of FIG. 9 having a crossstrut detachably secured to a side portion in the exploded condition.

A chair for seating or reclining such as an armchair or couch according to the invention, has a base frame 10 in which seat 11 and back 12 are arranged so as to be freely suspended. The base frame 10 has two, preferably parallel, side members 14 which are connected together by means of cross-struts l3 and are formed preferably of inverted U- shaped metal stirrups. The sides of the U-shaped side members 14 represent the legs of the chair and the top crosspieces of the side portions 14 form the arms (see FIG. 1). The members 14 are preferably produced from tubing having a rectangular, round, oval or polygonal cross section.

The seat 11 and back 12 have

frames

15 and 16 of, for example, a rectangular base form and are rigidly connected together at acertain and preferably obtuse angle relatively to each other by means of welding. One or several elastic bands or flexible tubes 17 may be drawn round these two

frames

15 and 16 to form with the

frames

15 and 16, the underspringing of the seat and back. This underspringing of the seat and back forms a unit suspended between .the base frame 10 which is displaceable in every direction by means of at least one elastic sheet 18. It is preferable to provide the elastic sheet 18 in the region of the underspringing of the seat (seat frame 15), and the sheet 18 may extend under the entire width of the seat and be secured at its ends extending beyond the width of the seat, above the underspringing, to the base frame 10, preferably to the arms. The elastic sheet 18 preferably extends over substantially the entire depth of the seat and thus supports the entire surface of the underspringing of said seat.

The elastic sheet 18 may be formed of two parts which are provided in the two side regions of the seat 11 and be connected at one end to the base frame 10, preferably the arm, and at the other end to the seat frame 1.5.

A plurality of elastic sheets i 18 arranged adjacent one another at spaced intervals to provide the floating suspension for the seat 11 and back 12, extend as strips in the side areas of the seat from the base frame 10 to the seat frame 15 or, alternatively, from one side of the frame under the seat frame 15 as far as the other side of the base frame.

The sheet 18 is elastic in one direction and is provided with elastic threads extending in the direction of the axis of symmetry of the chair so that the sheet is elastic in the direction of the standing surface of the seating and/or reclining chair.

The elastic band or tube 17, serving as seat and back band, and the elastic sheet 18 consist in each case of an elastic web of fabric, the weft and/or warp threads of which have preferably and at least partially, cores of vulcanized rubber threads round which textile threads are spirally wound.

The sheet 18 is secured at one end by means of screws between the arm and a strip 19 provided thereon and can be secured at the other end to the band 17 of the seat frame 15 by, for example, vulcanizing.

lt is preferable to manufacture the

frames

15 and 16, the side members 14 and the cross-struts 13 of rectangular tubing. In the front area of the seat frame at least one elastic retaining strip 20 may be provided which limits the upward movement of the seat frame 15 when a person seated thereon leans back, and can be attached at one end to the seat frame 15 and at the other end to the front cross-strut 13 of the base frame 10. The retaining strip 20, or a plurality of retaining strips arranged by vulcanizing side by side at spaced intervals, is secured at one end to the band 17 of the seat 11 and at the other end is disposed round the cross-struts 13 and formed by vulcanizing into an attachment loop 21 (see FIG.

A different type of base frame 22 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 which is formed of two spaced apart side portions 24 connected together by cross-struts 23. The side members 24 preferably have a Uform, one side of each portion forming the leg (standing surface) and the other side, the arm.

Each side member 24 may be made of wood for example and have two

telescoping stirrups

25, 26 which may be connected together by screws, glue orthe like securing means: 25 representing the outer stirrup into which stirrup 26 may be inserted. The elastic web 18 supporting seat 11 and back 12, or the seat and back underspringing, is secured at its ends to the side members 24, the web 18 being enlarged or thickened in the region of its ends, extends through the inner stirrup 26 and is supported by its reinforcement 27 on the inner stirrup 26.

The inner stirrup 26 has a recess, such as slot 28, through which the web 18 is passed by its ends. The reinforcement 27 of the web 18 is supported between the outer and

inner stirrups

25, 26 on the inner stirrup 26, whereby this web 18 is suspended at both ends from the side members 24. It is preferable to provide reinforcement 27 of the sheet 18 at its two ends by loops through which there extend a retaining rod 29 of, for example, metal or wood. The cross section of the retaining rod 29 and the sheet loop is greater than the width of the longitudinal slot 28 so as to prevent the end of the sheet 18 slipping through. The retaining sheet 18 may also be formed as a sheet-extending over the entire depth of the seat or be formed by several strips extending over the entire width of the seat. Furthermore, the sheet 18 may be formed of two parts provided in the side areas of the seat underpsringing, said parts being secured at their other ends to the band 17 of the seat frame by e.g. vulcanizing or adhesion. The cross-struts 23 are preferably provided on the inner stirrups 26 and extend, when the side portions 24 are pushed together, between the outer and

inner stirrups

25 and 26. The inner stirrups 26 may be provided with several spacers 30 which determine the spacing between the two

stirrups

25 and 26 to be connected.

The seat 11 and back 12 and the seat and back underspringing are displaceably suspended in the base frame 22, corresponding to the base frame 10 of FIG. 1 by means of the elastic sheet 18. Pads 31 may be disposed on the seat and back underspringing.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 8 and comprises a base frame 31 in which, for example, two seats 32 with backs 33 are displaceably suspended. The base frame 31 is composed of three side members 35 connected together by cross-struts 34 and has a U-shaped stirrup form and U-shaped members may be arranged to stand on the legs or rest on one leg.

The basic form of the seats 32 and backs 33 and the suspension thereof correspond to the embodiments shown in FlGS. l to 5. The suspension of the seat 32 and back 33 is also provided by means of elastic sheets 36 which are secured to the side members 35 inthe region of the arms 37. The sheets 36 may be secured by means of screws or adhesives between the side members 35 and the associated arms or, according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in slots formed in the side members 35. The center side member 35 serves to secure two elastic sheets 36 so that only three side members 35 are required for the two seats 32. In the adjacent marginal areas of the two seats 32, two sheets 36 may be provided which extend from the respective seats 32 to the side members 35, or one sheet 36 may be provided which is secured at both its ends to the seats 32 and is secured in the center area between the side member 35 and arm 37 or extend through a slot into the center member 35. v

lt is preferable to form the side members 35 of tubes of circular cross section.

Furthermore, a plurality of seats 32 and backs 33 may be arranged adjacent to each other, the adjacent marginal areas of two seats being always secured to one side member 35.

A further embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12 in which the chair has two side frame members 38 having, for example, an angular and preferably rounded rectangular section. The two side frame members 38 are spaced from each other by means of front and rear transverse struts 39, 40.

In FIGS. 9 to 12 a seat 41 with back 42, similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 5, is shown displaceably suspended between the two side members 38, the seat 41 and back 42 having rectangular frames 43 which abut each other at certain and preferably obtuse angle and which are rigidly connected together. One or possibly more elastic bands or tubes 44 representing the underspringing of the seat and back are drawn round the two frames 43.

The seat 41 with back 42 is floatably suspended so as to be displaceable in all directions. between the side members 38 by means of lateral elastic sheets 45. Each lateral sheet 45 is detachably. connected at its upper ends to the side members 38 and at the lower end to the seat 41, and at its lower end to the lower side of the seat 41 in its lateral marginal areas by means of a clamping strip 46 and screws 47 or the like securing means engaging therewith and extending into the seat frame 43. The upper ends of the side sheets 45 are formed into loops 48 which extend through slots 49 (only one shown) in the upper horizontal part of the frames 38 and are each secured by means of a retaining rod 50 of metal, plastics material or wood passing through loop 48. lt is preferable for the cross section of the retaining rod 50 to be slightly larger than the width of the slot 49 so that the retaining rod 50 disposed in the loop 48 rests on top of the members 38, and when the sheet 45 is under tension, it cannot be pulled through the slot 49 with its loop 48, thus preventing undesirable detachment (see H6. 10).

Towards the rear of the seat 41 an auxiliary elastic strip 51 of smaller width than sheet 45 is associated with each sheet 45 and is detachably secured to the members 38 and the seat 41 in a similar manner as sheet 45. The strip 51 is longer than the adjacent band 45 by sufficient amount so that it remains untensioned until sheet 45 received a certain load. If the sheet 45 is loaded beyond this certain load, tensioning of the longer strip 51 ensues so that the loading forces are received by both the sheet 45 and the strip 51 so that, because of their difference in length, different loads may be received with a satisfactory spring property and additional spring elements are rendered unnecessary. Sheet 45 and strip 51 can absorb heavy loads; smaller loads being compensated by the sheet 45 with the strip 51 serving as a (delayed action) spring in the event of increasing loads.

At least one retaining band 52 is provided in the front region of the seat and extends almost over the entire width of the seat thus limiting the upward movement of the seat 41 when under the load of a person leaning back, and also limiting the swiveling movement of the seat and back unit directed downwardly. The retaining band 52 is detachably secured at its upper end to the underside of the seat frame 43 by means of a clamping strip 53 and screws 54 passing through the strip 53 and the band 52 extending into the seat frame 43. The other end of the plastic band 52 is formed into a loop 55 which extends from the front of the chair through a slot 56 in the crossstrut 39 and is detachably secured to the cross-strut 39 by means of a retaining rod 57. The retaining rod 57 extends through the loop in the retaining band 52 at the rear of strut 39 and prevents the band 52 slipping out of the slot 56 when under tension.

The arrangement of the side sheets 45 and strips 51 of different length in both side areas, and of the retaining band 52 in the front region of the chair provides satisfactory spring capacity and absorption of loads of different weight with a constant spring suspension. Furthermore, the seat 41 with back 42 can be removed from the side members 38 as a unit in a simple and rapid manner. Additional cushions 58 may be disposed on the seat 41 and the back 42 and loose arm cushioning 59 may be laid over the regions of the frame housing the retaining rods 50 in the sheet loops 48.

In order to make it possible to transport the chair in a simple and space saving manner, the side members 38 are detachably connected to the cross struts 39 and 40 by means of mounting fittings. Two head screws or pins 60 are set in the fronts of the cross-struts 39, 40 and arranged at a space one above the other. The insides of the side members 38 each have a connecting plate 62 countersunk by means of screws 61. The connecting plates 62 each have two slots 63 arranged one above the other and enlarged at one end for inserting the head screws 60 which can be inserted in the slot 63 at right angles to the plane of the plate and thereafter displaced downwardly by a certain amount for connecting the side members 38 to the cross-struts 39,40. The shafts of the head screws 60 when in engagement extend into the slots 63 with their heads or attachments being disposed behind the slots 63 in contact with the plate 62 so that axial displacement of the head screws 60 is prevented. The front ends of the cross-struts 39, 40 extend along the plates 62 without a clearance and the head screws 60 resting in the slots 63 of the connecting plates 62, establish a firm but detachable connection between the side frames 38 and the transverse struts 39 and 40. Because of this detachable connection, the base frame sections formed on side members 38 and

cross'struts

39,40 may be rapidly, simply and compactly packed a feature which makes them convenient for transportation.

The chair of the invention is advantageously provided with a simple but gentle and constant spring suspension of the seat and back which is obtained by means of an. elastic sheet which is easy to manufacture and to secure and is also resistant to stresses.

The seat and back preferably form a spring-suspended unit and can be changed jointly, in any desired manner, in their position relatively to the base frame of the chair. The attachment of the elastic sheet to the seat and back, and also to the base frame, can be carried out in any other different manneruln addition, the shape of the base frame may be of any desired type and be formed of any material such as for example plastics material.

Such a seat may be fitted with either a rigid or resilient seat and back.

The floating suspension for seating according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in omnibusses and long distance coaches since the universally displaceable suspension of the seat and back unit gives not only considerable technical advantages, but also a great saving in weight of at least 50 percent and greater safety in respect of the risk of injury.

On bad roads jolts or bumps are absorbed by the elastic sheets and not transmitted to the passengers. The base frame can be easily and simply fitted in an omnibus by virtue of its shape. Since a rigid back is unnecessary, serious damage to persons is avoided in a favorable manner in the event of accidents, because the seat and back are suspended as a unit in a floating manner which thus yields under loads or absorbs jolts. When the seat is fitted in a vehicle, the cross-struts may be omitted so that freedom of movement for the legs of the passengers is ensured. In addition, seats are also suitable as chairs in large halls.

lclaim:

1. An article of furniture, such as a chair, comprising: a base frame formed from at least two spaced apart side sections interconnected by at least one cross-strut; at least one back and seat unit comprising a rigid angle frame carrying resilient seat and back cushioning means in planes arranged at an obtuse angle relative to each other; and means for resiliently suspending said back and seat unit from said base frame to allow universal displacement of said back and seat unit relative to said base frame consisting of at least one elastic sheet having one end attached to said rigid angle frame adjacent the seat portion of said angle frame and an opposite end attached to one of said side sections, thereby to allow universal displacement of said back and seat unit relative to said base frame.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein said means for resiliently suspending said back and seat unit comprises elastic sheet means having edges attached to said back and seat unit and opposite edges attached to portions of said side sections of said base frame which form arm rests, whereby said back and seat unit is resiliently suspended from said arm rest portions of said article of furniture.

3. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein at least one elastic sheet extending almost over the entire depth of the seat and at least one auxiliary elastic strip associated with the sheet in the rear area of the seat are provided for the universally displaceable suspension of said back and seat unit between said two side members, said auxiliary strip being longer than said elastic sheet for delayed spring action when said seat and back unit is loaded.

4. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein each side section is of a substantially U-shaped form with one lower shank thereof forming a supporting surface, the other upper shank forming an arm and the crosspiece forming a leg and wherein each side section comprises two telescopic interconnectable U-shaped members, one U-shaped member being provided in the region of said arm (upper shank) with a recess such as a longitudinal slot through which one end of said elastic sheet passes and is secured, by means of terminal reinforcements of said elastic sheet, between the inner and outer telescopic U-shaped members of said side members.

5. An article according to claim 1 having an elastic retaining strip extending across the front of said seat portion of said angle frame, said elastic retaining strip having one end connected to said back and seat unit and an opposite end connected to said base frame, thereby to resiliently oppose upward movement of the front edge of said seat portion of said back and seat unit.

6. An article of furniture according to claim 5 wherein said back and seat unit comprises a framework having at least one elastic sheet, tube or the like cover drawn thereover and said elastic sheet is securable at one end by means of screws or the like between a portion of said side section forming an arm and an arm ledge and at its other end by vulcanizing to said elastic sheet, tube or the like drawn over said seat frame; and wherein said retaining strip is connected at one end to the back and seat cover by vulcanizing or mechanical means and at its other end, formed as a tubular portion, is optionally retained on said cross-strut.

7. An article of furniture according to claim 6 wherein said elastic sheet is secured at at least one end to at least one side section above the plane of the seat portion.

8. An article of furniture according to claim 6 wherein said elastic sheet consists of a web which is elastic in one direction and has elastic threads extending in the direction of the center longitudinal plane of the chair (axis of symmetry).

9. An article of furniture according to claim 8 wherein said elastic web is of a fabric whose warp and/or weft threads preferably have at least in part, cores. of vulcanized rubber threads round which textile threads are spirally wound.

10. An article of furniture according to claim I wherein each side section is of a substantially U-shaped form with the U- shanks being formed as legs and the crosspiece thereof as an arm and wherein each side section comprises two telescopic interconnectable U-shaped members, one U-shaped member said reinforcements, formed at the end of said elastic sheet comprises a tubular portion capable of optionally receiving retaining a rod therethrough, the cross section of which retaining rod being greater than the width of said slot to prevent undesired withdrawal of said end from said recess.

Claims

9. An article of furniture according to claim 8 wherein said elastic web is of a fabric whose warp and/or weft threads preferably have at least in part, cores of vulcanized rubber threads round which textile threads are spirally wound.

10. An article of furniture according to claim l wherein each side section is of a substantially U-shaped form with the U-shanks being formed as legs and the crosspiece thereof as an arm and wherein each side section comprises two telescopic interconnectable U-shaped members, one U-shaped member being provided in the region of said arm (crosspiece) with a recess such as a longitudinal slot through which one end of said elastic sheet passes and is secured, by means of terminal reinforcements of said elastic sheet, between the inner and outer telescopic U-shaped members of said side members.

11. An article of furniture according to claim 10 wherein said reinforcements, formed at the end of said elastic sheet comprises a tubular portion capable of optionally receiving retaining a rod therethrough, the cross section of which retaining rod being greater than the width of said slot to prevent undesired withdrawal of said end from said recess.