US3455604A - Article of furniture such as a chair - Google Patents

Description

y 15, 1959 c. H. TURCKSIN 3,455,604

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SUCH AS A CHAIR Filed July 1'7, 196'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.7

July 15, 1969 c. H. TURCKSIN .mxcm 0F FURNITURE sUcH AS A 0mm 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1967 July 15, 1969 c. H. TURCKSIN 3,455,604

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SUCH AS A CHAIR Filed July 17, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet :3

g 34 39 33 47 3a 35 35a 33 32 39 34 39 Figl I l United States Patent 3,455,604 ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SUCH AS A CHAIR Christian H. Turcksin, 69a Bachstrasse, Detmold, Lippe, Germany Filed July 17, 1967, Ser. No. 653,897 Claims priority, application Germany, July 18, 1966, T 31,612 Int. Cl. A47c /06, 7/18, 5/04 U.S. Cl. 297-441 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article of furniture such as a chair comprising a chassis, a pivot bar at the front edge of the seat portion of said chassis, a pivot bar at the upper end of the back portion of said chassis, first and second resilient bands and a tubular coupling member, said first band extending from said front pivot bar to said coupling member and said second hand extending from said coupling member to said back'pivot bar.

The present invention concerns an article of furniture such as a reclining chair or settee having bands arranged between a frame acting as spring supports for the sitting and reclining surfaces and back-rest.

In armchairs and reclining chairs of this kind already known in practice there are provided either a plurality of continuous bands or several bands arranged independently of one another secured on both sides to act as spring support for the sitting and/or reclining surface and back rest spring-support.

The continuous bands sag freely and have the disadvantage that the sitting and/ or reclining surface merges in the back-rest; this makes it difficult to balance the body, the back portion being deficiently or unfavourably supported and sagging of the back portion promoted.

If separate bands are provided for the sitting and/or reclining surface, the sitting surface bands are stressed so considerably that they sag or have to be very thick, whilst the back-rest bands are not sufficiently stressed.

It is an object of the invention, whilst avoiding such deficiencies, to provide an armchair and/or reclining chair or settee with a simple spring support having a favourable effect.

In accordance with the invention in a seating and/or reclining article of furniture such as a chair, settee or the like having bands arranged between a frame to act as spring support for the sitting and/or reclining surface and for the back-rest an elastic band per se, which at the one end is connected with the frame and at the other end with the adjacent band articulatedly to a spring suspension'unit.

In a preferred embodiment the sitting or reclining strap band and the back-rest band are freely suspended in the coupling region. In accordance with a further preferred embodiment the sitting and/ or reclining band is stretched over a frame journalled to the chassis, the back-rest band being able to support the sitting and/or reclining article of furniture. Thus, in a modified embodiment the seating and/or reclining band and the back-rest band may be provided around a common beam by means of hinges or the like on the frame journalled to the chassis, which frame may be divided. Furthermore it is preferred for the seating band and the backrest support band to be formed as a double'spring suspension and to be made of a fabric having elastic filaments extending parallel to the axis of symmetry of the article of furniture.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reclining chair;

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FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hingedly interconnected elastic seating surface and back support of the same chair, partly cut away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a corner joint of the frame of the same chair, corresponding to the fragrnentary section A in FIG. 1 and with the seating surface dismounted;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the same corner joint;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through a modified embodiment of a sitting and/or reclining article of furniture with hingedly interconnected, elastic sitting surface and back support; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of the sitting and/or reclining article of furniture shown in FIG. 5.

In an article of furniture for sitting and/or reclining, such as for example chair 10 or the like, between a preferably dismountable chassis formed by two side members 12, 13 preferably retained parallel by means of cross struts 11, a seating band 14 forming a seating surface and hingedly connected therewith a back support band 15 acting as back support are pivotally suspended. These bands 14, 15 form a freely suspended (floating) spring support resilient in accordance with the displacement of body weight, on which two preferably identical cushions 29 may be placed to act as seating and rear cushion supports (see FIG. 1).

The seating belt 14 and back supporting belt 15 comprise an elastic fabric web joined to form a tube, the warp and/ or weft filaments preferably have cores of vulcanized rubber filaments which are helically enveloped by textile filaments.

This one seating surface and back support each having two tubes of equal length and varying width forming resilient surfaces are retained in a horizontal cross direction (see FIG. 2) and so formed that the elastic fabric filaments extend parallel to the axis of symmetry of the chair i.e. in the direction of the seating surface depth and back support height.

The seating surface and back support suspension is so elastic and stable that the sea-t band 14 does not sag and the back support band 15 does not go slack until subject to a load of, for example, five times the weight of a body.

Both side members 12, 13 manufactured as components, preferably of profiled tu-bingmore especially having a rectangular cross-sectionare symmetrically arranged and on the inside surface of a front leg 16 and back leg 17 have pins 18 arranged at right angles adapted to receive the cross strust 11, which are preferably formed of the identical profiled tubing as the side members 12, 13 (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4). An arresting device 19preferably a screwto be arranged from the inside surface of the furniture chassis connects one cross strut end with the pin 18 engaging therein (see FIG. 4) and locates it.

The seating band 15 is preferably arranged around a tubular frame 20 and the back support band 15 around two horizontal cross bars 21, 22 made of tubing and extending parallel to one another (see FIG. 2).

The frame 20 is preferably formed of two cross bars 23, 24 guiding the tubular seating band 14 and two connecting rods 25 connected at the end regions therewith by welding or the like, preferably arranged parallel, having a cross-section corresponding to the cross bars 21, 22.

To prevent the seating surface from becoming unsteady and to ensure a reliable feeling of sitting safely at the lateral bands of the seating band 14 longitudinally extendable from the real to the front an elastic band 26 is secured around and engaging around the connecting bar 25. These bands 26 also stretch only in one direction, preferably in the direction of the centre of the chairfrom the connecting bars 25 to the seat band 14and are resiliently connected with the seat band 14 formed as double spring suspensionrThis provides a fourfold seat surface suspension and the frame 20 is covered to the corner regions (see FIG. 2).

The cross bars 21, 23 on the outside of both suspension surfaces are movably mounted and preferably with slight movement obstructing resistance to the side mem bers 12,- 13 of the chassis in each upper region of the front legs 16 and rear legs 17 at a certain distance varying considerably (see FIG. 1) and to hearing pins 27 provided parallel to the pins 18, whilst the somewhat shorter, inwardly located cross bars 22, 24 are flexibly interconnected by means of straps 28 displaceably arranged on the ends (see FIGS. 1 to 3). 1

Both side members. 12, 13 are made of tubular material with a cross-section preferably corresponding to that of the cross struts 11 with or without arm rests. To connect the individual tubular members of each side member 12, 13 is may be expedient to provide suitablepins which engage in the end of the tubular member of the adjacent part. These pin connections are firmly connected to one another by shrinking on, brazing, welding or the like.

Two cushions 29 and preferably identical are placed at an obtuse angle relative to one another on the seating band 14 and back support band '15 and fixed laterally by the side members 12, 13 (see FIG. 1).

It is within the scope of the invention for the straps 28 to be fixedly arranged on the frame cross bar 23 and the cross bar 22 guiding the lower back support band region to be mounted displaceably therebetween. Furthermore, the cross bar 21 supporting the back support band 15 may be fixedly but detachably arranged in the upper region of the chassis. It may be advantageous moreover to provide on the underside of the front legs 16 adjusting screw for vertical compensation-in the case of uneven fioors-and to adjust the inclination of the seat surface when not subjected to load. Furthermore the adjusting screws may be arranged in the region of the seat frame mounting and act directly on the frame 20.

When the seat surface is subject to loading, the back rest band 15 absorbs about of the weight load and stretches longitudinally, at the same time the frame 20 together with the resilient seat web 14 pivots about the front bearing point, the angle between the resilient surfaces changes and the vertex of this angle changes its position. In this case the cushions 29 assume a position favourably supporting the body and imparting a safe seating feeling, which automatically changes in conformity with a shifting of weight. The band suspension absorbs every change of position of the load and has a shock absorbing effect.

Such dismantleable articles of furniture for sitting of simple structure are easy to manufacture and are distinguished by a favourable spring suspension. Such a chair or the like in a dismantled state may be stowed away in a small space and requires little shipping space. The structure and the arrangement of the bands 14, 15 may also be provided in an elongated article of seating and/or reclining furniture, for example a settee or the like, since with identical development and method of operation only a larger dimension is required.

The modified embodiment of an article of seating and or reclining furniture, for example, a settee or the like in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings has a substructure 31 supported by four feet, having for example a rectangular basic shape. On the narrow ends of this substructure 31 vertically upright arm rests 32 are secured which in the rear region are connected to the side members 33 of the back rest laterally supported on the substructure 31 and pointing diagonally upwards and rearwards. A cross beam 34 firmly connecting the side members 33 extends in the upper end region of the side members 33.

Halfway up the arm rests 32 above the substructure 31 a carrier frame 35 is arranged which for example has a rectangular basic shape and in its front region is equipped 4 with a downwardly extended frame 36 extending vertically to the substructure 31. In the lower cross region of the frame 36 on the inside surface a hinge 37 is mounted which connected with the substructure 31 produces a hinged mounting between carrier frame 35 and substructure 31.

An elastic band 38 forming a seating and reclining surface and which is secured to the upper surface of the frame 36 and the carrier frame 35 to the rear cross beam 35a thereof by means of tacks, staples, clamps or the like, extends over this carrier frame 35. I

An elastic band 39 placed around the cross beam 34 and also secured thereto with its other free end is firmly arranged on the underside of the cross beam 35a of the carrier frame 35 and forms the back support surface.

Both bands 38, 39 are provided with a certain pretension, so that two resilient spring connected surfaces are formed. To prevent the carrier frame 35 from being drawn up due to the internal tension of both bands 38, 39 an elastic bracing belt 40 is provided in the lateral region of the seat and reclining surface, which belt on the one hand is secured to the cross beam 35a of the carrier frame 35 and on the other hand to the rear substructure 31. These bracing belts 40 assume a diagonally downwardly facing position and therefore act diagonally downwards, which opposite to the tensional forces of the bands 38, 39 provides a locating of their seat and reclining and back rest surfaces. Movement of the seat and reclining and back rest surfaces upwardly and outwards is restricted thereby, whereas movement downwardly and inwards is permitted.

In an article of seating furniture such as a chair or the like, the carrier frame 35 has a uniformly closed form and uniformly endless bands 38, 39 are tensioned.

In an article of reclining furniture, such as a settee or the like the carrier frame 25 preferably comprises three closed individually juxtaposed frames each of which being connected to the substructure 31 by two hinges 37 mounted on the edge. Herewith bands 38 are stretched over the individual frames and each frame has a back support band 39. The divided carrier frarne'35 at each of its edge cross beam regions is equipped with two bracing belts 40 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). This division of a large reclining surface and back support surface into several smaller surfaces advantageously provides surfaces adapted to be subjected to loading independently of one another. The seat and reclining bands 38 may on the one hand be provided with a foam plastics layer 41 and on the other hand the seat and reclining band 38 and the back support band 39 may be provided with cushions (not shown) assuming an obtuse angle relative to one another and fixed laterally by the arm rests 32.

In a divided seat and reclining and back support surface divided cushions are also used. When the seat and reclining bands are subject to stress they become resilient due to their elastic and present a soft or harder supporting surface depending upon the magnitude of stress.

The hinged connection between seat and reclining band 38 and the back support band 39 in the common cross beam 35a and the connection of the carrier frame 35 supporting the seat and reclining surface to the substructure 31 additionally provides a suspension, since hereby a downwardly pivoting of the carrier frame 35 about its connecting pointthe hinges 37 re sults, The magnitude of this pivotal movement is determined by the magnitude of loading, since the back rest band counter acts this movement. 1

:The division of theseat and reclining surface .into sev eral supporting frames 35 with bands 38 has the *great advantage that stresses varying in magnitude are also absorbed resiliently varying in intensity and independent supporting surfaces being provided. Each surface=yields in its suspension independently from the other and hence does not affect the adjacent supporting surface.

Production of such a seating and inclining article of furniture from Wood or the like is simple and favourable in price; the embodiment of wood, with a ready method of construction shows considerable stability and a reliable method of operation. Such suspensions may also be provided in other kinds of seating and/ or reclining furniture, such as for example in automotive vehicle seats or the like.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture, such as a chair, comprising: a chassis having a seat portion and a back portion, the seat portion including a rectangular frame having a pivot bar forming one edge thereof at the front edge of the seat portion and a tubular coupling member forming the rear edge thereof, two resilient bands for the seat portion, one passing from the front to the back of the rectangular frame, the other passing from side to side of the frame, and each band passing around two sides of the frame, the back portion of the chassis including a pivot bar at the upper end thereof, and a further resilient band extending from the coupling member to the back pivot bar.

2. An article of furniture as in claim 1 wherein all resilient bands are elastic and tube shaped.

3. An article of furniture as in claim 2 wherein the elastic bands stretch in the direction of the sides of the tubes so that the bands of the seat stretch in mutually perpendicular direction and the band of the back in the direction of the height of the back.

4. An article of furniture as in claim 3 wherein the elastic bands are tubular fabric webs woven from filaments having cores of rubber and with coverings of textile filaments.

5. An article of furniture such as a chair, comprising: a chassis having a seat portion and a back portion, the seat portion including a rectangular frame having a pivot bar forming one fixed edge thereof at the front edge of the seat portion and a bar coupling member forming the rear edge of the rectangular frame of the seat portion; a resilient band for the seat portion extending from the front to the back of the rectangular frame, the back portion of the chassis including a pivot bar at the upper end thereof, the bar coupling member at the lower end thereof, and another resilient band extending from the bar coupling member to the pivot bar at the upper end of the back portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,512,353 6/1950 Magaldino et al. 297-457 X 2,771,122 11/1956 Strau'b 297-441 X 3,123,379 3/1964 Stocking 297-441 X 3,222,108 12/1965 Pablos 297-441 3,348,882 10/1967 Chassaignac 297-441 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner us. 01. X.R. 297 44 5

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