EP0097658A4

EP0097658A4 - A carcase, favourably furniture-carcase.

Info

Publication number: EP0097658A4
Application number: EP19820903339
Authority: EP
Inventors: Valeria Hidvegi
Original assignee: Kozponti Valto- Es Hitelbank Rt Innovacios Alap
Current assignee: KOEZPONTI VALTO- ES HITELBANK RT. INNOVACIOS ALAP
Priority date: 1981-11-26
Filing date: 1982-11-25
Publication date: 1985-12-11
Also published as: FI832657A; GB8319997D0; SE446296B; DK153282B; US4576353A; AU9126982A; EP0097658A1; WO1983001890A1; NL8220419A; HU183707B; DE3249214T1; SE8304139L; GB2122888A; GB2122888B; DK339083A; SE8304139D0; DK339083D0; CH660948A5; AT383021B; NO832668L

Abstract

A carcase, favourably to furniture-carcase. It has columns, interconnecting pieces attached to them and clamps joining the columns and interconnecting pieces. Essentially, the columns consist of parallel columns members adjusted to each other. At least at two places - favourably at the ends of the column members - they are attached to each other by means of a coupling member overlapping two column members and/or intermediate interconnecting piece joining two columns with two releasable clamps. Each column member is clamped to the coupling member and/or the interconnecting piece. The carcase has interconnecting pieces which join the column members. They have sections adjusted to the drift-holes made by the notches on the surfaces of two column members facing each other. In the range of these drift-holes the interconnecting pieces have shoulders, edges or similar configurations which are supported by the column surfaces and which prevent them from displacement as compared to the columns. The essence of the invention is that by means of minimum expenditure of human labour, material and energy provides the production of furniture on high aesthetic level and use-value. They are available to the customers in unit packets. The customer can mount it by himself without using any tools and professional skill. The specific expenditure of storage and transport is minimum. Due to the releasable attachments, the piece of furniture can be dismounted, no glue application to tapestry or mechanical clapping are required (nailing) so it can be easily removed and reput in case of cleaning or substitution.

Description

A CARCASE, FAVOURABLY FURNITURE-CARCASE

The invention refers to a carcase, favourably furniture-carcase which has columns, intercon necting pieces attached to them and clamps connecting the columns to the interconnecting pieces.

It is well-known that the piece of furniture are made of different materials, such as metal, plastic or commonly of wood. The different elements of fur niture, made of wood, e.g. legs and backs of sitting furniture, panel fillings of cupboards, etc. are connected to each other mainly by final, stiff, non-re leasable joining, which can be released only by destruction, because no stiff carcase can be made, safely by applying the present fastenings. E.g. a nut bolt - breech block joining - apart from the fact that it seems to be practically unacceptable for furniture production from the point of view of aesthetics, because if it is released it results in collapsing of the buil ding members.

The generally used scarf-glued joints provide a stiff connection between the building members until they have not been used for a long time, or under extreme loading because they are broken or torn at the glued site. It is difficult to mend them, usually the whole piece of furniture is no longer applicable.

Metal or plastic auxiliary members /wood screws, washers, tie plates, lag bolts, carriage bolts, etc./ can be applied to joining lumber building members, such stiff, practically unreleasable joints have a disadvantage, namely that metal fastenings seize in wood, joints become unaesthetic and soon destructed.

The present furniture - especially sitting furniture - have some disadvantages, namely that much work and energy is needed for their production which is of long duration. A disproportionately big storage and delivery capacity is needed, as compared to the value and actual quantity of the objects, because the cupboards, sitting furniture and all pieces of furniture are big in size; difficulty of placing big pieces of furniture, e.g. carrying through narrow doorways, particularity or insolubility of professional cleaning and mending as a consequence of transporting.

The invention aims at providing such a carcase, favourably furniture carcase which has a releasable and refixable points of junction so the carcase can be rapidly and easily mounted and dismounted, at the same time the carcase is perfectly stiff, its members do not collapse even under extreme conditions or durable use. Besides, the carcase must comply with the high level, aesthetic requirements, of furniture production.

The invention is based on the recognition that the columns of the carcase might be made from parallel, adjacent members being clamped with two releasable-joint pins, respectively, and some fish-plate-like joints at least at two places and the transverse carcase units are clamped between columns by proper slot-pairs or slots. It provides a carcase which has easily releaseble points of junction. It is perfectly stiff and provides a perfect protection against collapsing. On the basis of this recognition the invention aimed at constructing such a carcase which has columns, interconnecting pieces, attached to them, as well as clamping members connecting the columns to the fastenings. Essentially, the columns are made of members, joined parallel with each other. Both columns members are joined at least at two sites, favourably at the ends, with applying another interconnecting piece to joining the columns with at least two releaseble clamps. Both column members are joined and/or to the intercon necting piece. The carcase has such interconnecting pieces, joined to each other which have sections attached to the drift holes, formed by notches on the surfaces of two column members opposite to each other. The interconnecting pieces have shoulders in the drift holes, edges or similar figures, supported by the column surfaces which prevent their displacement as compared to the columns. The releasable clamps are threaded shanks being put into the lapping holes and nutted up. They are applied to joining the column members by interconnecting pieces and/or clamps.

As to a favourable embodiment of the carcase, the column members, interconnecting pieces and the clamps are oblong-like, of a width greater than their thickness and length greater than their width. Expediently, the centres of the hole are on the longitudinal geometrical axis of the carcase members. Their diameter is bigger than that of the threaded shanks and less than that of the nuts. Favourably, the hole diameters are as big as those of the screw shanks. According to another embodiment there are holes beginning from the ends of the members, inwards, as far as half of the member's width. It is also favourable if the length of the interconnecting pieces is double of their width and if the column members have intermediate through holes.

Another embodiment is characterized as having notches on at least one side surface of the column members, expediently near the ends of the column members. They create through drift holes joining the column members side by side. Favourably the notches are rectangular-like. The length of the notches is bigger than their depth. Expediently, the depth is equal to half of the column member's thickness or the depth of the notches is bigger than their length. Favourably, its length is equal to the thickness. Naturally, there can be other notch configurations, too. According to another embodiment, there are notches in the column members near to each other which are long but not too deep, and some others which are not so long but deep.

Another favourable embodiment is characterized in having at least one interconnecting piece which joins two slab-shaped columns perpendicularly to the bigger side surface. Bear its ends it has notches in the narrow side opposite to each other, among which there are collars adjusted to the through drift holes of the columns, as well as heads outside the columns' sides. Expediently the width of the notches must be the same as the thickness or very similar to it, and the planes near to the member's ends are within a distance which is not bigger than half of its width. The width of the collars must be equal to the longer side of the columns' oblong drift holes.

According to another embodiment, the carcase has at least one interconnecting piece which join two slab-shaped columns parallel with their bigger surfaces. Near its ends' range it has two through holes. The one, nearer to the ends is within the distance, equal to the half of the member's width, some other holes are within the distance from the external holes equal to the width of the mem ber. From aesthetical point of view, the carcase seems to be favourable if the slab-shaped, expediently oblong carcase members' ends are rounded-off Favourably, the round-off ends are semi-circular, the radius of the semi-circles is equal to the half of the width of the carcase members.

The invention is described in details according to the enclosed drawings. They include some pieces of furniture, made by applying the carcase, the favourable embodiments of the points of junction and those of the carcase. The drawings show; figures 1 and 2 show the profile of two column members; figure 3 also shows the profile of the interconnecting pieces made of the column members, shown in figures 1 and 2, which can be applied to the columns without any clamp; figure 4 shows the profile of an interconnecting piece; figure 5 shows such an interconnecting piece which can be attached to the columns by releasable clamps externally; they are made of the column members, shown in figures 1 and 2; figures 6 and 7 show the embodiments of some other column members; figures 8 and 9 show the profile of some embodiments of the clamps; figure 10/a shows the upper end of two column members, adjusted side by side /indicated in figures 1 and 2/; figure 10/b shows the upper end of the column member /indicated in figures 6 and 7/ adjusted side by side; figure 11 shows the vertical section through A-A of the carcase of an armchair, made of the carcase members shown in figures 1-10/b; figure 12 shows a horizontal section through B-B /in dicated in figure 11/; figure 13 shows a vertical section through C-C /indicated in figure 11/; figure 14 shows the exploded view of a point of junction, to which two cross sections of the same difec tion, perpendicular to them another one are attached; figure 15 shows a point of junction, similar to the one shown in figure 14, but instead of the third cross member the column members are joined with a coupling member; figures 16 and 17 show the side view of column members, in accordance with the point of junction show in figure 14; figure 18 shows exploded view of an armchair's carcase shown in figures 11-13; figure 19 shows a smoking table; and figure 20 shows the exploded view of a small seat.

The carcase members shown in figures 1-7 are made of wood without exception. The column members 1 shown in figures 1 and 2 are oblong, slab-shaped bodies, e.g. their length 1 is 90 cm, width s is 7 cm, thickness v is 16 cm. Their ends are rounded-off semi-circularly 2. In the centre of the round-offs there are holes

3 with a diameter of D. Their centres are at distance r from the ends, on the geometrical longitudinal axis x of the members. On the same axis there are some more through holes 4 at the lower end of the column members 1. The radius of round-off r equals with half of width s /r = s/2/.

In the upper and lower ends' range of the co lumn members 1 there are notches 5 beginning from the holes towards the central part of the members on one of the longitudinal sides. The notches' length is s, depth is v/2 - where v is the thickness of the members. The distance b can be regarded from the ends. The geomet ric dimensions must be chosen so that the relationship b>a might be kept.

In case if the column members 1 shown in figures 1 and 2 are closely attached to eacii other in a way that their notches 5 could face each other, two not ches 5 discharging into each other will form a through drift-hole 9 which can be seen in figure 10/a. The height is a, width is v and depth v of the drift holes 6. Two column members 1 placed side by side will form a column 6. Two column members 1 of each column 6 are attach ed to each other by coupling members 7 shown in figure 4. Their length is 2a, width is s; there are two holes 3 in their geometrical longitudinal axis x, which are at the distance s/2 = r from the round-off ends of the members and at the distance s from each other. The appropriate geometrical relationship and dimensions have already been given in relation to figures 1 and 2. In case if a coupling member 7 shown in figure 4 is attached to the upper ends of the column members 1 adjusted side by side as shown in figure 10/a and to the releasable clamps through the lapping holes 3 and there is such a connection established between the lower ends of the column members 1, too, they will form a perfectly stiff column marked with reference number 6 from the column members 1 adjusted to each other at two points. /See the description in connection with figures 11-13, too./ A clamp e.g. can be a device made of a wooden bolt 11 and a nut 12 as shown in figure 8, or of a threaded pin 13 and nuts 12. Their length a, the diameters of shanks and holes d have been chosen according to the geometric relationships of the above details so that the deviation d D might be minimum, it is equal to which can allow the threaded shanks 11, 13 to be put through the holes 3.

The column members 14 seen in figures 6 and 7 differ from the ones shown in figures 1 and 2, as they are shorter, on the hand the shapes of notches 15 being in the range of their upper ends differs from that of the notches 5. However, the similar structural members and dimensions have been marked with refernce numbers and letters as shown in figures 1 and 2. The notches' 15 width is v, depth is o, b< s/2; the width v have been chosen so that a slab-shaped member might be put into the drift-hole 16 created by two notches 15, /see figure 10/b/ by attaching two column members 15 side by side, as shown in figure 10/b and joining them with coupling members 7 /figure 4/ and clamps as it is shown in figures 8 and 9 a stiff column is obtained which is marked with the reference number 17 /see figures 11-13/.

Two columns 6 or 17 which are placed at a distance from each other, can be joined with the interconnecting pieces 8 as it is shown in figure 3 or/and with interconnecting pieces 18 as shown in figure 5. They are rod-like plate members whose width and thickness are the same as those of the column members 1 shown in figures land 2. The same geometrical dimensions have already been marked with reference letters. The in terconnecting piece 8 shown in figure 3, which provides a rigid coupling perpendicularly to the slab-shaped plane of the column 6 between the columns being at a distance from each other. It is provided with notches 10 in the range of its ends; their width is v, as to their depth, their collar's 8b width is equal to the height of the drift-hole 9 shown in figure 10/a. The coupling member's 8 length is r = s/2 at the ends and it has heads 8a of width su In case if the collars 8b of the member 8 is adjusted to the drift-holes 9 of the columns 6 and then the neighbouring column members 1 are joined in a way which has been previously described /figure 10/a/ by means of clamps 11 and 12 /figure 8/ there will be a perfectly safe clamp between the column members 1 and the interconnecting piece 8, i.e. a rigid "dry" coupling without the application of glue. The bolts 12 nutted 12 provide a perfect protection against collapsing. The shoulders of the drift-holes 10 support ed by the external planes of the column 6 protect the interconnection piece 8 from the longitudinal displacement.

There can be a two-pointed, safe connection obtained by applying an interconnecting piece 18 shown in figure 5, which provides a rigid coupling parallel with a slab-shaped plane of the columns 6, between the two columns which are at a distance from each other. This interconnecting piece 18 is also slab-shaped, of width s and thickness v, as long as required by the carcase. There are two through holes 3 with a diameter D in a range of the ends of the interconnecting pieces on the geometric longitudinal axis x of the member. The holes 3 at the ends of the members are at a distance from each other s , the ones 3 being very near to the ends of the members are at a distance 20 cm = r of the roundoff member ends. The distance of the holes is the distance from the geometric centres of the holes. Incase if the interconnecting piece 18 is applied to joining two slab-shaped columns, being at a distance from each other /figure 10/a/ or the columns 17 in the range of their upper and/or lower ends, the building-in of the coupling member 7 as shown in figure 4, is unnecessary to be built in, as the ends of the interconnecting piece 18 provide the role of the coupling member 7, i.e. fixing at two points, perfectly by applying the coupling members 12, 11 or 13, 12 as shown in figure 8 and 9. The slab-shaped interconnecting piece 8 is adjusted to the drift-hole 9 of the column 6 set on edge, as shown in figure 10/a. Its plane is perpendicular. The interconnecting piece 8 is adjusted to a drift-hole 16 of the column 17 as shown in figure 10/b, in the way that its plane should be horizontal in the carcase. Naturally, in the former case the interconnecting piece has a bigger loading capacity. The position of the interconnecting piece 8 in the carcase is decided by the conditions of application. Statistical, aesthetical and functional aspects also exert their influence on it.

An armchair's carcase is shown in figures 11-13, made from the members as shown in figures 1-10/b. The armchair's has two columns 6 /figure 10/a/ and two columns 17 /figure 10/b/; they are the legs of the armchair. The upper sections of the columns 6 are the vertical supports of the back. The front shorter colinear co lumns 17 and the rear longer columns 6 are joined with two interconnecting pieces 18. They are always fixed by four clamp-sets 11, 12 as shown in figure 6 /two -point clamping/. The upper interconnecting pieces 18 serve as the elbow-rests of the armchair, the lower one is a stiffener-liminter - e.g. for the sitting cushion - . The lower section of the column members 14 of the columns 17 and the upper and lower sections of the column members 1 of the columns 6 are fixed by the coupling members 7 and the clamps 11, 12. Transverse joining of the columns 6, 17, perpendicular to their plane is done by two interconnecting pieces 8 /figure 3/. The front upper interconnecting piece is horizontal, the other three are vertical. This carcase can be rapidly mounted and dismounted without tools and professional skill. Only the nuts must be screwed or unscrewed on the bolts 11. The sitting cushion of the piece of furniture can be supported by a piece of canvas; its rims must be folded and sewn. The hole can be stringed on the front lower and rear upper spread bar 8. They are fixed in the points of junction. The supporting canvas can be attached to the carvase without any glue or interconnecting pieces. It can be pulled off the carcase simply by releasing the clamps in the points of junction. The canvas can be tightened additionally so that it might support the sitting cushion. Naturally, the canvas itself the linen or leather can serve as accessories to the furniture of full value. Figure 14 shows such a point of junction which includes the carcase members, shown in figures 1-10 with this difference that in the range of the ends of the column members 19 as shown in figures 16 and 17 there are notches 5, 15 which are identical with the notches 5, 15 of the column members 14 which are in the vicinity of each other. This geometrical form of the column member allows that two interconnecting pieces 8 /figure 3/ might be attached to the column 20 shown in figure 14, in the range of an end of a column, one of which - the upper one - has a horizontal plane, the other - the lower one - has a vertical plane. An interconnecting piece 18 is also attached to the point of junction which functions as an auxiliary for the two-point clamping of the column members 19. The interconnecting piece 18 is perpendicular to the interconnecting pieces 8. The points of junction, the favourable position, the rectangular retentivity can be provided by an accurate wood procession. Protection from sliding and joining up of bars starting from the point of junction into three directions /three-dimensional "increasement" of the carcase/ are provided by the releasable clamps 11, 12 without more ado. The collaboration of members, the perfect stiffening of the carcase are provided by the interconnecting piece 18 fixed in two points and adjusted overlappingly. As the occuring power impulses become available for shear, stability is properly provided.

The point of junction, shown in figure 15, differs from the one shown in figure 14, because the interconnecting pieces 8 are nearer to each other, in accordance with it the notches 5, 15 of the column members 91, too, and the rigid, two-point junction of the column member 19 is provided by the copuling member 7 shown in figure 5. Two-point junctions of the points of junction shown in figures 14 and 15 are provided by clamps 11, 12 as shown in figure 8.

In case if two interconnecting pieces 8 are applied to carcase under big load and of larger span as shown in figures 14 and 15. Their application can be accounted for by applicational-aesthetical reasons, too. Other advantages of the invention are as follows:

It is necessary not to mount and clamp the carcase members /tap, glue, screw, process, thread-cutting, etc./ in the factory. Expenditure of tools, human labour and row material is much less. As to carcase members for a furniture-set can be gathered into a solid, small-size unit packet. There is less employment of storage and transport demanded, in comparison to the traditional pieces of furniture. From a statistical point of view the invented carcase needs no plate members. They usually have stiffen ing-load bearing functions in relation to the present furniture systems. They can be applied as auxiliary interlocks or additional pieces at the most /e.g. tables, shelvess, cupboards, etc./. No professional skill is needed for mounting, either, acustomer can mount the carcase from the members of the unit packet in no time without applying tools. No breaking or seizing can be observed, as a consequence of the point of junction, even under extreme conditions of application /in contrast with metal clamps/. Wooden clamps /threaded pins/ are able to take elastic deformation. Wood cracking indicates high load before breaking. The two-point clamping points of junction are so stable that the increasing of furniture dimensions /span/ claims only to increase length of carcase members. Bridging of a big span can be provided by building-in accessory - favourable set on edge - interconnection-pieces /see figures 14 and 15/. They are highly important. One hand if a piece of furniture is to be moved from a flat /e.g. moving/ it can be dismounted very rapidly, transported as a packet, on the other hand textile, leather, etc. auxiliaries need not be nailed or glued, it can be easily attached to the carcase members /it means that the invented piece of furniture does not require any upholstery/, in case of necessity it can be removed /e.g. in case of cleaning/, changed; according to the tastes and financial means of the customers different needs can be met. The points of junctions - due to their rapid releasibility and construc tion - allow further building and transformation /e.g. applying some auxiliary members an armchair can be transformed into a table, etc./ so flexibility of the set of furniture can be increased; as a result of these factors, the invented pieces of furniture aremuch more economical; less expensive than the traditional ones, their use value is higher, aesthetic level - because of their rustic form, simple design, etc. - is also high.

Naturally, the invention is confined neither to the building styles /embodiments/, described above nor the carcase members' forms, clamps, etc. but it can be carried out within the framework of scope of activity defined by the claims. Beyond doubt the application of lumber carcase members and clamps seems to be the most expedient from the point of view of aesthetics and utilization, but other members, made of materials other than wood e.g. plastic can also be used. Instead of the oblong, slab-shaped column members with rounded-off ends and coupling members, carcase can be made from bar-like members of different cross-sections and shapes; bars' cross sections can be rectangular, e.g. square, and tabs of other bars can be adjusted to their drift-holes. It goes without saying that the members can differ from each other other in length, width, thickness, shape, number of holes, etc. The clamps must not always be threaded shanks and nuts, in certain cases clampping can be provided by keys or cotter pins, too. Without transgressing the scope of activity's domain some other changes can be carried out, considering the embodiments.

Claims

1. Carcase, favourably furniture-carcase comprising columns, interconnecting pieces attached thereto and clamps for joining the columns and interconnecting pieces together, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said columns consisting of column members which are attached to each other in parallel relationship, said attachment is formed at least in two regions expediently at the ends of the column members by means of respective coupling members overlapping both column members or/and of respective interconnecting pieces joining the columns together by using at least respective pairs of releasable clamps in such a way that each column member is clamped to the coupling member and/or to the interconnecting piece and said interconnecting pieces comprise respective sections fitting in drift-holes defined by notches in the mutually facing surface of opposing pairs of column members, and in the range of said drift-holes the inter- connecting pieces have shoulders, edges or similar configurations which are supported by the column surfaces to prevent them from being considerably displaced or being displaced relative to the columns.

2. The carcase as claimed in claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the releasable clamps used for mutually joining the column members by said coupling members and/or interconnecting pieces are made by threaded shanks /11, 13/ lead through overlapping holes /3/ and by nuts /12/ engaging said shanks /figures 8 and 9/. 3. The carcase as claimed in claims 1 or 2 , c ha r a c t e r i z e d i n that the column members /1, 14, 19/, the interconnecting pieces /8, 18/ and the coupling members /7/ have widths /s/ being bigger than their thickness /v/ and have lengths /h/ bigger than their width and are formed as slab-shaped, favourably oblong -like carcase members /figures 1-7/.

4. The carcase as claimed in claim 3. c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the centres of the through holes /3/ are arranged on the longitudinal geometrical axes /x/ of the carcase members, and the holes have diameters /D/ bigger than that of the threaded shanks /11, 13/ and less than that of the nuts /12/, favourably the diameters /D/ of the holes are essentially as big as the diameter /d/ of the shanks /11, 12/. 5. The carcase as claimed in claim 3 or 4, c h a ra c t e r i z e d in that from the ends of the members inwards holes /3/ are arranged in the member at distance from said ends being as big as the half-width /r = s/2/ of the members /figures 1, 2 and 4-7/. 6. The carcase as claimed in claims 3-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the lengths /2s/ of the coupling members /7/ is double of their widths /figure 4/.

7. The carcase as claimed in claims 3-6, c h ar a c t e r i z e d i n that the column members /1/ comprise intermediate through holes /4/ /figures 1 and 2/.

8. The carcase as claimed in claims 3-7, c h ar a c t e r i z e d i n that there are notches /5, 15/ made on at least one of the side surfaces of the column members /1, 14, 19/ favourably near the ends of the column members, said notches form through going drift -holes /9, 15/ when the column members are adjusted in a side by side relationship /figures 10/a and 10/b/.

9. The carcase as claimed in claims 3-8, c h ar a c t e r i z e d i n that the notches /5, 15/ have rectangular profiles.

10. The carcase as claimed in claim 9 , c h ara c t e r i z e d i n that the length /h/ of the notches /5/ is bigger than their depth /v/2/ and expediently the depth is equal to the half of the thickness /v/ of the column member /figure 1/.

11. The carcase as claimed in claims 9 or 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the depth /c/ of the notches /15/ is bigger than their length /v/ and expediently the length is equal to the thickness /v/ of the column member /figure 6/.

12. The carcase as claimed in claims 9-11, c h ar a c t er i z ed i n that in each column member /19/ in the vicinity of each other, preferablyin the end regions thereof, there are notches /5/ whose length is big, depth is little and also notches /15/ whose length is little but depth is big /figures 16 and 17/.

13. The carcase as claimed in claims 3-6, c h ar a c t e r i z e d i n that it has at least one interconnecting piece /8/ which joins respective pairs of slap-shaped columns /6, 17, 20/ in a direction being perpendicular to their larger side-surface and the interconnecting piece has notches /10/ facing each other defined in the narrow sides thereof in the end regions and between the notches there are collars /8b/ arranged fitting in the througfa^oing drift-holes /9, 16/ of the columns /6, 17, 20/ and outwardly from the collars there are heads /8a/ arranged outer than the side walls of the columns /figures 3, 13 and 14/.

14. The carcase as claimed in claim 13, c h ar a c t e r i z e d in that the width /v/ of the notches

/10/ is equal to or nearly equal to the thickness of the members.

15. The carcase as claimed in claims 13 or 14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the distance /r = 2s/ between the respective planes of the notches /10/ which are closer to the ends of the members is equal to the half width of the members.