GB1580945A

GB1580945A - Chairs or stools

Info

Publication number: GB1580945A
Application number: GB5238177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: EVERTAUT Ltd
Current assignee: EVERTAUT Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-12
Filing date: 1978-05-12
Publication date: 1980-12-10
Also published as: DE7837259U1

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CHAIRS OR STOOLS (71) We, EVERTAUT LIMITED, a British Company of P.O. Box 33, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2PW, do hereby declare this invention, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to chairs or stools and is primarily concerned with the construction of the supporting base for the cushion of an upholstered backrest of a chair though it could also be applied to the support for a seat cushion of a chair or stool.

Plywood panels are at present commonly used to form the supports of backrest cushions and seat cushions. The panels are often pre-formed by pressing when the support has to be contoured that is to say, given a non-planar shape which may be complex, for example, more nearly to conform to parts of the human body. Plywood is now a costly material in itself, and the pressing operating adds considerably to the cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a support for a cushion of a chair or stool which is strong and effective and, at the present cost of the materials involved, is less expensive than a traditional plywood surface.

The present invention consists in a support for a cushion of a chair or stool which comprises a peripheral metal frame, first and second sets of spaced, stiff metal wires or strips extending across the frame, to which frame the ends of the wires or strips are rigidly secured, the wires or strips of the first set overlying those of the second set and intersecting them to form a rid the support further comprising a pane of pliable material having an outline similar to that of the peripheral frame and being inserted between the first and second sets of wires or strips.

The panel is supported by the grid which takes the main load imposed on the cushion so that the main purpose of the panel is to prevent the cushion from protruding through the openings in the grid. Accordingly the panel can be made of relatively inexpensive pliable material such as cardboard or strawboard which would be quite incapable alone of supporting the load imposed on the cushion. Material such as cardboard also helps to prevent squeaking at the intersections of the wires or strips.

The peripheral metal frame may be wholly or mainly of tube, stout wire or sheet metal section and the metal wires or strips may be rigidly secured to the frame by welding. If the support is to be contoured the peripheral frame and the wires or strips would normally be shaped before assembly.

As the panel is trapped between the two sets of wires or strips it will conform to the required contour without preforming, provided that it is sufficiently pliable.

Compared to a pre-formed plywood panel the advantages of a support surface according to the invention when used for a seat cushion are less than in a backrest cushion support. The loads on a seat cushion being much greater than those on a backrest, thicker wires or stronger strips are necessary and this increases the cost.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a simple form of backrest support according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a front elevation, Figure 3 is an end elevation, and Figure 4 is a plan of a more complex form of backrest support according to the invention.

The backrest support shown in Figure 1 has a peripheral metal frame 1 made of tubular steel andhaving the general shape of a television screen, that is generally rectangular, but with slightly outwardly curved sides and rounded corners. The frame 1 comprises top and bottom portions 2 and end portions 3. The top and bottom portions 2 in addition to the curvature visible in Figure 1 are slightly rearwardly curved so that the front face shown in Figure 1 is concave. Straight vertical wires 4 parallel to one another and spacedeuallyaart are welded at their ends to the front the top and bottom portions 2 of the frame.

Horizontal wires 5 curved similarly to the rearward curvature of the top and bottom portions 2 of the frame are arranged spaced apart parallel to one another, so as to overlie the vertical wires 4 and with their curvature rearwards and are welded at their ends to the front of the end portions 3 of the frame. The horizontal wires 5 constitute a first set of wires and the vertical wires 4 a second set. Together the two sets of wires form a grid. A cardboard panel 6 (shown partly cut-away in Figure 1) is inserted between the two sets of wires in front of the vertical wires 4 and behind the curved horizontal wires 5 which cause the panel 6 to assume the same curvature as the wires 5.

The periphery of the panel 6 is similar to that of the tubular frame 1 and slightly larger than the internal shape of the frame 1, so that the back of the edges of the panel can be supported by the end portions 3 even though these edges must pass under the wires 5 close to the welded connection of the ends of the wires 5 to the end portions 3.

The curved corner edges of the panel also slightly overlie the curved corners of the frame 1 and are supported by them. The assembled backrest cushion support of Figure 1 has a part-cylindrical, concave front surface against which the backrest cushion can rest.

The backrest is completed by a foam cushion (not shown) placed on the support and by a glove-type cushion cover (not shown) having a slot along one longer slde. The top of the support and of the cushion laid on it are inserted together through the slit and the cover is pulled over them both enclosing them completely and holding the cushion in place on the support. The slit is closed and the cover held on, by a slide fastener.

The backrest may be mounted on a seat by members secured to the tubular frame 1, for example by self-tapping screws which penetrate the cover and engage holes in the wall of the tubular frame.

In the backrest support of Figures 2 to 4 similar parts have the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts in Figure 1.

The peripheral metal frame 1 comprises an inverted U-shaped tube 7 and a stiff wire cross-member 8 welded across the lower ends of the end portions 3. Below the cross-member 8 the tube 7 is bent forward to form backrest attachment portions 9 to be secured to the underside of a seat cushion support of a chair. At about a third of the height of the end portions 3 above the cross-member 8 the end portions 3 are bent slightly rearwards as shown in Figure 3. The top member 2 is slightly curved rearwards as in the previous embodiment and so are the horizontal wires 5 and the cross-member 8.

The vertical wires 4 are behind the horizontal wires 5 and are bent similarly to the end portions 3 as indicated by line A-A in Figure 3. Neither the horizontal wires 5 nor the vertical wires 4 are equally spaced but there is a horizontal wire at the level of the rearward bends of the vertical wires 4 and, close above and below it, other horizontal wires 5.

There is a pair of vertical wires 4 on each side of the central vertical wire 4. The vertical wires of each pair are closer than the spacing of the nearer wire 4 of the pair from the central wire 4.

The horizontal wires 5 are welded to the metal tube at the end portions 3 and the vertical wires are welded at their upper ends to the tubular top portion 2 and at the bottom to the cross-member 8. A cardboard panel 6 (Figure 2) shaped to conform to the outline of the peripheral frame 1 is inserted from below between the wires 4 and 5 lying in front of the vertical wires 4 and behind the horizontal wires 5. The panel conforms to the contour imposed on it by the wires 4 and 5. In the horizontal direction it is concave at the front, but in the vertical direction has a slight forward bulge caused by the bends in the vertical wires 4 which the panel is constrained to follow by the close spacing of the horizontal wires 5 in this region. The forward bulge provides lumbar support.

A suitably shaped cushion (not shown) is laid against the backrest support and both are enclosed by a glove-type cover (not shown) as in the previous embodiment but as the attachment portions 9 must project from the cover, the slit instead of being fitted with a slide-fastener is closed by stapling under the cross-member 8.

In the two embodiments described, the wires 4 and 5 are made from 10 s.w.g.

(0.1280 inch diameter) mild steel wire and the panel 6 from cardboard 3/32 inch thick.

This has replaced panels of 10 m.m.

plywood in Figure 1 and 6 m.m. plywood in Figures 2 to 4.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A support for a cushion of a chair or stool which comprises a peripheral metal frame, first and second sets of spaced, stiff metal wires or strips extending across the frame, to which frame the ends of the wires or strips are rigidly secured, the wires or strips of the first set overlying those of the second set and intersecting them to form a grid, the support further comprising a panel of pliable material having an outline similar

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. curved sides and rounded corners. The frame 1 comprises top and bottom portions 2 and end portions 3. The top and bottom portions 2 in addition to the curvature visible in Figure 1 are slightly rearwardly curved so that the front face shown in Figure 1 is concave. Straight vertical wires 4 parallel to one another and spacedeuallyaart are welded at their ends to the front the top and bottom portions 2 of the frame. Horizontal wires 5 curved similarly to the rearward curvature of the top and bottom portions 2 of the frame are arranged spaced apart parallel to one another, so as to overlie the vertical wires 4 and with their curvature rearwards and are welded at their ends to the front of the end portions 3 of the frame. The horizontal wires 5 constitute a first set of wires and the vertical wires 4 a second set. Together the two sets of wires form a grid. A cardboard panel 6 (shown partly cut-away in Figure 1) is inserted between the two sets of wires in front of the vertical wires 4 and behind the curved horizontal wires 5 which cause the panel 6 to assume the same curvature as the wires 5. The periphery of the panel 6 is similar to that of the tubular frame 1 and slightly larger than the internal shape of the frame 1, so that the back of the edges of the panel can be supported by the end portions 3 even though these edges must pass under the wires 5 close to the welded connection of the ends of the wires 5 to the end portions 3. The curved corner edges of the panel also slightly overlie the curved corners of the frame 1 and are supported by them. The assembled backrest cushion support of Figure 1 has a part-cylindrical, concave front surface against which the backrest cushion can rest. The backrest is completed by a foam cushion (not shown) placed on the support and by a glove-type cushion cover (not shown) having a slot along one longer slde. The top of the support and of the cushion laid on it are inserted together through the slit and the cover is pulled over them both enclosing them completely and holding the cushion in place on the support. The slit is closed and the cover held on, by a slide fastener. The backrest may be mounted on a seat by members secured to the tubular frame 1, for example by self-tapping screws which penetrate the cover and engage holes in the wall of the tubular frame. In the backrest support of Figures 2 to 4 similar parts have the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts in Figure 1. The peripheral metal frame 1 comprises an inverted U-shaped tube 7 and a stiff wire cross-member 8 welded across the lower ends of the end portions 3. Below the cross-member 8 the tube 7 is bent forward to form backrest attachment portions 9 to be secured to the underside of a seat cushion support of a chair. At about a third of the height of the end portions 3 above the cross-member 8 the end portions 3 are bent slightly rearwards as shown in Figure 3. The top member 2 is slightly curved rearwards as in the previous embodiment and so are the horizontal wires 5 and the cross-member 8. The vertical wires 4 are behind the horizontal wires 5 and are bent similarly to the end portions 3 as indicated by line A-A in Figure 3. Neither the horizontal wires 5 nor the vertical wires 4 are equally spaced but there is a horizontal wire at the level of the rearward bends of the vertical wires 4 and, close above and below it, other horizontal wires 5. There is a pair of vertical wires 4 on each side of the central vertical wire 4. The vertical wires of each pair are closer than the spacing of the nearer wire 4 of the pair from the central wire 4. The horizontal wires 5 are welded to the metal tube at the end portions 3 and the vertical wires are welded at their upper ends to the tubular top portion 2 and at the bottom to the cross-member 8. A cardboard panel 6 (Figure 2) shaped to conform to the outline of the peripheral frame 1 is inserted from below between the wires 4 and 5 lying in front of the vertical wires 4 and behind the horizontal wires 5. The panel conforms to the contour imposed on it by the wires 4 and 5. In the horizontal direction it is concave at the front, but in the vertical direction has a slight forward bulge caused by the bends in the vertical wires 4 which the panel is constrained to follow by the close spacing of the horizontal wires 5 in this region. The forward bulge provides lumbar support. A suitably shaped cushion (not shown) is laid against the backrest support and both are enclosed by a glove-type cover (not shown) as in the previous embodiment but as the attachment portions 9 must project from the cover, the slit instead of being fitted with a slide-fastener is closed by stapling under the cross-member 8. In the two embodiments described, the wires 4 and 5 are made from 10 s.w.g. (0.1280 inch diameter) mild steel wire and the panel 6 from cardboard 3/32 inch thick. This has replaced panels of 10 m.m. plywood in Figure 1 and 6 m.m. plywood in Figures 2 to 4. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A support for a cushion of a chair or stool which comprises a peripheral metal frame, first and second sets of spaced, stiff metal wires or strips extending across the frame, to which frame the ends of the wires or strips are rigidly secured, the wires or strips of the first set overlying those of the second set and intersecting them to form a grid, the support further comprising a panel of pliable material having an outline similar

to that of the peripheral frame and being inserted between the first and second sets of wires or strips.

2. A cushion support according to claim 1 wherein the panel of pliable material is of cardboard or strawboard.

3. A cushion support according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the peripheral metal frame is made of tube to which the ends of the stiff metal wires or strips are secured.

4. A cushion support according to any preceding claim wherein the support is contoured, the peripheral frame and the wires or strips being shaped prior to the assembly of the panel which is caused by the frame and the wires or strips to conform to the contour without preforming.

5. A cushion support according to any preceding claim and for a backrest of a chair, wherein the peripheral frame is generally rectangular but with outwardly curved sides and rounded corners, top and bottom sides of the frame being also curved rearwardly so that the front face of the frame is concave, and wherein the wires or strips are welded across the front face of the frame, the wires of the first set lying in front of those of the second set and generally parallel to the top and bottom sides and continuing the concave contour.

6. A cushion support according to any of preceding claims 1 to 4 and for a backrest of a chair wherein the peripheral metal frame comprises an inverted U-shaped member defining the top and uprights of the backrest, and a bottom member joining lower portions of the uprights, the portions of the uprights projecting beyond the bottom member forming attachment portions for mounting the backrest on the chair.

7. A backrest cushion support according to claim 6 wherein the upper part of the inverted U-shaped member is bent rearwardly with respect to the lower part, the wires or strips of one of the sets being generally upright and similarly shaped forming a slight forward bulge across the lower part of the backrest support to provide a lumbar support portion.

8. A backrest cushion support according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the top and bottom members of the frame and wires or strips lying generally parallel thereto are rearwardly curved so that the front face of the support is concave.

9. A cushion support according to any preceding claim wherein the peripheral frame is made of tube and the wires or strips lie on one face of the frame tube and wherein the wires or strips of at least the first set which are to lie in front of the panel are attached to the one face of the frame tube at the point of overlap of their ends therewith, the panel having a periphery similar to that othe frame and larger than the internal shape of the frame yet less in the direction of the wires or strips of the first set than the length of those wires between their points of attachment to the frame tube.

10. A support for a cushion of a chair or stool substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated by, Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A cushion support for a cushion of a chair or stool substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated by, Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A chair including a cushion support according to any preceding claim.