GB2125693A - Protecting walls from damage by furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

A furniture protector for reducing the damage and marking of interior walls by movable articles of furniture such as armchairs and sofas, comprises a cup (1) for retaining a rear castor of the chair or sofa, a spacer rod (5) of variable length, and a lever operated suction device (6) for securing the protector to an interior wall or skirting board (3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Furniture or decor protector This invention relates to a device for reducing the damage and marking of interiorwalls caused by movable articles offurniture, for example armchairs and sofas.

Large and heavy articles offurniture are generally provided with castors to allow the furniture to be moved to a required position in a room. However, such articles offurniture, for example beds and armchairs, tend to move across the floorwhen they are used, so that where the furniture is placed adjacent a wall the furnituretendsto be repeatedly pushed againstthewall, causing damage or marking ofthe wall and the furniture.

It is an object ofthis invention to provide a simple and relatively inconspicuous device for largely preventing such damaging movements.

According to this invention a furniture protector comprises a wall buffer coupled by a spacer member to castor receiving means, for instance a cup in which the castor rests and is retained. In use, the receiving means rests on the floor with the buffer engaging an interior wall immediately behind a movable article of furniture. The buffer is preferably a suction device which secures the protectorto the wall when the furniture is removed, the spacer member extending perpendicularly outwardly from the wall with its outer end connected to the castor receiving means. The castor supports the furniture, thereby in normal use preventing movement of the furniture into contact with the wall.The degree to which the protector extends from the wall can be adjusted to suit different articles of furniture, depending on for example the distance of the castors from the rear of a sofa or the inclination of a sofa back portion.

The invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure lisa partly sectioned side view of a furniture protector in accordance with the invention attached to an interior wall; and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1.

Referring to both figures ofthe drawing, a furniture protector in accordance with the invention has castor receiving means in the form of a flat-bottomed circular cup 1 which is designated to rest on a floor 2 adjacent an interiorwall 3. The dished upper surface 4 of the cup 1 is dimensioned to receive and retain a rear castor (notshown) of, for example, and armchairor sofa, the distance between the cup 1 and the wall 3 being determined by a spacer rod 5 and wall buffer 6.

To secure the furniture protector to the wall 3, the buffer 6 comprises a lever-operated suction device having a circular suction pad 7, a surround 8, and a vertically depending lever 9 which has a socket 10 at its distal end for receiving the rod 5. The inner end of the lever 9 is pivotable about an axis spaced from and perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the rod 5, and has a perimeter shaped to form a cam 11 bearing against a rear surface ofthe suction pad surround 8.

Thus, if the suction pad 7 is applied to the wall 3 with the rod 5 and cup 1 extending vertically upwardly away from the floor 2, lowering the cup 1 and rod 5 to the horizontal position shown in Figure 1 causes the pivot 12 to move away from the wall 3, pulling a stem 13 which is attached to the centre of the pad 7 outwardly to create a vacuum under the pad.

The cup 1 may be made of a plastics material such as Bakelite. The spacer rod 5 is preferably of a soft plastics material such as nylon, which can be easily cut to length to suit a particular piece of furniture. The rod 5 is an interference fit in a boss 14 on the cup 1 and the socket 10 on the lever 9 so that it can be removed for substituting a rod 5 of a different length.

In an alternative embodiment the rod 5 may be screw-threaded in one or both of the receptacles in which it is fitted so that the spacing between the cup 1 and buffer6 is varied by rotating the rod. In addition the cup 1 may be replaced by a simple step for abutting the rearsurfaceofacastor.

1. Afurniture or decor protector comprising a wall buffer coupled buy a spacer memberto castor receiving means.

2. A protector according to claim 1, wherein the bufferincludesattachment means for securing the protector to a wall surface.

3. Aprotectoraccording to claim 1 orclaim2, wherein the castor receiving means comprises a cup for receiving a furniture castor and supporting the load carried by the castor.

4. A protector according to any preceding claim, wherein the spacer member comprises a rod received at one of its end in the castor receiving means and at the other of its ends in the buffer.

5. A protector according to claim 2,whereinthe attachment means comprises a suction device.

6. A protector according to claim 5, wherein the wall buffer comprises a suction device having an operating lever pivotable about an axis perpendicular to, but spaced from, a longitudinal axis ofthe spacer member, and, at a distal end efthe lever, connection means for attaching the wall buffer to the spacer member.

7. A protector according to claim 4, wherein the rod is removably fitted in the castor receiving means and the wall buffer so that the distance between the castor receiving means and the buffer can be adjusted by cutting the rod to a required length.

8. Afurniture ordecor protector constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the drawing.

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

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Furniture or decor protector This invention relates to a device for reducing the damage and marking of interiorwalls caused by movable articles offurniture, for example armchairs and sofas. Large and heavy articles offurniture are generally provided with castors to allow the furniture to be moved to a required position in a room. However, such articles offurniture, for example beds and armchairs, tend to move across the floorwhen they are used, so that where the furniture is placed adjacent a wall the furnituretendsto be repeatedly pushed againstthewall, causing damage or marking ofthe wall and the furniture. It is an object ofthis invention to provide a simple and relatively inconspicuous device for largely preventing such damaging movements. According to this invention a furniture protector comprises a wall buffer coupled by a spacer member to castor receiving means, for instance a cup in which the castor rests and is retained. In use, the receiving means rests on the floor with the buffer engaging an interior wall immediately behind a movable article of furniture. The buffer is preferably a suction device which secures the protectorto the wall when the furniture is removed, the spacer member extending perpendicularly outwardly from the wall with its outer end connected to the castor receiving means. The castor supports the furniture, thereby in normal use preventing movement of the furniture into contact with the wall.The degree to which the protector extends from the wall can be adjusted to suit different articles of furniture, depending on for example the distance of the castors from the rear of a sofa or the inclination of a sofa back portion. The invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure lisa partly sectioned side view of a furniture protector in accordance with the invention attached to an interior wall; and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1. Referring to both figures ofthe drawing, a furniture protector in accordance with the invention has castor receiving means in the form of a flat-bottomed circular cup 1 which is designated to rest on a floor 2 adjacent an interiorwall 3. The dished upper surface 4 of the cup 1 is dimensioned to receive and retain a rear castor (notshown) of, for example, and armchairor sofa, the distance between the cup 1 and the wall 3 being determined by a spacer rod 5 and wall buffer 6. To secure the furniture protector to the wall 3, the buffer 6 comprises a lever-operated suction device having a circular suction pad 7, a surround 8, and a vertically depending lever 9 which has a socket 10 at its distal end for receiving the rod 5. The inner end of the lever 9 is pivotable about an axis spaced from and perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the rod 5, and has a perimeter shaped to form a cam 11 bearing against a rear surface ofthe suction pad surround 8. Thus, if the suction pad 7 is applied to the wall 3 with the rod 5 and cup 1 extending vertically upwardly away from the floor 2, lowering the cup 1 and rod 5 to the horizontal position shown in Figure 1 causes the pivot 12 to move away from the wall 3, pulling a stem 13 which is attached to the centre of the pad 7 outwardly to create a vacuum under the pad. The cup 1 may be made of a plastics material such as Bakelite. The spacer rod 5 is preferably of a soft plastics material such as nylon, which can be easily cut to length to suit a particular piece of furniture. The rod 5 is an interference fit in a boss 14 on the cup 1 and the socket 10 on the lever 9 so that it can be removed for substituting a rod 5 of a different length. In an alternative embodiment the rod 5 may be screw-threaded in one or both of the receptacles in which it is fitted so that the spacing between the cup 1 and buffer6 is varied by rotating the rod. In addition the cup 1 may be replaced by a simple step for abutting the rearsurfaceofacastor. CLAIMS

1. Afurniture or decor protector comprising a wall buffer coupled buy a spacer memberto castor receiving means.

2. A protector according to claim 1, wherein the bufferincludesattachment means for securing the protector to a wall surface.

3. Aprotectoraccording to claim 1 orclaim2, wherein the castor receiving means comprises a cup for receiving a furniture castor and supporting the load carried by the castor.

4. A protector according to any preceding claim, wherein the spacer member comprises a rod received at one of its end in the castor receiving means and at the other of its ends in the buffer.

5. A protector according to claim 2,whereinthe attachment means comprises a suction device.

6. A protector according to claim 5, wherein the wall buffer comprises a suction device having an operating lever pivotable about an axis perpendicular to, but spaced from, a longitudinal axis ofthe spacer member, and, at a distal end efthe lever, connection means for attaching the wall buffer to the spacer member.

7. A protector according to claim 4, wherein the rod is removably fitted in the castor receiving means and the wall buffer so that the distance between the castor receiving means and the buffer can be adjusted by cutting the rod to a required length.

8. Afurniture ordecor protector constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the drawing.