GB2127289A

GB2127289A - Securing upholstery to a wooden frame

Info

Publication number: GB2127289A
Application number: GB08224224A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Riley
Original assignee: DELLBROOK FURNITURE Ltd
Current assignee: DELLBROOK FURNITURE Ltd
Priority date: 1982-08-24
Filing date: 1982-08-24
Publication date: 1984-04-11
Also published as: GB2127289B

Abstract

A sheet of leather 12 is attached to the wooden frame 11 of a piece of furniture by positioning the sheet on the frame, positioning a narrow strip of leather 13 on top of the sheet 12 and inserting a metal staple 14 into the frame 11 through the sheet 12 and the strip 13. The strip is bunched up to form a loop 15 and another staple 16 is inserted, and the process is repeated. The bunching up of the strip 13 conceals the staples from view and the process can be repeated rapidly with little skill required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Furniture The invention relates to furniture and particularly to a method of fastening upholstery to furniture frames.

It is well known to fasten upholstery, for example leather upholstery, to wooden furniture frames by hammering studs through the upholstery and into the frame. A large number of studs is required and the time needed to hammer tham all in is considerable. Since they are visible in the finished product they must be carefully and uniformly positioned which increases the time and skill required, and the heads must be attractive, thus increasing the cost of the studs.

It is also known to attach upholstery to furniture frames by means of cheaper fastening devices such as metal staples which can be rapidly inserted using a stapling gun, with little or no skill. However staples are unsightly and are not generally used in the production of quality furniture.

We have now devised a method of fastening upholstery to furniture frames which is quicker and cheaper than using studs, but still produces an attractive finish.

According to the invention a method of fastening upholstery to a furniture frame comprises positioning a length of upholstery material over the frame, and inserting fastening devices through the upholstery material and into the frame, the upholstery material being shaped, positioned or otherwise arranged to conceal the fastening devices.

Preferably the fastening devices comprise metal staples.

Preferably the length of upholstery material, between adjacent staples, is bunched up to form a loop, any space between adjacent loops being so small that the staple lying between each pair of adjacent loops is concealed from view.

The length of upholstery material preferably comprises leather.

Preferably a sheet of upholstery material is sandwiched between the frame and the length of upholstery material.

The length of upholstery material may comprise a narrow strip.

The invention includes an article of furniture comprising upholstery fastened to a frame by the method according to the invention.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of part of an article of furniture manufactured according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a view illustrating steps in the method according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing an article of furniture manufactured accord ing to this embodiment of the invention.

A known technique of fastening upholstery to a furniture frame is illustrated in Figure 1. Studs 10 having attractive heads are hammered through the upholstery and into the wooden frame within the article of furniture. A large number of studs must be used and it takes time and skill to position them neatly and accurately.

In Figure 2, which illustrates the method according to the invention, reference numeral 11 designates part of the timber frame of a piece of furniture to be upholstered, and the reference numeral 12 designates a sheet of leather which is to be attached to the frame 11.

In order to attach the leather 12 to the frame 11, a narrow decorative strip of leather 13 has one end attached to the article of furniture by punching a metal staple 14 through the strip 13, through the leather 12, and into the wooden frame 11. The strip is then bunched up to form a loop 15 and another staple 16 is inserted. This process can be repeated very rapidly with little or no skill to produce subsequent ioops 16, 17 and 18.

Because of the way in which the loops are bunched together, adjacent loops co-operate to conceal from view the staple which lies between the adjacent loops.

Since the staples pass not only through the strip 13 but also through the sheet of leather 12, the sheet of leather 12 is securely fastened to the frame 11.

Figure 3 illustrates how the method according to this embodiment of the invention may be utilised to replace the studs 10 shown in Figure 1. The looped strip 13 provides a pleasing appearance and no staples are visible. The staples which are passed through the very ends of the strip 13, which will not have a loop on either side of them to conceal them, may be positioned at a point at which they will in any event be out of sight, for example underneath the article of furniture.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example although the method is shown in Figure 3 as being used at the front of an arm of a chair, the method according to the invention may be used at any location on an article of furniture where it is desired to fasten upholstery to the furniture frame.

1. A method of fastening upholstery to a furni tureframecomprising positioning a length of upholstery material over the frame, and inserting fastening devices through the upholstery material and into the frame, the upholstery material being shaped, positioned or otherwise arranged to conceal the fastening devices.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the fastening devices comprise metal staples.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the length of upholstery material, between adjacent staples, is bunched up to form a loop, any space between adjacent loops being so small that the staple lying between each pair of adjacent loops is concealed from view.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the length of upholstery material com prises leather.

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which a sheet of upholstery material is sand

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Furniture The invention relates to furniture and particularly to a method of fastening upholstery to furniture frames. It is well known to fasten upholstery, for example leather upholstery, to wooden furniture frames by hammering studs through the upholstery and into the frame. A large number of studs is required and the time needed to hammer tham all in is considerable. Since they are visible in the finished product they must be carefully and uniformly positioned which increases the time and skill required, and the heads must be attractive, thus increasing the cost of the studs. It is also known to attach upholstery to furniture frames by means of cheaper fastening devices such as metal staples which can be rapidly inserted using a stapling gun, with little or no skill. However staples are unsightly and are not generally used in the production of quality furniture. We have now devised a method of fastening upholstery to furniture frames which is quicker and cheaper than using studs, but still produces an attractive finish. According to the invention a method of fastening upholstery to a furniture frame comprises positioning a length of upholstery material over the frame, and inserting fastening devices through the upholstery material and into the frame, the upholstery material being shaped, positioned or otherwise arranged to conceal the fastening devices. Preferably the fastening devices comprise metal staples. Preferably the length of upholstery material, between adjacent staples, is bunched up to form a loop, any space between adjacent loops being so small that the staple lying between each pair of adjacent loops is concealed from view. The length of upholstery material preferably comprises leather. Preferably a sheet of upholstery material is sandwiched between the frame and the length of upholstery material. The length of upholstery material may comprise a narrow strip. The invention includes an article of furniture comprising upholstery fastened to a frame by the method according to the invention. By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of part of an article of furniture manufactured according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a view illustrating steps in the method according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing an article of furniture manufactured accord ing to this embodiment of the invention. A known technique of fastening upholstery to a furniture frame is illustrated in Figure 1. Studs 10 having attractive heads are hammered through the upholstery and into the wooden frame within the article of furniture. A large number of studs must be used and it takes time and skill to position them neatly and accurately. In Figure 2, which illustrates the method according to the invention, reference numeral 11 designates part of the timber frame of a piece of furniture to be upholstered, and the reference numeral 12 designates a sheet of leather which is to be attached to the frame 11. In order to attach the leather 12 to the frame 11, a narrow decorative strip of leather 13 has one end attached to the article of furniture by punching a metal staple 14 through the strip 13, through the leather 12, and into the wooden frame 11. The strip is then bunched up to form a loop 15 and another staple 16 is inserted. This process can be repeated very rapidly with little or no skill to produce subsequent ioops 16, 17 and 18. Because of the way in which the loops are bunched together, adjacent loops co-operate to conceal from view the staple which lies between the adjacent loops. Since the staples pass not only through the strip 13 but also through the sheet of leather 12, the sheet of leather 12 is securely fastened to the frame 11. Figure 3 illustrates how the method according to this embodiment of the invention may be utilised to replace the studs 10 shown in Figure 1. The looped strip 13 provides a pleasing appearance and no staples are visible. The staples which are passed through the very ends of the strip 13, which will not have a loop on either side of them to conceal them, may be positioned at a point at which they will in any event be out of sight, for example underneath the article of furniture. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example although the method is shown in Figure 3 as being used at the front of an arm of a chair, the method according to the invention may be used at any location on an article of furniture where it is desired to fasten upholstery to the furniture frame. CLAIMS

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which a sheet of upholstery material is sand wiched between the frame and the length of upholstery material.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the length of upholstery comprises a narrow strip.

7. A method of fastening upholstery to a furniture frame substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An article of furniture comprising upholstery fastened to a frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to7.