GB2167950A

GB2167950A - Seat platform

Info

Publication number: GB2167950A
Application number: GB08529640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Raymond Pedel; Christopher John Huddy
Original assignee: ERCOL FURNITURE Ltd
Current assignee: ERCOL FURNITURE Ltd
Priority date: 1984-12-03
Filing date: 1985-12-02
Publication date: 1986-06-11
Also published as: GB8529640D0

Abstract

A seat platform for a chair in which the peripheral edge of a piece of fabric covering the supporting structure of the seat platform is held in a recess in its upper surface. The seat platform comprises a rigid frame provided with a flexible supporting structure characterised in that a recess 8 is provided in the upper surface of the rigid frame and in that a tailored piece of stretch fabric 10 is provided which has, integral with its periphery an elongated member 12 of a length equal or substantially equal to the perimeter of the recess at the said upper surface whereby the peripheral portion of the fabric including the elongated member may be inserted into the recess and securely retained therein so as to hold the fabric evenly over the internal area of the rigid frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Seat platform This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to furniture in particular the invention relates to a novel seat platform for a chair.

Traditionally armchairs and settees comprise one or more loose cushions positioned on a supporting base. The supporting base generally comprises a rigid frame which in the case of a settee, may be divided into two or more sub-frames and the interior of the frame is provided with a flexible supporting structure. Such a structure may comprise an array of springs a plurality of flexible straps or a sheet of rubber.

It is clearly desirable that the supporting structure should be strong to withstand prolonged use but, with loose cushions, the structure is often visible.

Strong supporting structures may be bulky and unattractive to look at while even a simple web of woven flexible straps can be aesthetically unappealing.

In addition to the need to produce a seat platform that is appealing to the eye it is desirable to avoid contact of the supporting structure with the loose cushion. Such contact may damage the upholstery of the loose cushion either by marking it or by tearing or cutting it. Marks, tears or cuts may result from contact of the upholstery with edges or ends of any springs or straps.

We have now invented a way of covering the supporting structure of a seat platform with fabric which produces an aesthetically pleasing finish and which keeps the fabric in place without the need to use glue, tacks or staples. The cover therefore has the manufacturing advantage of being easy to apply and the marketing advantage of being easy for a customer to replace should the need ever arise.

In accordance with the invention the peripheral edge of the fabric covering the supporting structure of a seat platform is securely held in a recess in the upper surface of the frame of the seat platform.

A seat platform for a chair in accordance with the invention comprises a rigid frame provided with a flexible supporting structure which is characterised in that a recess is provided in the upper surface of the rigid frame and in that a tailored piece of stretch fabric is provided which has, integral with its periphery, an elongated member of a length equal or substantially equal to the perimeter of the recess at the said upper surface whereby the peripheral portion of the fabric including the elongated member may be inserted into the recess and securely retained therein so as to hold the fabric evenly over the internal area of the rigid frame.

The continuous elongated member is conveniently sewn into a peripheral hem of the fabric. The hem is then thrust into the recess with the elongated member to produce a smooth, flat appearance to the fabric which is pleasing to the eye.

We have achieved advantageous resuits if the elongated member is continuous and possesses some longitudinal elasticity. Such a member may be of a length such that it may be inserted into the recess and retained therein in a state of tension while holding the fabric in a stretched condition over the internal area of the rigid frame.

However, we have found that, by judicious selection of the width of the recess, the peripheral edge of the fabric incorporating the elongated member can be firmly held in place without the need to place the member under tension. The member need not then be continuous and this allows some simplification of the manufacturing process.

The elongated member may be any of a variety of materials that satisfy the criteria mentioned above.

Advantageous results have been achieved using an elongated circular spring coated with plastics material of the type conventionally threaded through net curtains to supportthem (sometimes called curtain wire). Such 'curtain wire' has the advantages of being inexpensive and readily available.

The appearance of the seat platform may be further enhanced by p-roviding an additional recess in the underside of the frame into which a further piece of tailored fabric is fitted at its periphery. The firmness with which the tailored fabric is held in the recess may be enhanced by alteration of the dimensions of the recess. For example a recess provided with a neck down which the elongated member may be pushed so as to be securely held in the area below the neck. Alternatively, a recess angled to the surface of the rigid frame such that the perimeter of the top of the recess is greater than that of the bottom will also ensure a secure fit of elongated member in the recess.

In order that the invention may be well understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat platform in accordance with the invention and Figure 2 is a section along the line AA' in Figure 1.

The seat platform comprises a rigid, wooden frame 1 provided with a conventional, flexible, supporting structure. The structure comprises a plurality of springs 2 hooked on to anchors 3 provided in one pair of opposite sides of the frame.

Wires 4 are slung between the springs 2 and the array is sandwiched between upper 5 and lower 6 layers of standard, upholsterer's padding or wadding which may be tacked in place with a few loops of cotton 7.

A recess 8 is provided in the upper surface of rigid frame 1 and, in the embodiment shown, an optional additional recess 9 has been provided in the lower surface of the rigid frame. A conventional piece of stretch fabric 10 is cut so as to cover the whole of the internal area of the rigid frame and is provided with a hem 11 through which a continuous elongated member 12 is threaded. A second tailored piece of stretch fabric 13 suitably hemmed covers the whole of the underneath of the rigid frame as shown clearly in Figure 2.

The elongated member 12 comprises a continuous length of plastic coated curtain wire of the type normally used for hanging net curtains. In its relaxed condition, member 12 is shorter than the perimeter of recess 8. Hem 11 containing member 12 is stretched and inserted into recess 8 where it is securely retained in a state of tension while the fabric 10 is held in a smooth, flat, stretched condition as shown in Figure 1 to give an aesthetically pleasing seat platform.

Claims

1. A seat platform for a chair which comprises a rigid frame provided with a flexible supporting structure characterised in that a recess is provided in the upper surface of the rigid frame and in that a tailored piece of stretch fabric is provided which has integral with its periphery an elongated member of a length equal or substantially equal to the perimeter of the recess at the said upper surface whereby the peripheral portion of the fabric including the elongated member may be inserted into the recess and securely retained therein so as to hold the fabric evenly over the internal area of the rigid frame.

2. A seat platform according to claim 1 in which the elongated member is continuous and possesses some longitudinal elasticity and is of a length such that it may be inserted into the recess and retained therein in a state of tension while holding the fabric in a stretched condition over the internal area of the rigid frame.

3. A seat platform according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the elongated member is a circular spring coated with plastics material.

4. A seat platform according to any of claims 1-3 in which the recess is provided with a neck.

5. A seat platform according to any of claims 1-3 in which the recess is angled to the surface of the rigid frame such that the perimeter of the top of the recess is greater than that of the bottom.

6. A seat platform for a chair substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.