GB2181044A - Seat - Google Patents

Abstract

A seat of the bench type for open air public use has a seat member and one or more support members. The seat member comprising a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members 20 supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members 22, 22a i.e. ribs. The ribs being arranged in at least two groups, the ribs of one group being equally spaced apart by a first distance and the ribs of the second group being spaced apart by a second distance which is substantially less than the first distance. The seat member is supported on a longitudinal beam 10 and cross beam 12, the connections between the beams 12 and seat member being in the region of the second group of ribs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Seat This invention relates to a seat, and particularly but not exclusively to a seat of the bench type for open air public use.

According to the invention, there is provided a bench seat comprising a seat member and one or more support members for supporting the seat, the seat member comprising a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members herein called ribs, the ribs being arranged in at least two groups, the ribs of one group being equally spaced apart by a first distance and the ribs of the second group being spaced apart by a second distance which is substantially less than the first distance.

With such an arrangement, the connection between the support members and the seat member can be located in the region of the second group of ribs, so providing increased strength where required.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the periphery of the seat member is defined by a continuous loop of metal tube or rod. Preferably the cross members are also of wire and more preferably both the longitudinal members and the cross members are of polyester coated galvanised wire.

The polyester may be applied by electrostatic paint spraying equipment.

The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a support member for a seat according to one example of the invention; Figure 2 is a partial top plan view of the support member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal central cross section Ill-Ill; Figure 4 is a side elevation of one example of seat member in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but on a larger scale and of part of the seat member; Figure 6 is a plan view of part of the seat member; and Figure 7 is a cross section on the line VIl-VIl of Figure 6 showing the configuration of a rib; Figure 8 is a front elevation showing a seat member supported by a beam fixed to two upstanding legs.

In the drawings, like parts are represented by like reference numerals.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated seat is a bench seat intended for outdoor public use.

However, the invention is not limited to this kind of seat and could be applied to many different forms of seat. The illustrated seat includes one or more, usually two, support members supporting a seat member. The number of support members will normally be chosen in accordance with the length of the seat. A support member is seen in Figures 1-3 and Fig. 8 and is of goal-post shape. It has two legs 11 and a longitudinal beam 10. The legs may be sunk into the ground as shown in Fig. 8, the ground level being shown at 13. The longitudinal beam 10 may be a metal tube of substantially rectangular cross-section. Cross beams 12 are supported by the beam 10 and extend across the top of the beam 10.

The beams 12 are secured to the beam 10 by any convenient means, for example each by a bolt or other fixing member whose head is seen at 14.

The illustrated seat member 19, see Figures 4-8, includes a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members which are herein also called ribs. In the figures the wire members are seen at 20 and the ribs at 22. Also forming part of the seat member is a peripheral member 24. This is in closed loop form and defines the periphery of the seat.

Preferably, the longitudinal member 20 is made of metallic rod or wire, for example of aluminium or aluminium alloy, and the cross members 22 and the loop member 24 may be made of the same material.

Preferably these parts are secured together by welding. These wire and rod members are protected against corrosion by a surface coating of a polyester material or other equivalent material for example a paint. The coating may be applied by electrostatic paint spraying equipment.

As seen best in Figure 6, the ribs can be regarded as made up of two groups, a first group which are equally spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the seat by a first distance and a second group which are equally spaced from one another by a second distance which is less than the first distance. The cross beams 12 are located at intervals along the length seat as previously described, and in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, are connected to the two ribs which are indicated 22A.

The seat particularly disclosed herein has a number of advantages, firstly it is substantially vandal-proof, secondly it is robust and durable and resistant to weathering, and thirdly its construction is extremely simple and inexpensive. Once the box 10 have been sighted, then all that is necessary is for one or more fixing means 14to be secured to attach a seat member to the block or blocks. Moreover, the seat has a modern attractive appearance and is comfortable to users.

1. A bench seat comprising a seat member and one or more support members for supporting the seat, the seat member comprising a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members herein called ribs, the ribs being arranged in at least two groups, the ribs of one group being equally spaced apart by a first distance and the ribs of the second group being spaced apart by a second distance which is substantially less than the first distance.

2. A seat according to claim 1 in which the periphery of the seat member is defined by a continuous loop of metal tube or rod.

3. A seat according to claim 1 or 2 in which the

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

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Seat This invention relates to a seat, and particularly but not exclusively to a seat of the bench type for open air public use. According to the invention, there is provided a bench seat comprising a seat member and one or more support members for supporting the seat, the seat member comprising a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members herein called ribs, the ribs being arranged in at least two groups, the ribs of one group being equally spaced apart by a first distance and the ribs of the second group being spaced apart by a second distance which is substantially less than the first distance. With such an arrangement, the connection between the support members and the seat member can be located in the region of the second group of ribs, so providing increased strength where required. According to a preferred feature of the invention, the periphery of the seat member is defined by a continuous loop of metal tube or rod. Preferably the cross members are also of wire and more preferably both the longitudinal members and the cross members are of polyester coated galvanised wire. The polyester may be applied by electrostatic paint spraying equipment. The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a support member for a seat according to one example of the invention; Figure 2 is a partial top plan view of the support member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal central cross section Ill-Ill; Figure 4 is a side elevation of one example of seat member in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but on a larger scale and of part of the seat member; Figure 6 is a plan view of part of the seat member; and Figure 7 is a cross section on the line VIl-VIl of Figure 6 showing the configuration of a rib; Figure 8 is a front elevation showing a seat member supported by a beam fixed to two upstanding legs. In the drawings, like parts are represented by like reference numerals. Referring to the drawings, the illustrated seat is a bench seat intended for outdoor public use. However, the invention is not limited to this kind of seat and could be applied to many different forms of seat. The illustrated seat includes one or more, usually two, support members supporting a seat member. The number of support members will normally be chosen in accordance with the length of the seat. A support member is seen in Figures 1-3 and Fig. 8 and is of goal-post shape. It has two legs 11 and a longitudinal beam 10. The legs may be sunk into the ground as shown in Fig. 8, the ground level being shown at 13. The longitudinal beam 10 may be a metal tube of substantially rectangular cross-section. Cross beams 12 are supported by the beam 10 and extend across the top of the beam 10. The beams 12 are secured to the beam 10 by any convenient means, for example each by a bolt or other fixing member whose head is seen at 14. The illustrated seat member 19, see Figures 4-8, includes a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members which are herein also called ribs. In the figures the wire members are seen at 20 and the ribs at 22. Also forming part of the seat member is a peripheral member 24. This is in closed loop form and defines the periphery of the seat. Preferably, the longitudinal member 20 is made of metallic rod or wire, for example of aluminium or aluminium alloy, and the cross members 22 and the loop member 24 may be made of the same material. Preferably these parts are secured together by welding. These wire and rod members are protected against corrosion by a surface coating of a polyester material or other equivalent material for example a paint. The coating may be applied by electrostatic paint spraying equipment. As seen best in Figure 6, the ribs can be regarded as made up of two groups, a first group which are equally spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the seat by a first distance and a second group which are equally spaced from one another by a second distance which is less than the first distance. The cross beams 12 are located at intervals along the length seat as previously described, and in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, are connected to the two ribs which are indicated 22A. The seat particularly disclosed herein has a number of advantages, firstly it is substantially vandal-proof, secondly it is robust and durable and resistant to weathering, and thirdly its construction is extremely simple and inexpensive. Once the box 10 have been sighted, then all that is necessary is for one or more fixing means 14to be secured to attach a seat member to the block or blocks. Moreover, the seat has a modern attractive appearance and is comfortable to users. CLAIMS

1. A bench seat comprising a seat member and one or more support members for supporting the seat, the seat member comprising a series of substantially parallel longitudinal wire members supported by a plurality of substantially parallel cross members herein called ribs, the ribs being arranged in at least two groups, the ribs of one group being equally spaced apart by a first distance and the ribs of the second group being spaced apart by a second distance which is substantially less than the first distance.

2. A seat according to claim 1 in which the periphery of the seat member is defined by a continuous loop of metal tube or rod.

3. A seat according to claim 1 or 2 in which the cross members are also of wire.

4. A seat according to claim 3 in which the members are of polyester coated galvanized wire.

5. A seat according to claim 4 in which the polyester was applied by electrostatic paint spraying equipment.

6. A seat according to any preceding claim in which the wires and cross members are joined by welding.

7. A bench seat substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel combination or sub-combination described and/orillustrated herein.