GB2240830A

GB2240830A - Article of furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2240830A
Application number: GB9002762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tony Blount
Original assignee: CONISBOROUGH FURNITURE COMPONE
Current assignee: CONISBOROUGH FURNITURE COMPONE
Priority date: 1990-02-07
Filing date: 1990-02-07
Publication date: 1991-08-14
Also published as: GB9002762D0

Abstract

This invention relates to an article of furniture, e.g. a stool, particularly to one moulded from plastic, comprising at least two members. The first member (10) includes a plug portion (12) of dovetail cross-section which tapers slightly towards an outer end (13) at an angle of about 1 DEG . A second member (24) comprises a complementary tapered socket (30). The article of furniture can be assembled by inserting the plug portion (12) into the socket (30) to form a secure fit which can be separated if required. Although no other fastening means is necessary, an adhesive, for example, could be used. <IMAGE>

Description

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE This invention relates to an article of furniture, and especially to an article of furniture of plastics material.

Existing articles of furniture often have some drawbacks relating to the manner in which some of the components or members, may be fastened together.

Using a stool as an example for a leg member may be attached to the frame member of the seat by means of a bolt secured in the leg and passing through a bracket of the stool frame to which it is secured by a wing nut. Whilst this allows the article to be dismantled if required, it is also possible for such nuts to work loose during normal use. Where the members are of plastics material construction of a leg member containing a bolt and of the frame member with bracket and the purchase of wing nuts and bolts add to the cost of the furniture.

This invention aims to provide an improved article of furniture.

In one aspect the invention may be considered to provide an article of furniture comprising two members of plastics material a first of which comprises a plug portion which progressively increases in cross-sectional area from an outer end of the member moving along said plug portion away from the outer end and engaged in a mating socket of the second member which progressively decreases in cross-sectional area from an outer end of the socket inwardly at a rate of taper substantially the same as the rate at which the cross-sectional area of the plug portion increases whereby to secure said two members firmly together.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the angle of taper is between 0.50 and 50.

While a preferred plug portion is of substantially dovetail cross-section, other cross-sections may be satisfactory, for example T-shaped or circular.

The first member may be an arm or a leg, the plug portion being disposed at one end portion of the first member and extending lengthwise thereof, and the second member may be a frame member.

Two members of a suitable rigid and dimensionally stable plastics material may be assembled manually in a preferred embodiment without any requirement for other fastening means.

Once assembled, the fit is remarkably secure, and considerable effort may be required to separate them, so that such separation is unlikely to occur accidentally during normal use, but is possible if required.

The two members should be made with close tolerances in the plug and socket portions so that a good fit is obtained.

Injection moulded plastics material is preferred, preferably high impact polystyrene or other plastics, for example polypropylene. Suitable plastics materials are preferably dimensionally stable and preferably do not shrink or expand under the influence of heat or moisture.

In another aspect the invention may be considered to provide a member suitable fpr use in the manufacture of an article of furniture according to the invention, injection moulded of plastics material and comprising a plug portion of dovetail cross-section disposed at one end portion of the member and extending lengthwise thereof which progressively increases in cross-section from an outer end of the plug portion lengthwise of the plug portion.

In a further aspect the invention may be considered to provide a member suitable for use in an article of furniture according to the invention comprising a socket of dovetail cross-section which progressively decreases in cross-sectional area from an outer end of the socket inwardly.

There now follows a detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings of part of an article of furniture embodying the invention. It will be realised that this article has been selected for description to illustrate the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a first member of an article of furniture with part broken away; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second member of an article of furniture; and Figure 3 is a back view of the first member.

Figure 1 depicts a first member namely a stool leg 10 comprising at one end portion a plug portion 12, of dovetail cross-section, bounded by a first flat face 14 and a second flat face 16 the faces 14, 16 being disposed at right angles to each other.

The plug portion 12 is tapered, such that it has a smaller cross-sectional area at the outer end 13 than at the inner end 15.

The taper occurs in the preferred embodiment with respect to faces 17 and 18, such that edges 19 and 20 are tapered (see Figure 3).

The first member 10 also has a shoulder 22 at the inner end 15 of the plug portion 12, which is in engagement with a stop face of a second member when the article of furniture is completely assembled.

Figure 2 shows a second member 24, namely a frame member of an article of furniture having flat faces 26 and 28 at right angles to each other and also having a socket 30 of dovetail cross-section complementary with the cross-section of the plug portion 12.

The two members 10, 24 may be assembled manually (or using suitable equipment), by fully inserting plug portion 12 into the mating socket 30, the end portion 13 being inserted into the end of the socket 30 of greatest cross-sectional area until the shoulder 22 abuts against a lower surface 23 of the second member which thus provides a stop face. In the preferred embodiment, the angle of taper of plug portion 12 is about 10 and this results in a tight fit so that it is not necessary to make use of any additional fastening means, although the use of other means such as adhesive is not excluded.

The members 10, 24 are moulded from a suitable rigid, dimensionally stable plastics material, namely high impact polystyrene.

The invention described herein could be applied to many articles of furniture including, for example, chairs, stools, tables and beds. It need not be confined to the attachment of legs; in a further example the first member may be an arm, and the second member a frame member. Similar joints may also be used in upholstered furniture frames.

Claims

1. An article of furniture comprising two members of plastics material a first of which comprises a plug portion of substantially dovetail cross-section which progressively increases in cross-sectional area from an outer end of the member moving along said plug portion away from the outer end and engaged in a mating socket of the second member which progressively decreases in cross-sectional area from an outer end of the socket inwardly at a rate of taper substantially the same as the rate at which the cross-sectional area of the plug portion increases whereby to secure said two members firmly together.

2. An article of furniture according to Claim 1 comprising a shoulder extending transversely of the said members which is in engagement with a stop face on the second of said members when the plug portion is fully engaged in the socket.

3. An article of furniture according to either one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein the angle of taper is between 0.50 and 1.50.

4. An article of furniture according to Claim 3 wherein the angle of taper is substantially 10.

5. An article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the members are injection moulded of plastics material.

6. An article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the plug portion is bounded by first and second flat faces, one disposed at either side of the plug portion and disposed at right angles to one another, and the socket is bounded at either side by third and fourth flat faces disposed at right angles to one another, whereby when the plug portion is fully engaged in the socket the first and second faces abut the third and fourth faces respectively.

7. An article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first member is a leg and the plug portion is disposed at one end portion of the leg and extends lengthwise thereof and the second member is a frame member.

8. An article of furniture according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the first member is an arm and the plug portion is disposed at one end portion of the arm and extends lengthwise thereof, and the second member is a frame member.

9. A stool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A member suitable for use in the manufacture of an article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, injection moulded of plastics material and comprising a plug portion of dovetail cross-section disposed at one end portion of the member and extending lengthwise thereof which progressively increases in cross-section from an outer end of the plug portion lengthwise of the plug portion.

11. A member suitable for use in an article of furniture according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 comprising a socket of dovetail cross-section which progressively decreases in crosssectional area from an outer end of the socket inwardly.