US1774191A - Panel upholstery and method of applying same - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1930. B. M. STANNARD 1,774,191

PANEL UPHOLSTERY AND METHOD OF APPLYING SA IE 7 Filed Aprgll l, 1929 INVENTOR HIS, ATTORNEY.

I Druca fifannaray P tented Aug. 26. 1930 V 1 UNITED "STATES ATENT OFFICE",

.IBRUCE M. STANNARD, or: BINGHAMTON, NEW ,YORK, AssiGnOR 'ro nitnw'nn- 1 v TITCHENER CORPORATION, OF CORT AN New YORK, A oonron'arion onnnw.

YORK

Application filed' April 1,

'- The present invention is a continuation in part of my pen'ding application Serial No. 302,173, filed Aug. 127,1928and relates to composite panels or the like,-more particularly to chair members such asprovide for a one-piece metal seat or back panel to which upholstered pads may be applied in a neat and efiective manner. An objectis to provide for a chair member of this character in which cushioned upholstery fabric may be firmly secured into any grooved seat or back panel by the use of anendless clamping band a'dapted to embed the fabric border into such groove in an improved and novel manner. An important constructive feature resides in the use of stretchable clamping means that permits of securing the cover fabric inwardly of the panel perimeter and whlch cover 1s m turn' reenforced by an underlyingbacking plate. As.

an additional differentiation, the groove wall spacing is preferably kept wider than the thickness of the inserted clamping strap to the end that a clearancegap may be provided for around the exterior of the assembled bands Such improved disposition on part of the fabric blnder, readlly compensates for expected differences in the run of fabric heft and likewise for all ordinaryvariations of fabricationin either the panel groove'width or the rin g'filler thickness.

A. further object consists in constructive features that facilitate rapid and economical.

securement of said upholstery covering 011 a productive scale at the least expenditure of labor and the minimum of fabric waste re-' sulting from defective pads. Embodied herein are further structural detailsand amode of manipulation, for applying upholstery to either metal or Wooden panels designed to accomplish the foregoing and related purposes, all of which will be more explicitly set forth hereinafter. L i

Reference is had to the annexed one sheet of drawings which are illustrative of'certain specific embodiments-of my invention, like characters" of reference indicate like parts, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a top View of my upholstered metal seat panel adapted for-use in QOIIIIGC".

tion with foldable seats, and Fig. 2 is a cross PANEL UPHOLSTERY ANDfME'lHOD or APPLYINGSAME 1929. Serial No. 35I,603.

sectional view thereof as taken along line if Fig. 5 represents enlarged fragmental view of Fig.2 and discloses the relationship of the 2. 12 of Fig. 1 to indicatethe manner in which component upholstery elements priortoforc} ing said ring into an endless panel groove,

while Fig. 6 is illustrative of the aforesaid upholstery after said sealing ring'has been secured in place but" prior to trimming the margin of the upholstery fabric.

Fig-,7 shows a sectional view similar to Fig. 6 except that said fabric hasnow'been perimetrically trimmed to completetmy seat pholste y P Ocess' The present disclosure is more largely concerned with perfecting said upholstered cushion ineansas applied to a unitary sheet-metal panel affording an endless'gr'oove into which the fabric margins may be firmlysecured. Referring indetail to the drawingsyFig. l

shows the annular top or'body'contactingseat side faceC? of my one piece sheet-metal frame or panel as equipt with. my improved uphol v'stered cushion mounting, 'itbeing apparent thatv by identical means such upholstery might likewise be applied to the forward orbody contacting face of a chair back, also'to any kind of fixedly mounted paneliother than the -foldable metal. chair'type herein fmore specifically described. f f

Aswill be seen from the sectional views,

my relatively thin sheet-metal panel pro-x vide for an annular topside face'C preferably having the marginal edges thereof d'ownturned into 'a depending circumscribi'ng I flange C designed toaugmentthe normal stiffness of the fiat'top plate- Withinlthe confines of said flange there mayfurther be provided a sunken endless groove Cthaving vcomplementary inner and outer side-wall faces C and C respectively, that are perimetrically disposed in rectangular relation to the'panelside and kept'amply spaced, to provide for a relatively wide groove dimension W therebetween.

The bottom of said side walls may be integrally interconnected by a shown somewhat shorter than its mate with its uppermost edge fashioned into a centering bead C this in turn, may be spanned by an integrally formed dished crown plate element C that may be slightly depressed relative to the level of the top face as shown. It is emphasized that said plate serves as a backing means for laterally reenforcing my upholstery fabric and as used in association with an endless binding means, constitutes an important feature of the present invention.

The particular plan contour given to said groove C is immaterial; as applied to a seat frame, its shape may be made somewhat unsymmetrical in the fashion shown in Fig. 1, where a substantially straight length portion is provided adjacent to the swingable outermostedge of this particular seat disclosure whiletoward the pivoted rear seat edge, said groove may be given a more rounded shape that recedes from the respectivecontiguous corners of the substantially square shapehere given to the seat face. If

desired, said rear seat corners may each be equipt with an outwardly projecting stop lug such as C and this may be further attached to the seat flange C by strap means such as C that respectively terminate in a perforated hinge element C Each of the rear corner regions may further be provided with depressions oftriangular. shape such as C,

which feature ishowever non-essential except for decorative purposes.

The upholstered cushioning pad E as applied to my metal seat or back panel, is associated with an endless clamping ring or band E which as detailed in Figs. 3 and e, is

preferably made'up from strap stock bent into an endless loop that closely conforms to the shape and size given to the innermost groove wall C and is intended to be stretched somewhat when said band is forced into place. The ends of said ring may be fastened together in any suitable fashion but to facili tate ease and cheapness in fabrication,'it is preferred to resort to the interlocking style of keeper joint E indicated in Fig. l but the ring ends may also be soldered, welded or otherwise oined together.

,Said cushioning means mayfurther comprise a sheet of pliable textile such as tapestry fabric, leather, leatheroid, or the like suitable gated paper board orv the like sheet filler medium E superimposed thereon is shown a relatively thick layer ofwadding E preferably comprising felt or other soft fibrous cushioning material.

Both the filler medium E and the cushioning material E are intended to be first cut out of sheet stock to an approximate size or shape somewhat smaller than the contour dclined by the inner groove wall C in the manner indicated by Fig. 5, where the component upholstery parts are shown partially assembled and centered upon the depressed panel plate C prior to their securem'ent to said metal. panel. The inside dimension of my stretchable metal sealing band E is preferably made of bore size that will properly embracethe outermost dimension given to the groove wall C hence when this ring is firmly pressed down into the groove with the margin of the fabric E interposed in clamped relation therebetween in the fashion indicated in Fig. 6, said fabric thereby becomes snugly drawn and stretched over the enclosed sheet wadding E*, which in turn causes the edges of the latter cushioning medium to assume a soi'newhat tapered form that imparts a neat rounded appearance to the finished upholstery as a whole. It will be observed that the external ring dimension is not allowed to fill the whole of the groove width W in the conventional manner but (see Fig. 6) is purposely so disposed as to leave a. clearance gap W between the circumscribing groove wall 0 and the exterior of the embedded fabric, which gap is made sufiiciently large to prevent clamping the perilnetric fabric portion outwardly against the last named wall.

By the use of a suitable knife or cutter, adapted to reach through said gap, the projecting edge of the fabric may thereupon be trimmed off adjacent to the exposed free hottommost ring edge in the fashion shown in Fig. 7. Said ring is preferably made of a strap width approximately equal to the effective depth of the groove C so that said exposed ring edge may fall substantially flush with the beaded perin'ieter of the panel plate C and assuming this ring to have been previously nickel plated, the finished upholstery may thereby be given an exceedingly effective trim. It will be obvious that the de scribed band. securement is intended to be kept to proper size such as will frictionally maintain the fabric in a proper stretched relation across that portion of the body contact facing that is circumscribed by said frame groove and that the provision for a gap clearance space VJ prevents dragging or crimping the fabric border portion downwardly toward the transverse groove wall C but instead confines the frictional draw on part of the band to that fabric portion lying inteiorly of said band.

A further structural feature resides in cooperatively disposing the upholstered fabric cover E relative to the underlying backing sioned fabric to be relieved rather than augmentecl under increased seat load; hence my binder hoop does not need any supple-' mentary' fastenings to prevent its being dislodged even when merely retained in place by frictional clamping engagement. My

hoop is preferably entered in such fashion that it simultaneously tucks the entire fabric perimeter into the panel groove, and thereupon serves tocontinuously bind the fabric margin against only the'innermost groove wall.

The mode of applying fabric to a metal panel is thought to have been made manifest by the foregoing description; taking up my improved method for assembling said article,

the steps involved may be more specifically defined as follows:

Firstly, providing for a. panel and forming in one of its sides, a groove of the relatively wide endless type secondly, placing a fabric upon said panel side in an overlapping covered relation to said groove; thirdly, tucking the fabric border region down into the panel groove by means of a relatively narrow band that is sized to be stretched and frictionally hold the fabric border in en gagement with the innermost groove face C but still provide for a clearance gap W therearound relative to the outermost or circumscribing groove face C and lastly, reaching into said gap with a cutter to trim on the surplus fabric border lying in close adjacency to the bottommost edge of the inserted band, the thrust of thecutting edge being counteracted by the underlying bottom wall 0 of the panel groove. i 'By the use of the described instrumentalities, the metal seat and back frame panels of a chair or the like, may first be japan finished in any desired color, whereupon a harmonized shade of fabric may be appliedthereto, all of which results in producing a pleas- 7 ing and attractive upholstered product; The non-metallic cushioning medium when attached to my metal panel further removes the disagreeable cold seat feel to which a user of an all-metal chair might otherwise be subjected, In addition, my sheet-metal seat panel by virtue of the described, groove formation and its circumscribed flange reenforcement, is made relatively stiff and amply rigid to resist undue distortion under normal body loads, and the mode of initially stretching and securing the upholstery thereon is such as will during extended use, obviate loosening or sagging on part of the fabric. This result is herein obtained in a simple and expeditious mannerwithoutneed of resorting to nails, prongs, cement or 'otherextrane one ring or: fabric securement-of anyxki-nd. 'Alth'ough certainspecific embodiments and sh pes of'metal seat members have herein been setforth, I do not wish to be limited to-the cited'arrangement or form of panel parts, since variouschanges may: be resorted to, all Without departing-from the spiritand scope of my invention, heretofore described and more specifically pointed outin' the appended claims." V

Claims 2 v 1. A seat panel'having an endless groove sunk into one side'thereof and which groovecomprises spaced innerandouter wall faces, an-upholstery material positioned upon said one panel sidej with the border thereof en- 7 tered into saidgroove, and securing means of the endless band type positioned over said inner groove face and clamping the fabric 'border'thereto', said g'roovefaces being sufiici ently spaced to provide a clearance gap larger thanthe thickness of said material as disposed between the band outer wall face. I 1 '2. A unitary sheet-metal panel compris ing a centrally disposed backing plate hav exterior and the ing an endless rabbet-like groove Wall "ele ment-circumscribing said plate and which wall is disposed inwardly from the panel perimeter, an upholstery coveringfor said backing plate, and ametallic band interiorly sizedto be expanded into embracing relation with said wall and clamp the interposed fabric border region thereagai-nst", said hoop being simultaneouslyforced into said embracing" relation through theflength thereof. v

3. A one-piece panel comprising'a substair tially rigid andnon-extensible backing face circumscribed'by an'endless sunken groove that isinset from the panel perimeter, a pliant covering material" superimposed upon said fac'einflstretched "cooperative relation, and an endless binding hoop entered into said groove, the width'spacing given to said groove being such as-to provide a'clearance gap around theexterior of the enteredjhoop and which gapis w'iderthan'the thickness of said'covering material. r

centrally disposed backing plate having a 4. A unitary sneet-fmetal panel comprising 7 spaced double-walled struck-up ridge circumscribing said plate and which ridge is in-* set from the panel perimeter, an upholstery web means covering said plate with a web border region tucked between the walls of said ridge, and an endless hoop entered be tween the walls of said ridge and frictionally clamping said web border region againstthe innermost of the ridge walls, the exterior of the hoop being spaced from the outermost ridge Wall by a distance greater than the'web thickness to provide clearance therebetween.

5. A panel having a groove associated with one panel face and which groove comprises" spaced endless inner and outer walls, an upholstery fabric spanning the panel region encompassed by the groove and having a fabric border region entered into said groove, and hoop means entered into the groove and over the inner wall thereof to clamp said fabric border region therebetween, said groove walls being suificientlyispaced to allow of inserting a cutting ,tool into said'groove exteriorly of e the hoop and sever the surplus fabric portion lying immediately beyond the first entered edge of the assembled hoop.

6. The method of fabricatinga chair panel or the like and which method consists: firstly,

in providing a grooved backing base means; secondly, in placing a covering material upon said base in overlapping relation to the groove thereof; thirdly, by theuse of hoop means, entering the covering material into the groove of said base and binding said ma terial therein, said base serving to support the surplus border material portion extending beyond the entered hoop; and fourthly, while thus supported trimming the surplus fabric material lying exteriorly contiguous to the first'entered hoop edge.

7. The method of upholstering panels or the like having one face thereof provided with a sunken groove comprising comple- Inentary inner and outer side-walls together with an interconnecting bottom wall and which groove is adapted to receive a stretchable binding hoop means therein while the complementary walls thereof are sufiiciently spaced to provide for a clearance gap along the exteriorof the entered hoop, and which method consists: firstly, in placing an upholstery cover upon said one panelface with the cover border disposed to overlap the inner groove wall; secondly, by the use of said hoop entered into said groove, causing said overlapping border region to be clamped about the inner side-wall and bringing a portion of the cover border into adjacency with said bottom wall; and thirdly, severing the surplus cover border lying exteriorly of and contiguous to the first entered hoop edge by the introduction of a cutter within the aforesaid clearance gap, saidbottom wall upholding said adjacent cover portion while the cutter severs said surplus border.

In testimony whereof, I have herewith set my hand this 29th day of March, 1929.

BRUCE M. STANNARD.

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