US1795202A

US1795202A - Article of furniture

Info

Publication number: US1795202A
Application number: US226162A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick A Dillingham
Original assignee: Troy Sunshade Co
Current assignee: Troy Sunshade Co
Priority date: 1927-10-14
Filing date: 1927-10-14
Publication date: 1931-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1948-03-03

Description

March 1931- F. A. DILLINGHAM ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 14, 1927 INVENTOR. 5M 45,4147 BY WMa/Z M )w ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK A. DILLINGHAM, OF TBOY, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE TROY SUNSHADE COM- PANY, OF TROY, OHIO, A CORPORATION-0F OHIO ARTICLE 01 FURNITURE Application filed October 14, 1927. Serial No. 226,162.

The present invention relates to an article of furniture and more particularly to an article of furniture of the swinging seat type.

-One object of this invetnion is to provide an article of furniture having a swinging seat suspended from a supporting frame in such a manner as to permit forward and rearward swinging movements whiile preventing undue side swing.

Another object is to provide mechanism of this character effective to overcome any sidewise movement imparted to the seat to return the latter to its normal position, and to maintain the seat within its norinal range of positioning under varying conditions of location of a load on the seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting frame for swingingly supporting the seat, so arrangedas to be conveniently collapsed; and which is adapted for the support of the seat in such a way that twisting strains are not applied on the frame. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings. v

Referring to the drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is set forth.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the seat and supporting frame of the present invention showing the manner in which the seat is suspended;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one end of the seat supported on the frame;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a view of one end of the supporting frame in its collapsed condition.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by reference numerals 10 designates the seat herein shown as of the couch hammock type. The seat is swung from a support which embodies the two side or end frame members 11 and 12 which are connected adjacent their lower portions to a horizontal bottom frame member 13. This bottom frame is formed of the two longitudinal angle-irons 14 and 15 connected together at their ends by cross pieces 16 and 17 to which they are riveted or otherwise firmly connected. Pivotally connected adjacent each corner of the bottom frame 13 is a short link 20 the other end of which is riveted or otherwise firmly. attached to the lower end of one of the side uprights of the side frames 11 and 12. These side frames each comprise the two angle-

iron uprights

22 and 23 the lower ends of which are connected as by means of rivets to a foot 24 which engages with the floor at its outer ends, this foot being bent upwardly a little distance from its ends to provide a horizontally extending portion 25 spaced a little distance above the floor and lying outwardly of the end of the horizontal frame 13. Inclined

straps

26 and 27 interconnect the portion 25 of the foot with the

uprights

22 and 23 to firmly brace the latter. At their upper ends the

uprights

22 and 23 are fastened to a top rail 29 this top rail being preferably a T-iron, the downwardly extending flange 30 of the rail being seated in vertical slots in the top of the uprights, throughbolts or rivets 31 fastening the T-rail firmly in place and inclined straps 32 and 33 interbraeing the uprights and the top rail together.

The two side or end frames 11 and 12 are thus each formed as a rigid structure pivotally connected by means of the short links 20 to the ends of the bottom frame 13. The length of the short links 20 is such that the side frames may be collapsed to lie flat along the upper side of the bottom frame so that the two side frames are then in alignment with each other and parallel with the bottom frame 13. The side frames are held in their normal upright positions by means of links 36 which are pivoted at one end to the corresponding upright of the side frame and at their other ends are adjustably connected to the bottom frame 13 at points considerably removed from the corresponding connection with the links 20. Each link 36 is provided with a slot 37, the end of which is enlarged upwardly as shown at 38. A bolt 39 is fixed to the corresponding angle-iron 14 or 15 and this bolt is received in the slot 37 in such a way that when the side frames are collapsed the bolt remains in engagement with the slot but is then positioned adjacent the other end lUO of the slot remote from the enlargement 38.

When the side frames are upright the length of the links 36 is such that the enlargement 38 at the outer end of the slot 37 receives the bolt 39 to firmly brace the uprights and hold them rigidly in their normal vertical position.

The seat 10 which may be provided with the customary upholstery cushions, not shown, comprises a seat spring 42 heldin a frame formed of angle-

irons

43 and 44 extending longitudinallyof the seat and end irons 45 and 46, which are also preferably of angle shape. At each corner of the seat frame thus formed is a depending angle-iron 47 fixed preferably to the inner side of the end of the longitudinal member of the seat, and a strap 48 is riveted at 49 and 50 to a. longitudinal member and to a depending angle-iron 47, so that the strap pro ects as shown at 51 laterally of the seat at a point considerably below the level of the top of the latter. The projecting portions 51 are horizontal and extend beyond the side frame, but they are spaced a considerable distance forward or rearward of the uprights 22-23 of the side frame so that forward and rearward swinging movements are permitted.

The seat is suspended from the top rails 29 of the sideframes in such a way that forward and rearward swinging movements of the seat are permitted in simulation of the swinging movements of a seat suspended from a point at a considerable distance above the couch hammock. The suspension is such however as to effectively overcome or resist any sidewise movement of the seat to return the seat to its normal position, centrally located between the two side frames, so that during swinging the seat will follow a substantially straight back and forth path of movement, and will not bump against the side or end frames. This mounting is such as to overcome or counteract any side sway of the seat due to unbalanced positioning of the load on the seat, and to maintain it in such normal position laterally with respect to the supporting frame regardless of the location of a load on the seat. For this purpose each of the extensions 51 adjacent the four corners of the seat is supported by a suspension device comprising a plurality of angularly related hangers, preferably flexible chains as shown at 54 and 55. Each pair of chains 54 and 55 is shown as connected at a common point 56 to a hook 57 which is hung in a transverse hole in the vertically depending flange 30 adjacent the end of the top rail 29. The lower ends of the two chains 54 and 55 are connected at points on the extension 51 spaced a material distance apart as indicated at 58 and 59. As shown in Fig. 2 the points 58 and 59 as viewed from-the front of the seat are located equal distances laterally from the suspension point 56 which it will be noted is positioned centrally of the top rail 29, and

-due to such arrangement the construction is such as to prevent any twisting tendency or strain on the structure. As the chains 54 and 55 are connected at points spaced laterally a substantial distance apart on the extension 51 any sidewise movements of the seat or any tendency of the seat to move sidewise will be instantly resisted by a substantial, and progressively increasing, force causing the immediate return of the seat to its normal range of positioning centrally between the side frames. The flexible nature of the chains 54 and 55 permits the seat to be bodily moved end wise if a horizontal force is exerted on the seat but regardless of the position of a load on the top of the seat and even if a person sits very close to one of the side frames the seat will be held centrally of the side frames and will be prevented from unduly moving sidewise, this result being attained by reason of the shifting of the load from one of the chains to the other of a pair of hangers if such a sidewise movement should be started. A movement of the seat in a lateral direction from its normal position results instantly in a substantial elevation or raising of both ends of the seat, and the weight of the seat together with the load thus exerts a downward force maintaining the normal position of the seat.

As viewed from the side of the couch hamhock the chains 54 and 55 form pairs of flex ible suspension members preferably inclined at a slight angle to the vertical so that they extend downwardly and outwardly as shown in Fig. 3, the length of the top rails 29 of the side frames being slightly smaller than the distance between the side extensions at the end of the seat. As all four of the front chains lie in a common inclined plane, and all of the chains at the rear of the seat lie in another common plane, forward and rearward swinging movements of the seat are permitted and as the seat swings forwardly or rearwardly the angle of the same to the horizontal will be changed so that the motion simulates the motion of a seat swung from a comparatively high point.

As previously stated the usual cushions and upholstery are provided for the couch hammock, and the side angle-irons 45 and 46 of the seat frame form a supporteto which the seat side pieces (52 may be fastened. These side pieces extend upwardly from the side rails of the seat frame and at their upper ends are bent outwardly to extend over the top of the side frames as shown in Fig. 2. The side pieces 62 may be interconnected by a curved sheet of metal or other material 63 which forms an arm-rest movable with the seat. A back frame 64 may be pivotally fastened at each end as at 65 to the rearmost side piece 62, this construction preferably providing for adjustment of the back-rest so thati it may be made to assume the proper ang e.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a pre erred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspended seat, a frame for supporting the same, said frame comprising a horizontal member under the seat and a pair of side members extending upwardly from the horizontal member on the opposite sides of the seat, said side members each having a to rail projecting forwardly and rearwar ly therefrom, said seat having laterally extending end projections at each corner thereof located a substantial distance below the top of the seat and projecting beyond the ends of the side members, and a pair of chains normally inclined slightly to the vertical as viewed from the side of the seat connected at laterally spaced points on each projection and connected at their upper ends adjacent the ends of the said top rails to maintain the seat in its normal position laterally with respect to the frame regardless of the location of a load on the seat.

2. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspended seat having a laterally extending end projection adjacent each corner located a substantial distance below the top of the seat, a frame having opposite side portions adjacent the ends of the seat, said end projections extending out beond said side portions, and a pair of hangers connected at laterally spaced points to each projection and converging laterally on opposite sides of a vertical to a common point of suspension adjacent the end of the upper part of a side frame portion.

3. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspended seat having a laterally extending end projection at each corner located a substantial distance below the top of the seat, a frame having opposite side portions adjacent the ends of the seat, said end projections extending out beyond said side portions, and a pair of chains connected to points on each projection spaced substantially equal amounts laterally from a frame side portion and converging to a common point of suspension 011 the side frame portion.

4. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspended seat having four laterally extendin" end projections one adjacent each corner t iereof, a frame having laterally opposite side portions closely adjacent the ends of the seat, said end projections of the seat extending out beyond the side portions of the frame, four suspension devices one connected to each of the foul-projections, thus providin two independent suspension devices at eac lateral side of the seat, the upper ends of said four suspension devices being connected to four different positions of suspension on the frame and sus ending the seat for forward and rearwar swinging movement between the frame side portions, a suspension device at each lateral side of the seat comprising a pair of hangers of definite lengths, the hangers of each pair divergin laterally downward with respect to forward and rearward swinging movements on o posites sides of a vertical and connected at t eir upper ends to the frame and at their lower ends to a seat projection.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

FREDERICK A. DILLINGHAM.