US2135833A - Chair - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 8, 1938. c H, OERMANN 2,135,833

CHAIR Filed March 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CHAIR Carl H. Oermann, York, Pa.

Application March 6,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of furniture and particularly to a chair or the like having a resilient supporting structure.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved chair wherein the supporting members are formed of suitable metallic bars which are normally somewhat rigid and yet provide a certain degree of resilience for comfort to the occupant.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved seat structure which is light in weight and which will permit a limited amount of yielding under load.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved seat structure which will permit of a rocking motion by the user without the necessity of providing rockers, and wherein the back will yield readily to provide the degree of inclination desired by the user.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Inthe accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a front view of a chair embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair shown in Fig. 1, the normal position of the chair being 30 shown in full lines and a position of the chair when the same is oc'cupied'being shown by broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the chair; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the chair comprises a frame structure formed with a pair of front legs II and a pair of rear legs l2, the rear legs 12, when the chair is viewed from the front being 40 disposed directly behind the front legs.

The front legs I l at their lower ends are formed with rearwardly curved feet l3.

If so desired a suitable tubular pad I4 may be inserted over the intermediate portion of each foot l3, so as to protect the floor or other surface upon which the chair is placed. The pads I 4 may be formed of a suitable rubber composition or any other suitable material.

From the feet l3, the front legs H are bowed forwardly slightly and this forwardly curved portion of the legs extends upwardly to a point adjacent to the point at which the seat structure is fastened to the front legs I I. From thence the front legs ll extend upwardly and rearwardly in an arc, indicated at l5, Figs. 2 and 3, and said 1937, Serial No. 129,444

front legs terminateat a point adjacent to the point at which the back is secured to the frame structure, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The front leg portions [5 overlie the seat structure a considerable distance. In fact, the height of the portions I5 is such that these portions of the front legs I I provide means for supporting arm rests Hi. In this way, each arm, as well as each front leg of the chair, can be formed of a single length of material.

The rear legs l2, at their lower ends, are formed with rearwardly extending curved feet I I, which feet are provided with pads 18 similar to the pads l4 heretofore described.

-As shown in Fig. 2, the rear legs 12 are arcu'ate in form, and the feet I! are disposed at a considerable distance rearwardly with respect to the front leg feet [3, so that the chair frame will be rigidly and firmly supported on the floor.

From the feet H, the rear legs I 2 extend in an arc forwardly, upwardly and thence rearwardly.

The upper rear portion IQ of the legs I2 underlies the rear of the portion l5 of the front legs II, and at their upper rear extremities the legs H and I2 are secured together by any suitable means, such as a bracket 20.

Preferably the material used in constructing the front legs H, is relatively stiff. Spring steel of suitable resilient characteristics should preferably be used for the rear legs [2. By employing two different kinds of materials for the front and rear legs, respectively, when the chair is occupied the rear legs l2 will bend downwardly and rearwardly, as shown by the broken lines, Fig. 2, and in doing so will draw or pull the front legs rearwardly and downwardly therewith, the front legs I l turning or swinging on their feet [3, since the legs are connected together at their upper rear ends by the brackets 20. When an occupant arises from the chair, and the load is thus removed from the seat structure, the rear legs l2 will spring back, returning the frame structure to the normal unoccupied position shown by full lines, Fig. 2.

In order to prevent spreading of the legs, the lower ends of the front legs II are connected by a cross bar 2|, and. also intermediate of their lengths the front legs are connected by a second cross bar 22. The cross bar 22 has two functions, the second function thereof being hereinafter more fully described. The lower ends of the rear legs l2 are connected by a cross bar 23. As shown in Fig. 4, the cross bars 2| and 23 are 55 2 connected by straps 24. These straps prevent relative movement of the cross bars 2| and 23 and consequently the feet [3 and I! are retained spaced apart, even when the chair is occupied.

The back frame structure of the chair comprises a frame consisting of two bars 25, one on each side of the chair. These bars are curved slightly so as to conform somewhat to the contour of an occupants back, and intermediate their length the bars 25 are connected to the brackets 20 by bolts or other securing elements 26. The seat frame structure of the chair is a continuation of the back structure and comprises two bars 2'! which are connected at their rear ends to the lower ends of the back bars 25, as indicated at 28, Figs. 1 and 3.

The front ends of the bars 21 are secured to the cross bar 22, as indicated at 29. Any form of back and seat supporting means may be mounted on the bars 25 and 21. In'the present instance the back and seat structure comprises a plurality of wooden slats which span the bars as shown in Figs. 1 and -3, said slats being connected at their ends to said bars .by'rivets or other suitable securing means, as

is substantially rigid, while resiliency is obtained by constructing the rear legs flexible, as has been heretofore described. Thus, when the chair is occupied the back and seat structure can be tilted rearwarclly, as shown by the broken lines, Fig. 2. Due to the flexible nature of the rear legs, the seat structure can be rocked by the occupant forwardly and rearwardly, and in such movements of the chair, the rear legs I 2 will bend or flex and the front legs I i will swing about the pivot provided by the feet I3.

While in describing my invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts thereof, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative, so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Seat structure comprising arcuate front and rear legs, the lower ends of the legs being spaced apart and the upper ends of said legs being connected together at their extremities, bars for bracing the lower portions of said legs, arm rests mounted on the upper portions of the front legs, a back structure connected intermediate its ends to the upper rear'portion of said legs, and a seat structure extending forwardly from the lower portion of the back and connected at its front end to the front leg structure.

2. Seat structure comprising front and rear legs, the rear legs being formed'of flexible ma- 5 terial and the front legs being formed of relatively stiff material and having lower floor engaging ends curved to permit rearward swinging movement of said front legs when the rear legs are flexed by the weight of an occupant ofthe 10 device, the upper ends of the front and rear legs extending rearwardly with the front legs overlying and connected to the rear legs near the extremities thereof, the lower ends of said legs being spaced apart, means for bracing said 15 legs to prevent relative spreading movement of the lower ends thereof, a back joined to the upper ends of said front and rear legs at the juncture, thereof, said back extending upwardly and downwardly from the point at which it is con- 20 nected to the legs, and a seat rigidly connected to the back and connected at its forward end to the front legs, said rear legs being free to flex between their extremities whereby the seat structure can be rocked forwardly and rear- 5 wardly.

3. Seat structure comprising resilient side .frames, each consisting of front and rear legs formed of relatively thin metal straps having their lower'ends spaced apart and resting upon 30 the floor, said legs being curved upwardly and rearwardly, the upper ends of said legs being brought together and secured one to the other, spacer means connecting and bracing the lower ends of all of said legs, and a seat and back rest structure connected intermediate its length to the upper extremities of said side frames and connected at its forward portion to said front legs, said seat frame constituting means for spacing and bracing said side frames.

4. Seat structure comprising resilient side 4 frames, each consisting of front and rear legs formed of relatively thin metal straps having their lower ends spaced apart and resting upon the floor, said legs being curved upwardly .and. r

rearwardly, the upper ends of said legs being brought together and secured oneto the other, a cross brace connecting the front legs intermediate the length thereof, spacer means connecting the lower ends of all of said legs, and a seat and back rest structure connected intermediate its length to the upper extremities of said side frames and connected at its forward portion tov said cross brace.

CARL H. OERMANN.

Images