US2237057A

US2237057A - Back pad and tie for infants' chairs

Info

Publication number: US2237057A
Application number: US303247A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul J Meyer
Original assignee: KENLIT Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: KENLIT Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1939-11-07
Filing date: 1939-11-07
Publication date: 1941-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1958-04-01

Description

' P. J. MEYER BACK PAD AND TIE FOR INFANTS CHAIRS April 1, 1941.

Filed Nov. 7, 1939 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 BACK PAD AND TIE FOR INFANTS CHAIRS Paul J. Meyer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Kenlit Mfg. 00., Medford, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 7, 1939, Serial No. 303,247

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to cushions or pads adapted to be used in connection with the backs of high chairs, and other chairs, provided for the use of infants of tender years. 'Its object is to provide in connection with such a cushion or pad a strap or equivalent tie member for both securing the cushion in place and guarding the child occupying the chair against danger of falling or slipping out of the chair. A further object is to afford a permanent connection between the tie member and cushion and, at the same time, provide tensile strength in the combination ample for securing the child in the chair without depending on the strength of the cushion itself or its covering, or the strength of the connection between the cushion and tie member.

In carrying these objects into effect I have produced a combined chair back cushion and tie member of which one embodiment is illustrated in the drawing furnished herewith and is described in the following specification. The invention comprises all the novel principles and features of the embodiment so illustrated and of equivalent articles exemplifying the same principles and embraced within the scope of the apbination of this invention and illustrating its manner of use to hold a child in the chair;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the cushion and tie combination apart from the chair, illustrating the details thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing details not apparent in the preceding figure.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

The cushion designated as a whole by the reference character a is adapted to be placed against the forward side of the back of a chair, such as the babys high chair represented in Fig. 1, above the seat of the chair and between the arm rests with which such chairs are customarily provided. In the form here shown, this cushion is made of a cover consisting of a front piece I) and a back piece 0 of suitable fabric, stitched together at their edges, and a stuffing d within the cover. As here shown the edges of the fabric pieces are brought together and embraced by a binding e, such edges and binding being secured together by a sewed seam.

The tie member is a strap 1 which extends continuously across the back of the cushion and has this is not a limiting characteristic.

end portions J" and f projecting from the opposide side edges of the cushion. The intermediate portion of the strap, to which the reference character ,f is applied in Fig. 3, is preferably located between the rear fabric of the cushion cover and the stuffing; although, as will presently appear, The strap extends outward between the edges of the pieces forming the cover, being doubled back where overlaid by the binding, and is secured by the stitches of the connecting seam previously described.

The end portions f and have lengths great enough to permit them to be passed across the front of the body occupying the chair and around the chair back with" an overlap permitting their extremities to be fastened together in rear of the chair back. I have shown here a fastening means of known character consisting of two rings g and h loosely confined in a loop 1 formed on the extremity of the strap portion f through which the extremity of the other strap end portion 1" may be passed so as to provide a clamping grip. But a buckle or other conventional connector may be provided; or the ends may be tied together in a knot.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the tie member or strap has the purpose and capacity of tying both the cushion and the baby in the chair, When wrapped around and coupled at the ends as described, it makes a secure attachment making it equally impossible for either the baby or the cushion to fall or slide out of the chair. An important factor is the continuity of the strap across the width of the cushion. Preferably the portions f, ,f' and f are all parts of one integral whole. But whether so made or made of united originally separate parts, the strap as a whole is a continuous unit of ample strength in all parts. It does not depend for its functional utility upon the strength of its connections with the cushion or the strength of the cushion cover or any part thereof; but it provides its own strength regardless of what the material or intrinsic strength of the cushion cover may be or of how it is fastened to the cushion. With the mode of fastening here shown, it is immaterial whether or not the stitches passing through the strap and contiguous points of the cushion edges are broken in consequence of a severe pull on the strap. If they are broken, the strap remains intact and retains its association with the cushion at the prescribed level. The seam is of lockstitch construction, whereby the breakage of a few stitches at any location does not endanger the security of the seam as a whole or in any manner disrupt the combined relationship of the strap with the cover.

Variations from the construction shown may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the strap may pass across the outside of the cushion cover instead of inside and be united by stitching at any suitable points to the cover, or it may be passed through slits in the cover material. And the cushion .element of the combination may be constructed otherwise than as shown; for instance, with an intermediate edge strip between the front and the back fabrics of the cover, according to one of the common constructions of chair cushions. The strap may be of any material, any dimensions, and any desired shape in cross section and fabricated or constructed in any Way suitable for the purpose. As used herein the term strap is intended to include any equivalent device, however formed and constructed, such as a twisted cord, for instance.

The embodiment here illustrated is combined with-side cushions a and k for padding the arm rests of the chair, but this is an illustrative and not a limiting feature.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A back cushion or pad adapted for use in connection with the back of an infants high chair, and a strap secured to the opposite side edges of said pad,'having a portion extending across the width of the pad and end portions of lengths sufiicient to be passed about the body of an infant occupying such a chair and to be connected together at the rear of the chair back.

2. The combination with a chair cushion having a covering and a stufling, of a strap passing through the interior of the cushion and extending from opposite edges thereof, the outwardly extending portions of the strap having lengths sufficient to permit of their being passed around the occupant of the chair for which the cushion is designed and also around the part of the chair against which the cushion is designed to bear, and to be fastened together outside of the said part of the chair. I

3. A cushion shaped to conform with the back of an infant's high chair and adapted to rest at its lower end on the seat of such chair, combined with strap portions secured to said cushion and extending from opposite side edges thereof at a height from said lower end permitting them to pass beneath the arms and above the thighs of a child seated in the chair for which the cushion is designed; said strap portions having a collective length sufiicient to pass around both the torso-of such a child when seated in the chair and a portion of the chair and to be secured to one another.

4. The combination with an infants chair having a back, of a cushion shaped conformably to said back and located in upright position against the forward side of said back, combined with a strap having an intermediate portion extending across the cushion between the side edges thereof and end portions projecting beyond said edges, the strap being secured to said cushion at a height suitable to permit said end portions to be passed around the torso of an infant seated in the chair, and the end portions having a collective length sufiicient to pass around both such torso and the chair back and to be secured to one another at their extremities.

( PAUL J. MEYER.