US2309881A - Chair - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1943. R. H. wls-l .2,309,881

CHAIR Fi 1ed June 2s, lesa 2 sheets-sheet. 1

Feb. 2, 1943.

R. H. wlsE Fied June 23, 1938 CHAIR' I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT'l GFFICE CHAIR.

Ralph H. Wise, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 23, 1938, Serial No. 215,443

er end of each leg I5 may be secured to the base 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs and particularly to chairs used for small children. The invention has certain characteristics which could well be applied to chairs for adults and in these respects, is not to be considered as limited tothe class of juvenile furniture.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a resilient chair with a fabric seat and seat back portion which may be easily removed for laundering purposes. Another object of the invention is the provision of the chair in which the structural members mutually support and brace each other. A still further object is the provision of a chair in which one structural member may be replaced by another member when the child is older or at such other time as the replacement may seem desirable.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a chair embodying the invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the connection of the two main frame members. Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line llof Figure l with certain parts removed. Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5-5 of Figure l. Figure 6 is an outline View of the fabric material used for the seat and seat back. Figure '7 is an elevation, partial- 1y in cross-section, looking toward the rear of the chair from a plane indicated by numerals 'I-l in Figure l. Figure 8 is a perspective View illustrating the chair with a different type of structural member in place.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, the base of a chair embodying the invention is indicated at i and consists of a generally rectangular piece of wood, preferably plywood. t will be understood that this base may also be made of sheet metal properly reinforced. A toe-board` i I is provided with an angular lower edge and secured to the base I0 by means of screws i2 inserted from the under side of the base as shown in Figure `5. The toe-board II may advantageously be cut out of the base IB along the rear edge thereof as at I3;

One of the major structural members of the seat consists of a generally U-shaped frame embodyng the supporting legs and the seatback frame. This member is indicated generally at I4, and is preferably made of spring steel. The frame member Iii includes a pair of supporting legs I which extends upwardly from the base III in a sweeping curve ofla-rge radius. The low- I D by means of a screw I1 inserted from the lower side of the base and threaded into nut I8, a portion of which projects into an aperture in the leg as at I9. The upper, or seat back portion I6 of the frame I4 is in the shape of an inverted U. The` frame I4 is formed from a continuous strip of spring metal and in the formation of this piece, the seat back curve I6 is formed at rst. The curved legs I5 are then formed in the .legs of the inverted U in diverging relationship. The metal is then given a degree twist as at 20 and 2I which brings the legs I5 into parallel relationship. This formation presents the flat sides of legs I5 to the base Iii, thus allowing the maximum flexibility in these members and likewise facilitates bending the seat back portion I6.

The second major structural member consists of a strip of metal bent into the shape of an open rectangle and indicated generally at 22. The end of each arm 23 of the frame 22 is curved upwardly to form the upstanding arm 24'. A hook 25 is formed in the end of each arm and turned outwardly as shown in Figure 2. The arm 24 is further provided with an aperture 26 just above the bend 2l. The frame member I5 is provided with a; series of three or more equally spaced apertures 28, With any two adjacent apertures being in alignment with the aperture 26 Iand the hook 25 inV arm 24.

The arms 24 of frame member 22 are secured to the frame I4 and lie adjacent the inner parallel faces thereof as shown in Figures l and 2. The arms 23 of frame 22 may be sprung toward each other sufficiently to allow insertion of the hooks 25 into the apertures 28. The threaded end 29 of ya wing-head stud 30 isl passed through the aligned apertures 26` and 28 and is received in a threaded aperture in a member 3|, which may be a ball of ornamental design. The frame member 22 may be supported at a higher position by inserting the hooks 25 and studs 3G in a higher set of holes 28.

Near the front edge of frame 22, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, each arm 23 is apertured as at 32 to receive the threaded end 33 of a stud having a head 34 providing the male member of a well known type of snap fastener. A nut 35 secures the stud to the arm 23 and the extended portion of the stud 33- serves to support each end of atubular cross member 36. The arms 23 may be sprung apart far enough to allow the cross member to be telescoped over stud ends 33. Thevcross member 3'6 serves tosupportthe front ing member.

edge of the seat 31 and the rear edge of the tray 38 as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The seat proper consists of a fabric material, the outline of which is shown in Figure 6. The fabric blank 39 consists of a rounded upper back portion 48, a lower back portion 4l, a seat portion 31, seat supporting webs 42 and a front edge supporting web 43. A piece of fabric in the form of a semi-circle is sewed to the upper portion 40 to form an envelope adapted to slip over` the frame member I6. The lower edge of the envelope is indicated at 44. A seam 45 joins the lower seat back 4I and the seat portion 31.

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Seams 43 join the seat 31 and side webs 42, the v hems 41 of which are adapted to be slipped over the arms 23 of frame 22'. The front edge of the seat portion 31 is providedwith a hem 48 extending the full width of the seat. Web 43 is sewed to the under side of seat portion 31 and is provided with a hem 49, which is adapted to be slipped over the cross member 33. Tabs 59 are sewed to the front ends of hems 41 and carry the female snap fasteners 5| for engagement with the members 34 and, as shown in Figure 1, prevent the side webs from slipping backwards.

A tray, which may be used to hold the childs playthings, is indicated at 38 in Figure l. The tray is similar to a shallow open box having four sides and a bottom. The fabric of the tray is looped over the frame member 22 and sewed together along the bottom edge. A pair of webs 52 support the rear edge of the tray and are carried by the cross member 36 with one web 5'2 on each side of the seat supporting web 43.

To prevent the chair from being moved about by the activities of a child seated therein, a series of vacuum cups 53, one secured to each corner of the base l on the lower surface thereof, may be provided. Figure illustrates a preferred construction in which a screw 54 passes through Washer 55, Vacuum cup 53, an aperture 56 in base l0, and into a nut 51 disposed within a large ornamental rubber ball 58.

In Figure 8, a modified form of the invention is shown. When the child becomes older and outgrows the chair pictured in Figure 1, it may be desirable to change the type of seat support and eliminate the tray. This invention comprehends the sale of the chair with a second seat support- In Figure 8, the same frame member I4 is utilized as well as the same base I8. The seat supporting member 59, which is preferably packaged with the equipment shown in Figure 1, comprises horizontally extending arms 60, depending frontal portions El and a cross member 62, which fits within the hem 43 of the seat material. The rear ends of the arms 68 have upturned portions 24 identically like arms 23 as shown in Figure 2. The same fabric material 39 is used with the second seat support 59. The hem 48 which has not been used with the first form of chair, now serves to support the front edge of the seat portion 31, while the web 43, which formerly supported the front edge of the seat 31, is no longer needed and may be cut off 'f with shears. 1f desired, the secondary seat support 59 may be mounted in an upper set of holes 28 because of the increased leg length of the older child.

In Figure 7, a modified form of cross bar is illustrated. A piece of strap metal 63 extends horizontally between the arms 23 and is provided with a hook 64 at each end. This hook may conveniently be formed by twisting the strap 63 and then bending it to the shape indicated. With this type of cross bar, which supports the web 43 of the seat 31, and web 52 of the tray 33, the childs weight, applied through web 43, serves to pull the cross member 63 into engagement with the arms 2'3 to prevent displacement. In several chairs of the prior art the tray has been supported by a separate metallic framework which could be displaced by the child. Such displacement is obviously impossible with either form of tray support above described.

One of the advantages of this invention is the ease with which the fabric material 39 may be removed for laundering purposes. As viewed in Figure 1, the envelope 44 is removed over the top of frame IE. The cross member 36 may then be removed by spreading apart the arms 23 and slipping the cross member 36 longitudinally through the webs 52 and 43. The wing studs 38 are then removed and the hooks 25 disengaged by pressing the arms 23 toward each other. The hems 41 may then be slipped rearwardly over their respective supporting arms 23 and the tray may then be removed by moving it either way from the central position it occupies along either arm 23. The fabric material 39 may also be easily removed from the frame members shown in Figure 8 by taking off the seat supporting member 59 and drawing the material in one direction off of one of the curved ends 24. In the construction shown in Figure '1, the procedure is the same as that used with Figure 1 except that the cross member 63 is merely lifted from engagement with the arms 23. If desired as a safety feature, the arms 23 and cross member 33 may be covered with rubber tubing to cushion them.

Another advantage, which manifests itself structurally, lies in the arrangement of th'e seat supporting member 22. The cross member 36 maintains the arms 23 in spaced relationship and in turn is maintained in position by virtue of the arms 23 being secured inside frame member I8.

It will also be apparent that this invention makes possible the use of a single chair for a child over a greater period of years than has been possible heretofore by means of the provision in the same package of the interchangeable supporting member 59. Advantageously, the same seat fabric may be used with the second form seat frame by simply cutting off the web 43.

The shape of the frame member I4 is such that it may be formed easily by simple bending operations and the provision of multiple holes 28 allows the seat supporting arms to be adjusted to different heights.

I claim:

1. A chair comprising a supporting base, a resilient frame consisting of a strip of metal of greater width than thickness bent into th'e form of an inverted U with the curved portion and adjacent straight portions of the U disposed vertically as a seat back and the remote ends of the U bent into sweeping singly curved resilient legs extending downwardly and forwardly from the vertical seat back to a horizontal base.

2. A chair comprising a base,a resilient inverted U shaped frame having vertically disposed side sections and a curved section together forming a. seat back and having free ends each of which extends downwardly and forwardly in a single sweeping curve from its corresponding vertically disposed side section to a horizontal plane of attachment to said base, a seat frame member adapted to be detachably secured to the side sections of the frame member, and a webbing positioned on said frames,

3. A chair comprising, in combination, a supporting base, a resilient main frame in the form of an inverted U, the free ends of which lie in a common horizontal plane in which they are attached to said base and the U shaped part of which extends vertically to form a seat back, the intermediate sides of said U being curved to join the horizontal and vertical portions, and a seat extending horizontally from said frame.

4.. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat and a main frame, said frame being fabricated of strip metal of greater width than thickness, said frame including a pair of resilient supporting legs each extending in a single sweeping curve from a common h'orizontal plane of attachment to said base to a common substantially vertical plane in which said seat is attached to said frame.

5. A chair comprising, in combination, a base, a seat and a main frame, said frame being fabricated of strip metal of greater width than thickness and including a pair of resilient legs each curving upwardly and rearwardly in a single curve out of the plane of its width from a common horizontal plane wherein it is attached to said base to a common substantially vertical plane in which said seat is attached to said frame.

6. A chair comprising, in combination, a base, a frame, a seat associated with' said frame and resilient strip metal legs each extending down- Wardly and forwardly in a single sweeping curve from said frame to said base, each of said legs embodying a 90 twist adjacent its upper end whereby to present its width for the attachment of said seat and each of said legs presenting its width to said base whereby exibility is provided between the base and the 90 twist.

7. A chair comprising, in combination, a hori` zontal supporting base, a frame having a seat back portion and strip metal legs with the Widths of said legs lying in common planes from the point of their attachment to said base thence rearwardly and upwardly each in a single sweeping curve to the lower end of said seat back portion at which point the legs are twisted to bring their widths into spaced parallel planes and a seat secured to the frame above the twist in each leg.

RALPH H. WISE.

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