US2540254A - Knockdown furniture - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1951 w. GARBER KNOCKDOWN FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 5, 1945 TBE?.

ATTORN EYS.

Feb. 6, 1951 w. GARBER KNOCKDOWN FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

E N R O T T A Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOCKDOWN FURNITURE Woodward Garber, Cincinnati, Ohio Application December 3, 1945, Serial No. 632,378

My invention relates to knock down furniture such as tables, chairs and the like, wherein the supporting members or legs are demountable from the elevated platform for convenience in packing, shipping and the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide furniture having an elevated platform, like the table top of a table or the seat of a chair wherein the supporting members or legs are formed as frames which provide support along lines extending radially from a substantially centrally predetermined position underneath the elevated platform.

Preferably each frame has two spaced vertical supporting legs joined by a horizontal bar extending between them and with the vertical legs having horizontal extensions which end in such relative position adjacent the predetermined central position underneath the platform that a unitary clamping device may be employed to secure the supporting members in rigid supporting position.

Broadly it might be stated to be my object to provide a piece of furniture having demountable supports all of which may be mounted and secured in position by the operation of a single mechanically adjustable member.

The foregoing objects and various and sundry specic objectives in providing sturdy, easily assembled, inexpensive knock down furniture, and as will appear in the foregoing description, I accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which I have illustrated preferred embodiments in the form of a table and chair.

- In the drawings: l ""-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a table as would appear when viewed from underneath and to one side of the table.

Figure 2 is a sectional View along the lines 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the elements shown in Figure 2 in disassembled position.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of one of the retaining lugs which is secured to the underneath surface of the table top.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the dog or boss of a supporting member which interlocks with the retaining lug shown in Figure 4.

v Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6-46 in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view from underneath and to one side of my invention as applied to achair.

Figure 8 is a sectional view as indicated by the of attachment of the chair back.

8 Claims. (Cl. 311-79) Figure 9 is a sectional view as indicated by the lines 9-9 in Figure 7.

Referring rst to Figures 1 to 6, the elevated platform or table top I may be made of wood, ply-wood, metal or composition. Underneath the surface of the top I, there are secured adjacent the edges, retaining lugs 2, having inclined plane portions 3 (see Figure 4), and apertures 4, for receiving screws 5 with which the lugs are secured to the under surface of the top I. I have shown only one type of lug, it being understood that if the elevated platform is made, for example,` of metal, the lugs may be integrally formed in the metal on the under surface thereof.

Approximately at the center of the elevated platform and also preferably secured to the under surface thereof, there is a plate E having openings 'I for receiving screws 8 for attachment to the under surface of the table, and a cylindrical boss 9 which is internally threaded as shown at I0, which extends into a countersink II in the under surface of the table. As in connection with the lugs 2 if the material of the table top is suliiciently strong to withstand the strain, the internal threads may be formed in the actual material of the table top.

The legs of the table are formed with vertical members I2, I2a, opposed corner members being secured together by bars I3, |311. These legs may be made in one piece also. It will be noted in the illustration of Figure l, that the bar I3 connecting the opposed members I2, is in a slightly higher plane than the bar i3d connecting the opposed members I2a. It will be understood however, that by making a U-shaped bend in one bar to provide space for the other bar at its center, the bars may be in the same plane.

To secure the bars I3, I3a together at the position where one crosses the other, a pin Id in bar I3a, seats within a hole I5 in the bar I3 (see Figure 6).

The vertical legs I2', I2a have at their tops horizontal extensions I, [6a. These terminate adjacent the plate Si and are cut o at substantially angles of 35 degrees to the vertical. This particular angle of cut-off is a refinement in the general constructive principle of my invention and in certain modifications may be dispensed with.

The horizontal extensions have dogs I'I with inclined plane extensions I8 which interlock and are wedged against the inclinedplane portions 3 of the lugs 2. The device for securing the legs together' is a conically anged annular member I9 loosely mounted on a threaded bolt by means of the annular bearing member 2I, which is permanently secured to the bolt 2B. Member 22 is a washer which turns freely. The bolt 2U may, as illustrated, have a wing nut extension 23 to facilitate the manual adjustment of the bolt 20 in the threads ID of the cylindrical boss 9, and so secure the demountable legs in rigid position supporting the table top.

To assemble the table, the two pairs of legs are placed substantially in position as shown in Figure 2. The pin I4 is rst interlocked in the hole I5. Since the ends of the vertical bars I6, IGa are not secured to anything, they may be readily moved into such position as will cause interlocking of the dogs I? with the lugs 2. When such engagement is effected, the cone member I8 is brought into position and the threads of the bolt 20 threaded into the threads l0 of the cylindrical boss 9, by the turning down of the wing nut '23.

The angle of inclination of the wall of the member I9 is about 30 degrees from the vertical. lt is important to observe that the member I9 fits loosely on the bolt 2li, an annular space being provided (as shown at X Figure 3). This loose nt permits correction for slight inisadjustment and misalignment of the parts.

The members i6, 16a are ordinarily hollow bars and the degree angle to the vertical at which they are cut off permits the annular conical wall of the member IQ to extend slightly within the hollows and make contact with the sides of the oval shaped bearing surface formed by cutting ofi the bars It, lila. This provides for a forceful outward wedging action of the members l5, Ia causing their dogs Il to securely t and bind within the lugs 2. This also causes the members IE, I 5a to be forced into a certain position with relation to the member I9. Thus when the bolt 2D is turned down, the legs for the table form a self-centering, substantially rigid support which is very strong. By unscrewing the bolt 29, the supporting legs may be rapidly disassembled and packed llat so that the table and legs may be shipped in a at container of a size not much larger than would be required for the table top itself.

Referring now to Figures 7, 8 and 9, l'have illustrated my invention as applied to a chair. In this type of furniture, the elevated platform la, is the chair seat. There are lugs 2a. with inclined plane surface interlocks. The supporting legs lh, 52e, are joined by bars 13b, I3e, and there is a pin interlock at Md. It will be obvious that the leg members may be formed from one piece with the rear horizontal members lh, itc added. The legs may be formed continuously with an added horizontal member. The horizontal extensions lh, Ide, extend toward the plate Ba Where a conical member Illa inclined at an angle of about 30 degrees from the vertical spreads the cut-oir ends of the members Ib, Ic, outwardly, causing engagement of the dogs Ila with the lugs 2a. Thus by tightening down the bolt 2da by means of the wing nut 23a, the legs are secured together forming a rigid support.

There is one difference in the construction of the table and chair. ln the chair construction the back vertical legs Ib, iZc are extended vertically as shown at 24 and then flared outwardy as shown at 25.

Observing Figures 'I' and 8, it will be noted that the extensions 25 are hollow and receive the ends 26 of solid or tubular members 21. which extend within the tubular sockets 28 of brackets 29, secured to the chair back indicated at 30.

The members 21 are permanently pressed into the tubular extensions 25. In assembling the chair, it is rst desirable to assemble the leg assemblies to the back before securing the conical member IQa in position. First the member 21 of the leg assembly containing part I3c (female) is inserted into the tubular socket 28 of the chair back. Then the other leg supporting frame assembly is brought into position at such angle as will permit insertion of member 21 into the other tubular socket 28 of the back.

With the back in position the legs are then moved so as to allow pin I4 to fall into the hole drilled in member I3c, and the whole placed in position on the seat Ia such that the dogs Ila engage the plates 2a, and the cut off ends of the members Ib, ISC, are substantially equally spaced about the tapped hole in the center plate 5a. By inserting the threaded end of the bolt 26a into the tapped hole of the center plate 8a, and tightening the thumb screv7 23a, the member i9@ forces the leg support and the back support simultaneously into a rigid assembly. The back will not pull off because of the angles at which the members 25 are bent. Other methods of securing the chair back may be employed.

To facilitate the engagement of the dogs ll, lia, with the lugs 2, 2a, the under surfaces of the platforms I, ia are preferably out out as indicated at 3 l, 3 Ia. For the portions of the legs which bear against the licor, plugs 32, 32a may be press fitted into the bottom open ends of the legs I2, I2a, i211, I2C.

Other modifications of the constructive principle involved will readily occur to those skilled in the art. By the constructive principle, I mean that the horizontal members I 6, Ia, i617, IGC when assembled in a. horizontal plane and bound together with the conical adjustment have intersecting lines of stress which fall on or near the center line of intersection of the horizontal members,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination a platform member having lugs and a support for said platform member having hollow bars which extend horizontally toward a medial point under said platform member, said bars being bent downward at a point spaced from the medial point and extending downwardly to engage a supporting surface, said hollow bars being cut ofi at an angle to the vertical at their ends adjacent said medial point and having dogs thereon, and means for moving said bars outwardly from said medial point along lines parallel to their axes during which movement the dogs interlock with the lugs; said means cornprising a conical member the side walls of which extend at a slightly lesser angle to the vertical than the angle at which the hollow bars are out off.

2. An article of knock down furniture having an elevated platform and supporting legs consisting of at least four substantially vertically extending tubular members formed of llexible material, rods extending across between alternate opposed vertical members and attached at either end thereof to said members, said rods crossing at a point on the line of intersection of the planes of the opposed vertical members, tubular horizontal extensions of the vertically extending tubular members extending to positions adjacent a predetermined position of the platform, lugs on one surface of said platform, dogs secured to said horizontal extensions adapted to engage said lugs and means located at the predetermined position of said platform for engaging said horizontal extensions and forcing them radially outwardly to cause interlocking of said dogs and lugs.

3. An article of knock down furniture having an elevated platform and supporting legs consisting of at least four substantially vertically extending tubular members formed of flexible material, rods extending across between alternate opposed vertical members and attached at either end thereof to said members, said rods crossing at a point on the line of intersection of the planes of the opposed vertical members, tubular horizontal extensions of the vertically extending tubular members extending to positions adjacent a predetermined position of the platform, lugs on one surface of said platform, dogs secured to said horizontal extensions adapted to engage said lugs and means located at the predetermined position of said platform for engaging said horizontal extensions and forcing them radially outwardly to cause interlocking of said dogs and lugs, said means comprising a conical member with a ring nut for actuating said conical member.

4. An article of knock down furniture having an elevated platform and supporting legs consisting of at least four substantially vertically extending tubular members formed of flexible material, rods extending across between alternate opposed vertical members and attached at either end thereof to said members, said rods crossing at a point on the line of intersection of the planes of the opposed vertical members, tubular horizontal extensions of the vertically extending tubular members extending to positions adjacent a predetermined position of the platform, lugs on one surface of said platform, dogs secured to said horizontal extensions adapted to engage said lugs and means located at the predetermined position of said platform for engaging said horizontalv extensions and forcing them radially outwardly to cause interlocking of said dogs and lugs, and two adjacent vertical members having vertical extensions forming supports for another member above said platform.

5. An article of knock down furniture having an elevated platform and supporting legs consisting of at least four substantially vertically extending tubular members formed of flexible material, rods extending across between alternate opposed vertical members and attached at either end thereof to said members, said rods crossing at a point on the line of intersection of the planes of the opposed vertical members, tubular horizontal extensions of the vertically extending tubular members extending to positions adjacent a predetermined position of the platform, lugs on one surface of said platform, dogs secured to said horizontal extensions adapted to engage said lugs and means located at the predetermined position of said platform for engaging said horizontal extensions and forcing them radially outwardly to cause interlocking of said dogs and lugs, and two adjacent vertical members having vertical extensions forming supports for another member above said platform, said vertical extensions having end portions extending at an angle to secure said member in a position of rigid assembly.

6. An adjustable mounting for a plurality of bar members on a flat base which comprises in combination a flat surfaced base having abutment means spaced in an axial arrangement equidistant from a predetermined point on said base, a plurality of bar members having terminal portions extending substantially parallel with said base and terminating adjacent said predetermined point, said bar members being bent downward at a point spaced from said predetermined point and extending downwardly to engage a supporting surface, dogs on the parallel portions of said bar members spaced from the ends thereof sufficiently to contact said abutment means,

and a single conical member adjustably mounted on the predetermined point of said base and provided with adjustable means for moving said conical member toward said base so that the peripheral surface of said member will contact the ends of said bar members and cause a rm engagement of the dogs and abutment means.

7. An article of knockdown furniture having an elevated platform and at least two supporting members, each comprising opposed supporting elements the ends of which extend underneath said elevated platform in a diagonally opposed arrangement, said ends of the opposed supporting elements approaching a predetermined axial point on the under surface of said platform, said opposed supporting elements being bent downward at a point spaced from said axial point and extending downwardly to engage a supporting surface, each of said supporting elements being provided with Aseparate means for interlocking each of said elements to the undersurface of the elevated platform, and means for engaging the ends of said elements for wedging them outwardly into interlocked position.

8. An article of knockdown furniture having an elevated platform and at least two supporting members, each comprising opposed supporting elements the ends of which extend underneath said elevated platform in a diagonally opposed arrangement, said ends of the opposed supporting elements approaching a predetermined axial point on the under surface of said platform, said opposed supporting elements being bent downward at a point spaced from said axial point and extending downwardly to engage a supporting surface, each of said supporting elements being provided with separate means for interlocking each of said elements to the undersurface of the elevated platform, and means for engaging the ends of said elements for wedging them outwardly into interlocked position, said means comprising a conical member.

WOODWARD GARBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date f 671,758 Costello Apr. 9, 1901 782,932 Uhl 1 Feb. 21, 1905 1,184,886 Spalding May 30, 1916 1,262,339 4Hathorne Apr. 9, 1918 1,885,635 Schwietzer Nov. 1, 1932 2,210,047 stiegutz Aug. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 204,125 Germany g Nov. 13, 1908

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