US2649147A

US2649147A - Metal chair

Info

Publication number: US2649147A
Application number: US788353A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy S Sanford
Original assignee: SANFORD PRODUCTS Inc
Current assignee: SANFORD PRODUCTS Inc
Priority date: 1947-11-28
Filing date: 1947-11-28
Publication date: 1953-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1970-08-18

Description

R. S. SANFORD Aug. 18, 195 3 METAL CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 28, 1947 INVENTOR.

Y BY

Aug. 18, 1953 R. s. SANFORD METAL CHAIR 3 Sheet's-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 28, 1947 R. S. SANFORD METAL CHAIR Aug. 18, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 28, 1347 Patented Aug. 18,

STATES PATENT OFFICE Sanford Products, Inc., Woo'dbury, corporation of Delaware Conm, a

Application November 28, 1947, Serial No. 788,353 21 Claims. (01. 155 194) This invention relates to furniture and has particular relation to furniture formed from metal or similar stampable and bendable material and to the method for making such furniture. The advantages of the invention will appear as the invention is described in connection with the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stamped blank from which the chair of Fig. 1 is formed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of another chair embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the chair of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side perspective View of the chair of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational perspective View of a side reinforcing member used in the Fig. 5 chair;

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a sheet of material formably stamped to produce the chair of Figs. 3, 4 and 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one-half of a stamped sheet of material (such half showing being sufficient to illustrate the manner of stamping and slitting the sheet for this embodiment); and

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary perspective views illustrating the manner in which certain of the stamped portions of the material sheet of Fig. 8 are folded to comprehend a completed chair element.

Referring first to the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a sheet of metal or other similar stampable and/or conformable material It has predetermined openings H and I2 stamped out thereof and in the same operation has a plurality of slits 13,!3 cut therein. The stamping out of the portions II produces a plurality of chair back members Ha which are joined to a continuous portion IIb at the lower ends Ho. The cuts or slits E3, E3 define outer members I4, i l and elongated slat-like interiorly positioned members I5, I5, I'I, I8, I9, 20, and 2i, each of these last designated members'being secured to the original material sheet or body at their ends but being free to move with respect to each other when bowed or arced. The stamping out of the portions I2, I2 and the extension of the upper portions of said cut-out portions 12, i2 into slits I211 produces

outer members

22, 22. Again the upper parts of portions I4, I 3 (having reference to the positioning of Fig. 2' on the drawings) extend for a considerable distance co-terminably with the inside boundaries of the cut-out portions I2, I'2', this particular stamping also being intended to produce a particular result in connection with the present invention. For convenience the upper portions of the just referred-to portions of I4, I l are designated I do, 14b.

A continuous portion 23 which is left uncut at the bottom of the material sheet it is particularly dimensioned and shaped with respect to the use it is intended to subserve in the completed structure.

Inasmuch as the stamping and slitting of a material sheet in the manner just described is a legitimate subcombination step in the processof practicing the herein described invention, it is hereinafter described in subcombination claims; It may well be that the present invention will be practiced by two or more manufac-- turers, one of whom will form, shape, stamp and out a sheet without doing more, and another of whom will process the thus stamped and cut sheet into an article of furniture as hereinafter described. 7

The chair of Fig. 1 is formed by moving members I5, I6, I "I, and I 8 with respect to members I4-I4a, I9, 20, BI and IW-Mb, the central or defined point of arching when this movement is produced having previously been defined by crimping, initial bending or otherwise stressing the members I 5, I6, i1 and I8 in the desired dimotion, at I'5a, Ifia, I10; and IM and the members I4, I9; 20, 2I and I4 at Md, I9d, 28d, 2Id and I 4'01. Moreover, the

outboard members

22, 22" are given initial stresses in the proper direction at 22a and 22'a. Similarly to the same end, an initial bend may be imparted to the rear ends of the

members

22 and 22 although this is not necessary since the elsewhere herein described bending serves to cause the arm portions of'the chair to form the angle with the outboard back-members Ila, IIa shown in Fig. 1. k

In the same manner it is desirable, but not always necessary, to impart an initial bend to the port'ion IIb which joins the back members and the seat members. The hereinbefore described movement causes members I5, It, I? and I8 to be arranged substantially parallel to, but removed as shown from, E la, I9, 28, 21 and Mb and produces the chair structure of Fig. 1. In order permanently to define the front edge of the seat members, a reinforcing member 24 is fixed'a cross'the under portions of the bows Md, II-ld, 20d, 2 Id and I ld. The fixing of saidmem ber 24 either by itself or in combination with the reverse bends formed at I500, Ita, Ila and- I8iz insures the chair being stable and prevents any tendency for the metal to spring back into the original flat sheet from which it was formed.

Thus the upper (again referring to Fig. 2) portions of elongated members I l, I9, 20, 2| and I4 become seat members. the lower portions of said members i4, I9, 2G, 2! and [4 become front leg members, the upper portions of members I5, l6, H and [8 become rear leg portions, and the lower portions of IE, Hi, I! and I8 function as bracing members joining and holding the front and rear leg portions of said chair in correct alignment. The arm portions are formed as indicated whereas the back of the chair results from the indicated positioning of the upper or cut-out back part of the sheet of material.

It will of course be understood that the back might be formed solidly, in which case-no cutouts H would be stamped in the sheet. Moreover, it is not necessary to make the seat and leg members of the indicated shape or form.

From the foregoing, those in the art are advised of the manner in which a rigid, although somewhat cushiony and springy, chair structure having all of the necessary and desirable elements of such a piece of furniture can be inexpensively and quickly formed from a single sheet of material. Only one stamping and cutting operation is required to outline all of the essential elements of the chair and thereafter only one bending step is required to form said thus formed and cut sheet into a chair; this latter step includes the addition of any desired reinforcing element as 24.

The flexibility of the just described invention is shown in Figs, 3 to 7 inclusive wherein is illustrated a chair of markedly different appearance and configuration but which is nevertheless formed by substantially the same method as that first above described. In the last referred-to modification of the herein described invention, the sheet is so cut that certain of the stamped and formed portions can be moved slightly laterally as well as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby to increase the variety of completed structures which may be formed in accordance with the broad invention herein described.

The completed chair of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is produced by first stamping and cutting a sheet of material in the manner shown in Fig. 7. The dotted lines in this figure illustrate the lines along which the material is folded to produce said completed chair.

It is deemed the best to describe the various structural elements in connection with the chair in completed form and thereafter point out the position of such elements in the stamped and cut sheet of material. The chair comprises a back 51 and a main seat portion 52, each of these portions having designs of any desired character out thereinto at the time the material sheet is originally stamped. At the top of the back 5! a portion 51a is bent over at a substantially 90 angle to receive the free or rear ends of

arms

53 and 54 thereunder in secured relation. Al though arms 53 and 5G in the herein illustrated chair are out free at their rear ends to permit these ends to be moved laterally and secured under the part 5w, it will be understood that the invention also includes leaving these ends connected to the part em when the sheet is originally cut and depending upon the shaping of the cut sheet to bring the

arms

53 and 54 correctly into ultimate position.

The

arms

53 and 54 are integral with and extend downwardly via

vertical portions

55 and 56,

respectively, into front leg portions 5! and 59. Each rear leg comprises two parts 59-60 and 6i-62, the leg portions 59 and 82 having been cut out from the sheet when the latter was origi- 5 nally stamped and left secured to said sheet only at the points where they are hingedly to be bent. In addition to the centrally positioned seat memer 52 the chair comprises two side seat forming members on each side of said central portion, 1. e., 63-64 and 55-56. A horizontally extending reinforcing portion 5? is formed as part of the originally stamped sheet and extends from substantially the bottom of the rear leg portions to the bottoms of the front leg portions. The centrally disposed seat member 52 terminates in a forwardly and downwardly projecting tongue 68 while the

side seat members

83, 6d, 65 and 56 extend downwardly via portions 59, it, ii and E2 to merge into the front leg members 57 and 58. The front portion of the bottom reinforcing member 87 comprises an underturned part H which is bent upwardly and again horizontally to form a foot part Hi and a bottom reinforcing joinder member '55. i5 While not at all times necessary, it is at times desirable further to rigidize the structure by acidilig side reinforcing members '56 as indicated. These members have welding lugs "7 struck out and bent integrally therefrom to permit them to be secured as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The side reinforcing members provide stretchers between the under portions of the front of the arms 53 and 5:2 and the foot portions 34 at the lower end of the front legs. The just described positionstructure even more rigid than it would be if they were not used, i. e., if the various parts were shaped into chair forming position merely by bending.

A front reinforcing member 78 extends across the chair structure under the bent portions at the front of 63, 5:1, 52, 55, and F55 and is welded into position to hold the front of the seat members as shown. Having stamped a sheet of material to comprise the cut outs, discards and slitting shown in Fig. 7 (the parts in Fig. 7 being numbered the same as in the figures illustrating the completed chair), the chair of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is formed by moving the member (5? and

rear leg members

59, 68, El, and $2 away from the remainder of the sheet and bringing member 5'! substantially parallel to the

seat forming members

52, 63, E4, 65 and 66. This movement will at the same time cause the back member 5! to assume substantially vertical position which will result in the

arm members

53 and 54 taking substantially the position they occupy in the completed chair. The rear ends of the arm members are moved under the sides of the folded down back portion 5m and are secured as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5.

The just described movement of the various parts relative to each other will leave the lower ends 59a and 52a free. These ends are then moved under the reinforcing portion Bl and are secured as best shown in Figs, 3 and 5. The reinforcing member 78 is secured in position as shown to promote the rigidity and permanent shape of f the front of the seat member while the portion l3, l4, 15 is folded (see Fig. 5) and secured under the forwardly extending portion of member 6?. It should be noted that the portions 53a and Eta can be and usually are bent downwardly to produce a pleasing line at the sides of the chair. Finally the side reinforcing members 76 are secured in position.

' ing of the siding reinforcing members makes the.

The foregoing description reveals the manner in which a chair of pleasing appearance may be substantially integrally formed from a sheet of material by a simple simultaneous stamping and cutting and subsequent shaping of said unitary cut sheet.

Figs. 8, 9 and illustrate an embodiment, of the invention wherein the material sheet is cut, stamped and provided with folded lines to eventuate a greatly strengthenedtwo-ply rear leg struc ture. Nevertheless, the chair is integrally formed by stamping a plane sheet of material and then folding the properly formed portions to produce the desired structure and accordingly, the chair illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is similarly denotable as an integrally formed chair. Inasmuch as the embodiment of the invention in these latter figures differs principally from that described in connection with the preceding embodiments in the formation of the rear leg structure, only that much of the sheet (see Fig. 8) has been shown as is necessary to illustrate the manner in which said indicated leg portions are initially stamped and out and only so much of a perspective view of the chair structure has been shown in Figs. 9 and 10 as is similarly necessary to show such leg structure in its completed form. Moreover, additional reference characters will be applied to said Figs. 8, 9 and 10 only in so far as they are necessary to describe those features of the chair of these figures which are additional to those illustrated in the other figures.

In stamping the sheet shown in Fig. 8 to set up the various structural elements required in the completed chair of Figs. 9 and 10, a portion 808! is formed outside of each side of the back member 5!. As shown, this piece is completely severed from the sheet except at its bottom where the dotted lines indicate a, connection about which said portion 808l may be folded to substantially 180. Moreover, the part 8| is foldable about the long folding line between it and part 80. When the indicated cut and slitted parts are moved with respect to each other, the bottom bracing portion 61 is moved into position substantially parallel to the seat portion 60 which causes the member 65 to fold about the dotted line at the upper end thereof.

The material of 65 at 65a has been suitably affected so that it may be arched or bowed to cause member 65 to assume a substantially vertical position in the completed chair and be a portion of the rear leg structure of the chair. The lower end 89a of 80 overlies the lower end of 65 at substantially the point where the latter (65a) is sharply bowed to extend forwardly to become a part of the bracing structure 61, and said lower end 80a of the member 80 is Welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of the member 65 to comprise an extremely strong two-ply rear leg.

The member 8! is folded at substantially right angles to the member 89 and is alsosecured at its lower end by welding to the member 65. The upper end of portion 8! is secured in position by bending the outside seat portion 66a thereover downwardly. This results because the member 66a is originally formed of such dimensions that the rear portion thereofwill overlie the upper end of member 8 I- when member 66a is folded into operative position.

The material on the-other side of the sheet of Fig. 8 is similarly cut and processed to eventu-ate the rear leg structure at the other side of the back of the chair.

While I have shOWnparticular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course,

that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

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

1. A method of forming a chair which comprises slitting a piece of sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits termihating short of the marginal end edges of said material to form bendable strips interconnected at their ends by marginal end portions, bending a predetermined number of said strips along a central transverse line in one direction out of the plane of said material to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end and first leg portions at the other end, simultaneously bending a second predetermined number of said strips along a central transverse line in a second direction to form in'cooperation second leg portions at said one end and a bottom portion at said other end, said bottom portion being disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said seat portion, bending one of said marginal end portions to form a foot for said first leg portions and bending the other of said marginal end portions to form a back for said chair.

2.. A method of forming a chair which comprises slitting a piece of substantially flat sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits. terminating short of the marginal end edges of said material to form bendable strips interconnected at their ends by marginal end portions one of which eventuates in a back for said chair, further slitting the side marginal portions of said sheet insubstantially the same direction as said first slits to provide marginal side strips extending from a transverse line intermediate the ends of the first slits through at least a portion of the eventuating back, bending a predetermined number of said strips intermediate the ends thereof along a transverse line in one direction out of the plane of said material to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end and front leg portions at the other end, simultaneously bending a second predetermined number of said strips intermediate the ends thereof along a second transverse line in the opposite direction to form in cooperation rear leg portions at said one end and a bottom reinforcing portion at. said other end, said bottom reinforcing portion interconnecting the lower ends of said front and rear leg portions, bending said one marginal end portion in said one direction to form said back, and.

bending said marginal side strips intermediate the ends thereof along a third transverse line in a direction out of the planes of the seat portion and said back to-form side arms for said chair.

3. A method of forming a chair which comprises longitudinally slitting an elongated piece of sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits terminating short of the marginal end edges of said piece to form-bendable elongated strips interconnected at their ends by marginal end portions one ofwhich eventuates. in a back for said chair, further slitting the side marginal portions of said piece in substantially the same direction as said first slits to provide marginal side strips extending from a transverse line intermediate the ends of the first slits toa point within the eventuating back of said chair, said marginal side strips being connected at their ends with said-back eventuating end portion,

bendinga predetermined number of saidelon--- ae i aiiv gated strips along a substantially central transverse line in one direction out of the plane of saidpiece to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end and front leg portions at the other end, simultaneously bending a second predetermined number of said elongated strips along a substantially central transverse line in the opposite direction to form in cooperation rear leg portions at said one end and a bottom reinforcing portion at said other end, bending said one marginal end portion in said one direction to form said back, and simultaneously bending said marginal side strips intermediate the ends thereof along a transverse line in a direction out of the planes of said back and said seat portion to form side arms for said chair.

4. A method of forming a chair which comprises slitting a piece of sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits terminating short of the marginal end edges of said material to form bendable strips interconnected at their ends by marginal end portions one of which eventuates in the back of said chair, further slitting the side marginal portions of said sheet in substantially the same direction as said first slits to provide marginal side arm members having free ends extending from a transverse line intermediate the ends of the first slits through said one end marginal edge, bending some of said strips along a central transverse line in one direction out of the plane of said material to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end and front leg portions at the other end, simultaneously bending others of said strips along a central transverse line in the other direction to form in cooperation rear leg portions at said one end and a bottom reinforcing portion at said other end, bending said one marginal end portion upwardly from said seat portion to form said back, bending said side arm portions upwardly from said seat portion and rearwardly toward the top of said back, and securing the free ends thereof to said back.

5. A method of forming a chair which comprises slitting a piece of sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits terminating short of the marginal end edges of said material to form bendable strips interconnected at their ends by marginal end portions one of which eventuates in the back of said chair, further slitting the side marginal portions of said sheet in substantially the same direction as said first slits to provide marginal side arm portions extending from a transverse line intermediate the ends of the first slits through at least a portion of the marginal end edge eventuating in said back, still further slitting said material to form elongated tongue members severed from said material except at the ends thereof adjacent said eventuating back, bending some of said strips along a central transverse line in one direction out of the plane of said material to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end and front leg portions at the other end, simultaneously bending others of said strips along a central transverse line in the other direction to form in cooperation rear 1eg portions at said one end and a bottom reinforcing portion at said other end, bending said one marginal end portion upwardly. from said seat portion to form said back, bending said side arm portions upwardly out of the plane of said seat portion and said back along a transverse line to form side arms for said chair, and bending said tongue members into substantial alignment with said rear leg portions and securing them thereto to provide reinforcement therefor.

6. The method recited in claim 5 wherein said tongue members are formed in and bent from that portion of the sheet material eventuating in said seat portion.

'7. The method recited in claim 5 wherein said tongue members are formed in and bent from that portion of the sheet material eventuating in the back of said chair.

8. A chair formed from a single piece of sheet material comprising a back portion, a seat portion constituting an extension of a lower edge of said back portion, front leg portions constituting an extension of a forward edge of said seat portion, and rear leg portions cut out from said seat portion and also constituting an extension of a lower edge of said back portion, and a bottom reinforcing portion constituting an extension of the lower edge of said rear leg portions.'

9. A chair for-med from a single piece of sheet material comprising a back portion, a continuous seat and front leg portion constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion, and a continuous rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion struck out from said seat and front leg portion also constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion; said bottom reinforcing portion being disposed substantially parallel to said seat portion.

19. A chair formed from a single piece of sheet material comprising a back portion, a seat and front leg portion constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion and terminating in a forward foot portion integral with said leg portion, and a rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion struck out from said seat and front leg portion also constituting an extension of said back portion and also terminating in said foot portion integral with the bottom reinforcing portion.

11. A chair formed from a single piece of sheet material comprising a back portion, a seat and front leg portion constituting an integral extension of the lower edge of said back portion, a rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion struck out from said seat and front leg portion also constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion, and side arm portions struck upwardly from the material of said seat portion and secured to said back portion at their rearward ends.

12. The chair recited in claim 11 wherein said side arm portions include material struck forwardly from said back portion and are integral therewith.

13. A chair formed from a single piece of sheet material comprising a back portion, a seat and front leg portion constituting an integral extension of the lower edge of said back portion, a rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion struck out from said seat and front leg portionalso constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion, side arm portions struck upwardly fromthe marginal edges of said seat portion and secured to said back portion at their rearward ends, and rear leg reinforcing means struck out from the marginal edges of said back portion and bent and secured to the rear leg portion.

14. A chair formed from a single pieceof sheet.

material comprising. .a back portion, a seat and front leg portion constituting an integral extension of the lower edge of said back portion, a

rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion struck out from said seat and front leg portion also constituting an extension of the lower edge of said back portion, side arm portions struck upwardly from the marginal edges of said seat portion and secured to said back portion at their rearward ends, and rear leg reinforcing means struck out from the seat and front leg portion and bent downwardly and secured to said rear leg and bottom reinforcing portion.

15. A method of forming a chair which comprises slitting a piece of substantially fiat sheet material to provide a plurality of substantially parallel slits terminating short of the marginal end edges of said material to form elongated bendable strips interconnected at their ends by said marginal end portions, bending a predetermined number of said strips intermediate the ends thereof along a transverse line in one direction out of the plane of said piece to form in cooperation a seat portion at one end of said strips and first leg portions at the other end of said strips, and simultaneously bending a second predetermined number of said strips intermediate the ends thereof along a second transverse line in a second direction out of the plane of said piece to form in cooperation second leg portions at said one end and a bottom portion at said other end, said bottom and seat portions being disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation.

16. A sheet blank suitable for forming a chair having a seat, first and second legs, and reinforcing bottom, said blank comprising a plurality of elongated strips integrally connected to each other at their ends; a predetermined number of said strips being bendable in one direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous seat and first legs, and the remainder of said strips being bendable in a second direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous reinforcing bottom and second legs; said first and second legs being spaced relative to one another and extending in substantially the same direction from said reinforcing bottom.

17. A sheet blank suitable for forming a chair having a seat, first and second legs, and a reinforcing bottom, said blank comprising a plurality of elongated substantially parallel strips arranged in juxtaposed relation and integrally connected to each other at their ends; one set of alternate strips being bendable in one direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous seat and first leg, and a second set of alternate strips being bendable in the opposite direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous reinforcing bottom and second leg.

18. A sheet blank suitable for forming a chair having a back, a seat, first and second legs, and a reinforcing bottom; said blank comprising a back-eventuating portion and a contiguous seat, reinforcing bottom, leg-eventuating portion, said latter portion comprising a plurality of elongated strips terminating at one end adjacent said backeventuating portion and terminating at the other end in a marginal end edge portion; a predetermined number of said strips being bendable in one direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous seat and first legs, and the remainder of said strips being bendable in a second direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous reinforcing bottom and second legs; said first and second legs being spaced relative to one another and extending in substantially the same direction from said reinforcing bottom.

19. A sheet blank suitable for forming a chair having a seat, first and second legs, and a reinforcing bottom, said blank comprising a plurality of elongated substantially parallel strips arranged in juxtaposed relation and integrally connected to each other at their ends; a predetermined number of said strips being bendable in one direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous seat and first legs, and the remainder of said strips being bendable in a second direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous reinforcing bottom and second legs; said first and second legs being spaced relative to one another and extending in substantially the same direction from said reinforcing bottom.

20. A sheet blank suitable for forming a chair having a back, a seat, side arms, first and second legs, and a reinforcing bottom, said blank comprising a back-eventuating portion, a contiguous seat, reinforcing bottom, leg-eventuating portion, and side arm-eventuating portions disposed adjacent the opposite sides of said back and contiguous portions and integrally connected to the latter; said contiguous portion comprising a plurality of elongated strips arranged in juxtaposed relation and integrally connected to each other; a predetermined number of said strips being bendable in one direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous seat and first legs, and the remainder of said strips being bendable in a second direction from the plane of said blank to form a continuous reinforcing bottom and second legs; said first and second legs being spaced relative to one another and extending in substantially the same direction from said reinforcing bottom.

21. The blank recited in claim 20 wherein the side arm-eventuating portions are integrally connected to said back-eventuating portion.

ROY S. SANFORD.

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