US2703600A

US2703600A - Article of furniture with storage spaces

Info

Publication number: US2703600A
Application number: US392102A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Harper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-11-16
Filing date: 1953-11-16
Publication date: 1955-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-08

Description

March 8, 1955 E. F. HARPER ARTICLE OF FURNITURE WITH STORAGE SPACES Filed Nov. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 E M m :u N l ux M m X P i m T R R J A X x x M4 X x 0 6 X X x 1 x x F w X VA X X x m X REL .X X fl X X X X X X X x x x x X x x X x x .x x x x x x x x X x X K x x x W f March 8, 1955 E. F. HARPER ARTICLE OF FURNITURE WITH STORAGE SPACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1955 55 f INVENTOR.

BY j

ATTOEW United States Patent ARTICLE OF FURNITURE WITH STORAGE SPACES Edward F. Harper, Philadelphia, Pa. Application November 16, 1953, Serial No. 392,102

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-114) My invention relates to a new and useful article of furniture with storage spaces and more particularly a couch, settee, sofa, large chair or the like so constructed as to provide compartments for the temporary storage of articles such as bed clothing, pillows, throw cushions and other items generally used from time to time about the piece of furniture.

An object of this invention is to provide a compartment under the seat and having an access opening at the front which is normally closed by sliding doors giv- 1ng easy access to the compartment when items are to be placed therein or removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide compartments in the arms at the ends of the main body of the article of furniture, each of said arms having an access opening at the front thereof normally closed by a swinging door preferably hinged to swing on a vertical axis.

Another object of the present invention is to produce an article of furniture including unique structural elements whereby a truly sectional article is provided that can be disconnected for shipping, moving and storage purposes and reconnected when desired or conveniently located.

Another object of the invention is to produce a sectional article of furniture in which the several sections may be joined in various relationships to provide different complete articles of furniture.

A further object of this invention is to provide body frame units which may be employed singly or in multiple to produce articles of furniture of diiferent lengths.

A still further object of the present invention is to produce an arm unit having a compartment with an opening at the front normally closed by a hinged door, one of said arm units being removably attached to one or each end of a body frame unit according to the assembly desired.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a single body unit couch constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section of the same on the line 3-3 of Pi l.

F Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 44 of Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a multiple body unit couch utilizing the features shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and having portions broken out to represent foreshortening of the article. 7

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of two body units in the location of the joint with some of the elements broken away to illustrate details of construction.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied 10 represents body units, as a whole, and 11 are arm units.

A body unit 10 comprises two front legs 12 laterally spaced an appropriate distance and two rear legs 13 similarly spaced and arranged in suitably spaced relation to the front legs directly behind the latter. The rear legs 13 project to a height above the front legs 12 and then are preferably inclined rearwardly to provide back support portions 14. Top and

bottom end rails

15 and 16, respectively, are connected to each pair of front and rear legs preferably by mitre joints. Also top and

bottom front stringers

17 and 18, respectively, are fastened to the front legs 12 preferably by mitre joints and likewise top and bottom

rear stringers

19 and 20, respectively, are attached to the rear legs 13 also preferably by mitre joints.

On the inner surfaces of all of said stringers are fixed flange strips 21 which function as supports for other elements of structure to be described below. A plywood bottom or floor panel 22 is mounted on and secured to the flange strips 21 on the bottom front and

rear stringers

18 and 20, respectively, and end panels 23 are imposed on and fastened to the inner surfaces of the top and

bottom end rails

15 and 16, respectively, and the front and

rear legs

12 and 13, respectively, at both ends of the body unit to close the space between cooperating legs and end rails. A back panel 24, preferably of plywood, is fixed to the rear top and

bottom stringers

19 and 20, respectively, preferably on the forward faces of said stringers. On the upper edges of the front and rear upper flange "strips 21 are mounted and secured slats 25 extending from the front stringer to the back stringer and spaced apart longitudinally of the body frame.

0n the slats 25 are mounted a plurality of springs 26, Figs. 3 and 4, partially enclosed by a fabric cover 27 which overlies said springs and has its edges secured to appropriate parts of the body frame thereby providing a spring seat as is usual in furniture upholstering.

The bottom, back and end panels with the slats and spring cover form a storage compartment having an opening at the front which is normally closed by a pair of sliding doors 28 having grooves or ways in the opposed upper and lower edges for registration with pairs of parallel tracks 29 on the under edge of the front stringer 17 and the upper edge of the lower front stringer 18. Each sliding door has a knob 30 which is within the confines of the body frame to reduce to a minimum the chances of a persons clothing catching on such knobs.-

On the rear edges of the upper parts of the rear legs 13, including the inclined back support portions 14, are mounted longitudinally arranged boards 31 to the front faces of which are secured springs 32 having their forward ends enclosed by a fabric covering 33 the edges of which are fastened to suitable parts of the body frame. This provides a resilient back. Mounted on and secured to the top edges of the two rear leg structures of a unit is a top piece or shelf 34 and over the back of the structure is fastened a fabric cover 35 to close said back to keep out dust and other foreign substances.

The arm units 11 are similar but one is for use at the right hand end of a body unit 10 and the other arm unit is for use at the left hand end of a body unit. Each arm unit 11 consists of a bottom wall 36, a top wall 37, an inner side wall 38, an outer side wall 39 and a back wall 40 thereby producing a storage compartment having a front opening normally closed by an outwardly swinging door 41 pivotally hinged at the top and bottom to the top and bottom walls 37 and 36, respectively. Each door is provided with a recessed knob 42 which does not protrude beyond the surface of the door but can be grasped for opening the same. The door is held in a closed position by a spring latch of conventional type.

The inner side walls 38 of the arm units and the end panels. 23 and/or the front and

rear leg structure

12 and 13, respectively, have holes therethrough whereby an arm unit may be removably fastened to one or each end of a body frame unit and, if desired, two body frame units can be fastened together end wise by appropriate fastening devices 43. As depicted in Figs. 1 to 4 an arm unit is assembled on each end of the single body unit thus providing a couch of predetermined length whereas in Figs. 5 and 6 there is illustrated a couch having a length equal to approximately that of two body units by eliminating two of the arm units and fastening two body units end to end. In such an assembly there is one arm unit at the outer end of each body unit to provide arms at-both ends of the extra long couch.

In order to raise the couch and the arm structures above the floor foot rests 44 in the form of flat blocks are secured to the ends of the body frame at both the front and rear and said arm structures merely set thereon.

All of the woodwork which would be exposed at the front, ends and top may be covered with appropriate fabrics, genuine or imitation leather or other suitable material 45 to enhance the appearance of the finished article.

Seat cushions 46 and back cushions 47 are imposed on the respective spring assemblies to provide resilient resting surfaces for persons bodies.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a novel construction of furniture in which several separate units are employed and removably joined together to produce articles of different lengths and types which may be disassembled for easy transportation.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. An article of furniture comprising a body frame unit including pairs of front and back legs and said back legs having rearwardly and upwardly inclined back support sections, top and bottom rails connected to the 30 companion front and back legs, upper and lower stringers connected to each pair of front legs and each pair of back legs, a bottom panel mounted on the bottom' stringers, a back panel secured to the inner faces of the stringers connected to the back legs, end panels imposed on the inner surfaces of companion front and back legs and their respective rails, sliding doors mounted between the front upper and lower stringers, slats mounted on the upper front and back stringers in spaced relation longitudinally of said stringers and adapted to support springs covered by a fabric covering and forming with said bottom, back and end panels and the doors a storage compartment accessible through the opening normally closed by the sliding doors, fastening means cooperating with the end panels to connect other units to either end of said body frame unit, a shelf member attached to the upper ends of a pair of back support sections, boards secured to the rear edges of a pair of said back support sections, springs fastened to the inner surfaces of said boards and covered with a fabric covering, and cushions on the spring coverings.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in combination with foot blocks secured to the bottoms of the legs and projecting outwardly endwise, and arm units at the ends of the body frame unit and resting on said foot blocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 80,159 Faller July 21, 1868 1,077,199 James Oct. 28, 1913 1,327,941 Camp Jan. 13, 1920 2,605,820 Powellek Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 271,006 Great Britain May 19, 1927