US2848038A

US2848038A - Spring units for upholstery foundations

Info

Publication number: US2848038A
Application number: US594295A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert M Bank; Alex J Katz
Original assignee: Super Sagless Spring Corp
Current assignee: Super Sagless Spring Corp
Priority date: 1956-06-27
Filing date: 1956-06-27
Publication date: 1958-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1975-08-19

Description

Aug. 19, 1958 A. M. BANK ET AL SPRING um'rs FOR UPHOLSTERY FOUNDATIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1956 4mm- 1% 8: 14 Alex J'Karz g- 19,1953 8 A. M. BANK ETAL I 2,848,038

SPRING UNITS FOR UPHO LSTERY FOUNDATIONS Filed June 27. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Eer- 9, 1958 A. M. BANK ETAL 2,848,038

' SPRING UNITS FOR UPHOLSTERY FOUNDATIONS Filed June 27, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 avg INVENTORS 44859;;- 840k, BY amt K472 2,848,038 SPRING UNITS FOR UPHOLSTERY FOUNDATIONS Albert M. Bank, Jersey City, and Alex J. Katz, West Orange, N. J., assignors to Super Sagless Spring Corp, Hoboken, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 27, 1956, Serial No. 594,295

Claims. (Cl. 155-479) The present invention relates to improvements in zigrag and other spring constructions for the seats and backs of upholstered chairs, sofas and the like.-

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved spring unit construction for the uses mentioned, which efiiciently maintains the contour of the load-bearing spring surface and avoids hard regions thereon.

Another object thereof is to provide spring units of the character set forth, of novel and improved construction, adapted for preforming foundations for spring assemblies for upholstered furniture embodying the styles of structure known as pillow back, roll back and tuft back as well as seat foundations.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved spring units of the kind described, which are reasonably cheap to manufacture, easy to install, affording economy in use of materials and which is efiicient in carrying out the functions for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts'in all the views.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment showing a spring unit in accordance with the teachings of this invention and forms the basis of all the embodiments herein set forth.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic, fragmentary, perspective view showing spring units taught herein, constituting the inner spring assemblies for the seat and back of an article of upholstered furniture. The inner spring assembly shown used on the back, being adaptable for what is known as the pillow back style. The inner spring assembly shown used on the seat part, includes a spring edge for the structure. This may also be used in the back inner spring assembly.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken at lines 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar section of the back only, showing a modified embodiment.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views like Fig. 4, but of other modifications in structure embodying this invention; Fig. 7 being fragmentary.

In the drawings wherein are shown various forms this invention may assume, the numeral indicates a spring unit comprising a main spring member 16, the ends of which are anchored in any suitable manner to the

frame members

17, 18 of a seat, or to the frame members 19, 26 of the back of an article of upholstered furniture. All omitted to attain clarity of illustration, since this invention concerns itself wholly with the inner spring construction. These main springs 16 as mounted, present convex load-bearing surfaces and are in flexed condition as is well known in the art. A description of one of the spring units 15 will of course suffice for all.

cushioning and outer covering are nitcd States Patent 2,848,038 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 The numeral 21 designates an acute angled V-shaped auxiliary spring member whose shorter arm 22 is attached in any suitable manner to the convex surface of the main spring 16. Such attachment is onto a region spaced from an end of such main spring. The longer arm 23 of the auxiliary spring, extends as a cantilever towards such end of the main spring. When the cushioning and covering is put on, it is done in such manner that the cantilever portion 23 is flexed. The springs here shown are of the zigzag type.

of importance to note is that the region between the

assembly clips

24, 25, is hard as compared to the remainder of the spring unit 15, but such hard region is never part of the load-bearing surface of the spring unit 15 and is always spaced from the cantilever portion 23. It is evident that when a person sits on the seat, the load will be applied to the convex surface offered by the cantilever 23 and the convex surface of the main spring member 16 between the clip 25 and the anchorage 26. The action of such load on the main spring member will be to decrease its convexity, but the flexing of the cantilever to narrow the V-form 21 will cause the existence of a force at point 25 tending to increase the convexity of the main spring 16 and there also will be a force at point 24 acting to decrease the convexity of the main spring portion between point 25 and the anchorage point 27. This latter action also tends to increase the convexity of the main spring portion between the

points

25 and 26. Hence upon ap:

plication of load as aforesaid, all forces resulting from the stressing of the cantilever 23, will act to maintain the convexity of the main spring 16 as it existed at no load. Further, it is evident that the hard region between the

clips

24, 25, is never a part of the load-bearing surface. The mode of operation of the spring units 15 of the inner spring assembly of the back member of the article of furniture, is identical as described as to the seat, except that the load is applied by the sitter leaning back with weight against the back of the article of furniture.

The inner spring assemblies for seat and for pillow type back as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may include the

rods

29, 30 associated with the free ends of the cantilever positions 23, to serve as the spring edge in such instances.

In constructions for the types of back known as roll back, channel back and tuft back, the previously free end of each spring part 23 is preferably anchored to frame as at 31 in Fig. 4. In such embodiment, the action of forces caused at

points

24 and 25 is the same as mentioned, in that they act to maintain the original convexity of the main spring members 16. In said Fig. 4, the main spring 16 is of modified structure, but its principal part is the convex load-bearing component extending from the anchorage 32 to point A.

In the further modified constructions illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the V-shaped auxiliary spring unit is maintained, and the combined resiliency of both arms thereof is utilized to react against the load applied to the loadbearing surface. In each of these showings, both arms of the auxiliary spring are in acute angle relation with the main spring member 16; each facing the convex surface of such main spring and extend beyond an end thereof, where one arm is bent around and joined to the other by a suitable clip 33. The main difference between the structures shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is that the auxiliary spring 34 extends free of the frame 35, while in the auxiliary spring 36, the arm 36' which is the one intermediate the main spring and the second arm 36", is anchored intermediate its ends to frame as shown at 37.

The element connecting the arms of the auxiliary spring in Fig. 6, is preferably provided with a V-shape whosevertex is indicated at 41. A similar connecting element whose vertex is indicated at 42, may be provided as a continuation of the load-bearing arm of the auxiliary spring and anchored to frame at 43 as shown for the seat inner spring assembly in Fig. 7.

It is to be noted that it is preferred that in all embodiments shown, the load-bearing surface of the arm of the auxiliary spring which receives load, is convex.

In all constructions described, the main and auxiliary springs may be of different stock for varying the spring resistance and for use as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in particular, the

auxiliary springs

34 and 36 may be of much thinner stock than the main springs 16, because of the combined action of both auxiliary spring arms against loads applied to the load-bearing surfaces of the

spring units

40 and 39.

In all preferred constructions as shown, the hard region aforementioned, should be near the vertex of the auxiliary spring and of course same is never on the load-bearing surface of the spring units. It is also preferred that the arms of the auxiliary springs be integral. The attachment of the auxiliary spring to the main spring should have no swivel movement and hence points of attachment shall be at least two. When the spring units are of zig-zag wire, such two points are spaced along the main spring, or by a combination of attachments to the main spring and frame support. To avoid leaning, the auxiliary spring is positioned on the main spring whereby a portion of the back arm of the auxiliary spring, at the region Where it contacts the main spring, shall make an O-forrn or a plurality of O-forms with a portion of the main spring, as is seen in Fig. 1.

In order to facilitate definition in the appended claims, that arm of the V-shape which is attached to the main spring shall be called the back arm of the auxiliary spring, While the other shall be designated the front arm. Such designations in nomenclature shall apply whether in back or seat components of articles of upholstered furniture.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. In upholstery construction, a frame, a main zigzag spring attached to a pair of opposite members of the frame; said main spring presenting a convex loadbearing surface, an auxiliary zig-zag spring comprising a front arm and a back arm in acute angle relation; the back arm being securely fixed on the main spring and lying therealong whereby said front arm faces the convex surface of the main spring; the auxiliary spring being positioned on the main spring whereby a portion of the back arm at the region where it contacts the main spring, forms an O-form with a portion of the main spring; the back arm of the auxiliary spring being fixed to the main spring intermediate the ends of said main spring; at least that portion of the back arm which is away from the connection to the main spring, facing the convex surface of said main spring and being in acute angle relation with such main spring and an element connecting bot-h arms of the auxiliary spring at a substantial distance away from the vertex of the angle between the arms of the auxiliary spring.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the front arm presents a convex load-bearing surface.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the arms of the auxiliary spring extend from the connection of both springs, to beyond the main spring.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the element connecting both arms of the auxiliary spring includes a'resilient part which is substantially V-shaped.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the arms of the auxiliary spring extend from the connection of both springs, to beyond the main spring and wherein the back arm of the auxiliary spring is secured to the frame at a point thereof which is intermediate the vertex made by the arms of the auxiliary spring and the juncture of said element with the back arm of the auxiliary spring.

6. In upholstery construction, a frame, a main spring attached to a pair of opposite members of the frame; said main spring presenting a convex load-bearing surface and an auxiliary spring comprising a front arm and a back arm in acute angle relation; the back arm being fixed to the main spring intermediate the ends of said main spring and lying along said main spring whereby the front arm faces the convex surface of the main spring; at least that portion of the back arm which is away from the connection to the main spring, facing the convex surface of the main spring and being in acute angle relation with such main spring and an element connecting both arms of the auxiliary spring at a substantial distance away from the vertex of the angle between the arms of the auxiliary spring.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the front arm presents a convex load-bearing surface.

8. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the arms of the auxiliary spring extend from the connection of both springs, to beyond the main spring.

9. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the element connecting both arms of the auxiliary spring includes a resilient part which is substantially V-shaped.

10. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the arms of the auxiliary spring extend from the connection of both springs, to beyond the main spring and wherein the back arm of the auxiliary spring is secured to the frame at a point thereof which is intermediate the vertex made by the arms of the auxiliary spring and the juncture of said element with the back arm of the auxiliary spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS