US2962334A - Filler strip for knock-down sectional furniture - Google Patents

Description

J. E. DUTMERS I 2,962,334

Nov. 29, 1960 FILLER STRIP FOR KNOCK-DOWN SECTIONAL FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1958 Nov. 29, 1960 J. E. DUTMERS FILLER STRIP FOR KNOCK-DOWN SECTIONAL FURNITURE Filed -July 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r w m w WM E United States Patent FILLER STRIP FOR KNOCK-DOWN SECTIONAL FURNITURE James E. Dutmcrs, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor to Oxford, Ltd., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 8, 1958,.Ser. No. 747,172

2 Claims. (Cl.'312-'108) This invention relates to a filler strip for sectional furniture, and is particularly concerned with a filler strip for use between knockdown sections in vertically superimposed relationship.

In furniture of the type to which the present invention relates, each section is made by threading a rod into the underside of a top member adjacent each corner, positioning the sides in perpendicular relationship to the top, impaling a bottom on the rods with its top surface en gaging the sides, and then screwing a stub leg on each rod to hold the top and bottom of the section tightly against the top and bottom edges of the sides. The underside of the top member and the top surface of the bottom are preferably provided with grooves into which the top and bottom edges of the sides fit. If the sides are thick enough they may be provided with vertical bores and impaled on the rods.

The sections are assembled in inverse position, with the top member laying on a work bench or table with its underside uppermost. Each corner of the top member is provided with a recess which has a threaded socket secured therein. A threaded rod is screwed into each socket. The sides are assembled with the top member, and the bottom is then impaled on the upstanding rods. The rods project above the bottom surface of the bottom when it is impaled thereon. Stub legs are then screwed on to the uppermost portions of the rods which project above the bottom and are threaded to receive the stub legs. The stub legs have two adjacent edges flush with the adjacent edges of the bottom when they are tightened to hold the section is assembled relationship. When the sections are turned right side up and one section is superimposed on another, the stub legs of the upper section rest on the top of the lower section and serve as spacers between the superimposed sections. The space between the superimposed sections forms an unsightly gap between the stub legs at opposite ends of the front of the sections.

It is an object of the invention to provide a filler strip for filling the gap between superimposed sections to impart a neat, attractive appearance to the furniture.-

It is a further object of the invention to prevent the accumulation of dust in an area where it is easily visible and hard to remove.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which: I

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a unit comprising two sections of furniture in superimposed relation with filler strips in position; 1

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the manner of assembling the components of one section in inverted position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the top member, one side member and a rod in inverted position, showing how the rods are secured to the top member;

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Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a section partially assembled in inverted position;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a stub leg;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a filler strip;

Fig. 7 is an inverted perspective view of a section completely assembled;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a rear perspective view of a furniture unit comprising two sections in superimposed relationship.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates an upper section superimposed on a similar section 3 in Fig. 1. The sections shown in the drawings are substantially duplicates of each other, and therefore only one will be described in detail, it being understood that the description applies to each section, except for the legs applied to the lowermost section of each unit. The sections are described hereinafter without reference to any door or closure for the front, since any suitable type of door may be used in each section. The treatmentof the front edge of the section depends on whether the front closure tobe applied to the section is a hinged or a. sliding closure.

The section comprises a top member 4', shown in Fig. 2 in the inverted position in which it is assembled with side walls 5 and a back wall 6. The underside of the top member is provided with three grooves 7 equally spaced from three of the edges of the top member. The grooves are of uniform depth, and each is wide enough to snugly re ceive the edge of the wall member intended to be fitted therein. When the back and side walls are assembled with the top member, the rear edge of each side wall abuts one end of the back wall.

An interiorly threaded socket 8 is permanently secured in each of a plurality of recesses 9 which extend partially through the top member, as indicated in Fig. 3. The sockets are preferably located adjacent each corner, but may be located in any desired position. A rod 16, threaded at each end, is screwed into each socket. The side walls 5 may be provided with vertical recesses, if desired, into which the rods may be received. Such vertical recesses may have a depth equal to the diameter of the rod 10, or may be of less depth. If the walls 5 are of sufficient thickness, they may be provided with vertical bores in which the rods may be positioned. Each rod is longer than the height of the side walls and projects beyond the edge of the side wall a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the bottom 11 of the section.

The bottom 11 is provided with apertures 12 aligned with the rods 10 upon which it is impaled. The upper surface of the bottom is provided with grooves 13 adapted to fit on the edges of the walls 5 and 6. As shown in Fig. 4, each rod 10 projects slightly above the bottom 11 when the bottom is impaled on the rods in the inverted position of the section, with the edges of the walls 5 and 6 fitted into the grooves 7 and 13. A stub leg 14 is screwed on the projecting end of each rod 10 to hold the top and bottom of the section in engagement with the walls 5 and 6.

Each stub leg has a socket 15, similar to the socket 8, threaded interiorly to fit on the projecting end of the rod 10. A vertical bore 16 is provided in each stub leg in alignment with the socket 15, as shown in Fig. 8, to allow the rod 10 to project therein. The stub leg is thicker than the projecting portion of the rod, so that the rod cannot project beyond the exposed surface of the stub leg. Each stub leg is tightened against the outer surface of the bottom 11, and is then forced into final position with two ajacent edges flush with two adjacent edges of the bottom 11.

The upper surface of the top member 4 must be smooth for the sake of its appearance, and therefore the rods cannot project through the top member. The side walls are so close to the rods that it is impossible to secure the parts of the section together by rotating the rods, and each stub leg must be rotated into place for the final assembling operation. Accordingly, the length of each stub leg must be less than half the depth of the section, because the stub legs screwed on the rods adjacent the front edge of the section must clear the stub legs adjacent the rear of the section, and vice versa. It is obvious therefore, that when any section is turned right side up and superimposed on a similar section, the stub legs, which are of uniform thickness, serve as spacers between the superimposed sections, a gap extending from one stub leg to the other will be left between the superimposed sections.

This gap is not important at the back of the unit, but is very unsightly at the front and at the sides when the sides are visible. The appearance of the unit is marred even more when dust accumulates in visible areas of the gap, and it is difficult to keep such surfaces clean because the gaps are comparatively shallow and extend backwardly beyond the reach of most cleaning implements.

The edges of stub legs 14 that are not flush with the outer edges of the bottom 11 in their final position are each provided with a notch 17. These notches are illustrated as rectangular, but it will be obvious that they may be of any desired configuration. The notches are preferably arranged to be in alignment with each other when assembled with the section, but may be offset relative to each other, if desired. A filler strip 18 of the same thickness as the stub legs is provided with projections 19 at each end shaped to fit in the notches 17. Each filler strip is the same length as the gap it is intended to fill. After the stub legs are tightened into final position the filler strips are positioned. The projections 19 of the filler strips fit sufficiently tightly into the notches 17 to hold the filler strips in place when the section is turned right side up.

It will be noted that in the method of assembly described it is not necessary to use a plurality of nails or screws, and that the four rods are sufficient to hold each section in assembled form. The units may be shipped to the purchaser in knock-down condition and may be assembled by the unskilled purchasers without the use of any tools. The filler strips cannot be displaced when the unit is in assembled relationship because such displacement would require the stub legs at opposite ends of the filler strip to be rotated in opposite directions. Accordingly, one stub leg would be tightened by such rotation, and such tightening is impossible after the unit has been assembled.

Each section may be assembled in exactly the same manner, with the top, bottom, side and back walls held together by the stub legs. The filler strips need not be positioned until the final assembly of the unit, because if either end of the complete unit is to be positioned adjacent a wall or another unit, a filler strip will not be required at such end. When the final assembly is to be 4 made, the stub legs may be removed from the lowermost section and replaced by conventional legs, such as those indicated at 20 in Figs. 1 and 9, which are also provided with sockets 15 so that they can be screwed on the rods 10 to replace the stub legs that are removed.

The back walls of each section may also be provided with the interengaging means such as the metal strap 21 and tongue 22, shown in Fig. 9, to give the unit greater stability. The tongue 22 on the lowermost section is preferably removed when the unit is finally assembled. Although the unit shown comprises only two sections, it will be understood that the unit is not limited to two sections, but may be built to any suitable height. In the drawings, the sections are shown as being identical, but it will be understood that a unit may be made of dissimilar sections.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction described, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A furniture section having a top member, side and back walls, rods threaded into said top member adjacent each corner thereof, a bottom impaled on said rods, a plurality of flat stub legs threaded on said rods and tight ened against said bottom to secure said top member and bottom tightly against opposite edges of said side and back walls, each of said stub legs having notches in two adjacent edges thereof, and a filler strip fitting between two of said stub legs, said filler strip having laterally extending projections at each end fitting into the notches of said two stub legs.

2. A furniture section comprising a top member, a bottom, back and side walls, a plurality of rods extending from said top member through said bottom, fiat stub legs secured on each of said rods, each of said stub legs hav ing two adjacent edges flush with corresponding edges of said section and two other edges each provided with a notch, and a filler strip extending between two of said stub legs, said filler strip being flush with the adjacent edge of said section and having a laterally extending projection at each end interengaged with one of said notches in each of said two stub legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 534,788 Erkenswick Feb. 26, 1895 835,508 Faust et al. Nov. 13, 1906 1,889,811 Richardson Dec. 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,955 Great Britain 1915 185,352 Austria Apr. 25, 1956

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