US2987361A

US2987361A - Furniture construction

Info

Publication number: US2987361A
Application number: US771147A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard W Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-31
Filing date: 1958-10-31
Publication date: 1961-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1978-06-06

Description

June 6, 1961 R. w. THOMPSON FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31, 1958 INVENTOR RlcHA/eo 14 7/710MP60A/ BY HIS ATTO/PA/EKS HAEQ/S, K/Ech; F5575? 6% Mew/5 June 6, 1961 R. w. THOMPSON 2,987,351

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 31, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 10. [/35 w /aa we /60 /66 1V VE/V 7'02 R/CHA RD W 77/044250 BY HIS A770RNYS HARRIS, M56, Fosnse zi/vhmP/s United States Patent 2,987,361 FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Richard W. Thompson, Salt Lake City, Utah (2611 Avenida Las Palmas, Capistrano Beach, Calif.) Filed Oct. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 771,147 2 Claims. (Cl. 312-255) The present invention relates to the furniture construction art and a primary object thereof is to provide a furniture construction which isrigid and sturdy and capable of withstanding a great deal of use without loosening of the joints thereof, which includes components that are easily and economically made and assembled, and which is capable of being embodied in articles of furniture having an attractive and pleasing appearance.

In general, the invention contemplates, and it is an important object thereof to provide, a furniture construction, or the like, comprising a multi-component nonmetallic furniture structure and metallic frame means therefor including discrete metallic frame members of structural cross section, i.e., flanged frame members, to which the furniture structure is secured and which rigidly connect the components thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of furniture, or the like, having spaced, generally parallel corners each of which includes a frame member having a first flange with a concealed inner surface abutting the furniture structure and an exposed outer surface facing away from such structure, and a second flange embedded in and concealed by the furniture structure and having such structure rigidly secured thereto, the second flange being embedded in a single component of, or between two components of, the furniture structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a corner construction of the foregoing nature wherein two components of the furniture structure which form each of certain corners of the article of furniture have their adjacent ends or edges concealed by the corresponding frame member, at least one such end or edge abutting the concealed inner surface of the flange having the exposed outer surface, and the other of such ends or edges preferably abutting one side or surface of the embedded flange.

An important object of the invention is to incorporate the corner construction of the invention in upright, e.g., vertical corners of an article of furniture and to extend the frame members downwardly below the furniture structure proper to form legs for the article of furniture which space the furniture structure thereof upwardly from a floor, or the like and which are provided with integral glides at their lower ends.

Considering some more specific objects of the invention, an important one of these is to provide between the concealed inner surface of the exposed flange and the edge of the furniture-structure component which abuts such concealed inner surface a space forming a groove for the reception of a tongue on the other furniture-structure component of the corresponding corner construction, such tongue having an edge abutting one of the concealed surfaces of the embedded flange and having sides respectively abutting the sides of the groove mentioned, i.e., respectively having sides abutting a portion of the concealed innersurface of the exposed flange and a portion of the edge of the first furniture-structure component mentioned.

Still another more specific object, and one which is quite important, is to secure the furniture-structure component which is in edge-abutting relation with the concealed inner surface of the exposed flange to the embedded flange by pinning it thereto. Preferably, this is accomplished by means of nonmetalic dowels extending through the embedded flange and at least part way through the furniture-structure component which is in edge-abut- 7 parts of the corner construction of-FIG.'5;

2 ting relation with the concealed inner surface of the exposed flange.

The foregoing provides anextremely rigid corner construction since the furniture-structure component which is in edge-abutting relation with the concealed inner surface of the exposed flange is rigidly pinned to the embedded flange and since the other furniture-structure component of the corner construction is interlocked with the frame member and the pinned furniture-structure component by being provided with a tongue engaging the concealed inner surface of the exposed flange, one of the concealed inner surfaces of the embedded flange and a portion of the edge of the pinned furniture-structure component.

Another object is to further rigid-ify the corner construction of the invention by providing the tongued furniture-structure component with a surface which abuts an edge of the exposed outer flange, this also serving to recess the exposed flange into the tongued furniture-structure component so as to make the exposed outer surface of such component and the outer surface of the exposed In some instances, to further enhance the rigidity of the corner construction of the invention, the tongued furniture-structure component may be provided with another surface disposed in abutting relation with one side of the pinned furniture-structure component.

The various objects of the invention hereinbefore outlined may be achieved by utilizing as the frame member of each corner construction a member of T-shaped cross section, and it is an important object of the invention to provide a corner construction utilizing such a frame member.

With such a T-shaped frame member, the leg of the T forms the embedded flange and the crossbar of the T forms the exposed flange thereof, the leg of the T being embedded in and pinned to the pinned furniture-structure component and the tongued furniture-structure component having its tongue disposed between one half of the crossbar of the T and an edge surface of the pinned component, with the edge of the tongue seated against one side of the leg of the T adjacent the crossbar thereof, the tongued component having an edge surface seated against one edge of the crossbar of the T in instances wherein the crossbar is recessed.

7 The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an article of furniture which embodies the invention; a

FIG. '2. is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the irregular arrowed line 22 of FIG. 1;

a FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the arrowed line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4a is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing an alternative construction; l FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view illustrating a corner construction of the invention embodied in the article of furniture of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary isometric? views of FIG; 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal sectional view takenalong the arrowed line 8-8 of FIG. '1; FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another article .of fur! niture which embodies the invention; 1

metric view illustrating a corner construction of them- .vention embodied in the article of furniture of FIG. 9; a FIG. 13 is a fragmentary isometric view of a part of the corner construction of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of a detail.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings, the article of furniture illustrated therein is designated generally by the numeral 30 and is shown as having four upright, e. g., vertical, corners 32. Generally considered, the article 30 includes a wooden furniture structure 34 and a frame means for .such structure which comprises metallic frame members 36 respectively located at and incorporated in the corners 32 to form corner constructions of the invention. These corner constructions are sufficiently similar that only one of them need be considered in detail to disclose the invention properly, thecorner construction to be considered being designated generally by the numeral 38.

As best shown in-FIG. of the drawings, the corner construction 38 includes adjacent the top thereof one of the frame members 36 and two

components

40 and 42 of the furniture structure 34, the

components

40 and 42 sometimes being referred to as first and second side members, respectively, and forming two sides of the corner construction. The side member 40 is a rail which extends across the front of the article of furniture 30 at the top thereof and the side member 42 is a side panel of the article, both of these members being formed of wood in the construction illustrated.

The frame member 36 of the corner construction 38 is metallic, e.g., aluminum, and is T-shaped in cross section, having

flanges

44 and 46 respectively forming the leg and the crossbar of the T. The crossbar 46 has an inner surface 48 which, abuts and is concealed by the furniture structure 34 and has an outer surface 50 which is exposed and which may be unfinished, or finished in various ways, as hereinbefore indicated. The leg 44 of the T shaped frame member 36 is embedded in the furniture structure 34 and the sides thereof form concealed inner surfaces which abut and are concealed by the furniture structure. 7 Considering the corner construction 38 in more detail, the rail 40 extends from the crossbar 46 in perpendicular relation thereto and has an end or edge 54 in abutting relation with; and concealed by the'inner surface .48 of the crossbar. The'end 54 0f the rail 40 is provided with a groove or slot'56 in which the leg 44 of the 'T 36 is embedded andconcealed, the surfaces 52 of the leg 44 abuttingthe sides of such slot and the edge of the leg 44 abutting the bottom thereof.

The rail 40 is rigidly securedto the leg 44"of;the T 36 by dowels 58' disposed in holes-60 in the rail'and extending throughholes 62 in the leg 44. @The dowels 58 are pressed into the

holes

60 and 62 and are preferably secured thereinby a suitable adhesive. Suchadhesive maybe one which bonds the dowels to the metal of the leg 44, as well as to the wood of the rail 40.

The when is provided with a surface 64- coextensive with and spaced from one'half of the inner. surface 48 of the crossbar to'form therebetween a groove 66 the bottom of which is formed by a portion of the corre sponding surface 52- of the leg 44 of the T 36. The

l 7 panel 42 is provided with a tongue 68which is disposed I and to provide a surface 70-abuttingone edge of the 2,987,361 i v f crossbar 46 of the T 36, the other edge of the crossbar being flush with the front of the rail 40. Thus, the crossbar 46 is recessed into the furniture structure 34 to provide a flush construction.

The panel 42 may be secured to the T 36 and the rail 40 by a suitable adhesive applied to the various abutting surfaces of these parts. Alternatively, or additionally, these parts may be secured together by driving screws, not shown, through the crossbar 46 of the T 36 and through the tongue 68 of the panel 42 into the rail 40. Other ways of securing these parts together will be discussed hereinafter.

Referring to FIG. 4a 'of the drawings, illustrated therein is an alternative panel 42a which is identical to the panel '42 except that it has a surface 72 abutting the rail 40. An adhesive may be employed between the surface 72 and the rail 40 also.

The article of furniture 30 includes a top 74 which rests on the upper edge of the rail '40 and the upper edge of the panel 42. The top 74 is secured to the rail 40 and the panel 42 in any suitable manner well known in the furniture construction art, which further helps to secure the T 36, the rail 40 and thepanel 42 together to rigidify the corner construction 38. The top 74. may be of wood, or any other suitable material.

The corner construction 38 at the bottom of the furniture construction 34 is similar to that at the top, the T 36, the panel 42 and a lower rail 76 being interlocked and secured together in the same manner as the T 36, the panel 42 and the upper rail 40.

The corner construction38-is tied to a similar corner construction at the rear of the article of furniture 30 adjacent the bottom of the furniture structure 34 by a fore-and-aft rail 78 which is suitably secured, to the inner surface of the panel 42 adjacent the bottom thereof, as by screws, an adhesive, or the 'like, the ends of the rail 78 being suitably secured to the lower rail 76 of the corner construction 38 and to a corresponding lower rail 80 at the rear of the article of furniture. With this construction, the top 74 and the lower rail 80 serve to hold the panel 42 in assembled relation with the T 36 and the rails 40 and 76.of the corner construction 38, as well as with corresponding parts of the corner construction to the rear of the corner construction 38.

The foregoing corner construction 38, which, as previously indicated, is incorporated in all of the corners 32 of the article of furniture .30, provides an extremely rigid construction which will withstand, years of use with,- out loosening. Since the crossbars 46 of the Ts 36 form the sides of the corners 32, the corners are protected against marring due to bumping of other objects thereinto, which is an important feature. The exposed surfaces 50 of the crossbars 46, and the exposed edges thereof, may be left unfinished, or may be finished in any suitable matching or contrasting fashion, depending on the decor desired. Thus, the Ts 36, in addition to performing a structural function, also perform .a decorative one. Further, since the Ts 36 conceal'the ends or edges of the wooden components at the comers 32, such ends or edges may be left unfinished, which isan important advantage. 7

Another aspect of the use of the Ts 36 isthat they provide all of the mechanical orstructural advantages of metal framing, but, since they are spaced and discrete, it is unnecessary to make any metal-to-metal connections therebetween, thereby'avoiding expensive weldingprocedures, or the like. This is an important advantage of joining the frame members 36 togethersolely by means of components of the woodenfurniture structure'34 Without any metal-to-rnetal joining. V

In the article of furniture 30. illustrated, the frame members or Ts 36, extend downwardly below the fumiture structure 34' to form legs for the article of furniture. The lower ends of the Ts 36' may'beequippe'd with glides; orthe like, "if des'ired'to prevent damage to floors,

carpeting, and so forth. However, it is not necessary that the Ts extend below the furniture structure 34 and they may terminate at, or adjacent, the bottom of the furniture structure in many instances. Such a construction may be utilized, for example, in cabinet-like articles which rest directly on the floor and are not spaced upwardly therefrom.

In the particular article of furniture 30 illustrated, the transverse span is sufficient to make at least one intermediate leg desirable, one such leg at the front of the article being visible in 'FIG. 1. This leg is formed by the lower portion of an intermediate T-shaped frame member or T 82 having a leg 84 and a crossbar 86. The leg 84 is embedded in the furniture structure 34 by inserting it between adjacent ends of the upper rail 40 and an aligned upper rail 88 and between the lower rail 76 and an aligned lower rail 90. The leg 84 of the intermediate T 82 faces forwardly and the edge thereof is exposed between the

upper rails

40 and 88 and the

lower rails

76 and 90 to match the exposed edges of the crossbars of the Ts 36 at the front of the article of furniture 30, as such article is viewed from the front. The crossbar 86 of the intermediate T 82 is recessed into the rear surfaces of the

rails

40, 76, 88, and 90 and its inner surface abuts these rails, its edges also abutting same. The

rails

40, 76, 88 and 90 are secured to the crossbar 86 of the intermediate T 82 by dowels 92 in much the same manner as the Ts 36 aresecured to the furniture structure 34. Thus, the intermediate T 82 has much the-same relationship to the furniture structure 34 as the Ts 36, the leg 84 thereof being embedded in the furniture structure and having its sides concealed thereby, and the inner surface of the crossbar 86 being in abutting relation with the furniture structure. The only difference between the relationship of the T 82 to the furniture structure 34 and the Ts 36 thereto is that the edge of the leg 84 is exposed, instead of the outer surface of the crossbar 86. However, the intermediate T 82 may be reversed in position, if desired, so that the outer surface of the crossbar 86 is exposed and the edge of the leg 84 concealed, this being accomplished merely by turning the T 82 180 so that the leg 84 thereof faces rearwardly.

The foregoing furniture structure 34 of the article 30 may be equipped with any desired cupboard and/or drawer arrangement, or the like. In the construction illustrated, half the article 30 is equipped with drawers 94 and the other half constitutes a cupboard 96 equipped with a door 98, although this arrangement may be varied widely.

Any suitable structure may be utilized for mounting the drawers 94. For example, in the construction illustrated, internal Vertical corner posts 100 and internal vertical intermediate posts 102 are provided and are suitably secured to the furniture structure 34, as by attaching them to the

frame members

36 and 82 in any suitable manner. For example, in FIG. 8 of the drawings one of the corner posts 100 is shown as secured to the leg 44 of the corresponding T 36 by screws 104. Drawer slides or runners 106 for the drawers 94 may be attached in any suitable manner to the intermediate posts 102 and to the corner posts 100 located in the half of the article of furniture 30 in which the drawers are installed.

The door 98 may be hinged in any suitable manner, as by hinges 108, FIG. 3, connecting it to the leg 44 of the adjacent corner T 36. Alternatively, pin hinges may connect the upper and lower edges of the door 98 to the upper and

lower rails

88 and 90, respectively.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 to 13 of the drawings, illustrated therein is an article of furniture 110 having upright, e.g., vertical, corners 112, the article 110 including a wooden furniture structure 114 and metallic frame means therefor comprising spaced, discrete frame members 116 at the respective corners. The corners 112 are all of substantially the same construction so that the following description is applicable to each of them.

Each corner 112 includes adjacent the top of the furniture structure 114 a first side member or rail 118 and a second side member or panel 120 disposed at right angles to each other, the corresponding frame member 116 being a T or T-section having a leg 122 and a crossbar 124.

The crossbar 124 of each T 116 has a concealed inner surface 126 and an exposed outer surface 128, the inner surface abutting and being concealed by an end 130 of the corresponding rail 118. The leg 122 of each T 116 is embedded in and concealed by the corresponding rail 118.

.More specifically, the leg 122 is disposed in a groove or slot 132 in the rail 118 and has its sides 134 and edge 136 in abutting relation with the walls of such slot.

The rail 118 is secured to the T 116 at each corner 112 by at least one dowel 138 disposed in a hole 140 in the rail and extending through a hole 142 in the leg 122 of the T. In this case, the dowel 138 does not extend all the way through the rail 118 so that the dowel is not visible from the exterior of the article of furniture 110.

At each corner 112, the corresponding rail 118 is provided at its end and adjacent the bottom thereof with a groove or notch 144 which receives an edge or tongue 146 of the panel 120, such edge abutting the concealed inner surface 126 of the crossbar 124 of the corresponding T 116, the adjacent side 134 of the leg 122 of the T, and a surface 148 of the rail 118 provided by the notch 144 therein. The edge 146 of the panel 120 is provided with a notch 150 therein so as to furnish the panel with surfaces 152 and 154 respectively abutting surfaces 156 and 158 of the corresponding rail 118.

The panel 120 may be secured to the T 116 and the rail 118 at each corner 112 in any one or any combination of the ways hereinbefore discussed in connection with the article of furniture 30. For example, the panel 120 may be secured by an adhesive, screws, not shown, extending through the crossbar 124 of the corresponding T 116, or by clamping the panel between the front and rear sides of the article of furniture 110, which sides of the article are tied together by a top 160 and by lower, fore-and-aft rails 162 suitably secured to lower front and rear transverse rails 164. Each panel 120 is also secured to one of the fore-and-aft rails 162 and to the top 160 so that all of the various components of the article of furniture 110 are rigidly interlocked.

The transverse edges of the top 160 in the particular construction illustrated are set in grooves 166 in the rails 118, preferably being adhesively secured in such grooves. This further serves to rigidly interlock the various components of the article of furniture 110.

The corner constructions at the bottom of the article of furniture 110, i.e., the corner constructions comprising the Ts 116, the lower transverse rails 164, and the panels 120, are similar to those at the top of the article of furniture. Consequently, a detailed description is unnecessary.

In the construction shown, the article of furniture 110 is closed at the rear thereof by a rear panel 168 secured to the legs 122 of the rear Ts 116 in any suitable manner, as by screws 170.

The article of furniture 110, in the particular construction illustrated, is provided with drawers 172 which may be mounted in any suitable manner. For example, internal corner posts 174 are secured to the legs 122 of the corresponding Ts 116 by bolts 176 and drawer runners 178 are suitably secured to such posts, and may be secured to the panels 120 also, as by screws 180, which further serves to secure the panels 120 in place. The runners 178 are provided with flanges 182 disposed in grooves 184 in the sides of the drawers 172.

The Ts 116 are shown as extending below the furniture structure 114 to provide legs which space the furniture strucrure'upwardly' from the floor, orthelike. The

lower ends of the Ts 116 maybe provided with-glides, or thelike, as will be discussed hereinafter in connection with FIG. 14, to prevent damage to the floor or other surface on which the article of furniture rests. However, as hereinbefore explained in connection with the article of furniture 30, it is not necessary that the Ts 116 extend below the furniture structure 114.

The article of furniture 110 has all of the advantages hereinbefore discussed in the preamble of this specification and in connection with the description of the article of furniture 30-50 that'reiteration thereof is not necessary.

FIG. 14 shows a T 290 having a leg 292 and a crossbar 294, the leg 292 being shorter than the crossbar 294 and a portion. 296 of the crossbar having been bent upwardly under the lower end of the .leg 292. The T 290'may be substituted for any of the Ts hereinbefore disclosed, in which case the crossbar portion 296 serves as a glide and provide a finished appearance.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow:

I claim:

' 1. A two-sided corner construction for an article of furniture, or' the like, including: a metallic frame member. of structural cross section having first and second flanges which include an angleless than 180, said first flange having a, concealed inner surface and having an exposed outer surface which forms one of said sides of said corner construction, said second flange having two concealed inner surfaces; a nonmetallic first side member extending from said frame member in perpendicular relation to said first flange and having an edge abutting said concealed inner surface of said first flange, said first side member also having at least one surface abutting at least oneof said concealed inner surfaces of said second flange, and said first side member further having another surface spaced from said concealed inner surface of said first flange and cooperating therewith to provide a groove; a nonmetallic second side member extending from. said frame member in perpendicular relation to said second flange and having a tongue disposed in and engaging the sides of said groove and terminating in an edge abutting one of said concealed inner surfaces of said secondflange; means securing said first side member to said second flange comprising nonmetallic dowels extending through said second flange and at least partially through said first sidemember, said dowels making press fits with said. second flange and said first side member and being adhesively secured to at least said first side member; and means securing said second side member to said frame member.

2. A corner construction as set forth in claim 1 which is upright and wherein said frame member is an upright T-section extending below said side members and having a crossbar forming said first flange and having a leg forming said second flange, said crossbar having at its lower end a portion bent upwardly under the lower end of said leg to form a glide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 887,168 Will May 12, 1908 1,432,359 Rosenthal Oct. 17, 1922 1,784,726 Hallowell Dec. 9, 1930 2,696,419 Wallance Dec. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,529 Great Britain Dec. 4, 1913 621,680 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1949