US2997141A

US2997141A - Frame structure for furniture and the like

Info

Publication number: US2997141A
Application number: US438257A
Authority: US
Inventors: Justin J Wetzler
Original assignee: Englander Co Inc
Current assignee: Englander Co Inc
Priority date: 1954-06-21
Filing date: 1954-06-21
Publication date: 1961-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, 1961 J. J. WETZLER FRAME STRUCTURE FOR FURNITURE AND THE LIKE Filed June 21, 1954 2,997,141 FRAME STRUCTURE FOR FURNITURE AND THE LIKE Justin J. Wetzler, Evanston, Ill., assignor to The Englander Company, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 21, 1954, 'Ser. No. 438,257 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) The present invention relates to a novel frame structure and more particularly, to a novel frame member or structure for use in furniture such as chairs, divans, box spring units, and vehicle seats. This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 419,736 filed March 30, 1954, now Patent No. 2,841,209, issued July 1, 1958.

As set forth in my above mentioned co-pending application, wood has heretofore generally been used for making various frame structures to be used in furniture. However, wood has a number of disadvantages when used for such frame structures and in accordance with the invention disclosed and claimed in my above mentioned copending application, metal frame members have been provided which overcome the disadvantages of wooden frame members. The present invention contemplates the provision of improved metal frame members for use in making various frame structures for furniture. An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-piece metal frame member or unit which has improved strength and rigidity while still being relatively light in weight.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-piece metal frame member or unit of the above described type which may be relatively easily and economically manufactured.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide. a novel multi-piece metal frame member or unit of the above described type which has substantially smooth and unbroken external surfaces in order to provide a pleasing appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a frame member embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a frame member embodying a modified form of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a curved corner portion of a frame in which the frame member of FIG. 2 is utilized;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another form of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing still another modified form of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a frame member or unit is shown in FIG. 1. The unit 10 includes an elongated sheet metal channel member 12 having a generally flat web portion 14 and laterally extending

flanges

16 and 18 integral with the web portion. A second elongated sheet metal member 20 includes a web portion 22 disposed between the

flanges

16 and 18 and abutting the web portion 14. The juxtaposed

web portions

14 and 22 are preferably secured together by means of a plurality of spaced

welds

24 and 26. A longitudinally extending midportion of the web 22 is formed to provide a channel section having laterally extending portions or

flanges

28 and 30 joined by a bottom section 32.

From the above description, it is seen that the frame Sttes Patent icemember or unit 10 is provided by relatively simple and economical elongated sheet metal members which may be easily. welded together. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the particular cross sectional shape of the unit as a Whole provides the unit with great strength and rigidity. Furthermore, this cross sectional shape enables brackets to be easily connected with the frame member merely by forcing prongs of the brackets through slits provided in the

flanges

18, 28 and 30 and for a complete disclosure of such brackets and the manner in which they are connected with the frame member, reference is made to the above mentioned co-pending application. It should also be noted that the generally smooth flat web 14 of the elongated sheet metal member 12 covers the channel section of the member 20, and since the frame unit 10 will normally be arranged in a frame structure with the elongated member 12 facing outwardly, the outer surface of the frame member or unit will be smooth and will present a pleasing appearance.

FIGS. 2 and 3 disclose a slightly modified form of the present invention which is similar to the frame member or unit 10 as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the suflix a added to corresponding elements. This embodiment difliers in that the flanges 16a and 18a are made integral with the web portion 22a rather than the web portion 14a. One advantage of this embodiment is that the elongated member. 12a is provided by the flat web portion 14a whereby only the elongated member 20a need be formed into a special shape so that the frame member or unit as a whole may be more economically manufactured. Another advantage is that the frame member 10a may be bent to provide a curved frame corner portion as shown in FIG. 3, and since the member 12a does not have any flanges, it may be easily bent without wrinkling so that the corner portion of the frame will have a smooth, neat appearing external surface.

FIG. 4 shows another modified form of the present invention which is similar to the structure shown in FIG.

1 as indicated by the application of identical reference.

numerals with the sufiix b added to the corresponding elements. This embodiment differs in that the channel section in the member 20b has been reversely formed with respect to the channel section shown in FIG. 1 so that the bottom 32b of the channel section abuts the web portion 14b. The web portion 14b and the juxtaposed bottom 321) are secured together by means of a plurality of spaced welds 34. In addition, the sheet metal member 2% is provided with

flanges

36 and 38 extending laterally from opposite margins of the web portion 22b and respectively abutting the flanges 16b and 18b of the member 12b. The flanges 16b and 36 are secured together by a plurality of spaced welds 40 and the flanges 18b and 38 are similarly secured together by welds 42. While this structure isslightly more complicated than the above described embodiments of this invention, it has the advantage of providing greater strength and rigidity in the frame member as a whole and especially in the laterally extending flange portions of the frame member without substantially increasing the weight or cost of the 7 frame member. 7 7

FIG. 5 shows still another modified form of the present invention which embodies the structure of FIG. 4 as shown by the application of identical reference numerals with the suifix c added to corresponding elements. In addition, the structure of FIG. 5 includes a third elongated steel meta-l member 44 which greatly increases the strength and rigidity of the structure without unduly increasing either the weight or the cost of the structure. The member 44 includes a web portion 46 similar to the web portion 22c of the member 12c. Thus, the web portion 46 has a longitudinally extending intermediate channel section including laterally extending portions or

flanges

48 and 50 joined by a bottom section 52. It should be noted that the channel sections in the webs 22c and 46 are formed oppositely from each other so that they provide the frame member unit 100 with a portion having a hollow box-like cross section. This provides the frame member with great strength and rigidity. The member 44 also includes

flanges

54 and 56 extending from opposite margins of the web portions 46 and abutting the inner surfaces of the flanges 36c and 380, respectively. The welds 401: are formed so that all of the

flanges

16c, 36c and 54 are secured together and the welds 420 are similarly formed to secure the flange 56 to the flanges 18c and 380.

From the above description, it is seen that the present invention has provided an improved metal frame member or unit comprising a plurality of elongated sheet metal members which may be readily and economically fabricated and assembled together. In addition, it is seen that the present invention has provided a novel multipiece frame member or unit which has improved strength and rigidity and which has smooth external surfaces so as to present a pleasing appearance.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The present invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a spring structure for a piece of furniture and the like a multi-part relatively light weight rigid frame member comprising a plurality of elongated sheet metal members secured together as a unit, said unit including an elongated channel member having a generally flat web portion and flanges extending laterally from opposite longitudinal edges of the web portion, second and third elongated members each including a web portion extending between said flanges, and juxtaposed flange portions extending from opposite longitudinal margins of said last mentioned web portions and spot welded at longitudinally spaced areas to each other and to said first mentioned flanges and said web portions of said second and third elongated members including longitudinally extending opposed channel sections providing said unit with an elongated hollow box-like section, said channel section of said second member abutting and being spot welded at spaced areas to the web portion of said first mentioned member.

2. In a supporting frame for supporting a spring struc ture in substantially horizontal position in an article of furniture and the like, the provision of a multi-part relatively light weight rigid frame member comprising inner and outer elongated sheet metal members each including a vertically disposed web portion and adapted to be secured together as a unit and to be disposed horizontally in supporting position with the weight of the spring structure exerted downwardly in the direction of the vertical disposition of said web portions, the web portion of the outer member having inturned substantially horizontal flanges integral with the opposite longitudinal margins thereof and being substantially planar throughout its extent between said flanges and with the inner elongated member nested therein to present a generally inwardly open U-shaped assembly, the web portion of the inner member having at least a portion thereof abutting the inner surface of the outer web portion and hav- 4 ing a longitudinally extending channel section intermediate the opposite longitudinal margins thereof, said inner member including vertical flanges extending in opposite directions from the channel section thereof and abutting the inturned flanges of said outer member, and means for securing the inner and outer members together as a unit and including welding connections between the abutting surfaces of the web portions of said inner and outer members. i

3. In a supporting frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the channel section opens outwardly and is closed by the web portion of the outer member, and wherein the vertical flanges on the inner member abut the adjacent surfaces of the web portion of the outer member and are welded thereto.

4. In a supporting frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outer surface of the channel section abuts the adjacent surface of the web portion of the outer member and is welded thereto, and wherein the vertical flanges on the inner member are spaced inwardly from the adjacent surfaces of the outer web portion with the ends of said vertical flanges terminating in horizontal flanges abutting the inner surfaces of the inturned flanges of the outer member and additionally welded thereto.

5. In a supporting frame for supporting a spring structure in substantially horizontal position in an article of furniture and the like, the provision of a multi-part relatively light weight rigid frame member comprising inner and outer elongated sheet metal members each including a vertically disposed web portion and adapted to be secured together as a unit and to be disposed horizontally in supporting position with the weight of the spring structure exerted downwardly in the direction of the vertical disposition of said web portions, the web portion of the outer member having inturned flanges extending substantially horizontally from opposite longitudinal margins thereof and being substantially planar throughout its extent between said flanges and with the inner elongated member nested therein to present a generally inwardly open U-shaped assembly, the web portion of said inner member having the upper and lower edge portions thereof terminating at the flanges of said outer member and disposed in face-to-face abutting contact with the web portion of the outer member and including an intermediate longitudinally extending channel section facing outwardly and closed by the web portion of the outer member and with the inner surface thereof disposed within the free marginal extremities of the flanges of said outer member, and means securing together the inner and outer members and including welded connections between the abutting surfaces of the web portions of said inner and outer members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 308,828 Butz Dec. 2, 1884 1,805,019 Smiley May 12, 1931 2,175,688 Ferris Oct. 10, 1939 2,320,001 Lundvall May 25, 1943 2,333,511 Bates et al. Nov. 2, 1943 2,356,309 Garbe Aug. 22, 1944 2,534,502 Dewey Dec. 19, 1950 2,595,665 Hurd May 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 985,550 France Mar. 14, 1951