US2997339A

US2997339A - Furniture structure

Info

Publication number: US2997339A
Application number: US848300A
Authority: US
Inventors: James H Wilson
Original assignee: Sturgis Posture Chair Co
Current assignee: Sturgis Posture Chair Co
Priority date: 1959-10-23
Filing date: 1959-10-23
Publication date: 1961-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-22
Also published as: GB918314A

Description

1961 J. H. WILSON 2,997,339

FURNITURE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR James H. Wilson MMJ JGW ATTORNEY 1961 J. H. WILSON 2,997,339

FURNITURE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. l3.

INVENTOR James H. Wilson ATTORNEY 2,997,339 F STRUCTURE James H. Wilson, Sturgis, Mich., assignor to Sturgis Posture Chair Company, Sturgis, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 848,300 13 Claims. (Cl. 297-239) This invention relates to furniture of the type which can be stacked telescopically with identical pieces, one upon another.

One object of the invention is to provide bases for furniture of the above type hving improved means for spacing like pieces apart in a stack. Another object is to provide furniture bases with novel spacing means which make it possible to stack furniture quietly, without the usual noisy clatter. Another object is to provide bases with stacking means which fasten the stacks of furniture together more securely.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stackable chairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair having a means which serves a two-fold function, first to assist in stacking and second to assist in linking chairs together in side-by-side operative position.

In accordance with the invention there is provided, on a furniture or chair base of the type which can be nested vertically, means for stacking identical pieces of furniture in spaced nested relationship, comprising a pair of horizontal bars, one on each side, connecting the respective front and rear legs below the tops of the legs and above the bottoms thereof, and coacting support means at the tops of the legs for supporting the horizontal bars of an identical base. Means are also provided for linking the pieces of furniture side by side in operative position for use.

Other objects of the invention and resulting advantages will be apparent from the following description and from the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a chair 20 made in accordance with my invention;

FIGURE 2. is a side \u'ew showing chair 20 with a chair 20a of identical construction stacked upon it;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the base of chair 20;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the base, showing a portion of the chair seat, sectionalized above the front member of the base;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation, partly in section, showing the coacting stacking means of two of these chairs;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view showing how two of these chairs may be linked together side by side;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7--7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another chair 40 constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of two such chairs stacked one upon the other;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the chair base of chair 40;

FIGURE 11 is a front view of the base showing a portion of the seat in section;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary View showing the coacting means for stacking; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary section taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 11.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate the same or similar parts, FIGURES 1-4 show a chair 20 constructed in accordance with my invention, comprising a seat 21 rigidly fastened to the top of a base arena Patented Aug. 22, 1961 22. Base 22 comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped front and

rear standards

23 and 24, formed of metal tubing and secured together at their upper ends by a connecting bar 25 welded to both. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the standards are inclined with respect to each other so that the front and

rear legs

26 and 27 formed by the respective sides of the U-shaped standards converge upwardly. Seat 21 is not as broad as

standards

23 and 24, and the back portion 21a of the seat inclines slightly upwardly and rearwardly, so that identical chairs may be nested or stacked vertically by telescoping them, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In accordance with my invention I provide means for stacking identical chairs of this character, comprising a pair of

horizontal bars

28 and 29, one on each lateral side, each connecting the front and

rear legs

26 and 27 of the respective side, and bar support means for supporting the horizontal bars of an identical chair stacked thereon, comprising in this preferred embodiment of my invention, support pads 30 extending from

standards

23 and 24, one pad for each leg, each fixed to the respective standard at the top of the respective leg portion of the latter, in a position vertically above the horizontal bar on the same side. Each pad is formed with a recess or groove 31 in its upper surface, said recess being shaped to fit the horizontal bar of an identical chair stacked on this chair, and the pads 30 being positioned so that they all accurately lit the corresponding horizontal bars of such an identical chair.

Horizontal bars

28 and 29 are spaced below the tops of

legs

26 and 27, and above the bottoms thereof, being spaced below recesses 31 sufliciently to space the seats and frames of adjacent chairs from each other.

I prefer to use pads 30 of molded plastic of suitable resilient composition, e.g: linear polyethylene, so as to provide a quiet, rattle-free connection between adjacent chairs. I also prefer to form the recesses 31 with overhanging resilient lips 32 spaced more closely together than the thickness of

horizontal bars

28 or 29, so that pads 30 may constitute spring clips to grasp said bars of another chair when the latter are forced into them, thus releasably locking adjacent stacked chairs together. This is illustrated in FIGURE 5, in which a pad 30 of lower chair 20 receives the horizontal bar 28a of upper chair 20w. I may use metallic spring clips instead of the plastic ones described.

Pads 30 also provide a part of the means for linking chairs together side by side, in cooperation with a side linking loop 33 extending laterally outwardly from one side of base 22. Loop 33 is formed of stock having the same cross-section as that of

horizontal bars

28 and 29, and it fits in the same manner into the spring clips or recesses of the adjacent pads 30a of an identical chair 20a placed beside chair 20.

FIGURES 8-11 show another chair 40 constructed in accordance with my invention. This chair is identical in structure with chair 20 except for the stacking means. A pair of

horizontal bars

48 and 49 are provided, one on each lateral side of base 42, connecting the inner lateral sides of the respective front and

rear legs

46 and 47. A pair of support bars 50, one on each lateral side, also connect

standards

43 and 44, and therefore the respective front and

rear legs

46 and 47. Support bars 50 are attached to and extend outwardly from the standards on the outer upper sides thereof, being rigidly joined thereto by suitable means, such as welding. An upwardly facing recess 51 is thus formed at the top of each of the four legs, inwardly of the support bars 50, between them and the

standards

43 and 44, and on top of the latter. Support bars 50 are spaced slightly farther apart than

horizontal bars

48 and 49, so that the horizontal bars of an identical chair stacked on top of chair 40 will rest thereon with the centers of

bars

48 and 49 inwardly of the centers of the respective bars 50. This is illustrated in FIGURE 12, in which the horizontal bar 48a of upper chair 40a rests in the space between standard 43 and support bar 50 of lower chair 40. Bars 48' and 49 may rest on the inner sides of bars 50 and/or on the adjacent upper surfaces of

standards

43 and 44. Preferably, welded joints 51a between bars 50 and

standards

43 and 44 are shaped and laterally spaced so as to form shaped recesses for supporting the horizontal bars of an identical chair 40a stacked on chair 40, as illustrated in FIG- URE 9.

Lower or

horizontal bars

48 and 49 are spaced between the upper and lower ends of the legs, and are spaced below upper or support bars 50 sufliciently to space apart the chairs and bases of adjacent chairs in a stack.

It will be seen that I have provided novel and effective means for improving the stacking characteristics of chairs and the like, and for linking furniture of this character together side by side.

Numerous changes within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairs one upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a base attached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped standards, one each at the front and rear, the sides of said standards forming legs, one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateral side being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said standards together at their upper ends, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective lateral side, and bar support means extending from said standards at each lateral side proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising pads, one at the top of each leg, each pad being recessed to lit the horizontal bar of an identical chair stacked on said first-named chair.

2. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairs one upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a base attached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped standards, one

each at the front and rear, the sides of said standards forming legs, one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateral side being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said standards together at their upper ends, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective lateral side, and bar support means extending from said standards at each lateral side proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising spring clips, one at the top of each leg, adapted to grip the respective horizontal bars of an identical chair stacked on said first-named chair.

3. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairs one upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a base attached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped standards, one each at the front and rear, the sides of said standards forming legs, one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateral side being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said standards together at their upper ends, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective lateral side, and bar support means extending from said standards at each lateral side proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising a pair of support bars, one oneach lateral side, each connecting the front and rear standards, the junctures of said support bars and said standards providing cradles on the inner sides of said support bars, one at each leg, for supporting the respective horizontal bars of an identical chair.

4. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical bases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, one pair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said legs together at the upper end of said base, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective side, and bar support means extending from each lateral side of said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising spring clips, one at the top of each leg, adapted to grip the respective horizontal bars of an identical furniture base stacked on said first-named furniture base.

5. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical bases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, one pair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said legs together at the upper end of said base, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respec tive side, and bar support means extending from each lateral side of said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising a pair of support bars, one on each lateral side, each connecting the front and rear legs on the respective side, the junctures of said support bars and said legs providing cradles on the inner sides of said support bars, one at each leg, for supporting the respective horizontal bars of an identical base.

6. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical bases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, one pair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing said legs together at the tops thereof and at the upper end of said base, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, oneat each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective side and having a lower, longitudinally extending bearing surface, and bar support means extending from each lateral side of said base at the junctures of said first-named means and said legs, said bar support means comprising members each having an outwardly and upwardly extending support surface lying vertically above one of said bearing surfaces, said support surface being adapted to engage the bearing surface of and thereby support the respective horizontal bar of an identical base stacked on said furniture base.

7. A furniture base as defined by claim 6, each said bar support means comprising a support cradle having an inwardly and upwardly extending support surface disposed inwardly of said outwardly and upwardly extending support surface and cooperating therewith to provide opposite support surfaces of said cradle.

8. A chair as defined by claim 3, said horizontal bars spaced from the tops and bottoms of said legs being attached to the respective legs inwardly of the outer lateral surfaces thereof, said cradles being in vertical alignment respectively with said horizontal bars.

9. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical bases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, one pair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair being inclined from each other so as to convergeupwardly, means securing said legs-together at theupper end of said base, a pair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and topsof said legs, one at each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respective side, and bar support means extending from each lateral side of said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support means comprising pads on said base, one at the top of each leg, each pad being recessed to fit the horizontal bar of an identical base.

10. A furniture base as defined by claim 9, each said pad having a recess adapted to fit one of said horizontal bars, said recesses being at the same level, said base having a laterally offset bar connecting one of said pairs of legs, said last-named bar having a portion which is spaced outwardly from said base, said portion being at the same level as and being parallel to a line joining the recesses in the pair of adjacent pads.

'11. A furniture base as defined by claim 5, said horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs being attached to the respective legs inwardly of 15 6 port means, said portion being adapted to engage the support surface of the adjacent bar support means of a laterally adjacent identical furniture base.

13. A furniture base as defined by claim 7 having a laterally offset bar connecting one of said pairs of legs, said last-named bar having a portion which is spaced outwardly from said base at the same level as said bar support means, said portion being adapted to engage the support surfaces of the support cradle of the adjacent bar support means of a laterally adjacent identical furniture base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,893,469 Eames et al July 7, 1959 2,952,300 Cohen Sept. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 83,945 Netherlands Jan. 15, 1957