US3610687A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to furniture, and particularly to furniture constructed of plastic-molded components and arranged in such a manner to provide a decorative appearance similar to wood-constructed furniture.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Donald W. Barker South Boston, Va. App]. No. 830,223 Filed June 2, 1969 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee Daystrom Virtue, Inc.

Houston, Tex.

CHAIR 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 297/445, 297/D1G. 1, 312/204, 108/150 Int. Cl A47c l/l2, A47b 17/04, A47b 35/00 Field of Search 297/446, 450, 422,421, 442,411,460, 463; 312/1 1 1; 108/150; 248/188.7

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam AllorneysErnest R. Archambeau, Jr., William .1, Beard,

Donald H. F idler, David L. Moseley, Edward M. Roney and William R. Sherman ABSTRACT: This invention relates to furniture, and particularly to furniture constructed of plastic-molded components and arranged in such a manner to provide a decorative appearance similar to wood-constructed furniture.

PATENTEU BET 5197! SHEET 2 OF 2 INVIL N'IUR BYJM 92 2144) CHAIR The present invention relates to a chair construction comprised of a base, a pedestal support and a chair seat assembly. Each of the components of the chair are constructed from high-impact, heat-resistant, polystyrene except for certain metal support parts. The components are functionally interrelated to provide an appearance of continuous construction. The chair seat assembly is further constructed from separately molded parts which are functionally integrated to give a continuity in appearance as well as a solid structural interrelationship.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved chair construction of plastic formed components which are interrelated functionally to provide an appearance of continuity in design as well as a sturdy constructionalarrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved chair construction of sturdy, inexpensive materials which closely simulates a wood chair construction.

The novel features of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

The invention together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by way of illustration and example of certain embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a chair embodying the present invention with a portion thereof in cross section to illustrate construction details;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional area taken through the base section of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a chair back with the right-hand portion shown in an exploded view arrangement relative to an assembled chair back and left-hand side portion; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The chair construction, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a floor base member having two diametrically opposed leg portions 11 and 12 in the plane of the drawing and two diametrically opposed leg portions (not shown) extending perpendicular to the drawing to form a cross-shaped base. The base is made from a one-piece mold of high-impact, heat-resistant, polystyrene molded to desired ornamental configuration. Attached to the base is a pedestal portion generally indicated at 14 and attached to the pedestal portion is a chair frame generally indicated at 15.

The pedestal portion 14 includes a steel pipe or structural member 15 which has a washer l6 welded to its lower end as shown in FIG. 2. The end of the pipe is received within a cylindrical recess 17 in the base 13. A bolt 18 is welded to the washer l6 and extends through the washer opening and an opening 19 in the base 13 so that the metal support column 15 can be attached to the base member 13 by means of a nut and washer 20 and 21 located within the recess 22 in the lower face of the base member. The base member 13 has a cylindrical recess or counterbore 23 concentrically arranged relative to recess 17 and receives an annular lip portion 24 of a plasticforrned sheath 25. The plastic sheath 25 has surfaces which abut with base surfaces 26 and edge surfaces 26a which provide a continuity of the outer surface configuration between the base and the sheath. Recess 23 is also provided with an offset recess portion 27 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which receives a correspondingly sized projection 28 on the sheath 25. The interiitting of the projection 28 with the recess 27 prevents rotation of the sheath 25 relative to the base member 13.

Sheath 25, as shown in FIG. 1, can have an artistic configuration and is arranged at its upper end to have an opening which is closely sized to the diameter of the pipe member 15 for a close-fitting arrangement to provide rigidity of the sheath member on the tubular member 15. In the upper, opened end of the pipe 15, a Nylon sleeve is received and into the sleeve, a swivel mandrel 30 is inserted, the mandrel 30 having a groove 31. A pin 32 extends through the tube 15 into the groove 31 to provide an interlocking of the mandrel to the base member and yet permit free rotation of the mandrel 30 relative to the metal pipe member 15. At the upper end of the mandrel 30 is a base plate 33 which is welded to the end of mandrel 30 to which the bottom of the chair is attached by screws in the usual fashion.

The chair frame assembly 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is comprised of a left side 35, a back portion 36 and a right side 37. The back portion 36 is formed to curve about a radius and has vertically arranged side edges 37 extending generally lengthwise of the chair back from its lowermost surface to an overhanging side contour portion 40. In the one side edge 37 shown, which is illustrative of the principle of construction, a square-shaped groove 38 extends lengthwise of the edge and is adapted to receive a suitably sized square-shaped tang portion 39 on a side member 37. The contour portions 40 which extend beyond the side edges 37 have depending diamondshaped and tapered projections 41 which fit into complementarily shaped recesses 42 (FIG. 5) in each of the sidearrns. The interconnection of the side and back members provides a concealed structural coupling which will withstand the forces encountered in use.

Thus, for assembly, gluing material is applied to the mating edge and the tang portion 39 fitted into groove 38 while a depending tang 41 fits into a recess 42 in a side member. At the lowermost portion of the chair back 36 is a rectangularly shaped notch 42 and a corresponding notch 43 is located in an adjacent side portion. Notches 42 and 43 form a recess which receives an L-shaped bracket 44 which by means of screws, functions to clamp or tie the bottom part of a chair side to the bottom part of the chair back. The inwardly extending portion of the bracket 44 provides a support on which the seat member is attached. Four brackets, two near the front of the construction as well as the rear pair of coupling brackets are sufficient to support the chair seat.

The joined edges of a side and the chair back are shown at 45 in FIGS. 1 and 4, these edges being rather inconspicuous in the overall constructional arrangement of the chair.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the chair construction provides an integrally formed chair which has considerable structural soundness and yet provides the aesthetic appearance of beauty and design found only in more expensive wood carved furniture.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects; and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

l. A chair comprising: a seat assembly including a back member and rightand left-hand side members, said back member having curved upper and lower portions, said lower portion having forwardly facing side surfaces that interface with rearwardly facing end surfaces on said side members, said upper portion having integrally formed side extensions projecting forwardly and overhanging a rearward portion of each side member; first interengaged projection and recess means for securing each side member to a respective side extension; second interengaged projection and recess means for securing said side surfaces of said lower portion to said end surfaces on said side members; bracket elements attached to each respective side element and to said lower portion to securely tie each side member to said back member; a seat member received between said side members and fixed thereto; and a pedestal support for said seat assembly including a base component, a rigid upright structural means secured to said base com ponent, means for attaching said upright structural means to said seat member, a plastic, ornamental sheath surrounding said upright structural means, said base component and said sheath having complementarily arranged interfitting portions. and means for securing said sheath to said base component.

Claims (1)

1. A chair comprisIng: a seat assembly including a back member and right- and left-hand side members, said back member having curved upper and lower portions, said lower portion having forwardly facing side surfaces that interface with rearwardly facing end surfaces on said side members, said upper portion having integrally formed side extensions projecting forwardly and overhanging a rearward portion of each side member; first interengaged projection and recess means for securing each side member to a respective side extension; second interengaged projection and recess means for securing said side surfaces of said lower portion to said end surfaces on said side members; bracket elements attached to each respective side element and to said lower portion to securely tie each side member to said back member; a seat member received between said side members and fixed thereto; and a pedestal support for said seat assembly including a base component, a rigid upright structural means secured to said base component, means for attaching said upright structural means to said seat member, a plastic, ornamental sheath surrounding said upright structural means, said base component and said sheath having complementarily arranged interfitting portions, and means for securing said sheath to said base component.

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