US3363271A - Furniture base construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1968 c. SCHNEIDER 3,363,271

FURNITURE BASE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

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CHARLES SCHNEIDER, INVENTOR Fig. 6 BY MKW A 7' TORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 c. SCHNEIDER FURNITURE BASE CDNSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1966 Fig. 3

CHARLES SCHNEIDER, INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,363,271 FURNITURE BASE CONSTRUCTION Charles Schneider, Omaha, Nebn, assignor to Charles Schneider Company, Inc., Council Bluifs, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,672 10 Claims. (Cl. -354) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The base construction for padded upholstered furniture invariably comprises at least one soft cushion that is removably superimposed upon a harder, yet downwardlyresiliently deflecta'ble substrate, said substrate being normally attached to a skeletal frame fabricated of wood or other similarly rigid structural material. Historically the resilient substrate almost exclusively comprised mechanical spring means positioned immediately beneath a cover layer of fabric material. In more recent years, resilient foam has to a great extent replaced mechanical springs in the substrate layer. Irrespective of the precise type of resilient means employed in the substrate, it is exceedingly difiicult to build upholstered furniture that will give comfort to varying weights of occupants. Since seated Weights ranging from 100300 pounds are not uncommon, accordingly the combined resiliencies of the superimposed cushion and substrate do not usually lend equal comfort to seated occupants. Highly resilient materials may, for example, provide comfort for a 100 pound individual but the same construction may bottom out or even break under the strain of a 300 pound individual. The term bottom out denotes that undesirable situation which occurs under heavy loads when the normally resilient substrate reaches its downward compression limit against the lower transverse members of the rigid skeletal frame. On the other hand, to make a low-resiliency structure appropriated to seated 300 pounders or to romping children may result in a marked degree of discomfort to someone weighing on the order of 100 pounds.

It is accordingly the general object of this invention to provide a furniture base construction that is extremely resilient and comfortable, yet that will provide a substantially equal degree of comfort to seated individuals having widely varying body weights.

It is another object to provide a furniture base construction that is of exceedingly strong, compact, and graceful construction, and that will resist abuse from heavy weight seated individuals and from romping and jumping children.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified means for attaching the upholstery cover to the substrate in a tight, wrinkle-free fashion.

It is yet another object to provide high quality furniture with simplified and improved methods of manufacturing operation which will result in various economic improvements therein.

It is an ancillary object to provide a skeletal frame that is of exceedingly light-weight, economical, durable, warpresistant,'and sag-free to the extent that support legs are not required between the opposed ends of elongate furniture articles.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing a typical article of household furniture embodying the base construction of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing the base construction of the present invention in the transverse or lateral direction.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2 showing a representative portion of the furniture base construction in the longitudinal direction.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the preferred type undulate spring, shown in its normal unstretched configuration, before its incorporation into the furniture base construction of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a J-shaped clip, which represents the preferred attachment means for the spring means.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a representative length of foam material which may be employed as the forward section of the foam level or stratum.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a representative length of the upholstery fabric overlying the foam stratum.

The furniture base construction of the present embodiment may be employed in various types of household furniture including the common sofa of FIGURE 1, which typically possesses a pair of upright arms 101 at the opposed ends, a substantially horizontal base construction 10 extending longitudinally between ends 101, a plurality of cushions 110 removably resting upon base construction 10, a plurality of upright legs to support the furniture above the floor, and an upright back 106 at the rear of the furniture piece 100.

As can best be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the fumiture construction is built around a substantially rigid skeletal frame which is suitably padded and upholstered to provide the ultimate product. The skeletal frame includes a vertically depending upright front rail 11 and a vertically depending upright rear rail 12, said rear rail 12 being disposed adjacently below upright back 106. Parallel rails 11 and 12 extend substantially the entire longitudinal length of the skeletal frame e.g. between arms 101. For reasons of strength and economy of the fumiture construction, which will be explained later in greater detail, rails 11 and 12 are preferably of a laminar lumber construction, the respective two longitudinal layers being attached together, as by conventional animal glue. For example, rail 11 comprises layers 11a and 11b while rail 12 comprises layers 12a and 12b. Upper longitudinal edge 14 of rear rail 12 is disposed below the upper longitudinal edge 13 of front rail 11 so as to give the upper contour of base 10 a slightly downward and rearward slope, thus enabling a seated occupant to comfortably shift his weight toward upright back 106. The skeletal frame also includes a plurality of laterally disposed transverse cross-members 15 attached between rails 11 and 12, as for example with dowels 19 and angular members 16 which are glued between cross-members 15 and rails 11 and 12. The upper edge of each cross-member 15 is disposed below rear rail upper edge 14 and preferably includes a recessed medial portion 17. Recessed medial portion 17 is desirably of the concave configuration shown, for reasons to be explained later.

A plurality of transversely disposed parallel springs are attached at substantially regular intervals between rails 11 and 12, said intervals being preferably about five inches. The preferred type spring employed is that undulate type spring 20 illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. Spring 20 comprises a continuous undulate rod of spring steel, and ascan best be seen in FIGURE 5, spring 20 3 normally assumes a substantially circular configuration having separated terminal ends 21 and'22. A preferred embodiment of said spring 20 is provided of A; inch diameter spring steel of circular cross-sectional shape, having about 1% inch undulations, and having in its normal FIGURE 5 shape about nineteen inches length circumferentially between ends 21 and 22 and about three inches direct spacing between ends 21 and 22. Springs 20 are each maintained in an unusually high degree of tension, as for example with the J-shaped clips 60 which are herein attached to the top edges 13 and 14 of rails 11 and 12, respectively, said clips 60 engaging the respective terminal ends 21 and 22 of springs 20. As can best be seen in FIGURE 2, the upper surface of each spring 20 in its transversely stressed form is of a slightly convex configuration, and the convex upper surfaces of the several parallel springs 20 provides a curvilinear upper surface for the spring level.

Although undulate springs having the normally circular configuration of FIGURES 4 and 5 have been employed in the prior art, stretched transversely within furniture base constructions, the spring amplitude has invariably exceeded Amplitude is defined to mean the ratio of the maximum height for the spring e.g. the distance A of FIGURE 2, compared to the straight-line transverse or lateral distance between the spring terminal ends e.g. the phantom line 29 of FIGURE 2 between spring terminal ends 21 and 22. In the prior art the spring amplitude has been purposefully maintained at values exceeding 10% so that the spring level is suflic iently sensitive to deflect downwardly when the furniture is being occupied by lighter-weight individuals Weighing upwards of about 75 pounds. Although a sensitive spring level afforded by spring amplitudes exceeding 10% do give comfort to seated occupants of light and moderate weights, the prior art sensitive spring levels will almost invariably bottom out underthe weight of heavy adults and romping children. However, in the present invention, the exceedingly stressed springs results in a very narrow amplitude that does not exceed about 5%, and the typical seated occupant weighing up to about 160 pounds will not downwardly deflect said springs. Because of the high degree of stress within the narrow-amplitude springs 20, a high degree of force is exerted between rails 11 and 1 2, and for this reason it has been found structurally and economically desirable to employ the laminar rail constructions previously alluded to. Ancillary advantages for the laminated rails construction includes warp-resist ance and sag-resistance to the furniture such that legs 105 need be employed only at the furniture ends, thus dispensing with the necessity for such legs at medial positions along rails 11 and 12.

A pair of longitudinal rods 23 and 24 which extend substantially the longitudinal length of the frame are attached, as by means of circular fastener clamps 26,-to the several transverse springs 20 and thus tend to maintain said springs in the desired parallel relationship. One of said longitudinal rods 23 is located nearer to'front rail 11 than to rear rail 12, and since said rod 23 is employed to anchor fabric layer 80 into the furniture base construction 10, rod 23 is termed herein as an anchoring rod. In accordance with accepted prior art practice, the longitudinal rods are customarily of metallic construction including an outer wrap of paper or other non-metallic material to prevent audible clicking between the springs and rods while the furniture is being occupied. There is a layer of burlap or similarly flexible sheet material 25 superimposed over the plurality of transverse springs 20 to protect the foamed level from damage therefrom.

Overlying the plurality of transversely disposed springs 20 and substantially coextensive with the longitudinal length of the skeletal frame between arms 101 is a substantially horizontal stratum or level 30 of a relatively thick soft resilient foam. The forward upright edge 31 of foam stratum 3% is substantially coterminous with the forward surface of front rail 11 while the rearward upright edge 32 of foam stratum 30 is adjacent to the rear rail 12. Forward edge 31 is thicker than rearward edge 32 and consequently the forward portion of stratum 30 is thicker, and the forward portion 33 of the foamedstratum upper surface is downwardly inclined toward rearward edge 32.

In accordance with accepted practices of the furniture trade, a facing layer of upholstery fabric is tightly superimposed, in wrinkle-free fashion, upon the foam stratum and the upholstery layer and the foam stratum are both substantially permanently mounted to the skele tal frame. The attainment of a tight, wrinkle-free superimposition of the upholstery layer upon the foam stratum while attaching the foam stratum to the furniture frame has been a source of real difficulty in the prior art. Ac-

cordingly, this invention has overcome the difficulties encountered in the prior art by providing the combination of a dual-section foam stratum together with a special upholstery layer 80 a medial portion of which is attached to anchoring rod 23, said rod 23 being disposed at the juncture of foam sections 30a and 3011. As can best be seen in FIGURE 8, upholstery layer 80 comprises two elongate strips of fabric extending between ends 101, including forward strip 81 and rearward strip 82. There is a longitudinal fabric rod 83 securely surrounded by an intermediate fabric strip 87, said .rod 83 and strip 81 providing a medial bead 84 that is longitudinally coexten sive with fabric strips 81 and 82. As can be seen in FIG URE 8, the rearward portion of strip 81 and the forward portion of strip 82 are joined, as by stitching, to intermediate strip 87. Before foam sections 30a and 30b are inserted into their ultimate positions, upholstery layer 80 is joined to anchoring rod 23 as by means of a plurality of fastener rings 86 spaced at intervals along rod 23, each ring 86 passing through the free flap-like ends of intermediate strip 87, flexible layer 25, and encircling anchoring rod 23. Thus, the longitudinal beaded portion 84 is on the upper side of upholstery layer 80, while the flap-like tail ends of intermediate strip 87 are on the lower side of layer 80.

Rearward elongate section 30b of foam stratum 30 is preferably of a normally rectangular cross-sectional shape, while forward elongate section 30:: of foam stratum 30 which is substantially coextensive with the length of section 30b is preferably of a normally trapezoid-a1 crosssectional shape as indicated in FIGURE '7. Trapczoidal section 30a has a wider forward portion 31 that is synonymous with stratum upright forward edge 31 and a narrower rearward edge 34. Forward foam section 30a is preferably of greater structural density and higher compressive strength than is rearward foam section 30b. Rearward section 30b has a forward edge and a rearward edge 32 that is synonymous with stratum upright rearward edge 32. Anchoring rod 23 is substantially dis-j posed at the longitudinal juncture of edges 34 and 35,

anduponinsertion of sections 30a and 30b between upholstery fabric and flexible cover 25, narrower forward section 30a is transversely coextensive between front rail 11 and anchoring rod 23 while wider rearward section 30b is transversely coextensive between the rear rail 12' and anchoring rod 23. To complete the attachment of foam stratum 30 into base 10,'upholstery layer rearward strip 82 is stretched tightly over section 30b and then attached to rear rail 12., as for example, by adhesive or mechanical joinder of upholstery rearward portion 88 to the rearward surface of rail 12. Similarly, upholstery layer forward strip 81 is stretched tightly over section 30a and attached to forward rail 11 in like fashion, the tautness of upholstery forward strip compressing the normally sharp corner between edges 31 and 33 into a gently curved configuration.

Cushions 110 are of the conventional type comprising a central body of soft resilient foam and an exterior upholstery cover surrounding the central foam body. As can best be seen in FIGURE 3, cushions 110 have convex upper and lower transverse contours so as to properly removably nest within the downwardly and rearwardly inclined upper surface of base upholstery 80. The forward extremity 111 of cushions 110 is substantially coterminous with stratum forward edge 31 while the rearward extremity 112 of the rearwardly inclined cushions 110 abuts furniture back 106. Furniture back 106 is of conventional configuration, and comprises an interior skeleton of lumber framework, springs, paddings, and an exterior upholstery cover.

With the teachings of the present invention, there is provided an unorthodox tri-level furniture base construction having several advantages over the prior art. When lighter weight individuals Weighing less than about 160 pounds are seated in the furniture construction 100, only the cushions 110 and the foam stratum 30 are downwardly depressed by the weight of the seated occupants. For such lighter-weight individuals, the stressed transverse springs 20 are not downwardly depressed to any appreciable extent but the resiliency of cushions 110 and foam level 30 themselves provide suflicient comfort. Only in the case of heavier weight individuals weighing from about 160-300 pounds, and in the case of children jumping and romping upon the furniture, do the springs 20 depress downwardly to any appreciable extent. For example, a 300 pound individual or a child jumping upon the implanted cushions 110 would depress all three levels i.e. the cushions 110, the foam stratum 30, and the level of springs 20. The low-amplitude taut springs 20 are analogous to shock-absorbers and come into play only when heavier loads are brought into contact with the furniture, and do provide the extra margin of comfort for heavier occupants.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the furniture base construction will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A base construction for an article of furniture, said furniture base construction comprising:

(A) an open skeletal frame comprising opposed forward and rearward sides and a pair of opposed ends, said skeletal frame including a vertically depending front rail and a vertically depending rear rail, said front and rear rails extending substantially the full longitudinal length of the skeletal frame, said skeletal frame including a plurality of laterally disposed crossmembers attached at intervals between said front and rear rails,

(B) a plurality of laterally disposed undulate springs the respective ends of which are attached at intervals between said front and rear rails to provide a spring level, the individual springs normally tending to assume a generally circular configuration, the individual laterally disposed springs being so tautly stretched between the front and rear rails that the upper surface of the spring is of a convex configuration, the maximum convexity amplitude of the several laterally disposed stretched springs being less than about of the spring length,

(C) a relatively thick soft resilient foamed level overlying said plurality of laterally disposed stretched springs, said foamed level being thicker at the frame forward side adjacent to the front rail, a layer of upholstery material overlying said foamed level, said upholstery layer being attached to the skeletal frame so as to tightly enclose the foamed level between the upholstery layer and the plurality of laterally disposed stretched springs, and

(D) at least one cushion loosely disposed upon the upholstery material.

2. The furniture base construction of claim 1 wherein said front and rear rails are of a dual-layer laminated construction the two layers of each rail extending substantially the full longitudinal length of the skeletal frame; wherein the front and rear rails are substantially parallel and wherein the upper longitudinal edge of the rear rail is disposed below the upper longitudinal edge of the front rail; wherein at least the medial portion of the upper edge of the several laterally disposed cross-members is recessed below the upper longitudinal edge of the rear rail; and wherein the plurality of laterally disposed undulate springs are substantially parallel to each other and attached at regular intervals along the front and rear rails, the convex upper surfaces of the respective parallel undulate springs providing a curvilinear upper surface for the spring level.

3. The furniture base construction of claim 2 wherein the medial portion of the cross-members upper edge is of a downwardly concave configuration; wherein said foamed level includes a wider rearward section of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and a narrower forward section of substantially trapezoidal crosssectional shape, the thicker portion of the trapezoidal forward section being at the frame forward side so that the foamed level upper surface slopes downwardly and rearwardly; and wherein a medial portion of the upholstery layer at the juncture of the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level is attached to the spring level.

4. The furniture base construction of claim 3 wherein there is a plurality of longitudinally disposed rods attached to the several laterally disposed stretched undulate springs for maintaining the several stretched undulate springs in a substantially parallel relationship, one of said longitudinally disposed rods being an anchoring rod that is located nearer to the front rail than to the rear rail and being also located at the juncture of the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level; wherein the forward foam section of the foamed level is of greater density and compressive strength than is the rearward foam section of the foamed level; and wherein the medial portion of the upholstery layer is attached to the anchoring rod.

5. The furniture base construction of claim 4 wherein the upholstery layer comprises a longitudinal beaded portion on the upper side thereof and a free longitudinal medial flap along said head along the lower side of the upholstery layer, said longitudinal medial flap being disposed between the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level and being attached to the longitudinal anchoring rod of the spring level.

6. The furniture base construction of claim 1 wherein the medial portion of the cross-members upper edge is of a downwardly concave configuration; wherein said foamed level includes a wider rearward section of substantially rectangular cross sectional shape and a narrower forward section of substantially trapezoidal crosssectional shape, the thicker portion of the trapezoidal forward section being at the frame forward side so that the foamed level upper surface slopes downwardly and rearwardly; and wherein a medial portion of the upholstery layer at the juncture of the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level is attached to the spring level.

V 7. The furniture base construction of claim 6 wherein there is a plurality of longitudinally disposed rods attached to the several laterally disposed stretched undulate springs for maintaining the several stretched undulate springs in a substantially parallel relationship, one of said longitudinally disposed rods being an anchoring rod that is located nearer to the front rail than to the rear rail and being also located at the juncture of the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level; wherein the forward foam section of the foamed level is of greater density and compressive strength than is the rearward foam section of the foamed level; and wherein the medial portion of the upholstery layer is attached to the anchoring rod.

8. The furniture base construction of claim 7 wherein the upholstery layer comprises a longitudinal beaded portion on the upper side thereof and a free longitudinal medial flap along said bead along the lower side of the upholstery layer, said longitudinal medial flap being disposed between the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level and being attached to the longitudinal anchoring rod of the spring level.

9. The furniture base construction of claim 6 wherein said front and rear rails are of a dual-layer laminated construction the two layers of each rail extending substantially the full longitudinal length of the skeletal frame; wherein the front and rear rails are substantially parallel and wherein the upper longitudinal edge of the rear rail is disposed below the upper longitudinal edge of the front rail; wherein at least the medial portion of the upper edge of the several laterally disposed cross-members is recessed below the upper longitudinal edge of the rear rail; and wherein the plurality of laterally disposed undulate springs are substantially parallel to each other and attached at regular intervals along the front and rear rails, the convex upper surfaces of the respective parallel undulate springs providing a curvilinear upper surface for the spring level.

10. The furniture base construction of claim 9 wherein .the medial portion of the cross-members upper edge is of concave configuration; wherein there is a plurality of longitudinally disposed rods attached to the several stretched undulate springs for maintaining the several stretched undulate springs in a substantially parallel relationship, one of said longitudinally disposed rods being an anchoring rod that is located nearer to the front rail, said anchoring rod being substantially parallel to the front rail; wherein said foamed level includes a wider rearward foam section of substantially rectangular shape and a narrower forward foam section of substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, the thicker portion of the trapezoidal forward section being at the frame forward side so that the foamed level upper surface slopes downwardly and rearwardly, the juncture of the foamed level forward and rearward sections overlying the anchoring rod and being longitudinally coextensive therewith, the forward foam section being of greater density and compressive strength than is the rearward foam section; wherein the upholstery layer comprises a longitudinal beaded portion along the upper side thereof and a free longitudinal medial flap along said head along the lower side of the upholstery layer, said longitudinal medial flap being disposed between the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level and said longitudinal flap being attached to the longitudinal anchoring rod, said upholstery layer being also attached to the front and rear rails so as to tightly enclose the forward and rearward sections of the foamed level between the upholstery layer and the spring level; and wherein there is a flexible protective layer disposed between the foamed and spring levels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,788,845 4/1957 Bond et al 267112 3,031,691 5/1962 Caldemeyer et al 5354 3,081,130 3/1963 Wieland' 297455 3,317,935 5/1967 Berger 5354 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

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