US1181357A - Chair-seat. - Google Patents

Description

T. THONET.

CHAIR SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I9. IsI4.

1,11,3;57. Piment-ed May 2,1916.

WITNESSES MII/EIVTHl Wb/ 4- Teaalof Tibor/et THEODOR THONET, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

CHAIR-SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application led November 19, 1914. Serial No. 872,885.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Trrnonon THONET, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, in the Empire of Austria-I-lurigary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chair- Seats, of which the following is a specifica` tion.

This invention relates to chair seats and it l@ \consists in a novel construction of a chair seat made in two-upper and lower-sections of which the upper one is detachably secured in place to the lower one,` the seat proper being preferablypressed into a form to imitate a reticulated cane or the like woven seat proper, the object being to provide a chair seat in which the lower part shall form a permanent part of a chair but the upper part shall be removable and formed in two separable parts-a seat proper and a frame-constructed in a way to facilitate their assembling and disassembling, both with respect to each other and to said lower part, the whole in its assembled state forming a structure whose component parts are firmly and reliably secured together and in which the seat proper preferably imitates retic'ulated cane or the like possesses the proper resilience and practically conceals the means to secure together the said upper and lower seat parts.

In the annexed drawing, Figure l1 is a plan of the improved seat; Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views, on lines mand -g/ in Fig. l, on a larger scale; and, Fig. 4 is a plan of the frame of the upper part of the seat.

t designates an annular wooden frame forming the lower part of the improved sea-t and being substantially the same as the seat-ring or frame of an ordinary bentwood chair, excepting that its Vertical thickness is somewhat reduced.

b is the frame of the upper part of the improved seat, the same being of somewhat less vertical thickness than the frame but conforming in plan to the shape of the same. From its inner periphery to a concentric line approximately midway between its inner and outer peripheries said frame o is formed with a deep rabbet o; from rabe bet c outwardly to a concentric line approximately midway between said rabbet and the outer periphery of the frame said frame is formed with another and shallower rabbet cl. Rabbet c leaves a thin wall or flange of material e to be penetrated by screws or the like f for securing frame Z) to frame ca; rabbet CZ forms a narrow continuous ledge to support the eXtreme marginal portion only of the seat proper (to be described)7 which is a relatively thin disk formed of stiff material but having a certain needed resilience for reasons to be indicated.

The seat proper g is composed of compressed iibrous material, in the present instance comprising laminae of wood veneer united by glue under pressure, the grain of the several layers being preferably crossed as is usual in forming veneer sheets. By a suitable die and while the material of this sheet-like body is in a more or less soft state-accomplished by steaming the same or otherwise-one face thereof is pressed to the shape presented by the upper face of a cane or the like woven seat proper, z'. c., so as to reproduce therein a cameo replica of such seat; the shaping of said face thus accomplished is illustrated in the sectional views, Figs. 2 and 3. By means of drills thev holes or meshes in the weave of the cane seat are reproduced at 71. in the material for the seat f, care being exercised to center each hole accurately with respectv to the several portions of the replicas of the cane strands which should surround it.

The diameter of the seat proper g is substantially equal to that of the rabbet d, into which it is adapted to be fitted as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, resting on the ledge produced by said rabbet and having its top surface flush, or substantially so, with the top surface of the frame It may be secured in place by brads '5, glue or otherwise.

Thus constructed, the seat has not only every appearance of being a cane seat but acts as such when in use7 due partly to the undulating shape of its top surface in counterfeit of the surface of a cane seat but to the holes ft, which perfect the illusion not only so far as the eye is concerned but in imparting a certain resilience to the otherwise stiff material of the seat proper g, attributable also to supporting the latter only at its extreme marginal portion. The rabbet c both displaces radially outwardly the bearing which the seat proper g assumes on frame o, with the advantage just indicated, and leaves a thin wall or flange e through which headed securing devices f, with their heads uppermost and in registry with certain of the holes g, which afford access to them, may be driven to hold the :trame b firmly and regularly against frame a.. The securing devices, though they may be readily seen through the holes g if looked for, are ordinarily not apparent largely because of the distracting influence the reticulated surface oi the seat proper has on the eye of the observer.

The top surface or" the seat proper g is usually treated with a suitable liquid iiiish to complete the illusion it creates.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The liereindescribed chair seat comprising a lower continuous frame, an upper continuous frame arranged substantially concentrically on the lower frame and having upwardly open internal continuous upper and lower rabbets7 the former being the larger in diameter and the latter leaving a flange between the same and the bottom surface of said upper frame7 devices extended through said flange for securing the upper frame to the lower frame, and a seat proper of stiff sheet material itted snugly into the upper' rabbet and provided throughout with penetrating holes, one such hole registering vertically with each of said devices.

2. The hereindescribed chair seat comprising a lower continuous frame, an upper oontinuous frame arranged substantially conceiitiically on the lower frame and having upwardly open internal continuous upper and lower rabbets, the former being the larger in diameter and the latter leaving a flange between the saine and the bottom surface of said upper frame, devices eX- teiided through said {iange for securing the upper frame to the lower frame, and a seat proper oitl stiff sheet material fitted snugly into the upper rabbet and having its top surface pressed into the permanent surfaceiorinatioii of a reticulated cane seat proper and also having penetrating holes conforming in position and number with the meshes of the latter, one such hole registering vertically with each of said devices.

In testimony whereof l ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODOR THONET.

Vitnesses HUGO TI-ioNn'r, AUGUST FUGenii.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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