US2847062A - Chair back construction - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12,1958 I B. w. HENRIKSON ETAL 2,347,062

CHAIR BACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 sheets-sheen INVENTORS Brat 7V. Henvihdon Alfred C. H0062: 27'" WITNESS 13 211-1122 E. Naz-dmarb;

ATTORNEY B. w. HENRIK'SON ETAL (2mm BACK CONSTRUCTION Aug. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1957 INVENTORS Ffflnrilza'on, Alfred LZJIozJen v Wall-er E. Nbrdmarb; BY $44M WITNESS ATTORNEY United States Patent CHAIR IIACK CONSTRUCTION Bror W. Henrikson, Alfred C. Hoven, and Walter E.

Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 19, 1957, Serial No. 678,899

6 Claims. (Cl. 155- 191) The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly to a chair back construction.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a chair having a frame including upright back supports and a backrest mounted on the upper ends of the back supports in such a way as to be self-adjusting in its angle of tilt t-o fit the chair occupants back in any position; to provide a chair back having integrally molded plastic backrest, mounting members and canopy, and in which the self-adjustment of the backrest is provided by a slight resilience in the plastic material so as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to the mounting members and back supports; and in general to provide such a chair back construction which is eificient and quiet in its intended use, simple and reasonably economical in manufacture, and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a chair utilizing the new construction;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the upper part of the chair back, with portions broken away;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same, the backrest being indicated in several different tilted positions in solid, dotted and broken lines; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a retaining element utilized in the construction.

Referring now in detail to these drawings the chair shown in Figure 1 generally comprises a frame including legs 10, cross bars 11 and a pair of back supports 12, and a chair seat 13 and chair back 14. The spaced, upstanding, tubular metal back supports 12 are open at their upper ends. If desired, these back supports 12 may be connected at their upper ends by a cross brace 15 as seen in Figure 2, but since this is optional the cross brace has been omitted in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

The chair back 14 comprises a backrest 16 of concave form, a pair of depending tubular members 17 extending rearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly, and a canopy 18 extending rearwardly and downwardly from the backrest and enclosing the depending tubular members 17. A pair of retaining elements 19, one of which is seen per se in Figure 6, each has a pronged upper retainer washer 20 and a larger pronged lower retainer washer 21.

The chair back 14 is assembled to the tubular back supports 12 by first pressing the upper ends of the retaining elements 19 into the lower ends of the depending tubular members 17 of the chair back 14 so that the upper washers 20 grip the internal walls of the members 17, and then fitting the members 17 into the open upper ends of the tubular back supports 12 so that the lower retainer washers 21 grip the internal walls of the back supports.

The backrest 16, depending members 17 and canopy 18, which together constitute the chair 14, are all integrally molded of a slightly resilient plastic material which permits flexing of the backrest 16 relative to the members 17 and the back supports 12, as indicated in Figure 5. The backrest 16 is thus self-adjusting as to tilt so as to accommodate itself to the form and position of the chair occupant resulting in better posture and greater comfort for the occupant.

The invention provides a simple and relatively inexpensive self-adjusting chair back which is free of the more conventional mechanical pivots, which is quickly and easily assembled to the chair, and which is quiet and effective in use. While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a chair structure: a frame including an upstanding back support; and a chair back comprising a backrest and a member extending rearwardly from the backrest and connected to the upper end of said back support, said chair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to said member and said back support.

2. In a chair structure: a frame including an upstanding back support; and a chair back comprising a backrest and a depending member extending rearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly and connected to the upper end of said back support, said chair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to said depending member and said back support.

3. In a chair structure: a frame including a pair of spaced upstanding back supports; and a chair back comprising a backrest and a pair of depending members extending rearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly and connected to the upper ends of said back supports, said chair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to said depending members and said back supports.

4. A chair structure according to claim 3 in which the chair back includes .an integrally molded canopy'extending rearwardly and downwardly from the backrest and enclosing said depending members and the upper ends of said back supports.

5. In a chair structure: a frame including .a pair of spaced upstanding tubular metal back supports open at their upper ends; and a chair back comprising a backrest and a pair of depending members extending rearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly and fitted into the open upper ends of said back supports, said chair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to said depending members and said back supports.

6. A chair structure according to claim 5 in which the chair back includes an integrally molded canopy extending rearwardly and downwardly from the backrest and enclosing the depending members and the upper ends of said back supports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,567,695 Angell Dec. 29, 1925 2,538,634 Vogelsang Jan. 16, 1951 2,577,050 Van Buren Dec. 4, 1951 2,670,226 Becker Feb. 23, 1954 2,812,800 Eames Nov. 12, 1957

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