US3002787A - Variable seating ensemble - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1961 T. s. ZIEGENFUSS VARIABLE SEATING ENSEMBLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 JNVENTOR. lu/m/vjZ/iazA/russ BZZZW vQ 2 2e Oct. 3, 1961 T. s. ZIEGENFUSS VARIABLE SEATING ENSEMBLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 JNVEN TOR. ZewnnA/. .z/iaiA/rw United States Patent 3,002,787 VARIABLE SEATING ENSEMBLE Truman S. Ziegenfuss, 6940 Los Tilos Road, Hollywood, Calif. Filed Dec. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 861,913 21 Claims. (Cl. 297-249) The present invention relates generally to household furniture such as chairs and tables, and more particularly to multiple unit articles of such furniture especially adapted for use on a variety of different floor areas and surfaces.

Multiple unit or sectional furniture, i.e., furniture of a type in which several pieces are placed or secured in juxtaposition to form a complete ensemble, is often used in the furnishing of homes, hotel rooms, lobbies, waiting rooms, and the like. In some cases the sections or modules making up such sectional ensembles are merely placed in juxtaposition and in other cases the individual units are permanently or removably secured together in the desired configuration. In any case however, such sectional furniture as has been available heretofore has had several disadvantages.

For example, multiple seating ensembles such as sofas, lounges, and the like which are intended for simultaneous use by a number of persons have been available only in a limited number of configurations. That is, such lounges r sofas, for example, can be increased in length by adding a desired number of units and by the use of curved sections, L-shaped or U-shaped ensembles may be constructed. The number of possible arrangements of such units as have heretofore been available is definitely limited however, and when. confronted with the special and peculiarly shaped available floor areas, decorators have often had to resort to the use of custom built furniture thus inordinately increasing the cost of furnishing such areas.

Another disadvantage of the type of sectional furniture used in the past, is the fact that usually each unit is entirely self supporting, thus requiring an undesirable multiplicity of legs or other supporting units. That is, a sofa or lounge made up of a number of separate sections, each section having four legs, will present what appears to be an unnecessary number of legs there being four legs at each juncture between adjoining sections.

Still another disadvantage of previously available furniture has been the fact that when such units are rigidly secured together, it is usually virtually impossible to arrange them so that all of the legs rest simultaneously on the supporting surface. While this defect can be cured by the use of individual adjusting screws or other leg-lengthening devices, such devices are expensive and annoying to use, and furthermore, the furniture must be carefully leveled and readjusted each time it is shifted from one floor area to another. On the other hand if such leg-leveling devices are not provided, the multiple unit ensemble in which the units are rigidly secured together may be severely strained due to the support of weight on less than all of the legs.

With the foregoing problems in mind, it is a major object of the present invention to provide an article of multiple unit furniture in which the various units making up the ensemble are secured together in such a way that the overall shape may be changed to suit various spaces and other requirements of use.

It is another object of the invention to provide an article of furniture of the class described in which a number of legs are, in effect, self-leveling so as to accommodate the units for resting on various uneven floor areas without the necessity of individual adjustment each time the article is moved and without imposing an undue strain on the frame of the structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide units or modules for articles of furniture of the class described, which may be assembled in dilferent combinations and arrangements to produce from stock units, finished articles of different shapes and character to suit various different requirements.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a furniture article of the class described which may be readily assembled and disassembled without the use of complex tools or permanent fastening means.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of several embodiments of the invention, consideration being given likewise to the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a multiple seating ensemble embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of another seating ensemble made up of units similar to those illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of still another configuration of units such as are shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a still further, so-called loveseat configuration made up of units such as are illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of an adjoining pair of the units illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 showing details of the means used to interconnect adjacent units;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View of the interconnecting means shown in FIGURE 5, showing further details thereof;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational section taken on the line 7-7 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational section similar to 7--7, but showing an alternative form of fastening means;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of one of the units of FIGURE 6 showing an alternative form of guide plate employed in connection with the fastening means shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a furniture ensemble embodying the present invention and implying individual seating units having a shape different from that of the units used in the ensemble shown in FIGURE 1, the ensemble of FIGURE 10 including a table unit;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of a portion of FIGURE 10 with the unit interconnecting means shown in dotted line;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a loveseat arrangement of units of the type shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 13 is a bottom fragmentary view of the ensemble shown in FIGURE 10 illustrating the details of the unit interconnecting means employed therein;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective fragmentary view of an alternate form of attachment member used to interconnect adjacent units of the type shown above; and,

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged elevational sectiontaken on the line 15-15 in FIGURE 4 showing a third leg attachment employed in certain versions of the invention.

In general, the furniture ensemble embodying the present invention consists in a plurality of units, each of which has two medial supporting legs, one near the front and one near the rear of the unit. The individual units are interconnected in side-by-side relationship by means which support the same from tipping over sideways, but allow a degree of relative movement between adjacent units. This permits the entire ensemble to accommodate itself to an uneven supporting surface. The, interconnecting means are further adapted to permit relative swinging movement between adjacent units in a horizontal plane whereby the entire ensemble may be adjusted to figuration.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is now made to FIGURE 1 wherein it will be seen that one presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention consists in a generally curved ensemble of individual chairs or seating units 20, each of'which includes a circular seat 21, with a roughly semicircular back 22, and is supported on a pair of'legs 23. Each of the individual seating units 20 making upthe ensemble illustrated in FIGURE 1 is interconnected with the adjacent unit or units by link bars shown generally at 25 and described in more detail below.

The link bars. 25, which interconnect the units 20, are secured to the under surface of each. unit by a vertical pivot bolt 26 (FIGURE By slightly loosening the pivot bolt 26. on each. of the units 20, the same may be arranged in various. overall configurations, for example, that shown in FIGURE 21or' FIGURE 3. In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 2; theseating units have been arranged in a closed outwardly facing circle and a sufficient number of link bars is provided to maintain the closed circular configuration. Such an arrangement is particularly appropriate for'seating arrangements in waiting rooms and lobbies wherein it is desired to arrange a group of seats around a vertical column or other permanent portion of the building.

In FIGURE 3, a free-form sinusoidal: configuration of seats is shown such as might be used in indoor or outdoor home furnishing.

In FIGURE 4', two of the units 20 have been linked together facing in opposite directions, thus forming a furniture ensemble sometimes referred to as a loveseat.

From the above description of the various furniture ensembles embodying the present invention, it will be seen that it is desirable to have two degrees of freedom of the linkage interconnecting adjacent seating units, to Wit, freedom of the seating units to swing in a horizontal plane with respect to each other and also a degree of freedom permitting fore-and-aft tipping of one unit with respect to the adjacent, unit, so as to accommodate the same to rest on uneven floor surfaces. The details of one preferred form of linkage permitting such freedom, while at the same time securely interconnecting the units to mutually support each other against lateral tipping is illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6, and 7.

Each of the seating units 20 is constructed with a circular seat frame 18 of conventional laminated wood construction and has secured thereto a diametrically located cross-member 19 consisting of a metal channel with upturned flanges as shown in FIGURE 6. The upholstery of the seat units is of conventional construction and arrangement, the seat cushion, being in the present illustration, foam rubber supported on Webbing 17 secured to the frame 18.

The pivot bolt 26 which receives the ends of the link bars, passes through an aperture in the cross-member 19 and is received in a flange nut 19a secured to the upper surface of the cross-member midway between its ends. The flange nut.19a. is preferably of the elastic stop nut variety whereby the pivot bolt 26 may be left slightly loose in its engagement with the link bars without danger of further loosening by vibration and the like.

The link bars 25 are made up of internally threaded tubes 27 each receiving eye bolts 28 in their opposite ends. Each of the eye bolts 28 is threaded at 29 and one of the eye bolts in each link bar is formed with left-hand threads as is the tube 27 so that the overall length of the link bar may be adjusted by rotating the tube 27 in one direction or the other as desired. Suitable conventional means (not shown) are provided to lock the tube to one of the eye bolts after such adjustment.

As can be seen in FIGURE 6, the eye portions of the eye bolts. 28. are offset from the longitudinal axis of the boltso thatwhentwoeyebohs re received on the sam 41 r pivot bolt 26, the longitudinal axis of the link bars lie in the same horizontal plane.

In order to support each of the seating units 20 securely against lateral tipping, it is desirable that there be a connection between the frame18 and the respective link bars 25, located adjacent the side of each seating unit. To this end, I have provided clips, 30 which embrace the link tube 27 and are attached to the frame 18 by semicircular guides 31 secured to the frame.

The guides 31 consist of elongated arcuate plates screwed to the under surfaces of the seat frame 18 as shown in 'FIGURE 6. As can be seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, each of the clips 30 is formed of a strip of sheet metal which encircles. the tube 27 and is notched ad jacent its endsto form adjoining T-shaped tongues which engage the edge of slots 32 in the guides 31. The size of the notches in the clips 30 is such that. the clip 30 may slide freely along the guide slot 32 as the, link bars are swung about the axes of the respective pivot bolts 26. As shown in FIGURE 6, a semicircular recess 33 is formed in the frame 18 under the guides 31 to clear the inwardly projecting ends of the clip 30 and permit the same to move the slots 32 as previously described.

To prevent the clips 30. from binding in the slots 32.

due to rocking about the axis of the link tubes 27, the clips are formed with square shoulders at 36a, thus forming a flat bearing surface against the under surface of the guide 31.

An alternative form of clip for securing the linkage to the guides. 31 is illustrated in FIGURE 8. The alternative form of clip 35 surrounds the tube 27 and is provided with the cars which bear flat against the under surface of the guide 31 to which the clip is secured by conventional carriage bolts 36 received in the slots 32. In this particular form of the attachment clip, circular, key-hole like apertures 37 are formed at the. ends of the slot 32 to pass the heads of the carriage bolts 36. Until the carriage bolts 36 are tightened, the clips 35 may slide along the slots 32 as in the case of the earlier described clips 30.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that.

the horizontal swinging movement of the adjacent seat units 20 is permitted by virtue of the pivotal connection at 26 together with the sliding movement of the attachment clips 30 or 3 5 in the guide slots 32. The fore-andaft tipping adjustment, as between adjacent seating units 20 is permitted by relative rotation about the longitudinal axis of the link bar 25.

In some instances where only two modular units are employed in a single ensemble (e.g., the loveseat of FIGURE 4) a third leg may be required for each unit in the interests of stability.

Such a third leg is shown in phantom line in FIG- URES 1 and 4 at 230.. The attachment means for the third leg 23a is shown in FIGURE 15 wherein is seen that the leg is secured to the guide 31 by a carriage bolt 23c engaged in a threaded insert 23b in the leg of 23a. The bolt 230 has its head engaged in the slot 32 and is tightened by tiwstingthe leg 2311.

Yet another form of attachment for adjacent seat units is illustrated in FIGURE 14. This form consists of a pair of angle brackets 40 pivotally interconnected by a rivet 41 or the like. The extending flanges are apertured to receive carriage bolts 43, the heads of which are engaged in the slots 32. of the guides as previously described..

In the alternative form, of" furniture ensemble shown in FIGURES 10 through 13, the seating units are trapezoidal in horizontal outline instead of circular as in the previous embodiment. This arrangement lends itself to applications wherein a certain predetermined curvature of the furnished ensemble may be desired, such curvature being determined by the angle between the opposite sides of the seat unit.

The. various, interconnecting means employed withthe FIGURE 10 embodiment are substantially the same as those previously employed, one exception being that the guide plates of the second embodiment are straight instead of arcuate as can be seen at 45 in FIGURE 13. As in the previous embodiment, slots are provided at 46. in the guide plates 45 so as to permit the same type of swinging adjustment as was discussed in connection with the previous embodiment. In some applications, for example, instead of securing the adjacent units tightly together in their side-by-side relationship as is shown in FIGURES l and 11, it may be desirable to leave some space between adjacent units and to swing one unit with respect to the unit next to it thus causing the clips 20 to slide in the slot 46 (and also along the tubes 27). The construction of the table unit 42 shown in FIGURE is similar to that of the seating units 39, the table 42 being provided with a pair of legs 43 identical to those supporting the seating units 39.

The furniture units embodying the present invention are preferably shipped in knock-down condition, that is, each of the seating units 20 or 39, as the case may be, is separate from the others andthe units are assembled in the desired configuration after shipment.

- Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 through 6, the assembly procedure is as follows. First the clip 30 is inserted in the slots 32 of the guide plates 31, the two abutting tongues being turned parallel to the slot 32 and inserted therethrough and the clip thereafter, rotated 90 to engage the notches in the clip 30 with the edges of the guide slot 32.

The link tubes 27 are then inserted through the re spective clips of the two adjacent seating units and the eye bolts 28 screwed into the opposite ends of the tube 27. The respective eye bolts of adjacent link bars are then placed in overlapping relation as shown in FIG- URE 6 and the pivot bolt 26 inserted through the two eye bolts 28 and into the nut 19a at the midpoint of the cross-member 19. The bolt 26 is tightened sufficiently to prevent rattling of the eye bolts 28, but not so snug as to interfere with the free-swinging movement of the link bars in a horizontal plane as previously described.

The above-described procedure is repeated for each of the seating units 20 making up the ensemble Whereupon the ensemble is ready for use.

In some instances it may be desirable to clamp the link bars 25 with the seating units to hold the ensemble in some desired configuration. In such cases, clips of the type illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be used and the nuts on the carriage bolts 36 tightened to a point where the bolts will no longer slide in the guide 31, but the tube 27 may twist somewhat in the clips. Such an arrangement still permits. restrained freedom of tipping movement about the horizontal longitudinal axis of the link bars 25 so that the ensemble may accommodate itself to various uneven supporting surfaces. Such surfaces are encountered, for example, when the ensemble is supported near the edge of the rug with some of the legs oif the rug.

The procedure for assembling a form of ensemble illustrated in FIGURES 10 through 13 is substantially the same as above described. When it is desired to draw the trapezoidal shaped units into tight side-by-side relationship, this may be accomplished by rotating the link tube 27 in a direction to shorten the overall link bar thus dravw'ng the two adjacent units together.

The procedure for assembling the units 20 with the alternate form of attachment shown in FIGURE 14 is believed clear from the illustration and previous description. It will be noted that the horizontal swinging movement of adjacent units 20 may be accomplished by sliding the brackets 40 along the guides 31.

From a consideration of the two embodiments illustrated herein, it will be realized that various combinations and shapes of individual units are possible. For example, a table of circular or other configuration having two legs similar to the table unit 42 may be incorporated with round seating units 20 such as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

While the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein are fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore listed it will be realized that they are capable of considerable modification and variation without departure from the spirit of the invention. For this reason I do not mean to be limited to the forms shown and described but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform member supported on leg means formed therein in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; and attachment means extending between adjacent units engaging said units adjacent lateral edges thereof to support the same against lateral tilting and secure the same together in said relationship, said attachment means being pivotally secured to the respective units at pivot points on a vertical axis in said vertical plane to permit limited rotation of each of the latter with respect to the adjacent unit about said vertical axis.

2. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal platform member supported on leg means formed therein in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; arcuate guides formed in said platform members adjacent the lateral edges thereof, said guides in each platform being posit ioned with the center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said platform; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining platforms, said attachment means being slideably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of curvature.

3. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a hori zontal platform member supported on leg means formed therein in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; and attachment means extending from center to center of said platform members and pivotally engaging said platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof to secure said units together in said relationship while permitting limited independent relative rotation of each thereof about said centers.

4. A modular seating ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of chair units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal seat supported on leg means formed thereon in a medial fore-and-a-ft vertical plane; arcuate guidm formed in the undersides of said seats adjacent the lateral edges thereof, said guides in each seat being positioned with the center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said seat; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining seats, said attachment means being slidably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong whereby to mutually support adjoining chairs against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of curvature.

5. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal platform member supported on a pair of legs secured thereto in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; arcuate guides formed in said platform members adjacent the lateral edges thereof, said guides in each platform being positioned with the center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said platform; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining plat-.

forms, said attachment means being slideably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateraltilting While permittingrelative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of rotation.

6. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising; a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform member supported on a pair of legs positioned in a medial vertical plane; and at least one interconnecting link bar extending from the center of one said platform member to the center of the adjoining platform member terminally and pivotally connected torespective adjoining platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof and slideably engaging said platform members adjacent the lateral edges thereof to secure said units together in said relationship and prevent lateral tilting thereof while permitting independent relative rotational adjustment of each such unit about said platform center thereof.

7. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arrauged'in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform member supported on a pair of legs positioned in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; and at least one interconnecting link bar terminally and pivotally connected to respective adjoining platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof and slideably engaging said platform members adjacent the lateral edges thereof to secure said units together in said relationship and prevent lateral tilting thereof while permitting relative rotational adjustment of each such unit about said platform center thereof, said link bar being torsionally flexible to permit relative fore-and-aft tilting of adjacent interconnected units.

8. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal circular platform member supported on a pair of legs formed thereon in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; arcuate guides formed in said platform members along the lateral edges thereof; and attachment means pivotally secured to adjoining platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof and engaging the respective guides of adjoining platforms for sliding movement therealong whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about the centers of said platforms.

9. A modular furniture ensemble of the classdescribed comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in gen erally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal circular platform member supported on a. pair of legs formed thereon in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; arcuate guides formed in said platform members along the lateral edges thereof; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining platforms, said attachment means being slideably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateral tilting while per.- mitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about the centers of said platform, said attachment means being torsionally flexible to permit relative fore-and-aft tilting adjustment between adjacent connected units.

10. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform member supported on leg means formed therein in a medial fore-and-aft vertical plane; and attachment means engaging said platform members adjacent the adjoining lateral edges thereof to secure said units together in said relationship, said attachment means having rotational compliance about a horizontal axis extending between adjacent platform members to permit relative tilting of adjacent units generally about said horizontal axis, said attachment means being pivotally secured to said platform members at their respective centers to permit rotational adjustment of each unit about a vertical axis with respect to the remaining units, and said attachment means including a horizontal. link of adjustable length to adjust the lateral-spacing; of said units.

11. A modular furniture ensemble comprising: avplurality of chairs arranged side-by-side and each havingv a front leg and a back leg in a medial vertical plane, with substantial lateral portions of the seat of each chair overhanging said legs and having horizontal guides formed in the undersides thereof; and a link bar interconnecting each adjacent pair of chairs each end of each of said bars being pivotally connected. to a respective chair on a vertical pivot under the seat thereof intermediate said legs and said bars slideably engaging one of'said guides in each seat to mutually support said chairs against tipping sideways and permit independent rotational adjustment of each chair about its said pivot and horizontal swinging adjustment of each chair with respect to the one next to it.

12. A modular furniture ensemble comprising: a plurality of chairs arranged side-by-side and each having a seat and a front leg and a back leg in a medial vertical plane; a fore-and-aft extending guide on the underside of each seat adjacent the lateral edge thereof adjoining an adjacent chair; a link bar interconnecting each adjacent pair of chairs, each end of each link bar being pivotally connected to the underside of each seat on a vertical pivot intermediate said legs, to permit independent rotational adjustment and horizontal swinging movement of each chair with respect to the others; and clip means interengaging said bar and guide to stabilize said chairs against lateral tilting.

13. The construction of claim 12 further characterized in that said bars are torsionally flexible to permit independent fore-and-aft tilting adjustment of said chairs.

14. The construction of claim 12 further characterized by including a table with a top and a front and a back leg in a vertical medial plane, said tablebeing connected as aforesaid by one of said link bars to at least one of said chairs.

15. A 'modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal platform supported on leg means formed therein adjacent a vertical fore-and-aft plane with substantial portions of said platform overhanging on both sides of said leg means; arcuate guides formed in said overhanging portions, said guides in each platform being positioned with the center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said platform; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining platforms, said attachment means being slideably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong, whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of curvature.

16. A modular furniture. ensemble of the class de scribed comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal platform member supported on leg means formed therein adjacent a vertical fore-and-aft plane with substantial portions of said platform overhanging on both sides of said leg means; arcuate guides formed in said overhanging portions adjacent the 'outer edges thereof, said guides in each platform being positioned withthe center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said platform; and attachment means engaging the respective adjoining platforms, said attachment means being pivotally secured to said platforms in slideable engagement with said guides for sliding movement therealong, whereby to mutually support adjoining units against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of curvature.

l7, A modular seating ensemble of theclass described comprising: a plurality of chair units arranged in gen erally side-by-side relationship each having a horizontal seat supported on leg means formed thereon adjacent a fore-and-aft vertical plane with substantial portions of said seat overhanging on both sides of said leg means; arcuate guides formed in the undersides of said seats adjacent the lateral edges thereof, said guides in each seat being positioned with the center of curvature thereof substantially at the center of said seat; and attachment means engaging the respective guides of adjoining seats, said attachment means being slideably secured to said guides for sliding movement therealong, whereby to mutually support adjoining chairs against lateral tilting while permitting relative rotational adjustment of adjacent units about said center of curvature.

18. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform supported on a pair of legs positioned in a fore-and-aft vertical plane with substantial portions of said platform overhanging on both sides of said plane; and at least one interconnecting link bar terminally and pivotally connected to respective adjoining platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof and slideably supporting said overhanging portions adjacent the outer edges thereof to secure said units together in said relationship and prevent lateral tilting thereof while permitting relative rotational adjustment of each such unit about said platform center thereof.

19. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in a row in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform supported on a pair of legs positioned in a fore-and-aft vertical plane with portions of said platform overhanging on both sides of said plane; at least one interconnecting link bar terminally and pivotally connected to respective adjoining platforms adjacent the respective centers thereof and slideably supporting said overhanging portions adjacent the outer edges thereof to secure said units together in said relationship and prevent lateral tilting thereof while permitting relative rotational adjustment of each such unit about said platform center thereof; and a single leg secured to at least one of the units at the ends of said row, said single leg being secured under the outer overhanging platform portion of said end unit.

20. A modular furniture ensemble of the class described comprising: a plurality of modular units arranged in generally side-by-side relationship and each having a horizontal platform supported on a pair of legs positioned in a fore-and-aft vertical plane with portions of said platform overhanging on both sides of said plane; and at least one interconnecting link bar terminally and pivotally connected to respective adjoining platform members adjacent the respective centers thereof and slideably engaging the undersurfaces of said overhanging portions to secure said units together in said relationship and prevent lateral tilting thereof while permitting relative rotational adjustment of each such unit about said platform center thereof.

21. A modular furniture ensemble comprising: a plurality of chairs arranged side-by-side and each having a seat and a front leg and a back leg in a vertical plane with a substantial portion of said seat overhanging on at least one side of said plane said chairs being arranged with the respective overhanging seat portions adjacent to each other; a fore-and-aft extending guide on the underside of each overhanging portion adjacent the outer edge thereof adjoining an adjacent chair; and a link bar interconnecting each adjacent pair of chairs, each end 7 of each link bar pivotally connected to the underside of each seat on a vertical pivot intermediate said legs, to permit independent rotational adjustment and horizontal swinging movement of each chair with respect to the others, said bar and guide being slideably engaged to stabilize said chairs against lateral tilting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 190,169 Taylor May 1. 1877 229,704 Holl July 6, 1880 595,624 Hale Dec. 14, 1897 712,898 Barney Nov. 4, 1902 1,356,202 Garrett Oct. 19, 1920 2,554,852 Bryan et al. May 29, 1951 2,658,553 Stewart Nov. 10, 1953 2,694,611 Lorber Nov. 16, 1954 2,705,179 Hodgin Mar. 29, 1955

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