US662647A - Chair-seat. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 662,647. Patented Nov. 27, I906.

M. V. B. HOWE.

CHAIR SEAT.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.) (No Model.)

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MARTIN V. B. HOWE, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIR-SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,647, dated November 27, 1900.

i Application filed May 21, 1900. Serial No. 17,392. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN V. B. Hown, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Chair-Seat, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable, attractive, and at the same time inexpensive chair-seat which is especially designed to be used in situations in which chair-seats of cane have heretofore been almost exclusively employed.

To this end this invention consists of the chair-seat and the combination of parts therein, as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view, partially broken away, of a chairseat constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the same upon an enlarged scale; and Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, are detail sectional views illustrating the manner in which the Woven-wire supporting fabric is first stretched and secured in place.

In a large percentage of chairs now in use woven-cane seats are employed. The use of cane for seating chairs is objectionable, not only for the reason that cane seating wears out rapidly, so that the same has to be frequently repaired, but is also objectionable as it is a matter of increasing difficulty to obtain good qualities of cane. The use of cane for the manufacture of chairs is now so extensive that the price of cane seating is comparatively high, while the quality of cane obtainable is not as good.

The especial object of my present invention is therefore to provide a chair-seat which may be manufactured and placed on the market at a lower cost than the cane chair-seat and which will present a richer and handsomer appearance and which will also have greater durability and strength. To accomplish this object, a chair-seat constructed according to my invention comprises a strong supporting fabric, preferably woven wire cloth, which is tightly stretched and secured to the seat-frame, and a covering of fabric forming the top surface of the seat, which is supported by the woven-wire supporting fabric, the supporting fabric and the covering fabric being, secured to the seat frame by separate splines.

The top fabric forming the surface of the seat may be formed by a piece of enamel cloth, real or imitation leather, or any of the desired flexible fabrics which will present an attractive appearance and have the necessary durability or wearing quality.

The fastening devices which I employ for stretching and securing the wire-cloth to the seat-frame and for holding the top fabric in' place preferably comprise two independent splines or securing-strips which are fitted into a groove in the seat-frame one on top of the other. The bottom spline not only forms a fastening device for holding the wire-cloth in place, but it also serves as a means for stretching the wire-cloth from all sides to secure that degree of tightness which I have found to be essential to prevent the chair-seat from sagging or being dished. The top spline, which fits into the groove on top of the bottom spline, acts simply to hold the top fabric in place.

If desired, one or more thicknesses of cushioning or upholstering material may be interposed between the supporting and top fabric of the chair-seat.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in detail, the chair-seat herein illustrated consists of a seat-frame A, which may be of the ordinaryor usual construction and which is provided with a groove B, which is of greater depth than the grooves of the ordinary chair seat frame. The seat portion proper, as herein illustrated, comprises a supporting fabric 10, of woven-wire cloth, and a top fabric l1, which may be made to imitate leather or may be formed by any suitable flexible or woven fabric. interposed between the supporting Wire fabric 10 and the top fabric 11 may be one or more layers of upholstering material, as 12.

The manner in which the supporting fabric of Woven-wire cloth is secured in place is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 to 5, inclusive.

As shown in Fig. 3, the woven-Wire fabric The use of wire-cloth stretched and secured in place in this manner for a seat-su pport I have found to be desirable, not only for the reason that the same possesses great strength and durability, but also on account of the fact that the wire-cloth itself will form a strong bond or connection which ties together the pieces forming the seat frame itself. To complete the construction of the seat-frame, the top fabric is then put in position, one or more layers of upholstering material being interposed between the supporting fabric and top fabric of the chair-seat, if desired, and is held in place by a top spline 14, which fits into the groove 13 above the bottom spline 13. The splines 13 and 1 1 may consist of Wooden strips in the ordinary manner, or where the groove B is more or less curved splines or strips of rattan may be .used, if desired.

The upper edge of the top spline 14 may be rounded to form a bead in the ordinary manner, or, if preferred, strips of brass trimming 15 or similar material may be arranged to cover the top spline, as shown.

One especial advantage in the use of chairseats constructed according to my invention resides in the ease with which the same may be repaired or re-covered-that is to say,whenever the top fabric of a chair-seat constructed according to my invention becomes Worn through or otherwise damaged to repair the chair-seat it is then simply necessary to remove the top spline and top fabric, permitting a fresh covering or top fabric and spline to be replaced Without disturbing or removing the wire-cloth supporting fabric.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in the construction of my chair-seat by those who are skilled in the art. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction herein shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, i's- 1. As an article of manufacture, a chairseat comprising a grooved seat-frame, a seat portion consisting of a supporting fabric, a bottom spline fitting into the groove of the frame for stretching and securing the supporting fabric in place, a top fabric, and a separate spline fitting into the groove above the bottom spline to hold the top fabric in place, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a chair seat comprising a grooved wooden seat-frame A, a supportng fabric 10 of woven-wire cloth, a top fabric supported by a woven-wire cloth, and independent splines for holding each of said fabrics in place on the seat-frame, substantially as described.

3. As an article of manufacture, a chairseat consisting of a wooden seat-frame A having a groove B around its inner edge, a sup porting fabric 10 of woven-Wire cloth which is stretched and held in place by a spline 13 driven to the bottom of the groove B, and a top fabric 11 supported by said woven-wire cloth and secured in place by a spline 14 fittinginto the groove B above the bottom spline 13, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN V. B. HOWVE.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE.

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