GB2135175A

GB2135175A - A frame for a piece of furniture, set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions

Info

Publication number: GB2135175A
Application number: GB08304124A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jan Dranger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-02-15
Filing date: 1983-02-15
Publication date: 1984-08-30
Also published as: GB8304124D0; GB2135175B; FR2540947A1

Abstract

In a frame for a piece of furniture, a set of shelves or a similar construction, the upright members (1) are of polygonal cross section and are provided with holes (4) for crosswise rods (2, 3) of circular cross section. The interlocking between the legs or poles and the rods is carried out by the insertion of the rod ends through the holes and by arranging O-rings (7) in two grooves (5, 6) formed in each end portion of the rods with such a distance them-between that the rings tight abut opposite plane surfaces of the leg or pole around opposite hole edges. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A frame for a piece of furniture, set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions The present invention relates to a frame for a piece of furniture, a set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions consisting of legs or poles of polygonal cross section and rods of circular cross section extending crosswise to the legs or poles, wherein holes are made in the legs or poles having a cross dimension and shape corresponding to the cross section of the rods.

Furniture and shelves constructions are often sold and delivered with the parts dismounted in order to simplify and reduce the cost of transport and storing.

The buyers must themselves assemble the construction. Such an assembly has often necessitate some form of service instruction, special armatures, often metal armatures, and tools, sometimes tools particularly adapted for the construction, which each makes the construction more expensive and often complicates the assembly. Time-consuming glueing is in certain constructions also necessary, which moreover renders a sometimes desired dismounting more difficult or makes it impossible. It is also in many connections previously known, to fasten a work piece or member for instance to a shaft by means of a fastener ring, which is mounted on one side of the member, while the opposite side abuts a shoulder portion or the like on the shaft, see for instance U.S.

Patents Nos. 2,894,425 and 2,456,355. Such a construction involves an accurately machined manufacture of the abutment and such an interlocking should if used within the field of the present invention mean a comparatively expensive frame construction, particularly in view of the manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages and provide a frame construction which, besides simple and cheap transport, storing and distribution in dismounted state, above all has the advantage of simple, rapid and cheap assembly (also dismounting) without the need of service instruction and without the use of tools or special armatures but nevertheless provide a rigid construction. Moreover, the invention makes traditional furniture industry unnecessary by the fact that the parts in the frame construction can directly be manufactured in basic factories, for instance saw mills for frame constructions in wood. Moreover, the invention renders it possible to produce the rods in standard running meter.

The characteristics of the invention to achieve the above mentioned adanvatages appear from the

following claim.

Some embodiments of the invention are in the following described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la - id schematically illustrate in perspective views examples of different types of frame constructions to which the invention can be applied, Figure 2 illustrates in perspective view and in larger scale a frame construction in which the frame parts have been coupled together in accordance with the invention, and Figures 3 and 4 show in plane view and a view along the line IV-IV in Figure 3, resp., leg or pole coupled together, in accordance with the invention, with two rods positioned adjacent each other in vertical direction and positioned perpendicular relative to each other.

Figures 1a and 1b illustrates schematically two different chair constructions, Figure 1 c illustrates schematically a table-like construction, for instance an inside fittings construction, and Figure 1d illustrates schematically a set of shelves. These figures only illustrate some examples of constructions ap plicable for the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates more in detail one type of an armchair suitable to be put together in accordance with the invention.

Figures 3 and 4 show in detail one example of an assembly according to the invention, wherein a chair leg or a shelf pole 1 is coupled together with the terminal portion of two rods 2,3 positioned adjacent each other in vertical direction and positioned perpendicular to each other and to the leg or pole.

Holes 4 are made in the leg or pole 1 adapted to the shape of the rods 2,3 and the rods are in the terminal portions formed with circumferential grooves 5, 6 having a distance between them substantially corresponding to the length of the hole 4. O-rings 7, for instance made of rubber, are in the assembled state as shown arranged in the grooves 5, 6 such that the rings tight abut opposite surfaces of the leg or pile 1 around opposite hole edges of the hole 4 and thereby rigidly keep the leg or pole and the rods together.

Thus, the frame construction as shown only consists of legs or poles provided with holes and rods provided with grooves, which elements can in a simple way and very cheap be produced and in standard running meter, and cheap O-rings of an appropriate material. As should be obvious, the assembly and also dismounting is extremely simple without the need of service instruction, special armatures or tools.

The material in legs or poles and rods can suitably be wood, but other materials such as plastic can advantageously be used.

CLAIMS 1. A frame, for an item of furniture, a set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions consisting of legs or poles of polygonal cross section and rods of rounded cross section extending crosswise relative to the legs or rods, wherein holes are made in the legs each hole having a transverse cross-sectional dimension and shape corresponding to that of a respective rod, characterized in that the end portions of each rod are each provided with two annular grooves having a spacing between the groove edges facing each other substantially corresponding to the thickness of the leg, and that solid O-rings of elastic material are arranged in said grooves for tight abutment against opposite plane surfaces of the leg around opposite hole edges, said surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A frame for a piece of furniture, set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions The present invention relates to a frame for a piece of furniture, a set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions consisting of legs or poles of polygonal cross section and rods of circular cross section extending crosswise to the legs or poles, wherein holes are made in the legs or poles having a cross dimension and shape corresponding to the cross section of the rods. Furniture and shelves constructions are often sold and delivered with the parts dismounted in order to simplify and reduce the cost of transport and storing. The buyers must themselves assemble the construction. Such an assembly has often necessitate some form of service instruction, special armatures, often metal armatures, and tools, sometimes tools particularly adapted for the construction, which each makes the construction more expensive and often complicates the assembly. Time-consuming glueing is in certain constructions also necessary, which moreover renders a sometimes desired dismounting more difficult or makes it impossible. It is also in many connections previously known, to fasten a work piece or member for instance to a shaft by means of a fastener ring, which is mounted on one side of the member, while the opposite side abuts a shoulder portion or the like on the shaft, see for instance U.S. Patents Nos. 2,894,425 and 2,456,355. Such a construction involves an accurately machined manufacture of the abutment and such an interlocking should if used within the field of the present invention mean a comparatively expensive frame construction, particularly in view of the manufacturing cost. The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages and provide a frame construction which, besides simple and cheap transport, storing and distribution in dismounted state, above all has the advantage of simple, rapid and cheap assembly (also dismounting) without the need of service instruction and without the use of tools or special armatures but nevertheless provide a rigid construction. Moreover, the invention makes traditional furniture industry unnecessary by the fact that the parts in the frame construction can directly be manufactured in basic factories, for instance saw mills for frame constructions in wood. Moreover, the invention renders it possible to produce the rods in standard running meter. The characteristics of the invention to achieve the above mentioned adanvatages appear from the following claim. Some embodiments of the invention are in the following described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la - id schematically illustrate in perspective views examples of different types of frame constructions to which the invention can be applied, Figure 2 illustrates in perspective view and in larger scale a frame construction in which the frame parts have been coupled together in accordance with the invention, and Figures 3 and 4 show in plane view and a view along the line IV-IV in Figure 3, resp., leg or pole coupled together, in accordance with the invention, with two rods positioned adjacent each other in vertical direction and positioned perpendicular relative to each other. Figures 1a and 1b illustrates schematically two different chair constructions, Figure 1 c illustrates schematically a table-like construction, for instance an inside fittings construction, and Figure 1d illustrates schematically a set of shelves. These figures only illustrate some examples of constructions ap plicable for the invention. Figure 2 illustrates more in detail one type of an armchair suitable to be put together in accordance with the invention. Figures 3 and 4 show in detail one example of an assembly according to the invention, wherein a chair leg or a shelf pole 1 is coupled together with the terminal portion of two rods 2,3 positioned adjacent each other in vertical direction and positioned perpendicular to each other and to the leg or pole. Holes 4 are made in the leg or pole 1 adapted to the shape of the rods 2,3 and the rods are in the terminal portions formed with circumferential grooves 5, 6 having a distance between them substantially corresponding to the length of the hole 4. O-rings 7, for instance made of rubber, are in the assembled state as shown arranged in the grooves 5, 6 such that the rings tight abut opposite surfaces of the leg or pile 1 around opposite hole edges of the hole 4 and thereby rigidly keep the leg or pole and the rods together. Thus, the frame construction as shown only consists of legs or poles provided with holes and rods provided with grooves, which elements can in a simple way and very cheap be produced and in standard running meter, and cheap O-rings of an appropriate material. As should be obvious, the assembly and also dismounting is extremely simple without the need of service instruction, special armatures or tools. The material in legs or poles and rods can suitably be wood, but other materials such as plastic can advantageously be used. CLAIMS

1. A frame, for an item of furniture, a set of shelves, inside fittings or similar constructions consisting of legs or poles of polygonal cross section and rods of rounded cross section extending crosswise relative to the legs or rods, wherein holes are made in the legs each hole having a transverse cross-sectional dimension and shape corresponding to that of a respective rod, characterized in that the end portions of each rod are each provided with two annular grooves having a spacing between the groove edges facing each other substantially corresponding to the thickness of the leg, and that solid O-rings of elastic material are arranged in said grooves for tight abutment against opposite plane surfaces of the leg around opposite hole edges, said surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the rod axis.

2. Aframe according to claim 1 wherein the rods are of circular cross-section.

3. A frame according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the O-rings are of natural or synthetic rubber.

4. A frame according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the legs or poles and rods are of wood.

5. A frame for an item of furniture substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to Figures 3 and 4 alone or together with any one of Figures 1a, 1b, 1c, id and 2 of the accompanying drawings.