US1941785A - Cushion construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1934. F. 1.. BROWN CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1931 Patented Jan. 2, 1934 CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Frederick Lee Brown, Greenfield, Ohio, assignor to The American Pad and Textile Company, Greenfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 20, 1931. Serial No. 538,711

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cushion construction generally and particularly to that type of cushion commonly known as life saving cushions, wherein a waterproof cushion casing is stuffed with kapok filler and straps or handles provided so that the devices serve the double purpose of a pillow or cushion and in an emergency provides a buoyant body to sustain a swimmer or person overboard of a craft on which the cushions are usually used as an item of personal comfort.

An object of this invention is to provide a cushion which has and retains a substantially box-like shape but which requires no separate edge panels in the cover construction.

Another object is to provide a corner construction for cushion covers wherein both cover halves are provided at each corner with a double fold which strengthens the corners and retains the stufiing material in a less tightly compacted condition thereby retaining the optimum buoyancy of the cushion regardless of its continued use as a seat cushion for water craft and the like.

Another object is to provide a novel type of corner fold for cushion covers that tends to maintain a box-like shape or effect of a two-piece cover for cushions.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cover casing in reversed relation and showing the relation of parts while being sewed together.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view of a corner of one cover half folded preparatory to stitching.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a completed stuffed cushion, of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

part being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a View taken on line 77 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a fragmental perspective of a cushion corner of the invention.

T Heretofore life saving cushions were made generally after the fashion of square pillow-like cushions, with tapered or feather-edged sides. The difficulty with this type of cushion is that the kapok or other stuffing material becomes crowded out of the corners and compacted in the center and a loss in buoyancy as a life saving device results. The construction embodied in the present invention holds up the corners and sides of the cover and keeps the kapok well out into the cor- .551 ners and a better distribution of the stuffing with lesser compression results. The cushion therefore retains a neat appearance in spite of hard usage and the buoyancy thereof is not diminished.

Referring to the drawing a pair of cushion cover halves 10 and 11 are initially cut to uniform square, rectangular or other shapes with each of the corners rounded off to substantially a quarter circle. The material is usually waterproof imi tation leather or its equivalent. These cover halves 10 and 11 are laid in superposed relation with the finish sides together whereupon a V-shaped strip 12, with a cord 13 inserted, is laid about the edges of said cover members in interposed relations. (See Fig. 2). The edge flange of the lower cover half is indicated at 14, the two edge portions of the V-shaped strip are indicated at 15 and 16, and the edge flange of the upper cushion cover is indicated at 17. The four thicknesses of material numbered 14, 15, 16, and 17 are then stitched together along three sides of the cushion and along the ends of the fourth side as at 18 and 19, the corners being double folded in the manner hereinafter described before the stitching thereof. As is best seen in Fig. 4, a substantially triangular portion 20 is pushed inward- 1y at each corner of each cover member and the adjacent parts of the material are folded outwardly over a portion thereof as at 21 and 22. These are in the nature of tucks. The piping or binding 12 remains flat as in the remainder of the seam. An unstitched portion 23 is allowed to remain as a mouth or opening through which the cover is turned right side out and to permit stuffing of the cushion with kapok or other material S. This is then stitched together upon the piping 12. Straps of flexible material 24 and 25 are secured in place during the stitching operation if desired.

The pair of pocket-like members 20-20 at each corner, together with the piping or binding 12 resists flattening of the cushion and provides a more resilient seat and an exceptionally long lasting buoyancy when used as a life saving or swimming appliance. The appearance of the cushion is enhanced both because of the boxw like or flat sided effect and inherently ornamental nature of the corner folds which produce a flat chamfered corner effect.

The piping 13 and cord 12 may be omitted to effect a less expensive construction for the cush- 0 ion, if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cushion construction the combination of a pair of cover halves of relatively heavy fabric secured together to form a cushion casing, said '1 halves having rounded corners, each corner of each cover half having opposed tucks on opposite sides of its center, and uniform filling of fibrous material for the cushion, holding said cushion in box like shape, said tucked portions of the cover halves protecting the stufflng in the corners of the cushion against undue compacting and holding said fibrous stufiing material against movement out of said corner.

2. In a life saving cushion of the class described the combination of a pair of uniform polygonal sheets of relatively heavy flexible material, the corners of which are rounded, a covered binding cord member extending between the edges of said sheets, each corner of each sheet having a tuck on each side of its center and stitching securing the sheets and binding together and retaining the tucks in position to produce flattened sides and corners for the casing whereby stuffing material in the cushion is retained against displacement and excessive compacting by said tuck reinforcing corner.

3. As a new article of manufacture a two-piece life saving cushion casing of relatively heavy material having opposed triangular folds or tucks at each side of each corner for producing a boxshape in the casing and effecting a self-reinforcement of the corners of the casing.

4. In a life saving cushion casing of the class described a pair of cover members of relatively heavy flexible material secured together at the edges, and corners having folded-under portions to reduce the peripheral dimension of the casing and producing opposed cooperating integral triangular members to reinforce the corners thereof and whereby a box-like shape is imparted to the casing.

5. In a life saving cushion construction the combination of a pair of sheets ofsuitable relatively heavy waterproof flexible fabric secured together at the edges and pairs of folded in tucks at each corner of each sheet effecting box-like shape for the casing, and stuffing material in said cushion, said corner construction resisting movement of'the stufling material out of the corners of the casing and retaining the corner portions of the sheets in substantially vertical relation to the major faces of the cushion.

6. In a life-saving cushion the combination of a pair of uniform cover members of relatively heavy waterproof fabric, said cover members having rounded corners, a tuck at each side of each corner whereby to provide a pair of opposed integral triangular stiffening portions at the corner of each cover half, an in-turned stitched seam securing the cover halves together with the corresponding triangular corner stiffening portions aligned, and kapok snugly filling the space between said cover portions and retaining them in a substantially box-like shape.

FREDERICK LEE BROWN.

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