GB2188232A

GB2188232A - Device for connecting chairs together

Info

Publication number: GB2188232A
Application number: GB08707119A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Willy Klein; Arne Lervad
Original assignee: Lervad & Son Anders As
Current assignee: Lervad & Son Anders As
Priority date: 1986-03-25
Filing date: 1987-03-25
Publication date: 1987-09-30
Also published as: DK137286D0; DE3709620A1; GB8707119D0; DK137286A

Description

SPECIFICATION Connecting device for chairs The invention relates to a connecting device for chairs which makes it possible to use these as single chairs and as rows of chairs. In rooms which are temporarily, but not permanently, to be used as lecture orteaching rooms the rows of chairs must be removable when the room is to be used for some other purpose such as exhibitions of for having lunches or dinners. It is known in connection with very large meeting-halls to have rows of chairs which may as a whole be pushed in under a stage or a platform. For small rooms this method is too costly and also inapplicable if there is no elevated floor space. For such rooms there is used a set of single chairs, generally stackable, the frames of which are provided with through-holes in the sides so that a rod may extend through these holes when the chairs are placed in a row and be locked at both ends to prevent the chairs from being drawn from each other. This method is not only cumbersome but also not very neat. It is the object of the invention to manufacture a connecting device making it easy and convenient to connect chairs to form a row of chairs and which neither mars the appearance of the chairs when used for single chairs nor when used for rows of chairs. This is achieved according to the invention by a bracket of resilient material which is pivotably secured on the inside of the side member of the chair frame of a first chair and a retaining means arranged on the opposite inside of the side member of the chair frame of a second chair to be connected with the first chair, and a second retaining means arranged under the chair seat of the first chair in such a manner that the bracket under a chair by being pivoted can grip the frame of a second chair whereon the retaining means is arranged and be retained thereon by its elastic force and in such a manner that the bracket by being swung up under the seat of the chair on which it is arranged will be retained by the retaining means arranged there. If the frame members to which the resilient bracket is secured and firmly engages, respectively, are not parallel when placing together the chairs, for example if it is desired to form a curved row of chairs, the bracket may be given such a turn that its free edge extends substantially parallel to the frame which it firmly engages. In order to prevent the connected chairs from being displaced transversely to the longitudinal direction of the row of chairs, the elastic bracket _ may be given such length that it extends from front leg to rear leg of the chair. The retaining means may be suitably formed metal sheets or screws or may comprise a pair of wooden blocks having such cross-section that the bracket is retained thereto by its own elastic force. The latter embodiment will require no other tools or material than that which is available in any joiner's workshop and is therefor to be preferred. The invention will be further described in the following with reference to the drawing wherein Fig. 1 is an embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention, and Fig. 2 is a top view at a smaller scale of a pair of chairs connected by the bracket shown in Fig. 1 and with the chair seats removed so as to show the function of the bracket. The drawing shows a connecting device the main part of which is a bracket made of a resilient material such as spring steel. The bracket comprises cross members 1 and 2 having upturned ends 3 and 4, Fig. 1, and longitudinally extending members 5 and 6. The bracket is pivotally secured to one of the side members 7 of the chairframe by means of a list or strip 8 surrounding the bracket member 6. On the opposite frame member 9 there is secured a retaining means which is here a wooden block -10 provided with a slightly inclining cut so that the bracket member 5 is retained by its own elastic force when it firmly engages the block as shown in the fully raised position in Fig. 1. As shown in the same figure, the block 10 may be provided with a threaded bush for a screw for fixing of the bracket in case the connected chairs are to be movable or stackable as a continuous row. In Fig. 1 the bracket is shown dotted in its nonactive position, i.e. swung up underthe chair seat. In Fig. 2 the bracket is shown in this position in the lefthand chair. In this position it is retained by a retaining means 12 which may be similar to the retaining means 10 and as shown may be arranged on the inside ofthe front member or the rear member 13 of the chairframe. If the chairs are of the stackable type as indicated in Fig. 2, it is not the chair frames which are kept firmly engaged against each other but the chair legs. It is therefore important that the bracket members 5 and 6, as shown, are so long that the bracket members 1 and 2 abut on the chair legs when the bracket is pivoted to its active position in order to avoid a displacement of the chairs so that the chair legs slip past each other. It moreover appears that when the bracket members 1 and 2 also abut on the underside ofthe chairframes and the bracket member 5 is secured by screws, the chairs cannot either be displaced in vertical direction relative to each other thereby making it possible to lift and move the row of chairs as a whole.

Claims

1. A connecting device for connecting chairs to form a row of chairs, said device comprising a bracket means of a resilient material which is . pivotally secured on the inside of a side member of the chairframe of a first chair and a first retaining means arranged on the opposite inside of a side member ofthe chairframe ofa second chair to be connected with the first chair, and a second retaining means arranged underthe chair seat of the first chair in such a manner that the bracket means under a chair by being pivoted can grip the frame of a second chair whereon the first retaining means is arranged and be retained thereon by its elastic force and in such a manner that the bracket means by being swung up under the seat of the chair on which it is arranged will be retained by the second retaining means arranged at that position.

2. A connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket means include bracket members extending along the chair frame and having a length such that the bracket means abuts on the front and rear legs of the chairs when in its active position it firmly engages the first retaining means.

3. A connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bracket means includes further bracket members which extend transversely to the side members of the chairframe and which abut on the underside of same when the bracket means is in its active position.

4. A connecting device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second retaining means comprise wooden blocks having cuts wherein the bracket means is retained by its own elastic force.

5. A connecting device according to claim 4, wherein the first retaining means has a threaded bush for a fixing screw.

6. A connecting device according to claim 4, wherein the second retaining means is secured to the inside of the front or rear member of the chair frame.

7. A connecting device for connecting chairs to form a row of chairs, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.