Ceramic fitting for tubular furniture construction

An ornamental ceramic fitting is mounted between two spaced, confronting, axially aligned, tubular members. The distance between the confronting ends of the tubular members is less than the corresponding axial length of the ceramic fitting. The ceramic fitting includes a threaded rod extending therethrough along the axis thereof and a well in each end of the fitting surrounding the threaded rod. The depth of the well in one end exceeds the difference between the axial length of the fitting and the corresponding axial distance between the confronting ends of the tubular members. The fitting is first placed on the end of one of the spaced tubular members and twisted to a position past the normal seated position. This allows proper alignment of the end of the other tubular member, whereupon the fitting is twisted in the opposite direction to properly complete the mounting operation.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to tubular furniture construction, and more 
specifically, to a ceramic fitting or connector which joins two spaced, 
confronting, axially aligned, tubular members, and when assembled, appears 
to envelop both ends of the confronting tubular members. 
The furniture industry has, in recent years, developed several distinct 
furniture categories. One of such furniture categories is a line of 
occasional pieces, including shelf units, vanities, seats, tables, 
etageres, and the like, which are formed primarily of tubular metallic 
pieces and glass. The tubular pieces may be either round or rectangular in 
cross-section and formed of brass, aluminum, chrome, or various 
lightweight metallic alloys. Quite a number of distinct patterns and 
decorative ideas have emerged for use in conjunction with such types of 
construction. 
The present invention is directed toward one of such decorative type 
innovations. Often in such tubular furniture, there may be unbroken 
lengths of parallel tubular members in an end or rear wall. The inclusion 
of some type of decorative or ornamental fitting or coupling in one or 
more of the tubular members provides an aesthetic break. The problem is 
how to assemble such an attractive ornamental coupling after the end wall 
is formed and plated. Such items as finials and husks or sleeves which 
slide over the tubular members have been proposed. 
In the present invention, a rather different type of decorative fitting is 
provided in the form of a ceramic (preferably porcelain) knob-like member 
which replaces a section of one or more tubular members. The fitting of 
the present invention has a diameter greater than the diameter of the 
aforesaid tubular members, so that the tubular members can extend into and 
be enveloped by the ceramic fitting. The surface of the ceramic fitting 
may be decorated by decals or screen printing. However, the novelty of the 
invention lies in the manner in which the decorative fitting is fabricated 
and assembled between spaced, confronting, axially aligned, tubular 
members to envelop the ends of the tubular members and give the appearance 
of replacing a section of tubing. 
Toward this end, a wall or end standard is first formed by joining the 
tubular members together by some appropriate technique such as welding. 
One or more tubular members is then left with a gap or space therein which 
forms two spaced, confronting, axially aligned, ends. The ceramic fitting 
to be emplaced between the confronting ends of the tubular member(s) is 
greater in length than the space therebetween, whereby when assembled, the 
fitting envelops the tubular ends. 
To achieve such an effect, a rod extends axially through the ceramic 
fitting. Preferably, but not necessarily, the rod is threaded and 
protrudes longitudinally past one of the ends of the fitting for enhanced 
stability. Wells are formed in each end of the coupling surrounding the 
threaded rod. One of the wells is of a depth dimension greater than the 
distance by which the axial length of the ceramic fitting exceeds the 
distance between the confronting ends of the tubes. 
So arranged, one end of the fitting is assembled onto one of the tubular 
members with the rod first inserted into the tubular member to a point 
past the normal seated position. The extended position exceeds the normal 
position by the aforesaid difference between the axial length of the 
fitting and the distance between the confronting ends of the tubular 
members. The end of the other tubular member is then placed in position 
aligned with the opposite end of the fitting. The rod at the other end of 
the fitting is inserted into the tubular member and moved in the opposite 
direction to properly seat the fitting in position on both of the tubular 
members. In order to cushion the seating of the ceramic fitting on the 
tubular ends, one or both of the wells are provided with rubber-pads in 
the bottom wall thereof. In the broadest aspect of the present invention, 
the rod is not necessarily threaded. This will achieve a satisfactory 
level of satisfaction as long as the tubular member is vertically 
oriented, because gravity will retain the fitting in the seated position. 
However, to provide an appearance of higher quality and permit the fitting 
to be used with horizontal tubular members, the rod should be threaded and 
fit into a threaded receptacle with the tubular member. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a unique 
ornamental fitting for tubular furniture. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ornamental 
fitting of the type described which joins two spaced, confronting, axially 
aligned, tubular members. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental 
ceramic fitting of the type described in which the distance between the 
ends of the tubular members is less than the corresponding axial length of 
the ceramic fitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a piece of 
furniture 10 of the type described hereinabove and with which the present 
invention is contemplated. As is illustrated in FIG. 1, an exemplary type 
of tubular furniture construction is a vanity bench 10 which includes a 
pair of spaced end walls 12,14 separated by a seat 16 and stabilizing bars 
15,17. The end wall 14 is exemplary and is formed of a plurality of curved 
tubular members 18,20,22. A straight tubular member 24 connects the curved 
tubular member 22 and the lower rail 23. 
As suggested by the foregoing discussion, the aesthetic effect of end wall 
14 is a plurality of tubular, parallel members having humps or curves at 
the top thereof. Some type of ornamental, perhaps colorfully decorated 
fitting might be inserted in one or more of the straight tubular members 
to add some variance in the very plain appearance thereof. For this 
purpose, the present invention is directed to an ornamental fitting 26 
which is inserted into the length of tubular member 24. It is apparent 
that other tubular members, such as curved members 18 or 20 might also or 
alternatively be provided with the decorative fittings of the type 
illustrated at 26. Additionally, it is desirable to be able to mount and 
connect the fitting 26 to tubular member 24 after the end wall 14 is 
fabricated, assembled, and plated. 
Turning now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated the ornamental fitting or 
connector 26 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. A ceramic, preferably porcelain, body member 28 includes a rod 
30 extending axially thereof. The threaded rod 30 may be embedded in the 
body member 28 in accordance with any conventional technique, such as by 
molding the ceramic member around the threaded rod, cementing the threaded 
rod in an axial passageway providing the ceramic member with a threaded 
insert through which the rod may be threaded, or other similar techniques. 
For stability the threaded rod extends axially of the body member 28 and 
one end 30a thereof protrudes from a first end 28a of body member 28. As 
illustrated in FIG. 2, the other end 30b of the threaded rod 30 terminates 
substantially coextensively with the second end 28b of the fitting 28. 
Also as earlier described, while a threaded rod provides a more secure, 
sturdier construction, in situations where the tubular member 24 is 
substantially vertical, the threads might be omitted. In such cases the 
rod would act as a seating pin or stud. 
Turning now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated the ceramic fitting 26 which 
includes the ceramic (preferably porcelain) body member 28 having the 
threaded rod 30 extending therethrough. At the first end 28a of the body 
member 28, there is provided a well 32 which surrounds the threaded rod 30 
to a prescribed depth. Similarly, a second well 34 is provided in the 
second end 28b of body member 28 which surrounds the other end 30b of 
threaded rod 30. A rubber or resilient pad 36 is placed in the bottom of 
well 34 surrounding the threaded rod 30. While a ceramic body member is 
described herein, it is apparent that the material of the fitting is not 
critical and could be altered as desired. 
As can be seen from FIG. 4, the distance between threaded rod 30 and the 
walls of wells 32, 34 is slightly greater than the wall thickness of 
tubular member 24 so as to receive the walls of the tubular member as the 
threaded rod is twisted, screwed, or otherwise assembled thereinto. 
In FIG. 4, there is illustrated the fitting 26 emplaced between the 
confronting ends of the tubular portions 24a, 24b. The tubular portions 
24a, 24b may be provided with threaded receptacles (nuts) 25, as 
illustrated, or the interior walls of the tubular members could themselves 
be threaded. While the tubular portions 24a, 24b are separated by the 
distance a, the length of the fitting 26 is represented by dimension b. 
Therefore, the axial dimension of fitting 26 is greater than the distance 
between the opposed ends of tubular members 24a, 24b by the first distance 
c. This occurs because, when fully seated between tubular members 24a, 
24b, it is desired that the decorative fitting 26 have the appearance of 
enveloping the tubular members, rather than merely abutting them. In order 
to achieve this result, it is then necessary that the first well 32 have a 
depth dimension at least as great as, and preferably greater than, the 
aforesaid first distance c, which is the difference in the length of the 
fitting 26 and the distance between tubular members 24a, 24b. So arranged, 
the first end 28a may be positioned on the corresponding end 24a of the 
tubular member and pushed or twisted to a point which exceeds its normal 
seated position by the first distance (c), thereby allowing the other end 
24b of the tube to become aligned with the second end 28b of the fitting 
26. 
As best shown in FIGS. 5-7, the fitting is installed by: 
(a) initially bending or deflecting the lower tubular member 24b slightly 
to allow positioning of the ornamental fitting 26 as illustrated in FIG. 
5. The dotted line portion of FIG. 5 illustrates the normal position of 
the tubular member 24b; 
(b) pushing, twisting, or screwing the ornamental fixture 26 into the upper 
tubular member 24a until the end of tubular member 24a is completely 
received within well 32. When this step is completed, the ornamental 
fixture 26 will be in the position shown in FIG. 6; and 
(c) returning the tubular member 24b to its normal position aligned with 
the second end 28b of the body member 28, so that the lower end 30b of rod 
30 is aligned with the open interior of the tubular member 24b. The 
fitting 26 is then pushed, twisted or screwed in the opposite direction 
until the upper end of tubular member 24b engages the rubber pad 36 or 
bottom of well 34. 
So arranged, the ornamental fitting 26 is emplaced in its seated position 
with the end portion of the lower tubular member seated within well 34 and 
the confronting end portion of the upper tubular member 24a seated in well 
32. Note from FIG. 7 that the upper member 24a will, at this time, not 
extend completely to the bottom of well 32. 
While the description hereinabove has been directed to a preferred 
embodiment in which the rod 30 is threaded and protrudes upwardly from the 
first end 28a, neither of these features are critical to the invention. 
For example, the rod 30 can be merely a pin or post which is inserted in 
the tubular member 24a and tubular member 24b. However, the connection is 
more secure or tighter if the rod 30 and the end portions of tubular 
members 24a, 24b are threaded. Further, it is not necessary that the rod 
30 extend above the upper end of ornamental fitting 26, however, the 
longer threaded portion lends stability to the assembly, once everything 
is fully seated. The stability offered by threaded rod 30 and extending it 
as illustrated result in a product that appears to be better constructed 
and of a higher quality. 
While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in 
detail hereinabove, it is apparent that various changes and modifications 
might be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is 
set forth in the accompanying claims: