Cluster assembly means for articles of furniture and articles incorporating the same

Cluster assembly means for articles of furniture comprising a plurality of rigid support elements each of which has a straight slot opening from its outer wall into an inner cavity. A joinder member has an axis, an axially extending web to fit in the slot, with a pair of axially extending flanges adapted to stand one in each cavity whereby to hold the support elements together in a cluster which includes the joinder member. One or more cluster assemblies may be used to form a structural part of an article of furniture such as a chair, table or cabinet.

This invention relates to articles of furniture and to means for assembling 
them. 
The increasing expensiveness of assembling furniture calls for more elegant 
and inexpensive assembly means. It is an object of this invention to 
provide means for assembling together in clusters a plurality of rigid 
support elements whereby the furniture may expediently be assembled from 
relatively inexpensive components. The means of this invention is so 
simple that it can be assembled by the ultimate user to form an integral 
and reliable and rigid piece of furniture. The term "furniture" is used in 
its broadest meaning including such common articles as chairs, tables, 
cabinets, and shelving units, as examples. 
A cluster assembly means according to this invention comprises a plurality 
of rigid support elements, each having a straight portion with a straight 
axis, an inner cavity, an inner wall bounding at least a part of said 
cavity, a slot opening onto the outer wall and into said cavity, the inner 
wall being adjacent to at least one edge of the slot and spaced by a 
reference dimension from that part of the outer wall which is adjacent to 
the slot. The slot has a dimension of width. 
A joinder member has an axis, an axially extending web, and a pair of 
axially extending flanges one of which is disposed at each edge of the web 
and projects laterally beyond the web. The flanges have a dimension of 
thickness greater than the width of the slot, the web has a dimension of 
thickness no greater than the width of the slot, and a width not less than 
twice the reference dimension. With each flange disposed in a respective 
one of the cavities, with the respective flange bearing against the 
respective inner wall, the support elements are assembled in a cluster by 
the joinder member and held against lateral separation from one another. 
This cluster may be used as the sole support for a pedestal table for 
example, or a plurality of clusters may be used, each cluster serving as 
the leg of an article of furniture such as a chair or a table. 
According to a preferred but optional feature of the invention, at least 
one of the support elements of a pair of the clusters may form a portion 
of the back of a chair. 
According to still another preferred but optional feature of the invention, 
more than two of said rigid support elements may be clustered together to 
form a pedestal, and may be extended laterally to form feet for a base.

FIG. 1 shows a chair 40 having a woven webbing 41 for the back and a 
webbing 42 for the seat. The chair includes a frame 44 which will now be 
described. Frame 44 includes four U-shaped frame elements 45, 46, 47, 48 
and a U-shaped back frame element 49. Cross members 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 
respectively form portions of frame elements 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49. 
U-shaped frame element 45 includes a pair of rigid support elements 55, 56. 
U-shaped frame element 46 includes a pair of rigid support elements 57, 
58. U-shaped frame element 47 includes a pair of rigid support elements 59 
and 60. U-shaped frame element 48 includes a pair of rigid support 
elements 61 and 62. U-shaped back frame element 49 includes a pair of 
rigid support elements 63 and 64. Therefore each element includes a pair 
of rigid support elements connected by a respective cross member. 
It will be seen that when assembled as shown, frame means is provided to 
hold the edges of the webbings so that a person can sit on the chair and 
lean back on it. The webbing is shown only fragmentarily. In practice it 
is attached to the four cross members or other rigid structure which 
surround it. 
There are four clusters 65, 66, 67, 68. Clusters 65 and 66 will be 
described in detail. Cluster 67 is similar in construction to cluster 66, 
and cluster 68 is similar in construction to cluster 65. 
With respect to cluster 65, it will be noted that the support elements 60, 
61 and 63 are identical except for their total lengths. For purposes of 
this invention, the disclosure of support element 60 will serve as a 
disclosure of the remaining support elements 61 and 63 and also of 
elements 56 and 57 in FIG. 3. Support element 60 (see also FIG. 10) is 
rigid, preferably being made as a metal extrusion. Aluminum alloy is a 
useful metal. 
Element 60 includes a straight portion 70 with a straight axis 71. There is 
an inside cavity 72 (FIG. 10) with an inner wall 73 bounding at least a 
part of the cavity. A slot 74 opens onto an outer wall 75 of the element. 
The inner wall is adjacent at least to an edge of the slot and is spaced 
from the outer wall adjacent to the slot by a "reference dimension" R. 
This feature is best shown in FIG. 10. The slot also has a dimension of 
width D. 
A straight joinder member 80 (FIG. 9) is provided to join the elements in a 
cluster. It may conveniently be an extrusion formed of metal or of an 
organic plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride. Because the organic 
plastic materials can readily be colored, and in the assembled cluster a 
small portion of the material will usually be visible to provide a 
decorative touch, organic plastic material is very desirable. 
The joinder member has a straight axis parallel to axis 71 and an axially 
extending web 81 with a "dimension of width" X (FIG. 9). 
Four axially extending flanges 82, 83, 84, 85 are provided in pairs at the 
edges 86, 87 of the web. As can be seen from FIG. 8, only one flange need 
be provided at each edge but it is more reliable to provide a pair at each 
edge. The FIG. 8 construction comprises a joinder member 88 which includes 
only a pair of flanges 89 and 90, one flange at each edge. 
Referring again to FIG. 9, the "dimension of thickness" Y of the flange or 
pair of flanges is greater than the width D of slot 74, and the dimension 
of thickness Z of the web is no greater than the width D of slot 74. This 
enables the web and the flanges to be slid into the slot, but prevents the 
flanges from being pulled laterally through the slot. The width X of the 
web is not less than twice the reference dimension in order to enable the 
cluster to be assembled. 
The joinder member in cluster 65 (FIG. 2) differs from that in cluster 66 
by including a second web 95 with a pair of flanges 96. This additional 
web is integral with the central web, and extends at a right angle thereto 
to incorporate joinder element 63. Apart from this additional means to 
include a third support element, clusters 65 and 66 are identical to one 
another. In some embodiments of the invention, the width of the web is the 
total length of two parts measured from their intersection, for example of 
the two parts which meet at a right angle (or any other suitable angle). 
In FIG. 4, where the web is bent, it is the arcuate length which is 
measured. 
FIG. 4 shows a pair of support elements 100, 101 which are identical to one 
another and which differ from the support element shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 
in that they are face oriented rather than edge oriented. By this is meant 
that in FIGS. 2 and 3 the slots open at corners while in FIG. 4 slots 102, 
103 open on faces 104, 105 respectively. Apart from that the constructions 
are the same. However it will be noted that the joinder member 106 will be 
somewhat wider and will be bent when the two support elements are oriented 
as shown. In this case the web 107 will be bent instead of flat and will 
be longer than if the two faces were flush against one another or if the 
corners were adjacent to one another as in FIGS. 2 and 3. However the 
assembly technique and the rigidity of the resulting article are 
substantially identical. 
In all of these embodiments foot members 108 will be provided at the bottom 
of all of the clusters. Preferably they are rigidly affixed thereto such 
as by screws or by a tight friction coupling so as to discourage relative 
sliding movement between the support elements. 
In the article of furniture of FIG. 1, the article is held together by a 
plurality of clusters. There are types of furniture wherein one cluster 
will suffice for the entire assembly and such an article is shown in FIGS. 
5 and 6. These show a pedestal table 110 which comprises four support 
elements 111, 112, 113 and 114. Each of these support elements includes a 
straight portion 115 with all of the features described in connection with 
the straight portion in FIG. 1. These support elements differ by including 
arms 116 at right angles to the straight portion to form a support for a 
table top 116a and laterally extending legs 117 to stand upon the ground 
at a lateral distance from the cluster 118. 
The details of cluster 118 are shown in FIG. 6, where the support elements 
are tubular, with other features as best shown in FIG. 20. The means for 
receiving and engaging with the joinder member are identical to those in 
FIGS. 3 and 10 to which reference should be made for full details. Suffice 
it to say that support element 111 (to which the others are identical) 
includes an axially extending slot 119 with internal cavity 120, outer 
wall 121, and inner wall 121a. The dimensions of thickness and width are 
the same. In cluster 118, joinder member 122 is cruciform, constituting a 
pair of crossed integral joinder members of the FIG. 9 type. All of the 
features defined in connection with FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10 are pertinent 
to this device. The slots will be open either at the top or the bottom of 
the cluster assembly so that the joinder member can be slid into all of 
the slots from that end at the same time. 
FIG. 7 shows an edge portion of a joinder element 125 which has an 
umbrella-like pair of flanges 126, 127 on its end. These flanges are more 
readily flexible toward the web 128 than away from it. When the joinder 
member is made of a flexible elastomer, the cluster can be assembled by 
pushing the joinder member into the slot sidewise if preferred. 
One purpose of FIGS. 10-14 is to show means by which a broad range of 
cluster arrangements can be made. FIG. 10 has already been disclosed and 
enables this support element to be a means of connection to one joinder 
member at its corner. FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show support elements 130, 131, 
132 which have respective pluralities of slots 132a, 133; 134, 135, 136; 
and 137, 138, 139 and 140 to accomodate two, three or four joinder members 
at corners thereof. FIG. 14 shows that a joinder member can have slots 
141, 142, one of which can be face oriented, and the other edge oriented. 
In other words, all slots of a given support element need not be edge 
oriented or face oriented, but they may be mixed. 
FIG. 15 has already been discussed. The purpose of FIGS. 16-19 is to show 
other support elements 145, 146, 147, 148 which are also adaptable to 
connection to more than one joinder member and in various combinations 
wherein the slots are face oriented. 
FIGS. 16 and 17 show that a pair of face oriented elements may be placed in 
either adjacent faces or opposite faces. FIGS. 18 and 19 show that three 
or four joinder elements may be accommodated in a face-oriented 
arrangement. 
FIG. 20 has already been described. One purpose of FIGS. 21, 22, 23 and 24 
is to show different angular orientations in circular support members. For 
example in FIGS. 21 and 22 support elements 150, 151 have slots 152, 153 
at different angular orientations from one another, while in FIGS. 23 and 
24 support elements 154, 155 have three and four slots respectively. 
One purpose of FIGS. 25-27 is to show that it is not necessary to form an 
extruded slot and cavity in the support member. Instead it is possible 
simply to slit the wall of the support member and use the inside wall of 
the tubular support member for engagement by the flange. For example in 
FIG. 25 there is shown a circular support member 160 which has an internal 
cavity 161, an inner wall 162 defining the cavity, and an outer wall 163 
defining the outside of the member. A slot 164 is cut in the wall. A 
joinder member such as joinder member 80 (FIG. 9) is placed therein, just 
as is done in the other embodiments of the invention. The width of the 
slot, the reference dimension, and all other features of the support 
member are as described in connection with the other embodiments of the 
invention, with the exception that the cavity is larger, and is not 
bounded on its backside as it is in the other extruded portions. These 
constructions as a practical matter will not accommodate more than one 
slot. 
FIGS. 26 and 27 show joinder members 165, 166 which have square instead of 
circular sections, and differ from one another in that the slot in FIG. 27 
is located closer to the corner than to the center of a face as in FIG. 
26. 
FIG. 28 shows a table 170 which is formed with four legs, only two of which 
are shown. The legs are formed by clusters 171, 172. Two other clusters 
are hidden behind clusters 171 and 172 in FIG. 28. These clusters may 
conveniently be the same type shown in FIG. 3, but may instead be of any 
other two member combinations. The table assembly is completed by a rigid 
top 173 which rests on the cross members of the support elements 
comprising the clusters and four flange members 174, 175, 176, 177 which 
fit down over and against respective cross members so as to hold the 
assembly in its square position. These depending flanges hold the table in 
its square array. Of course, furniture of more or fewer sides than four 
can be made with this invention. 
FIG. 30 shows a chair 180 similar to the chair of FIG. 1 with the exception 
that the back member forms part of a two member cluster, instead of part 
of a three member cluster. This chair 180 includes clusters 66 and 67 just 
as in the chair of FIG. 1. However the rear U-shaped frame element 181 
joins with frame elements 46 and 48 in an assembly of the type of FIG. 3. 
To add rigidity and a means to hold an edge of the webbing or other seat 
material, a cross tie 182 is provided between the two legs of element 181. 
Cross tie 182 may conveniently form a location for anchoring one edge of 
the woven webbing 183. A seat webbing 184 is provided as in the embodiment 
of FIG. 1. With the exception of the shape of clusters 185 and 186 the 
construction of the chair of FIG. 30 is the same as that of FIG. 1. 
FIGS. 31 and 32 show other embodiments of joinder members, which can be 
pressed sidewise into the slot as alluded to in connection with the device 
shown in FIG. 7. An edge portion of a joinder member 190 is shown with an 
arrowhead type flange 191 whose two protrusions 192, 193 can be compressed 
toward one another to enable the joinder member to be thrust through the 
slot. These spread to resist removal. 
In FIG. 32 flange 195 on an edge portion of a joinder member 196 is a bulb 
with an internal axially extending open passage 197 therein. As shown in 
FIG. 33 this bulb can be compressed to pass the flange through the slot. 
It will expand when it is on the backside of the inner wall. In both the 
embodiments of FIGS. 31 and 32 the material is flexible and preferably 
elastomeric. 
In FIG. 34 there is shown a joinder member 200 with a slot 201 as in the 
other embodiments. An edge portion of a joinder member 202 passes through 
the slot. The flange, instead of being an abrupt hook-like or bar-like 
member, instead is a curved member 203. The joinder member may either be 
elastomeric or might even be somewhat more rigid but the distance A by 
which it projects sidewardly from its wall 204 constitutes a flange type 
overhang which functions in precisely the same manner as the flanges in 
the other embodiments. This assembly can readily be made either from the 
side or from the top of the slot and the thickness of the joinder member 
throughout will be somewhat less than the width of the slot. The bend acts 
as a flange. 
In addition to the reception of the joinder members, the slots can be used 
to retain the edge of webbing or sheets of material to form a seat or 
back. Alternatively, the webbing or sheet can be adhesively attached to, 
wrapped around, or bent around some portion of the frame member. 
The term "transverse means" is sometimes used herein to denote structure 
which enables the framework provided by a cluster or clusters to be used 
as an article of furniture. In FIGS. 1 and 30, this means is a webbing. Of 
course flexible material such as canvas could be used, or a rigid plastic 
wood or metal seat. In FIGS. 5 and 25 the transverse means is a table top. 
The necessary strength and rigidity of the joinder means is related to its 
usage. When the flange is totally trapped as in FIG. 3, more flexibility, 
and a greater spacing apart of the support members is possible than when 
the flange is loose in the cavity as in FIGS. 25-27. Primarily the joinder 
means is intended to prevent the support means from spreading apart or 
twisting excessively. Support against relative shear movement of the 
support members can be provided by a strong web gripped tightly by the 
support member. However, this makes assembly more difficult, and it is 
better practice to restrain shear movement by foot members 108 or 
otherwise. 
The spacing between adjacent support members is preferably kept as small as 
practicable. 
The foregoing constructions illustrate cluster assemblies suitable for 
articles of furniture, and also illustrate a few exemplary articles of 
furniture assembled therefrom. The slots will be open at one end when 
cluster assembly is to be made from an end. In some embodiments the 
flanges may be thrust through the slot itself. By whatever means, there is 
provided cluster assemblies for furniture which can readily be assembled 
by the user or by factory labor quickly and expeditiously. The frame 
members may be simple extrusions or slit tubings of desired cross-section 
whether square, round or otherwise and the joinder members may be rolled 
or extruded shapes as preferred. The support elements will usually be made 
of rigid material. The joinder members may be made of rigid or flexible 
material such as metal or elastomers as appropriate to the installation. 
This invention is not to be limited by the embodiments shown in the 
drawings and described in the description which are given by way of 
example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of 
the appended claims.