Abstract:
An intermediate support structure provides a device whereby individual members of a furniture item can be assembled into an optimized configuration. The use of the intermediate support structure provides a means whereby the individual members of a furniture item can be assembled to achieve maximum structural benefit from their arrangement.

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       [0001]      FIG. 1  is a left front perspective view of the partial assembly. 
         [0002]    FIG. is a right front perspective view of the partial assembly with the front spreader  31  in place. 
         [0003]      FIG. 3  is a left back perspective view of the partial assembly showing back support  25  in place. The back support  24  is shown in exploded view. 
         [0004]      FIG. 4  is a right back perspective view of the partial assembly. The back supports  24 ,  25 , and the center bridge  30  are shown tipped forward and the rear brace  32  is shown in exploded view. 
         [0005]      FIG. 5  is a back right perspective view of the partial assembly showing the intermediate support structure  15  in position. The arms  33  are shown in exploded view. 
         [0006]      FIG. 6  is a right front perspective view of the partial assembly. The leg side left  27  and the leg face left  29  are shown in place. The leg side right  26  and leg face right  28  are shown in exploded view. 
         [0007]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the partial assembly. The back  35  and front cross bar  34  are shown in exploded view. 
         [0008]      FIG. 8  is a left front perspective view of the partial assembly with an exploded view of the seat  36 . 
         [0009]      FIG. 9  is a back left perspective view of the final assembly showing the lock  37  in place. 
         [0010]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the completed chair  17   
         [0011]      FIG. 11  is a right front perspective view of additional embodiment 1. This is variation of the preferred embodiment with the addition of fasteners. 
         [0012]      FIG. 12  is a back left perspective view of additional embodiment 1. It depicts the completed chair  18   
         [0013]      FIG. 13  is a left front perspective view of additional embodiment 2. It depicts a partial assembly. The front spreader is shown with a vertical orientation. 
         [0014]      FIG. 14  is a back right perspective view of additional embodiment 2. It depicts the completed chair  19   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a left front perspective view showing an arrangement of the center bridge  30  and the rail sides  22 ,  23 . The center bridge  30  is fitted with channel like cutouts  30   b ,  30   a  on either side. The two rails sides  22 ,  23  have been inserted into these openings forming a partial assembly. The vertical parallel slots  30   d , ( 30   c    FIG. 2 ) in the middle of the center bridge  30  are for receiving the back supports ( 24 ,  25   FIG. 3 ). The horizontal cutouts  30   f , ( 30   e    FIG. 2 ) align with the top edges of the rail sides. These openings will accommodate the tabs of the seat ( 36   FIG. 8 ). The rail sides are provisioned with a number of notches and cutouts for receiving other members of the chair. Notches  22   a , ( 23   a    FIG. 2 ) establish the position of the back ( 35  FIG.  7 }, notches  22   b ,  23   b  engage with the rear brace ( 32   FIG. 4 ). The notches at the front of the rail sides  22   c ,  23   c  hold the front cross bar ( 34   FIG. 7 ). The cutouts  22   d ,  23   d  are for receiving the ends of the front spreader ( 31   FIG. 2 ). Mount points  22   e ,  23   e  are where the rail sides contact the leg faces ( 28 ,  29   FIG. 6 ). 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a right front perspective view of the partial assembly. The ends of the front spreader  31   b , ( 31   a    FIG. 3 ) are inserted through the cutouts ( 22   d ,  23   d    FIG. 1 ) of the rail sides. The shoulders at the ends of the front spreader contact the inner walls of the rail sides  22 ,  23  and keep them place at a fixed distance. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a left back perspective view of the partial assembly. The back support  25  is shown fully engaged in the center bridge  30 . The back support  24  passes through the vertical slot ( 30   d    FIG. 1 ) in the center bridge. Notch  24   b  engages the center bridge  30  and the recessed cutouts  24   a ,  25   a  rest on the top edge. 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a right back perspective view of the partial assembly. The back supports  24 , along with the center bridge  30  have been tipped forward. The rear brace  32  is provisioned with notches  30   b ,  30   a  that fit into notches ( 24   d ,  25   d    FIG. 3 ) on the bottom of the back supports. The back supports  24 ,  25 , the center bridge  30 , and the rear brace  31 , together make up the intermediate support structure  15 . When the intermediate support structure is tilted back notches  32   d ,  32   c  on the bottom of the rear brace fit into the notches ( 22   b ,  23   b    FIG. 1 ) on top of the rail sides. 
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a back right perspective view of the partial assembly. The intermediate support structure  15  is shown in its working positions on top of the side rails. The rear brace  32  is fully engaged with the rail side  22 ,  23 . Slots  33   f ,  33   e  in the arms fit into corresponding slots ( 24   c ,  25   c    FIG. 1 ) in the back supports. 
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a right front perspective view of the partial assembly showing the leg side  27  and the leg face  29  in place. The leg side  26  passes through a slot ( 33   b    FIG. 5 ) in the arms. The head of the leg side  26   e  acts as a stop. A notch on the back edge  26   a  fits into a corresponding notch ( 31   b    FIG. 3 ) on the front spreader. The leg sides press against the rail sides holds them against the shoulders of the front spreader  31 . When joined together the leg side and the leg face become the compound leg  16 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the partial assembly. The back  35  fits through slots at the inner rear corners of the arms ( 33   c ,  33   d    FIG. 5 ). The back  35  sits against the front edges of the back supports  24 ,  25  and locks the arms  33  in place. When fully in place the bottom of the back spans the side rails  22 ,  23  and the openings in the back  35   a ,  35   b , and the openings in the center bridge ( 30   e    FIG. 2 ), ( 30   f    FIG. 1 ) are aligned. Notches  34   b ,  34   a  in the front cross bar  34  fits into the corresponding notches ( 22   c ,  23   c    FIG. 1 ) at the front of the rail sides. 
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a right front perspective view of the partial assembly. The seat  36 , slides through the cut outs in the leg faces ( 28   e ,  29   e    FIG. 6 ) and sits on top of the rail sides  22 , 23 . Tabs at the inside front corners of the seat  36   f ,  36   e  fit through the cut outs formed at the junction of the legs faces  28 ,  29  and the leg sides  26 ,  27 . The lips  36   h ,  36   f  of the seat contacts the leg faces  28 ,  29 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a back left perspective view of the final assembly. A locking member  37  is fitted into the notches on the tabs of the seat ( 36   c ,  36   d    FIG. 8 ) that emerge at the back of the center bridge  30 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the assembled chair  17 . 
       Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
       [0025]    The chair is intended to be a primary seating structure, which can be easily assembled or disassembled with out any special tools or skills. Assembly begins by passing the two rail sides  22 ,  23  through the outer openings  30   b ,  30   a  of the center bridge  30 . The ends of the front spreader  31  are inserted through the cut outs  22   d ,  23   d  at the front of the rail sides. The back supports  24 ,  25  are then inserted into the vertical slots  30   d ,  30   c  in the center bridge  30 . The subassembly  30 ,  24 , and  25  is tipped forward to allow the rear brace  32  to be inserted.  30 ,  24 ,  25 , and  32  comprise the intermediate support structure  15 . The entire intermediate support is tilted back until it engages with the rail sides. The arms  33  are attached by sliding them into the slots  24   c ,  25   c  at rear of the back supports. The leg sides  27 ,  29  are then slid through the openings  33   b ,  33   a  at the front of arms  33 . A notch on the back of the leg side  26   a  fits into a corresponding notch  31   d  on the front spreader  31 , this holds the rail side  22  against the shoulders of the front spreader. Next the leg faces  28 ,  29  are fitted to the chair. Openings in the leg face  28   b ,  28   c , and  28   d  match the protruding tabs  26   b ,  26   c , and  26   d  of the leg sides. The leg faces  28 ,  29  are installed by pushing them straight back until they contact the front edge of the leg sides  26 ,  27 . A small extension on the inside of the leg face holds the rail side and the leg side together. Installation of the leg faces  36 ,  27  also pushes the arms  33  upwards and holds them in place against the head of the leg sides  25   e ,  27   e . The front cross bar  34  is fitted into the notches  22   c ,  23   c  at the front of the rail sides. The back  35  is installed by sliding it through the cut outs  33   d ,  33   c  at the back inner corners of the arms  33 . When fully in place the bottom of the back  35  spans the rail side and the openings of the back  35   a ,  35   b  are aligned with those of the center bridge  30   e ,  30   f . The small notches on the bottom of the back  35  keep the rail sides and the back supports aligned. The seat  36  is installed by sliding it through the slots  28   e ,  29   e  of the leg faces  28 ,  29 . The tabs  36   a ,  36   b  at the rear of the seat  36  pass through the cutouts  35   a ,  35   b  in back and extend through the horizontal slots  30   e ,  30   f  of the center bridge  30 . Small protrusions  36   g ,  36   h  on the inside front corners of the seat  36  fit into the openings at the junctions of the leg sides and the leg faces. When the seat  36  is fully in place the notches  36   c ,  36   d  on the tabs  36   a ,  36   b  at the rear of the seat emerge at the back of the center bridge  30 . 
         [0026]    A lock member  37  is inserted into these openings.  36   c ,  36   d  and prevents the seat  36  from being withdrawn. Once the lock is in place the chair is quite stable and can be used the same way as a conventional piece of furniture. 
         [0027]    Disassembly of the chair is accomplished by removing the parts in reverse order. 
         [0028]    The rail sides shown in this embodiment are straight. This is because the chair was made for an Adirondack Chair design competition. 
         [0029]    Future embodiments contemplate articulating the rail sides so that the chair would have a more conventional appearance. Although this application depicts an Adirondack style chair it is not limited to any particular design or style. 
       Description Additional Embodiment 1 
       [0030]      FIG. 11  is a right front perspective view of additional embodiment 1. This is embodiment is essentially the same as the preferred embodiment with the addition of fasteners  40   a ,  40   b.    
         [0031]      FIG. 12  is a back left perspective view of additional embodiment 1. It depicts the completed chair  18 . The outer knob  40   c  of the fastener is shown where it extends through the rail side  23 . 
       OPERATION ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENT 1 
       [0032]    The operation of this embodiment is the identical to that of the preferred embodiment with the added step of using mechanical fasteners to secure the rail sides and the leg sides together. After the leg sides  26 ,  27  are fitted into the partial assembly, fasteners  40   b ,  40   a  are inserted through holes that run through the side rail and the leg side and then tightened. The use of a mechanical fastener may provide a more positive way of securing the leg sides to the rail sides but it distracts from the design and is an extra part that may be unnecessary. 
       Description Additional Embodiment 2 
       [0033]      FIG. 13  is a left front perspective view of additional embodiment 2. In this embodiment the orientation of the front spreader  50  is changed from horizontal to vertical. The cut outs in the leg sides  26 ,  27  and rail sides  22 ,  23  are also changed to horizontal. 
         [0034]      FIG. 14  is a back right perspective view of additional embodiment 2. It depicts the completed chair  19 . The end  50   b  of the vertical front spreader  50  is shown where it passes through the vertical cutout  26   f  and engages the leg side  26 . 
       Operation Additional Embodiment 2 
       [0035]    The operation of this embodiment is similar to that of the preferred embodiment. The main difference comes in attaching the leg sides to the front spreader. During assembly the leg sides  26 ,  27  are only partially inserted into the arms  33 . The arms along with the intermediate support structure are tilted forward and the leg sides maneuvered onto the ends of the front spreader  50   a ,  50   b . The arms  33  and the intermediate support structure  15  can be worked back into place and the leg sides can be slid up. The notches on the bottom ends of the front spreader grasp the leg sides. This is an imperfect design however the vertical front spreader offers more strength. This chair may be possible to build by adjusting the taper of the rail sides and making other modifications.