Patent Publication Number: US-4057291-A

Title: Removable cover for outdoor-type chairs

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. patent application entitled &#34;Covers for Outdoor Chairs&#34;, bearing Ser. No. 538,455, filed Jan. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,980, the contents of which are specifically incorporated by reference herein, and is an improvement thereon. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to removable covers for outdoor-type chairs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Removable covers for furniture, particularly of the type generally termed outdoor furniture, such as for lawn or garden, although such furniture may of course be used indoors, are well known in the prior art. Examples of such prior art removable covers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,667,532; 2,665,745; 1,391,362; 2,934,134 and 3,512,834. However, none of these prior art removable covers presently known to the Inventor other than my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 538,455, filed Jan. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,980, over which the invention recited herein is an improvement, employs a satisfactory adjustable self-tightening tension means for securing an adjustable size cover comprising a plurality of interwoven vertical and horizontal straps to a chair frame to secure the cover to the frame, at a desired adjustable tension level, in position for covering the back and seat of the chair. These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A removable cover for a chair having a frame having a seat portion and a back portion is provided. The cover comprises at least a first plurality of vertical straps extendable about the frame over the top of the frame back portion and the bottom of the frame seat portion, with each of the vertical straps being extendable over some of a plurality of spaced apart horizontal straps disposed about the frame and under some other of the disposed horizontal straps in a woven-like configuration. The plurality of vertical straps may be separable or form an interconnected harness. Each of the vertical straps has separable and interlockable first and second corresponding ends with interlocking means associated with said ends for interlocking said ends about the frame at a desired tension level which is adjustable, and holding the tension at this level. The interlocking means comprises a tension adjusting tool which comprises a longitudinally serrated ratchet-type strip having a plurality of longitudinally extending serrations therein and a buckle-type closure at one end thereof having an aperture therein and a pawl-like means extending into the aperture and engageable therein in ratchet fashion with the serrations. The first end is insertable into the corresponding second end buckle-type closure, such as through apertures in the corresponding ends of the strap and through the closure aperture and interlockable therein by such ratchet fashion engagement of the pawl-like means with the serrations for adjusting the tension of the interlocked vertical strap and holding the tension at a desired level. The pawl-like means is sequentially engageable with the longitudinal serrations during the adjustment of the vertical strap tension. The cover may also comprise the plurality of horizontal straps which are each preferably extendable about the frame and have separable and interlockable first and second corresponding ends interlockable in a manner similar to that described above for the vertical straps to form an adjustable selftightening tension means comprising the tension tool having the serrated end and the buckle-type closure end having a pawl-like means to adjust the tension of the interlocked horizontal strap and hold the tension at a desired level due to the ratchet fashion engagement of the pawl-like means with the serrations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a rear view of an embodiment of a removable chair cover in accordance with my previous invention described in U.S. Ser. No. 538,455, filed Jan. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,980; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the removable chair cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a chair provided with the removable chair cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a chair provided with an alternative embodiment of a removable chair cover in accordance with my previous invention described in U.S. Ser. No. 538,455, filed Jan. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,980; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear view of the chair of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view similar to FIG. 1, of an embodiment of a typical strap of the improved removable chair cover of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view, similar to FIG. 2, of the typical strap of the improved removable chair cover of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view, similar to FIG. 7, of the typical strap of the improved removable chair cover of FIG. 6 illustrating the interlocking of the corresponding ends of a vertical strap; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded fragmentary sectional view of the interlocked presently preferred adjustable self-tightening tension means of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a chair, similar to FIG. 3, provided with the presently preferred embodiment of the improved removable cover employing only separable vertical straps; 
     FIG. 11 is a rear view, similar to FIG. 5, of a chair provided with the presently preferred embodiment of the improved removable cover employing both separable vertical and horizontal straps; and 
     FIG. 12 is a further exploded fragmentary sectional view of the interlock portion of the preferred adjustable self-tightening tension means shown in FIG. 9. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of clarity and completeness, before describing the presently preferred improved removable chair cover of the present invention shown in FIGS. 6 through 12, my previous copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 538,455, filed Jan. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,980, shall be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 5. 
     The chair cover 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 consists of a top piece 11, wider straps 12, 13 and 14, and narrower straps 15, 16 and 17. The cover can be made of any suitable fabric, preferably cotton duck or vinyl laminated nylon. The top piece 11 has the shape of an elongated tube and its opposed ends are joined by a zipper 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the top piece 11 is placed over the top frame portion 19 of a chain 20 and is then fixed by actuating the zipper 18. The chair 20 has a plurality of horizontal tubular vinyl straps 21 of the usual type extending horizontally across the back 22 of the chair and across the seat 23. The straps 21 extend around the frame 24 of the chair and are fixed to the frame by means well known in the art. They extend parallel to each other with narrow spaces being provided between two adjacent straps. In the illustrated embodiment, three wide straps 12, 13 and 14, have ends sewn to an edge of the piece 11. Three narrow straps 15, 16 and 17 are also sewn by their ends to the under part of the piece 11. Each narrow strap is located substantially in the middle of a wider strap. Obviously, the number of the straps may vary, depending upon the width of the chair. After the top piece 11 has been attached, the wide straps are connected to the chair by a weaving motion, namely, the user first takes the wide strap 12, moves it under a few tubular straps 21, then pulls the strap 12 outwardly through the space between two adjacent straps 21, then extends the strap 12 over a few straps 21, then pulls the strap 12 inwardly, extends it behind a few adjacent straps 21, then pulls the strap 12 outwardly again and continues this operation until the strap 12 reaches the last outer straps 21 of the seat. Then the user carries out the same procedure with the strap 13, and then with the strap 14. Obviously, these straps can extend over the same tubular straps 21 or over different straps, thereby creating different designs in the chair. The ends of the wide straps 12, 13 and 14 are held in place by being attached to the ends of narrow straps 15, 16 and 17, respectively. This is accomplished by extending the narrow straps behind the back and the seat of the chair and then connecting them with the wider straps by buckle devices 31 carried by the ends of the wide straps. These buckle devices are of the usual type; they are self-tightening, so that they can provide a tight connection of the cover upon the chair. Obviously, grommets or pressure rings can be used for the same purpose. It is apparent that the holding straps 15, 16 and 17 are essentially concealed from view. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 show a different embodiment, namely a chair 32 which consists entirely of wide straps 33. These straps extend partly over each other to provide a weaving appearance. Each strap has its ends connected behind the chair by a buckle device 34. Since no tubular straps are provided, the use of a top piece is eliminated. A zipper-carrying horizontal strap 35 extends under the strap 33 and is connected behind all vertical straps. The advantage of this strap 35 is that it distributes the point of stress to two separate locations, one location being the zipper and the other location being that of the buckle on the vertical strap. Another advantage of the zipper-strap 35 is that is secures the vertical straps in place and prevents their shifting. The general advantage of the complete wrap around straps is that there is no longer a wearing out at a location where screws or metal clips were used heretofore. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 12, the presently preferred improved adjustable self-tightening tension means of the present invention, generally referred to by the reference numeral 100 for a typical preferred strap 101 of the presently preferred improved removable chair cover of the present invention, shall now be described. As shown and preferred in FIGS. 10 and 11, the straps 101 are preferably separable and may comprise separable vertical straps only (FIG. 10) or both separable vertical and horizontal straps (FIG. 11), the straps 101 preferably being employed in a woven-like configuration in either instance in which the straps 101 are preferably both individually insertable and removable. FIG. 10 consists of solely insertable vertical straps 101a, 101b and 101c being shown by way of example, which are interwoven through the plurality of horizontal tubular vinyl straps 21 originally installed on the chair to reinforce the same, while FIG. 11 consists of a woven-like configuration of both horizontal 101d and vertical 101e straps which form the improved removable cover for the back and seat portions of the chair. The primary difference between the covers 10a and 10b of FIGS. 6 through 12 and the previously described covers of FIGS. 1 through 5 is in the aforementioned self-tightening tension means 100 which is preferably common to covers 10a and 10b, being preferably identical for both the horizontal and vertical straps 101d and 101e, respectively, of cover 10b, and for the vertical straps 101a, 101b and 101c of cover 10a. Accordingly, only a typical improved adjustable self-tightening tension means or tension adjusting tool 100 for a typical preferred strap 101, by way of example, shall be described with reference to FIGS. 6 through 12. 
     As shown and preferred in FIGS. 6-9 and 12, the typical preferred strap 101 preferably comprises a vinyl-like flat strap 102 having a plurality of through-hole apertures therein at one of the corresponding ends, seven such apertures 103a, 103b, 103c, 103d, 103e, 103f, and 103g being shown by way of example in FIGS. 6 through 8, with each of said apertures 103a-103g preferably being spaced a predetermined longitudinal distance, such as 3/4 inches apart, to enable the strap 101 to adjustably fit about the frame of any conventional size outdoor-type chair when tensioned, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. In addition, strap 101 preferably has another through-hole aperture 104 located at the other corresponding end thereof which is cooperable with tension means 100 and a selected one of apertures 103 at the other end to form the adjustable tension interlock of the corresponding ends of the strap 101 about the chair frame. Preferably, the end of strap 101 at which through-hole aperture 104 is located comprises a reinforced portion having reinforcement means, such as a metal bar 105 therein, adjacent aperture 104 for providing tension bearing support for tension means 100, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The end of strap 101 at which through-hole apertures 103 are located preferably includes a conventional slide buckle-type device 31a having a cross-bar piece 106 through which this end of the strap 101 is adjustably threaded to conventionally vary the longitudinal length of strap 101 with the aperture 103 associated with that length when the strap 101 is properly tensioned about the chair frame being preferably positioned directly above bottom cross-bar 107 of buckle 31a for providing tension bearing support for tension means 100. Thus, slide buckle 31a enables both adjustability in strap size and tension bearing support, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Tension means 100 preferably comprises a tension adjusting tool which also serves as the locking mechanism itself for the preferred interlock formed by the apertures 103 and 104 in the strap ends and tension means 100. Preferably, tension means 100 comprises a buckle-type closure 108 at one end thereof (FIGS. 7-9, 12) having a longitudinally serrated ratchet-type strip 112 extending therefrom. Strip 112 preferably has a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth or serrations 114 (FIGS. 9,12) therein as shown in greater detail in the exploded views of FIGS. 9 and 12. The buckle-type closure 108 preferably has an aperture 116 therein. A pawl-like tooth 118 preferably extends into the aperture 116 and is preferably engageable therein in conventional ratchet-like fashion with the serrations 114 of strip 112 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12. As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 12, the strip 112 extending from buckle-type closure 108 is preferably insertable through aperture 104 and apertures 103g and 103e, by way of example, and into buckle-type closure 108 through aperture 116 and interlockable therein due to the aforementioned ratchet-like engagement of the pawl 118 with the serrations 114. Preferably, since this aforementioned engagement is preferably ratchet-like, the tension of the strap 101 can readily be adjusted by pulling strip 112 in the direction of arrow 120 (FIGS. 9, 12) with the pawl 118 permitting such advance, whereas the engagement of pawl 118 with the serrations 114 prevents withdrawal of strip 112 in the opposite direction thereby holding the tension at the desired level. Thus, the pawl 118 is preferably sequentially engageable with the serrations 114 during adjustment of the strap 101 tension. To disengage the pawl 118 and serrations 114, one need only pull down on strip 112 in the general direction of arrow 122 (FIGS. 9,12); however, such downward movement will not normally occur when stress is otherwise normally applied during use to the interlocked strap 101. 
     With respect to FIG. 10, each of the vertical straps 101a, 101b and 101c of cover 10a are preferably individually interwoven through the back and seat portions of the chair over the top and bottom of the frame and preferably connected in the back thereof in the same manner as the aforementioned interconnection of strap 101 with the tension thereof each individually adjusted and held at a desired level by use of tension means 100. However, before interlocking the corresponding ends of each of the vertical straps 101a, 101b and 101c, each are adjusted to the correct length or size for fitting about the chair frame by use of slide buckle 31a with the buckle 31a preferably being adjusted about the frame until a predetermined spacing, such as preferably approximately one inch, exists between the corresponding ends of the strap 101, with care being taken to preferably insure that a selected aperture 103 through which tension means 100 is to be inserted is positioned above cross-bar 107 of buckle 31a. Thereafter, strip 112 is preferably inserted through aperture 104 until closure 108 bears against the outside of flat surface 102 of strap 101 (FIGS. 8, 9) and then through the selected apertures 103g and 103e, by way of example, in the other corresponding end of the strap 101 and thereafter through aperture 116 in closure 108 and tightened in ratchet-like fashion to bring the corresponding ends of the strap 101 together about the chair frame at the desired tension level. At this point, the strip 112 preferably bears in tension against reinforcing support members 107 and 105 to prevent wearing away of the apertures in response to stress. If desired, after this has occurred, the extraneous portion of strip 112 extending through aperture 116 may be severed. This procedure is repeated for each of the straps 101a, 101b and 101c. Similarly, with respect to FIG. 11, the horizontal and vertical straps 101d and 101e, respectively, are each preferably adjusted in size and individually interwoven in conventional fashion about the chair frame, with the vertical straps 101d going over the top and bottom of the frame and the horizontal straps 101e going around the sides of the frame in any desired order, although preferably first putting on all the horizontal 101d or all of the vertical straps 101e and then threading the straps of the other direction, vertical 101e or horizontal 101d, respectively, therethrough to form the desired woven-like configuration, with each of the straps 101d and 101e preferably being connected in the back of the frame in the same manner as the aforementioned interconnection of straps 101, 101a, 101b and 101c, with the tension thereof each individually adjusted and held at a desired level by use of the tension means 100. 
     By use of the removable cover of the present invention, the cover may be applied thereto quickly and simply by persons of limited skills, with the adjustable tension means enabling the cover to be readily applied to chair frames of different sizes. Furthermore, the cover can be readily removed for ease in cleaning and replacement, may be of any desired configuration, and can be used for new chairs as well as to reinforce worn chairs or replace the covers thereof. 
     It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative of the principles thereof and that numerous modifications and embodiments of the invention may be derived within the spirit and scope thereof, such as by having one corresponding end of the strap itself comprise the longitudinally serrated ratchet-type strip and the other corresponding end of the strap comprise the buckle-type closure having the pawl-like means to provide the ratchet-type interlock or by employing one of the described embodiments for horizontal straps and a different embodiment for vertical straps, or vice versa.