GB2103476A - Linking together articles such as chairs - Google Patents

Abstract

A chair comprises a pair of headed pins 5, 5a on one side and a pair of keyhole slots 10, 10a the other side adjacent a seat. To link two chairs together the heads of the pins are inserted in the larger ends of the keyhole slots and by relative movement between the chairs, the pin bodies enter the relatively narrow sections of the keyhole slots so that the seats cannot be separated in a direction transverse to the direction of said relative movement, i.e. in the axial direction of the pins, and linear up and down relative movement of the chairs is inhibited. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Linking together articles such as chairs The invention relates to the linking together of articles such as chairs.

According to the invention there is provided an article such as a chair comprising a projection at one side thereof and a locating recess at an opposed side thereof, said projection including a first portion and a second portion projecting transversely from the first portion so that a plurality of similar articles may be connected in juxtaposition by inserting the second portion of the projection into a first section of the recess and by relative movement between the articles locating the first portion of the projection in a second section of the recess to prevent separation of the articles in a direction transverse to the direction of said relative movement.

Preferably the projection and recess are arranged so that where the first portion of the projection is located in the second section of the recess any substantial linear upward and downward relative movement between the articles is inhibited.

In one embodiment the recess is substantially of keyhole shape having a part-circular first section and a relatively narrow slot leading therefrom and constituting the second section. The slot may be horizontal or may be slightly inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between say 4" and 8".

In another embodiment the first section of the recess is an upwardly facing opening and the second section extends downwardly from the opening so that the articles are interconnected by inserting the second portion of the projection into the first section ofthe recess and then locating the first portion of the projection in the second section of the recess by relative pivotal movement between the articles. Preferably, the recess is formed in a part-cylindrical member, the first section comprising an elongate slot defined by spaced upper portions of the part cylindrical member and the second section comprising a circumferential slot leading from said elongate slot.

Where the article is a chair, the projection and recess may be arranged on opposite sides of the chair adjacent a seat section.

Preferably, two projections and two recesses are provided on the article.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a chairframe and part of the frame of an adjacent chair incorporating linking means in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a generally horizontal cross-section through side members of adjacent linked chairs showing the linking means of the invention in greater detail, Figure 3 is a perspective view of parts of two chair frames having an alternative linking system in accordance with the invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-section of the chair of Figure 3 on the line IV-IV in Figure 3.

In Figures 1 and 2 each chair frame comprises a tubular seat and backrest portion 1 and tubular side members 2,3 forming legs.

The side member 2 has welded thereto the flanges of a channel cross-section element 4. The base of the channel is drilled to receive two parallel pins 5 having bodies 6, 6a and heads 7, 7a. The pins are welded to the channel to hold the pins securely in place.

The side member 3 also has the flanges of a channel cross-section element 8 welded thereto. The base 9 of the channel element 8 is formed with two keyhole-shaped slots 10, 10a comprising respective part circular holes 11, 1 la, (constituting the aforesaid first section) and elongate slots 12, 12a (constituting the aforesaid second section) leading therefrom.The spacing between the centres of holes 11, 1 la corresponds to the spacing of the axes of heads 7, 7a. The diameter of the heads 7, 7a is slightly less than the diameter of holes 11, 1 lea but is larger than the width ofthe slots 12, 12a. The diameter of pin bodies 6, 6a is slightly less than the width of the slots 12, 12a. The slots 12, 1 2a may be horizontal or inclined to the horizontal H at an angle a of between 4" and 8".

To link the two chairs together, the heads 7, 7a are inserted into the holes 11, 11a so that the trailing edges of the heads clear the base 9 of the channel 8.

One chair is moved relative to the other so that the pin bodies 6, 6a enterthe slots 12, 12a as shown in Figure 2. The chairs cannot then be separated in the axiai direction of the pins which is transverse to the direction of the aforesaid relative movement and the chairs cannot be moved up or down relative to each other. Therefore if one chair is tipped forwardly or rearwardly it takes the adjacent chair with it. In fact where several chairs are provided with the linking means shown in Figure 1 and 2 and are linked to form a row, the tipping of one chair will take with it at least five adjacent chairs. Therefore the linking system meets fire regulations in that respect.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that the axial dimension of the heads 7, 7a enables the heads to fit with working clearance between the side member 3 and base 2. The pin bodies 6, 6a can be made of any desired length but we prefer the pins to provide a distance X between adjacent chairs (Fig. 2) of around one inch.

Instead of providing two pins 5 on one chair, each chair could carry a single pin and be formed with a keyhole slot spaced therefrom. The pins and slots would then interengage to provide the desired iinking.

In Figures 3 and 4 a side member 20 of one chair frame is welded to a flat metal sheet 22 provided with two T-shaped projections having transverse portions 23, 23a and relatively narrow portions 24, 24a.

A side member 25 of an adjacent chair has welded thereto a part cylindrical member 26 defining a recess comprising an upwardly facing slot 27 and two circumferential slots 28,28a the second section.

To link the chairs together, the chair having plate 22 is tipped upwardly relative to the other chair so that the j -shaped projections are inclined. The projections are then inserted in the slot 27 as shown in broken lines in Figure 4 and the first chair is lowered by pivoting in the direction of arrow F so thai.- the projections move into the full line position with the narrow portion 24, 24e in the slots 28, 28a. The dimension W (Fig. 4) of the transverse portions 23, 23a (constituting the aforesaid first portions) is such as to prevent any substantial linear up and down relative movement between the chairs and to prevent the projections becoming disengaged from the number 26 without first pivoting the chair carrying the plate 22 upwardly and sideways. Therefore, tipping of one chair of a row forwardly or rearwardly will tip five immediately adjacent chairs in the row as required by fire regulations.

The dimensions of the narrow portions 24, 24a (constituting the aforesaid second portions) are selected to provide working clearance within slots 28, 28a and the desired distance between the linked chairs.

The longitudinal axes of plate 22 and partcylindrical member 26 may be horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal.

Claims (14)

1. An article such as a chair comprising a projection at one side thereof and a locating recess at an opposite side thereof, said projection including a first portion and a second portion projecting transversely from the first portion so that a plurality of similar articles may be connected in juxtaposition by inserting the second portion of the projection into a first section of the recess and by relative movement between the articles locating the first portion of the projection in a second section of the recess to prevent separation of the articles in a direction transverse to the direction of said relative movement.

2. An article according to claim 1 in which the projection and recess are arranged so that when the first portion of the projection is located in the second section of the recess any substantial linear upward and downward relative movement between the articles is inhibited.

3. An article according to claim 1 or 2 in which the recess is substantially of keyhole shape having a part-circular first section and a relatively narrow slot leading therefrom and constituting the second section.

4. An article according to claim 3 in which the slot is horizontal.

5. An article according to claim 3 in which the slot is slightly inclined to the horizontal.

6. An article according to claim 5 in which the slot is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between 4" and 8".

7. An article according to any of claims 3 to 6 in which the projection is secured to the base of a channel cross-section member having its flanges secured to the article.

8. An article according to any of claims 3 to 7 in which the keyhole slot is formed in the base of a channel cross-section member having its flanges secured to the article.

9. An article according -o any preceding claim in which the projection s a headed pin, the head con stituting the said second portion.

10. An article according to claim 1 or 2 in which the first section of the recess is an upwardly facing opening and the second section extends downwardly from the opening so that the articles are interconnected by inserting the second portion of the projection into the first section of the recess and then locating the first portion of the projection in the second section of the recess by relative pivotal movement between the articles.

11. An article according to claim 10 in which the recess is formed in a part-cylindrical member, the first section comprising an elongate slot defined by spaced upper portions of the part cylindrical member and the second section comprising a circumferential slot leading from said elongate slot.

12. An article according to any preceding claim in the form of a chair, in which the projection and recess are arranged on opposite sides of the chair adjacent the seat section.

13. An article according to any preceding claim in which two projections and two recesses are provided on the article.

14. An article constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.