US2150747A - Cushion - Google Patents

Description

y March 14, 1939. J; N NAULTY y 2,150,747

CUSHION Filed July 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l UAMES N. NAULTY lNvENToR AT oRNEY March 14, 1939. J. N, NAULT'Y 2,150,747

CUSHION- Filed July 23, 1956 2 Syheets-Sneet 2 ZZ J5 2z *QE 1 JZ 17 I8 19 l Z7 919 ZJ v JAMES N. NAULTV lNvENToR 3a' l A oRQEY 5' Patented Mar; 14, 1939 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE CUSHION.

James N. Naulty, East Orange, N. J. Application July 2s, 1936, serial Nn. 92,077

A 11 claims. (c1. 155-179) This invention relates to cushions generally and in vparticular to seat cushions for buses and the like.

Important objects of the invention are to pro- 5 vide a cushion structure which will have the desired resiliency and whichA will retain such resiliency practically indefinitely.

Other objects of the invention' are to'provide a cushion structure having the characteristics men- 10 tioned, which may be readily manufactured, at low cost and which will be useful for a great variety of purposes. r

The -foregoing and other desirableobjectsare attained in this invention by the novel features l5 of construction, combinations and relations of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the ac-y companying drawings and broadly covered in the claims.

The drawings accompanying and forming part o ofthe specic-ation illustrated one practical em-l bodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that the structure may be modified or changed in various ways all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention. 5 Fig. 1 is a plan and broken sectional view of a seat cushion embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken and partly sectional view as on substantially the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1; ,o Fig. 3 is a broken sectional detail on an en larged scale illustrating the yielding operation of the cushion; K

Fig. 4 is a broken-perspective view of the top pad and cover portion of the cushion;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a seat having back and bottom cushions ofthe structure, first shown. Fig. 6 is a broken, sectional detail of a modification. v

The seat cushion'form of invention shown in yo Figs. l, 2 and 3, comprisesa lower, supporting layer of laterally spaced, tubular, resilient column elements 1, resting on a suitable backing 8, an 'upper layer of tubular, resilient column elements 9 in line with and designed to operate in the 5 spaces I0 between the lower columns and elastic webbing II connecting the relatively oiset adjoining ends of the two sets of columns. These upper and lower relatively staggered columns and the elastic connecting web II may all be molded in one piece of live, gum rubber with the walls of the columns sufficiently thick to form slightly compressible supports and the connecting `webbing somewhat thinner and more elastic to permit the posts'of onev set to Work down past the posts of the other set substantially as indicated in Figure 3. In such operation the connected ends of the posts will be stretched open more or less, under the pull of the connecting web, so that said posts serve as elastic tension, as well as compression members. Under extreme loading con- 5 ditions the posts 9 may actually bottom against the cushion backingI or support 8, preventing stretching of the elastic webbing beyond the point r-of elastic limit.

To control and more or less limit the belling 10 out of the connected ends of the columns, they may be reinforced as by means of internal integral diaphragms I2, which for air circulation purposes and regulation of tension may be perforated as indicated at I3. l5

The top portion of the cushion is shown as a' layer of live rubber I4 supported on the upper ends of the upper columns and carrying a pad of sponge rubber I5. An outer cover I 6 is indicated in Fig. 1 applied over this sponge rubber 20 pad.

The top member I4 is `shown in the several views asa layer of gum rubber molded with oppositely extending llets I1, I8 forming annular grooves or seats I9 on the underface of the 25 same to receive the ends of the tubular column elements 9. Suitable cement may be employed to secure the columns in these seats.

To aiord desiredventil-ation, openings may be provided in the backboard 8 in line with the 30 openings I3 in the control diaphragms and in line with the openings 2|, 22 in the top layer I 4 and paid I5, respectively.

The elastic web connecting the columns is shown as having a dependent flange 23 about the 35 side of the cushion and this flange is indicated as thickened at the corners of the cushion to form an' arcuate, resilient corner-shaping brace and support 24, which may rest upon the backing 8. Similarly, the top layer I4 may be formed with 40 dependent arcuate corner walls 25 in engagement with the rim' portion of the connecting web above the lower arcuate corner pieces 24. The sides of the cushion may be closed in by flexible and more or less Vresilient; skirt portions 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) 45 dependent from or forming part of the top layer I4. As appears in Fig. 2, this skirt portion may be brought down. over the curved corner pieces 25, 24 and lbe adhesively secured theretol and thence Ibe turned under and secured beneath the backing 8'. g

The' construction disclosed provides a high degree of resiliency and makes use of the elasticity of the` rubber both in compression and in te'nsion. The location ofthe upper posts or columns i connected end portions of the posts and the dlaphragms in the posts or tubes. The structure can be produced inexpensively by simple molding operations and while shown as a seat cushion,

it will be realized that it may be used wherever and for whatever purposes acushioning eiect is desired. The structure is relatively light in' weight and may be readily built up in the shapes required for different forms of cushions. 'I'he stretching and compressing forces are distributed and proportioned through the body of the cushion so that undue strains are avoided and the cushion will retain its'elasticity and usefulness for the life of the rubber of which it is composed. The connected layers of resilient columns form a unit sulcient for ordinary cushioning purposes, but. if a deeper or more resilient structure is required, a second unit of this type may be placed on top of the rst, as in Fig. 6, with the posts of such unit located in line with the spaces between the columns of the rst unit. In such case an intermediate connecting layer Ila may be provided having the seats I 9a in its underside for the tops of the columns of the lower unit and seats lsb in its'upper side for the bottom of the columns of the upper unit. In this same view the bottom or backing 8a is shown as provided with positioning seats I9c for the columns of the lowermost unit.

The ared end portions of the columns are shown as tapered down to the lesser thickness of and to form in eEect actually the connecting web, the colums retaining their general characteristics as slightly compressible supports. The? internal diaphragms I2 may be located at the beginning of the tapered portions of the columns so as to hold the .heavier or main supporting portions of the columns generally in shape while'4 permitting the outward stretching of the tapered lend portions which merge into andmay in fact form the connecting web. Suilicient openings may be .provided throughout the cushion, as indicated, to prevent the cushion from becoming air-bound in any way. t

I claim:

1. A cushion comprising a layer of relatively spaced tubular resilient column elements, a superposed layer of tubular resilient column elements vin line with and operablein the spaces between said ilrst column elements, said column elements having ilared ends and tapering in thickness and connected together and .forming a webbing lextending only from the edge of column pull or said connecting webbing.

'within saidA adjoining ends of said column eleelements of one layer to the edge of adjacent column elements of the other layer and having sufcient stretch to enable the columns of one layer,V to work past the relatively oil'set columns of the-V other layer. f l 2. A cushion comprising a layer of relatively spaced tubular resilient column elements, a' superposed layer of tubular resilient column `elements in line with and operable in the spaces between said flrst column elements.' and elastic webbing connecting the adjoining relativelyoffset ends of the columns of the' two layers andhaving suilicient stretch to enable the columns of one layer to work past the relatively onset columns o! the other layer, and elastic diaphragme mentsnfor restraining the radial expansion o! said column elements occasioned bythe lateral aisopcv 3. A cushion comprising a layer of relatively spaced tubular resilient column elements, a superposed layer of4 tubular resilient column elements in line with and operable in the spaces between said .rst column elements, and elastic webbing connecting the adjoining relatively oset ends of the columns of the two layers and having sufficient stretch to enable the columns of one layer to work past the relatively oiset columns of the other layer, and elastic reinforcements at the said adjoining ends of said column elements for` limiting the/radialexpansion of the same underl the pull of said elastic webbing.

' 4. As an article of manufacture, a unit for cushion structures comprising two layers of relatively spaced, tubular, resilient columns arranged with the columns of one layer in line with the spaces between the columns of the other layer and the adjoining relatively oilset ends of the columns connected by elastic webbing consisting of connected thinned end portions of the columns of tapering thickness.

5. A cushion comprising a support, spaced tubular resilient columns resting with their lower ends on' said support, spaced tubular, resilient columns above-and in line with the spaces between the rst-mentioned tubular columns, elastic webbing connecting the adjoining, relatively oil'set ends of the two sets of columns and extending only from the edges of columns of one layer to the edges of adjacent columns of the other layer and reinforcing means for the edge portions of said connecting webbing.

6. A cushion comprising a support, spaced tubular resilient columns resting with their lower ends on said support, spaced tubular, resilient columns above andA in line with the spaces between the first-mentioned tubular columns, elas'- tic webbing connecting the adjoining, relatively offset ends of the two sets of columns and reinforcing means for the edge portions of said connecting webbing, including curved corner walls resting on said support.

7. A cushion comprising a support, spaced tubular resilient columns resting with their lower ends on .said support, spaced tubular, resilient columns above and in line with the spaces between the first-mentioned tubular columns, elastic webbing connecting the adjoining, relatively offset ends of the two sets of columns and extending only i'rom the edges of the columns of the otherv layer and reinforcing means for the edge portions of said connecting webbing', including a flange about the edge ofsaid webbing.

one layer` to the edges of adjacent columns of 8. A'cushion comprising tubular, resilient com- :pression columns in-spaced substantially parallel relation, a second set of ltubular resilient compression columns spaced in substantially parallel relation in line with the spaces between the mst-mentioned compression columns and elastic connecting webbing between the adjoining, relatively odset ends of the two sets of columns, said connected ends of the columns being of tapered form and merging into said connecting webbing. and said webbing being of lesser thiol:-v nessthan the main wall portions of said tubular compression columns.

9. A cushion comprising tubular, resilient compression -columns in spaced substantially parallel relation,- .ai second set of tubular resilient compression columns spaced in substantially paraliel relation in line with the spaces between the 4inst-mentioned -compression columns and-ftelastic connecting `webbing between the adjoining, relatively onset ends of the\two sets 'of columns.

said connected ends of the columns being of tapered form and merging into said connecting webbing, and said webbing being of lesser thickness than the main wall portions of said tubular compression columns, and internal 4diaphragms within saidcompression columns, substantially at the beginning of said tapered end portions.

10.,A cushion comprising tubular, resilient compression columns spaced in substantially parallel relation, a secondset of tubular resilient compression columns spaced in substantially parallel relation, and lcatedin line vwith the spaces between the first set of compression colt 'of sponge rubber supported by the 11. A cushion comprising tubular 'resilient compression columns spaced in substantially par allel relation, a second set"of tubular resilient compression columns spaced in substantially parallel relation and located in line with and above the spaces between the rst set of .compression columns.. said tubular columns having flaring' ends tapering in thickness and connected together in the form of an elastic webbing between the adjoining relatively oiIset ends of the two sets of columns, means for conning the edge portions of said connecting webbing and a. pad

tubular columns.

' JAMES N. NAULTY.

upper set of

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