Abstract: A furniture construction and a method of placing a section of fabric in tension on the furniture construction includes providing a pair of rigid members each having a slot extending along one side. A rigid edge portion is provided on opposite sides of the section of fabric. Each rigid edge portion is then inserted into the slot of each rigid member such that the fabric overlies an adjacent side surface of each rigid member. The rigid members are then moved in opposing directions thereby place the fabric in tension. The edge portion of the fabric is sufficiently rigid to retain the fabric within the slot and thereby retain the fabric in tension. The rigid members are then secured to the furniture construction.

Abstract: A method of constructing a chair is used to attach a flexible envelope portion to a support structure. The flexible envelope portion includes two layers of fabric material, with an opening proximate one side. The support structure includes first and second spaced-apart rails having a plurality of studs engaged by a plurality of cross braces. Initially, the rails are held apart by a resilient wire member which is attached to the top of each rail. The structure is inserted within the flexible envelope, and the rails are spaced apart to provide tension to the flexible envelope. The plurality of cross braces are attached to the rails to maintain the tension in the envelope. The wire member and the flexible envelope have an arcuate shape which provides an aesthetically pleasing contour to the top of the back of the chair. Additionally, the wire member provides head support, adding to the overall comfort of the chair.

Abstract: A method of constructing a chair is used to attach a flexible envelope portion to a support structure. The flexible envelope portion includes two layers of fabric material, with an opening proximate one side. The support structure includes first and second spaced-apart rails having a plurality of studs engaged by a plurality of cross braces. Initially, the rails are held apart by a resilient wire member which is attached to the top of each rail. The structure is inserted within the flexible envelope, and the rails are spaced apart to provide tension to the flexible envelope. The plurality of cross braces are attached to the rails to maintain the tension in the envelope. The wire member and the flexible envelope have an arcuate shape which provides an aesthetically pleasing contour to the top of the back of the chair. Additionally, the wire member provides head support, adding to the overall comfort of the chair.

Abstract: A method of constructing a chair is used to attach a flexible envelope portion to a support structure. The flexible envelope portion includes two layers of fabric material, with an opening proximate one side. The support structure includes first and second spaced-apart rails having a plurality of studs engaged by a plurality of cross braces. Initially, the rails are held apart by a resilient wire member which is attached to the top of each rail. The structure is inserted within the flexible envelope, and the rails are spaced apart to provide tension to the flexible envelope. The plurality of cross braces are attached to the rails to maintain the tension in the envelope. The wire member and the flexible envelope have an arcuate shape which provides an aesthetically pleasing contour to the top of the back of the chair. Additionally, the wire member provides head support, adding to the overall comfort of the chair.

Abstract: A reclining chair that avoids skin shear. The reclining chair has a seat, a backrest, and a backrest surface. The backrest is pivotably attached to the seat. The backrest surface is slidably mounted with respect to the backrest. Pivoting of the backrest with respect to the seat causes the backrest surface to slide with respect to the backrest. Sliding of the backrest surface with respect to the backrest maintains the backrest surface at a constant position relative to a back of a person sitting on the reclining chair.

Abstract: A geriatric chair provides easy patient entry and exit and a stable restraint-free environment for a patient seated in a chair while left unattended. The chair includes a floor engaging foot rest portion disposed forwardly of the fulcrum member and a rearward floor engaging member on a side of the fulcrum member opposite from the foot rest portion. The chair is movable about the fulcrum member between a patient entry/exit position wherein the floor engaging foot rest portion and the fulcrum member engage the floor and a patient rest position wherein the fulcrum member and the rearward floor engaging member engage the floor in a manner such that the chair cannot be moved back to the patient entry/exit position by the patient while sitting in the chair unattended. The center of gravity of the chair is movable between a position forward of the fulcrum member when in the floor engaging position and a position rearward of the fulcrum member when in the patient rest position.

Abstract: A furniture construction includes a floor-engaging base for supporting a panel member. The floor-engaging base includes first and second leg assemblies, each leg assembly having first and second spaced-apart leg members that are connected by upper and lower cross members. Each pair of upper and lower cross members are rotatably connected to each other by a disk assembly including first and second disks that are in rotatable cooperation with each other and which are fixedly attached to the corresponding pair of cross members.

Abstract: A rocking chair has an aluminum frame chair portion that is mounted to a base by a pair of coil springs that provide rocking action to the chair. The springs are fixedly attached to the base and each spring has an outwardly extending portion that is attached to the seat portion by extending into a passage of the chair portion. The outwardly extending portion has a notch, and a set screw extends into the passage engaging the notch to retain the portion within the passage, preventing the possibility of the chair portion becoming separated from the base.

Abstract: A rocking chair has an aluminum frame seat portion that is mounted to a base. A pair of coil springs are attached to the base and are mechanically fastened to the chair portion to provide rocking action to the chair. Preferably, steel tubing is attached to the end of the coil springs with the steel tubing positioned in an overlapping relationship with tubular ends of the chair portion and the steel tubing and the tubular ends being mechanically attached to each other.

Abstract: A method for constructing furniture is used to attach a flexible sheet portion in a state of tension to a support structure. The support structure includes first and second spaced-apart longitudinal bars having a plurality of studs and a plurality of cross braces, each cross brace having stud engaging apertures proximate first and second ends. Initially, the bars are attached to the flexible sheet with the studs projecting through the sheet. A first cross brace is attached to a first bar by inserting a first stud of the first bar through an aperture of the cross brace. A tool having a handle portion, a shank portion and a distal end portion with a stud engaging recess is inserted through a second aperture of the first cross brace. A second stud of the second bar is engaged by the recess of the distal end portion and the tool is tilted away from the center of the sheet, placing the sheet in tension, while the cross brace is slid down the shank of the tool against the sheet and the second bar.

Abstract: A furniture construction such as a table is made using a method for attaching a closed loop stretchable edging to a rigid rim of the table. The method includes stretching the edging with an apparatus having a plurality of dog plates that extend outwardly from a common axis to a size greater than the perimeter of the rim. The rim of the table is then positioned within the interior of the stretched closed loop edging. The dog plates are then retracted, permitting the edging to retract and elastically engage the rim. The edging preferably includes a flexible upper lip that is pulled back to permit a table top panel to be positioned under the lip. When the lip is allowed to retract, the lip engages the edge portion of the table top panel, securing the table top panel to the rim of the table.

Abstract: A furniture construction includes a plurality of flexible closed loop plastic sections of webbing stretched across a pair of spaced-apart rigid frame members. A plurality of outwardly extending retaining ears positioned in opposing pairs extend outwardly from and are rigidly attached to each frame member. The ends of each closed loop section of webbing are hooked over a pair of opposing ears extending the webbing between the frame members providing a support surface therebetween. The ears are positioned along the frame members such that the ears forms an angle in the approximate range of 135.degree. to 340.degree. with a plane formed by the frame members.

Abstract: A rocking chair of the type employing a flexure member formed of a flat, fiber reinforced material for supporting a chair seat with respect to a chair base in which the support means for supporting the flexible sheet member from the chair base has a flat surface to which the sheet member is secured and an aperture above the flat surface through which the sheet member extends, the opposed walls of the aperture diverging from top to bottom to allow flexing of the sheet member with the effective length of the flexure member decreasing as the chair is rocked rearwardly. The sheet member is preferably disposed at an angle to the vertical of between five and fifteen degrees, to impart an initial bias on the sheet member. The rear wall of the aperture is curved to allow a greater length of the sheet member to flex as the chair is rocked rearwardly.

Abstract: A rocking chair includes a chair which is carried with respect to a chair base by a flexible sheet connected between the chair base and the chair. The flexible sheet supports the weight of the chair and its occupant while permitting rocking of the chair back and forth in a plane normal to the major surface of the flexible sheet. The flexible sheet is preferably inclined with respect to the vertical at an angle of between 5.degree. to 15.degree.. Stops are provided which limit the flexing of the flexible sheet so that the occupant of the chair cannot tip the chair while rocking.