US2984934A - Device for stretching web material - Google Patents

Description

1961 E. A. LAND, JR 2,984,934

' DEVICE FOR STRETCHING WEB MATERIAL Filed June 12, 1956 [mean A. [A H0419.

ATTOQ/VEY United States Patent 2,984,934 DEVICE FOR STRETCHING WEB MATERIAL Everett A. Land, Jr., 402 Morehead Ave., Durham, N.C.

Filed June 12, 1956, Ser. No. 590,932

2 Claims. (Cl. 45-138) The present invention relates to a web-tensioning instrument employed by upholsterers and relates more particularly to a tool for subjecting a strip of webbing material to a tension before fastening a free end of the webbing securely to the framework of an article of furniture in order to support a load to which the furniture may be subjected.

The conventional upholsterers webbing-stretcher tool consists of a block of wood in which a pair of opposite edges are concaved sufiiciently to provide a convenient gripping handle for the upholsterer and one of the other tool edges is provided with a row of web-engaging elements which elements may pierce the webbing material to assure a firm grip on the Webbing during the tensioning process, and the other edge of the stretcher may be padded with a suitable friction material to eliminate, as much as possible, any slippage of the stretcher from a stationary supporting base as tension is applied to the webbing and while the webbing is fastened to a furniture framework. These implements of the prior art are satis factory for the most part when used in conjunction with furniture frames having rectilinear lines or surfaces, however, modifications and improvisions are usually required for these tools when curvilinear contour frame furniture is to be webbed. With the present trend in furniture being toward contour sectional furniture, these tools of the prior art have proven to be inadequate for manipulation of the strips of webbing particularly since it is extremely difiicult to attain a uniform tension across the width of the webbing. Obviously, unless a web is uniformly tensioned, there will be unequal load distribution which will result inevitably in more frequent reupholstering of the furniture.

An appreciation of the problem involved in applyi ng a webbing to contour furniture has been recognized previously, as for example, in US. Patent No. 432,428, of Mbrton, wherein there is disclosed an articulated handle jointed intermediate its length to enable one to set the toohto different angular positions with the broad base of the tool supported in a fixed position against the furniture frame by means of an antislip pad or a plurality of engaging teeth. Constant manipulation of the tool to orient the tool position from one angular setting to another is not only extremely awkward but also is very time consuming.

Therefore, an object of this invention is the provision of a multi-purpose web-stretching implement which may be used for applying a webbing fabric either to a rectilinear or to a curvilinear furniture frame.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a web-stretching tool which may be readily pivoted to suitable angular positions about a point of load concentration as the tool is employed to apply a tension to a webbing.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an integral upholsterers web-stretcher device in which the base of the handle member may be made to firmly engage a furniture frame to enable increased 2,984,934 Patented May 23, 1961 purchase about a single pivot position as a webbing is subjected to a tension load.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an integral furniture web-stretcher in which a webbing material may be displaced laterally as a substantially uniform tension is applied across the width of the web without sliding or shifting the tool to compensate for misalignment of a reach of the Webbing.

Yet still another object of the present invention is the provison of a web-stretcher in which a tension once applied to a webbing need not be released when the webbing is shifted laterally.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a durable web-stretching implement of sturdy construction which is simple to manufacture and one which has a minimum number of components as well as one which requires a minimum of maintenance.

Other objects and advantages of this novel webstreteher will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art during the course of the following description of two embodiments of the present inventive concept had in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating two positions of tool application when supported against a furniture frame;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially along the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the present inventive concept; and i Fig. 4 is a side view, with a section removed, as taken along the plane of line 44 of Fig. 3 of the form illustrated in Fig. 3 with the tool in an open position.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a web-stretcher device 10 comprises a web-engaging element plate member 11 to which a plurality of web-engaging elements or teeth 12 is securely retained and a handle 13 which is fastened to the plate member with the ends of the handle terminating in prong-like projections for non-slipping engagement with a furniture frame.

The plate member 11 may be made of solid rod stock to provide the requisite resistance to bending and other stresses to which the tool may be subjected during the tensioning process. It will be apparent that tubing or other structural shapes may be used with substantially similar results.

Disposed in axially spaced relation and securely fastened to the plate member 11, such as by soldering or welding or other suitable means, is a single row of radially or outwardly projecting web-engaging elements or teeth 12. The individual elements 12 are usually made of heattreated high-speed tool steel, and consequently care must be exercised in fastening the individual elements to the plate member 11 in order to reduce the possibility of annealing the elements whereby they may be bent or distorted quite readily.

The handle portion 13 of the stretcher, in the embodiment illustrated, is formed of two elongated and laterally spaced arms 14 and 15, each of which projects transversely from the plate member 11 from positions on the plate member preferably equidistant from the center position of the handle. Each of the arms 14 and 15 is securely fastened, as by welding, to the cylindrical surface of the plate member along an element opposite to the single row of elements 12. Arm 14 reaches rectilinearly for a length sufiicient to provide a handle grasping portion 14a. Extending beyond the handle grasping portion 14a there is an offset portion 14b which diverges from the center line of the tool for a short length after which the arm is bent sufiiciently to return to form the i 3 straight end reach 140 which terminates in a load bearing point or prong 14d.

The arm 15 is also provided with a hand grasping portion'15a'whicl1' is parallel to 'the hand'grasping portion 14a of the other arm 14. The arm 15 'is also provided with anoffset portion 15b which converges toward the center line of the tool and this offset portion is' substantially parallel to the offset portion 14b of the arm 14. The offset portion 15b of the arm'15 terminates at approximately the center line of the handle and the arm extends linearly for a straight length 15c which is parallel to the tip end 14c of the arm 14. Similarly, the end of the arm 15 is provided with a prong 15d. It has been found desirable to have the tip prong end 15d of arm 15 to coincide with the perpendicular bisector. of the plate member '11 which is also the center line of the tool for the purposes to be described hereinafter. In the embodiment illustrated the overall reach of the arms 14 and 15 are substantially the same.

A transverse strut member 16 reaches between the straight tip ends 140 and 15c and is secured to the arms asbywelding to provide increased rigidity to the arms adjacent to the positions of greatest load concentration.

'It will be apparent that the overall length of the handle portion 13 of the tool may vary so that an operator may apply suificient leverage when the tool is firm-1y positioned for application of adequate stretching tension to a webbing material engaged by the elements 12 without the necessity of excessive force being applied to the tool.

In the use of this versatile web-stretcher for applying Webbing to a conventional straight reach of furniture framework or one in which the framework sides to be webbed are parallel, the webbing is fastened or tacked to one side of the framework with a reach of the webbing extending beyond the opposite side of the framework to which the webbing material is to be tacked. The webbing material is impaled on the elements 12 which will pierce through the interstices of the webbing and both prongs 14d and 15d are firmly positioned against the furniture framework 17. Tension may be applied to the webbing by exerting an outward force upon the hand grasping portions of the tool with the prongs serving as a fulcrum point. The stretching tension applied to the webbing will exert a force component of the load along the arms and thus be transmitted to the prongs 14d and 15d. The application of the stretching tension will be uniformly distributed across the width of'the webbing as the prongs are supported firmly against the framework. When applied to contour framework furniture the webbing is tacked in the conventional manner to one side of the framework and the webbing is extended to the opposite side of theframework to be impaled on the web-engaging elements 12. The single prong 15d on arm 15 may then be placed against the framework with the plate member 11 oriented at suitable angle to engage the webbing and orient the webbing to the proper angular position. Upon application of a suitable stretching tension the web- 'stretching tool may be pivoted about the prong 15d so as to place the webbing at the desired angle with relation 'to adjacent webbing without shifting the tool or releasing the applied tension. Obviously, the prong 15d should be positioned within suitable limits of the preceding webbing position to assure uniform spacing between webbing Teaches and to avoid raising the tool unnecessarily to shift from one location to another. With the prong 15d coinciding with the center line of the tool, upon load application, there will be a transmission of the force component acting along the arm 15 to the end of the prong 15d. In this way by balancing the load application fa uniform tension may be applied across the entire width :of the webbing. V

7 As illustrated in Fig. 1 in dotted outline form, the tool 'isbeing pivoted'about the point15d so as to present a webbing impaled on the elements to the appropriate fastening position on a chair framework.

Although the above described embodimentis illustrated as having solid rod members .welded together to form an open handle portion, nevertheless, it is within the contemplation of this invention to cast the entire structure and mount or otherwise embed the elements 12 in position and at least one projecting prong at the base of the tool.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown a modification ofthe inventive concept in the form of a pair of T-head pliers 20 in which the individual plier handle grips 21' and 22 are pivotally connected intermediate their ends at the pivot joint 23 by means of the stud member 24 which is received through the handles. Handle grip 21 is offset at the joint and continues to form the forward extension portion to the serrated T-jaw member 25. The other handle grip 22 is similarly ofiset at the joint to form the forward extensionportion for the mating serrated T-jaw 26.

T-jaw 25 is provided with openings spaced linearly throughout the jaw to receive the individual web-engaging elements 27 which elements are securely fastened to the jaw, as by welding, with the web-engaging points 28 of the elements 27 protruding from and normal to the serrated jaw 25. The other jaw 26 is provided with correspondingly spaced openings 29 into which'the points 28 of the elements 27 will register as the handle grips are brought into clamping relation enabling the jaws to close and to engage a webbing therebetween.

Extending appreciably beyond and below the jaw 25 is a projecting fulcrum pivot prong 30 which prong may be integrally formed with the jaw 25 and handle 21. The prong 30 is shown as converging to the pivot point 31 at which point a load may be concentrated and transmitted'to the framework 32 as tension is applied to a webbing securely impaled on the elements 27 and clamped between the serrated jaws 25 and 26.

In the operation of the second embodiment a webbing is impaled on the elements 27 between the T-jaws 25 and 26 and the jaws are closed in clamping engagement. With one end of the webbing secured to a furniture framework and the other end clamped in the tool, the prong point 31 is supported against a frame and the handle grips are pivoted downwardly to apply the requisite tensioning stress to the webbing. Instead of pivoting the handles vertically downward to apply tension to a webbing they may be displaced at a suitable angle while pivoting about the point 31.

Many modifications and variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the handle of the device and the disposition of the pivot point for load concentra tion without departing from the real spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims many modified forms of structure as well as equivalents may be reasonably included and modifications are contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described for applying tension to a fabric webbing which comprises a plate member, a row of normally projecting axially spaced web-engaging elements mounted on the plate member, a pair of arms laterally spaced from each other extending normally from the plate member on opposite sides of the center thereof, one of said arms being offset toward the medial position of the plate member, the other of said arms being oifset in the same direction as the first member arm and away from the center of the plate member, the free end of each arm having a prong thereon for supporting the device by the prongs which engage the furniture whereby the device may be tilted in a lateral direction, and 1a cross-brace member reaching between arms.

2. A web-stretching device of the character described comprising a plate member having web-engaging elements projecting therefrom, and a handle reaching transversely from said plate member and having a prong extending axially with said'handle for point load con- 5 centration upon applying a tension to a webbing received 432,428 by the web-engaging elements. 1,503,314 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,578,985 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,793

265,741 Bidwell Oct. 10, 1882 6 Morton July 15, 1890 French July 29, 1924 Schmidt Dec. 18, 1951 Gant Sept. 2, 1952

Images