Bench (furniture)

A bench is a piece of furniture, which mostly offers several persons place.

The most common materials for benches are wood, metal, plastic or stone, with wood and metal are much more common. Some benches have arm rests, but this is rare. Wooden benches are made from a strain of glued boards or shaped slats.

The German community Semd claims to be, to have in their hallway " longest bench in the world ." The 1013.32 m with world's longest bench on the Kronberg in Switzerland should be canceled again by the will of the government of Appenzell. This furniture was built in 2012 apparently without permission from an Appenzeller cheese factory as a marketing gimmick ( dpa report, published on 28 December 2013 "Darmstadt Echo", p 44).

Etymology

The word bank as seating is a common Germanic word, which occurs in this sense in almost all Germanic languages. As an illegitimate bastard child is called, because it was conceived on the bank of the maid sleep and not in the marriage bed. The word ballad singer ( = Bänkleinsänger ) is derived from the bank, because the artist often his songs on a small bench standing lectured and presented his flying leaves.

In the Middle Ages only people attended on a bench, who were also on an equal footing. Nobles were not allowed to sit next to the common people and vice versa. And derives its expression by the bank, which means as much as without distinction.

Different types of banks

Park Bench

Public, set up outdoors park benches offer about three to five people. Many municipalities have such park benches private finance, where the name of the sponsor is engraved with regard to its donation to a metal plate and fixed to the bench.

Bierbank

Beer benches have folding legs so that they can be easily transported and stored.

Corner bench

Corner benches are found both in the catering sector and in the household usually as part of a dining table seating. They consist of two mutually perpendicular elements and a corner joint.

Pew

Church pews can be found in the interior of houses of worship, some provided with padding; in Catholic churches with additional kneeling bench. Noblemen and freeman of a community often had their own, ornamented church chairs in a prominent position within the church.

School desk

School benches you originally denoted real benches in classrooms, which were performed as seat and table combination with inclined plate and usually had a device for holding the inkwell and a tray for pens or pencil case. In the 20th century, such devices were uncommon in Germany and European countries. They were replaced by chairs and tables, where the tables are still called a bank. Schools in developing countries in Africa, South America or Asia use the combination today, provided seating are common.

Ruhbank

A bank that is specially designed snap- load carriers.

Other banks

Also as a bank, but not in terms of seating, the following articles are referred to:

• A workbench is not a bank, but the work table with working surface of a craftsman, especially a carpenter.
• A flower bench is very low, about 20 to 50 cm high bench on which you can park flower pots. Despite their often lightweight design it can withstand quite 1-2 quintals load. It consists of wood or metal. Flower Boxes are available in each building or flower Specialists.