US2677412A - Reclining chair - Google Patents

Description

May 4, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 3, 1947 mm m0 W R HM D! E S Ov.

ATT'Y.

May 4,

2 RECLINING CHAIR Filed De 3' 7 3 Sheets-s 3 6 /|O s2 I w 33m in? o E 72 v 24 7 I E: I00} I 1f 33 mm FIG. 6

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L9 89 as 81 FI G 9 Q 1 VENTOR: JOSEPH R'THOMAS Patented May 4, 1954 TED STATES ATT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a reclinin chair in which a plurality of connected sections are movable at different angles to swing the back and an intermediate section relative to the seat to form different upright andinclined variations of the sections.

An important object of the invention is to provide an inclinable chair with connected seat, back, and intermediate sections which will assume any relative inclined position with respect to each other in which they are placed, and will retain this position until they are changed either by an occupant of the chair or by manually changing the inclination of the sections when not cupying the chair.

A further object of the invention is to mount the connected sections in a chair frame so that the inclination of the back relatively alters the positions of the sections with respect to each other, advancing the seat section forwardly as the back section is inclined downwardly and simultaneously inclining the intermediate section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lity of connected seat, back, and intermedir ..a aye sections for a folding chair which are adapted to be assembled independently and mounted in chair ends of various designs.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a reclining chair in accordance with this invention showing part of the chair cover and part of the covering broken away to illustrate the connection of the connected sections in a frame;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the connections of one of the cushions by means of a cover to one of the section frames;

3 is a sectional side elevation showing the connected sections of Fig. 1 in a partially inclined and reclinin position;

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the connected sections with the back in a substantially upright position;

is a detail edge view of the mounting block plate shown in Fig. 4;

5 illustrates a modification of the connection and mounting of the seat, back, and intermediate sections;

Fig. '7 illustrates another variation of the mounting and connection-of the seat, back, and intermediate sections;

8 illustrates another method of mounting the forward end of 'theseatsection with stops to 2. limit its movement in both forward and rearward directions; and

Fig. 9 illustrates a mounting of the front of the seat section upon a roller which allows it to move freely within limits in both directions.

Many reclining chairs are of the type in which it is necessary to adjust the relative inclination of the back and seat, and require a complicated or cumbersome fastening or holding means to secure the sections in their relative adjusted positions. The present invention not only provides a chair with relatively inclinable sections, but also the connected sections are so mounted and supported in the chair frame that they tend to retain any position in which they are set, making it unnecessary to frequently mechanically adjust, lock or fasten any one of the sections in any adjusted position. The change in position may usuaily be accompanied by pressure of the body of a person within the chair, and since the chair sections are all connected, a continuous supporting surface is provided from the front of the seat to the top of the back. For securing th sections temporarily in any adjusted position, a, simple fastening bolt may be used;

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the relatively inclinable seat sections are mounted in a chair frame comprising side arm frames It, a front board [2, a front metal angle cross brace it, and a rear metal angle cros brace it. Sometimes the front'board is connected to the front of the seat section, but usually it is connected between the front post's'of the chair frame or to the front cross brace M if one is attached.

Connected back, seat, 'and intermediate sections, I6, I: and l8, respectively, are each preferably formed of metal angle bars forming the marginal frame of each section with a mattress supporting resilient fabric 2B"composed'of wire and springs extending across the sections between the marginal frames and'extending continuously lengthwise from the top of'the back section to the front of the seat section.

The seat section preferably comprises a rear downwardly bent portion-or attached-side arms 2! connected by a crosspiece 22 and having a strengthening link in the angle between each of the downward extending arms and the crosspiece and another strengthening link 24 between each downward extending arm and the side of the seat section.

The back section may consist of a single bar, bent to form sides 25, the lower ends of'which have a cut-out 2S to'receive' ends of sidebars 3 21 of the intermediate section, each connected thereto by a pivot 28. The other end of each side bar 27 is connected by a pivot 29 with the projecting end of a strap 36 secured to the rear extremity of the seat section I! by fastenin rivets 3|. Thus the seat, back, and intermediate sections form a continuous connected support with pivots at both ends of the intermediate section joining it to the back and seat respectively. The downward cross brace at the rear end of the seat section is of sufficient strength to support the spring fabric intermediate the ends of the connected frames so that any suitable cushions or upholstery may be applied thereto. The preferred covering comprises a seat cushion 32 and a combined back and intermediate section cushion 34 of a flexible and resilient material such as sponge rubber, held in place by a cover 36 of fabric or any other suitable material, the fabric extending over the edge of a metal frame as shown in Fig. 2 and suitably connected by upholstery tacks 37 to a fastening strip 38 secured to the inside of the angle bar by fastening bolt 39. Other means of fastening the upholstery or cushions in place may be employed as this construction is not a part of the present invention.

To mount the connected frame sections for movement in a chair frame, one end of a link 46 is connected by a pivot 4| with the under side of the seat section and the other end of the link is connected by a pivot 42 with a mounting bar 44 adapted to be secured to the inside of the chair arm frame ill by fastening screws 45 or any other suitable means.

The rear end of the seat section is supported by a lever 45 having a pivot 41 at the lower end of the downwardly extending arm 2! and at the lower end of the lever. Near the upper end of the lever, it is connected by a pivot 48 with the upper end of the supporting bar 54 and with the upper arm of the lever projecting above the pivot.

At each rear lower side of the back section i6 is a projecting rib 50 extending from the lower end of the side rail 25 and preferably projecting angularly below it where the extremity is con nected by a pivot 5| with one end of a link 52, the other end of which is connected by a pivot 53 with the upper end of the lever 46. With this coordinating connection, any change in the angular movement of the back section will cause a change in the forward or rearward displacement of the seat section I1, limited by the connection of the side bars 2'! of the intermediate section i 8.

In order to properly guide and retain the sections in reclining positions, each side bar 2'! of the intermediate section is connected by a pivot 54 about centrally of its ends, with one end of a link 55, the other end of which is connected by a pivot 56 with the outer side of a supporting plate 58, the upper end of which is offset (see Fig. 5) to allow the link 52 to move downwardly at the inside of the plate. The plate 58 may be secured to a spacing block 59 which in turn is secured to the adjacent inside rear edge of the side arm frame M as shown.

With this construction, the intermediate section may rock freely upwardly and downwardly upon the links at each side thereof for positioning the intermediate section in alignment with the back section as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, or in a more or less inclined position as shown in Fig. 3.

To additionally strengthen and space the side bars 21 of the intermediate section apart, a U-shaped cross frame 60 may be secured at its extremities to the side bars 2? by rivets 6i and held in distended position by an angle brace 62 at each end.

Instead of connecting the link 52 to the upper end of the lever 46, a construction as shown by Fig. 6 may be substituted in which a link (it may be connected at its lower end by a pivot 67 with the lower side arm 2| of the cross brace of the seat section, and the upper end of the link is connected by a pivot 68 with the upper end of the supporting bar 44 at approximately the location of the pivot .8 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Instead of connecting the link 52 from the back section to the upper end of the lever 46, a link '20 as shown in Fig. 6 is connected by a pivot H with a strap 12 attached at the rear end of the side bar of the seat section I! and connected thereto by fastening rivets 13. The side bars 2'! of the intermediate section [8 are connected as pro viously described to the offset plates 58 by links 55.

In the modification shown in Fig. '7, a supporting link M; i connected by a pivot E5 to the side arm frame Hi at the rear of the seat section, and the upper end of the link is connected by a pivot E5 which extends through the end of strap 33 attached at the rear of the seat section and also through the adjacent end of the side bar '2') of the intermediate section l8. Thus the rear of the seat section and the lower end of the intermediate section are connected and rocked together. The lower end of each rib 50, projecting from the back section, is connected by means of a link 18 having a pivot 19 at one end connecting it to the end of the rib 55 and by a pivot 89 at the other end connecting it to the link '54 inter mediate the ends thereof. The intermediate section i8 is connected at each side by means of a link 55 extending to a plate 58.

In each of the forms, a balancing or counterbalance spring or springs 82 are connected between the lower end of the seat section brace and the cross brace 5 at the rear of the connected frames i0.

At the front of the seat section, its movement may be limited by angularly disposed stops 84 and 23 carried by the mounting bar M and enc gaging opposite edges of the supporting link so wardly, each side bar of the seat section may be supported by a roller 81 mounted upon a pivot 35, secured to the adjacent inside surface of the frame end l0. Limit stops 89 may be secured to each side bar of the seat section relatively in front of and behind the roller 87, thereby limiting the movement of the seat section in that direction.

The front end of the seat frame may be supported by a downwardly extending braced leg as (Fig. 8) to the lower end of which a link 9: is pivoted having its upper end connected to a fixed pivot 92 supported by the frame iii, the opposite swinging movements of the link being limited by the angularly disposed stops 94 and 56 also secured to the chair frame end Id.

In this construction, the pivotal connections between the sections and the mounting parts are frictionally resistant so that the parts do not move freely and easily, but must have some pressure applied thereto for relative movement. This is effected in part by the rivet connections and the pivotal mounting between the sections, the mounting of the sections in the frame, the relative spacing of the links and levers, and the balancing and counter-balancing of the chair sections in the supporting frame by means of countenbalancing springs. The resistance is such that when the chair sections are moved, for example, to upright position, they tend to remain that position, and unless the back is pressed rearwardly by a person in the chair pushing rearwardly upon the back, or the seat is pushed. forwardly or backwardly, the chair sections will tend to remain in that position, and they will also tend to remain in any relative inclined position in which they are pushed or moved by a person within the chair or occupying the sections from without the chair. Thus it is usually unnecessary to have any operating or inclining mechanism or looking parts, and the chair sections readily assume a balanced. and stationary position at any angle in which they are placed.

If desired, a simple positive locking means may be provided comprising a pin 9? siidable in a bracket 98 secured to the outer side of the frame the seat section ii and having a pointed extremity adapted to engage in any one of a number of perforations $9 in one web of an angle bar the attached through the other web to a suitable fired support such as the mounting bar 44. The pin has a head Iiil by which it may be raised and lowered in the bracket and engaged in and disengaged from the perforations 99.

These constructions are prefabricated and assembled upon the mountin bars i t and the supporting plates 53 so they may be applied and connected to chair side arm frames it by simply attaching the bars and plates in the proper relative positions. This makes it easier to connect the sections and apply the cushions and upholstery, to finish the side arm frames, and to mount the se tions in diiierent frames, if desired. It is also and less expensive to pack and ship the recons and frames from a manufacturer to a dealer, and the parts occupy less storage space in nook-down condition.

is the preferred constructions have been ed in some detail, they should be regarded ay of il ustration and example rather than as restriction and limitation of the invention, as ions changes in the construction, combination, 1 arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

A reclining chair, comprising a chair frame, totally interconnected seat, back, and interediate sections movable relatively with respect ch other in a predetermined manner, means i connecting the seat and intermediate sections for swinging movement in the chair frame, and connected to the back section and 1e other section for moving it in a predei ined manner relatively to the other sections the other two sections swing in the and r changing the angularpositions of althe secis with respect to each other.

A reclining chair, comprising a chair frame, back, and intermediate sections pivotally i terconnected together for relative movement an respect to each other in a predetermined 11151, means to mount the seat section on the e of the chair frame to swing forwardly and re vardly in the frame, means to mount the intermediate section on the chair frame for swinging movement about the inner end of the seat section, and means connectedtothe back section and to one other sectionfor-moving'it in apredetermined manner relatively to the other sections as the seat section swings forwardly or rearwardly-and causing the intermediate section to swing-relatively to both of the other sections.

3. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section and means to mount it for forward and rearwardly swinging movement in the frame, an intermediate section pivotally connected at the rear of the seat section, means connecting the intermediate sectionto the chair frame whereby the intermediate section may pivotand move upwardly and downwardly when the seat-section is moved forwardly and rearwardly, a back section pivotally connected to the free end of the intermediate section, and-means including'atleast one link connecting the back section to the inner end of the seat section so that .the angular positions of all of the sections are changedwith respect to each other when either the seat section or the back section is moved relatively in the frame.

4. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section and means for mountingthe seat section to swing forwardly and'rearwardly in the chair frame, an intermediate section pivotally connected at the rear end of the seat section and extending relatively upward therefrom, link means for mounting the intermediate section on the chair frame to swingto more or less inclined positions depending upon the forward swinging movement of the seat section, a back section pivoted to the upper end of the intermediate section, and a support for the 'backsection comprising a rib extending downwardly from each side thereof, a link pivoted at one end to the rib and pivoted at the other end to mounting means at the rear of the seat section.

5. In a reclining chair, .a chair frame, a seat section and means including levers at the rear end of the section pivoted intermediate their ends to the adjacent chair frame for supporting the rear 'end of the seatisection for forward and rearward swinging movement, an intermediate section pivotally connected at one end to the rear of the seat section, a back section pivotally connected to the other end of the intermediate tion, means mounting the'intermediate section in the frame for swingingmovement forwardly and rearwardly with the seat section, and means including a link pivotally connected to the lower end of the back section at each side thereof, and the other end of the link "pivotally connected to the upper end of the adjacent lever supporting the rear end of the seat section so that the forward movement of the seat section swings the back section rearwardly upwardly and inclines the intermediate section accordingly. 7

6. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section mounted in the chair frame to swing forwardly and'rearwardly and including a mounting lever connectedat its lower end to the seat section, pivoted intermediate its ends to the adjacent side of thechair frame and havinga portion extending abovethepivot, an intermediate section pivotaily connected at one-endto the rear end of the seat section a-back section pivotally connected to the other end-ofthe intermediate section, means mounting the intermediatesection on the chair frame to swing forwardly and rearwardly with'the seat section, a supporting" rib extending downwardly at each side of the back section, and .a linkpivota'lly connected atone end to the rib and at the other end to the upper portion of the mounting lever for the seat section.

7. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section having a rear downwardly extending cross brace, means mounting the seat section for swin ing movement in the chair frame including a lever pivoted at its lower end to one side of the cross brace and a fixed pivot near its upper end connected to the chair side frame, a portion of the lever extending above the fixed pivot, an upwardly inclined intermediate section pivotally connected to the rear of the seat section, links pivotally mounting the intermediate section to swing forwardly and rearwardly with the seat section, a back section pivotally connected to the upper end of the intermediate section, a supporting rib extending downwardly at each side of the back section and a link pivotally connected at one end to the supporting rib and at the other end to the upper extremity of the upwardly projecting lever portion, the movement of one section effecting a corresponding movement of the other sections.

8. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section and means mounting it for swinging movement forwardly and rearwardly in the chair frame, the rear mounting means comprising a brace extending downwardly at the rear of the seat section, a lever connected at its lower end to the lower end of the brace and connected intermediate its ends to a fixed point of the chair frame, an intermediate section pivotally con nected at one end to the rear of the seat section, a back section pivotally connected to the other end of the intermediate section, means mounting the intermediate section for upward inclined movement with respect to the seat section, said means comprising a link connected at one end between the front and rear of the side of the intermediate section, an offset plate secured to the inside of the chair frame, the other end of the link pivoted to the inner side of the offset plate, a downwardly extending rib at each side of the back section, another link connected at one end to the rib and connected at the other end to the upper end of the lever which supports the rear of the seat section and this link being movable at the outside of the adjacent link for mounting the intermediate section and movable between the said offset plate and the inside of the seat frame from which it is ofiset.

9. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a seat section and a back section pivotally interconnected by an intermediate section, swinging means pivoted to the inside of the chair frame for mounting the seat section to swing forwardly and backwardly in the chair frame, links connecting the intermediate section in an upwardly inclined position and movable forwardly and rearwardly with the seat section, a supporting rib extending downwardly at each side of the back section, link means connected at one end to the lower end of the supporting rib and at the other end to one of the swinging means pivoted to the inside of the adjacent chair frame, and spring means connecting the rear of the seat section to the chair frame and tending to move the seat section rearwardly and to align the intermediate section and the back section in an inclined position at the rear of the seat section.

10. A reclining chair, comprising a chair frame, pivotally interconnected seat, back, and intermediate sections movable relatively with respect to each other in a predetermined manner, means for connecting the seat and intermediate sections iii) to the inside of the chair frame for swinging movement in the chair frame, means connected to the back section and to one other section for moving it in a predetermined manner relative to the other sections and for moving the other two sections for swinging movement in the frame, and spring means connecting the rear of the seat section and the rear of the chair frame tending to move the seat section rearwardly in the chair frame and to align the intermediate section and the back section in an inclined position at the rear of the seat section.

11. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, pivotally interconnected seat, intermediate and back sections, means mounting the seat section for forward and rearward swinging movement in the chair frame, and comprising an upwardly extending lever pivotally secured to the chair frame and pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear end of the seat section, means mounting the intermediate section on the chair frame in an inclined position extending upwardly from the rear of the seat section, the intermediate section being adapted to be inclined to a lesser degree by the forward movement of the seat section, means supporting the back section comprising a downwardly extending rib and a link connected at one end to the lower end of the rib and connected at the other end to the upper end of the lever to which the rear of the seat section is connected, a spring tending to pull the seat section rear- Wardiy and to swing the back section forwardly into alignment with the intermediate section, the back and intermediate sections moving relatively upward as the seat moves forwardly in the frame.

12. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, pivotally interconnected seat, intermediate and back sections, means mounting the seat section for forward and rearward swinging movement in the chair frame, and comprising an upwardly extending lever pivotally secured to the chair frame and pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear end of the seat section, means mounting the intermediate section on the chair frame in an inclined position extending upwardly from the rear of the seat section the intermediate section being adapted to be inclined to a lesser degree by the forward movement of the seat section, means supporting the back section comprising a J downwardly extending rib and a link connected at one end to the lower end of the rib and connected at the other end to the upper end of the lever to which the rear of the seat section is connected, a perforated bar secured to the chair frame and projecting parallel with and below the seat section, and a pin slidably supported at the edge of the seat section and engageable with any one of the perforations of the bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 410,591 Hoffman Sept. 10, 1889 488,773 Peck Dec. 27, 1892 2,026,153 Wright Dec. 31, 193 2,369,076 Schmued Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 364,980 Great Britain July 7, 1931 701,781 Germany Jan. 23, 19 ll 730,191 France May 9, 1932 777,807 France Dec. 5, 1934

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