US2693845A - Reclining chair - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 9, 1954 F. HOFFMAN, JR 2,693,845

RECLINING CHAIR Filed March 10, 1954 INVENTOR FRANK D. HOFFMAN JR.

A ORNEYS the accompanying United States Patent RECLINING CHAIR 'Frank D. Hoffman, Jr., High Point, N. C., assignor to General Steel Products Company, Inc., High Point, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,216

8 Claims. (Cl. 155-105) ber upwardly about its pivot point when the chair is.

One limitation of chairs moved into reclining position. operating upon the principle just mentioned is the fact that the leg rest member, being pivotally connected at one of its ends to the seat member, does not project as far forwardly of the chair as might be desired for the comfort of the occupant of the chair.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a reclining chair having a leg rest which is supported by an operating linkage, rather than being pivotally connected to the front of the chair seat as is common in many types of reclining chairs.

It is another object of this invention to provide a reclining chair structure in which a leg rest member is projected upwardly and forwardly of the seat by the motion of the chair seat or seat-back structure into reclining position.

In achievement of these objectives, this invention provides a reclining chair in which a leg rest is connected to a pair of pivotally interconnected lever members which are moved upwardly and forwardly of the chair when to Figs. l-3, there is shown a reclining chair generally indicated at 10 having a stationary supporting framework 12 and a unitary seat-back structure 15 which includes a seat 14 and a back 16. In the embodiment shown, the seat and back are rigidly connected together and move as a unit. A horizontally extending member 18, which is preferably of metal construction, is rigidly attached to the supporting structure 12 and extends lengthwise or in the front-rear dimension of the chair.

The seat-back structure 15 is pivotally movable about the stationary supporting structure 12 by means of a link member 20 which is rigidly connected to the seat 14 at point 22, adjacent the rear portion of the seat. Link 20 is pivotally connected to the member 18, and hence to the supporting structure 12, at point 24. A leg rest member 26 is disposed at the front portion of the chair and, when the chair is not in reclining position, as shown in Fig. 1, the leg rest member 26 assumes a vertical position. A bracket member 28 is rigidly attached to the underneath portion of the leg rest and lies in a plane which is parallel to the plane of the leg rest.

the chair is moved into reclining position. In one embodiment of the invention the leg rest is supported at spaced points by the outer ends of the pivotally interconnected levers. One of the lever members is pivotally connected to one of the chair members and is acted upon by an actuating link connected to the other chair member. The other lever member is connected to a guiding link which is connected at its opposite end to the same chair member to which the first lever is pivotally connected. In another embodiment of the invention, a further amplification of the movement of the leg rest is attained by connecting first and second auxiliary lever members to the outer ends of the respective members constituting the pair of levers and then connecting the outer ends of the auxiliary levers to spaced points on the leg rest member.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with drawing in which:

Fig. 1 1s a View in sectional side elevation of a reclining chair in accordance with the invention showing diagrammatically the position occupied by the leg rest and its operating mechanism when the chair is not in reclining position;

Fig. 2 is a view of the chair of Fig. 1 showing diagrammatically the position assumed by the leg rest and its operating mechanism when the chair is in reclining posi- -tion;

.Referring now to the drawing, and moreparticularly In order to coordinate the movement of the leg rest with the movement of the seat-back structure, a connecting linkage is provided between the seat-back structure 15 and the leg rest 26 which will now be described. In the embodiment shown in Figs. l3, this linkage includes the bracket 28 and the links 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42. Link or lever member 32 is pivotally connected to the stationary supporting framework at point 44 which is located at the forward portion of the member 18. At its outer end, the member 32 is pivotally connected at point 46 to an end of. link or auxiliary lever member 38 which, in turn, is pivotally connected at its opposite end at point 48 to a portion of the bracket member 28 which is disposed at the rear of the bracket 28 when the leg rest is in elevated position.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the pivot point 48 is at the upper extreme of the bracket 28 with the leg rest in vertical position. Link or lever member 36 is pivotally connected to link 32 at point 50 which is intermediate the lengths of both link members 32 and 36. The lower end of link 36, with respect to the view shown in Fig. 1, is pivotally connected to an end of guide link 42 at point 52. The opposite or upper end of guide link 42 is pivotally connected at point 54 to the stationary member- 18 which is attached to the supporting framework 12. The upper end of link 36 with respect to the view shown in Fig. 1 is pivotally connected to an end of link or auxiliary lever 34 at point 56. The opposite end or lower end of link 34, with respect to the viewshown in Fig. l is pivotally connected to an end of link 40 at point 58. The opposite end of link 40 is pivotally connected to the bracket 28 at point 60, which is positioned below the pivot point 38, with respect to the view shown in Fig. 1.

Link 34 is connected intermediate of its length to link 38 at point 62, this connection also being intermediate the length of member 38. The upper end of-the link or lever 32 is provided with an extension or rigidly attached crank arm 33 which extends substantially at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the link 32 adjacent the pivotal connection 44 or link 32 to the stationary framework. Actuating link 30 is pivotally connected at point 35 to the forward portion of the seat 14. It will be seen that the rigid connection of crank arm 33 to lever 32 forms in effect a bell crank in which the short arm of the bell crank is formed by crank arm 33 while the long arm of the bell crank is formed by lever 32. The opposite end of the actuating link 30 is pivotally connected at point 37 to the crank arm 33, at a position which is laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis of the link 32.

It can be seen that the links 32, 34, 36 and 38, because of their pivotal interconnections at points 50, 46, 56 and 62, form what may be termed a closed primary quadric linkage or closed quadrilateral linkage which, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, is substantially a parallelogram in shape. Furthermore, the link 34, the bracket 28, and the links 38 and 40 form a second closed quadric linkage which is also substantially in the shape of a parallelogram.

"When the chair seat 14 is moved into reclining position, as shown in Figs. 2-and 3, the pivotal movement of the chair seat about its pivot point 24 is communicated to the leg rest operating mechanism through the connection of. actuating link .30.-to thecrank-arm .33 attached toilink 32. 'Theupward movement of link 30 causes the link 32 and its attached lever member 33v to be swung upwardly about the pivot point .44 to approach. a horizontal position asshown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upward movement of link 32 about its pivot point -44raises the link 36 which is pivotally connected .to link .32 at point 50. Link 42 moves upwardly about its pivot point 54 because of its pivotal connection .at 52.to link. 36. As the links -32, 42 and.:36- move .upwardly, the link 36 swingsabout its pivotal connection 50 to link'32 in such manner that the interior angle subtended by links 36 and 32..changes from an obtuse-angle, as in the case of the vertical position of the leg restshownin Fig.- 1, to an acuteanglein the extended position of the leg rest shownin Figs. 2 and .3. 'Because of the constrained linkage interconnection between links 36, 38, 32 and 34, the movement imparted-by link 42 to link 36 is also communicated to theother links-in the primary quadric linkage formed by links 32, 34, :36tand 38 in .such manner as.tosbiftqthe.links. 36. and 38 in a forward direction. As a resultof theforward shifting of the -links..34,w36 and 38 the. point. of pivotal support 48 of the bracket '28 and of the leg -rest.26 is also shifted forwardly. In. order to limit :the upward movement of :the leg rest, a stop member. 64 is provided in the path of movement of -the.link 42, the stop member 64 being attached to'. the member 18 whiclris apart of the sta- \tionary framework of the chair.

The 1 forward and upward-shifting: movement of the legrest 26 is still further amplified by the. secondary quadric chain composed of. the links 34, 38, :40 and the bracket 28. The interconnection between these links at the pivot points-'48, 62',158..and.60. causes the-link 40 to pivot forwardly about its pivot point 58 and causes a forward shifting of the bracket 28. maid in projecting the leg rest still further forwardly of .the' chair.

There is shown. in Fig. 4 a modified embodiment of the invention which is similar to the embodiment shown Figs. 1v to 3 except that the. secondary quadric-linkage .is not used. Thus, the embodiment of Fig.4 includes the actuating link. 30' .which.is pivotally connected at 37' to the crank arm 33'. of lever :or link 32'. The leg rest 26' is..supported by bracket. 28'. Links 32',;.36', 38 .and bracket 28' together. form azprimary quadric linkage which is substantially in the'shape of a. parallelogram. Links 36'. and 38 are pivotally'connected to bracket .28 at the pivot points 56 and62, respectively. An end of :link 38' is pivotally connected-to an end of link 32 at =point-.46'. Links 32'.;and 36'.arev pivotally connected to :each otherat point- 50. The ends of: links 36' and :42

arepivotally connected together-atpoint 52'. The guide .link'42 is pivotally connected. to thesupporting framework at 54'. Astop member 64. projects from. the surface of the member 18 attached to :thestationary framework. of. the chair in order. to limit the motion .of the guide link 42. Theoperation of the linkage of the embodiment of Fig. 4 is thesame as thatvpreviously .de-

scribed for the embodiment of Figs 1-3;. that is, the .pivotal motion of theseatmember 14' .is communicated :through actuating =link30' to the lever or. link 32' which is-raised to a substantially .horizontal .position as shown :inFig. 4. At the same time, the. connection of the. guide member 42' to the link 36' causes a forward motion .of :thequadric linkage formed by the .links32', 28','1-36.and

'38 in suchimanneras :to shift the leg rest 26'- win a forward direction.

It can be seen. from the'foregomg: that there is provided -in..-accordancewith this. inventionasimple and etiicient mechanism for shifting a leg. rest upwardly and forwardly ofa reclining chair as the-chair. seat is moved into reclining position.

"While there have been shown: and describedrparticular embodiments of the invention,itwill beunderstood by :those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications maybe made therein. Without departing from the -invention and it is aimed in the appended claims .to cover .all .such' changes and .modificat1ons.as fall within the 'true; spirit and scopeof gtheainyention.

'What Iiclaim as-my-inventronz isz 1. A reclining chair comprising a recliningomember supported by a stationary member, a leg rest disposed at thefront of-- said chair for movement upwardly-andtorwardly of said chair, a pair ..of levers pivotally connected to each other intermediate-their ends, an actuating. link pivotally connected to one of said levers and to one of said members, said one lever being pivotally connected to the other of said members at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said one, lever and said actuating link, a guiding link pivotally connected to the other of said leversat a point spaced from the pivotal.connection. between said levers, said guiding link being pivotally connected to said other. member,..and meansswingably connecting one end of each lever to said leg rest at spaced points.

2. A reclining chair comprising a reclining member supported by astationary member, a leg rest disposed at the front of said chair for movement upwardly and forwardly of said chair, a pair of levers pivotally connected :to each other intermediate their ends, one of "saidlevers including a cranknportion.adjacentone of its...ends,--=an actuating link pivotally connected .to. said crank portion and to one of said members, said one -lever,:beingpivotally. connected. to theother'of said members aha-point spaced from the pivotal connection: between said 'crank portion .and said .actuating link, .and a guiding .link pivotally connected-to: the other,.-of..'said :levers at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said levers, said guiding. link being pivotally. connectedtosaidsother .memben. andwmeanssswingably connecting one end of each lever to said leg. rest atspaced points thereon.

3. A reclining chair comprising,atreclining member supported. by a; stationaryzmember, a leg rest, disposed at the front of said chair for movement upwardly and forwardly of. said chair, a pair oflevers pivotally connected to each other intermediate.theirends, a bell crank having a long arm formed by-one osaid levers and a short arm, an actuating link pivotally connectedto the short arm of said bell crank. and toone ofsaidzmembers, saidbell crank being pivotally 'connectednto the other-of--said members at a point spaced from the pivotal-connection between said actuatingilink. and said short arm of -said .bell crank, a guiding link pivotally connected to the :other-of said. levers atapoint spaced from thepivotal connection between said levers,-said-=guiding link being pivotally connected to said other member and-means swingably connecting oneend .ofeachlever to said-leg :restat spaced points thereon.

4. A reclining chair comprisinga-v reclining member supported by a stationary member, a leg-rest disposed at the front. of said chair for movement upwardlyand forwardly of saidtchair, a pair of levers pivotally connected to each other intermediate theirends, an actuating link pivotally connected to one of said leversand to oneqof said members. adjacent the forward portion ofsaid 7 nected to each other-intermediate theirends, anactuating link pivotally connectedtoone of said levers and to .oneof said members,- said one lever being pivotally .connected tothe other of saidmembers at a point spaeed 'from the. pivotal connection between said one lever; and said actuating link, a guiding link pivotally connected -to the-other of-saidlevers-at-apoint=-spaced from the pivotal connection. between. said levers, said, guiding link .being pivotally connected to said othervmember, and an auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer aend-zof said one lever and to saidleg rest,= an endof .;said,.other lever being .pivotallyconnected t0,.-said l eg rest.

A reclining chair comprising apreclining member supported-by a; stationary member, a legrest disposed at? the front .of. said chair. for movement upwardly-and forwardly of said chair, a first and a second lever pivtotally. connected-1 tot-.eaclrother intermediate: their ends,

an actuating link pivotally connected to said first lever and to one of said members, said first lever being pivotally connected to the other of said members at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said first lever and said actuating link, a guiding link pivotally connected to said second lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said levers, said guiding link being pivotally connected to said other member, a first auxiliary lever connected to the outer end of said first lever, a second auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer end of said second lever, said first and second auxiliary levers being pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, and means swingably conmeeting the outer end of each of said auxiliary levers to said leg rest at spaced points thereon.

7. A reclining chair comprising a reclining member supported by a stationary member, a leg rest disposed at the front of said chair for movement upwardly and forwardly of said chair, a first and a second lever pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, said first lever including a crank portion adjacent one of its ends, an actuating link pivotally connected to said crank portion and to one of said members, said first lever being pivotally connected to the other of said members at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said crank portion and said actuating link, a guiding link pivotally connected to said second lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said levers, said guiding link being pivotally connected to said other member, a first auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer end of said first lever, a second auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer end of said second lever, said first and second auxiliary levers being pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, and means swingably connecting one end of each auxiliary lever to said leg rest at spaced points thereon.

8. A reclining chair comprising a reclining member supported by a stationary member, a leg rest disposed at the front of said chair for movement upwardly and forwardly of said chair, a first and a second lever pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, a bell crank, said bell crank having a long arm formed by said first lever and a short arm, an actuating link pivotally connected to said short arm of said bell crank and to one of said members, said bell crank being pivotally connected to the other of said members at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said actuating link and said short arm of said bell crank, a guiding link pivotally connected to said second lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said levers, said guiding link being pivotally connected to said other member, a first auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer end of said first lever, a second auxiliary lever pivotally connected to the outer end of said second lever, said first and second auxiliary levers being pivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, and means swingably connecting one end of each auxiliary lever to said leg rest at spaced points thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 196,506 Vose Oct. 23, 1877 586,610 Lee July 20, 1897 654,352 Norcross July 24, 1900 1,118,938 Laurich Dec. 1, 1914 2,604,141 Maurer July 22, 1952 2,642,122 Maurer June 16, 1953 2,664,942 Spear Jan. 5, 1954 2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954

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