Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1~4~9q
This invention relates to locklng mechanism for re-
clining chairs and for so~alled "rocker-recliner" chairs, i.e.,
reclining chairs which are built on rocking bases. All such
chairs include a retractable footrest to support the legs of the
occupant, and the operation of our locking mechanism is arranged
to occur as an incident to extension and retraction bf the foot- -
rest, and to prevent independent retraction of the footrest while
the chair is reclined, but to effect a slight and desirable re-
lated retraction thereof as the chair is reclined.
10The invention is more particularly concerned with a
` selective locking mechanism which prevents the recline of the
~chair in advance of the extension of the footrest, and which, in
j .
a rocker-recliner chair)prevents reclining when the chair is ad-
justed for rocking, and conversely prevents rocking when the
' 15 chair is reclined. -
The invention contemplates the selection within the
< profile of the chair of a given common point on the reclining ~ -
mechanism and on the chair base from which.a substantial relative
movement will be experienced when the chair is reclined. In the `~ -
~` 20 r~cker-recliner chair, it is further contemplated that there will
be located within the chair profile not only a given common point ;~
~` from which-the reclining mechanism will have a substantial move-
t~ ;`~ ment relative to the rocker portion of the base when the chair
. ~ is reclined, but also another given point common tD the rocker and ~h`"'~'` `
to the fixed base when the chair is in neutral balance, and from
which the rocker will have a substantial movement relative to the -~-
. . . .
- fixed-base when the chair rocks, "neutral balance" meaning the -~
upright sitting of the chair, rocked neither forward nor back. ~-
, ~ ~ :
, ~o each of the relatively movable chair~members, e.g.,
30- the reclining mechanism and the fixed base of the ordinary re- ~
clining chair, there is respectively pivoted at the given common -
¦ point one of-a pair of connected links which are shiftable into ~
: ~, , ,~ , :'~
~ ` ' '`:
:
` :;.",`j,, :' ,'',~ '' : ' "'.'. `: ` ~,; ~, ,; "", "
97
locking alignment with respect to the relative movement of the
recline mechanism on the fixed base, and shiftable into an alter-
nate position wherein the connecting pivot of the pair of links
coincides with the axis of relative movement of the recline mechan-
` 5 ism, the shifting movement, as earlier indicated, being associatedwith the operation of the footrest to cause the pair of connected
links to prevent reclining movement when the footrest is retracted,
and to permit recline after the footrest has been extended.
In the case of the rocker-recliner, the aforementioned
; 10 relationship of the reclining mechanism, related as aforedescribed
to the operation of the footrest, obtains between the reclining
-~ mechanism and the rocking portion of the base. Moreover, an
additional pair of connected links is provided between the rocking
portion of the base and the fixed portion of the base, and is
. 15 similarly shiftable into and out of locking alignment with respect
to the rocking movement, said shifting being coincident with, and
functionally the reverse of, the shifting of the recliner lock.
That is to say, in the rocker-recliner application, the links of
the pairs respectively connected to the rocking portion of the
base are so connected that when the one pair is shifted to pre-
. . ~ .
vent reclining, the other permits rocking, and vice versa.
In both cases, each connected link pair permits relative
movement of its associated chair portions when the connecting
` ~ pivot of the link pair is shifted into coincidence with the axis
of such relative movement, whether that axis be precise and
actual, as in the case of the reclining mechanism, or approximate
and virtual, as in the case of the rocking mechanism.
¦ With respect to its application to rocker-recliner
chairs, the invention further contemplates that the "given common -
point" on the reclining mechanism and the rocking portion of the
base, on the one hand, and the "given common point" on the rock-
ing and fixed portions of the base, on the other hand, may be
'''.,,
~ ~ -2-
i
selected to coincide in a single point, permitting both links
pivoted to the rocking portion of the base to be unified into
a single bell crank the two arms of which are respectively con-
nected by one link to the fixed base of the chair and by a second
link to the recline linkage, and shiftable between two alternate
positions. Thus, when the bell crank occupies one of its two
positions, one of its arms and the link connection of that arm
to the recline mechanism are aligned to prevent reclining movement
of the chair parts relative to the rocker, but permit the other
arm of the bell crank and its link connection to the fixed portion
of the base to "toggle" idly as the chair rocks. Similarly, when
the bell crank occupies its alternate position, its other arm and
the link connecting the same to the fixed portion of the base of
the chair are swung into alignment to prevent rocking in either
direction from "neutral balance", while the bell crank and its
link connection to the recline mechanism, having had their common ~ -
;, pivot moved into coincidence with the axis of the movement of
that mechanism upon recline, permit the reclining movement, and ~
likewise "toggle" as the reclining movement proceeds. ~ ;
The principles employed and their advantageous use in
~ .
;~ reclining chairs will be better understood from the following de-
, tailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying ~ -
drawings, in which~
~ FIGURE 1 is an "exploded" isometric assembly view of
`~ 25 the locking linkage of our invention in its more complete form,
one of a pair that we prefer to employ, one at each side of the ~;
chair, to lock the rocker of a rocker-recliner securely for the
recline of the chair when the footrest is extended, and to pre-
vent retraction of the footrest when the chair is reclined,
Figure 1 showing the normal positions of the parts, i.e., with
the chair in neutral balance and the footrest retracted;
j FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the chair
: 4 ,. .:
,.,~
~ ~ _3 -
.- .
~Q4a~s7
showing the locking~linkage posi~ti~ned within the chair profile;
FIGURE 3, 4 and-~ are enlarged fragmentary side eleva-
tions of our locking linkage, Fig. 3 showing the same in the po-
sition of Fig. l to facilitate orientation, and Figs. 4 and 5
showing the chair rocked ba~kward and forward, respectively, as
permitted by the position of the locking linkage illustrated in
Figures l, 2 and 3;
FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the chair
showing the footrest extended, and Figure 7 is a corresponding
fragmentary side elevation of the locking linkage positioned by
the extension of the footrest to prevent rocking and to permit
the reclining action to proceed;
FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the chair
A both upright and in recline, and Figure 9 an enlarged fragmentary
`i 15 side elevation of the locking linkage positioned by the recline
~i
, to prevent retraction of the footrest.
,; Preliminary Summary
~ Referring initially to Figure l for a general summary-
`:
- of the locking linkage 10 of the invention, the view there shown
~,
^ 20 is an interior view looking downwardly toward the left rear of
, ~' the-chair from the upper right, with the seat of the chair re-
moved. To the viewer's left in,the exploded assembly is an up-
` ~ standing bracket 12 secured to the fixed base,14 of the chair.
j Midway in depth along the "expldded" ass~mbly is an angle bracket
, 25 i6 secured~to the rocker bracket 18 on the rocker portion 20 of
the~base. Extending diagonally upwardly and rearwardly at the
righthand side of the assembly are the supporting links 22 and
, ~ 24, connected to guide the back bracket 26 of the reclining back
of the chair.
In the rocking,movement of the chair, the angle,bracket
, 16, being secured to the rocker 20 and employed as the locking
point thereof, moves,up and down relative to the fixed base 14
,,
~,
and, because the rocker travels fore and aft on its base while
rocking, describes a curvilinear path that is not a circular arc.
The lockable member of the reclining mechanism, on the other hand,
the upstanding boomerang-shaped link 24, is pivoted on the rocker
bracket 18, and is independently rotatable thereon during the
reclining movement of the chair.
The locking members per se of the locking linkage 10
include a bell crank 28 pivoted to the angle bracket 16 on the
rocker, a slotted link 30 by means of which one arm 32 of the
" 10 bell crank 28 is connected to the fixed bracket 12 secured to
; the base of the chair, and another link 34 by means of which the
other arm 36 of the bell crank 23 is connected to the rearwardly
extending arm 38 of the boomerang lever 24 which supports the
' back of the chair.
When the bell crank 28 and the link 34 connecting it
` to the back-support lever 24 are positioned as shown in Fig. 1,
it will be apparent that the coincidence of the bell crank arm
36 and the link 34 along the line of movement to be taken by the
lower arm 38 of that lever 24 during recline effectively prevents
20 reclining movement of the chair. `
Alternatively, when the bell crank 28 is rocked forward
i~ on its pivot to the angle bracket 16, it carries its coinciding
upper arm 36 and connecting link 34 out of locking alignment,
thus to permit reclining movement, and simultaneously places
~ 25 its other arm 32, and its companion slotted link 30 into locking
alignment, thus to prevent rocking movement in either direction
(Fig. 7).
Shifting of the bell crank between its alternate
positions is accomplished indirectly by also forming the link 34
as a bell crank, and connecting the rearwardly extending arm 40
thereof to a tubular connecting link 42 extending forwardly to ~`
an arm 44 on a cross shaft 46 journalled in the forward portion
5-
~ ' :
104(~97
of the seat bracket 48. The cross shaft 46 is associated with
footrest extension linkage 50, (Fig. 6) which may be actuaged by
an operating handle 52 at the side of the chair. Such operating
handle, if used, becomes the operator also for actuating the locking
linkage 10 to prevent rocking of the chair and to position the same
for reclining as an incident to the extension of the footrest.
Extension of the footrest with the chair in the upright
position, and blocked against rocking, has become identified in
trade parlance as the "TV" position, the extension of the footrest
being accomplished either by manipulation of a hand lever at the
side of the chair, or by a shifting of the chair seat relative to
the rocking portion of the base. In the latter instance, we
contemplate that the connecting link 42, by means of which the
bell crank 28 or our locking linkage is positioned to prevent
rocking, would be connected for actuation by and coincident to the
shifting of the seat on the rocking base, either by more direct
connection to the seat, or indirectly, as shown, by operation of
the footrest mechanism.
Detailed Description
For a detailed description of the locking linkage of
, the invention we refer again initially to the exploded assembly -
view of Figure 1, showing the hardware and rocking base on the
~ far side of the chair, the back of the chair being on the left
¦ 1 and the front of the chair on the right. The counterbalancing
springs usually also mounted interiorly to connect the fixed or
floor-engaging portion 14 of the base and the upper rocker por- -~
tion 20 superposed thereon, are omitted in Figure 1 for a clearer
showing of the essential parts, but it will be understood that
, they position the chair in the neutral balance earlier referred to.
Screwed onto the rocker portion 20 of the base is the
rocker bracket 18 of angle iron which provides the mounting for
, ".
. ',
.,
,~ -6-
. "
l~a~7
the recline linkage by means of which the back of the chair and
the seat are mounted for movement relative to each other and to
the rocking portion of the base as an incident to recline of the
chair. The recline linkage illustrated in Figure 1 is shown here
simply for purposes of illustration. As the principles of our
locking mechanism become clear from the following explanation,
it will be equally apparent that the utility of our novel lock
does not depend upon this particular reclining mechanism.
In any event, while for purposes of illustrating and
explaining the function of our novel lock, attention should be
focused upon the boomerang-shaped forward support lever 24 of
the reclining mechanism, it should for completeness be explained
that the back of the chair is supported by the back bracket 26
which in turn is supported~from the aforementioned rocker bracket
15 18 by means of the link 22 and lever 24, which from a trapezoidal
. i ~,
linkage with the back bracket 26 and the rocker bracket 18 to
effect a forward shifting of the back bracket 26 (and the lower
end of the back of chair) as an incident to the rearward rotation
of the back bracket upon recline.
The seat of the chair is supported upon the seat bracket
48, which in turn is supported in its forward portions by an over-
` slung link 54 extending upwardly and rearwardly from its pivotal
- connection to the rocker bracket 18 to its pivotal connection -
in the seat bracket 48. Its angularity in the sitting position -
25 illustrated is such that when the seat bracket is shifted for- -
wardly, the link 54 lifts the front end of the seat. ~ -
The rearward portion of the seat is carried upon a bell
crank lever 56 supported from the front, boomerang-shaped back-
support lever 24 and controlled in its movement relative thereto
30 during the reclining rotation of the back by a control link 58 -
connected to the back bracket 26. That specific reclining chair
mechanism, as earlier stated, is not a part of the locking linkage
.:
~7~
"` lQ4~ 9~ -
of this invention as such, and, is shown herè merely for illustra-
tion.
For present purposes, the important member of the re-
cline linkage is the forward back support lever 24, whose lower,
rearwardly-extending arm 38 is the poînt at which the locking
linkage 10 of` this invention is attached to the recline mechanism
; to perform its locking function.
The footrest extension mechanism 50 (Fig.6) is largely
omitted from Figure 1 except to the extent it shares parts in
common wi~h the locking linkage 10, in particular, those parts
necessary to operate the locking linkage to prevent rocking co-
incidentally with the extension of the~retractable footrest to its
forward position. Still referring to Figure 1, these include
the square cross shaft 46 journalled forwardly on the seat bracket
48 and extending to a seat bracket counterpart on the othe~ side
of the chair to unify the action of the footrest extension link-
t ~ ages 50 on opposite sides of the chair. The footrest extension
mechanism illustrated in Figure 6 is not, as such, a part of our
locking linkage. It is shown here only for illustration, and toj .-
' 20 the extent necessary to show how the manipulation of a separate `
` operating lever, such as 52, for the extension of-the footrest
.~ .
i likewise actuates the~locking mechanism to prevent rocking while
.. ~ the~footrest.is extended.
Referring.therefore to the Figures 1 and 6 jointly, it
`~: 25 will be sufficient.for present purposes to note~that the footrest
60 is extended on a pair of par~llel rails 62 which are suitably
supported from the underside of the-seat.of the chair for end-
wise movement, and are propelled to the extended-position by a
.,
drive linkage comprising a hand lever operated rear drive link 64
pivoted t~ the seat bracket 48, a forward drive link 66 secured-
. as an arm to the aforementioned square cross shaft 46 shown in
Figure 1, and connected for unison.rotation by a connecting link
., .
-8-
.' :.
g~7
68. A multiplying lever 70 pivoted to the lower end of the rear
drive link 64, and rocked relative thereto by a restraining link
72 pivoted to the lever 70 and to the forward drive link 66, has
a resulting angular movement nearly twice that of the drive link
64, and, through its drag link connection 74 to the rear end of
the footrest supporting rails 62, drive the same to the extended
broken-line position in Figure 6 by the rearward movement of the
hand lever 52 through about 90 as indicated in Figure 6.
` In the process, the front drive link 66, and the square
" 10 cross shaft 46 shown in Figure 1, are also rotated through approx-
~ imately 90 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, and that
i rotation, through mechanism now to be described, operates our im-
proved locking linkage 10 incident to e~tension of the footrest.
` As earlier indicated, although we do not consider our
;;~ 15 invention limited in this respect, we prefer to use duplicate
locking linkages, one at each side of tihe chair, just as we have
duplicated the reclining linkage for the seat and the back and
for the extension of the footrest as well. We could use a single
locking linkage located between the sides of the chair and con-
nected therewith by means of suitable rods and shafts, but we
prefer separate locking linkages for each side, operated of
course ih unison, because our locking mechanism then functions
solidly to block out the intended function, i.e., when the chair
l is reclined there is essentially no springiness in the parts, nor
any rocking movement to suggest to the reposed occupant that he
is insecure and in danger of tipping.
The Locking Linkage Per Se
It has been noted preliminarily that the illustrated
chair has two modes of movement, rocking and reclining, and that
the function of the locking mechanism is to condition the chair
for one mode while preventing the other, and vice versa, incident
. to extension and retraction of the footrest.
. ,.
' _g_ :.
, .
In the rocking mode, the rocker portion 20 of the base
and everything supported by it, oscillates up and down and to and
fro relative to the fixed base 14, whereas in the reclining mode,
the seat and the back, or in any event the back, move relative to
the rocker 20 upon which they are mounted. In this context, the
locking linkage of our invention is such that when the footrest
is retracted and the chair is in upright sitting position, the
linkage permits rocking but prevents recline. On the other hand,
when the footrest is extended, the rocking movement is prevented,
and the locking linkage conditioned to permit recline. This is
the so-called intermediate or "TV" position, i.e., with footrest
~`~ extended, rocking function locked, and the chair conditioned for
' recline.
` As the back of the chair is then reclined, the locking
linkage operates to perform a slight but related retraction of
the footrest, but prevents independent retraction of the footrest
~, while the chair is reclined.
.. ,~ . .
These several functions are accomplished by the follow-
ing structure: The lower shorter arm 38 of the boomerang-shaped
front support lever 24 of the back is in alignment with the
rocker bracket 18 when the back is in the upright sitting posi-
tion, being supported in that attitude by the angle bracket 16
which is secured to the underside of the rocker bracket 18 and
extends inwardly therefrom to space its upstanding flange from the
,.
~ 25 vertical flange of the rocker bracket. The vertical flange of `~`
- the angle bracket 16 is pierced to receive a shoulder rivet to
¦ pivot the bell crank 28 on the rocker portion of the base. ~-
`~ The rearwardly-extending shorter arm 38 of the forward
~ back support lever 24 is pierced at a point spaced rearwardly
. .
from its pivotal attachment to the rocker bracket 18, and on an
axis which coincides with the pivotal mounting of the bell crank ~
28 when the chair parts are in the upright position illustrated ~ -
' '
10- ,.
:'
in Figure 1. This provides the pivotal mounting for the connect-
ing link 34, which for other purposes yet to be described, is
also formed as a bell crank, i.e., having two diverging arms.
The one of those arms, 37, standing nearly upright in Figure 1,
is pivotally connected at its upper end to the similarly upstand-
ing and coextensive arm 36 of the bell crank 28, both said arms
being offset toward each other to bridge the angle bracket 16
and the clearance space provided, and being pierced and pivotally
connected by a suitable shoulder rivet.
From the foregoing partial detailed description of the
locking linkage, it will be apparent that inasmuch as the rear-
wardly extending arm 38 of the forward back support lever 24
` moves perpendicularly upwardly from the rocker bracket 18 to
.:.
~` initiate the reclining movement, the interconnected bell crank
arm 36 and the associated arm 37 of the connecting link 34, the
one being connected to the angle bracket 16 and the other being
attached to the shorter arm 38 of the front back support lever
24, prevent any reclining movement when they are disposed as
shown in Figure 1.
The other arm 32 of the bell crank 28, extending for-
~;~ wardly and slightly downwardly from its pivot to the angle bracket16 on the rocker, is pivoted at its outer end to the distal end
. ,~ . .
of the connecting link 30, which has a slotted pivotal connection ~;
,~
to the upstanding bracket 12 secured to the fixed base 14 of the
.
chair. The fixed bracket 12 is formed with a short upstanding
mounting flange 76 emplaced against the inner surface of the
. ,~.. -
runner of the base 14, and a taller upstanding plate 78 spaced -
: therefrom adequately to span the angle bracket 16 of the rocker
and all of the locking linkage. At its upper end~ the plate 78
supports a shoulder bolt 80 on which the slotted end of the ~-
connecting link 30 is pivoted, coaxially with the pivot of the
bell crank 28 to the angle bracket 16, and wi~h the pivot of the
, :
.. , ~ .
;~,,., .~,.. .. ....... ... . . .. ... . . .. . . .. .. .. .. . . . ..... .. ... . . .
rearwardly extending arm 38 of the forward back-support lever 24
to its connecting link 34. That is to say, when the chair is in
neutral balance, the pivot axes of the fixed bracket 12, the bell
crank 28 on the angle bracket 16, and that of the connecting link
34 to the rearwardly extending arm 38 o the forward back support
lever 24, are all located on the same axis, or, viewing the chair
; in profile, these respective axes coincide at a single point, or
substantially so.
As indicated in Figure 1, the mounting flange 76 of the
fixed bracket 12 is provided with two holes spaced from front to
rear, the forward hole being tapped to receive a mounting screw
. (not shown) passed through a drilled hole in the runner of the
~: base 14. The rearward hold of the mounting flange is pierced
oversize and an aligned tapped hole provided in the spaced up-
standing plate 78 that supports the pivot bolt 80. A longer .
mounting screw is passed through the base runner from the out- :
~ side, through the rear hole in the mounting flange 76, and fitted -
~ in the tapped hole in the upstanding plate 78. This rearward ~:
screw may, if desired, be a shoulder screw, or may be surrounded ~ ~-
by a sleeve between the two upstanding flanges of the fixed
~ bracket 12, as may be desirable to enable the screw 82 to pro- ~ :
p vide a stop for the slotted link 30 and the lock lever 28 in the ~ri:
alternate position of adjustment of the latter, at whcih the rock- :
ing of the chair is prevented and recline permitted (Fig. 7).
The coinciding lengths of the arm 36 of the bell crank .
28 and the arm 37 of the connecting link 34, shown upstanding in
Figure 1, are also equal to the distance between the two pivots
of the shorter arm 38 of the forward back support lever 24,.so
that when the locking linkage 10 is shifted to its alternate
position (Fig. 7), not only will the rocker portion of the base
be secured in the neutral balance position of Figure 1, but the ~
. pivot axis of the connection of the bell crank 28 to the connecting -
'' ` ' :'
~ 12-
1~ 97
link 34 will coincide with the axis of the pivotal connection of
the forward back support lever 24 to the rocker bracket 18, and
with the parts thus aligned, the forward back support lever 24
may swing freely upwardly to permit the chair to recline.
The shifting of the locking linkage between its alter-
nate positions by the swinging of the bell crank 28 (Fig. 1, or
Fig. 3, to Fig. 7) is accomplished as already indicated by the
same action which extends the footrest and specifically, in the
illustrated instance, is effected by the rotation of the square
cross shaft 46 journalled in and extending between the seat
brackets 48 at opposite sides of the chair. The rotation of the :
cross shaft 46 is imparted to the short arm 44 secured thereto,
the arm 44 being stamped from light plate and pierced with a
square hole at one end to receive the shaft 46 and a round hole
at the distal end for pivotal attachment by means of a suitable -~
rivet to the rearwardly-extending operating link 42. The operating ~ ~
link 42 is preferably tubular for greater rigidity, and flattened ~ -
at its ends for connection forwardly to the arm 44 on the cross
shaft 46, and rearwardly to the locking linkage 10.
From the foregoing description of structure and operation,
it will be apparent that the primary function of the operating - ~
link 42 is to shift the bell crank 28 between its alternate positions.- -
To serve that primary purpose, the link might suitably be connected
directly to the bell crank 28 at any convenient point thereon or - ~ -
extension thereof, depending upon the direction of movement of
the conveniently available shifting effort derived from the
extension of the footrest. To enable that connection also to -
achieve a secondary purpose, however, we prefer to shift the bell
crank 28 by means of the arm 40 on the connecting link 34 pivoted
to the forward support lever 24 of the recline mechanism, that
link 34, as earlier noted, being made in the form of a bell crank
for this purpose.
-13-
~ a~ ~:
The Operating Linkage Per Se
As shown in Figure 1, the rearwardly extending arm 40
of the connecting link 34 is pivoted to the rear end of the tubu-
lar operating link 42, being substantially offset toward the
center of the chair to place the flattened end portion of the
operating link 42 inwardly of the lock lever 28. The slotted
connecting link 30 and its associated arm 32 of the bell crank
28 are likewise offset toward each other at their distal ends to
provide clearnace for the flattened rear end of the operating
link 42 during rocking movement of the chair.
The primary or lever-shifting function of the operating
link 42 can occur freely only when the chair is in its position
of neutral balance, or more precisely, when the pivot on the
angle bracket 16 and at the rear end of the lower arm 38 of the
~ forward back-support lever 24 coincide with the pivot 80 on the :: -
fixed bracket 12, or nearly so. (The ability of the locking link-
age to jack the chair into neutral balance upon attempted extension
of the footrest is discussed later herein.) When that condition
obtains, the rotation of the cross shaft 46 by the extension of
~ the footrest moves the operating link 42 forwardly, and rotates
:~ 20 the connecting link 34 clockwise as viewed in Figure 1, carrying ~:
with it the bell crank 28, which in turn carries with it the
slotted connecting link 30, turning all parts to the position
of Figure 7 coincident with the extension of the footrest. From .
the position of Figure 7, the reclining motion may proceed at -~
~. 25 the occupant's discretion, inasmuch as the aligned arm 37 of ~.
: the connecting link 34 and arm 36 of the bell crank 28 have .
~ been moved into alignment with the shorter arm 38 of the forward
.: :
r back support lever 24, and their connecting pivot is aligned withthe swing pivot of the back-support lever on the rocker bracket
: 30 18. As the reclining movement proceeds (Fig. 8 and 9) and the - -
forward support lever 24 of the back of the chair rotates for-
wardly on the rocker, the tubular operating link 42 is moved ;
~` ~ -14- ~;
1(~4~?7
forwardly as the connecting link 34 rotates clockwise (as seen in
Figs. 1 and 9) with the back support lever 24. This forward
movement of the operating link 42 relative to the rocker upon
recline enables it to perform a secondary function now to be
described.
In the particular recline mechanism here illustrated,
the recline of the back is accompanied by a forward shift of the
seat, and as noted, the cross shaft 46 is journalled in the seat
brackets 48. During recline, however, the pivot of the bell crank
28 on the angle bracket 16 remains stationary, and the bell crank
28 immovable. Depending, therefore, upon the amount of forward
movement of the seat relative to the rocker, the direct attachment
of the operating link 42 to the bell crank 28 would cause reverse
" rotation of the cross shaft 46, and retraction of the footrest, -
;~ 15 as the seat moves forward.
Complete retraction of the footrest would, of course,
; be self-defeating, but we have found that a slight retraction
upon recline is highly desirable to offset the tendency of the
footrests of reclining chairs to pull down the socks of the occu-
pant as his body shifts slightly rearwardly on the seat upon
recline.
Accordingly, to provide for a slight retraction of the
~ footrest upon recline, we connect the tubular operating link 42
`~ to the arm 40 of the connecting link 34 so that the link 42 is -
shifted forwardly relative to the rocker 40 (Fig. 9) by the re-
cline movement. As the forward movement of the seat proceeds
upon recline we proportion the length of the arm 40 of the con-
, necting link 34 appropriately to the forward movement of the
cross shaft upon recline, and thereby effect a slight retraction
of the operating link 42 relative to the seat, a slight reverserotation of the footrest-operating cross shaft 46, and the de-
sired corresponding slight retraction of the footrest.
., .
~: -15-
~4~997
The same retraction control can be achieved equally in
chairs having no movement, or a different movement, of the foot-
rest mechanism relative to the chair upon recline, by attaching
the operating link 42 of the locking mechanism appropriately to
the connecting link 34.
Footrest Locking
Having explained the operation of our locking linkage
to prevent one or the other of the rocking or reclining movements
from the upright sitting position, as well as its ability to
effect a slight but desirable retraction of the footrest upon
recline, we now explain by reference to Figures 3 to 5, 7 and 9
its further function, i.e., the forcible return of the chair to
neutral position by the extension of the footrest while rocking,
and the prevention of the retraction of the footrest when the
chair is reclined.
In Figure 3, which is a side elevation of the locking ~ -
; linkage in the same position illustrated in Figure 1, the chair
` is in neutral balance in the upright sitting position, rocked
neither forward nor back, although capable of doing so but in-
capable of reclining.
In Figure 4, the chair is rocked back and in Figure 5
the chair is rocked forwardly. During these movements, the
slotted connecting link 30 and its associated arm 32 of the
bell crank 28 simply "toggle" idly in their passage from the
position of Figure 4 to that of Figure 5, and vice versa, passing `
on each rocking movement through the neutral position of Figure 3.
Because of the illustrated case the rocking element is not of the
fixed axis type but actually "rolls" on the base runner during ;~the rocking movement, the path described by the axis of the~
~ c~k
~ is a compound movement rather than a circular arc, where-
fore it is accordingly necessary to provide a slot in the link 30
at the pivot bolt 80 to accommodate these slight fore and aft
:` ~
', .;: '
16-
~.
1~3~9g7
movements of the rocker on the base.
When the slotted link 30 and its associated arm 32 of
the bell crank 28 are divergent, as shown in Figures 4 and 5,
the footrest cannot be extended, i.e., the bell crank 28 cannot
be rotated by the operating link 42, without drawing the chair
back to neutral. If attempted in the Fig. 4 position, the arm
32 strikes the fixed bracket 12 and forces the rocker up. If
attempted from the Fig. 5 position, the link 30 pulls the rocker
down. Some slight variation from true alignment inevitably occurs
as the chair is occupied by persons of different stature. If
extension of the footrest is attempted while the chair is in
a rocking motion, i.e., when the pivot axis of the bell crank `
28 is substantially out of coincidence with the pivot of the
slotted connecting link 30 to the fixed bracket 12, the rocking
motion is terminated as the leverage of the operating link 42,
exerted through the bell crank 28, forces the pivot axis of ~-
the bell crank into coincidence with that of the fixed bracket `-
12, and thus permits the shifting of the linkage into the
position of Figure 7 (and the extension of the footrest) from
which the reclining action may proceed.
In Figure 7, it will be noted that the slotted link 30
~!
and its associated arm 32 of the bell crank 28 have been swung
down approximately vertically from the pivot bolt 80 of the
fixed bracket 12, and are stopped in that position by their abut-
ment with the rearward mounting screw 82 which also secures the
; fixed bracket 12 to the base runner. As indicated in Figure 7,
, we prefer to maintain zero clearance between the ends of the
~ slotted link 30 and the bell crank arm 32 and the upper surface
of the connecting web of the fixed bracket 12 so that all lost
motion in the slotted connection of the link 30 to the pivot
bolt 80 is taken up, and the rocking movement is locked solidly, "~
i.e., without any jiggling or springing to disquiet the occupant
as he reclines in the chair.
t -17-
- . : -
1~4'~7
As the linkage proceeds to the position of Figure 9 by
the reclining of the back of the chair, i.e., by the forward ro-
tation of the forward support lever 24 upon the rocker bracket
18, the connecting link 34 to the lower arm 38, and its associated
arm 36 of the bell crank 28 are likewise moved out of coincidence,
which serves to prevent any shifting of the bell crank 28 while
the chair is reclined, the divergence of the arm 37 of the con-
necting link 34 from its associated arm 36 of the bell crank 28
preventing movement of the link 34 by the operating link 42, and
thus preventing independent retraction of the footrest~
Conclusion
In the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings,
we have described and illustrated the best mode known to us for
the practice of the invention. When its principles are under-
stood, it will be apparent that modification can be made withinthe scope of what we here disclose and claim as our invention.
For example, the arms of the bell crank 28 may be sepa-
rated into individual links located on different axes at differ-
..... . .
` ent locations on the rocking portion to accommodate two specifi- -
cally different chairs, or the unified preferred locking linkage ~-
might be located forwardly of the rocking fulcrum and its con-
nection to the recline mechanism of the chair made to the seat
or to the seat supports if the same move relative to the rocker ~
~ upon recline. We p-efer the rearward location, however, inasmuch ~;
.'. ,,::.- ,, .
as all rocking-reclining chairs have a recllning back irrespective i
-~ of what may happen to the seat.
By locating our preferred unified form of "triple link" -~
lock, viz., the bell crank 28 and its link connections 30 and 34
.. . .
respectively to the fixed base and to the recline linkage, on an
axis common to both pairs of relatively movable parts when the
chair is in the neutral or upright sitting position, and from
. ',',
' '
-18-
1~4(~9~7
which each pair has a substantial relative movement in the rock-
mode and in the reclining mode, we have provided a very effective,
compact, and unitary lock by means of which the two modes of
movement of the chai~ are made assuredly mutually exclusive, yet
which requires a conscious although convenient effort of the
occupant to shift the locking linkage to condition the chair for
one mode or the other.
Further, by associating the operation of our selective
lock with the operation of the footrest mechanism, i. e., per-
mitting the chair to rock when the footrest is retracted and pre-
venting rocking while the footrest is extended, we have inter-
connected the locking mechanism with the footrest extension func-
tion in such a way that the footrçst cannot be extended without
terminating the rocking movement, nor can the footrest be re-
tracted independently while the chaix is reclined. That is to~say, while the rocker-recliner chair is-~in its upright sitting
position, it is a rocking chair. When the leg rest is extended,
whether by ma.nipulation of the hand lever in the specific illus-
;; tration shown or by the shifting of the seat relative to the chair
20- arms, as is also not uncommon, the chair is locked against rocking
at an intermediate so-called "TV" position, with the footrest ex-
tended and the chair essentially upright. From the "TV" position,
the chair may be reclined, in which case the footrest is-locked -
against independent retractionl but experiences a related slight
retraction to avoid a downward pull on the occupant's out-
stretched legs. Alternatively, from the "TV" position, the foot-
rest may be retracted, in which case the chair is again condi-
tioned for rocking, and is locked against recline.
The features of our invention believed to be new and
patentable are set forth in the appended claims:
' ' ' ' ~''
-19- '
