US2171189A - Chair - Google Patents

Description

' CHAIR Filed Dec. 51, 1937 5 s 2 28 227 m m Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES CHAIR Charlie E. Platter and Orval It. Platter, North Vernon, Ind.

Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,889

4 Claims.

This invention relates to chairs broadly and is particularly concerned with chairs of the adjustable reclining upholstered type.

Briefly stated, the ultimate aim of the present invention is to provide a chair of the adjustable reclining type which may be adjusted with a maximum of ease by an occupant while seated or reclining in the chair, both the back and seat of the chair being simultaneously adjustable while maintaining such parts in the most comfortable relative positions, there being no springs or the like to interpose undue resistance to seat or back movement in either direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair of the relatively heavy or upholstered type wherein the back and seat may be adjusted to any desired position simultaneously with a minimum of manual effort, and wherein the adjustment structure is relatively simple and involves no exteriorly-projecting manually operable levers, knobs or like parts, While at the same time a strong and rugged support is provided for the seat and. back.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line I---!, Fig. 2, 01 a chair of the upholstered type embodying the features of the present invention, an alternate position of the back and seat being illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and,

-Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the main stationary supporting frame of the chair is generally indicated at F, and in the example shown said frame comp-rises a front cross member 5, rear frame member 6, side members 1, 1a., 8, 8a,, and 8b, 8c and side uprights 9 and 9a, the latter supporting arms or arm rests Hi and Mia. The

frame may be open or covered as desired, and

may be otherwise varied to meet manufacturing requirements for different lines of chairs. On the base of the main frame is a seat frame or sill structure made up of front cross pieces l I and i2,

side rails l3 and 13a, which also function as runners, and a rear cross member Hi. The upholstered seat S which is supported by this sill structure is preferably provided with cushioning material such as springs 15.

It will be noted that the seat frame or sill structure is mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly on the stationary base frame F, glider strips or bearing blocks 16 forming bearings at the front of the stationary frame for the side rails or runners l3 and 13a.

A cushion ll may be disposed on the supporting seat S which at its front is shown provided with a raised bead or welt I8, to prevent displacement of the cushion. This cushion may be bedded with springs or the like as desired and as gen,- erally utilized in chairs of this type.

The back of the chair is generally indicated at B and comprises frame side rails 19 and 19a, joined by cross members 20. The lower extremity of the side rails l9 and I911. are each formed with an upwardly extending slot 2!, note particularly Fig. 1, and cooperating with this slot is a block or bracket 22 having secured therein and projecting laterally therefrom a pin 23 which engages in the slot 2 l. The blocks 22 are mounted upon and secured to the movable seat side rails or sills l3 and 13a toward the rear extremities of the latter.

The back frame is pivotally hung and supported from the rugged stationary side frame members 3b, to by means of pivot bolt hangers 24, and the rear end of the movable seat sill is pivotally connected to said hanger bolts by straps 25.

A filler cloth or Web 27 is preferably connected between the rear of the back B and top of the adjacent frame member 5, so as to present an even or unbroken contour when the back approaches or is in upright position.

The chair operates as follows:

When an occupant desires to move from a substantially upright position as shown in full lines in Fig. l to a reclining position as indicated in dotted lines in the same figure, it is only necessary to exert sufiiicent pressure on the back to slide the seat S with its base frame or sill outwardly, the latter having a sliding or gliding action on the bearing or glide strips l6 secured to the stationary base frame of the chair. As the seat moves outwardly, the pivot pins 23 are permitted free movement in the slots 2 l, the back pivoting on the pivot bolts 24. Since the back is hung from the stationary frame pieces or members 8b and Be, it turns about a fixed point and is held against bodily forward movement, and since the seat frame is also pivotally hung from the same pivot point, the seat tilts slightly as it moves outwardly and both the back and seat are maintained in their proper relative positions during all phases of adjustment. The sliding pivotal connection betwen the back rest and seat frame in conjunction with the suspension of the rear extremity of the seat from the main frame independently of the back rest/permits the latter to be used as a propelling means for the seat without destroying its position of comfort. In other words the desired range of travel, or rearward and forward movement of the seat frame may be maintained without throwing the back rest out of the desired position with respect to the seat and also without materially varying the horizontal position of the seat. Since the links 25 are pivoted at the rear end of the seat and in rear of the sliding pivotal connection 2l--23, the maximum forward adjustment of the seat results in only a slight downward inclination of the latter, note the dotted line position in Fig. 1. Another feature of advantage of the present invention is the freedom of movement, both outwardly and inwardly, of the seat with respect to the back, there being no binding action between the parts or resistance to movement by springs nor is there any noise incident to the use of the latter. Whenever the occupant has brought the seat and back to the desired adjusted position, the weight of the occupant holds the parts to such position.

In order to insure the most efficient and satisfactory operation of the chair, it is desirable that there be a certain relative friction ratio between the bearing members or bloclm l6 and the seat frame side rails or runners l3 and !3a. In other words, there should be a certain balanced friction factor at this point computed by considering the average weight of the occupants, as well as the weight of the chair seat itself, together with the amount of friction generated at the pivotal points of suspension of the seat and back frames. Experiments have demonstrated that this frictional resistance may be more accurately controlled by using certain types of material for the engaging bearing surfaces. For example, if certain types of hardwoods are used for the blocks l6 and the runners i3 and I366, the bearing surfaces will become too smooth and the chair will glide too easily and will not stop or hold its position when the occupant desires to have it rest at a certain point.

In practice, we have solved this problem by utilizing a certain ratio of bearing surface area in accordance with the particular characteristics of certain types of bearing material. For example, using a bearing block or strip having dimensions approximately 1 /2" x 1 /4" and a glide strip or runner of approximately 2 wide and 7 long, the bearing blocks or strips function satisfactorily when made of poplar or wood having the characteristics of poplar. The side runners l3 and Eta. may also be made of poplar or wood having like characteristics. 7

Actual use has conclusively demonstrated the ease of operation, ruggedness and yet withall relative simplicity of the improved chair.

It will be understood that the foregoing description together with the drawing constitutes; an illustrative embodiment of the invention only, and that various changes in construction and design may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an adjustable reclining chair, a main stationary supporting frame, a seat and a frame for said seat supported at its front extremity for free forward and rearward'movement in a substantially horizontal plane on said main frame, a back rest and a frame for said rest pivotally hung at an intermediate point to said main frame and at its lower extremity having a slidable pivotal connection to said seat frame and whereby when a pivotal adjusting movement is imparted to the back rest the seat frame is moved forwardly or rearwardly without substantially affecting its horizontal position, and means pivotally suspending the rear extremity of said seat frame fro-m said main stationary frame.

2. In an adjustable reclining chair, a main stationary supporting frame, a seat and a frame for said seat supported at its front extremity for free forward and rearward movement in a substantially horizontal plane on said main frame, a back rest and a frame for said rest pivotally hung at an intermediate point to said main frame and at its lower extremity having a sliding pivotal connection to said seat frame and whereby when a pivotal adjusting movement is imparted to the back rest the seat frame is moved forwardly or rearwardly without substantially affecting its horizontal position, and means pivotally suspending the rear extremity of said seat frame from said main frame, said latter means being pivoted at one end adjacent the pivot point of the back rest with the main frame and at its opposite end being pivotally connected to the rear end of the seat frame in rear of the sliding pivotal connection of the back rest with the seat frame.

3. In an adjustable reclining chair, a main stationary supporting frame, frictional bearing means located at the front base portion of the main frame, a seat and a frame for said seat supported for forward and rearward frictional gliding movement on said bearing means, a back rest and a frame therefor including substantial vertical side members which. at an intermediate point are pivotally suspended from said main frame and at their lower extremities are provided with longitudinally extending slots, pivot pins connected to the rear extremity of the seat frame and projecting laterally into said slots and whereby a slidable pivotal connection is provided between the back rest frame and seat frame, pivotal adjustment of the back rest frame serving to move the seat frame forward or rearwardly on its frictional bearing means without substantially altering its horizontal position, and hanger straps each of which is pivotally connected at its upper end to the main stationary frame adjacent the pivotal connection of the back rest frame with the main frame and at its lower end is pivotally connected to the rear of the seat frame in rear of said slot and pivot connection.

4. An adjustable reclining chair comprising a main stationary supporting frame including side members, a seat frame and glider or bearing means therefor, said bearing means being connected to the front base portion of the main frame and said seat frame being mounted for free forward and rearward gliding movement on said bearing means, an upholstered back rest and a frame therefor including side rails, hanger bolts pivotally connecting said side rails at an intermediate point to the side members of the main frame, the lower extremities of said back side rails being formed with longitudinally extending slots, pivot pins connected to the rear extremity of the seat frame and projecting laterally into said slots, and hanger straps which at their upper ends are pivotally connected to said hanger bolts and at their lower ends are pivotally connected to the rear end of the seat frame.

CHARLIE E. PLATTER. ORVAL R. PLATTER.

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