US2472854A

US2472854A - Reclining article of furniture

Info

Publication number: US2472854A
Application number: US697502A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lorenz Anton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-09-17
Filing date: 1946-09-17
Publication date: 1949-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 1966-06-14

Description

June 14, 1949. A. LORENZ 2,472,854

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Sept. 17, 1946 I v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fi/vm/v laeixvz HIS ATTORNEY I June 14, 1949. LORENZ 2,472,854

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Sept. 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m s IIATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1949 Thisis centiniia'tionAin-Dart of patent-application 'seiial #624,862 relating-"to A reclining article a'of furnitiiie. filed October '26, 1945, and ofi'pat'nt apfilicatiofi Serial #642,652 relating to Av reclining articleof 'furniti1r'efiled January 22;:1946; i

This invention relates to an article of furniture and "inorepar-ticularly to .a reclining article of r furniture, wherein the seat anda downward ex tens'ion" 6f the" bali-rest form "movable links'of coinpbimdl linkage swingabl-y mounted we support," a.-,portion of the latter a polygonal forming? the stationaryilink of said linkage.

An objectioffthe'present invention is to pro vide a; reclining 'articl'e' off-furniture of above described? type; wherein the movable members of-' the -ar t'ic1e"of furnitiire are very-well balanced," sothatfan occupant-resting in the article of furnitu'ie 'maybring the' mov'ab1e members of the article {of furniture from one position into an othei; position with'oht great effort.

A, furtherobj'e'ct of thepres'ent invention is to provide a reclining. article of Ffurriitiire of 1 above described *type equipped with a leg-rest swing-" ablyimountedjon the seat and controlledwy a controlling-:mechanism,,:wherein the leg-rest may be :swung through a relatively large anglei during" a ,movementnpf the movableume'mbers of the" a ticle of. furnitureirom -their sitting position into their .extreme r'eclined position.

Anqthelf'objeciioi :.'the;prsent invention' is to improve ion-reclining .articleslof furniture of above described. type i as new; ordinarilymade.

With theabove, andmther, objects ofth'invention in ,\view, the invention consists ins the novel. consti'nction,v arrangement iandncombination of;vario is nevices elements and. parts -.asset iio rth in ithe, claims hereof,-;- centain. embodi-T ments oithe same being described in the speci-' 1 fication and b eing illustrat'ed in the accompany-1;

ing d avvingsforming part of this specification,

whreinz, v

F ig.v v1 is a side elevational view of a, reclining wheel chair in accordance with the invention, 11;

i fi-g. 3 is a iragmentaryl side ,elevational View of thetront portion of the wheel-chair shown in. Fig; 1, illustrating the holding device for the legreste g ig 3 is a of Fig.2;

sectional along l ine 3 3 Engages a sectional: view taken along 'line 25 5 of Fi .4;

were is a sidelevatipnalfview of another em bodimnt of a chair inaccordance with the invention'ya portion of a side-"frame being broken" away, l 7 7 Fig. is-alsectional view taken along line 1-1 of Fi-g'.:;6, and' 1 Fig. an asidel levatichalview of still another embodiment of a reclining chair. in-accordanc'e with'the'invntion, a'portion of a side'frame' being brokenzaway. Referring now to Fig. 1,153 :g enerally indicates a supfibrt comprising" two side frames of tlibular designllwhichfare interconnected by aplurality of transverse rods-fl firbvidi'ng a, rigid o'pe'n strnc- 7 ture. The support in is eqnipped with wheels [4' of 'anyconventional structure L I A back 'rest-lfi ispitoted at I8 to lugs "20 of thefsuppbrt .l:0.r,=.'Saidlbackerest It has a downward. extension 22 projecting downwardly Beyond the ilfiillota l connection: t8 betweentthe back-rest l6ttand theIlugS'LZU "of the support-I 0." According to Lthe-QembodimeritwhoWn in-Fig. 1, said down wardextensiomZ'Z is integrala'withthe back-rest Y l6;;.if desired,ishowevr,isaid extension-22 could be -ioi 21a. separatefpieceot material rigidly con- 3 necteda With the:back-rest I6 in any} suitable manner. 5; On? each 'silelofzthe wheelchair, the rear portion of 'a lower link 243's pivoted to said extensionnhof 'th 'bacli-rest 1.6. at'ZG below'the theistationarir '1;$ortionof the support I 0 between that-pivotal: c'onection 34 of the'connecting link '30 Lwithxtheffsnpport-and the pivotal cqnneizti tinI l8 .of theIback -rest is with said-support form the links of a four bar link mechanism. The'irear portionot a seat 36 is bivote'd to the ;;1ugs'"20. of'theuppbrt In at as ata point spaced-:from thew-pivotal connection l8 between thebaok-resFI-G and-.the li'igs 120. each "side of thecha'iii'the 111131381" end Iibrtion of a front link 40 is pivotedto theffi'o'nt poitionef the seat 36 at 1.42. Thilowr 'endfiaortion of saidfront link 49 isp'ivoted to the lowerilinki l 'at 28 in co-axial alignment. with l the pivotal connection 5 between said lower .linkaZkand'the connecting link 30.

The'athus' connected four-bar rlinli mechanism 22,-2 4,'a,39,:3.-+%.|'8 ;and the linl chain 35;; 4 0 form a polygonal compound linkagef'Th'e links of said polygonal compound linkage may be readily arranged in such a manner and in such proportions that the movable members of the chair are very well balanced, so that an occupant resting in the chair may bring the movable members of the chair from one position (for example, the sitting position shown in full lines) into another position (for example, the extreme reclined position shown in dash and dot lines) without great effort.

A leg-rest 44 swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat 36 at 46 has an upward extension 48. A controlling bar 50 integral With the connecting link 30 swingably mounted on the support I!) at 34 has a controlling surface 52 in the shape of a lug, which is in loose contact with said upward extension 48 of the leg-rest 44..

The upward extension 48 of the leg-rest 44 may be held against said controlling lug 52 by means of a spring (not shown) When the controlling lug -52 .of the controlling bar 56 is in engagement with said upward extension 48 of the leg-rest 44, the movements of the leg rest are controlled in dependence on the movements of the controlling link 30. '-Thus, if, for example, the occupant resting in the chair leans the weight of his body against the back-rest I6 so as'to swing same about its pivot I6 into the reclined position; I6',- the seat 36,; forming a link of above described polygonal compound linkageand the leg-rest 44 being controlling by the controlling bar fl integral with the connecting link 30 of above described polygonal compound linkage are brought into the

position

36 and 44 respec-.

tively. j I w I The movable members of the wheel-chair may be held in any desired position by means of alocking device generally indicated at 54. As best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, said locking device 54 comprises a locking rod 56 swingably mounted on the seat 36 at 58. Said locking..,r0d .56 is. slidably engaged with a clamping sleeve 60 having bores. 62 for engagement with, a bolt 64. Said bolt 64 has a square portion 66 inserted into a corresponding square apertureof a bracket 68 mounted on a side frame of the support ID. A washer I0 is placed on the bolt 64 between the surface of the bracket 68 andthe clamping sleeve 66. The head I2 of the bolt 64 rests against a surface of the bracket 68, and a locking knob "is screwed on the threaded end of the bolt 64. When the locking knob I4 is loosened, the locking rod 56 may freely slide in the clamping sleeve 66 soethat the movable members of the wheel-chair may be freely moved from one position into another one. When the locking knob I4 is tightened, the clamping sleeve 66 is tightly pressed against the locking rod 56, whereby the latter and the seat 36 and those movable members of the chair which are positively connected with the seat are held in their position.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the locking rod 56 has a series of bores I6. A pin I8 passing through a hole of a stop collar 80 adjustably arranged on the locking rod 56 may be selectively engaged with a bore of the series of bores I6, whereby said stop collar 80 is held in a predetermined position on the locking rod 56. When the seat 36 is lifted, the rod 56 slides in the clamping sleeve 66 until the stop collar 88 abuts against said clamping sleeve, whereby the extreme reclined position 36' of the seat and the extreme reclined position of the other movable members of the wheel-chair positively connected with the seat is limited. As will be readily understood, said extreme reclined position of the various movable members of the wheel chair may be varied and adjusted by a corresponding adjustment of the position of the stop collar 86 on the locking rod 56.

The sitting position of the movable members of the wheel-chair is limited by a stop 62 mounted on the support I0, against which the seat 36 comes to a rest when the latter is in its substantially horizontal sitting position.

As mentioned above, the controlling lug 52 (Fig. 1) is in loose contact with the upward extension 48 of the-leg-rest 44, so that the legrest 44 with its extension 48 may be disengaged from said -controlling lug 52, when the seat 36 is held in a certain position by means of the locking device 54. For example, the upward extension 43" of the leg-rest 44 may be grasped by hand, and the leg-rest may be swung into the position- 44a \vhile'the*seat"36 remains in the sitting position shown in full lines. A holding device "generally indicated by 84 and mounted on the seat' 36 may be used for holding the legrest 44in a certain position, for example, in said position 44a, relative to the seat 36. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3;said holding device 84 comprises a rod.86 slidably engaged with a clamping sleeve 88 having bores 96 for receiving a bolt 92 mounted on'a lug 93 attached to the seat 36. A square portion'94-of the bolt 92 having ahead 95 is engaged with a corresponding square aperture of the lug 93, so that the bolt 92 is prevented from rotation, when a locking knob 96 screwed on the threaded end of the bolt 92 is turned. Assume that the rod 86 is in the position shown infull lines in Fig. 2, and that the leg-rest has been swung by hand from the position shown in full lines into the position 44a. In order to hold said leg-rest in said position 44a, the locking knob 96 of the holding device 84 is loosened whereupon the rod 86 may be axially displaced in the clamping sleeve 88 until it abuts against said leg-rest in the position 44a as shown in dash and dot lines. Now, the, locking, knob 96 is tightened, whereby the clamping sleeve 68 is tightly pressed on the rod 86 so as to hold same and the leg-rest in the dashand dot line position. When after a loosening of the lockingpdevice 54, the movable membersofthe chair are brought into a reclined position, the leg-rest will remain in said position 46 relative to the seat 36, until the controlling lug 521 of the controlling bar 59 abuts against the extension 48 of the leg-rest 44. If, after such an abutment the movement of the movable members of the wheel-chair is continued, the position of the leg-rest 44 relative to the seat 36 is altered by the controlling lug 52 in dependence on the movement of the connecting link 36.

According to the embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. 6, the support III! comprises the side frames III and H3 connected with each other by a plurality of cross bars H2.

The back-rest II6 having a downward extension I22 is pivoted to the support at II8. On each side of the chair the rear portion of the lower link I24 is pivoted to the extension I22 of the back-rest at I26. The lower end portion of a connecting link I30 is pivoted to the lower link I24 atIZB. The upper end of said connecting link I30 is pivoted to the support H0 at I34. Again, the movable extension I22 of the backrest I I6, the movable lower link I24, the movable connecting link I30 and the stationary portion of' th support lo 'betwee'ni'the' pivots- 134 and PI 8 form-the links or a'four-bar link mechanism.

nhe-=1ower3-1in1 1 24= has an extension 5 I98 pro- =jeoting beyond its pivotal -connec-tion 125 with the connecting link- 130; According :to- Fig. 6,

'"the 1ower- =end portion of the front link I4!) is pivotedto said "extension l98- 'of the lower link '-l='24 at-IIJ0-at a point spacedfrom the pivotal connection 128' 'between' the lower link 1-24 and "the connecting- -linklfll. The" upper end of the e from? link 140 is pivoted at 142 tothe seat I36, "the-rear en'd'of which is-pivoted to the support HI 0 "atthe point l38'spacedfrom the pivotal connection' -l I 8 between the -back-rest I 6 and the '-o'n"the frontportionofthe seat-I36 at I46. One 'e'ndof a controllinglinkflfill is-pivoted'to said leg rest l id'at llll, 'the*other'-end' of said controlling link ISO is pivoted at H12 to a controlling arm' I03 swingabiy mounted on'the con- 4 'necting"-link l3llat128. Asbest'show'n in'F'igs. c and 7 the co'nnecting' link 130" is provided with a cam like lugf'l Mar'ranged for engagement with said swingable mronmge m "I03, so that the lattermay be held in alignment With said connectin'g link 130' during a swinging movement of "the latter about: the pivotl 34'. When the 'membe'rsbf thechair are in'the position'shown in 'full lines inFi'g. GQthe'back-rest, seat and leg- -r'est may-be brought into a reclined position, for

example; the extreme reclined position 'I I6, 136', -Mlf shown'in dasha'nddot lines,-by swinging the ;'b'ack'=res't about its pivot V H 8'. I

held-in any desiredposition by means of a lockand seat are held in a' predetermined positiong w.-

for example; the'sittingpo sition shown in full lines in'Efig. any meansor the locking device "I54; the legj-restl may be'swung by hand about its pivot 'Mll'into the position M ld, wherein the 'swingaible controlling arm; being in the position'--* 103 is infalignment' with" the controlling link "being 'infthepositiori [50d 'Now,when'a slight pressureis exerted on the leg-rest," for example, by the legs of the occupant resting in the chair,

the'controlling" arm 103 and the controlling link "l5il' are moved slightly beyond s'aid'straight line with thelug weenie controlling arm "13 abuts against the" controlling link," whereby said ele- -ments"are "locked and held in a' predetermined pds'mdnwentive toea'chother, so that'the legrest is held in "the position I l l'a relative to the se'atfl36'. v

Th f' sittin'g"position'of the movable members of the chair is"limite d by a stop we mounted onthe'supp'ort for cooperation with the exten- 'sionflzz or the back r e st -ll6';' the' extreme r'eclined position of"the' movable members of 'the chair is limited by a stop fllll arranged on the support H0 'for"- codperation "with the" back- According to'the embodiment of an adjustable reclining armchairshown": in Fig. 8; the support 2''! fli'comprisesfthe side frames 21 l and "213 t'connected -with 'e'a'ch' other-by" a plurality "of ..'cros's zbars 206'; tll'l 'saiid 21 '2.

J Thexback-resti 2| (ii-having azldownward :exten sion 1222 is pivoted to'thesupport filflvat 218. On ea'oh -side' of the chair, the rear portion of the "lower link 224- is pivoted-vto said extension 222 oi -the back rest H6 at 226. The front portion of' saidlowerlink 224 is pivoted at 228 to the lower end of aconnecting link 230, the upper end 'ofwhich'is pivoted tothe support 2H] at 234. Thus, the movable extension 222 of the back-rest i-ldthe movable lower link 224, the movable connecting link 2'30 and the stationary portion of the support 2 l D'between the pivots 234 and 2 l8 form the-links of a four-bar link mechanism. The-rearportion of the seat 23$ is pivotedto the support 2'') at 238' at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 218 between'the back-rest 2i 6 and' the s'upport 2H3? The front portion of 'the seat ZtEfis pivoted at 2 32 to the upper endof a fro-ntf link 2 353, the lowerend of whichis pivoted to an intermediate point'of the lower'link 224 at the point viillt'spaced from the pivotal connection' 228 between thelower link 22:? and-the connecting link 230;

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in full lines is limited by the cross bar 2% acting as a stop for cooperation with the extension 222 of the back-rest 256. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair shown in dash and dot lines is limited by the cross bar 2'0? acting as a stop for cooperation'with the back-rest 2H5.

Themov'able members of the chair may be held in any desired position by means. of a locking device" 254 substantially of the type described above in connection with Fig. 4.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts, as'w'ell as'the substitution of equivalent elements for those 'herein'shownand described, may be made without departing-from the spirit and scope of the "invention asset'forth in the appended claims. For example, one or more of the links of the linkage of the chair may be in the shape of a bent link instead of a-straight link as shown in the' drawings. 7

- Furthermore, one or more of the links of the linkage of the chair may be made of an adjustable link so as to vary the relative positions and movements of themembers of the'chair.

Furthermoreythe invention may be applied to other articlesof furniture thanthe type of chair shown in -the'drawings; for example, to oifice chairs, garden chairs, chairs for use in railroadrars; chairs'for use in airplanesloungets,

etc.

=What I claim is: I 1. A reclining article of furniture, comprismg: a support, a back-rest pivoted to saidsupport,:said back-rest having an extension'project end portion of said connecting link being pivoted .to s'a'id support 'at apoint spaced from the pivotal iconne ction between the back-rest and the support; saidextension of the back-rest, said lower 75 link; said coiiiictiuglink and the stationary: portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the lower link.

2. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a lower link the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the back-rest below said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, saidextension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from-the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the lower link, and locking means connected between two relatively movable members of the article for locking the movable members thereof in a predetermined position.

3. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a lower link, the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the backrest below said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said extension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the lower link at a point coaxial with the pivotal connection between the lower link and the connecting link.

4. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support. a lower link, the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the back-rest below said pivotal connection between the backrest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said extension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to a point of the lower link spaced from the pivotal connection between the lower link and the connecting link.

5. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a lower link, the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the back-rest below said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back rest and the support, said extension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the backrest with the support forming links of a fourbar link-mechanism, said lower link having an extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the connecting link, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to said extension of the lower link.

6. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a lower link, the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the back-rest below said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said extension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, and a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, and the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to an intermediate point of the lower link between the pivotal connections of the latter with the connecting link and the backrest.

'7. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, said back-rest having an extension projecting downwardly beyond the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a lower link, the rear portion of said lower link being pivoted to said extension of the back-rest below said pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a connecting link, one end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to the front portion of said lower link, the other end portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, said extension of the back-rest, said lower link, said connecting link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of 10 the connecting link with the support and of the back-rest with the support forming links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the support, a front link, one end portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the other end portion of said front link being pivoted to the lower link, a leg-rest swingably mounted on the front portion of said seat, and a controlling mechanism in operative relation with a member of the article and said leg-rest for controlling the movements of the latter.

ANTON LORENZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 799,128 Wilmot et a1 Sept. 12, 1905 1,166,198 Fischrupp Dec. 28, 1915 1,846,797 Decker Feb. 23 1932 2,433,521 Lorenz Dec. 30, 1947