US2703599A - Resiliently supported adjustable chaise longue - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1955 w. w. VINCENT, JR 2,703,599

RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED ADJUSTABLE CHAISE LONGUE Filed April 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. 2 William W Vz'lzc'erzi,Jr:

March 8, 1955 w. w. VINCENT, JR

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED ADJUSTABLE CHAISE- LONGUE William W. Vincent, Jr., Kenosha, Wis., assignor to The T Vincent-McCall Company, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 10, 1950, Serial No. 155,087

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-45) ICC support the seat section at a convenient elevation above the floor or other supporting surface, I have found that the objects and advantages of the invention are attainable by a chair, comprising generally, as shown in the accompanying drawings, pivotally related seat and backrest sections A and B, suitable leg means C supporting the forward end of the seat section A from, for example, the floor, and a superstructure D supported from the floor and from which the. seat and back-rest sections are preferably suspended near the rear end of the seat section. The pivotally related seat and back rest sections are so suspended at the rear end of the seat section from the superstructure D that the rear end of the seat section is reciprocable or swingable about a forward horizontal axis as the back-rest section is moved between its substantially upright and horizontal positions during the use of positions are limited in number by adjusting and latching means employed in the back-rest supporting structure, as, for example, the stud and notch arrangement shown in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 2,477,155, granted July 26, 1949.

It is an object of my invention to provide a chair with an adjustable back-rest section that is readily movable by the occupant to all angles between two extreme positions. One of those extreme positions is a substantially horizontal position, and the other is a substantially upright position a few degrees from the vertical.

I have found that a structure providing for such a wide range of adjustment without the use of separate and conventional latching means or springs can be relatively simple. Hence, the improvements are advantageous from the standpoint of economy in manufacture.

Another advantage of the invention, as already suggested, is that after each adjustment of the back-rest section by an occupant to a selected or desired position, the back-rest section requires no latches to prevent further rearward movement under the imposed load and no sensible effort on the part of the occupant to resist movement in the other direction. In other words, the load imposed on the chair by an occupant is so distributed in every position to which the back-rest section is adjusted as just described that the back-rest section is stabilized in each such position so long as the chaise longue is occupied in its intended manner.

Hence, it is another object of the invention to provide a chair or chaise longue structure which is readily adjustable to the posture to be assumed by the occupant, in that the back-rest section moves forwardly or rearwardly to any angular position between the two mentioned extreme positions in response to the distribution of the load imposed by the occupant between the seat and back-rest sections of the chaise longue.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of two styles of chairs, each of the type known as a chaise longue, embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation ofa chaise longue like that shown in Fig. l and shows a pivotal connection between an arm-rest member and a seat rail;

Fig. 4, drawn to a different scale from that employed inthe preceding views, is a fragmentary elevational view, partially in cross-section, of the rear portion of a seat section, the lower portion of a back-rest section, and a portion of a hanger member of the novel chaise longue, and shows the relationship of those parts for the two extreme positions and an intermediate position of the back-rest section;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the structure shown 111 full lines in Fig. 4 viewed from the left thereof; and

Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are diagrammatic views of the novel chaise longue which are explanatory of its principle of operation.

Instead of securing the seat section at its opposite ends to or on forward and rear supporting means adapted to the chair by an occupant thereof. Illustrative of the invention, the drawings show such a chair of the chaise longue type.

As shown in the various views of the drawing illustrating the invention, the seat section A comprises a frame longer than the seatof an ordinary chair formed of an angle or other suitablyshaped structural element and including seat side rails 11, a forward end rail 12, and a rear end rail 13. The seat side rails 11 are preferably resilient and more or less flexible under the forces involved in the use of the novel chaise longue by an occupant thereof. A wire link and coil spring fabric shown more or less diagrammatically at 14, or other suitable pad supporting means, is assembled and secured in a well-known manner to the seat frame rails 11, 12 and 13.

The illustrated back-rest section B is similar in construction to the above described seat section and is formed of, for example, an angle shaped structural element into an inverted U-shaped frame including spaced parallel back-rest arms 15 and a transverse connecting arm 16 at the upper end of the back-rest frame. Each of the backrest arms 15 is pivotally connected as at 17 to a rear portion of one of the seat side rails 11 of the seat section. The back-rest section is provided with pad supporting means 18 similar in construction, assembly and mounting to the pad supporting means 14' of the seat section A.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and more particularly in Fig. 4, the forward flanges of the back-rest arms 15 are cut away or otherwise removed at their lower ends to provide shoulders or stop members 19. Those stop members 19 are engageable with the substantially horizontal flanges of the respective seat side rails 11 when the back-rest section is in the forward, upright, or substantially vertical position, shown in full lines in Fig. 4, to limit forward movement of the back-rest section. The seat side rails 11 extend rearwardly beyond the pivot connections 17 to pro vide portions 21. Those portions 21 are adapted to underlie the forward flanges of the respective back-rest arms 15 for engaging under those forward flanges. The portions 21 thus serve as back-rest stop means for arresting and limiting the tilting movement of the backrest section at and to a position at which the back-rest section is in substantially horizontal alignment with the seat section A.

The thus pivotally related seat and back-rest sections A and B are supported from the floor at the forward end of the seat section by the leg means C which in Fig. 2 is illustrated as a forward portion of the superstructure D or which, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises an angle or other each case identical to each other but formed for different styling effects. The tubular members preferably are resilient and more or less flexible under the forces applied thereto in the use of the novel chair by an occupant.

In Fig. 2 those tubular members 23 are secured at their wardly to provide an arm-rest portion 25 and a rear leg portion 26. The rear leg portion 26 of each tubular member extends downwardly and rearwardly beyond the rear portion of the seat section A and, if desired, those rear legs portions maybe secured on a transverse axle 27 provided with wheels 28 to facilitate moving the novel chaise longue.

A different styling effect is obtainable where the par allel tubular members 23 are formed as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. According to those two views of the drawing, the forward end of each tubular member is secured by suitable means to one of the seat side rails 11 between the pivotal connections 17 and the forward leg means C. The securing means is illustrated in Fig. l as including two spaced rivets 29 for each tubular member, fixing the forward end of the tubular member against movement relative to the seat side rail 11 to which it is secured. According to Fig. 3, the forward end of each tubular member 23 is pivotally secured by a pin or rivet 31 to the seat side rail 11. Each of the tubular mmebers of Figs. 1 and 3 curves upwardly and forwardly from its forward securing means, and thence, as in Fig. 2, rearwardly and downwardly to provide the arm-rest portion 25 and the rear leg portion 26. These rear leg portions, like the ones shown in Fig. 2, extend rearwardly beyond the rear portion of the seat section and are, if desired, secured on the transverse axle 27 provided with the wheels 28 to improve the mobility of the chaise longue.

Extending rearwardly from the lower portions of the back-rest arms 15 are plate extensions 32 which are secured by suitable means to the inner faces of the rear wardly extending flanges of the back-rest arms. As illustrated, each plate extension is secured in place by one of the pivotal connections 17 and a rivet 33. To suspend the pivotally related seat and back-rest sections A and B from the superstructure D a plurality of link or hanger arms or members 34 are provided. The upper end' of each of them is pivoted by a rivet or pin 35 to one of the tubular members 23 forwardly of the upright position of back-rest section B. The lower end of each hanger member 34 in the illustrated chaise longue is pivoted by a rivet or pin 36 to the plate extension 32 which is at the same side of the chaise longue.

For the purpose of avoiding obstructions at the points of attachment of the hanger members 34 to the tubular members 23, the latter preferably are provided with longitudinal slots 37 (Fig. 2) in their under walls to receive the upper ends of the hanger members. For purposes of illustration I have shown the pivot pins 36 as being located rearwardly and slightly above the level of the respective pivotal connections 17 at opposite sides of the novel chaise longue. As will appear hereinafter, such location is not essential but is presently preferred. The pivotal connections 17 thus pivotally secure the back-rest section B to the rear portion of the seat section A, and

the hanger members 34, secured as shown in Fig. 1 to the plate extensions 32 and the superstructure D, suspend the pivotally related seat and back-rest sections from the superstructure.

in operation, a user seated on the seat section A with his back against the back-rest section B in upright position tilts it rearwardly from that position to any desired angular position by pressing rearwardly with his back against the back-rest section until the back-rest section reaches the desired angular position. When that occurs, he relaxes in that position. His weight is then so distributed between the back-rest and seat sections that the back-rest section is stabilized in that position.

If that position of adjustment is intermediate the extremc positions of the back-rest section and the occupant desires to tilt the back-rest section farther rearwardly or nearer the substantially. horizontal position than that just mentioned, he simply repeats the foregoing operation. Should he move his body to or toward a more upright position from any such position rearwardly of the substantially upright position, the redistribution of a greater portion of his weight to the seat section will cause the back-rest section to be urged forwardly. The back-rest section is thus what may be termed posture responsive in that it tends to assume the position corresponding to the posture of the occupantand to move forwardly or rearwardly therefrom with little additional effort on his part other than that required to change his posture between that corresponding to a back-rest section position and a more or less upright posture. As already mentioned, the

back-rest section is stabilized in each posture responsive position unless and until the additional effort is made to change the position of the back-rest section.

The underlying principles of operation of the posture responsive chaise longue are diflicult clearly to illustrate and explain. I do not, therefore, wish to limit the invention by the attempted illustration of those principles in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive,and the following effort to explain them.

Gravity acting, downwardly on the seat section tends to retain the back-rest section in an upright position. The weight of a person sitting on the seat section tends to swing the back-rest section forwardly. Its forward movement under such condition is limited to and arrested at the upright position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. by the engagement of the stop members 19 on the seat side rails 11.

When an occupant of the illustrated chaise longue leans against the upright back-rest section and presses rearwardly with his back, the thus exerted rearward force tends to cause the back-rest section to fulcrum about the transverse axis defined by the pivot pins 36. The back-rest section 16 during the exertion of such a rearward force acts as a first-class lever, with the portion of the back-rest section above the pivot pins 36 serving as a long lever arm and with the portion of the back-rest section between the axes defined by the pivot pins 17 and 36 serving as a relatively short lever arm, and tends to elevate the rear portion of the seat section.

Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows the novel posture responsive chaise longue arranged, for example, on a floor 38 with its forward leg means C resting thereon as at 39 and with the connection or securing means between the tubular members 23 and the seat rails indicated at 41.

' ing rearwardly against the back-rest section B. In so loading and unloading the chaise longue, the parts thereof, except the leg portions 26 of the tubular members 23, axle 37, and the wheels 28, swing downwardly upon application of the load and upwardly upon removal thereof about the line 39. The axle 27 and the wheels 28 move rearwardly as the load is applied and fonvardly as it is removed, the wheels rolling along the floor 38 and the more or, less flexible tubular members 23 resiliently accommodating themselves to the loaded (rearward) and unloaded (forward) positions of the axle 27 and wheels 28.

Fig. 7 is a developmental view intended to aid in an understanding of the determination of the positions of the parts of the novel chaise longue, while occupied or loaded, as the back-rest section is swung between its forward or upright position and any position rearwardly thereof, such as its extreme or substantially horizontal position, and between either of those extreme positions and any iterrnediate position.

The full-line view of Fig. 7 is a reproduction of the broken-line view of Fig. 6; in other words, Fig. 7 shows in full lines the position of the parts when a person is sitting on the rear portion of the seat section but is not pressing rearwardly against the back-rest section.

Fig. 7 is based upon certain conditions and hypothetical assumptions. The conditions are that the back-rest section is swung, while the chaise longue is occupied in its intended manner, between its substantially upright position and any position rearwardly thereof, as, for example, its substantially horizontal position or a position intermediate its substantially upright and horizontal positions. The hypothetcal assumptions on which Fig. 7 is based are that, under the foregoing conditions l) the forward leg means C and the seat section are fixed and remain in their respective positions illustrated in that view of the drawing; (2') the floor 38 is yieldable about the line 39; and (3) the tubular members 23 are swingable abouilan axis forwardly of the pivot pins 36, e. g. the

While as shown in Fig. l the rivets 29 are not conventional pivots, it should be remembered that the seat rails 11 and the tubular members 23 are resilient and more or less flexible under the intended loads. Hence, deformation likea pivotal action about the transverse line 41 would be possible if the floor 38 were yieldable as assumed in the assumed hypothesis.

Under the above mentioned conditions and hypothetical assumptions, when the back-rest section of Fig. 7 is swung about the axis 17 between its full-line position B and either an intermediate position B or its substantially horizontal position B", its movement transmitted by the hanger members 23 to the tubular members 23 causes the tubular members 23, the axle 27, and the wheels 28 to swing about the axis or line 41. In so moving between the position B and B the back-rest section causes the tubular members 23, the axle 27, the wheels 28, and the hanger members 34 to move between their full-line positions and those shown in broken lines at 23', 27', 28 and 34', respectively. When so moving from either of the positions B and B to the position B", the back-rest section causes the tubular members, the axle, the wheels and the hanger members to move to the respective positions shown in broken lines at 23", 27", 28" and 34". In each such case, hypothetically, the pivotal connections 35 swing about the axis 41, the pivotal connections 36 with the back-rest section swing about the axis 17, and the floor 38 yields about the axis 39 between respectively corresponding positions which are designated for the first mentioned pivotal connections 35, 35 and 35", for the next mentioned pivotal connections 36, 36 and 36", and for the floor 38, 38' and 38".

The floor, of course, contrary to the foregoing hypothesis does not yield. It will therefore be understood that the reactive force exerted by the floor is equal and opposite to that tending to cause the hypothetical yielding of the floor and therefore acts upwardly as the back-rest section is moved rearwardly from and downwardly as it is moved forwardly toward its upright position.

Consequently, instead of moving downwardly and upwardly, the wheels 28 will roll forwardly and rearwardly along the floor 38 as the back-rest section B is moved rearwardly and forwardly, respectively. The amount of such forward and rearward movements of the wheels under the conditions assumed in connection with Fig. 7 can be determined by swinging the axle of the wheels upwardly about the line 39 from the positions shown at 27 and 27" (Fig. 7) into horizontal alignment with that shown at 27 to those shown at 27x (Fig. 8) and 27y (Fig. 9), respectively.

That reactive force causing under the conditions assumed for'Fig. 7, the forward and rearward movements of the axle 27 and the wheels 28 is transmitted to the more or less resilient tubular members 23. From those members 23, that force, at least in part, is transmitted to the hanger members 34 and, at the line 41, to the more or less resilient seat section A, and through the hanger members to the lower end of the back-rest section B.

Thus, instead of remaining stationary as the back-rest section moves rearwardly from, or, as the case may be, forwardly toward, the position shown at B in Figs. 7 and 8, the seat section swings about the axis 39 upwardly for rearward movement of the back-rest section and downwardly for forward movement thereof. Likewise instead of moving downwardly for rearward movement of the back-rest section and upwardly for forward movement thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the hanger members 34 move about the axis 39 upwardly as the back-rest section swings rearwardly from the position shown at B in Fig. 7 and downwardly as the back-rest section moves in the opposite direction toward that position. By reason of the pivotal connections 17 between the back-rest and seat sections and the pivotal connections 36 between the hanger members 34 and the back-rest section, the above described movements of the various parts result in positions Bx (Fig. 8) and By (Fig. 9) of the back-rest sections respectively corresponding to the hypothetical positions shown at B and B in Fig. 7.

Illustrative of the characteristic movements just described for the various parts as the back-rest section is swung to and from its position B of Fig. 7, I have reproduced in broken lines (Fig. 8) the position of the parts corresponding to the back-rest position shown at B in Fig. 7 and have shown the back-rest section in full lines at the position Bx. When the back-rest section is in that position, the seat section is at the position designated Ax, the hanger members are at the position designated 34x, and the tubular members are at the position designated 23x. Likewise, I have reproduced in broken lines (Fig. 9) the position of the parts corresponding to the position Bx of the back-rest section as shown in Fig. 8 and have '6 shown, in Fig. 9, the back-rest section in full lines at the position By. When the backrest section is in that position the seat section is at the position designated Ay, the hanger members are at the position designated 34y, 22d the tubular members are at the position designated The degree of such movements of the indicated parts as the back-rest section is adjusted in the manner indicated above, will depend upon a number of variables including the load or force and its distribution between the back-rest and seat sections, the relative lengths of the lever arms provided by the back-rest section at opposite sides of the pivotal axis 36, the positions of the pivotal connections 17 and 35 relative to each other and to the pivotal axis 36, the degree of resiliency of either or both the seat section A and the tubular members 23, the angle between the hanger members 34 and the plane including the axes of the pivotal connections 17 and 36, hereinafter called angle m, and the angle between that plane and the back-rest arms 15, hereinafter called angle n.

In the commercial chaise longue illustrated in the drawing, the ratio of the lengths of the long to the short lever arms at opposite sides of the transverse axis provided by the pivot pins 36 is between about 10 and 15 to 1, the back-rest arms 15 being about 24% inches long, the short lever arm thereof being about 2 inches long, the hanger members 34 being about 9% inches long, the angle m being about degrees and the angle 11 being about 70 degrees in the normal position of the parts when the chaise longue is unoccupied. It will thus be appreciated that the leverage provided by the back-rest section about the pivot pins 36 results in a great mechanical advantage, whereby a relatively small force or weight exerted rearwardly against the upper portion of the back-rest section will be sufiicient to balance or equalize a much larger force or weight acting downwardly on the rear portion of the seat section. If the rearward force against the backrest section is increased beyond that required to balance that on the seat section, the rear portion of the seat section is urged upwardly as the back-rest section is swung rearwardly. Conversely, if the downward force against the rear portion of the seat section is increased beyond that required to balance that on the-backrest section, the rear portion of the seat section is urged downwardly as the back-rest section is swung forwardly.

It will be observed that the rear portion of the seat section can reciprocate in vertical directions. Actually, the rear portion of the seat section moves arcuately about a relatively long radius. Its center of movement is the line of contact of the forward leg meanswith the floor or it may move arcuately in part about that line of contact with the floor and in part about the transverse line 41 at the securing means 29 (Fig. 1) and 31 (Fig. 3) depending at least in the case of the securing means 29 somewhat upon the degree of flexibility of the seat rails 11. Since, as described, the distance between the center of movement and the movable end of the seat section is relatively long, the movement of the rear end of the seat section, while slightly arcuate, may properly be considered as a reciprocating movement.

Since the rear end portion of the seat section is connected to the lower end of the back-rest section by the pivot pins 17 and the back-rest section is pivotally supported by the pivot pins 36, vertical movement of the rear portion of the seat section transmits pivotal movement to the back-rest section. Likewise, rearward movement of the back-rest section tends to be fulcrumed about the axis defined by the pivot pins 36 thus producing the tendency vertically to reciprocate the rear portion of the seat section, the hanger members 34 swinging slightly about the centers of suspension.

A backward tilting of the back-rest section is facilitated by the mechanical advantage resulting from the long and short lever arms of the back-rest section acting about the pivot pins 36. It will be seen that as the back-rest section is thus swung rearwardly from its upright position, that portion of the weight of an occupant supported by the back-rest section increases and such portion of the weight supported by the seat section correspondingly decreases. The portion or portions of the back-rest section between the pivot pins 17 and the pivot pins 36 constitute, as already mentioned, a lever arm through which characteristic movements of the seat section or the back-rest section tends to transmit movement to the other of those sections.

Hence movement of either of the seator back-rest sections constrains the other section to move and by reason of the illustrated construction, the weight of an occupant imposed upon the rear portion of the seat section tends to swing the back-rest section forwardly or to hold it in a forward position. Pressing back on the back-rest section, or shifting a portion of the weight to the back-rest section by pressing against it will tilt it rearwardly, the extent of tilting movement being determined by the force applied or the distribution of the force exerted by the occupant as between the back-rest and seat sections. Since no separate springs are required in the functioning of the back-rest section, as above described, it is not necessary for the occupant consciously to exert pressure against the back-rest section to retain it in the selected position of inclination since the back-rest section is, in effect, stabilized or arrested in each position of inclination at which the occupant relaxes by reason of the distribution of the weight of the occupant between the back-rest and seat sections at opposite sides of the pivot or fulcrum 36.

It will thus be seen that the seat section A with the forward supporting means C, the back-rest section B, and the superstructure D constitute a system of levers so arranged that the weight of an occupant acting downwardly on the seat section tends to move the back-rest section into a vertical position. As the occupant presses backwardly and relaxes at desired inclinations, more and more of his weight is transferred from the downward direction on the seat section to a rearward or downward direction against the back-rest section.

By proper placement of the pivotal connections 17, 35 and 36, and by proper choice of the angles m and n, and relative length of the lever arms provided by the backrest section at opposite sides of the pivot pins 36, the system of levers constituting the novel chaise longue can be made to maintain a state of equilibrium between the downward force on the seat section and the rearward or downward force against the back-rest section for all positions of the back-rest section between the upright and horizontal positions described, although theoretically, those variables would have to be chosen for one particular person of specified weight and body proportions.

The resilience and flexibility of the seat side rails 11 and the tubular members 23 result in operation in the disclosed deformation of such members. Such deformation produces a reaction which urges the back-rest section toward its upright position. It will be understood that either or both the resilient seat side rails 11 and tubular members 23 may be flexed or deformed during assembly of the novel chaise longue in such direction as to urge the back-rest section toward its upright position even when the chaise longue is unoccupied. Thus either or both the resilient rails 11 and tubular members 23 may be flexed or unfiexed upon assembly of the chaise longue. Where the connections between the tubular members 23 and the seat side rails 11 are pivots as shown at 31 in Fig. 3, less or no flexibility of the tubular members and seat section is required.

In the illustrated commercial chaise longue, the deformation of the flexible members is in such direction as to urge the baclerest section toward its upright position. I presently prefer to choose such locations of the pivots 17, 35 and 36 as to cause a slight deformation of the more or less flexible seat section and tubular members 23 when the back-rest is in its upright position.

it will be appreciated that the above-mentioned variables can be so chosen that the system of levers constituting the chaise longue will be maintained in a state of equilibrium for all positions of the back-rest section between its described upright and horizontal positions for a person of normal weight and body proportions. As already suggested, theoretically, any change in weight or body proportions of the occupant would result in disturbing the state of equilibrium, but in actual practice due probably, partly at least, to friction in the various pivotal connections, changes in weight and body proportions of the occupant are of little importance except in cases of the most extreme abnormalities.

While i have shownand described typical styles of chair or chaise longue constructions each embodying the essentials of the present invention, I do not wish to be restricted specifically to the illustrated styles since the invention is susceptible to adaptation and embodiment in tit) other forms within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A chaise longue comprising a substantially horizontal seat section provided with forward supporting means and being vertically reciprocal at the rear portion thereof, a rear support including side members extending forwardly and upwardly from rearwardly below the seat section to a level above the level of the rear portion of the seat section and thence downwardly intermediate the ends of said seat section and being attached to the sides thereof, depending links pivotally secured to said rear support at points above the rear portion of the seat section, a back-rest section pivotally attached on a transverse axis at the lower end thereof to the rear portion of the seat section and pivotally attached to the lower ends of the links on a second transverse axis near the iiirst said axis, the portion of the back-rest section between said axes constituting a lever arm which constrains the pivotally movable back-rest section and the reciprocally movable rear seat portion each to move characteristically in response to the movements of the other whereby the backrest section in being moved to positions of inclination by pressure exerted thereagainst by the back of an occupant is in opposition to the portion of the weight of the occupant supported by the rear portion of the seat section, and means for preventing pivotal movements of the backrest section beyond a substantially upright position and a substantially horizontal position.

2. A chair comprising a lever including a seat section and forward supporting means therefor and fulcrumed at the contact between said supporting means and the floor, combined arm-rest and rear supporting means having a rigid connection with said seat section forwardly of its rear end, a back-rest section pivotally connected at one end to the rear end of said seat section and swingable between substantially upright and horizontal positions, link means pivotally connected at one end to said combined arm-rest and rear supporting means intermediate the ends thereof and having a pivotal connection at its other end with said back-rest section near the end thereof adjacent the rear end of said lever, said back-rest section constituting another lever fulcrumed at said last named pivotal connection, whereby the forces resulting from the weight of an occupant seated on the seat section and re clining against the back-rest section are so distributed at opposite sides of said pivotal connection as to be in a state of equilibrium for every position of said back-rest section between its substantially upright and horizontal positions.

3. A chaise longue comprising a back-rest and seat assembly including a seat section and a back-rest section swingable about a horizontal axis between substantially vertical and horizontal positions and having a pivotal connection at its lower end with the rear portion of said seat section; forward supporting means for said assembly at the forward end of said seat section; a rear support assembly including a. support portion below and rearwardly ot' the rear end of said seat section and rearwardly thereof extending upwardly above the level of the rear end of said seat section and a connecting portion extending forwardly from the upper ,end of said support portion and, forwardly of said pivotal connection, extending downwardly and connected at its forward end to said seat section; a portion of one of said assemblies being resilient; and a link pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the resilient portion of the said one of said assemblies and the other of said assemblies and cooperating with said resilient portion to stabilize said back-rest section in any position between said substantially vertical and horizontal positions while an occupant seated on said seat section leans against said back-rest section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 871,022 Anthony 'Nov. 12, 1907 944,065 Wilmot Dec. 21, 1909 2,218,863 Wagner Oct. 22, 1940 2,477,155 Vincent July 26, 1949 2,485,387 Krakora 'Oct. 18, 1949 2,512,353 Magaldino June 20, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 169,607 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1921

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