US2884923A

US2884923A - Body relaxing lounge chair

Info

Publication number: US2884923A
Application number: US725276A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar T Buffalow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-03-31
Filing date: 1958-03-31
Publication date: 1959-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-05

Description

May 5, 1959 o. T. BUFFALOW `2,884,923

BODY RELAXING LOUNGE CHAIR Filed March 3l, 1958 ZvSheets-Sheet 1 ImmMmmm;

v v, l

lNvENToR OSCAR T, BUFFALOW ATTORN EY lUnited States Patent K BODY REIAXNG"LOUNGE"CHAR*y i vOscar' T. `Buialovv, Chattanooga, Tenn.` lamanon Marchal; 195s, serial No, '125;216 A 9 claims. (cl. 12sstyy i .This.invention.relatesy to. bodyy relaxing ,apparatus and more;v particularly to a.. lounge. chair having`r a relaxing attachment that reciprocates in an opening in the back of tliechaira4 t O neaohject of :this'invention is to provide alounge chair hayingta relaxing attachment reciprocated byv an endless slitting-orf.fabriebel-t'travelingl in` arcircuitoustpath. y p

Another object is to provide a relaxingfchair-havinga resilient .roller extending through an opening-inv the back of the chairinzcontact .with a exible covering .over the opening,:,the roller being reciprocated by a carriage moved f'alqnggatrackby an `endless chain or fabric belt.

Arfurtherrobject of `this invention is to provide a relaxigghairahavinga. resilientvroller extending through an ppcning in'` the ,back of the chair in contact with a exible `covering--.over` the opening, the: roller being .reciprocated by acatriagemoved along .a track by anendless chain ,Qnfbric belt actuated throughspeedreduction means :by .n.rnotor. y y

Still;another` object is to provide a body relaxing .chair having, a. resilient roller` extending, through anopening inthe-backof the chairin contact with aexible covering pvertheopening, vthe roller being so mountedy as to adjust itselhautomatically; tov the contour of the patients body.

',Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from..the.following, description,I taken` in conjunction withV the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l isa side elevation, partly-broken away, showing a lounge chair withv an adjustable bac-kl to which one embodiment of this invention is applied; Eig.ly2 iswan enlarged sectional elevation, on the-line oh Figgz4 illustratingclearly.the construction ofthe relaxingattachment shown in .place on a chair-in Fig. :1; "F-g13 isfaffurther enlarged sectional Aview of 1a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, showing details of construction of the roller, carriage and casters.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, of the roller, carriage, casters and rails;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, of the carriage with casters and rails of a modified construction; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a modiiication of the speed reduction drive means shown in Figs. 1 and 2, including a motor driving an endless chain through a worm and gear connection.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a lounge chair 1, preferably of the overstuifed type of construction, having a back 2, which is adjustable to many positions between the vertical position shown in full lines and the horizontal position shown in broken lines in Fig. l. An opening 3 is formed in the central portion of the back extending substantially from the top to the bottom of the back, or in a longitudinal direction. A exible covering 4 is firmly attached to the front surface of the back, thereby covering the opening 3. The exible covering may consist of one or more layers of fabric, plastic, leather, rubber, or any other suitable material having adequate characteristics of exibility, strength and comfort.

Arelaxing-,rollerS istsupported for. free rotationy by a carriage lfwhichfis mounted by means of fourN casters 7,.journaledthereonffor ytravel along, a track comprising apair` offrails 48lsuitably supportedon andattached to a 'framework seeuredtotlieback 211 p The carriage 6 comprises a truck 9 to which a bell crank member 10 is pivotallyvattaehed,.asat 11.- Themember ltllincludes two.likeparallelplates 212, asv shown in lFigs. 3. andt=4,betweenftheonelendsrof-which an axle 13 is i-xed,,asf by means; of bolts. 141l1aving..countersunk at heads, the bolts passing through-openingsV inthe plates 12h into` tapped holestin-fthc ends offgthe` axle 13.- The relaxing rollenSvmay compriseA a-wooden core 15, freely rotatable upon the axle 13, and an outer portion` 16of rubber' or.' other.y suitable resilient material.-

. To the other ends ofntihevplateslZl-areattached the'one endscoftwo tensiong springs.17, the otherI ends ofwhich are attached to `the truck 9. The construction is' such that,as theacarriagel'rolls Aoni its casters 7 along the rails 8,the tension springs17.cause thebell crank'member 10 to-rotate forwardly onftitsy pivot y11, Vthereby forcing the resilient roller Sto-,bulgerthe cover-ing4 outwardly 'somewhat,-,as.illustratedfinlFigs, 1.and`2. When aA patient is seated .i ini Ethe chainv 1. with his back resting.against the covering Aron :thecbacleZ-of vthe chair; the resilient roller Sfvwill be-forced gently, `but vfirmly, .against the coveringf4 byfthelsprings 17 andthe-roller will-automatically adapt ,itself to the contour of the patients rback asit isrolled upwardly/fand downwardlytin the opening 3. Asillustrated inPig.- 4, the vcasters 7 may bev-grooved in .constructionand the bearing surfaces of the rails 8 may bezV-shapedtoconfortn closely to the shape of the casters. 'I'hecasters-are thus held in-placeon the track andthe carriage is prevented from abutting against'the sides-of the frameworkynotshownl Also, 4the rails a8 have extensions 8A thereon forminghannels lwith: close tolerances-with respecttothe peripheriesnof thecasters ,7 which are opposite from. the 4rails f-S, thus preventing movement of `the castrsland therebyofzthe lcarriage away from the rails.

As illustrated in Fig. 5 al modification: of 'this construction may comprise casters 18 which are single-hanged and rails`=19 thefbearing surfacesityfvvhicnvv are rectangular in shape;theirailsguidingL the casters `and thereby the vcarriage toi prevent L sideitolside-movem'entof the carriage. The trails.A` 19ihave1 extensions'-19A1forming-channe1s for caster-@andthe carriage "away yfrom thefrailss A connecting rod 20 is pivotally attached at one end by means of a ball or oilite bearing 21 to the carriage 6. The other end of the connecting rod is attached by means off a ball bearing 22 to a link of an endless chain or fabric belt 23, mounted for movement in a circuitous path around a pair of

sprockets

24 and 25, suitably supported for free rotation in a framework attached to the back 2, at points spaced from each other and adjacent the ends of the opening 3.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the chain 23 may be moved, through a train of pulleys of different diameters and belts connected between them, by an electric motor 26. Thus, the motor 26 rotates a small drive V-pulley 27 around which passes a V-belt 28, also passing around a large V-pulley 29, which is journaled on the framework attached to the back 2. The axle 30 to which the V-pulley 29 is iixed is driven thereby and, in turn, drives a small V-pulley 31, a V-belt 32 and a large V-pulley 33, which is attached to an axle 34 and, through it, drives the sprocket 2S and thereby the chain 23. As the chain 23 travels along its circuitous path around the

sprockets

24 and 25, through the connecting rod 20, it draws the carriage 6 and thereby the freely rotating roller 5, the roller moving upwardly and downwardly in the opening 3, rolling against the exible covering 4.

In place of the train of pulleys illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a modification of the speed reduction means may comprise a worm and gear connection, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The motor 26 drives, through its drive shaft 35 and a coupling 36, a worm 37, in driving engagement with a gear wheel 38 which, in turn, drives a small sprocket 39, with which the chain 23 is meshed for driving engagement.

A possible modification of this invention is that the chain 23 may be replaced by a fabric V-belt or a fabric cog belt, to which the connecting rod is pivotally attached in a manner similar to the pivotal attachment 22 of the connecting rod to the chain.

Another modification is that there may be two or more of the rollers 5, rather than only one, mounted on the carriage 6.

By varying the length of the special relaxing mechanism made in accordance with this invention, it is adaptable to use in a suitable couch or table for use in the home or office.

By this invention, there is provided a means of relaxing the back of a patient which is comfortable, removes congestion, and also promotes better circulation in general, especially to the thirty two pairs of spinal nerves which help to regulate and control the circulation. So long as the motor is operating, the freely rotating resilient roller travels continuously up and down, relaxing the spine of the patient through the exible covering 4. Due to the action of the tension springs 17 acting on tlhe bell crank member 10, the resilient roller 5 automatically adapts itself to the contour of the patients back as it rolls upwardly and downwardly. Through one of the speed reduction means provided, the speed of rotation of the motor is reduced to a speed of travel of the resilient roller which is most comfortable and effective in treating the back of the patient.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art tlhat various changes may be made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A relaxing lounge dhair comprising a chair having a back, said back having an opening extending centrally thereof in a longitudinal direction, a flexible covering over said opening, a track comprising two rails attached to Said back and extending parallel to said opening, a carriage supported on casters rolling on said rails, a freely rotating 4 resilient roller supported by said carriage in contact with said flexible covering through said opening, a pair of sprockets rotatably supported by said back adjacent the ends of said opening, an endless chain mounted for movement around said sprockets, a connecting rod pivoted to and connecting said carriage with said chain, a motor for driving said chain and speed reduction means connected between said motor and one of said sprockets.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the bearing surfaces of the rails are V-shaped and the wheels are V-grooved.

3. The invention according to claim l in which the bearing surfaces of the rails are rectangular and the casters are single-flanged.

4. The invention according to claim l in which the speed reduction means comprises a train of pulleys of different diameters and belts connected between them.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which the speed reduction means comprises a worm and gear coni nection.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which the roller is resiliently urged against the exible covering.

7. The invention according to claim l in which there are a plurality of freely rotating resilient rollers supported by the carriage.

8. The invention according to claim 1 in which the endless chain is replaced by an endless fabric belt.

9. A relaxing lounge chair comprising a chair having a back adjustable between vertical and horizontal positions, said back having an opening extending centrally thereof substantially from top to bottom of said back, a flexible covering over said opening, a pair of rails attached to said back and extending parallel to said opening behind said covering, a carriage mounting casters rolling on said rails, a freely resilient roller supported by said car'- riage and spring-pressed into contact with said covering through said opening, a pair of sprockets rotatably supported by said back at spaced points adjacent the ends of said opening, an endless chain mounted for movement around said sprockets, a connecting rod pivoted toand connecting said carriage with said chain, a motor for driving said chain and speed reduction means connected between said motor and one of said sprockets.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,501,341 Hoard July 15, 1924 1,645,339 Monroe Oct. 11, 1927 l 1,817,077 Gustaveson Aug. 4, 1931 1.864.258 Roos June 2.1. 1932