US2888977A

US2888977A - Reclining chair extensible leg rest

Info

Publication number: US2888977A
Application number: US664765A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert V Thaden
Original assignee: THADEN MOLDING CORP
Current assignee: THADEN MOLDING Corp
Priority date: 1957-06-10
Filing date: 1957-06-10
Publication date: 1959-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-02

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l H. v. THADEN RECLINING CHAIR EXTENSIBLE LEG REST ,'ZZZZZTILZZZZLS June 2, 1959 Filed June l0. 1957 R mm 5 j a .163 BY "ld/1A@ June 2, 1959 H. v. THADEN RC'LINING CHAIR EXTENSIBLE LEG REST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l0, 1957 7c IN-VENTOR ma# zf Mw ATTOR NEYS United Stats arent RECLININ G `CHAIR EXTENSIBLE LEG REST Herbert V. Th-aden, High Point, N .C., assignor to Thaden Molding Corporation, High Point, NJC., a corporation of North `Carolina Application .lune 10, 1957, Serial No. 664,765

4 Claims. (Cl. 15S- 106) This invention relates generally to an extensible leg rest for a reclining chair, and more particularly to an extensible leg rest which is so connected to the reclining chair structure 4that upon movement of the back of the chair to the reclining position, the leg rest will automatically be moved to an upwardly inclined position.

Extensible leg rests per se are well known in the reclining chair art as illustrated by the U.S. patent to Muhl #426,601. In the modern design of reclining chairs it is desirable from a merchandising standpoint that the chairs have the appearance of standard non-reclining chairs supported by legs above the floor surface. Accordingly in order that the chair should have a compact, pleasing appearance it is desirable that the extensible leg rest be concealed within the reclining chair body. The problem thus arises of providing means for automatically adjusting the angle of inclination of the leg rest upon movement of the back of the chair `to the reclining position so that the leg rest, when extended, will be adapted to comfortably support the occupants legs at an upward inclination with respect to the occupants lower torso. In my U.S. Patent No. 2,824,601 titled Reclining Chair I have disclosed a novel chair in which an outer shell having back and arm portions is pivotally connected to thestatonary chair seat frame. The instant invention relates to an automatically angularly adjustable concealed leg rest for such a reclining chair.

Thus the primary object of my invention is to provide a leg rest for a reclining chair which is automatically adjusted to an upwardly inclined position upon movement of the back of the chair to its reclined position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a leg rest for a reclining chair which is concealed ush beneath the chair `seat frame when the chair is positionedin `its normal erect position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a concealed extensible leg rest in a reclining chair of the type having a shell with arm and back portions pivotally connected to a stationary chair seat frame, the arrangement being such that upon movement of lthe shell to its reclined position, the concealed extensible leg rest will automatically be moved to an upwardly inclined position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be* come more apparent from a study of the following specication when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a partly-sectioned elevational view of my invention as applied to the conventional embodiment of my reclining chair, the leg rest being in the retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section view taken along line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the leg rest portion of the chair;

Fig. 4 is a partly sectioned view of the chair of Fig.

1 1n the reclrnrng posltron with the foot 1n 1ts extended position; and

Patented .lune 2, 1959 'icc Fig. 5 is a partly sectioned view of my invention as applied to the oliice version of my reclining chair.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 3, the chair cushion 1 is secured to a rigid wooden or metal rectangular chair frame 2 which is lixedly supported above the lloor by the legs 3 rigidly connected thereto. Pivotally mounted to pivot rods 4 and 5 on downwardly projecting extensions 6 of the chair frame is the rigid outer chair shell 7 which has a generally U-shaped configuration in a cross-section taken along the horizontal plane (Fig. 2). This shell may be of a molded plastic and ber com position (as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 485,898, tiled February 3, 1955, now US. Patent No. 2,831,534, issued April 22, 1958), metal, plywood or any other suitable composition. The shell, having arm portions 7a and a back portion 7b, is preferably, but noty necessarily, of unitar;l integral construction. The shell may or may not be provided with fabric or plastic covered upholstery, as desired. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings the shell has a bottom portion 7c which extends completely below the chair seat frame and is provided with apertures through which the chair legs 3 extend, although it is to be understood urging the shell 7 to its normal erect position as shown in Fig. 1. A kidney pad 13 is secured to lsupport member 14 `pivotally connected to the rear portion of the chair seat frame 2 at pivot points 1S. The upper end of the support member 14 is slidably movable along and supported by the inner surface of the back portion 7b of the shell.

According to the instant invention, adjacent theunder surface of the chairframe 2 is located the telescopically extensible leg rest 16. The leg rest is pivotally `connected to the forward edge of the chair seat frame 2 by pivot rods I7 rigidly secured at one end to projections 18 downwardly extending from the seat frame and slidably movable at the outer ends within slots 17a in the walls of the outer leg rest section 16e (Fig. 4). 'The .rear portion of the leg rest is pivotally connected to the arm por-,

tions 8a of the 'shell by means of pivot rods 19. The sliding pivotal connection at the forward portion of the leg rest enables the leg rest to move slightly longitudinally as the shell is pivoted about pivots 4 and 5. A similar result could be accomplished, of course, by placing the slidable pivot connection at the rear pivot 19, by using suitable intermediate link means or by slidably supporting the under surface of the forward portion of the leg rest by a `stationary bar secured to the stationary seat frame 2. As shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the leg rest consists of three telescopically arranged rigid sections 16a, 16b and 16C. These sections are formed of a suitable rigid material, preferably light weight metal, and may be covered with a suitable fabric or plastic cusl1- ioning cover if desired. The arrangement is such that the sections 16a, 16h are slidably extendible from the outer section 16o whether the chair is in the erect position of Fig. 1 or the reclining position of Fig. 4. If desired, suitable ball bearing or roller means may be inserted intermediate the telescopic leg rest sections to facilitate extension of the sections.

Referring now to Fig. 4 it will be seen that when the shell 7 is pivoted rearwardly about pivot rods 4 and 5 with respect to the seat frame, the upper extremity of the assen?? back portion 7b of the shell is lowered and the kidney pad support 14 will pivot rearwardly so that the upper extremity thereof will remainin slidable engagement with the occupant supporting surface of the shell back portion 7b. The `shell :supporting rod 8 will slide downwardly through its housing to compress the `coil spring 12. During the downward pivotalmovement of the shell 7, the rear portion of leg rest 16 will also be pivoted downwardly `about forward pivot rods 17 in view yof .the pivotal connection of the rods 19 Iat the rear end of the leg rest of the .shell side portions 7a. Thus it will be seen that upon extension of the leg rest sections when the shell is in the reclining position, the section 16a may be extended to a point above the horizontal plane `of the chair seat frame 2 so that the legs of the reclining occupant will be comfortably supported at an upward inclination with respect to the occupants lower torso. If desired the leg rest 16 may be only partially extended so that only a portion of the occupants legs intermediate the ankles and the feet are supported. Thus it will be seen that upon rearward pivotal movement of the shell about the seat frame, the rear portion of the leg rest will automatically be pivoted downwardly so that the extensible leg rest sections will form an upwardly inclined acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

Referring now to the o'ice version of my chair as illustrated in Fig. 5, the chair seat frame 2 is rotatably secured to a standard chair swivel 21 supported by the pedestal 20. The feet of the pedestal may be provided with rollers to provide mobility of the chair, if desired. As illustrated in the figure, when the shell 7 is in its normal erect position, the contracted telescopic leg rest 16 is concealed within the shell below the chair seat frame 2. As the shell 7 is pivoted rearwardly about its pivot points 4, 5, pins 19 connected intermediate the shell side ,portions 7a and the rear portion of the leg rest move downwardly so that the leg rest will be pivoted about forward pins 17 connected to the seat frame. Thus upon reclining pivotal movement of the shell about the stationary chair seat frame, the leg rest will be automatically adjusted to have an upwardly inclined acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

Thus it is seen that according to my invention a concealed extensible leg rest is provided beneath the chair seat frame which will automatically be moved to an upwardly inclined position upon movement of the back of the chair to the reclining position.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiments. of my invention known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled n the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus described without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a reclining chair having a chair seat frame supported by legs from the floor surface and a normallyvertical chair back pivotally connected to said seat lframe and adapted to be moved to 'a lreclining position with respect thereto a normally horizontal leg rest positioned beneath said chair seat frame, first pivot means connecting said leg rest te the chair seat frame, and second pivot means connnecting Vthe rear portion of said leg rest to said chair back so that upon movement of said chair back to its reclining position, said leg rest will be automatically positioned in an upwardly inclined positon with respect to the chair seat frame with the forward portion of the leg rest at a higher elevation than the rear portion thereof.

2. A reclining chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said v leg rest consists of a plurality of telescopically extensible sections, and said first pivot means connects the forward end of the outermost one of said sections to the forward portion of the chair seat frame.

3. A reclining chair comprising a seat frame, leg means for supporting said seat frame a xed distance from a iloor supporting surface, a shell having back and 4arms portions, said shell being pivotally connected to said seat frame intermediate its forward and rear ends so that said shell may pivot rearwardly to an inclined position with respect to said seat frame, a normally horizontal extensible leg rest positioned beneath said seat frame, said leg rest consisting of a plurality of telescopieally arranged sections, rst pivot means connecting the forward portions of the outermost one of said sections to said seat frame, and second pivot means connecting the rear portion of said outermost section to the arm portions of said shell so that upon pivotal movement of said shell to its reclining position with respect to said seat frame, said leg rest is automatically pivoted to an upwardly inclined acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

4. A reclining chair as defined in claim 3 wherein said shell has a bottom portion which extends beneath said leg rest and said chair seat frame, said shell bottom portions having suitable apertures therein through which said leg means projects.

References Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,587 Ferriss Mar. 27, 1855 320,265 Maddox June 16, 1885 426,601 Y Muhl l- Apr. 29, 1890 2,281,085 Bell Apr. 28, 1942