US3114573A

US3114573A - Reclining chair fixture

Info

Publication number: US3114573A
Application number: US96983A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ned W Mizelle
Original assignee: General Steel Products Co Inc Co
Current assignee: General Steel Products Co Inc Co
Priority date: 1961-03-20
Filing date: 1961-03-20
Publication date: 1963-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-17
Also published as: DE1265367B; GB1033679A; BE698859A; FR1362701A

Description

Dec. 17, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE Filed March 20, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. NED W. MIZELLE A TTORNE YS BY W m,

Dec. 17, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1961 INVENTOR. NED W. MIZELLE MQE ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE "RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 20. 1961 U m m Di 9 9 LL H- m q %:l 9 2 I u. Ll-

INVENTOR NED W. MIZELLE BY WM,JM*M

ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1963 N. w. MIZELLE RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1961 NOE INVENTOR NED w MIZELLE ATTORNEYS M444 no A i United States Patent Office 3,114,573 Patented Dec. 17, 1963 3,114,573 RECLIIJIN G CHAER FIXTURE Neil W. Mizelle, High Point, N.C., assignor, by mesne ssignments, to {General Steel Products, Inca, High Point, Natl, a corporation of North Carolina Filed Mar. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 96,933 Claims. (Cl. 2977S) This invention relates to reclining chair fixtures, and more particularly to a three position, high leg type fixture, the term three position meaning that the fixture will support a chair seat and leg rest in any of three rest positions relative to a stationary base, while the term high leg means that in the normal rest position of the chair the leg rest is retracted upwardly beneath the seat so that a substantial clearance is achieved between the floor and the lower surfaces of the seat and leg rest.

The leg rest of a reclining chair, in order to be comfortable to the occupant, must be a substantial width, and to conceal the leg rest when the chair is in a normal position, practically all high leg fixtures are designed to swing the leg rest into a substantially horizontal downwardly facing position underneath the front portion of the chair seat when the chair is in its normal upright position. In order to shift the leg rest into a leg supporting position in front of the chair seat, it is necessary not only to project the leg rest forwardly from its retracted position, but also to swing the leg rest in an arc of 180 so that it faces upwardly when in the leg supporting position. In addition to being capable of the foregoing action, the fixture must be designed so that it is extremely compact when the leg rest is in its retracted position in order that the links of the fixture may be concealed from view.

The foregoing requirements of a high leg type fixture confiict somewhat with desirable features of a three position type fixture in that a three position fixture must shift the leg rest from its retracted position into leg supporting relationship with the chair seat in response to a relatively small amount of reclining movement of the chair seat relative to the stationary base. In a high leg fixture, this requires that the leg rest be projected into forwardly spaced relationship from the front of the chair seat and also swung through an arc of substantially 180 during movement of the chair seat between a normal upright position and an intermediate reclined position. Thereafter, movement of the leg rest relative to the seat is desirably minirnized as the chair seat is moved from the intermediate reclined position to the fully reclined position.

Because of the basic requirement in a three position fixture of a maximum amount of relative movement between the seat and leg rest during movement of the seat from the normal to the intermediate reclined position and for a minimum amount of movement of the leg rest relative to the seat during movement of the seat between the intermediate and fully reclined positions, nearly all three position fixtures employ linkages designed to operate in two separate and distinct phases of movement. Usually this is accomplished by the employment of sliding pivotal connections or limit stops on various links within the linkage to limit or prevent relative movement between various links during the different phases of movement. Fixtures employing sliding pivots or limit stops have been considered objectionable, primarily because of the unpleasant noise occasioned by the sliding pivots and further because of the non-adjustable intermediate position of the chair established by the locations of the various limit stops within the linkage. One of the primary factors in the wide success of the three position chair has been its intermediate reclined position which permits the occupant of the chair to rest comfortably with his legs supported by the leg rest while still being supported in a substantially upright position to converse with people who may be seated in other chairs or to watch television. In chairs where a fixed relationship is established between the seat and leg rest in the intermediate reclined position by the use of fixed stops or sliding pivots, a compromise must be made since a seat-leg rest relationship which is comfortable for a relatively short person may not be comfortable for a relatively tall person.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a three position high leg reclining chair fixture in which the intermediate reclined position of the chair is established by a self-balancng action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a three position high leg reclining chair fixture in which the leg rest is shifted from a retracted position into leg supporting relationship with the chair seat in response to a slight reclining movement of the chair seat.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reclining chair fixture which is extremely compact and easily concealed when the chair is in the normal position.

The foregoing, and other objects, are achieved in a reclining chair fixture which includes a control link pivoted intermediate its ends upon a fixed base link. A seat link is supported for compound pivotal movement relative to the base link and the rearward end of the seat link is coupled by a connecting link to one end of the control link. The opposite end of the control link is coupled by either of two variant forms of linkage to both the front portion of the seat and to the leg rest. Both forms of linkage are so arranged that as the leg rest is swung into leg supporting relationship with the seat, the reaction of the weight of the occupants legs upon the leg rest is applied to the control link in opposition to the forces applied to the rearward portion of the seat by the occupant. By this arrangement, a self balanced intermediate position of the chair is achieved. The self balancing action is attained by employing a relatively short lever arm on the control link between its fixed pivot and the connecting link which couples the control link to the rear portion of the seat and providing a relatively long lever arm on the control link between the fixed pivot and that end of the control link coupled to the forward portion of the seat and the foot rest. This disparity in the length of the respective lever arms not only enables the relatively small portion of the weight of the occupant exerted against the leg rest to counterbalance the larger portion of weight exerted by the occupant on the seat, but also greatly magnifies the amount of movement of the leg rest occasioned by a given amount of movement of the chair seat relative to the base.

In some cases, the leg rest is constructed in two parts, one part being located in a substantially horizontal downwardly facing position beneath the front portion of the chair seat when retracted with the other part disposed in a vertical position defining a downward continuation of the chair seat to conceal the front edge portion of the first part.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification and to the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of fixture embodying the invention showing the fixture in its contracted position with adjacent portions of the chair indicated in broken line;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the fixture of FIG. 1 in its contracted position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the fixture of FIG. 1 showing the fixture in an intermediate reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fixture in FIG. 1 showing the fixture in its fully reclined position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative form of fixture embodying the invention showing in full line the fixture in its intermediate reclined position and showing in broken line the position of the fixture in its fully reclined position;

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are side elevational views showing the relationship between the stationary base, seat unit and foot rest of a chair employing either of the foregoing fixtures respectively in the normal, intermediate reclined and fully reclined position;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, generally similar to FIG. 1, showing the front portion of the fixture of FIG. 1 provided with a two-part leg rest;

FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view of the leg rest structure of FIG. 7, showing the structure in the intermediate reclined position; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 8, but showing the leg rest structure of FIG. 7 in the fully reclined position.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 4, the preferred form of fixture includes a rigid base link it which is adapted to be fixedly attached to a side frame member such as 12 (FIG. 1) of the stationary base B of a reclining chair by any suitable means such as mounting bolts (not shown). Base link may be cut away at suitable locations such as 14 to accommodate transversely extending cross frame members such as 16 (FIG. 1). At its rearward end, a fixed pivot 18 is mounted on base link 10 to pivotally support a rear support link 2t) for movement upon base link. The upper end of rear support link 20 is connected by a pivot 22 to the rearward end of a seat link 24 which is adapted to be fixedly secured as by mounting bolts (not shown) to a side frame member 26 of the seat unit S of the reclining chair.

At the forward end of base link it a front fixed pivot 28 supports a front support link 30 for pivotal movement on the base link. At the end of front support link 3 remote from pivot 28, a pivot 32 pivotally connects the remote end of link 30 to one end of a second front support link 34 pivotally connected at its opposite end to a front seat pivot 36 on the forward end of seat link 24.

A third fixed pivot 38 located on base link it) between front fixed pivot 28 and rear fixed pivot 13 supports a control link 40 for pivotal movement upon base link 19. Control link 49 is mounted at an intermediate location upon pivot 38 and is connected at one end by a pivot 42 to one end of a rear connecting link 44. The opposite end of rear connecting link 44 is connected, to pivot 22, for pivotal movement relative to both rear support link 20 and seat link 24.

The opposite end of control link 40 is connected by a pivot 46 to one end of a leg rest control link 48. A leg rest link 5t adapted to be fixedly attached to the leg rest L of the reclining chair, is mounted upon the opposite end of leg rest control link 48 by a pivot 52. A second leg rest control link 54 is connected at one end to a second pivot 56 on leg rest link 54 and is connected at its opposite end by a pivot 58 to a projection 60 on front support link 30 at a location intermediate the ends of support link 30. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1

through 4, leg rest control link is likewise connectet to an intermediate location on front support link 33 by a pivot 62 to function as a front connecting link connecting one end of control link 40 to the linkage supporting the front end of seat link 24.

Two positive stops are employed to determine the contracted or normal position of the linkage as shown in FIG. 1 and the fully reclined position of FIG. 4. The contracted or normal position of the linkage is established by the engagement between an offset portion 64 on seat link 24 with a projection 66 which defines the extreme forward end of base link 10. A stop pin 68 is fixedly mounted on base link It) to project into the path of the lower end of control 40 to engage the control link when the fixture arrives at the fully reclined position of FIG. 4.

As best appreciated from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 6A, the linkage described above supports leg rest L for swinging movement through an arc of substantially upon movement of the chair seat S from the normal or upright position of FIG. 6A to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6C which corresponds to the position of the fixture shown in FIG. 4. The fixture is so designed that it is positively maintained in the positions of FIG. 6A and FIG. 6C by the normal forces applied to the fixture by the occupant of the chair. The intermediate reclined position of FIG. 6B (corresponding to the position of the fixture in FIG. 3) is what is best described as a self balanced position in that it is established by balancing the weight exerted by the chair occupant on the seat unit against the weight of the occupant applied to leg rest L. Thus, the relationship between leg rest L and seat unit S in the intermediate reclined position may vary somewhat for different occupants of the chair, depending upon the relative percentages of the occupants weight which is applied respectively against the leg rest and seat. This self-balancing action is achieved in the fixture by applying the forces respectively exerted upon the chair seat and upon the leg rest to opposite ends of control link 40 in opposition to each other. Referring particularly to FIG. 3, it is believed apparent that a force exerted on leg rest link 50 in a generally downward direction is transmitted by leg rest control link 48 to the lower end of control link 40 in a direction tending to rotate control link 4-0 in a counterclockwise direction about fixed pivot 38. At the same time, a downward force on seat link 24 tends to rotate rear support link 20 in a clockwise direction about pivot 18 thus urging connecting link 44 rearwardly which, through pivot 42, tends to rotate control link 40 in a clockwise direction about pivot 38.

The action of the fixture is best appreciated by following relative movement of the various parts of the fixture as the chair is successively shifted from the normal position of FIG. 6A to the semi or intermediate reclined position of FIG. 6B and finally to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6C.

When the chair is in the position of FIG. 6A, the fixture is as shown in FIG. 1 with leg rest L in a downwardly facing position drawn upwardly beneath the chair seat at the front of the chair. In this position, rear support link 20 is inclined upwardly and forwardly from rear fixed pivot 18, and front support links 3?: and 34 extend rearwardly and downwardly from their

respective pivots

36 and 28, while control link 40 extends in a generally parallel relationship to

links

30 and 34.

To initiate movement of the chair from the normal position shown in FIG. 6A, the occupant places his hands on the chair arms and pushes himself rearwardly against the back of seat unit S. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, this force exerted by the occupant tends to shift seat link 24 rearwardly in a generally horizontal direction from the position shown in FIG. 1, thereby swinging rear support link 20 in a clockwise direction about pivot 18. Because of the slight forward inclination of rear support link 20 in the normal or contracted position of the fixture, this movement is first opposed to some extent by the fixture since it is necessary for the rearward end of seat link 24 to be elevated until rear support unit 20 swings rearwardly past a truly vertical position.

Rearward movement of the seat link is transmitted through pivot 22 and connecting link 44 to pivot 42 and thus swings control link 40 from the position shown in FIG. 1 in a clockwise direction about pivot 38. In view of the relatively short length of lever arm 38-42 as compared to lever arm 38-46, the initial swinging movement of control link 40 from the FIG. 1 position drives pivot 45 through a substantial downwardly and forwardly extending are about pivot 38, this substantial movement being transmitted directly by leg rest control link 43 to the leg rest to rapidly translate the leg rest forwardly from the FIG. 1 position. The substantial rearward inclination of

support links

34 and 30 in the normal position of FIG. 1 cause leg rest L to initially swing downwardly away from the forward edge of seat S. During the downward and forward swinging movement of leg rest L, the leg rest is further pivoted in a clockwise direction about pivot 56 to swing leg rest L from the downwardly facing position of FIG. 1 into an upwardly facing position as the chair linkage approaches the intermediate reclined position of FIG. 3. As the fixture approaches the position of FIG. 3, the weight of the occupants legs begins to be applied to leg rest link 59 to resist upward movement of the leg rest and eventually a balanced position of the fixture is achieved in which the reaction of the occupants legs against the leg rest are counterbalanced about pivot 33 against the reaction of the occupants weight on seat link 24.

From a comparison of the position of front seat pivot 36 relative to the front fixed pivot 28 on base link 11) in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 3, it is apparent that during movement of the fixture between the normal position of FIG. 1 and the semi-reclined position of FIG. 3, pivot 36 travels in an are extending upwardly and rearwardly above pivot 28 which, in View of the relatively minute degree of pivotal movement of support link 34 relative to support link 30 about pivot 32 approximates an are centered at pivot 38. However, a comparison between the position of pivot 36 relative to pivot 28 in the FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 positions indicates that between these two latter positions pivot 35 partakes of a substantial amount of vertical movement with a relatively small amount of horizontal movement I and thus there is a point during the movement of the chair at which the path of pivot 36 curves sharply upwardly. Since upward movement of pivot 36 is resisted by the weight of the occupant of the chair the sharp upward curve of the path of pivot 3% provides an extreme limit to the degree of reclining of the chair when in its intermediate reclined position and the self balancing action described above occurs as the fixture approaches the point at which the path of pivot 35 curves upwardly.

Thus, in order to shift the chair from the intermediate reclined position of FIG. 613 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6C, it is necessary for the occupant of the chair to again push rearwardly against the chair arms to exert a rearward and downwardly reclining force against the back of seat unit S. This force must be exerted by the occupant to lift pivot 36 upwardly until the rearward inclination of the seat unit shifts the center of gravity of the occupants weight rearwardly to a point where a substantial rearward force is exerted against the back of the seat tending to swing the seat unit in clockwise pivotal movement about pivot 22. Because of the rearwardly displaced location of the occupants center of gravity when the chair is in the fully reclined position, the reaction of the occupants weight upon the seat unit is applied primarily at pivot 22 in a direction urging rear support link 29 in rearward and downward pivotal movement about rear fixed pivot 18 on base link 111. This reaction is also applied through ling 44 to control link 40. However,

when the chair is in its fully reclined position, a substantially straight line relationship exists between

pivots

22, 42 and 33, thus providing a minimum rotative force to control link 49. A slight net clockwise force is exerted upon link 40 by the rearward pull exerted upon front support link 34 by the tendency of the chair seat pivot in a clockwise direction about pivot 22. This force is transmitted from link 40 to link 31) in a direction urging link 38 in clockwise pivotal movement about its fixed pivot 28, however the coupling between link 30, pivot 62, pivot 46 and link 49 exerts a positive stop against such movement by the engagement between control link 40 and fixed stop 68 on base link 16.

In FIG. 5, a modified form of fixture is shown as in cluding a base link 11%) having a rear fixed pivot 112, a front fixed pivot 114 and an intermediate fixed pivot 116. A rear support link 118 is mounted at its lower end upon rear fixed pivot 112 and is coupled at its upper end by a pivot 12!!) to the rearward end of seat link 122 and to the rearward end of a rear connecting link 12 4 in the same fashion that the rear support link 26 of the FIG. 1 embodiment is coupled to the corresponding seat link and connecting link. As in the previously described embodiment a double armed control link 1126 is mounted on pivot 116 and is pivotally connected at one end by a pivot 128 to the end of rear connecting link 124, the opposite end of control link 126 being connected by a pivot 13b to one end of a foot rest control link 132, link 132 also functioning as a front connecting link to couple one end of control link 126 to the linkage which supports the front end of seat link 122. A front support link 134 is mounted at its upper end on front fixed pivot 114 and is coupled at its opposite end by a pivot 13s to another front support link 133 mounted on a front portion of seat link 122 by a front seat pivot 14%.

In the FIG. 5 embodiment, front support link 138 is of L-shaped configuration and at the juncture of the two arms of the L, a second foot rest control link 142 is pivotally connected to front support link 138 by a pivot 144. As in the previous case, a foot rest link 146 is con- 'nected to the outer ends of both foot

rest control links

132 and 142 by respective spaced pivots 14S and 151;.

In the PEG. 5 embodiment, the contracted position of the linkage, corresponding to the position of the FIG. 1 em bodiment in PEG. 1, is now shown, but is determined as in the FIG. 1 embodiment by the engagement between seat link 122 and base link 1113. The fully reclined position of the fixture is established by the engagement between a projection of pivot 114 and a portion of the upper edge of control link 1126 which may be recessed as at 152.

Operation of the fixture is substantially the same as the operation of the FIG. 1 through 4 embodiment, the selfbalancing action of the fixture at the intermediate position again being determined by balancing the forces exerted by the occupant on the seat and foot rest against opposite ends of control link 1126.

As best seen in FIG. 1, when the fixture of FIG. 1 (or FIG. 5) is in the fully retracted position, the leg rest is drawn upwardly beneath the front of seat S. Since, in this position, the leg rest is in a substantially horizontal, downwardly facing position, leg rest link 59, and also the end portions of

links

48 and 54 are disposed above the upholstered portion of the leg rest. This disposition of the various links of necessity requires that some space to accommodate the links must be provided below the seat frame, and to conceal these links from View from the front of the chair when the chair is in its retracted position, a downwardly extending flap F is provided as a continuation of the upholstery of the chair seat.

To provide a somewhat improved appearance of the chair when in its normal position, the leg rest structure may be modified as in FIGS. 7 through 9 so that the leg rest, when in its retracted position, presents a smooth upholstered appearance from the front of the cha r. This is accomplished by dividing the upholstered portions of the leg rest into a main leg rest ML and an auxiliary leg rest AL. The structure of the chair seat S is somewhat modified from the FIG. 1 construction in that the seat S of the PEG. 7 through 9 embodiment is extended a greater distance forwardly from the front end of seat link 24 as by the employment of a Wider front frame member 202 on the seat frame.

With the exception of structure to be described in detail below, the fixture shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 is identical to the fixture shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 4 and hence the corresponding links in the FIGS. 7 through 9 embodiments are identified by the reference numerals employed in the description of FIGS. 1 through 4.

in the FIGS. 7 through 9 construction, the main leg rest ML is not coextensive with the length of leg rest link 50 as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, but is fixedly secured upon the leg rest link to proiect from that end of link 50 remote from the chair seat when the leg rest is in leg supporting relationship with the seat.

Auxiliary leg rest AL is mounted upon an auxiliary lcg rest support member 264 which is pivotally supported upon leg rest link 50 by pivot 56 which connects link 54 of the fixture to leg rest -3. Support member 26 4- is located upon pivot 56 between link 54 and leg rest link and is formed with a pair of laterally proiecting ears or stop lugs 2%, 2.68 which project from member 204 into the path of pivotal movement of link 54 relative to memher 2%.

Auxiliary leg rest support member 294 is frictionally gripped between link 54 and leg rest link 50 to a degree sufficient to prevent relative pivotal movement of member 29- 3 about pivot 58 in the absence of the application of some external force to member 204-.

When the fixture is in the normal position of FIG. 7, member 234 is maintained in the position shown in FIG. 7 by the engagement of stop lug 208 with one side of link 54 and by the engagement between a flattened side surface 210 on member 2% and a laterally projecting flange 212 on link 5%. Auxiliary leg rest AL is so constructed that its front surface is aligned with, and forms a downward continuation of, the front surface of seat S.

Upon movement of the chair from its normal position to its semi-reclined position, link 54 is swung about pivot 56 in the manner described above and during pivotal movement of link 54 about pivot 56, link 54 engages the opposite stop lug 206 to rotate member 204 about pivot 54 to shift member 294 into the position shown in FIG. 8 when the fixture is in the intermediate position. In this position, a shoulder 7.14 on member 204 is engaged with the rearward edge of flange 212 on leg rest link 5t Movement of the fixture from the semi-reclined position to the fully reclined position shifts link 54 about pivot 56 to the position shown in FIG. 9. During this movement of the fixture, the auxiliary leg rest AL is maintained in the illustrated position by the weight of the legs of the occupant of the chair on the upper side of auxiliary leg rest AL. This maintains member 264 against movement about pivot relative to leg rest link 59 and 'maintains shoulder 214 in engagement with the rearward edge of flange 212.

Upon return of the fixture to its normal position, auxiliary leg rest is rotated during the final portion of movement of the fixture into its normal position by the engagement between link 54 and stop lug 2% so that the auxiliary leg rest is relocated in the FEG. 7 position upon return of the fixture to its normal position.

While I have described various embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

I claim:

A reclining ir fix re comprising a base link having a front fixed pivot at its forward end and a rear fixed pivot at its rearward end, a seat link having a front seat pivot at its forward end and a rear seat pivot at its rearward end, front support link means pivotally connected to both of said front pivots, rear support link means pivotally connected to both of said rear pivots, said front and rear support link means cooperatively sup porting said seat link for movement relative to said base link between a normal rest position and a rearwardly inclined fully reclined position, a control link pivoted intermediate its ends upon a fixed pivot on said base link located between said front and said rear fixed pivots, connecting link means for controlling and constraining movement of said seat link relative to said base link upon said front and said rear support link means to establish a balanced rest position of said seat link intermediate said normal position and said fully reclined position by applying equal and opposed moments to opposite ends of said control link, said connecting link means including a front connecting link pivotally connected at one end to one end of said control link and a rear connecting link pivotally connected at one end end to the other end of said control link, said rear connecting link being pivoted at its other end on said rear seat pivot, said front connecting link being pivoted at an intermediate location upon said front support link means, a leg rest link pivotally mounted upon the other end of said front connecting link, and a leg rest control link pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said leg rest link and to said front support link means in spaced relationship to said front connecting link.

2. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 1 wherein said leg rest control link is piovtally connected to said front support link means at a location on said second support link intermediate the ends thereof.

3. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 1 wherein said front connecting link is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said control link and to said leg rest link and pivotally connected at a location intermediate its ends to said second support link.

4. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 2 wherein said leg rest control link is pivotally connected to an intermediate location on one of said first and said second support links.

5. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 4 wherein both said leg rest control link and said front connecting link are pivotally connected to one of said first and said second support links.

6. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 5 wherein both of said leg rest control link and said front connecting link are connected to said second link of said front support link means at spaced locations intermediate the end of said second link.

7. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 5 wherein said front connecting link is connected to said front support link means by said support pivot, said leg rest control link being pivotally connected to said first support link at a location intermediate its ends.

8. A reclining chair fixture comprising a base link having a front fixed pivot at its forward end and a rear fixed pivot at its rearward end, a seat link having a front seat pivot at its forward end and a rear seat pivot at its rearward end, rear support link means pivotally connected to both of said rear pivots, a first front support link mounted at one end on said front fixed pivot, 21 second front support link mounted at one end on said front seat pivot and pivotally connected at its other end to the other end of said first front support link, a control link pivoted intermediate its ends on a third fixed pivot on said base link located between said front and said rear fixed pivots, a leg rest link, a pair of leg rest control links both pivoted at one end to said leg rest link at spaced locations thereon, one of said leg rest control links being pivoted at an intermediate location to said first front support link and being pivoted at its other end to one end of said control link, a pivot on the other end of the other leg rest control link pivotally connecting said other leg rest control link to one of said front support links at an intermediate location thereon, and a connecting link pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said control link and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said rear support link means for controlling and constraining movement of said seat link and said leg rest link relative to said base link.

9. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 8 wherein both of said leg rest control links are pivoted to said first front support link at spaced locations intermediate the ends thereof.

10. A reclining chair linkage as defined in claim 8 wherein the respective other ends of said first and said 15 2,984,292

second front support links and said one of said leg rest control links are interconnected by a common pivot, said other of said leg rest control links being pivotally connected to said second front support link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,884,990 Bank et al. May 5, 1959 2,879,833 Fletcher Mar. 31, 1959 2,892,485 Schliephacke June 30, 1959 2,940,510 Schliephacke June 14, 1960 2,943,670 Hoffman July 5, 1960 2,965,158 Fletcher Dec. 20, 1960 2,979,116 Schliephacke Apr. 11, 1961 Schliephacke May 16, 1961

Claims

1. A RECLINING CHAIR FIXTURE COMPRISING A BASE LINK HAVING A FRONT FIXED PIVOT AT ITS FORWARD END AND A REAR FIXED PIVOT AT ITS REARWARD END, A SEAT LINK HAVING A FRONT SEAT PIVOT AT ITS FORWARD END AND A REAR SEAT PIVOT AT ITS REARWARD END, FRONT SUPPORT LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO BOTH OF SAID FRONT PIVOTS, REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO BOTH OF SAID REAR PIVOTS, SAID FRONT AND REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS COOPERATIVELY SUPPORTING SAID SEAT LINK FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BASE LINK BETWEEN A NORMAL REST POSITION AND A REARWARDLY INCLINED FULLY RECLINED POSITION, A CONTROL LINK PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS UPON A FIXED PIVOT ON SAID BASE LINK LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND SAID REAR FIXED PIVOTS, CONNECTING LINK MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AND CONSTRAINING MOVEMENT OF SAID SEAT LINK RELATIVE TO SAID BASE LINK UPON SAID FRONT AND SAID REAR SUPPORT LINK MEANS TO ESTABLISH A BALANCED REST POSITION OF SAID SEAT LINK INTERMEDIATE SAID NORMAL POSITION AND SAID FULLY RECLINED POSITION BY APPLYING EQUAL AND OPPOSED MOMENTS TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CONTROL LINK, SAID CONNECTING LINK MEANS INCLUDING A FRONT CONNECTING LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO ONE END OF SAID CONTROL LINK AND A REAR CONNECTING LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END END TO THE OTHER END OF SAID CONTROL LINK, SAID REAR CONNECTING LINK BEING PIVOTED AT ITS OTHER END ON SAID REAR SEAT PIVOT, SAID FRONT CONNECTING LINK BEING PIVOTED AT AN INTERMEDIATE LOCATION UPON SAID FRONT SUPPORT LINK MEANS, A LEG REST LINK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON THE OTHER END OF SAID FRONT CONNECTING LINK, AND A LEG REST CONTROL LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID LEG REST LINK AND TO SAID FRONT SUPPORT LINK MEANS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FRONT CONNECTING LINK.