US3282626A

US3282626A - Tv recliner

Info

Publication number: US3282626A
Application number: US413694A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward L Hampton
Original assignee: American Metal Products Co
Current assignee: American Metal Products Co
Priority date: 1964-11-25
Filing date: 1964-11-25
Publication date: 1966-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-01

Description

1966 E. HAMPTON 3,282,626

TV RECLINER Filed Nov. 25, 1964 INVENTOR. EDWARD L.HAMPTON BY abh United States Patent 3,282,626 TV RECLINER Edward L. Hampton, Louisville, Ky, assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Metal Products Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No 413,694

12 Claims. (Cl. 297-89) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 30,876 filed May 23, 1960', now abandoned.

The present invention relates to reclining chairs of the multiaction type and, more particularly, to TV recliners.

Many recliners have a seat (and backrest) structure mounted on a base structure for reclining movement from an upright position to a fully reclined position and a legrest structure mounted either on the seat or on the base (or on both) for extension movement coordinated with said reclining movement. This 2-position recliner is well suited for use in watching television when it is in its extreme upright position but not when it is in its reclined position.

To increase its usability for television watching and like purposes, it has been proposed (1) to mount the seat structure on the base structure for movement from an upright or 1st position to an intermediate-reclined or 2nd position during a 1st motion phase and from said 2nd position to a fully reclined or 3rd position during a 2nd motion phase, (2) to extend the legrest relative to the seat during the 1st motion phase so that the legrest is fully extended when the seat is in its 2nd position, and (3) to move the seat and extended legrest bodily as one fixed unit during the 2nd motion phase when the seat moves to its 3rd position. This type of chair has been on the US. market since about 1960 and is commonly referred to in the trade as a TV recliner.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a 3-position TV recliner of improved design and, more particularly, to improve the design of a 3-position TV recliner by providing it with a legrest which is fully extended during the 1st motion phase to assume a horizontal attitude and which maintains that attitude during the 2nd motion phase.

A conventional form of a 3-position TV recliner comprises:

(A) A base frame, a seat, a legrest and a linkage of the lazytong type having two seat links mounting the legrest on the front end portion of the seat for extension retraction and angular movement relative thereto, (1) each lazytong seat link normally depending from its upper end pivot on the seat;

(B) Means mounting the seat on the base frame for a 1st phase movement from a normal upright or 1st position rearwardly to a semireclined or 2nd position and for a 2nd phase movement from said 2nd position to a fully-reclined or 3rd position during which the front end portion of the seat moves upwardly; and

(C) Legrest extension means, responsive to the rearward 1st phase movement of said seat relative to said base frame, for swinging said lazytong seat links forwardly about their upper end pivots to extend the lazytong linkage and contemporaneously turn the extending legrest angnlarly in one direction relative to the seat with the fully extended legrest assuming a more or less horizontal position. In the conventional chair, the legrest, its mounting linkage and the front end portion of the seat all move upwardly as a single fixed unit in response to the 2nd phase movement of the seat structure from its 2nd to its 3rd position.

In carrying out my invention, I provide legrest retrac- 'ice swinging said lazytong seat links rearwardly about their upper end pivots so as to effect a partial retraction of the lazytong linkage and correspondingly turn the retracting legrest angularly in the opposite direction relative to the seat and more or less to the extent required to maintain the legrest in said horizontal attitude.

A TV recliner, constructed in accordance with my invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the chair hardware parts in positions corresponding to the extreme upright position of the recliner, the chair parts being shown more or less in fragmentary form by dotted lines and the hardware parts in whole form by solid lines;

FIG. 2 is a similar side elevation with the chair and hardware parts in positions corresponding to the intermediate upright position of the recliner; and

FIG. 3 is a similar side elevation with the chair and hardware parts in positions corresponding to the fully reclined position of the recliner.

Conventional structure The chair indicated in the drawing conventionally includes: a base frame structure 1; a seat 2; a backrest 3; a legrest 4; 1st and

2nd base pivots

5 and 6; and 1st, 2nd and

3rd seat pivots

7, 8 and 9. This chair is a two action chair with its seat and backrest rigidly joined together as an integral body-supporting structure to provide one action part and with an extensible-retractable legrest providing the other action part. The present invention may be incorporated in a three action chair wherein a seat unit (having a seat member) and a backrest are joined together for relative movement as an articulated body-supporting structure.

The metal hardware of the illustrated chair conventionally includes: (a) a horizontally elongate base bracket member 11 adapted to be mounted rigidly on the base frame 1, said bracket member 11 having said 1st base pivot 5 at its rear end and said 2nd base pivot 6 at any suitable location, such as the location shown wherein base pivot 6 is spaced forwardly from 1st base pivot 5; (b) a horizontally elongate seat bracket member 12 upon which the seat frame 2 is adapted to be mounted rigidly, this seat member 12 extending slightly above and more or less parallel to the base member 11 in both upright positions of the chair and having said 1st seat pivot 7 at its rear end and said horizontally-spaced 2nd and 3

rd seat pivots

8 and 9 at its front end; (c) a suitable legrest bracket member 14, upon which the legrest 4 is adapted to be mounted rigidly; and (d) a normally contracted lazytong linkage of the double V type mounting the legrest bracket member 14 on the front end portion of the seat bracket member 12 through said 2nd and

3rd seat pivots

8 and 9 for extension and retraction between a rearwardly retracted position and a forwardly extended relatively elevated position.

Preferably the double V lazytong linkage is of the conventional overlapped V type having front and

rear seat links

15 and 17 and upper and

lower legrest links

16 and 18, these links being arranged so that the upper legrest link 16 and the rear seat link 17 form one V while the front seat link 15 and the lower legrest link 18 form the other V with the front seat link 15 of the first V crossing the upper legrest link 16 of the second V and being pivoted thereto at the intersection point. As the angle which link 17 forms with bracket 12 determines the relative position of legrest 4 with respect to seat 2, and the relative positions of

links

15, 16 and 18 with respect to each other and to seat 2, link 17 may be appropriately termed a legrest linkage control link.

Links

15, 16 and 18 can be considered as a legrest linkage means controlled by link 17. When link 17 turns clockwise, the chair V U moving from its upright to its intermediate-reclined position, legrest 4 moves out and away from the seat and the angle of legrest 4 and seat 2 increases from approximately 90 as shown in FIG. 1 to approximately 180 as shown in FIG. 2. Then as link 17 pa tially retraces its first path, the chair moving from its intermediatereclined to its fully-reclined position, both legrest 4s angle formed with seat 2 and the distance between seat 2 and legrest 4 decrease.

Double V linkages. of the conventional parallel V types may be used in place of the overlapped V type illustrated. In the parallel V type, the front seat and

upper legrest links

15, 16 form an upper V while the rear seat and

lower legrest links

17, 18 form a lower V but in one case the front seat link 15 is downwardly extended to intersect with and be pivotally connected to the lower legrest link 18 while in the other case the upper legrest link 16 is rearwardly extended to intersect with and be pivotally connected to the rear seat link 17.

It will be observed that both

seat links

15, 17 are conventionally pivoted to the seat bracket member 12 at 2nd and

3rd seat pivots

8 and 9 and that both legrest links 16, 13 are conventionally pivoted to the legrest bracket 14.

The mounting means for the seat-backrest unit comprises: a rear base-seat link pivotally interconnecting the rear ends of the base and seat brackets; and an elbow linkage pivotally interconnecting the midportion of the base bracket with the front end portion of the seat bracket.

In the first (or FIG. 1) position of the chair, the rear base-seat link 21 extends from the rear end of the base bracket 11 more or less vertically upward to the rear end of the seat bracket 12. This link 21 is pivoted at its lower end to the base bracket 11 through the first base pivot and at its upper end to the seat bracket 12 through the first seat pivot 7.

The elbow linkage includes: a base guide link 24; and a front seat support link 27. The rear end of the base guide link 24 is pivotally connected to the midportion of the base bracket 11 through said 2nd base pivot 6. From a conventional seat-mounting standpoint, the elbow linkage may be mounted and operated completely independent of said legrest linkage in which event the second base pivot 6 may be suitably located as shown or to coincide with the first base pivot 5, or otherwise while the front seat link 27 may be entirely disconnected from seat support link 17 and independently pivoted at 9 or elsewhere on the front end portion of the seat as desired. As link 24 and the position of pivot point 9 control the angle of link 17 with bracket 12, link 24 may also appropriately be termed the control link for the legrest linkage control link 17.

In the first position of the chair, when constructed as illustrated, link 24 extends more or less horizontally forward from its base pivot 6 with its front end portion terminating in the general vicinity of the front end of the base bracket and resting on the base 1, or, more particularly, resting on a stop pin 30 which is fixedly mounted on the base 1. The front seat support link 27 of the elbow linkage depends, in the 1st position of the chair, more or less vertically from said 3rd seat pivot 9, on the front end portion of the seat bracket 12, downwardly to the front end portion of the base guide link 24 to which its lower end is pivotally connected through said elbow pivot 28.

An occupant of the chair may move the seat-backrest unit horizontally rearward from its 1st (FIG. 1) position to its 2nd (FIG. 2) position simply by urging the seatbackrest unit horizontally rearward. During this 1st phase movement, the upper end of the rear base-seat link 21 swings about the 1st base pivot 5 at the lower end of link 21 while the pivot 9 and the upper end of the front seat support link 27 of the elbow linkage swing rearwardly about the elbow pivot 28 at the lower end of link 27.

When the seat-backrest unit occupies its 2nd position,

i it may be easily and quickly reclined simply by rotating it and the rear base-seat link 21 as a unit rearwardly, about the 1st base pivot 5 at the lower end of link 21, to its 3rd (Pig. 3) position. During this 2nd phase movement, the base guide link 24 of the elbow linkage swings upwardly and rearwardly about its base pivot 6.

The extent of the 1st phase forward and rearward movements of the seat-backrest structure may be suitably limited in any suitable way. In the construction shown, the forward movement is restricted (and the base guide link 24 of the elbow linkage together with the front end portion of the seat are prevented from dropping below their respective FIG. 1 positions) by stop pin 30, which engages the underside of the base guide link 24. In addidition, an arm 31 is rigidly mounted on the rear seat link 17 (of the double V linkage) in position to engage the underside of the stop pin 39 when the chair is in its 1st position. The rearward movement of the seat-backrest unit beyond the 2nd position is restricted by means of a stop pin 32 mounted on the rear end portion of the seat bracket 12 in position to swing downwardly and strike the upper side of the rear base-seat link 21 when that link reaches its 2nd position.

The extreme rearward rocking movement of the chair may be limited to the 3rd position in any suitable manner as by means of a stop pin 34 mounted onthe base bracket 11 in position to engage the base guide link 24 when it reaches its 3rd position. In the embodiment shown, this is accomplished by extending the base link 24 rearwardly beyond the 2nd base pivot 6 and positioning the stop pin 34 to engage the underside of that rearward extension at the FIG. 3 position.

During the 1st motion phase, the rearward and forward movement of the seat-backrest unit (relative to the base) are used to extend and retract the legrest. This may be done by holding the midportion of a double V seat link pivotally against rearward and forward movement with the seat so as to permit that link to rock about said midportion pivot coordinately with the rearward and forward movement of the seat. For example, the midportion of double V seat link 17 may be held pivotally at a point corresponding to the elbow pivot 28. When so held, it will be rocked during the 1st motion phase by the rearwardly moving seat and thus actuated to extend the double V linkage and the legrest carried by it.

Inventive structure During the second motion phase, the fully extended double V linkage moves upwardly with the front end of the seat and, in accordance with my invention, is slightly retracted.

Broadly speaking, this may be accomplished by pivoting the rear end of a horizontal arm to the base and operatively interconnecting its front end directly or indirectly with the double V linkage in a manner such as to cause the midportion of a double V seat link to move rearwardly relative to the seat pivot of that link as both points move upwardly. For example, if the midportion of the double V seat link 17 is held pivotally at a point corresponding to the elbow pivot 28 and if, during the 2nd motion phase, that upwardly-moving pivot point 28 is guided in a manner maintaining a fixed space relationship with seat pivot 9, so that there is no relative movement between them, then there will be no retraction (or further extension) of the legrest and the legrest supporting linkage during the 2nd motion phase.

On the other hand, if, during the 2nd motion phase, that upwardly moving pivot point 28 is moved relatively to seat pivot 9, but in a direction opposite to the direction of their relative movement during legrest extension, then the legrest will be retracted and at the same time turned angularly in a direction opposite to the direction in which it turned during legrest extension. If the magnitude of this relative 2nd phase retraction movement between pivot point 28 and seat pivot 9 is substantially smaller than their relative 1st phase extension movement, the

magnitude of the legrest retraction will be correspondingly smaller than the magnitude of the legrest extension;

hence the fully extended legrest will only be partially retracted during the 2nd motion phase.

More specifically, my invention can be very simply and effectively carried out through said seat-supporting elbow linkage (24, 27) by doing the following: (1) integrating the vertical link 27 of the elbow linkage with seat link 17 of the double V linkage so that elbow pivot 28 becomes a midportion pivot of seat link 17 (or its equivalent); and (2) locating the rear end base pivot 6 of the horizontal arm 24 in forwardly spaced relationship to the first base pivot 5 so that pivot 28 is guided along a path D, which, as it proceeds upwardly, diverges rearwardly from the path C which that same pivot point would take if it moved circularly about the first base pivot 5. When pivot point 28 follows the rearwardly diverging path D it will move rearwardly relative to seat pivot 9 over a distance corresponding to the horizontal spacing between paths C and D. In so moving, link 17 is correspondingly, hence partially, retracted rearwardly as it moves upwardly during the 2nd motion phase.

It should now be clear: that one

elbow linkage

24, 27, which is completely independent of the legrest linkage, may be provided to support the front end of the seat for horizontal movement during the 1st motion phase and to accommodate its upward movement during the 2nd motion phase; and that a separate and independent elbow linkage having a horizontal arm 24 pivoted at 6 and a vertical link 27 integrated with a seat link of the double V may be provided for extending the legrest during the .lst motion phase and partially retracting it during the second motion phase. With respect to a separate and independent elbow linkage, it should also be clear: that vertical link 27 is spaced from the legrest 4, has its upper end pivoted .at 9 to a portion of the seat 2 which moves upwardly during the second phase movement and is operatively connected to the legrest linkage 15-18 to retract that linkage when it (vertical link 27) is swung one way about its upper end pivot 9; and that horizontal arm 24 has its rear end pivoted at 6 to the base and its front end operatively connected to the vertical link 27 to move upwardly contemporaneously with that link during the second motion phase and cause that upwardly moving link 27 to swing about its upper end pivot in the legrest retraction direction. In connection with the foregoing, it will be noted that there is relative motion between the elbow pivot 28 and the seat pivot 9 in one horizontal direction during the 1st motion phase and in the opposite horizontal direction during the 2nd motion phase. For example, in the 1st motion phase, the elbow pivot 28 remains stationary while the seat pivot 9 moves bodily rearward. In the 2nd motion phase, both pivots move upwardly and rearwardly but the rearward movement of the elbow pivot 28 is larger than the rearward movement of the seat pivot 9; hence, the difference between these rearward movements is a measure of the relative movement of one pivot to the other.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A multiple position reclining chair comprising:

(A) abase frame;

(B) a body-supporting member including a unitary seat and backrest attached to said base frame for a first rearwardly horizontal translational movement and a second rotational movement, during which the front end portion of said seat moves rearwardly upward;

(C) a legrest normally vertically disposed with its upper end portion adjacent the forward end portion of said seat;

(D) a legrest supporting linkage including (1) a first seat link pivotally connected at one end to a forward portion of said seat at a front seat pivot,

(2) a first legrest link pivotally connected at one end to a lower portion of said legrest and at its other end to the other end of said first seat link,

(3) a second seat link pivotally connected at one end to a forward portion of said seat at a second seat pivot spaced rearwardly from said front seat pivot, and

(4) a second legrest link pivotally connected at one end to the upper portion of said legrest, at its other end to the other end of said second seat link, and, between ends, to an intermediate portion of said first seat link;

(E) means, responsive to the rearward movement of said seat relative to said base frame, for extending the legrest and contemporaneously turning it angularly in one direction relative to the seat and the linkage, said means including (1) a stationary member on the base frame stationarily holding a lower seat link portion of said linkage against rearward movement with the seat While the upper seat link portion thereof moves rearwardly with said seat; and

(F) means, responsive to the movement of an upwardly moving portion of said seat relative to said base frame, for partially retracting the legrest and correspondingly turning the legrest angularly in the opposite direction relative to the seat and the linkage, said means including (1) avertical link (a) spaced from said legrest,

(b) having its upper end pivoted to a portion of the seat which moves upwardly during said second rotational movement, and

(c) being operatively connected to said linkage to retract the linkage when said vertical link is swung one way about its upper end pivot, and

(2) a horizontal arm having (a) its rear end pivoted to said base frame,

and

(b) its front end operatively connected to said vertical link to move upwardly contemporaneously therewith and contemporaneously swing said upwardly moving vertical link said one way about its upper end pivot.

2. A reclining chair of the type wherein the seat is mounted on a frame for a 1st phase movement from a 1st normal upright position rearwardly to a 2nd semi-reclined position and for a 2nd phase movement from said 2nd position to a 3rd fully-reclined position during which the front end portion of the seat moves upwardly, comprismg:

(A) a base frame having a 1st base pivot at its rear end and a 2nd base pivot spaced forwardly therefrom;

(B) a seat having a 1st seat pivot at its rear end and horizontally-spaced 2nd and 3rd seat pivots at its front end;

(C) a legrest normally arranged vertically adjacent the front end of the seat wherein it presents an upper and lower pair of pivots;

(D) a lazytong linkage of the double V type having, at one end, a pair of seat links pivoted to said 2nd and 3rd seat pivots and, at its opposite end, a pair of legrest links pivoted to said upper and lower legrest pivots,

(1) said linkage mounting the legrest on the seat for extension-retraction and angular movements relative theretof;

(E) means mounting the seat on the base frame for said 1st and 2nd movements, said means including (1) a rear seat-supporting link vertically arranged at the rear end of the seat with its upper and lower ends pivoted to said 1st seat and 1st base pivots, and

(2) a front seat-supporting elbow linkage includ- (a) a front vertical link, having its upper end pivoted to said 2nd seat pivot, and (b) a horizontal arm having its rear end pivoted to said 2nd base pivot, its front end pivoted to the lower end of said front vertical link and its front end portion resting on the frame during said 1st seat movement and swinging upwardly about said 2nd base pivot during said 2nd movement; and

(F) extension-retraction means including (1) means integrating said front vertical link on said 2nd seat pivot with said seat link on said 2nd seat pivot for movement as a unit thereabout so that (a) during said 1st movement, the stationary front end of said horizontal arm holds the lower end of said front vertical link stationary while permitting the upper end thereof to move rearwardly and thereby extend said lazytong linkage and (b) during said 2nd movement, said horizontal arm swings the lower end of said vertical link rearwardly relative to the upper end thereof as both move upwardly with the seat and thereby correspondingly retracts said lazytong linkage.

3. A reclining chair responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair having an upright, an intermediate-reclined T.V. position, and a fully reclined position comprising:

(A) a base frame,

(B) a body supporting member including a seat,

(C) means responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair for guiding said seat substantially rearward with respect to said base to said intermediate-reclined position, and for guiding said seat through a substantially rotary movement with respect to said base from said intermediate-reclined position to said fully-reclined position,

(D) a legrest normally disposed with one end lower than the other, its upper end portion being adjacent to the forward portion of said seat and forming an angle therewith,

(E) legrest supporting linkage including:

(1) a legrest control link pivoted at one end forwardly on said seat,

(2) means for operably coupling said legrest to said legrest control link for increasing the distance of said legrest from said seat and simultaneously increasing said angle toward 180 by means of the rotary movement of said legrest control link in a first direction about said seat,

(F) means mounted on said base frame for rotating said legrest control link in said first direction in response to said substantially rearward motion of said seat with respect to said base frame, said movement of said legrest control link defining a first rotation, and for partially retracting said first rotation of said legrest control link in response to said substantially rotational movement of said seat with respect to said base frame from said intermediate-reclined to said fully-reclined positions, said retracting movement defining a second rotation, wherein said legrest is fully extended from said seat and forms a large oblique angle therewith in said semireclined position and wherein said legrest is partially retracted toward said seat in said fully-reclined position and forms a somewhat smaller oblique angle therewith.

4. The reclining chair as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for operably coupling said legrest to said legrest control link includes:

(l) a seat link pivoted at one end to said seat at a point spaced forwardly from said legrest control link,

(2) a first legrest link pivoted at one end to a lower portion of said legrest and at its other end to the other end of said first seat link,

(3) a second legrest link pivoted at one end to the upper portion of said legrest and at its other end to the other end of said legrest control link, and, between the ends to an intermediate portion of said first seat link.

5. The reclining chair defined in claim 3 wherein said means mounted on said base for rotating said legrest control link includes a control link for the legrest control link pivoted at one end to said base and at its other end to said legrest control link at a point spaced forward from the pivotal connection of said base and said linkage control link when said seat is in said upright position.

6. The reclining chair defined in claim 4 wherein said means mounted on said base for rotating said legrest control link includes a control link for the legrest control link pivoted at one end to said base and at its other end to said legrest control link at a point spaced forward from the pivotal connection of said base and said linkage control link when said seat is in said upright position.

7. A reclining chair responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair having an upright, an intermediate-reclined T.V. position, and a fully-reclined position comprising:

(A) a base frame having front and rear base pivot points,

(B) a body supporting member including a seat having front and rear seat pivots,

(C) seat support linkage including:

(1) a rear support link pivoted at one end at said rear base pivot and at its other end at said rear seat pivot,

(2) front support linkage having:

(a) a first front support link pivoted at one end at said front seat pivot, and

(b) a second front support link for controlling said first front support link pivoted at one end at said front base pivot point to said base and at its other end to the other end of said first front support link at a point spaced substantially forwardly from said front base pivot point when said seat is in said upright position,

(D) means for defining a rearward limit to the rotation of said rear support link about said rear base pivot when said seat moves from said upright to said intermediate-reclined position with respect to said base,

(E) means for limiting said rotation of said seat about said rear seat pivot when said seat rotates from said intermediate-reclined to said fully-reclined position with respect to said base.

(F) a legrest normally disposed with one end lower than the other, its upper end portion being adjacent to the forward portion of said seat and forming an angle therewith,

(G) means including a link member rigidly connected to said first front support link for forming with said first front support link a legrest control link,

(H) means for operably coupling said legrest to said legrest control link for increasing the distance of said legrest from said seat and simultaneously increasing said angle toward by means of the rotary movement of said legrest control link in a first direction about said seat.

8. The chair defined by claim 7 wherein said means operably coupling said legrest includes:

(1) a seat link pivoted at one end to said seat at a point spaced forwardly from said legrest control link,

9. A mechanism adapted for a multiple position reclining chair comprising:

(A) a base frame member;

(B) a seat frame member adapted for a first rearwardly horizontal translational movement and a second rotational movement, during which the front end portion of said seat frame member moves rearwardly upward;

(C) a legrest support member normally vertically dis posed with its upper end portion adjacent the forward end portion of said seat member;

(D) a legrest supporting linkage including (1) a first seat link pivotally connected at one end to a forward portion of said seat member at a front seat pivot,

(2) a first legrest link pivotally connected at one end to a lower portion of said legrest member and at its other end to the other end of said first seat link,

(3) a second seat link pivotally connected at one end to a forward portion of said seat member at a second seat pivot spaced reanwardly from said front seat member pivot, and

(4) a second legrest link pivotally connected at one end to the upper portion of said legrest member, at its other end to the other end of said second seat link, and, between ends to an intermediate portion of said first seat link;

(E) means, responsive to the rearward movement of said seat member relative to said base frame member, for extending the legrest member and contemporaneously turning it angularly in one direction relative to the seat member and the linkage, said means including:

(1) a stationary member on the base frame member stationarily holding a lower seat link portion of said linkage against rearward movement with the seat member while the upper seat link portion thereof moves rearwardly with said seat member and (F) means, responsive to the movement of an upwardly moving portion of said seat member relative to said base frame member, for partially retracting the legrest member and correspondingly turning the legrest member angularly in the opposite direction relative to the seat member and the linkage, said means including (1) a vertical link (a) spaced from said legrest member,

(b) having its upper end pivoted to a portion of the seat member which moves upwardly during said second rotational movement, and

(2) a horizontal arm having (a) its rear end pivoted to said base frame,

and

10. A mechanism for a reclining chair responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair hav- 19 ing an upright, an intermediate reclined T.V. position, and a fully reclined position comprising:

(A) a base frame member,

(B) a seat frame member,

(C) means responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair for guiding said seat member substantially rearward with respect to said base member to said intermediate-reclined position, and for guiding said seat member through a substantially rotary movement with respect to said base member from said intermediate-reclined position to said fully-reclined position,

(D) a legrest frame member normally disposed with one end lower than the other, and being positioned forwardly of said seat member and forming an angle therewith,

(E) legrest member supporting linkage including:

(1) a legrest control link pivoted at one end forwardly on said seat,

(2) means for operably coupling said legrest member to said legrest control link for increasing the distance of said legrest member from said seat member and simultaneously increasing said angle by means of the rotary movement of said legrest control link in a first direction about said seat member,

(F) means mounted on said base frame for rotating said legrest control link in said first direction in response to said substantially rearward motion of said seat member with respect to said base member, said movement of said legrest control link defining a first rotation, and for partially retracting said first rotation of said legrest control link in response to said substantially rotational movement of said seat member with respect to said base member from said intermediate-reclined to said fully-reclined positions, said retracting movement defining a second rotation, wherein said legrest member is fully extended from said seat member and forms a large oblique angle therewith in said semi-reclined position and wherein said legrest member is partially retracted toward said seat member in said fully-reclined position and forms a somewhat smaller oblique angle therewith.

11. A mechanism for a reclining chair responsive to the movement of the individual sitting in said chair having an upright, an intermediate-reclined T.V. position, and a fully reclined position comprising:

(A) a base frame member having front and rear base pivot points,

(B) a seat frame member having front and rear seat member pivots,

(C) seat member support linkage including:

(1) a rear support link pivoted at one end at said rear base pivot and at its other end at said rear seat member pivot,

(2) front support linkage having:

(a) a first front support link pivoted at one end at said front seat pivot, and

(b) a second front support link for controlling said first front support link pivoted at one end at said front base pivot point to said base and at its other end to the other end of said first front support link at a point spaced substantially forwardly from said front base pivot point when said seat member is in said upright position,

(D) means for defining a rearward limit to the rotation of said rear support link about said rear base pivot when said seat member moves from said upright to said intermediate-reclined position with respect to said base member,

(E) means for limiting said rotation of said seat member about said rear seat pivot when said seat rotates from said intermediate-reclined to said fully-reclined position with respect to said base member,

(F) a legrest support frame member normally disposed With one end lower than the other, and being positioned forwardly of said seat member and forming an angle therewith,

(G) means-including a link member rigidly connected to said first front support link for forming with said first front support link a legrest control link,

(H) means for operably coupling said legrest member to said legrest control link for increasing the dis tance of said legrest member from said seat and simultaneously increasing said angle toward 180 by means of the rotary movement of said legrest control link in a first direction about said seat.

12. The mechanism defined by claim 11 wherein said means operably coupling said legrest member includes:

(3) a second legrest link pivoted at one end to the upper portion of said legrest and at its other end to the other end of said legrest control link, and, between the ends to an intermediate portion of said 5 first seat link.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Schliephacke 29785 Bank et al. 29789 Fletcher 29789 Bank et al 29788 Schliephacke 29789 Schliephacke 29788 Schliephacke 29788 Fletcher 29789 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

20 JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,282,626 November 1, 1966 Edward L. Hampton It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 7, line 62, for "retracting" read retracing line 66, for "retracting" read retracing column 10, line 4, after "angle" insert toward line 37, for "retracting" read retracing Signed and sealed this 5th day of September 1967" (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

11. A MECHANISM FOR A RECLINING CHAIR RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL SITTING IN SAID CHAIR HAVING AN UPRIGHT, AN INTERMEDIATE-RECLINED T.V. POSITION, AND A FULLY RECLINED POSITION COMPRISING: (A) A BASE FRAME MEMBER HAVING FRONT AND REAR BASE PIVOT POINTS, (B) A SEAT FRAME MEMBER HAVING FRONT AND REAR SEAT MEMBER PIVOTS, (C) SEAT MEMBER SUPPORT LINKAGE INCLUDING: (1) A REAR SUPPORT LINK PIVOTED AT ONE END AT SAID REAR BASE PIVOT AND AT ITS OTHER END AT SAID REAR SEAT MEMBER PIVOT, (2) FRONT SUPPORT LINKAGE HAVING: (A) A FIRST FRONT SUPPORT LINK PIVOTED AT ONE END AT SAID FRONT SEAT PIVOT, AND (B) A SECOND FRONT SUPPORTED LINK FOR CONTROLLING SAID FIRST FRONT SUPPORT LINK PIVOTED AT ONE END AT SAID FRONT BASE PIVOT POINT TO SAID BASE AND ITS OTHER END TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FIRST FRONT SUPPORT LINK AT A POINT SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY FORWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT BASE PIVOT POINT WHEN SAID SEAT MEMBER IS IN SAID UPRIGHT POSITION, (D) MEANS FOR DEFINING A REARWARD LIMIT TO THE ROTATION OF SAID REAR SUPPORT LINK ABOUT SAID REAR BASE PIVOT WHEN SAID SEAT MEMBER MOVES FROM SAID UPRIGHT TO SAID INTERMEDIATE-RECLINED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE MEMBER, (E) MEANS FOR LIMTING SAID ROTATION OF SAID SEAT MEMBER ABOUT SAID REAR SEAT PIVOT WHEN SAID SEAT ROTATES FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE-RECLINED TO SAID FULLY-RECLINED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE MEMBER, (F) A LEGREST SUPPORT FRAME MEMBER NORMALLY DISPOSED WITH ONE END LOWER THAN THE OTHER, AND BEING POSITIONED FORWARDLY OF SAID SEAT MEMBER AND FORMING AN ANGLE THEREWITH, (G) MEANS INCLUDING A LINK MEMBER RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST FRONT SUPPORT LINK FOR FORMING WITH SAID FIRST FRONT SUPPORTED LINK A LEGREST CONTROL LINK, (H) MEANS FOR OPERABLY COUPLING SAID LEGREST MEMBER TO SAID LEGREST CONTROL LINK FOR INCREASING THE DISTANCE OF SAID LEGREST MEMBER FROM SAID SEAT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASING SAID ANGLE TOWARD 180* BY MEANS OF THE ROTARY MOVEMENT OF SAID LEGREST CONTROL LINK IN A FIRST DIRECTION ABOUT SAID SEAT.