US3622198A

US3622198A - Rocker/recliner chair

Info

Publication number: US3622198A
Application number: US884187A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank M Re
Original assignee: Dual Manufacturing and Engineering Inc
Current assignee: Dual Manufacturing and Engineering Inc
Priority date: 1968-04-25
Filing date: 1969-12-11
Publication date: 1971-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-23
Also published as: FR2108506A5; ZA706034B

Abstract

A rocker/recliner chair inclusive of a rocker base, a chassis rockably connected to the base, a body-supporting unit (i.e. a seat and a back) connected to the chassis, a leg rest, and mechanism interconnecting the body-supporting unit and leg rest and chassis for coordinated rocking and reclining motions of the body-supporting unit and extending or retracting of the leg rest and incorporating arresting means engageable with the base in manner such that: (A) the arresting means permit rocking of the chassis and seat and back and leg rest with respect to the base when the chair is in upright position or moving into intermediate reclined position; and (B) the arresting means preclude rocking as the chair assumes intermediate reclined position or is in the intermediate or fully reclined positions or positions therebetween; and (C) the leg rest is variably adjustable in a multiplicity of positions of angularization in the fully reclined position without concomitant movements of the seat and back.

Description

United States atent [72] Inventor Frank M. Re

Holyoke, Mas. [21] Appl. No. 884,187 [22] Filed Dec. 11, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee Dual Manufacturing and Engineering,

Incorporated Holyoke, Mas. Continuation-in-part 01 application Ser. No. 724,143, Apr. 25, 1968, now Patent No. 3,493,264. This application Dec. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 884,187

[54] ROCXER/RECLINER CHAIR 15 Claims, 10 Drawing Flfi.

[52] U.S. Cl 297/84, 297/D1G. 7 [51] Int. Cl A47c 1/035 [50] Field of Search 297/83, 84, 85, 86, 87,88,317, 319,258,261

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,139,305 6/1964 Mizelle 297/317 Katz Primary Examiner-James T. McCall An0rneys Kenwood Ross and Chester E. Flavin ABSTRACT: A rocker/recliner chair inclusive of a rocker base, a chassis rockably connected to the base, a body-supporting unit (Le, a seat and a back) connected to the chassis, a leg rest, and mechanism interconnecting the body-supporting unit and leg rest and chassis for coordinated rocking and reclining motions of the body-supporting unit and extending or retracting of the leg rest and incorporating arresting means engageable with the base in manner such that: (A) the arresting means permit rocking of the chassis and seat and back and leg rest with respect to the base when the chair is in upright position or moving into intermediate reclined position; and (B) the arresting means preclude rocking as the chair assumes intermediate reclined position or is in the intermediate or fully reclined positions or positions therebetween; and (C) the leg rest is variably adjustable in a multiplicity of positions of angularization in the fully reclined position without concomitant movements of the seat and back.

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-PATENTEDNnv 2 3 I97] SHEET 5 [IF 5 INVENTOR, FRANK M. RE mm @014 d ROCKER/RECLINER CHAIR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of copending application, Ser. No. 724,143, filed Apr. 25, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,493,264.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a three-position chair associated with a rocker structure to define a rocker/recliner capable of serving selectively as a rocker or as a recliner at the will of the occupant.

2. Description of the Prior Art Three-position" refers to the three positions in which the body-supporting components of a recliner are positioned with reference to the chassis: ie (1) an upright or normal sitting position in which the seat and the back are angularly disposed relative to each other subtending a normal upright seating angle and with the leg rest retracted to a beneath-the-seat position, (2) an intermediate or semireclined or TV position in which the seat is tilted slightly rearwardly from the horizontal, the back and seat still subtending the normal seating angle, and with the leg rest extended generally forwardly of the seat in a leg supporting position. and (3) a fully reclined position in which the seat is tilted rearwardly and the back is tilted rearwardly relative to the seat to subtend a larger angle than in a normal seating position, and with the leg rest projected further forwardly in a fully extended leg supporting position.

Three-position rocker/recliners, increasingly popular in recent years, are generally such that the occupant may adjust the positions of the components with respect to the chassis by pressing or pushing rearwardly on the back through the application of pressure upon the chassis arms, this pressure serving to swing the back rearwardly on the chassis and correspondingly to tilt the seat and back rearwardly, while simultaneously driving the leg rest upwardly and forwardly from a nonoperative, nesting position below the seat to an operative. extended, leg-supporting position distantly forwardly thereof. And, of course, the reverse is also true wherein the occupant may move from the fully reclined to the intermediate and/or the upright positions.

One particular type of chair which the invention is for is the so-called T-cushion designated because the seat cushion the shape of an inverted T with a portion thereof being disposed forwardly of the arms of the chair.

T-cushion recliners or T-cushion rocker/recliners of the prior art all employ an independently actuated handle or lever means, usually disposed at the chair side, for manually motivating the leg rest, either before or after the seat and back are reclined. This is for the reason that no one has been able to overcome the vexing problem that the seat cushion consistently binds at the chair arms during shifting between positions. Such handle or lever means is unsightly, not to mention difficult and awkward to manipulate from a chair-seated position. A need for a solution by way of the complete elimination of the handle or lever means has long been felt since such a chair is an accepted item in conventional living room furniture and lends itself to better and more decorative chair styling.

None has heretofore successfully incorporated, into a T- cushion rocker/recliner, a convenient operating mechanism which will serve, when desired, to preclude the rocking function and to extend the leg rest as the seat and back are motivated for the reclining function.

adapted type chair which is so employed therewith is in SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Herein, a recliner chassis is uniquely combined and coordinated with the rocker mechanism of a platform rocker, wherefore, when in normal upright position, a comfortable rocking chair is defined, and when actuated toward one of its reclining positions, the natural shift in the occupants weight is such as to call into operational use arresting means wherefore rocking is precluded as well as an operating mechanism wherefore the seat is automatically shifted between upright sitting and various reclining positions coincident with tilting of the back and extending of the leg rest.

Significantly, all actuation and articulation of the chair components are realizable with the occupant seated within the chair and without the necessity for hand manipulating any handle or lever means.

Associated with the operating mechanism is a toggle means which serves to lock the components and to insure against unwanted outward opening of the leg rest with respect to the main body structure during rocking movements.

With the chair nonoccupied, the leg rest cannot be pulled outwardly from its nested nonoperative position, the chair being locked in by reason of the toggle. When the chair is occupied and until the toggle is unlocked, by virtue of the occupant exerting pressure upon the back through his body, the leg rest is similarly locked in. The toggle feature overcomes the objectionable prior art tendency of a leg rest to pop out" as one is rocking.

To permit the body-supporting unit to be rocked while in upright sitting position and without leg rest extension, spring means are additionally provided for militating against reclining movements of the seat and back from out of upright sitting position.

Arresting means are rendered nonoperative during rocking movements, being normally biased out of engagement with the rocker base, and are rendered operative so as automatically to lock the chair against rocking movements as the chair is shifted into the intermediate reclined or fully reclined positions. As the body-supporting structure so shifts into the intermediate reclined position, actuating means move the arresting means into a blocking engagement with the rocker base so that the rocker member is blocked relative to the rocker base.

With the chair in the intermediate reclined position (the leg rest being extended forwardly and the back being reclined slightly to the rear), the occupant may push rearwardly on the back to cause the seat to move upwardly and forwardly. He thereby attains a coordinated and balanced feeling as opposed to a falling sensation, all the while maintaining the leg rest in leg-supporting position.

Initiation of reclination while rocking is permitted, by virtue of the fact that, as the occupant rocks rearwardly and as tilting of the back and opening of the leg rest are commenced, the rear-arresting means are released from their stored or biased position so as to move downwardly into rocker-base-contacting position. Upon contacting the base during the rearward rocking portion of the cycle, the rear rollers are allowed to collapse by virtue of a slot and spring arrangement. This allows unimpeded rearward rocking. Immediately the rearward rocking motion is reversed to a forward rocking motion, a dead center of the arresting means is passed and links of the arresting means are in blocking position. Withal, the components cannot be moved to a fully reclined position until the mechanism is first locked against rocking, all so as to assure that the chair is balanced, and the possibility of tipping over due to rocking is eliminated. Concurrently, the forward blocking means are actuated positively and timed so that when the leg rest is fully extended, all blocking means are effective.

Additionally, the occupant is allowed a certain freedom of variable adjustment of the angular position of the leg rest while in the fully reclined position, all independent of and without any concomitant shifting of the seat and back.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view, in front elevation, of a rocker/recliner chair of the type embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, in top plan, of one of a pair of linkage mechanisms of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of the chair in upright, sitting and/or rocking position, with the leg rest retracted, portions of the chair being removed for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of the chair in intermediate position, with the leg rest extended and the arresting means lowered to preclude rocking;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view. in side elevation, of the chair in fully reclined position, with the leg rest extended and the arresting means lowered to preclude rocking;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, in side elevation, of the rear-arresting means in its lowered rocking-precluded position;

FIG. 7 is a view, in section, on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail view, in side elevation, of a modified form of arresting means;

FIG. 9 is a detail view, in side elevation, of another modified form of arresting means; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of the chair in fully reclined position and a multiplicity of positions of adjustment of the leg rest while in such position without concomitant movement of the back.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The chair incorporates a seat 10, a back 12, a rockable chassis 14 inclusive of chair side arms 16, a two-part foldaway leg rest generally indicated by 18 and having one of its parts 20 disposed flush with the forward edge of the seat in the chair upright position, and a rocker base 22 for supporting the chassis upwardly of a floor. The seat shown is of the T-cushion type.

Whereas a two-part leg rest has been shown, a one-part leg rest could be as well employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

At either side of the chair, an arcuate rocker 24 is secured to the respective sidewall of rockable chassis l4 and is rockable upon the upper planar surface of the adjacent rail of rocker base 22, each such rocker being interassociated with the rocker base by a double-compression spring mechanism, not shown, in the normal platform-rocker manner.

Seat 10 and back 12 are pivotally secured relative to each other and cooperantly constitute a body-supporting subassembly having a pivotal relationship to rockable chassis 14.

The operating mechanism in a recliner normally consists of a pair of so-called linkage mechanisms operating unisonly, one being operative at each side of the chair. Alternatively, one such linkage mechanism, operative centrally of the chair, can be employed. In this disclosure, only one such linkage mechanism is described, for purposes of clarity.

A provided linkage mechanism constitutes one of a pair, there being one such mechanism at each side of the body-supporting subassembly and inwardly of the respective adjacent side of the rockable chassis so as to be concealed from view.

A vertically disposed mounting bracket 26 extends along the front-to-rear chair dimension and is stationarily secured to the coplanar-disposed adjacent sidewall of rockable chassis 14.

A seat bracket 28, also extending in a front-to-rear chair direction, is stationarily secured to transversely extending front and rear stretchers 29 and 3] respectively of seat I0, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Leg rest I8 is mounted, through the linkage mechanism, relative to the forward end of the seat for movements between a fully retracted position, as in FIGS. 1-3, and extended positions, as in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In leg rest fully retracted position, which is also the fully upright or rocking position, a major leg rest part 20 is disposed vertically and substantially flush with the forwardly facing front edge of the seat, while a cooperant minor leg rest part 2! pivotally connected thereto at 72 is disposed horizontally and extends rearwardly from the lower end of the major leg rest part and beneath the seat.

When major leg rest part 20 is elevated and advanced to any extended position, cooperant minor leg rest part 2! is moved therewith accordingly. When the major part is in fully extended position, the minor part will have moved to a position forwardly of and in generally axial alignment with the major part. When the major part is forced downwardly to any degree, according to pressure exerted by the legs of the occupant, the minor part is depressed therewith.

Leg rest 18 is suspended relative to seat 10 by a primary actuator link 30 and a secondary actuator link 32, the primary actuator link being pivoted at 34 at its upper end to seat bracket 28 and at 35 at its lower end to the lower end of a primary drive link 36, and the secondary actuator link being pivoted at 38 at its upper end to seat bracket 28 and at 40 at its lower end to the lower end of a secondary drive link 42.

Primary drive link 36 is pivoted at 44 at its upper end to the rear end of a primary propeller link 46, which primary propeller link is pivoted at 48 at its approximate midsection to the approximate midsection of secondary drive link 42. The secondary drive link in turn is pivoted at 50 at its upper end to the rearward end of a secondary propeller link 52.

Primary propeller link 46 is pivoted at 54 at its forward end to the lower end of a major leg rest drive link 56, which major leg rest drive link in turn is pivoted at 58 at its approximate midsection to the approximate midsection of secondary propeller link 52 and at 60 at its upper end to one end of a major leg rest support plate 62.

Secondary drive link 42 and major leg rest drive link 56 are provided with stop surfaces for limiting the range of leg rest retraction and extension. A first stop surface 43 on link 42 contacts a first stop surface 57 on link 56 to limit the range of leg rest retraction, as shown in FIG. 3. A second stop surface 45 on link 42 contacts a second stop surface 59 on link 56 to limit the range of leg rest extension, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A minor leg rest drive link 64 is pivoted at 66 at its lower end to the forward end of secondary propeller link 52 and is pivoted at 68 at its upper end to a minor leg rest support plate 70, which minor leg rest support plate in turn is pivoted at 72 to major leg rest support plate 62. See FIG. 3.

A connecting link 74 is pivoted at 76 at its upper end to major leg rest support plate 62 and at 78 at its lower end to minor leg rest drive link 64 adjacent the forward end of the latter.

Control means for regulating the ease and manner of leg rest movement is in the form of a primary control link 80 pivoted at 82 adjacent one of its ends to primary actuator link 30 and to a rise bar (to be described) and pivoted at 84 at its opposite end to the rearward end of a secondary control link 86, which secondary control link in turn is pivoted at 88 at its approximate midsection to the approximate midsection of secondary actuator link 32. Secondary control link 86 is pivoted at 44 at its forward end to the rearward end of primary propeller link 46 and to primary drive link 36, as aforesaid.

Primary control link 80 is springloaded by a tension spring 90 fixed at one end to a pin 92 on the inner free end of the primary control link and at its opposite end to a pin 94 on seat bracket 28, all ensuring that the leg rest remains closed so long as the chair is upright or an occupant is rocking therein.

As seen in FIG. 3, a stop surface 81 on primary control link 80 contacts a stop surface 33 on secondary actuator link 32 in the upright position of the chair to limit the range of leg rest retraction.

Coordinated movement of the seat and back, coincident with extension of the leg rest, is ensured by a rise bar 96 pivoted at 82 at its forward end to both primary actuator link 30 and control link 80 and pivoted at 97 at its rearward end to a platelike coordinating link 98.

Coordinating link 98 is the focal point or hub for the operative interconnections between chassis, leg rest, back, and seat, being operatively connected to the chassis through pivotal connection 100 on mounting bracket 26, being operatively connected to the leg rest through pivotal connection 97, being operatively connected to the back by a short link 102 which is pivoted at I04 at its lower end to the coordinating link and is pivoted at 106 at its upper end to an L-shaped back link 108 which back link is fixed as by screws 110 to a side rail 112 of the back and is pivoted at 114 to mounting bracket 26, and being operatively connected to the seat by a link I16 pivoted at 118 at its lower end to the coordinating link and having a central slot 120 therein in which a pin 122 on seat bracket 28 is slideable.

A connecting link 124 is pivoted on pin 122 at its upper end and at 126 at its lower end on rise bar 96 for achieving an operative connection between seat and leg rest.

To raise seat bracket 28 and to move it and seat forwardly so as to clear the chair arms while counterbalancing the back to preclude any objectionable falling sensation on the part of the occupant during reclination, a seat link 128 is pivoted at 130 at its rearward end to seat bracket 28 and is pivoted at 132 at its opposite end to the upper end of a pivot link 134. The pivot link in turn is pivoted at !36 at its approximate midsection to the approximate midsection of a leg rest link 138 and is pivoted at 140 at its lower end to the upper end of a chassis link 142. The chassis link in turn is pivoted at 144 at its lower end to mounting bracket 26.

Leg rest link 138 is pivoted at 146 at its rearward end to mounting bracket 26 and is pivoted at 148 at its forward end to the lower end ofa rise bar link 150. The rise bar link in turn is pivoted at 152 at its upper end to rise bar 96.

In the upright or chair closed position, secondary drive link 42 contacts major leg rest drive link 56 and secondary actuator link 32 contacts primary control link 80 as shown in FIG. 3.

Stop means, best seen in FIG. 6, comprises a stop 154 on coordinating link 98 engageable with a lower surface 155 of back link 108 for limiting the degree of angularization of the back, when the chair is in the fully reclined position.

Means for precluding rocking movement, when the leg rest is extended, comprises a pair of arresting means, one being disposed forward adjacent the chair front, and the other being disposed rearward adjacent the chair rear, and each being engageable with rocker base 22.

Forward-arresting means, generally indicated by 160, comprises a forward-arresting link 162 pivoted at 164 at its upper end to mounting bracket 26 and having such as a roller 166 mounted on its lower end and engageable with a wear plate 168 on rocker base 22 or directly on the base. In the upright and intermediate reclining positions, a stop 199 of leg rest link 138 rests upon an ofiset flange 200 on mounting bracket 26, the flange acting as a stop for precluding any drooping of the linkage mechanism. A forward actuating link 170 is pivoted at 172 at its forward end to forward-arresting link 162 and is pivoted at 174 at its opposite end to coordinating link 98. The forward-actuating link is the direct means for effecting movement of the forward-arresting link into and out of contact with the rocker base to preclude or permit rocking.

Rearward-arresting means, generally indicated by 180. comprises a rearward-arresting link 182 pivoted at 184 at its upper end to mounting bracket 26 and having such as a roller 186 mounted on its lower end and engageable with a wear plate 188 on the upper surface of rocker base 22, or directly on the upper surface of the base. A rearward-actuating link 190 is pivoted at 192 at its lower end to rearward-arresting link 182 and is pivoted, as by a pivot pin 194, at its opposite end to coordinating link 98, as in FIG. 7. The rearward-actuating link is the direct means for effecting movement of the rearward-arresting link into and out of contact with the rocker base to preclude or permit rocking.

Forward-arresting means alone, or rearward-arresting means alone, could be employed, in which case the arresting link and its roller are receivable in and ride relative to an arcuate slot in a plate which extends upwardly from base 22.

In lieu of roller 166 of the forward-arresting means and roller 186 of the rearward-arresting means, a wear-resistant shoe 187 of the type shown in FIG. 8 may be utilized. Such a shoe, preferably formed from Nylon or Teflon or similar material, is fixed against rotation relative to its pin 189 and is provided with a slight radius 191 wherefore it is capable of sliding along the rocker base.

Alternatively, the shoe could be formed by the end of the arresting link itself, which extremity could be provided with a slight radius to allow easy sliding along the rocker base with a runner of Nylon or the like being fixed to the rocker base to accommodate same.

As still another alternative construction, as shown in FIG. 9, an arcuate shoe or skid 287 may be substituted for the roller, in which case a pivot pin 289 passes through an upstanding bracket 288 on the shoe or skid and through the lower portion of link 282. Herein, also, wear plate 288 is omitted, wherefore the shoe or skid rides directly upon the upper surface of rocker base 22.

A shank 196 of pivot pin 194 passes freely through a washer 200 and is riveted to coordinating link 98 and through a slot 198 in the upper end of rearward-actuating link 190. The shank is sleeved with washer 200 for spacing actuating link 190 from coordinating link 98 so as to preclude any binding. The outer end of the shank is provided with a head 202 to define a bearing surface about which a U-shaped tension spring 204 is looped, the ends of the spring being fixed to tabs 206 provided on the actuating link.

A guide pin 208 serves as a stop and extends inwardly from rearward-arresting link 182 and has a flange 210 for spacing the upper end of the rearward-arresting link from mounting bracket 26 to preclude binding. The side face of the flange 210 rides along on the face of mounting bracket 26 and serves to guide the rearward-arresting link in its movements between raised or inoperative position and lowered or operative position. To limit the motion or angularization of rearward-arresting link 182, stop means, comprising a stop 308, on guide pin 208 is engageable with an upper surface 309 of mounting bracket 26.

When the chair occupant rocks forwardly, guide pin 208 limits the motion of the rearward-arresting link as the latter swings rearwardly, same being propelled rearwardly by spring 204.

In addition to stop 154 on coordinating link 98 for limiting the degree of angularization of the back, the upper end of the rearward-arresting link 182 constitutes a stop 212 which, when engaged by a curbed portion 214 of back link 108, precludes further angularization of the back.

When the chair is in upright position, each arresting means is in a raised position, out of contact with the rocker base, whereby the chassis may be rocked at will. However, when the body-supporting unit is moved as the leg rest is being extended, the arresting means move into contact with the rocker base to preclude rocking.

Since each arresting means is operatively connected to coordinating link 98, each swings as the coordinating link rotates when the body-supporting unit is reclined, moving into engagement with the rocker base to provide dual positive arresting means to preclude rocking, when the chair is in intermediate or fully reclined positions.

The spring loading of actuating link 190 by spring 204 effects a tension on rearward-arresting link 182 to pull the rearward-arresting link past dead center in its movement from I raised to lowered position.

The spring is there to permit the rearward-arresting link 182 to collapse while rocking rearwardly and to pull it into blocking position on rocking forwardly, thus allowing the leg rest to function while the rocking motion yet continues.

Slotted link 116 precludes reclining of the body-supporting unit without concomitant leg rest extension and conversely precludes the closing of the leg rest without a concomitant return of the seat back.

The T-cushion type of seat is especially employable because the seat does not move rearwardly, as is common in reclining chairs when the back is tilted, but rather moves forwardly with its rear end moving slightly downwardly, so that the seat cannot bind on the anns of the chair to hamper or preclude reclining movements or extension of the leg rest.

As shown in FIG. 10, while in the fully reclined position, the chair occupant can effect movement of the leg rest, generally designated L, within a certain range or radius denoted by r without effecting any movement of either the seat S or back B.

Thus, if he desires to move the leg rest downwardly several inches while retaining the body-supporting unit in the fully reclined position and thus without changing the relative positions of the seat and back, he need only exert a slight downward pressure of his heels on the leg rest so as to move it downwardly the desired distance.

He can also return the leg rest to its fully extended position by raising his legs slightly to relieve the leg rest of such weight, at which time the leg rest will automatically swing upwardly and return to fully extended position.

Once having reached the aforementioned maximum range or radius of movement of the leg rest, if the chair occupant continues to exert a downward pressure of the heels on the leg rest, the chair will be returned to the fully upright position with the leg rest fully retracted.

The occupant soon learns from experience how far he can move the leg rest while maintaining the body-supporting unit fully reclined.

l claim:

1. in a rocker-recliner chair comprising a stationary rocker base and a chassis rockably mounted on the base and a body supporting unit including a back rest and a seat supported on the chassis, and means mounting the body supporting unit for movement relative to the chassis between an upright sitting position and reclining positions, and a leg rest movable between retracted position and extended position, the improvement in actuating means connecting the body supporting unit and chassis and leg rest for automatically moving the leg rest responsively to movement of the body supporting unit and for moving the seat forwardly and upwardly as the body supporting unit is reclined and the leg rest is extended and including: forwardand rearward-arresting means operatively connected to the actuating means and movable into position of engagement with the rocker base for arresting rocking movement of the chassis when the body supporting unit is reclined.

2. A rocker-recliner chair comprising: a stationary rocker base, a chassis rockably mounted on said base, a body-supporting unit including a backrest and a seat pivotal relative to the chassis, means mounting the body-supporting unit for movements relative to the chassis successively between an upright sitting position and an intermediate reclined position and a fully reclined position, a leg rest movable between retracted position wherein it is disposed beneath the seat and extended position wherein it is disposed forwardly of the seat, actuating means connecting the body-supporting unit and chassis and leg rest for automatically moving the leg rest responsively to movement of the body-supporting unit, the actuating means moving the seat forwardly and upwardly as the body-supporting unit is reclined and the leg rest extended, and arresting means operatively connected to the actuating means and movable into engagement with the rocker base when the body-supporting unit is reclined for precluding rocking of the chassis, the arresting means comprising link means engageable with the rocker base, and means fixed to the link means and slidable along and relative to the rocker base.

3. in a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 2, the arresting means comprising forward and rearward links, each engageable with the rocker base, the rearward link being spring loaded for allowing the leg rest to be extended while rocking rearwardly.

4. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 3, including a roller rotatably mounted on each of the blocking links and rotatably engageable with the rocker base.

5. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 3, including a shoe fixed to each of the blocking links and slidable along and relative to the rocker base.

6. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 3, including stop means for limiting the range of movement of the leg rest and body-supporting unit.

7. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 6, wherein one of the plural stop means is constituted by the rearward link.

8. In a rocker recliner chair as set forth in claim 3, including guide means for guiding the blockingmeans in its movements.

. A rocker-recliner chair comprising a stationary rocker base, a chassis rockably mounted on said base, a body-supporting unit including a backrest and a seat supported on said chassis, means mounting the body-supporting unit for movement relative to the chassis between an upright sitting position and a reclining position, a leg rest movable between retracted position and extended position, actuating means connecting the body-supporting unit and chassis and leg rest for automatically moving the leg rest responsively to movement of the body-supporting unit, the actuating means moving the seat forwardly and upwardly as the body-supporting unit is reclined and the leg rest is extended, and arresting means operatively connected to the actuating means and movable into position to arrest rocking movement when the body-supporting unit is reclined, the arresting means comprising forward and rearward links, each engageable with the rocker base, the rearward link being spring loaded for allowing the leg rest to be extended while rocking rearwardly.

10. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including a roller rotatably mounted on each of the blocking links and rotatably engageable with the rocker base.

ll. in a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including a shoe fixed to each of the blocking links and slidable along and relative to the rocker base.

12. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including stop means for limiting the range of movement of the leg rest and body-supporting unit.

13. in a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 12, wherein one of the plural stop means is constituted by the rearward link.

M. in a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, includ ing guide means for guiding the blocking means in its movements.

15. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including means fixed to the link means and slidable along and relative to the rocker base.

* l t l

Claims

1. In a rocker-recliner chair comprising a stationary rocker base and a chassis rockably mounted on the base and a body supporting unit including a back rest and a seat supported on the chassis, and means mounting the body supporting unit for movement relative to the chassis between an upright sitting position and reclining positions, and a leg rest movable between retracted position and extended position, the improvement in actuating means connecting the body supporting unit and chassis and leg rest for automatically moving the leg rest responsively to movement of the body supporting unit and for moving the seat forwardly and upwardly as the body supporting Unit is reclined and the leg rest is extended and including: forward- and rearward-arresting means operatively connected to the actuating means and movable into position of engagement with the rocker base for arresting rocking movement of the chassis when the body supporting unit is reclined.

8. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 3, including guide means for guiding the blocking means in its movements.

9. A rocker-recliner chair comprising a stationary rocker base, a chassis rockably mounted on said base, a body-supporting unit including a backrest and a seat supported on said chassis, means mounting the body-supporting unit for movement relative to the chassis between an upright sitting position and a reclining position, a leg rest movable between retracted position and extended position, actuating means connecting the body-supporting unit and chassis and leg rest for automatically moving the leg rest responsively to movement of the body-supporting unit, the actuating means moving the seat forwardly and upwardly as the body-supporting unit is reclined and the leg rest is extended, and arresting means operatively connected to the actuating means and movable into position to arrest rocking movement when the body-supporting unit is reclined, the arresting means comprising forward and rearward links, each engageable with the rocker base, the rearward link being spring loaded for allowing the leg rest to be extended while rocking rearwardly.

11. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including a shoe fixed to each of the blocking links and slidable along and relative to the rocker base.

14. In a rocker-recliner chair as set forth in claim 9, including guide means for guiding the blocking means in its movements.