US3572820A

US3572820A - Tv and fully reclining chairs and hardware therefor

Info

Publication number: US3572820A
Application number: US792419*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arlen H Ferguson
Original assignee: Mohasco Industries Inc
Current assignee: Mohasco Industries Inc
Priority date: 1969-01-21
Filing date: 1969-01-21
Publication date: 1971-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-30
Also published as: DE2001840A1; FR2028760A1; BR7016173D0; NL7000693A; GB1280572A; BE744739A; CA938211A

Abstract

Two tubular cross braces interconnect the arms of a chair frame, to support the load on the seat and to keep the arms from spreading apart. The braces are at opposed upwardly divergent 45* angles to get the upper mounting points of the braces to the frame, further apart to get maximum bearing area. The braces have a middle downward bend to provide clearance for a soft seat and to strengthen the braces. The cross braces support reclining chair linkage hardware. These linkages are provided with sequencing mechanism so arranged that the chair goes from closed upright position to an intermediate TV position before going to a fully reclined position.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Arlen H. Ferguson Tupelo, Miss.

[2 I 1 Appl. No. 792,419

[22] Filed Jan. 21, 1969 [45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 l 73] Assignee Mohasco Industries, Inc.

Amsterdam, N.Y.

[54] TV AND FULLY RECLINING CHAIRS AND 3,330,597 7/1967 Lay 297/445 3,408,965 11/1968 Hamilton 248/188.91 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,024,816 2/1958 .Germany 297/445 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney-J. B. Felshin ABSTRACT: Two tubular cross braces interconnect the arms of a chair frame, to support the load on the seat and to keep the arms from spreading apart. The braces are at opposed upwardly divergent 45 angles to get the upper mounting points of the braces to the frame, further apart to get maximum bearing area. The braces have a middle downward bend to provide clearance for a soft seat and to strengthen the braces. The cross braces support reclining chair linkage hardware. These linkages are provided with sequencing mechanism so arranged that the chair goes from closed upright position to an intermediate TV position before going to a fully reclined position.

PATENTEU MARSO 197i SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR. ARM/V F626 1/30 TV AND FULLY RECLINING CHAIRS AND HARDWARE THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to hardware for reclining resters and loungers.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-Ieretofore linkages were supported on straight wood cross braces which often allowed sidearrns of chair supports to pull apart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide, in a reclining chair of the character described, metal cross-brace means interconmeeting the arms of the chair frame and supporting reclining chair hardware interconnecting the seat and leg-rest, and preventing the chair frame arms from spreading apart;

Another object of this invention is to provide, in a reclining chair of the character. described, cross-brace means which may be used with a great variety of recliner hardware, and comprising a pair of cross-brace members which diverge up wardly and outwardly, whereby to support arm-mounting members at closer spaced points and which are attached to the chair frame arms at more outwardly spaced points, to get maximum bearing area, said brace members being centrally depressed for strength and to allow use of softer seats without the seats contacting the cross-brace members when the chair is occupied, and further being so attached to the arms as to prevent said brace members from turning relative to said arms.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a strong 7 and durable recliner chair hardware construction of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, which shall be smooth in operation, easy to incorporate into chairs, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of con struction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be. indicated in the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a recliner high-legged lounger chair provided with cross-brace means supporting recliner hardware and embodying the invention, and shown in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a transverse view of one of the brace members attached to the side arms of the chair frame;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a crossasectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4a is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating a modified construction;

FIG. ib is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the structure of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the recliner mechanism shown in FIG. I, in closed position;

FIG. 6 is a view of the structure shown in FIG. 5, but shown in TV or intermediate position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the recliner mechanism in fully reclined position; and

FIG. 8 is a top pian view of the structure of FIG. 5, but in an open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to FIGS. l8 of the drawing, 10 designates a chair, here shown in the form of a lounger, provided with recliner hardware 11 and support means 12 therefor, embodying one form of the invention.

The chair III comprises sidcarms I3 including arm side rails 13a in parallel planes supported on front legs I4 and rear legs 15.

Side rails 13 incline upwardly and forwardly somewhat, and have upper edges I6, lower edges 17, inner faces iii, outer faces 19, front ends 20 and rear ends 21.

The sideanns of reclining chairs have heretofore been built with a wooden crossmember that spaces the arms apart and supports the load on the seat, which is the occupant. The wooden crossmembers have proven unsatisfactory in high leg chairs because they are too weak, so that the sidearms tend to part and the wood supports are too weak to support the occupant. As one cure for this difficulty, manufacturers have added steel angles to the woodboard, at both ends, which required time-consuming labor and expense. Furthennore, these straight wood cross braces were often contacted by the seat, so that the seats had to be fairly firm not to sag into contact with such wood cross braces, so that soft seats could not be used.

In accordance with the present invention, these difficulties have been obviated. As shown in FIGS. 1-8, the side rails 113a are interconnected by a pair of similar, symmetrically disposed metal cross-brace members 3 l) disposed in upwardly extending, forwardly and rearwardly divergent planes. Each member 30 is made of tubular metal stock and comprises parallel end arms 31, end portions of which are flattened as at 32. Flattened portions 32 have outer flat surfaces 33 contacting the inner faces III of side rails 13a, and extend beyond the tapered ends 330 of the pipe. Arms 3U also comprise tubular portions 34 from which extend inwardly curved tubular portions 35. Extending from curved portions 35 are aligned, horizontal portions 36 interconnected by a downwardly depressed or bent central tubular portion 37, through inclined tubular portions 38. Each member 30' is in a single inclined plane, preferably of about 45. The flat portions 32 are in vertical parallel planes tangent to tubular portions 34, and are fastened to rails 13a. As shown in FIGS. I to 4, flat portions 32 are each formed with an upper opening 35 concentric with a horizontal opening 36 in rail 113a. Extending through

openings

35, 36 is a stud 37 having a screwbcad 38 at the inner surface of flat portion 32, The outer end of stud 37 is externally screw threaded, as at 39, engaging a nut 40 having cleats at that dig into the outer surface of rail I30.

Flat portion 32 also has a hole 42 to receive a wood screw 43 screwed into the rail 113a, to prevent rotation of the cross brace relative to the rails. Other screws 44 pass through aligned openings in arms 31 to firmly fix said cross brace members 30 to the rails and hence to the sidearms 13 of the chair supporting the frame.

It will be observed that each member 30 is similar and symmetrical about its midportion. The members 30 comprise means for supporting the recliner hardware II in the manner hereinafter explained.

In FIG. 4a, 4b, there is shown a modified cross brace member 300 similar to member 30 except that each arm has a flattened part 320 similar to flattened part 32 but formed with an outwardly extruded opening 50 to dig into the wood rail 13a and a pair of countersunk openings 51 to receive screws for attaching said members 30a to the wood rails.

The recliner hardware comprises similar, symmetrically.

disposed linkages 11 at the right and left sides of the chair. Hence only one of the linkages (the one on the right side of the chair) will be described.

Linkage 11 comprises an arm mounting member or plate 53- resting on portions 36 of the cross brace members 30. Each arm-mounting member or plate 53 comprises a flat horizontal flange 54 from which a vertical wall or flange 55 extends upwardly. The ends of flange 54 rest on portions 36 of the cross brace members. With said cross brace members inclined at 45, tubular portions 36 have vertically aligned openings 36a receiving bolts 56 for attaching said arm-mounting members to said cross brace members. The wall 55 of member 53 has a rearwardly and downwardly inclined finger or lug extension 58 and a forwardly extending finger or lug extension 59. It is also formed with a substantially horizontal central slot 60 disposed above flange 54 and with an outwardly recessed strap portion 60a forming a slot 61 with said flange.

Pivoted to strap 60a as by rivet 62 is a short anchor link 63 to the upper end of which is pivoted, as by rivet 64, a secondary lifter link 65. Pivoted to the outer end of link 65, as on rivet 66, is one end of a rear carrier link 67. The upper end of link 67 is pivoted as by rivet 68 to one end of a seat mounting link 70 attached to a seat frame 71 (FIG. I). Said seat frame 71 comprises parallel side members 72 running from front to rear, inside of and in spaced relation to rails 13a, and interconnected at the front by front crossrail 73 and at the rear by a rear crossrail 74. A front piece 75 is attached to the part of front crossrail 73 and a rear piece 76 is attached to the rear of rear crossrail 74. The seat-mounting link 70 is attached to the inner surface of seat side member 72. The main front portion of the seat-mounting link 70 runs substantially parallel to the side member 72. It is formed with an upwardly bent rear end portion 70a which carries the rivet 68 at its upper end. Pivoted to said rivet 68 is a back-mounting link 77 to which the chair back 78 is attached. The chair back 78 comprises side members 79 in vertical planes interconnected by a crossrail 80. Link 77 is bent to provide arms 77a, 77b joined at a juncture 77c. At the juncture 77c is a rivet 81 which connects a rear control link 81a to a rivet 82 located at the lower end of finger extension 58 of the arm-mounting member 53. It will be noted that rivet 82 is located rearwardly of portion 36 of the rear cross brace 30 and below the level of flange 54.

Pivoted to wall 55 of arm-mounting member 53 as at 84 is the rear end of a primary lifter link 85 which crosses secondary lifter link 65 and is pivoted thereto by a rivet 88.

Pivoted to seat-mounting link 70, as at 89, is a bellcrank 90. Bellcrank 90 has an arm 91 from which an arm 92 extends at an acute angle. The front end of primary lifter link 85 is pivoted, as at 93, to an intermediate portion of arm 92 of bellcrank 90. The upper end of arm 92 is pivoted on said rivet 89 to said seat-mounting link 70. The juncture 94 of arms 91, 92 of bellcrank 90 is pivoted as at 95, to one end of a drive link 96. One end of a rear ottoman link 97 is pivoted, as at 98, to the front end of seat-mounting link 70. Said drive link 96 is pivoted as at 99 to said rear ottoman link 97 at a point spaced from pivot 98.

Pivoted to the outer end of arm 91 of bellcrank 90, as at 100, is a sequencing link 101. Said link 101 has an arm 102 at an obtuse angle to a second arm 103. Arm 103 has a longitudinal slot 104. Fixed to finger extension 59 of the arm-mounting member 53 is a headed pin 105 having a shank slidable received in slot 104.

Link 97 is Z-shaped, having an upper arm 97a (pivoted at 98), an intermediate arm 97b and a third arm 97c. Pivot pin 99 is located between arms 97a, 97b.-The outer end of arm 97c is pivoted, as at 110, to an intermediate portion of a lower ottoman link 111. The rear end of link 111 is pivoted, as at 112, to the outer end of a rear ottoman control link 113. The upper end of said link 113 is pivoted as at 114 to the seat-mounting link 70, rearwardly of, and in spaced relation to pivot 98, and forwardly of, and in spaced relation to pivot pin 89. Fixed to seat-mounting link 70 is a stop pin 115 located between pivots 1 14 and 98.

Stop 115 is positioned to engage an edge of link 113 when the linkage 11 is opened to TV position, as shown in FIG. 6, and to maintain said link in such position as the linkage moves from said TV to the fully reclined position of FIG. 7.

Pivoted to an intermediate portion of arm 970 of link 97, as at 117, is one end of an upper ottoman link 118. The opposite end of said link 118 is pivoted by pivot pin or rivet 119 to one end of an ottoman mounting bracket 120 and also by said pin or rivet 119 to one corner of a substantially triangular-shaped ottoman guard 120a. Another corner of said guard 120a carries a pivot 111a pivoted to one end of link 111. Said end of link 111 has an offset lug 111b pivoted as by pivot 111C to one end of a short link 122. The other end of said link 122 is pivoted by pivot 123 to bracket 120. The upper end of said ottoman guard 120a has an offset flange 120!) overlying pivot 119. Ottoman-mounting bracket 120 has an extension 1211c provided with an offset flange 120d which is located at the top, in the open position of the linkage. Flanges 120b, 120d support the transverse ottoman parts, not shown.

When the linkage is in the closed position of FIGS. 1 and 5, the seat frame 71 is almost in horizontal position and the chair back 78 is almost in vertical position. The entire linkage is supported on the cross brace members 30. The divergence of said members 30 puts the upper mounting holes further apart to get maximum bearing area. The middle bend in the tubes provide clearance for a sagging seat when the chair is occupied, thereby allowing for use of softer seat springs without bottoming out, The metal cross braces are strong and prevent the sidearms from separating.

On vertical wall 55 of member 53 is a stop pin 125, located on the front end of finger extension 59, and it is contacted by the primary lifter link in the closed position of the linkage as seen in FIG. 5. At that time, the pivot pin 105 is located at the lower end of slot 104, in sequence link 101, and prevents the chair from moving into fully reclined position because the primary lifter link 85 is pivoted, as at 93, to the bellcrank and the bellcrank is pivoted, as at 100, to the sequence link.

The leg-rest or ottoman-supporting links must first be projected. The pivot pin being at the lower end of slot 104, an upward movement of the mechanism or linkage is prevented because the lower end 102 of the slotted sequence link is a rigid strut which prevents movement of the bellcrank 90. The opposite end of the slot provides the final stop in fully reclined position, as seen in FIG. 7. The sequence link thus has two purposes.

The ottoman-supporting bracket and guard (120, a) go completely under the chair. The movement of the ottoman mounting brackets is delayed until the seat has reached the maximum upward position (as distinguished from backward movement).

The seat moves upwardly and rearwardly from closed position as the linkage moves from the closed position of FIG. 5 to the TV position of FIG. 6. The bracket 120 moves slowly (stays almost horizontal) until the scat-mounting link has reached its maximum upward motion. By that time, the ottoman bracket 120 has reached its lowest limit relative to the floor. This bracket 120 first moves slowly and then faster. Pivots 111a, 111a and 123 are almost in a straight line in the closed position of FIG. 5. As a result of the angular displacement of these three points, relative to pivot 119, is a small vertical displacement for a given angle, and then a larger vertical displacement for a continued movement of same angular extent.

As we go from closed position of FIG. 5 to the TV position of FIG. 6, the bellcrank 90 pivots about pivot 93 to move the seat-mounting link 70 vertically and horizontally to change its angle by means of the rear carrier link 67. The seat-mounting link 70 is rotated clockwise, looking at FIGS. 5 and 6, so that its rear end moves down. During this movement, the chair back maintains its position relative to the seat mounting link by means of the rear control link 81a, but moves down relative to the floor, thereby increasing the seat pitch or the incline of the seat relative to the floor.

Now, going from TV position of FIG. 6 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 7, pressure on the back of the chair, acting through back-mounting link 77, lifts the rear of the seatmounting link 70 by action through the rear carrier link 67 and the secondary lifter link 65 which is acting on the anchor link 63, which is pivoted to the arm-mounting member 53 at pivot 62.

The lifting of the front of the seat is simultaneously caused by the secondary lifter link 65 acting through pivot 0% on primary lifter link 85 which is pivoted to the bellcrank 90 at pivot 93. This bellcrank 90 is connected to the seat-mounting link 70 at pivot point 89.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an article in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter, herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative only.

lclaim:

1. Cross brace means to interconnect sidearms of a chair support, comprising a cross brace having a transverse portion to extend transversely of said chair support, and parallel aligned portions extending from the ends of said transverse portion and adapted to contact inner surfaces of said sidearms, said cross brace comprising a tube, the ends of said parallel portions comprising flattened tube portions closing the ends of said cross brace and having parallel surfaces substantially tangent to the outer sides of said parallel portions, said transverse portion having a central depressed portion extending in a direction opposite to said parallel portions, parts of the transverse portion on opposite sides of said central depressed portion, being formed with pairs of diametrically opposed openings located on axes inclined to said parallel portions.

2. The combination of claim 1, said flattened portions being formed with openings to receive fastening means for attaching said cross brace to said side arms.

3. A chair support comprising sidearms, a pair of spaced cross braces interconnecting said sidearms, each cross brace having a pair of parallel portions and a transverse portion interconnecting said parallel portions, similar symmetrically disposed right and left recliner chair linkages comprising annmounting members mounted on the ends of the transverse portions of said cross braces, said linkages being disposed between the parallel portions of said cross braces, and means to attach said parallel portions to said sidearms.

4. The combination of claim 3, said cross braces being located in upwardly divergent angles.

5. The combination of claim 3, said cross braces being made of metal tubes.

6. The combination of claim 3, the transverse portion of each cross brace having a central depressed portion extending away from the parallel portions of said cross brace.

7. The combination of claim 4, the transverse portion of each cross brace having a central depressed portion extending away from the parallel portions of said cross brace.

8. The combination of claim 7, the ends of said parallel portions being flattened to close said-metal tubes, said flattened portions contacting inner surfaces of said sidearms.

9. The combination of claim 8, said linkages comprising seat-mounting links, seat members attached to said seatmounting links, a leg-rest means, and link means interconnecting said seat-mounting links, leg-rest means, and arm-mounting members, to permit said seat means to move from closed upright sitting position with the leg-rest means retracted to open reclining position with the leg-rest means projected.

10. The combination of claim 3, and means to attach said cross braces to said arm-mounting members.

11. The combination of claim 5, said arm-mounting members having horizontal flanges, said transverse portions of said cross braces having vertically aligned holes, said flanges having holes aligned with said holes in said transverse portions, and means passing through the holes in said transverse portions and in said flanges for attaching said cross braces to said arm-mounting members.

l2. The combination of claim 1, in combination with a chair support having sidearms, and means to attach said sidearms to said parallel, aligned portions of said brace.

13. The combination of claim I, a chair seat, means to support said chair seat, and means to mount said chair seat support means on said cross brace.

14. The combination of claim 13, a chair support having sidearms, and means to attach said sidearms to said parallel aligned portions of said brace.

15. The combination of claim 14, said chair seat support means comprising recliner chair linkages disposed between said 6parallel portions and on said transverse portions. I I

l The combination of claim 15, said linkages comprising an extensible and retractable leg-rest means, and said chair seat support means and said leg-rest means being movable from an upright sitting position of the chair rest support means, with the leg-rest means retracted, to a TV reclined position of said chair seat support means with said leg-rest means extended, and from said TV reclined position to a fully reclined position of said chair seat support means with said leg rest means extended.

Claims

3. A chair support comprising sidearms, a pair of spaced cross braces interconnecting said sidearms, each cross brace having a pair of parallel portions and a transverse portion interconnecting said parallel portions, similar symmetrically disposed right and left recliner chair linkages comprising arm-mounting members mounted on the ends of the transverse portions of said cross braces, said linkages being disposed between the parallel portions of said cross braces, and means to attach said parallel portions to said sidearms.

5. The combination of claim 3, said cross braces being made of metal tubes.

8. The combination of claim 7, the ends of said parallel portions being flattened to close said metal tubes, said flattened portions contacting inner surfaces of said sidearms.

9. The combination of claim 8, said linkages comprising seat-mounting links, seat members attached to said seat-mounting links, a leg-rest means, and link means interconnecting said seat-mounting links, leg-rest means, and arm-mounting members, to permit said seat means to move from closed upright sitting position with the leg-rest means retracted to open reclining position with the leg-rest means projected.

12. The combination of claim 1, in combination with a chair support having sidearms, and means to attach said sidearms to said parallel, aligned portions of said brace.

13. The combination of claim 1, a chair seat, means to support said chair seat, and means to mount said chair seat support means on said cross brace.

15. The combination of claim 14, said chair seat support means comprising recliner chair linkages disposed between said parallel portions and on said transverse portions.

16. The combination of claim 15, said linkages comprising an extensible and retractable leg-rest means, and said chair seat support means and said leg-rest means being movable from an upright sitting position of the chair rest support means, with the leg-rest means retracted, to a TV reclined position of said chair seat support means with said leg-rest means extended, and from said TV reclined position to a fully reclined position of said chair seat support means with said leg rest means extended.