Extendible and contractible seat position adjustor

Claim 2

A selectively extendible and contractible connecting link assembly for a reclining seat actuator comprising a thin-walled, tubular housing defining a chamber retaining first plug means for sealing one end of said housing, and retaining second plug means having an aperture therethrough in the other end of said housing, a rod extending through said aperture and partially slidably received in said housing, said housing also having first stop means formed on diametrically opposed portions by spacedly slotting and inwardly deforming portions of said housing, first apertured barrier means positioned against said first stop means, said rod extending through said barrier means, radially extending flange means secured to said rod within said chamber, a main operating coil spring surrounding said rod within said chamber, one end of said spring bearing on said first barrier means and the other end of said spring bearing on said flange means thereby biasing said rod out of said housing and said assembly towards its extended condition, a plurality of junxtaposed centrally apertured lock plates within said chamber, said rod extending through the apertures therein, said lock plate apertures being larger than said rod whereby said lock plates can be tilted relative to said rod, second stop means formed by inwardly deforming a portion of said housing and comprising a fixed fulcrum offset from the axis of said rod, in contact with one of said lock plates and preventing movement of said lock plates away from the end of said housing from which said rod protrudes, a locking spring encircling said rod and compressed between a second apertured barrier means positioned against said first stop means opposite from said first apertured barrier means and the side of lock plates remote from said second stop means, said spring being operative to tilt said lock plates around said fulcrum and lock said rod and said housing against contractible movement, said lock plates being effective to brake but not lock said rod against movement in an extensible direction, a cam member rotatably supported in said housing for selective direct engagement with said lock plates on the side of said lock opposite said fulcrum, and actuating means for rotating said cam to move said lock plates against the force of said locking spring until said locking plates are substantially normal to the axis of said rod whereby said rod may be freely moved in either direction.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a manually actuatable handle secured to said cam member.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said apertured barriers comprises a washer having an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of said tubular housing.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1, wherein said inwardly deformed portion of second stop means is adjacent a transversely extending slot formed through the wall of said housing.

Claim 6

A selectively extendible and contractible connecting link assembly adapted to operatively interconnect a relatively stationary horizontally disposed seat bench member and a seat back member pivotally connected to the seat bench member and to locate said back in one of a plurality of positions, said assembly comprising a one piece thin-walled, tubular housing defining an elongated chamber, first plug means sealing one end of said housing and adapted to be operatively secured to one of said seat members, second plug means having an aperture formed therethrough in the other end of said housing, a rod extending through said aperture and partially slidably received in said housing, the end of said rod projecting from said housing adapted to be secured to the other of said seat members, barrier means extending transversely across said chamber at a point spaced from both ends of said housing, said barrier means having a central aperture extending therethrough through which said rod extends, said barrier means including a pair of diametrically oppositely located housing portions, each of said portions being bounded by a pair of transversely extending slots formed through the wall of said housing and being deformed inwardly into said chamber, a radially extending flange carried by said rod for unitary movement therewith and located between said barrier and said second plug means, a main operating spring surrounding said rod and partially compressed between said flange and said barrier means, said spring exerting a force biasing said rod out of said housing and said assembly into an extended condition, a fixed fulcrum rigid with said housing and located between said barrier means and said first plug means and offset from the axis of said rod, rockable locking means surrounding said rod between said barrier means and said fulcrum, bearing against fulcrum and rockable about said fulcrum from a first position in which said locking means engage said rod to lock said rod and said housing against contractible movement and a second position allowing freedom of axial movement of said rod, a locking spring encircling said rod and partially compressed between said barrier and said locking means, said locking spring exerting a force urging said locking means toward said first position, a cam member rotatably supported in said housing for selective direct engagement with said locking means on the side of said rod opposite said fulcrum, and actuating means for rotating said cam to move said locking means against the force of said locking spring from said first position to said second position.

Claim 7

A selectively extendible and contractible connecting link assembly adapted to operatively interconnect a relatively stationary horizontally disposed seat bench member and a seat back member pivotally connected to the seat bench member and to locate said back in one of a plurality of positions, said assembly comprising a one piece thin-walled, tubular housing defining an elongated chamber, first plug means sealing one end of said housing and adapted to be operatively secured to one of said seat members, second plug means having an aperture formed therethrough in the other end of said housing, a rod extending through said aperture and partially slidably received in said housing, the end of said rod projecting from said housing adapted to be secured to the other of said seat members, barrier means extending transversely across said chamber at a point spaced from both ends of said housing, said barrier means having a central aperture extending therethrough through which said rod extends, said barrier means including a pair of diametrically oppositely located housing portions, each of said portions being bounded by a pair of transversely extending slots formed through the wall of said housing and being deformed inwardly into said chamber, a radially extending flange carried by said rod for unitary movement therewith and located between said barrier and said second plug means, a main operating spring surrounding said rod and partially compressed between said flange and said barrier means, said spring exerting a force biasing said rod out of said housing and said assembly into an extended condition, a fixed fulcrum rigid with said housing and located between said barrier means and said first plug means and offset from the axis of said rod, rockable locking means surrounding said rod between said barrier means and said fulcrum, bearing against fulcrum and rockable about said fulcrum from a first position in which said locking means engage said rod to lock said rod and said housing against contractible movement and a second position allowing freedom of axial movement of said rod, a locking spring encircling said rod and partially compressed between said barrier and said locking means, said locking spring exerting a force urging said locking means toward said first position, a cam member rotatably supported in said housing for selective direct engagement with said locking means on the side of said rod opposite said fulcrum, and actuating means for rotating said cam to move said locking means against the force of said locking spring from said first position to said second position.

Claim 8

The link assembly of claim 5, wherein said barrier means further includes a pair of washers, each of said washers being positioned in said chamber on opposite sides of and bearing against said housing portions.

Claim 9

The link assembly of claim 5, wherein said housing has a transversely extending slot formed therethrough, said fulcrum comprising a portion of said housing immediately adjacent said slot deformed radially inwardly into said chamber.