US3881772A — Chair control mechanism

Claim 1

Independent Claim 198 words

A chair control mechanism comprising: a first frame member extending forwardly and rearwardly and having a pair of parallel elongated vertical side wall portions, laterally outwardly extending upper flange portions integral with said side wall portions for attachment to the underside of a chair seat, and a lower transverse web portion interconnecting only the forward sections of said side wall portions and forming a U-shaped frame member, said web portion defining a laterally extending abutment; a second frame member; a transverse shaft extending through said second frame member and said side wall portions of said first frame member rearwardly of said web portion of the latter whereby to tiltably position said first And second frame members, said second frame member has at least one pair of vertically spaced, forwardly projecting are segments engageable with opposed sides of said web portion abutment of said first frame member for limiting relative tilting movement between said first and second frame members in both directions, the axis of said transverse shaft lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as said web portion, and spring means connected with said transverse shaft and extending between said first and second frame members in one direction.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 198 words

A chair control mechanism comprising: a first frame member extending forwardly and rearwardly and having a pair of parallel elongated vertical side wall portions, laterally outwardly extending upper flange portions integral with said side wall portions for attachment to the underside of a chair seat, and a lower transverse web portion interconnecting only the forward sections of said side wall portions and forming a U-shaped frame member, said web portion defining a laterally extending abutment; a second frame member; a transverse shaft extending through said second frame member and said side wall portions of said first frame member rearwardly of said web portion of the latter whereby to tiltably position said first And second frame members, said second frame member has at least one pair of vertically spaced, forwardly projecting are segments engageable with opposed sides of said web portion abutment of said first frame member for limiting relative tilting movement between said first and second frame members in both directions, the axis of said transverse shaft lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as said web portion, and spring means connected with said transverse shaft and extending between said first and second frame members in one direction.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 94 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said spring means includes an inner sleeve member on said shaft and nonrotatably secured in position relative to said first frame member, an outer sleeve member radially spaced from said first sleeve member, a resilient body member intermediate of and bonded to said inner and outer sleeve members, a collar member secured to said outer sleeve member and having an arm portion, and adjustable means carried by said arm portion and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said resilient body member in torsion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 62 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said second frame member has a transverse web portion and a transverse bar portion; and including a chair back bracket one end of which is seated between said web and bar portions of said second frame member, and means for securing said chair back bracket to said web portion of said second frame member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 71 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said second frame member has an upstanding hemispheric portion with a slot therein; and including a chair back support member, a transverse pin member pivotally mounting said chair back support member to said second frame member, and adjustable means extending through said slot and said chair back support member for adjusting the angular position of the latter relative to said second frame member.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 115 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said shaft is rectangular in cross section at least at its ends; wherein said first frame member is provided with a pair of slots that nonrotatably receive said ends of said shaft; and wherein said spring means includes a sleeve member surrounding said shaft in spaced relation thereto, a resilient body member intermediate of and bonded to said shaft and said sleeve member, a collar member on said sleeve member and having an arm portion, means securing said collar member to said sleeve member, and means carried by said arm portion and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said resilient body member in torsion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 5 wherein said means securing said collar member to said sleeve member comprises a roll pin.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 5 wherein three sides of each of said pair of slots conform to three sides of said ends of said shaft, and said first frame member is deformed at the end of each of said pair of slots to maintain said shaft in said slots.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 5 wherein said ends of said shaft are notched to define shoulders that engage said side wall portions of said first frame member for locating said shaft endwise.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 64 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said spring means includes a bearing plate, a helical coil spring disposed about said shaft and having first extension means engaged with said bearing plate and second extension means engaged with said first frame member, and adjustable means carried by said bearing plate and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said coil spring.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 40 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 9 wherein said coil spring comprises two coil sections with an intermediate loop extension that defines said first extension means and with a pair of free end extensions that define said second extension means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 65 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said spring means includes a leaf spring having first and second arm portions with said first arm portion engaged with said first frame member and having an intermediate portion engaged with said shaft, and adjustable means extending between said second arm portion of said leaf spring and said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said leaf spring.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

A chair control mechanism as defined in claim 1, including a passageway in said web portion for receiving either a post support member or a spring tensioning member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said web portion abutment has opposed sides engageable with said spaced arm segments for limiting relative tilting movement between said first and second frame members in both directions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 101 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said spring means includes a first sleeve member on said shaft and nonrotatably secured in position relative to said first frame member, a second sleeve member radially spaced from said first sleeve member, a resilient body member intermediate of and bonded to said first and second sleeve members, and a a collar member secured to an second sleeve member and having an arm portion; and wherein an adjustable spring tensioning member is carried by said arm portion and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said resilient body member in torsion.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 62 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said second frame member has a transverse web portion and a transverse bar portion; and including a chair back bracket one end of which is seated between said web and bar portions of said second frame member, and means for securing said chair back bracket to said web portion of said second frame member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 71 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said second frame member has an upstanding hemispheric portion with a slot therein; and including a chair back support member, a transverse pin member pivotally mounting said chair back support member to said second frame member, and adjustable means extending through said slot and said chair back support member for adjusting the angular position of the latter relative to said second frame member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 120 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said shaft is rectangular in cross section at least at its ends; wherein said first frame member is provided with a pair of slots that nonrotatably receive said ends of said shaft; wherein said spring means includes a sleeve member surrounding said shaft in spaced relation thereto, a resilient body member intermediate of and bonded to said shaft and said sleeve member, a collar member on said sleeve member and having an arm portion, means securing said collar member to said sleeve member; and wherein an adjustable spring tensioning member is carried by said arm portion and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said resilient body member in torsion.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 17 wherein said means securing said collar member to said sleeve member comprises a roll pin.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 50 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 17 wherein three sides of each of said pair of slots conform to three sides of said ends of said shaft, and said first member is deformed at the end of each of said pair of slots to maintain said shaft in said slots.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 17 wherein said ends of said shaft are notched to define shoulders that engage said first frame member for locating said shaft endwise.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 70 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said spring means includes a bearing plate, and a helical coil spring disposed about said shaft and having first extension means engaged with said bearing plate and second extension means engaged with said first frame member; and wherein said adjustable spring tensioning member is carried by said bearing plate and engaged with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said coil spring.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 40 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 21 wherein said coil spring comprises two coil sections with an intermeDiate loop extension that defines said first extension means and with a pair of free end extensions that define said second extension means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 68 words

The chair control mechanism of claim 12 wherein said spring means includes a leaf spring having first and second ends with said first end engaged with said first frame member and having an intermediate portion engaged with said shaft and wherein an adjustable spring tensioning member is engaged with said leaf spring adjacent said second end and with said second frame member for adjustably tensioning said leaf spring.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-05	1978-11-04	1979-05-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-05	1982-11-04	1983-05-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-05	1986-11-04	1987-05-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Chair control mechanism

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