Rocker recliner chair

Claim 2

In a rocker recliner chair having a base, a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base via rocker cams, a seat and arm frame unit mounted on the rocker cam unit, a chair back which can be reclined and erected, and a footrest which can be extended and retracted; a lock mechanism mounted on the rocker cam unit for permitting rocking of the seat and arm frame unit, chair back, footrest and rocker cam frame on the base so long as the footrest is retracted and the chair back is erect and preventing rocking of the seat and arm frame unit, chair back, footrest and rocker cam frame when either of the following conditions exist: the footrest is extended and the chair back is reclined; the lock mechanism including a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the footrest, the seat and arm frame unit, the back and the one of said lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon extension of the footrest and upon reclining of the chair back; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon extension of the footrest and upon reclining of thE chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 3

A rocker recliner chair including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a unitary left side linkage and a unitary right side linkage, the side linkages each comprising a plurality of interpivoted links and being mounted on the rocker cam unit for mounting thereon a chair back, a chair seat and arm frame unit and a footrest; a rocker lock mechanism mounted on the rocker cam unit between the side linkages and engageable with the base to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base upon movement of the side linkages to effect reclining of the chair back and upon movement of the side linkages to effect extension of the footrest; a torque tube extending transversely between the two side linkages and connected to corresponding links thereof for coordinating footrest extending and retracting movements of the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element for mounting on the chair seat and arm frame unit, one of said lock elements including pivotal mounting means whereby said one lock element, when mounted, is pivotable; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 4

A rocker recliner chair including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a unitary left side linkage and a unitary right side linkage, the side linkages each comprising a plurality of interpivoted links and being mounted on the rocker cam unit for mounting thereon a chair back, a chair seat and arm frame unit and a footrest; a rocker lock mechanism mounted on the rocker cam unit between the side linkages and engageable with the base to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base upon movement of the side linkages to effect reclining of the chair back and upon movement of the side linkages to effect extension of the footrest; a torque tube extending transversely between the two side linkages and connected to corresponding links thereof for coordinating footrest extending and retracting movements of the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element for mounting on the chair seat and arm frame unit, one of said lock elements including pivotal mounting means whereby said one lock element, when mounted, is pivotable; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 5

The rocker recliner chair of claim 2 wherein the base includes two side rails, a front rail extending laterally between the side rails near the front of the base, and a rear rail extending laterally between the side rails at the rear of the base; the side rails each having means defining an upwardly presented cam running surface; the front and rear rails having means defining upwardly presented landing surfaces, that of the front rail providing said other cam surface of said other of the two described lock elements; the rocker cam unit having two rocker cams respectively rockably mounted on the two cam running surfaces of the two side rails; the rocker cam unit further including at least one rigid, transversally extending connecting member connecting the two rocker cams; and the lock mechanism including a longitudinally extending link secured on the rocker cam unit transversely extending connecting member intermediate the two rocker cams; a first support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the front rail; a second support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the rear rail; a second longitudinally extending link having opposite ends thereof pivoted to the opposite ends of the first and second support links; and linkage means connected to the second longitudinally extending link intermediate the first and second support links actuable in a first direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends into contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base and actuable in a second direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends out of contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; said link system which pivotally interconnects the torque tube and the one of the lock elements which is pivotally mounted including a link rigidly secured at one end to the torque tube intermediate the ends of the torque tube and extending longitudinally of the rocker cam unit; a generally L-shaped link having one end thereof pivotally secured to the outer end of the link rigidly secured to the torque tube; an angular link having a bend intermediate the ends thereof; the angular link being pivoted at one end thereof to the opposite end of the L-shaped link, the rigidly secured, L-shaped and angular links being so oriented that when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the rigidly secured link projects generally horizontally and rearwardly from the torque tube, the L-shaped link is concave downwardly, the opposite end of the angular link being pivoted to the first-mentioned longitudinally extending link; and an additional link having one end pivoted to the second longitudinally extending link and the opposite end thereof to the angular link at the bend thereof; when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the first support link being concave upwardly and the second support link being concave rearwardly; link means rigidly secured to the torque tube and extending rearwardly and upwardly from intermediate the ends of the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; an arcuate link having a first end disposed rearwardly of the torque tube, a second end disposed forwardly of the torque tube and arching under the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; a helper tensioning spring having one end thereof secured to the second end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having an opposite end for securement to a chair seat underside; an additional link having one end pivoted to the first end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having the opposite end thereof pivoted to the outer end of the link means which is rigidly secured to the torque tube; whereby said linkage means being constructed and arranged to pivot said one end of the first support link into contact with the landing surface of the front rail and force said rocker cam frame to rock rearwardly to bucket the rocker cam frame with respect to the platform rocker base, prior to pivoting the one end of the second support link into contact with the landing surface of the rear side.

Claim 6

The rocker recliner chair of claim 3 wherein: the lock mechanism is elongated longitudinally of the chair and is narrow transversally of the chair and is mounted at a site laterally disposed about half way from the longitudinal centerline of the rocker cam unit and the base toward one of the rocker cams.

Claim 7

A rocker recliner chair including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a seat and arm frame unit; a chair back; a left side linkage and a right side linkage mounted on the rocker cam unit and respectively mounting the left and right sides of the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the rocker cam unit; the left and right side linkages each comprising a plurality of interpivoted links including: a parallelogram linkage system hangingly mounting the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the rocker cam unit, and a lazy tongs; each side linkage further including a seat back mounting link mounted to be arcuately moved as the chair back is reclined and erected; a link extending between the seat back mounting link and the parallelogram linkage system of the respective side linkage and pivotally secured to each, so that, as the chair back is reclined the chair seat and arm frame unit is moved upwardly and forwardly by operation of the parallelogram linkage systems; a footrest mounted upon and extending laterally between the forward ends of the lazy tongs of the left and right side linkages; a torque transmitting tube extending laterally between the left and right side linkages and interconnecting the lazy tongs of the left and right side linkages; and an operator handle mounted on one of the side linkages and connected crank-fashion to the lazy tongs of that side linkage so that rotation of the operating handle extends and retracts the lazy tongs of that side linkage directly and the other lazy tongs coordinately via the torque tube; a lock disposed laterally intermediate the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axiS is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 8

A rocker recliner chair including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a seat and arm frame unit; a chair back; a left side linkage and a right side linkage mounted on the rocker cam unit and respectively mounting the left and right sides of the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the rocker cam unit; the left and right side linkages each comprising a plurality of interpivoted links including: a parallelogram linkage system hangingly mounting the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the rocker cam unit, and a lazy tongs; each side linkage further including a seat back mounting link mounted to be arcuately moved as the chair back is reclined and erected; a link extending between the seat back mounting link and the parallelogram linkage system of the respective side linkage and pivotally secured to each, so that, as the chair back is reclined the chair seat and arm frame unit is moved upwardly and forwardly by operation of the parallelogram linkage systems; a footrest mounted upon and extending laterally between the forward ends of the lazy tongs of the left and right side linkages; a torque transmitting tube extending laterally between the left and right side linkages and interconnecting the lazy tongs of the left and right side linkages; and an operator handle mounted on one of the side linkages and connected crank-fashion to the lazy tongs of that side linkage so that rotation of the operating handle extends and retracts the lazy tongs of that side linkage directly and the other lazy tongs coordinately via the torque tube; a lock disposed laterally intermediate the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axiS is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 9

The rocker recliner chair of claim 5 wherein the base includes two side rails, a front rail extending laterally between the side rails near the front of the base, and a rear rail extending laterally between the side rails at the rear of the base; the side rails each having means defining an upwardly presented cam running surface; the front and rear rails having means defining upwardly presented landing surfaces, that of the front rail providing said other cam surface of said other of the two described lock elements; the rocker cam unit having two rocker cams respectively rockably mounted on the two cam running surfaces of the two side rails; the rocker cam unit further including at least one rigid, transversally extending connecting member connecting the two rocker cams; and the lock mechanism including: a longitudinally extending link secured on the rocker cam unit transversely extending connecting member intermediate the two rocker cams; a first support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the land surface of the front rail; a second support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the rear rail; a second longitudinally extending link having opposite ends thereof pivoted to the opposite ends of the first and second support links; and linkage means connected to the second longitudinally extending link intermediate the first and second support links actuable in a first direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends into contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rail, respectively, to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base and actuable in a second direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends out of contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; said link system which pivotally interconnects the torque tube and the one of the lock elements which is pivotally mounted including a link rigidly secured at one end to the torque tube intermediate the ends of the torque tube and extending longitudinally of the rocker cam unit; a generally L-shaped link having one end thereof pivotally secured to the outer end of the link rigidly secured to the torque tube; an angular link having a bend intermediate the ends thereof; the angular link being pivoted at one end thereof to the opposite end of the L-shaped link, the rigidly secured, L-shaped and angular links being so oriented that when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the rigidly secured link projects generally horizontally and rearwardly from the torque tube, the L-shaped link is concave upwardly and the angular link is concave downwardly, the opposite end of the angular link being pivoted to the first-mentioned longitudinally extending link; and an additional link having one end pivoted to the second longitudinally extending link and the opposite end thereof to the angular link at the bend thereof; when the torque tube is located in the downwardly/rearwardly traNslational and clockwise rotational extremes thereof the first support link being concave upwardly and the second support link being concave rearwardly; link means rigidly secured to the torque tube and extending rearwardly and upwardly from intermediate the ends of the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; a helper tensioning spring having one end thereof secured to the second end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having an opposite end secured to the underside of the seat and arm frame unit; an additional link having one end pivoted to the first end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having the opposite end thereof pivoted to the outer end of the link means which is rigidly secured to the torque tube; whereby said linkage means is constructed and arranged to pivot said one end of the first support link into contact with the landing surface of the front rail and force said rocker cam frame to rock rearwardly to bucket the rocker cam frame with respect to the platform rocker base, prior to pivoting the one end of the second support link into contact with the landing surface of the rear side.

Claim 10

A rocker recliner chair including: a base incliding a left side rail, a right side rail, front rail and a rear rail; the front and rear rails extending transversely of the chair between the side rails, the side rails having means defining rocker cam running surfaces thereon; a rocker cam unit including a left and a right, laterally spaced, rocker cams; said rocker cam unit being rockably mounted on the base with the rocker cams thereof running on said rocker cam running surfaces, said rocker cam unit being structured to carry a chair seat, arms and back; a first platform rocker spring unit secured to the right side rail and the right rocker cam; a second platform rocker spring unit secured to the left side rail and the left rocker cam; a unitary left side linkage incorporating a plurality of pivotable links and a right unitary side linkage incorporating a plurality of pivotable links; the left and right side linkages being mounted on the left and right sides of the rocker cam unit; a unitary chair seat and arm frame mounted on the left and right side linkages; and a chair back mounted on the left and right side linkages; each side linkage including: a generally horizontal bracket rigidly mounted on the cam frame; a generally horizontal link rigidly connected to and supporting one side of the seat and arm frame unit; and two, generally parallel, generally vertically extending links, one pivoted at its upper end to said bracket, near the rear end of the bracket and pivoted at its lower end to said generally horizontal link, near the rear end of the generally horizontal link, the other of the generally parallel links being pivoted at its upper end to said bracket near the front end of the bracket and pivoted at its lower end to said generally horizontal link near the front end of the generally horizontal link, whereby the chair seat and arm frame unit is mounted for parallelogram, swinging movement with respect to the rocker cam unit, two longitudinally spaced, generally upwardly extending links having lower ends rigidly connected to said generally horizontal link; a generally horizontal channel disposed above the aforementioned cam frame-mounted brackets, the upper ends of the upwardly extending links being rigidly secured to the generally horizontal channel; the seat and arm frame unit being rigidly directly secured to the generally horizontal channels, thereby supporting and rigidly connecting the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the generally horizontal links; a leg extending rearwardly from the lower end of the rearmost of each of said generally parallel, generally vertically extending links, resulting in the last-mentioned links being V-shaped; an L-shaped chair back mounting link for each Side linkage, each said L-shaped link having a forwardly projecting leg and an upwardly projecting link, the forward end of each forwardly projecting leg being pivoted with respect to the upper end region of the rearmost of the generally upwardly extending links whose lower ends are rigidly connected to said generally horizontal link; and each L-shaped link, near the juncture of the two legs thereof being pivoted to the upper end of an operator link, the lower end of each operator link being pivoted to the rearwardly extending leg of the respective V-shaped link, distally of the juncture of the rearwardly extending leg with the remainder of the V-shaped link; the chair back being mounted on the upwardly extending legs of the L-shaped links, whereby reclining of the chair back rotates the L-shaped links, disposing the upwardly extending legs rearwardly and the forwardly extending legs upwardly, causing the V-shaped links to be rotated via the operator links, thus moving the chair seat and arm frame unit upwardly and forwardly with respect to the cam frame; a lazy tongs constructed and arranged to extend upwardly as it extends forwardly; the two lazy tongs mounting a footrest between them at the forward extent thereof; the footrest including two longitudinally spaced, transversely extending halves, and the lazy tongs include separate bracket means for mounting each of the footrest sections; the bracket means for mounting the footrest section which is longitudinally foremost when th lazy tongs are extended including means for pivoting that footrest section to a position longitudinally behind the other footrest section upon retraction of the lazy tongs; operator handle means mounted on one of the side linkages and connected to operator link means for extending and retracting the lazy tongs of that side linkage; and a torque tube extending transversely between the side linkages and rigidly connecting the operator handle means with operator link means for extending and retracting the lazy tongs of the opposite side linkage, whereby rotation of the operator handle extends and retracts both lazy tongs, coordinately; a longitudinally elongated, laterally narrow lock mechanism constructed and arranged to, in a first condition, permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base, and to, in a second condition, prevent rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; the lock means including: a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining of footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward roCkability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 11

A rocker recliner chair including: a base incliding a left side rail, a right side rail, front rail and a rear rail; the front and rear rails extending transversely of the chair between the side rails, the side rails having means defining rocker cam running surfaces thereon; a rocker cam unit including a left and a right, laterally spaced, rocker cams; said rocker cam unit being rockably mounted on the base with the rocker cams thereof running on said rocker cam running surfaces, said rocker cam unit being structured to carry a chair seat, arms and back; a first platform rocker spring unit secured to the right side rail and the right rocker cam; a second platform rocker spring unit secured to the left side rail and the left rocker cam; a unitary left side linkage incorporating a plurality of pivotable links and a right unitary side linkage incorporating a plurality of pivotable links; the left and right side linkages being mounted on the left and right sides of the rocker cam unit; a unitary chair seat and arm frame mounted on the left and right side linkages; and a chair back mounted on the left and right side linkages; each side linkage including: a generally horizontal bracket rigidly mounted on the cam frame; a generally horizontal link rigidly connected to and supporting one side of the seat and arm frame unit; and two, generally parallel, generally vertically extending links, one pivoted at its upper end to said bracket, near the rear end of the bracket and pivoted at its lower end to said generally horizontal link, near the rear end of the generally horizontal link, the other of the generally parallel links being pivoted at its upper end to said bracket near the front end of the bracket and pivoted at its lower end to said generally horizontal link near the front end of the generally horizontal link, whereby the chair seat and arm frame unit is mounted for parallelogram, swinging movement with respect to the rocker cam unit, two longitudinally spaced, generally upwardly extending links having lower ends rigidly connected to said generally horizontal link; a generally horizontal channel disposed above the aforementioned cam frame-mounted brackets, the upper ends of the upwardly extending links being rigidly secured to the generally horizontal channel; the seat and arm frame unit being rigidly directly secured to the generally horizontal channels, thereby supporting and rigidly connecting the seat and arm frame unit with respect to the generally horizontal links; a leg extending rearwardly from the lower end of the rearmost of each of said generally parallel, generally vertically extending links, resulting in the last-mentioned links being V-shaped; an L-shaped chair back mounting link for each Side linkage, each said L-shaped link having a forwardly projecting leg and an upwardly projecting link, the forward end of each forwardly projecting leg being pivoted with respect to the upper end region of the rearmost of the generally upwardly extending links whose lower ends are rigidly connected to said generally horizontal link; and each L-shaped link, near the juncture of the two legs thereof being pivoted to the upper end of an operator link, the lower end of each operator link being pivoted to the rearwardly extending leg of the respective V-shaped link, distally of the juncture of the rearwardly extending leg with the remainder of the V-shaped link; the chair back being mounted on the upwardly extending legs of the L-shaped links, whereby reclining of the chair back rotates the L-shaped links, disposing the upwardly extending legs rearwardly and the forwardly extending legs upwardly, causing the V-shaped links to be rotated via the operator links, thus moving the chair seat and arm frame unit upwardly and forwardly with respect to the cam frame; a lazy tongs constructed and arranged to extend upwardly as it extends forwardly; the two lazy tongs mounting a footrest between them at the forward extent thereof; the footrest including two longitudinally spaced, transversely extending halves, and the lazy tongs include separate bracket means for mounting each of the footrest sections; the bracket means for mounting the footrest section which is longitudinally foremost when th lazy tongs are extended including means for pivoting that footrest section to a position longitudinally behind the other footrest section upon retraction of the lazy tongs; operator handle means mounted on one of the side linkages and connected to operator link means for extending and retracting the lazy tongs of that side linkage; and a torque tube extending transversely between the side linkages and rigidly connecting the operator handle means with operator link means for extending and retracting the lazy tongs of the opposite side linkage, whereby rotation of the operator handle extends and retracts both lazy tongs, coordinately; a longitudinally elongated, laterally narrow lock mechanism constructed and arranged to, in a first condition, permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base, and to, in a second condition, prevent rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; the lock means including: a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining of footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element where it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward roCkability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant.

Claim 12

The rocker recliner chair of claim 7 wherein the base includes two side rails, a front rail extending laterally between the side rail near the front of the base, and a rear rail extending laterally between the side rails at the rear of the base; the side rails each having means defining an upwardly presented cam running surface; the front and rear rails having means defining upwardly presented landing surfaces, that of the front rail providing said other cam surface of said other of the two described lock elements; the rocker cam unit having two rocker cams respectively rockably mounted on the two cam running surfaces of the two side rails; the rocker cam unit further including at least one rigid, transversally extending connecting member connecting the two rocker cams; and the lock mechanism including a longitudinally extending link secured on the rocker cam unit transversely extending connecting member intermediate the two rocker cams; a first support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the front rail; a second support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the rear rail; a second longitudinally extending link having opposite ends thereof pivoted to the opposite ends of the first and second support links; and linkage means connected to the second longitudinally extending link intermediate the first and second support links actuable in a first direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends into contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base and actuable in a second direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends out of contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; said link system which pivotally interconnects the torque tube and the one of the lock elements which is pivotally mounted including a link rigidly secured at one end to the torque tube intermediate the ends of the torque tube and extendextending longitudinally of the rocker cam unit; a generally L-shaped link having one end thereof pivotally secured to the outer end of the link rigidly secured to the torque tube; an angular link having a bend intermediate the ends thereof; the angular link being pivoted at one end thereof to the opposite end of the L-shaped link, the rigidly secured L-shaped and angular links being so oriented that when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the rigidly secured link projects generally horizontally and rearwardly from the torque tube, the L-shaped link is concave upwardly and the angular link is concave downwardly, the opposite end of the angular link being pivoted to the first-mentioned longitudinally extending link; and an additional line having one end pivoted to the second longitudinally extending link and the opposite end thereof to the angular link at the bend thereof; when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardy translational and clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the first support link being concave upwardly and the second support link being concave rearwardly; link means rigidly secured to the torque tube and extending rearwardly and upwardly from intermediate the ends of the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwarDly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; an arcuate link having a first end disposed forwardly of the torque tube and arching under the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; a helper tensioning spring having one end thereof secured to the second end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having an opposite end secured to the underside of the seat and arm frame unit; an additional link having one end pivoted to the first end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having the opposite end thereof pivoted to the outer end of the link means which is rigidly secured to the torque tube; whereby said linkage means being constructed and arranged to pivot said one end of the first support link into contact with the landing surface of the front rail and force said rocker cam frame to rock rearwardly to bucket the rocker cam frame with respect to the platform rocker base, prior to pivoting the one end of the second support link into contact with the landing surface of the rear side.

Claim 13

A rocker recliner chair, including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a seat and arm frame unit; a chair back; a left side linkage and a right side linkage mounted on the rocker cam unit; the left and right side linkage each comprising a first parallelogram linkage system for hangingly mounting the chair seat and arm frame unit from the rocker cam unit and including: first, rearmost and second, foremost, longitudinally spaced, transversely, horizontally extending pivots fixedly mounted on the rocker cam unit at a respective side thereof; a V-shaped link pivotally connected at the upper end of the foremost leg thereof to said first, rearmost pivot so as to hang therefrom; another link pivotally connected at the upper end thereof to said second, foremost pivot so as to hang therefrom; a generally longitudinally extending link having a first pivotal connection to the V-shaped link, rearwardly of the former and near the apex of the latter and having a second pivotal connection, to said other link, forwardly of the generally longitudinally extending link and near the lower end of said other link; first and second longitudinally spaced, upwardly extending members fixedly secured on the generally longitudinally extending link; and a generally longitudinally extending rail secured on said first and second upwardly extending members; the chair seat and arm frame unit being mounted on said rail of each of the left and right side linkages; the left and right side linkages each further including a second parallelogram linkage system including: said rail having first, rearmost and second, foremost, longitudinally spaced, transversely extending pivots mounted thereon; a first depending link pivotally mounted to hang from said first pivot of said rail; a second depending link mounted to hang from said second pivot of said rail; and a long, generally horizontally, longitudinally extending link having a first pivotal connection, to the first depending link, near the rear of the former and the lower end of the latter and having a second pivotal connection, to the second depending link, intermediate the ends of said long link and near the lower end of the second depending link, the second depending link protruding below said long link; the left and right side linkages each further including a footrest mounting lazy tong system, comprising: means defining a transversely extending pivot at the lower end of said second depending link; means defining a transversely extending pivot at the forward end of said long link; a short, upwardly extending link having a pivotal connection at the lower end thereof to said pivot at the forward end of said long link; a forwardly and upwardly extending link having a pivotal connection at the rear end thereof to said pivot at the lower end of said second depending link; another forwardly extEnding link, having a pivotal connection to the upper end of said short, upwardly extending link and projecting forwardly below the forward end of said forwardly and upwardly extending link; footrest mounting bracket means secured on the forward end of said other forwardly extending link and having a transversely extending pivot on said bracket means; the forward end of said forwardly and upwardly extending link being pivotally connected to said pivot on the bracket means; a footrest mounted between the bracket means of the left and right side linkages; pivot means on each of said left and right side linkages, fixedly disposed against translation thereon with respect to the rails; a torque tube extending transversely between the left and right side linkages and pivotally mounted to each at the respective ends thereof by the last-mentioned pivot means; the left and right side linkages each further including an L-shaped seat back mounting link having a first leg that is directed upwardly when the seat back is erect; another transversely extending pivot means on each of said left and right side linkages, fixedly disposed against translation with respect to the rails and disposed near the rear extent of said rails; the second leg of each L-shaped seat back mounting link, near the forward extent thereof, being pivotally mounted on the last-mentioned pivot means; and a second actuator link pivotally connected between the L-shaped seat back mounting link, near the juncture of the two legs thereof, and the V-shaped link of said first parallelogram linkage system, near the free end of the rearmost leg thereof, so that, as the chair back is reclined, the second actuator link is pushed forwardly, pushing the first parallelogram linkage system in a sense to swing the chair seat and the torque tube forwardly and upwardly; a crank link fixedly secured to each end of the torque tube and having a portion extending longitudinally therefrom for arcuate movement upon rotation of the torque tube; the left and right side linkages each further including a first actuator link pivotally secured at one end thereof to a respective last-mentioned crank link longitudinally extending portion and pivotally secured at the other end thereof to one of the links of said second parallelogram linkage systems, so that rotation of the torque tube produces arcuate movement at the longitudinally extending portions of the last-mentioned crank links, to move said first actuator links, which, by acting on the second parallelogram linkage systems, extend and retract the footrest; a lock disposed laterally intermediate the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element whEre it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant; and handle means secured to the torque tube at one end, crank fashion, for effecting angular rotation of the torque tube about the longitudinal axis thereof to extend and retract the footrest.

Claim 14

A rocker recliner chair, including: a base; a rocker cam unit rockably mounted on the base; a seat and arm frame unit; a chair back; a left side linkage and a right side linkage mounted on the rocker cam unit; the left and right side linkage each comprising a first parallelogram linkage system for hangingly mounting the chair seat and arm frame unit from the rocker cam unit and including: first, rearmost and second, foremost, longitudinally spaced, transversely, horizontally extending pivots fixedly mounted on the rocker cam unit at a respective side thereof; a V-shaped link pivotally connected at the upper end of the foremost leg thereof to said first, rearmost pivot so as to hang therefrom; another link pivotally connected at the upper end thereof to said second, foremost pivot so as to hang therefrom; a generally longitudinally extending link having a first pivotal connection to the V-shaped link, rearwardly of the former and near the apex of the latter and having a second pivotal connection, to said other link, forwardly of the generally longitudinally extending link and near the lower end of said other link; first and second longitudinally spaced, upwardly extending members fixedly secured on the generally longitudinally extending link; and a generally longitudinally extending rail secured on said first and second upwardly extending members; the chair seat and arm frame unit being mounted on said rail of each of the left and right side linkages; the left and right side linkages each further including a second parallelogram linkage system including: said rail having first, rearmost and second, foremost, longitudinally spaced, transversely extending pivots mounted thereon; a first depending link pivotally mounted to hang from said first pivot of said rail; a second depending link mounted to hang from said second pivot of said rail; and a long, generally horizontally, longitudinally extending link having a first pivotal connection, to the first depending link, near the rear of the former and the lower end of the latter and having a second pivotal connection, to the second depending link, intermediate the ends of said long link and near the lower end of the second depending link, the second depending link protruding below said long link; the left and right side linkages each further including a footrest mounting lazy tong system, comprising: means defining a transversely extending pivot at the lower end of said second depending link; means defining a transversely extending pivot at the forward end of said long link; a short, upwardly extending link having a pivotal connection at the lower end thereof to said pivot at the forward end of said long link; a forwardly and upwardly extending link having a pivotal connection at the rear end thereof to said pivot at the lower end of said second depending link; another forwardly extEnding link, having a pivotal connection to the upper end of said short, upwardly extending link and projecting forwardly below the forward end of said forwardly and upwardly extending link; footrest mounting bracket means secured on the forward end of said other forwardly extending link and having a transversely extending pivot on said bracket means; the forward end of said forwardly and upwardly extending link being pivotally connected to said pivot on the bracket means; a footrest mounted between the bracket means of the left and right side linkages; pivot means on each of said left and right side linkages, fixedly disposed against translation thereon with respect to the rails; a torque tube extending transversely between the left and right side linkages and pivotally mounted to each at the respective ends thereof by the last-mentioned pivot means; the left and right side linkages each further including an L-shaped seat back mounting link having a first leg that is directed upwardly when the seat back is erect; another transversely extending pivot means on each of said left and right side linkages, fixedly disposed against translation with respect to the rails and disposed near the rear extent of said rails; the second leg of each L-shaped seat back mounting link, near the forward extent thereof, being pivotally mounted on the last-mentioned pivot means; and a second actuator link pivotally connected between the L-shaped seat back mounting link, near the juncture of the two legs thereof, and the V-shaped link of said first parallelogram linkage system, near the free end of the rearmost leg thereof, so that, as the chair back is reclined, the second actuator link is pushed forwardly, pushing the first parallelogram linkage system in a sense to swing the chair seat and the torque tube forwardly and upwardly; a crank link fixedly secured to each end of the torque tube and having a portion extending longitudinally therefrom for arcuate movement upon rotation of the torque tube; the left and right side linkages each further including a first actuator link pivotally secured at one end thereof to a respective last-mentioned crank link longitudinally extending portion and pivotally secured at the other end thereof to one of the links of said second parallelogram linkage systems, so that rotation of the torque tube produces arcuate movement at the longitudinally extending portions of the last-mentioned crank links, to move said first actuator links, which, by acting on the second parallelogram linkage systems, extend and retract the footrest; a lock disposed laterally intermediate the side linkages; a first lock element on the base and a second lock element on the seat and arm frame unit, one of said elements being pivotally mounted; a link system pivotally interconnecting the torque tube and the one of said lock elements which is pivotally mounted, for pivoting that lock element in an arc about a horizontal axis upon rotation and upon translation of said torque tube; the other of the two described lock elements having means defining a cam surface placed to be engaged by the pivotally mounted lock element upon movement of the torque tube in the rotational sense which produces extension of the footrest and upon movement of the torque tube in the translational sense which accompanies reclining of the chair back; the axis about which the pivotally mounted lock element pivots being so close to said cam surface on said other of the two described lock elements, that contact between the pivotally mounted lock element and said cam surface early in the pivoting of the pivotally mounted lock element, during initial chair back reclining or footrest extending movement, before the length of the pivotally mounted lock element between where the pivotally mounted lock element contacts said cam surface and said axis is erected as perpendicularly as it can become through further pivoting, and places the pivotally mounted lock element whEre it prevents downward tilting of the front of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base by a propping or holding action communicated between the base and the rocker cam unit and thus fully inhibits forward rockability of the rocker cam unit with respect to said base and further movement of said torque tube in either of said senses further erects said length of the pivotally mounted lock element and thus forces the rocker cam unit to rock backward on the base by a predetermined amount to bucket the chair occupant; and handle means secured to the torque tube at one end, crank fashion, for effecting angular rotation of the torque tube about the longitudinal axis thereof to extend and retract the footrest.

Claim 15

The rocker recliner chair of claim 9 wherein the base includes two side rails, a front rail extending laterally between the side rails near the front of the base, and a rear rail extending laterally between the side rails at the rear of the base; the side rails each having means defining an upwardly presented cam running surface; the front rear rails having means defining upwardly presented landing surfaces, that of the front rail providing said other cam surface of said other of the two described lock elements; the rocker cam unit having two rocker cams respectively rockably mounted on the two cam running surfaces of the two side rails; the rocker cam unit further including at least one rigid, transversallly extending connecting menber connecting the two rocker cams; and the lock mechanism including a longitudinally extending link secured on the rocker cam unit transversely extending connecting member intermediate the the two rocker cams; a first support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the front rail; a second support link pivoted intermediate its ends on said longitudinally extending link so one end thereof is in line to land upon the landing surface of the rear rail; a second longitudinally extending link having opposite ends thereof pivoted to the opposite ends of the first and second support links; and linkage means connected to the second longitudinally extending link intermediate the first and second support links actuable in a first direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends into contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to inhibit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base and actuable in a second direction to cause the second longitudinally extending link to pivot the support members one ends out of contact with the landing surfaces of the front and rear rails, respectively, to permit rocking of the rocker cam unit with respect to the base; said link system which pivotally interconnects the torque tube and the one of the lock elements which is pivotally mounted including a link rigidly secured at one end to the torque tube intermediate the ends of the torque tube and extending longitudinally of the rocker cam units; a generally L-shaped link having one end thereof pivotally secured to the outer end of the link rigidly secured to the torque tube; an angular link having a bend intermediate the ends thereof; the angular link being pivoted at one end thereof to the opposite end of the L-shaped link, the rigidly secured, L-shaped and angular links being so oriented that when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the rigidly secured link projects generally horizontally and rearwardly from the torque tube, the L-shaped link is concave upwardly and the angular link is concave downwardly, the opposite end of the angular link being pivoted to the first-mentioned longitudinally extending link; and an additional link having one end pivoted to the second longitudinally extending link and the opposite end thereof to the angular link at the beNd thereof; when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and clockwise rotational extremes thereof, the first support link being concave upwardly and the second support link being concave rearwardly; link means rigidly secured to the torque tube and extending rearwardly and upwardly from intermediate the ends of the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; an arcuate link having a first end disposed rearwardly of the torque tube, a second end disposed forwardly of the torque tube and arching under the torque tube, when the torque tube is located downwardly/rearwardly translational and the clockwise rotational extremes thereof; an arcuate link having a first end disposed rearwardly of the torque tube, a second end disposed forwardly of the torque tube and arching under the torque tube, when the torque tube is located at the downwardly/rearwardly translational and clockwise rotational extremes thereof; a helper tensioning spring having one end thereof secured to the second end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having an opposite end secured to the underside of the seat and arm frame unit; an additional link having one end pivoted to the first end of the last-mentioned arcuate link and having the opposite end thereof pivoted to the outer end of the link means which is rigidly secured to the torque tube; whereby said linkage means is constructed and arranged to pivot said one end of the first support link into contact with the landing surface of the front rail and force said rocker cam frame to rock rearwardly to bucket the rocker cam frame with respect to the platform rocker base, prior to pivoting the one end of the second support link into contact with the landing surface of the rear side.