Chair tilting mechanism

• US 5,423,594 A
• Filed: 10/06/1994
• Issued: 06/13/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ashfield Engineering Company Wexford Limited
• Original Assignee: Ashfield Engineering Company Wexford Limited
• Inventors: Hancock, William J., Hancock, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US08/319,247
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300, 297/301, 297/320
• US Class Current: 297/300.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0325 by means of clamps or friction locking members
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03266 with adjustable elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03272 with coil springs

Abstract

A chair tilting mechanism (1) is disclosed which has a fixed support (2), a seat support (3) and a backrest support (4). The seat support (3) is pivotally connected to the fixed support (2) by a pivot pin (5). The backrest support (4) is pivotally connected to the seat support (3) by a pivot pin (6). There is additionally provided a link (7) connected by pivot pins (8,9) to the backrest support (4) and the seat support (2). Because of the link (7), rotation of either the backrest or seat support causes the other of the backrest or seat support to tilt in a pre-determined synchronised manner. The manner in which synchronised tilting occurs is set by the interconnection of the various parts. The invention also provides a means (41) for pre-setting the interconnection.

Claims

1. A chair tilting mechanism comprising:

a) a fixed support having means for connection to a ground-engaging part of a chair;

b) a seat support having means for supporting a seat for the chair;

c) a first pivot connection between the seat and fixed supports;

d) a backrest support having an upper end and a lower end;

e) a second pivot connection between the backrest and seat supports, said pivot connection being located rearwardly of the first pivot connection and having a pivot axis which is substantially parallel to that of the first pivot connection;

f) biasing means mounted between the fixed and seat supports, said biasing means acting between anchorages on the fixed and seat supports which are located forwardly of the first pivot connection;

g) a single elongate link member having means for forming pivot connections at opposite ends thereof;

h) a third pivot connection between one end of said link member and the backrest support; and

i) a fourth pivot connection between the opposite end of said link member and the fixed support, said third and fourth pivot connections completing interconnection of the fixed, seat and backrest supports for synchronized tilting of the seat support with respect to the backrest support.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third pivot connection is between the second pivot connection and the lower end of the backrest support for downward action of the backrest support on the seat support at the second ]pivot connection on rearward rotation of the backrest support, and said biasing means is mounted to urge the seat support downwardly to counteract the action of the backrest support on the seat support.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seat support anchorage for the biasing means is mounted at a higher level than the fixed support anchorage for the biasing means, said biasing means acting to pull the anchorages closer together in compression.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for pre-setting interconnection of parts of the mechanism so that the initial angle between the backrest and seat supports is settable before the beginning of synchronizing tilting.

5. Mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the presetting means comprises means for setting a desired effective length of the link member.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pre-setting means comprises a link member pivot connection having a pin engaging a slot and a lock mounted for locking the pin at a selected position of the slot.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elongate link member consists of a rigid element.