US3829157A

US3829157A - Swivel rocking chair

Info

Publication number: US3829157A
Application number: US00337412A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Lange
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-03-02
Filing date: 1973-03-02
Publication date: 1974-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-13

Abstract

A swivel rocking chair in which the chair is resiliently controlled during rocking movement by a leaf spring arrangement connected between the swivel and the moveable part of the chair.

Description

Unite States Patent 1191 Lange, .11.

[ SWIVEL ROCKING CHAIR [76] Inventor: Clement Lange, Jr., R.R. No. 2,

. l-luntingburg, Ind. 47532 [22] Filed: Mar. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 337,412

[52] US. Cl 297/263, 297/301, 297/349 [51] Int. Cl. A471: 3/02 [58] Field of Search 297/263, 270, 261, 268, 297/264, 258, 349, 270, DIG. 7, 301;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1929 Selje 297/302 2,724,945 11/1955 McGhee 312/341 NR 3,141,700 7/1964 Fletcher 297/1910. 7 3,333,811 8/1967 Matthews 297/264 3,369,840 2/1968 Dufton 297/303 3,603,641 9/1971 Knabusch 297/1310. 7

Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Melvin A. Crosby [5 7] ABSTRACT A swivel rocking chair in which the chair is resiliently controlled during rocking movement by a leaf spring arrangement connected between the swivel and the moveable part of the chair.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIE mm 31am FIG so I

FIG-9- The present invention relates to swivel chairs, and in particular to a swivel chair which is also tiltable or rockable.

In chairs of the nature referred to, the spring arrangement by means of which the upper part of the chair is resiliently biased toward a rest position on the base has been expensive and troublesome and also difficult of adjustment. Heretofore, the springs have usually been in the form of coiled compression springs requiring special supporting arrangements and often breaking in use.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of the construction of a chair of the nature referred to in which the problems mentioned are eliminated.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of aspring arrangement in a rocking chair, particularly a swivel rocking chair, in which coil springs and the troubles attendant thereto are eliminated.

The foregoing objects as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparentupon reference, to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is .a somewhat schematic perspective view showing a chair of the nature with which the present invention is concerned.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the lower portion of the chair and is indicated schematically by line Il-II on FIG. ll.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic vertical transverse sectional view indicated by line III-III on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified arrangement for fixedly connecting the leaf spring to a part of the swivel.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the addition of a clamping strap to the spring to assist in holding the spring fixedly on the swivel member. I

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modification in which the spring is adjustable.

FIG/7 is a fragmentary view showing how low friction bushings could be employed at the pivot points.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view showing a modified arrangement for connecting the outer end of the leaf spring to the moveable part of the chair structure.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view showing a multiple leaf spring.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

According to the present invention, a chair is provided consisting of an upper part and a lower, or base, part. The base part rests on the floor and the upper part is connected thereto via a substantially conventional swivel arrangement which permits rotation of the upper part on the lower part.

The upper part is pivotally connected to the portion of the swivel pertaining thereto for tilting movement in a fore and aft direction and this movement is restrained by a leaf spring having one end fixed to the part of the swivel pertaining to the upper part of the chair and having the other end part flexibly connected with the upper part of the chair thereby continuously biasing the upper part of the chair toward a rest position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the chair illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an upper part 10 and a lower, or base, part 12. The upper part 10 is rotatable on the lower part as indicated by arrow 14 and is also tiltable or rockable thereon as indicated by arrow 15. Y

As will be seen in FIG. 2, the upper part 10 may comprise a frame at the bottom consisting of interconnecting rails to form a downwardly opening box structure. Extending transversely in the box structure is a support rail 16 which may be connected to the box structure as by dowels 18 or as by cleats 20 or in any other suitable manner. As will be seen in FIG. 3, the extreme ends of support rail 16 are connected to the structure If).

The bottom part 12, namely, the base of the chair, has a swivel structure resting thereon consisting of a lower swivel part 22 fixed to the base and an upper swivel part 24 which is rotatably supported on lower part 22 as by balls 26. The two parts of the swivel are heldcaptive to each other in any suitable manner as by a center post 28. The aforementioned upper part of the swivel 24 has upstanding tabs or brackets 30 at the side which are pivotally connected to the dependent tabs or brackets 32 on support rail 16. The pivotal interconnection of the tabs or brackets 30', 32 provides a horizontal pivot axis on which the upper part of the chair can tilt on the lower, or base part, 12.

The upper part of the chair is resiliently biased toward a certain rest position by a leaf spring 34, one end of which is fixedly connected to upper part 24 of the swivel as by screws 36 while the other end is con nected to a pin 38 to which are connected side links 40 leading upwardly and connected to another pin 42 that is carried by a bracket 44 fixed to the upper part of the chair. The leaf spring preferably tapers inwardly toward pin 38 and may be formed with a loop to re ceive pin 38.

'The arrangement is such that the upper .part of the chair is freely tiltable on the base 12 and the spring 34 can be constructed to provide any degree of bias on the upper part of the chair when it is tilted. The spring 34 is relatively free of breakage and isquite inexpensive and is simple to construct and install in the manner illustrated and described.

The end of the leaf spring adjacent the upper part of the swivel member may be attached thereto as indicated at 46 in FIG. 4, by screws, or rivets, and this connection may be reinforced by a strip 48 extending over the top of the leaf spring and attached as by screws, or rivets, to the upper part 24 of the swivel member. Strap 48 will prevent the connection at 46 joining the leaf spring to the upper part of the swivel from being overstressed.

FIG. 5 shows the end of the spring welded, as at 47, to upper part 24, while strap 48 is also welded to part 24, as at 49.

The leaf spring arrangement of the present invention also lends itself to adjustability and an adjustable arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the outer end of the spring, indicated at 50, is bifurcated and engages a pin 52 in which is rotatable a screw 54. Screw 54 threads through an upper pin 56 which is retained by the bifurcated bracket 58 mounted on the upper part 10 of the chair structure. The screw 54, which may have an actuating knob 60 on the bottom, provides a ready means for adjusting the rest position of the chair.

FIG. 7 shows how low friction bushing means as at 62, nylon, for example, could be interposed between a pivot pin 64 and a supporting member 66 to provide for substantially friction free conditions at the pivot pin and also to provide for quiet maintenance free operation of the arrangement.

FIG. 8 shows how the outer end of a leaf spring 70 could be arranged in adjacent relation to a bracket 72 connected to the upper part 10 of the chair with the bracket having a slot 74 through which a bolt 76 extends and which bolt also passes through the outer end of the spring. Washers, such as nylon, at 78 provide for reduction of friction between the outer end of the spring and the bracket so that as the chair tilts the outer end of the spring can move longitudinally relative to the bracket.

The usual arrangement would require only a single leaf spring, but it is contemplated that a multiple leaf spring could also be employed. Such a spring is shown in FIG. 9 and comprises alower leaf 80 substantially the same as leaf spring 34 and upper and shorter leaves 82 which are held in assembled relation with the upper leaf 80 in any conventional and well known manner common in the leaf spring art.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

L ln a swivel rocking chair; a base frame adapted to rest on a floor and a seat frame for supporting the back and seat of the chair, a swivel comprising upper and lower elements rotatable interengaged and defining a vertical pivot axis, said swivel adapted for supporting the seat frame on top of the base frame while permitting rotation of the seat frame about a vertical axis on the base frame, first horizontal pivot means connecting said upper element of the swivel to said seat frame and second means connecting said lower element of the swivel to said base frame, said horizontal pivot means defining a horizontal axis of rotation about which said seat frame is tiltable relative to said upper element and said second means comprising a rigid connection, said horizontal axis intersecting said vertical axis, a substantially horizontal leaf spring extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to both of said axes beneath said seat frame and in the fore and aft direction of said seat frame, first connecting means fixedly connecting one end of said spring to said upper element of said swivel, and a second connecting means connecting the other end of said leaf spring to said seat frame and flexible in the direction of the length of said leaf spring, said leaf spring biasing said seat frame toward a predetermined rest position about said horizontal axis and being yieldable in response to tilting of said seat frame in either direction about said horizontal axis.

2. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 1 in which said second connecting means comprises link means at the other end of said leaf spring extending generally vertically, first pivot means pivotally connecting the lower end of said link means to said other end of said leaf spring, and second pivot means pivotally connecting the upper end of said link means to said seat frame.

3. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 1 in which said leaf spring is thickest adjacent said one end thereof and tapers inwardly toward the other end thereof.

4. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 2 in which said first pivot means comprises a loop formed in said other end of said leaf spring and a pin extending through said loop in said other end of said leaf spring and connected to said link means.

5. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 2 in which said first pivot means comprises a loop formed in said other end of said leaf spring and a pin extending through said loop in said other end of said leaf spring and connected to said link means, said second pivot means comprising a bracket connected to said seat frame and having a loop formed therein, and a pin extending through the loop in said bracket and connected to said link means.

6. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 5 which includes low friction wear resistant bushings interposed between said pins and the respective loops.

7. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 1 in which said leaf spring comprises at least two leaves in superposed relation.

8. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 5 in which said pivot means comprises pins and said link means is a screw rotatable in one of said pins and threadedly engaging the other thereof.

9. A swivel rocking chair according to claim 1 in which the connection between said other end of said leaf spring to said seat frame is a sliding connection.

10. In combination; a lower swivel element, an upper swivel element captive on said lower swivel element and rotatable thereon about a first vertical axis, a support member pivotally supported on said upper swivel element for tilting movement on said upper swivel element about a second horizontal axis perpendicular to and intersecting said first axis, and leaf spring means having one end fixed to said upper swivel element and extending horizontally therefrom and in a direction substantially perpendicular to both of said axes, said lower swivel element adapted for connection to a stationary lower frame, said support member and the other end of said leaf spring means adapted for connection to an upper end of said leaf spring means adapted for connecton to an upper frame to support the upper frame for rotation and tilting on said lower frame.

Claims

1. In a swivel rocking chair; a base frame adapted to rest on a floor and a seat frame for supporting the back and seat of the chair, a swivel comprising upper and lower elements rotatable interengaged and defining a vertical pivot axis, said swivel adapted for supporting the seat frame on top of the base frame while permitting rotation of the seat frame about a vertical axis on the base frame, first horizontal pivot means connecting said upper element of the swivel to said seat frame and second means connecting said lower element of the swivel to said base frame, said horizontal pivot means defining a horizontal axis of rotation about which said seat frame is tiltable relative to said upper element and said second means comprising a rigid connection, said horizontal axis intersecting said vertical axis, a substantially horizontal leaf spring extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to both of said axes beneath said seat frame and in the fore and aft direction of said seat frame, first connecting means fixedly connecting one end of said spring to said upper element of said swivel, and a second connecting means connecting the other end of said leaf spring to said seat frame and flexible in the direction of the length of said leaf spring, said leaf spring biasing said seat frame toward a predetermined rest position about said horizontal axis and being yieldable in response to tilting of said seat frame in either direction about said horizontal axis.