The present invention provides for a power operated chair that can be operated in a rock and swivel, recline, or lift mode or any combination thereof. The chair is specifically designed to prevent the rocking and swiveling motion when the occupant is using the lift or recline features of the chair. The chair uses a recline mechanical linkage and a seat lift mechanical linkage that are mechanically linked by a guide roller in a guide channel which permits the use of a single drive motor and provides for a smooth transition from the recline mode to the lift mode. The guide roller and guide channel also prevent the inadvertent lifting of the seat if the back of the chair is forcibly reclined.

The present invention relates to a power operated chair that has the 
capability to rock and swivel, recline while moving away from a wall, and 
lift the occupant of the chair. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A variety of chairs have been known and used that feature the capability 
either to rock, swivel, recline, lift, or perform some combination of 
these activities. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,039,818 (Frank); 
3,138,402 (Heyl, Jr., et al.); 3,479,086 (Sheridan); 3,640,566 (Hodge); 
4,007,960 (Gaffney); 4,083,599 (Gaffney); 4,226,468 (Johnson); 4,850,645 
(Crockett); and 4,852,939 (Krauska) all disclose chairs that feature one 
or more of these capabilities. None of these patents, however, disclose a 
power operated chair that is capable of performing the combined functions 
of rocking and swiveling as well as reclining and lifting. 
In addition to the inability to perform all of the features of the chair 
disclosed in the present invention, each of the devices in the above 
listed patents has other disadvantages. For example, Frank discloses a 
chair with lift capabilities only that simply relies on springs for the 
lift operation; the present invention, on the other hand, uses a power 
activated mechanism to accomplish all of the chair's operations. Heyl 
provides for a motor operated lift mechanism for a chair, but does not 
provide for a motor operated recline mechanism or the rock and swivel 
feature of the present invention. Further, the present invention for ease 
of operation lifts only the seat, rather than the seat and back as in 
Heyl. Likewise, Sheridan provides only for a mechanism that can lift the 
seat. Hodge provides for a lift and recline mechanism, but, unlike the 
present invention, this mechanism is only spring assisted and not power 
operated. Both Gaffney patents disclose chairs capable of lift and recline 
operations, but they cannot rock and swivel as can the present invention. 
Johnson discloses a chair that is capable of moving away from the wall as 
it reclines, but it does not disclose any of the lift or rock and swivel 
features of the present invention. Crockett discloses a lifting device for 
the entire chair, rather than the present invention which provides for an 
integrated chair that lifts the seat as well as reclines, rocks, and 
swivels. Similarly, Krauska discloses a device to take an existing 
reclining chair and turn it into a powered lift and reclining chair, but 
does not incorporate these features into a chair that also rocks and 
swivels and lifts only the seat rather than the entire chair. 
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide for a power operated chair 
that could not only recline and lift the occupant of the chair, but also 
rock and swivel. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a power-operated, multi-position chair 
having a mainframe, a seat attached to the mainframe, two armrests 
attached to the seat, a back attached at back pivots to the main frame, a 
footrest attached to the mainframe, and a switch to control the chair's 
positions comprising: a recline mechanical linkage that allows the chair 
to recline the back, lift the front of the seat, and lift the footrest; a 
seat lift mechanical linkage that allows the chair to lift the back of the 
seat; a guide roller mechanically linked to both the recline mechanical 
linkage and the seat lift mechanical linkage; a guide channel in which the 
guide roller operates to activate either the recline mechanical linkage or 
the seat lift mechanical linkage; and a single power source with 
mechanical means to move the guide roller in the guide channel so that the 
chair can operate through its recline and seat lift modes. This use of a 
guide roller in a guide channel to operate the chair also prevents the 
inadvertent lifting of the seat if the back of the chair is forcibly 
reclined. 
In one embodiment of this invention, a rock and swivel means is added to 
the chair. The power source with mechanical means moves the chair from the 
rock and swivel mode, in which the chair is supported by the rock and 
swivel means, to either the recline or the seat lift mode by using wheels 
with a flat side, positioned with the flat side facing the floor when the 
chair is supported on the rock and swivel base, that rotate forward or 
backward to support the chair directly from the rounded portion of the 
wheels during recline or seat lift operations. 
The chair is designed so that it can be built in any one of four 
configurations, namely: (1) a chair with seat lift capabilities only, (2) 
a chair with both seat lift and recline capabilities, (3) a chair with 
seat lift, recline, and rock and swivel capabilities, or (4) a chair with 
all three capabilities that moves forward as it reclines so that the chair 
can be located next to a wall in its normal upright position (such as a 
Wall Hugger.RTM. type chair). 
In the first two configurations, the chair can be built with traditional 
feet supporting the main frame. In the latter two configurations, namely 
rock and swivel or forward recline configurations, the chair features the 
wheels with a flat side to support the main frame. Alternatively, 
configuration (3) can be built by replacing these wheels and their chain 
drive mechanism with a simpler support device, such as an inverted "T" 
structural member, and a linkage drive mechanism that moves forward or 
backward to support the chair and prevent rocking and swiveling while the 
chair operates in its lift or recline modes. In any of the configurations 
with recline capability, the chair can be equipped with an adjustable 
footrest mechanism that allows the user to return the back to an upright 
position while maintaining an elevated position for the footrest. 
All operations in any configuration of the chair are powered by a single 
motor that operates through a simple rocker switch, preferably located on 
one of the arm rests. If the chair includes the rock and swivel mode, a 
small white indicator light near the switch comes on to indicate when the 
chair is supported by the swivel base and the wheels are in a position to 
allow for maximum rocking action. A red indicator light near the switch 
comes on whenever the chair is supported by the rock and swivel means to 
show a user that the chair could rock or swivel if the user tries to sit 
in it.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show the preferred embodiment of the chair of the present 
invention in its respective rock and swivel, recline, and lift modes. With 
the exception of the control switch 1 (see FIG. 4), the exterior 
components of the chair are similar to those found in everyday furniture, 
namely a seat 2, two armrests 3, a back 4 with an adjustable headrest 5, 
and a footrest 6. In addition to these padded portions of the chair that 
are removable, the finishing panels of the chair, namely the two inside 
arm panels 7, the two front arm panels 8, the two outside arm panels 9, 
the two lower skirt panels 10, and the back panel 11, are all removable 
for easy cleaning and reupholstering. 
The chair features four wheel-like supports, two front wheels 12 and two 
rear wheels 13, that include a flat side in lieu of a portion of the 
wheel's circumference. When the chair is in the rock and swivel mode shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 5, the wheels 12 and 13 are positioned so that the flat 
sides of the wheels face the floor, and the chair is, therefore, lowered 
so that its weight is supported on a swivel base 14 and the chair's 
springs 15 (see FIG. 6) and rocker contact 16 are engaged to allow the 
occupant to rock and swivel the chair. When the chair is in the recline 
mode shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 or the lift mode shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the 
wheels 12 and 13 are positioned so that the flat spot no longer faces the 
floor and the chair is supported directly on the wheels, thus disengaging 
the swivel base 14, the springs 15, and the rocker contact 16 so that the 
chair cannot rock or swivel for safety reasons when used in these modes. 
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rocking capability of the chair is 
accomplished through the use of four springs 15 that are mounted to the 
rocker contact 16 on one end and mounted to the swivel base 14 on the 
other. The rocker contact 16, in turn, mounts directly on the main frame 
17 of the chair. In the rock and swivel mode with the wheels 12 and 13 
positioned so that the flat sides of the wheels face the floor, the weight 
of the main frame 17 is supported on the swivel base 14 at the rocker 
contact 16. The swivel component 18 of the swivel base 14 allows the chair 
to turn, while the springs 15 and the engagement of the rocker contact 16 
to the swivel base 14 allow the chair to rock. When the chair is powered 
into its recline or lift mode, the wheels also are powered forward 
(recline mode) or backward (lift mode) to turn the flat side of the wheel 
away from the floor, thus supporting the main frame 17 directly on the 
wheels 12 and 13, rather than the swivel base 14, and disabling the 
rocking and swiveling mechanisms. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 8, all operations of the chair are accomplished 
using just one switch 1 and one motor 19. Power to move the chair from one 
position to another is supplied by a 1/5 horsepower, 100 inch-pound, 110 
volt AC motor 19 geared down to 100 RPM. This motor 19 is completely 
insulated from the main frame 17 to prevent any electrical leakage and is 
controlled by a 24 volt reversing relay 20 to limit the voltage at the 
control switch 1 to only 24 volts. The electrical control mechanism is 
enclosed completely in a box 21 made from an insulating material such as 
Lexan.RTM. to make it shock proof and fire resistant. 
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the motor 19 is mounted on a motor mount plate 
22 along with two power screws 23 that are each held in two pillow block 
bearings 24 attached to the motor mount plate 22. The motor mount plate 22 
is attached to the main frame 17 at the motor mount pivot cross bar 25. 
Two motor sprockets 26 are attached to the power shaft of the motor 19 to 
drive each power screw 23 by use of a screw chain 27 and a screw sprocket 
28 mounted to each power screw 23. This drive train keeps the entire 
mechanism in mechanical balance from side to side. The screw sprockets 28 
are made from nylon or a similar material to prevent electrical leakage to 
the main frame 17. 
The two power screws 23 engage two nuts 29 mounted on the main power cross 
bar 30. When the power screws 23 turn counterclockwise (as viewed from the 
motor 19) to push the power cross bar 30 away from the motor 19, the chair 
reclines. When the power screws 23 turn clockwise (as viewed from the 
motor 19), they pull the power cross bar 30 toward the motor 19 so that 
the chair pushes the back 4 upright, while lowering the footrest 6, and 
then lifts the seat 2. 
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, each end of the power cross bar 30 is attached 
in a pivotal manner to the front end of a lower power bar 31 located on 
each side of the chair. Attached to the rear end of each lower power bar 
31 is a guide roller 32 that moves forward or backward in the guide 
channels 33 on each side of the chair. These horizontal guide channels 33 
(see FIG. 12) are bent downward at a 70.degree. angle at their rear end 
position. In the preferred embodiment, the guide rollers are connected to 
each other by a guide cross bar 34 to stabilize the operation of the chair 
from side to side. 
The guide channels 33 function to allow limited and guided motion of the 
entire mechanism from the seat lift position in which the guide rollers 
are at the lower region of the bent part of the guide channels 33 to the 
upright position in which the guide rollers 32 are at the upper region of 
the bent part of the guide channels 33 to the fully reclined position in 
which the guide rollers 32 are at the front end of the guide channels 33. 
The bent part of the guide channels acts as a safety measure to lock the 
back 4 in an upright position so that no one can pull the back 4 in a 
manner that would lift the seat 2 up, thus endangering the occupant of the 
chair. 
In order to actuate the reclining feature of the chair illustrated in FIGS. 
2, 7, and 12, the rear ends of the lower power bars 31 are also connected 
in a pivotal manner to the front end of first recline linkages 35 on each 
side of the chair. The rear ends of the first recline linkages 35 connect 
in a pivotal manner to the bottom of the back 4 to impart motion to the 
back 4 and, in turn, are also connected in a pivotal manner to the rear 
end of chain drive bars 36 on each side of the chair. The front ends of 
the chain drive bars 36 are connected in a pivotal manner and impart 
motion to the chain turnbuckles 37 on each side of the chair to move the 
wheels 12 & 13 forward and backward. 
The back 4 is attached to the main frame 17 at two back pivots 38 on each 
side. The forward motion of the first recline linkages 35 pull the bottom 
of the back 4 forward to recline the top of the back 4 about the back 
pivots 38. In the preferred embodiment, a back cross bar 39 is attached at 
each end to the connection point of the first recline linkages 35 with the 
back 4 to stabilize the operation of the chair from side to side. The 
forward motion of the first recline linkages 34 also pulls the chain drive 
bars 35 forward to move, in turn, the wheels 12 and 13 in a forward 
direction. This feature allows the chair to be positioned with the back 4 
against a wall and still accommodate the reclining mode because the chair 
moves forward as it reclines. 
Second recline linkages 40 on each side of the chair connect in a pivotal 
manner at their rear ends to a point on the back 4 below the back pivots 
38 and at their front ends in a pivotal manner to the lower end of the 
seat rockers 41 on each side of the chair. The seat rockers 41 are 
attached in a pivotal manner at their upper ends to the front of the seat 
2, with a connection to the main frame at the seat pivot cross bar 42 to 
raise the front of the seat 2 while moving the seat 2 backward to fill the 
gap between the seat 2 and the back 4 as the back 4 reclines. This mode of 
operation keeps the occupant's legs in a partially flexed and more 
comfortable position. Seat keepers 43 are mounted on each side of the rear 
of the seat 2 and slide under seat rollers 44 mounted on the main frame 17 
on each side of the chair to properly position the seat 2 as it moves 
backward in the recline mode. The restriction of the seat keepers 43 under 
the seat rollers 44 also insures that the seat 2 cannot operate in the 
lift mode, as detailed later, until all four wheels 12 & 13 are firmly in 
contact with the floor to make the chair stable. 
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, third recline linkages 45 on each side of the 
chair attach in a pivotal manner at their rear ends to a point at the back 
4 below the back pivots 38 and at their front ends through a slot to the 
lower ends of first footrest pantograph linkages 46 on each side of the 
chair to raise the foot rest 6. The lower ends of the first footrest 
pantograph linkages 46 are also connected in a pivotal manner to the lower 
ends of the second footrest pantograph linkages 47 while the upper ends of 
the first footrest pantograph linkages attach in a pivotal manner to the 
main frame 17 of the chair. The upper ends of the second pantograph 
linkages 47 attach in a pivotal manner to the upper ends of the fifth 
pantograph linkages 50 and are also connected in a pivotal manner at 
midpoints to midpoints of the third pantograph linkages 48. The upper ends 
of the third pantograph linkages 48 attach in a pivotal manner to the 
mainframe 17 while the lower ends connect in a pivotal manner to the lower 
ends of the fourth pantograph linkages 49. The upper ends of the fourth 
pantograph linkages 49 attach to the upper end of the footrest 6 and are 
also connected in a pivotal manner at midpoints to midpoints on the fifth 
pantograph linkages 50. The lower end of the fifth pantograph linkages 50 
attach in a pivotal manner to the lower end of the sixth pantograph 
linkages 51. The upper ends of the sixth pantograph linkages 51 are 
attached to the lower end of the footrest 6. 
Adjustable footrest lift bars 52 on each side of the chair connect at their 
lower ends to each end of an adjustable footrest cross bar 53 mounted on 
the lower part of the mainframe 17. The adjustable footrest lift bars 52 
are positioned so that they are in contact with adjustable footrest lift 
supports 54 that are mounted in a pivotal manner to each side of the main 
frame 17 of the chair. The adjustable footrest cross bar 53 is also 
connected at one end to a footrest handbar 55 (see FIG. 1) that is 
positioned on the outside of the chair so that an occupant can reach the 
footrest handbar 55 when in a seated position. Manual forward movement of 
the footrest handbar 55 moves the adjustable footrest lift bars 52 that in 
turn push the adjustable footrest lift supports 54 to a position in which 
a scalloped edge of the adjustable footrest lift supports 54 engages a 
hook on the lower end of the first pantograph linkages 47 so that the 
footrest 6 remains in its last elevated position even if the back of the 
chair is returned to an upright position. The footrest 6 returns to its 
normal position only when the chair is reclined to a position in which the 
slot in the third recline linkages 45 reengages the lower ends of the 
first pantograph linkages 46, thereby pushing the first pantograph 
linkages 46 upward and disengaging the adjustable footrest lift supports 
54, which then drop to their disengaged position. 
In the lift mode shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the initial movement of the power 
cross bar 30 toward the back of the chair forces the guide rollers 32 into 
the lower bent ends of the guide channels 33. This movement also forces 
the lower power bars 31 to move the chain drive bars 36 backward, thus 
pulling the wheels 12 and 13 backward to disengage the swivel base 14 by 
firmly supporting the chair on the rounded portions of all four wheels 12 
and 13. 
In order to lift the back of the seat 2, upper power bars 56 on each side 
of the chair are attached in a pivotal manner at their lower ends to the 
power cross bar 30 and attached in a pivotal manner at their upper ends to 
the lower ends of first lift linkages 57 and second lift linkages 58 on 
each side of the chair. The upper ends of the first lift linkages 57 
attach in a pivotal manner to the forward part of the seat 2 on each 
respective side. The upper ends of the second lift linkages 58 connect at 
the seat pivot cross bar 42 that is attached at both ends to the upper 
part of the main frame 17. This mechanical linkage allows the seat 2 to 
lift higher about the seat pivot cross bar 42 as the power cross bar 30 
continues to move toward the back of the chair, while preventing the seat 
2 from being strained when the front of the seat 2 is elevated in the 
recline mode. 
As illustrated in FIG. 12 and previously explained, the wheels 12 & 13 are 
operated by the chain drive bars 36 that are attached at their rear end to 
the lower power bars 31 and attached to the chain turnbuckles 37 at their 
front ends. The use of these chain turnbuckles 37 allows for proper 
tensioning of the chain between the wheels 12 & 13. The wheel chains 59 
tie the wheels 12 & 13 on each side of the chair together by front and 
rear wheel sprockets 60 & 61 so that they operate in unison. The rear 
wheels 13 and rear sprockets 61 are keyed onto each end of a cross axle 
62. Stub axles 63 are mounted on each side of the lower part of the main 
frame 17 for the front wheels 13. The front wheels 12 and the front wheel 
sprockets 60 are both keyed to these stub axles 63. Referring to FIG. 13, 
the two rear wheels 13 are equipped with a caliber type brake 64 with a 
small shoe pad 65 located on the side of the wheel 13 so that the brakes 
64 go on just as the rear wheels 13 roll off the corner of the flat sides. 
These brakes 64 prevent the chair from suddenly surging forward or 
backward. 
In the normal sequence of operation, the chair begins with the seat 2 in 
the lift position and the chair resting on all four wheels 12 and 13 as 
shown in FIG. 14 by the uniform dashed image of the wheels 12 and 13 and 
the guide roller 32. The occupant leans back against the seat and presses 
the switch 1 to the down position. The power cross bar 30 moves away from 
the motor 19 to ease the seat 2 into a level position, at which point the 
chair is supported on the wheels at the back corner of the flat side. If 
the rock and swivel mode is desired, the switch 1 is pressed again in the 
down position until the power cross bar 30 moves further away from the 
motor 19 to pull the lower power bars 31, first recline linkages 35, and 
chain drive bars 36 forward and, consequently, roll the wheels 12 and 13 
forward off the back corner of the flat side so that the flat side faces 
the floor as shown in FIG. 14 by the solid image of the wheels 12 and 13 
and guide roller 32. Referring to FIG. 4, a small white indicator light 66 
near the switch 1 comes on at this point in time to indicate that the 
chair is now supported by the swivel base 14 so that it can rock or swivel 
and that the wheels 12 and 13 are in a position to allow for maximum 
rocking action. 
If the occupant wishes to assume a reclining position, the switch 1 is 
again pressed in the down position to move the power cross bar 30 away 
from the motor 19 and move the wheels 12 and 13 forward to the front 
corner of the flat side. Keeping the switch 1 in the down position 
reclines the back 4, rolls the wheels 12 & 13 forward, lifts the front of 
the seat 2, and lifts the footrest 6 until the desired angle of recline is 
reached or until it comes to a stop automatically at the maximum reclining 
position as shown in FIG. 14 by the alternating dashed image of the wheels 
12 and 13 and guide roller 32. When the occupant desires to return to a 
sitting mode, the occupant presses the switch 1 in the up position and the 
back 4 rises to the upright sitting position, the wheels 12 and 13 roll 
backward, and the front of the seat 2 and the leg rest 6 return to the 
upright sitting position. 
If the switch 1 is again pressed in the up position, the chair moves 
backward to the position where the flat sides of the wheels once again 
face the floor and the chair is supported by the swivel base 14. Keeping 
the switch 1 in the up position rolls the wheels 12 and 13 backward to the 
back corner of the flat side and then, with the chair firmly supported on 
the wheels 12 and 13, lifts the rear of the seat 2 to assist the occupant 
out of the chair. 
The chair can be modified to a more traditional recline mode in which it 
does not travel forward and away from the wall as it reclines. This more 
traditional mode is accomplished by changing the size and position of the 
chain drive bars 36 so that they attach in a pivotal manner higher on the 
back 4 and reduce the travel of the wheel chain 59 to permit all recline 
operations while limiting the wheel movement from one corner of the flat 
side to the other, at which two positions the chair is stable. In either 
the normal roll forward or traditional recline mode, a red indicator light 
67 near the switch 1 (see FIG. 4) comes on whenever the chair is between 
these two stable positions to show the user that the chair could rock or 
swivel if the user tries to sit in it. 
While a presently preferred embodiment of practicing the invention has been 
shown and described with particularity in connection with the accompanying 
drawings, the invention may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the 
following claims: