Wall proximity reclining chair mechanism

A "three-way" recliner mechanism for use in reclinable articles of furniture is disclosed. The recliner mechanism is operative for "tilting" the entire seating unit, "reclining" the seat back relative to the seat frame and for selectively extending and retracting a leg rest assembly. The recliner mechanism of the present invention incorporates separate bearing link assemblies for directly supporting the chair frame for translation movement relative to the base.

BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to furniture and, more particularly, to an 
improved reclining mechanism for articles of furniture such as chairs, 
sofas and loveseats. 
In general, most conventional reclining chairs employ a relatively complex 
recliner mechanism which is operatively interconnected between a movable 
chair frame and a stationary base assembly. Tpyically, the recliner 
mechanism has an intermediate carriage assembly provided for supporting 
the chair frame for translational (i.e. fore and aft) movement relative to 
the base assembly. In addition, the translational movement of the carriage 
assembly causes corresponding reclining movement of a seat assembly 
between an "upright" position and a fully "reclined" position. One example 
of such a reclining chair is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,367,895 and which is assigned to the common assignee of tthe present 
invention. 
Reclining mechanisms typically generate a relatively large amount of 
frictional drag which must be overcome for smooth movement between the 
"upright" and "reclined" positions. In particular, lighter weight seat 
occupants must normally exert a deliberate leveraged thrust or force, in 
addition to pulling the actuator level, for completely extending a leg 
rest assembly and/or moving the seat assembly to its "reclined" position. 
Morever, it is often difficult for the seat occupant to return the seat 
assembly to the "upright" position from the fully "reclined" position due 
to the relatively large included angle between the seat member and the 
reclined seat back. As such, the seat occupant must exert a relatively 
large and deliberate leveraged force to return the reclined seat assembly 
to its full upright position. 
Another drawback associated with many conventional recliners is that the 
leg rest assembly cannot be retracted to its "stowed" position from an 
extended or elevated position until after teh seat occupant has completely 
returned the seat assembly to its fully "upright" position. Likewise, some 
reclining chairs do not permit independent actuation of the leg rest 
assembly during the entire range of reclining motion. 
While most conventional reclining chairs operate satisfactorily, furniture 
maufacturers are continually striving to develop improved reclining 
mechanisms for reducing system complexity, increasing occupant comfort, 
and reducing the cost of fabrication and assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with principles of the present invention, an improved 
reclining type article of furniture is disclosed which is designed to 
overcome the disadvantages typically associated with conventional 
reclining mechanisms. Therefore, a primary object of the present invention 
is to provide a reclining mechanism which eliminates the intermediate 
carriage assembly so as to significantly reduce the complexity, weight and 
cost of the reclining chair while providing improved comfort to the seat 
occupant. 
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a compact 
three-way recliner which permits use of loose cushions therwith. The 
three-way recliner is adapted to permit independent "reclining" movement 
of the seat back relative to the seat member, "tilting" movement of the 
chair frame relative to the base assembly, and actuation (i.e., extending 
and retracting) of the leg rest assembly. Tilt linkage means are provided 
roe angularly pivoting (i.e. tilting) the entire chair frame about a 
horizontal axis relative to the base assembly upon actuation of the leg 
rest assembly for optimizing seating comfort. In addition, curved track 
means of the base assembly are adapted to tilt the entire chair frame upon 
reclining movement. As such, tilting movement due to reclining movement of 
the seat assembly and loeg rest movement are independent of each other 
while being cumulative in nature. 
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the input force 
exerted by the seat occupant for smoother operation of the reclining 
mechanism. As a related object, the improved reclining mechanism has 
incorporated various linkage and drive components designed for 
substantially reducing frictional losses in an effort to promote easier 
and smoother actuation. As such, the present invention provides a 
reclining chair wherein the weight of the person seated therein is 
utilized as the primary means for moving the seat assembly between the 
"upright" position and the "reclined" position. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, left and right wheeled 
bearing link assemblies are provided for directly interconnecting opposite 
sides of the chair frame to left and right channel-like tracks of the base 
assembly for permitting translational movement of the chair frame relative 
to the base assembly. Such translational movement of the chair frame 
coacts with a swing link mechanism interconnecting the seat assembly to 
the chair frame and a push link mechanism for causing "reclining" movement 
of the seat assembly relative to the chair frame. The seat assembly 
includes a seat back frame and a seat frame movably mounted on the chair 
frame and interconnected by the swing link mechanism for causing reclining 
movement of the seat assembly in response to pressure applied by the seat 
occupant. Furthermore, the pressure applied by the seat occupant acts to 
drive the push link mechanism for smoothly moving the chair frame during 
the reclining movement. In addition, the bearing link assemblies are 
operatively coupled to the tilt linkage means for causing independent 
"tilting" movement upon selective actuation of the leg rest assembly. 
Moreover, the bearing link assemblies are provided with adjustment means 
for permitting selective adjustment of the side-to-side relationship 
between the chair frame and the channel-like tracks for producing smoother 
and quieter translational movement therebetween. 
The leg rest assembly is operated by the seat occupant rotating an actuator 
lever through a limited angle which, in turn, rotates a drive rod assembly 
for actuating the extensible leg rest pantograph linkages. An over-toggle 
mechanism is provided to assist in extending and retracting the leg rest 
assembly and in retaining the leg rest assembly in its "stowed" position. 
Also, a detent mechanism is provided for yieldably holding the leg rest 
assembly in one of several different protracted positions. In addition, 
rotation of the drive rod assembly concurrently actuates the tilt linkage 
means for "tilting" the chair frame relative to the stationary base 
assembly while the included angle between the seat back and seat member is 
maintained substantially constant throughout the entire range of "tilting" 
movement. 
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, forward 
movement of the chair frame relative to the base assembly for "reclining" 
the seat assembly also acts to compensate for rearward angular movement of 
the seat back so as to maintain a substantially constant clearance between 
the seat back and an adjacent wall surface. Furthermore, due to the 
reduced frictional drag of the improved recliner mechanism, it is not 
necessary for the seat occupant to apply additional leverage with his arms 
or feet to initiate the desired reclining movement. In additional, 
"tilting" of the chair frame in conjunction with movement of the leg rest 
assembly and reclining movement of the seat assembly contributes 
significantly to the ease and smoothness of operation while also providing 
an added increment of comfort and consumer satisfaction. 
Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken 
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an improved 
reclining mechanism for use in single person (i.e., chairs) and 
multi-person (i.e., sofas and loveseats) articles of furniture is 
disclosed. The reclining mechanism of the present invention is a 
"three-way" mechanism which can be actuated to independently "recline" a 
seat back relative to a seat member or move a leg rest assembly between 
retracted and extended positions. When a person sits in a chair equipped 
with the improved reclining mechanism, the leg rest assembly is extended 
by selectively rotating an actuator lever. In addition, substantially 
concurrent "tilting" movement of the entire chair frame is provided upon 
such rotation of the actuator lever. Moreover, a full range of independent 
"reclining" movement of the seat back relative to the seat member is 
possible regardless of the operative position of the leg rest assembly 
between its fully "retracted" and "extended" positions. This reclining 
movement also produces substantially concurrent "tilting" movement of the 
chair frame. [Therefore, tilting due to reclining movement of the seat 
back and tilting due to movement of the leg rest assembly are automatic, 
independent and cumulative in nature.] Finally, the reclining mechanism of 
the present invention is relatively compact in size to permit use of loose 
upholstered cushions which is essential for marketing all styles of chair, 
sofa or loveseat furniture. 
With particular reference now to the drawings, the operative relationship 
of an improved reclining mechanism 10 of the type adapted to support a 
prefabricated chair frame 12 will now be decribed. More particularly, FIG. 
1A depicts an exemplary reclining chair 14 having its seat back 16 and 
seat member 18 shown in a fully "upright" position for permitting an 
occupant to enjoy conventional seating. FIG. 1B illustrates reclining 
chair 14 in the upright position with its associated leg rest assembly 20 
being protracted to an elevated position. FIG. 1C illustrates chair 14 
having seat back 16 moved to a "reclined" position relative to seat member 
18 while leg rest assembly 20 is stowed in its retracted position. As will 
be described, seat back 16 and seat member 18 define a seat assembly 22 
which is supported for reclining movement on chair frame 12. Reclining 
movement of seat assembly 22 is accomplished by the seat occupant 
deliberately applying pressure to seat back 16 such that a swing linkage 
mechanism causes seat member 18 to move forwardly and upwardly to maintain 
seating comfort while the included angle increases therebetween. All this 
is reversed, and chair 14 returned to its position upon deliberate 
application of rearward pressure to seat assembly 22 or, more simply, if 
the seat occupant leans forward to remove pressure from seat back 16. 
Finally, FIG. 1D depicts chair 14 in a reclined position with its 
respective leg rest assembly 20 extended. As will be described hereinafter 
in greater detail, movement of leg rest assembly 20 and/or reclining 
movement of seat assembly 22 cause corresponding tilting movement of chair 
frame 12 relative to the floor. 
With reference now to FIG. 2, an exploded perpective view of chair 14 is 
shown, with upholstery, padding, springs, etc. removed. In general, 
reclining mechanism 10 is shown to include a unitized base assembly 24, 
left and bearing link assemblies 26 operatively interconnecting chair 
frame 12 to base assembly 24 for translational (i.e. fore and aft) 
movement, left and right pantograph leg rest linkage mechanisms 28, left 
and right push link mechanisms 30, tilt linkage means 32, and a drive 
assembly 34 for selectively actuating leg rest linkages 28 and tilt 
linkage means 32. More specifically, drive assembly 34 is shown to include 
an elongated square drive rod 35 supported within chair frame 12 and 
having a handle portion 37 provided adjacent an exterior side arm portion 
of chair 14 that can be easily reached by a person seated therein for 
convenient actuation thereof. However, it will be appreciated that other 
suitable manually operable release means known in the art, such as a 
push-button cable relelase or an concealed interior mounted actuator 
lever, can be readily incorporated into improved reclining mechanism 10 of 
the present invention. 
With continued reference to FIG. 2, chair frame 12 is shown to be 
configured for retaining reclining mechanisms 10 substantially therein. As 
best seen in FIG. 5, various components of chair 14, such as chair frame 
12, seat frame 36, seat back frame 38 and leg rest frame 40 are each 
constructed in a manner which enables them to support springs, padding, 
upholstery, etc., in order to complete a decorative and stylish chair 14 
for use in the home. Preferably, these components are made of numerous 
wood rails that are fixedly secured together by suitable fasteners, such 
as dowels, staples, nails and screws, and which may be reingorced at 
critical joints by metal reinforcement plates of brackets and/or wood 
corner blocks in a known manner. 
Unitized base assembly 24 forms a rigid rectangular frame defined by front 
and rear cross bars 39 and 41, respectively, secured to opposite ends of 
left and right metal channel-shaped tracks 42. Tracks 42 are outwardly 
facing and slightly curved relative to the floor and provide means for 
movably supporting left and right bearing link assemblies 26 so that they 
can move back and forth between front and rear cross bars 39 and 41. Base 
assembly 24 is adapted to be placed directly on the floor so as to 
eliminate the use of a heavy wooden base support typically used in most 
conventional reclining chairs. In addition, bearing link assemblies 26 are 
adapted to carry chair frame 12 so as to transfer substantially all 
loading from chair frame 12 and seat assembly 22 into base assembly 24. 
As best seen in FIG. 2, chair frame 12 includes opposite side (i.e. left 
and right) frame members 44 in the form of rigid, roughly rectangular 
frames defined by relatively horizontal bottom members 46 and by 
relatively horizontal top members 48 which also function as chair arms. 
Each side frame 44 also includes a front post 50 which preferably hyas at 
least a lower portion substantially perpendicular to the floor. In 
addition, each side frame 44 has an inclined rear post member 52 such that 
front and rear posts 50 and 52, respectively, are rigidly secured to top 
and bottom horizontal members 44 and 46 respectively. The left and right 
hand side frames 44 are rigidly interconnected to form chair frame 12 by a 
front cross brace structure 54 and the rear cross brace member 56. The 
structure of front cross brace 54 comprises horizontal upper and lower 
cross pieces 58 and 60, respectively. A central wood post 62 is also shown 
for rigidly uniting front and rear posts 50 and 52. However, it is to be 
understood that chair frame 12 is merely exemplary in nature and that any 
suitble chair frame structure can be used with reclining mechanism 10. 
Seat frame 36 is supported on chair frame 12 and is located between side 
frames 44 at a suitable distance between chair arms 48. Seat frame 36 is a 
rigid rectangular structure having left and right hand side bars 64 which 
are rigidly secured to opposite ends of front and rear cross pieces 66 and 
68, respectively. Seat frame 36 is supported for movement on chair frame 
12 by means of a swing linkage mechanism 70 for causing seat frame 36 to 
move substantially horizontally and slightly up or down, depending on 
whether seat frame 36 moves to the front (during recline) or to the rear 
(on return to upright). Swing linkage mechanism 70 includes left and right 
hand front swing links 72. More particularly, front swing links 72 are 
J-shaped members having their top ends pivotably connected to seat side 
bars 64 such that loading on seat frame 36 passes into front swing links 
72. The lower end of J-shaped front swing links 72 are pivotably connected 
to a portion of front cross brace structure 54. Linkage mechanism 70 also 
includes left and right hand rear swing links 74 which extend vertically 
well above the level of seat frame 36 along side rear posts 52 of chair 
frame side frames 44 to which they are pivotably connected just below 
chair arms 48 about pivot point 76. A forwardly offset intermediate 
section 78 of rear swing links 74 is pivoted about pivot point 80 to an 
upstanding post section 82 of an angle seat bracket 84 having a horizontal 
flange securely fixed (such as by wood screws 85) to the underside surface 
of seat side bars 64 in relatively close proximity to the back end of seat 
frame 36. As such, loading on the rear of seat frame 36 passes from seat 
brackets 84 and pivots 80 into rear swing links 74 as tension in links 74 
which is transferred by way of pivot 76 into chair frame 12. Thus, the 
rear of seat frame 36 moves much like a controlled pendulum on and below 
upper pivots 76 while the front of seat frame 36 swings to and fro above 
and on front piovt 86. 
The primary means of moving rear swing links 74 is the application of 
pressure against seat back frame 38 above the level of pivot point 76, as 
when the seat occupant leans backward in chair 14. This action causes seat 
back frame 38 to pivot backwardly for causing rear swing links 74 to swing 
forwardly for initiating rolling forward movement of bearing link 
assemblies 26, and in turn, chair frame 12 in a manner to be described in 
greater detail hereinafter. 
As is known, seat back frame 38 is also in the form of a rigid relatively 
rectangular assembly that includes right and left hand side members 88 and 
appropriate cross pieces, such as lower cross piece 90. Seat back frame 38 
is removably mounted on the upper part of rear swing link 74 by means of 
slide brackets 92 secured at suitable locations on side members 88. A 
preferred form of slide brackets 92 for this type of mounting is shown and 
described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/621,239 filed Nov. 30, 
1990 and assigned to the common assignee of the present invention. More 
particularly, slide brackets 92 are channel-shaped to provide an interior 
track that slidably receives rear swing links 74 therein. When slide 
brackets 92 are mounted on rear swing links 74, seat back frame 38 is, in 
effect, an extension of rear swing links 74 above pivot points 76. As 
such, seat back frame 38 can be pivoted about pivots 76 for acting as a 
lever arm for causing relatively easy angularly movement of rear swing 
links 74. The force required for causing such movement, and thus fore and 
aft movement of chair frame 12, is preferably selectively adjustable via 
frictional resistance means shown in the form of a multiple layer left and 
right friction link members 94. 
Friction links 94 have one end pivoted at 96 to a lower portion 98 of each 
rear swing links 74 and have an elongated slot 100 which receive a 
hand-adjustble spring-biased wing nut 102 and washer means (not shown) 
mounted on a downwardly extending forward arm 104 of seat brackets 84. As 
will be appreciated, the frictional resistance of links 94 to sliding 
movement of wing nut 102 in slot 100 and thus to pivotal movement of rear 
swing link 74 can be selectively adjusted by tightening wing nut 102 to 
suit the specific user of the chair. While not shown, spring means may be 
attached between forward extension 104 of seat brackets 84 and rear cross 
member 56 of chair frame 12 for normally biasing seat assembly 22 so as to 
assist in maintaining the "upright" included angle "A" between seat member 
18 and seat back 16. 
Left and right push link mechanisms 30 are provided for causing 
translational "fore and aft" movement of bearing linkage assemblies 26 
and, in turn, chair frame 12 relative to base assembly 24 in response to 
the pressure applied by the seat occupant to seat back 16. In general, 
push linkage mechanisms 30 are interconnected between front cross bar 39 
of base assembly 24 and pivots 86 at the forward portion of seat frame 36. 
More particularly, base brackets 106 extend vertically from front cross 
member 39 of base assembly 24. A first end of lower push links 108 are 
pivotally connected at pivot 107 to an upper end of base brackets 106. The 
opposite end of lower push links 108 are pivotally connected at pivots 109 
to a first end of drive rod swing links 110 which are journally supported 
on drive rod 35. The opposite end of drive rod swing links 110 are 
pivotally connected at pivot 111 to the lower end of offset upper pull 
links 112, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected at pivot points 
86 to the respective side bars 64 of seat frame 36. Preferably, drive rod 
swing links 110 have a central aperture through which a spacer sleeve 114 
(FIG. 3) is disposed and which is concentrically supported on square drive 
rod 35. Thus, square drive rod 35 fixes the longitudinal position of drive 
rod swing links 110 and upper pull links 112 but is independently operable 
with respect to angular movement thereof. As such, when pressure is 
applied by the seat occupant to move between the FIG. 5 "upright" position 
and the FIG. 6 "reclined" position, push link mechanisms 30 cause 
corresponding fore and aft translational movement of chair frame 12 via 
movement of bearing linkage assemblies 26 within tracks 42. In addition, 
the slightly "down-hill" curvature of tracks 42 cause chair frame 12 to 
tilt relative to the floor upon translational movement thereof. 
For purposes of clarity, the term "tilting" refers to angular movement of 
chair frame 12 and, in turn, seat assembly 22 about a horizontal axis 
relative to stationary base assembly 24. Such "tilting" movement occurs 
substantially concurrently with protraction of leg rest linkages 28 via 
selective rotation of actuator lever 37 by the seat occupant and/or upon 
reclining movement of seat assembly 22. The term "reclining" refers 
generally to the angular movement of seat assembly 22 relative to chair 
frame 12 and, more particularly, to the relative angular movement of seat 
back 16 with respect to seat member 18 via swing linkage mechanism 70 for 
increasing the included angle therebetween from a minimum "A" (i.e. 
upright) to a maximum "B" (i.e. reclined). Moreover, the present invention 
is designed to permit the seat occupant to select and maintain virtually 
any desired reclined position within the range of reclining movement 
between the included angles "A" and "B". 
With particular reference now to FIGS. 3 through 9, the primary components 
of reclining mechanism 10 which produce the above-noted movement 
characteristics will now be described in more detail. As noted, reclining 
mechanism 10 includes left and right wheel bearing link assemblies 26 
provided for movably supporting chair frame 12 for longitudinal "fore and 
aft" movement relative to tracks 42 of stationary base assembly 24. 
Moreover, the fore and aft movement of chair frame 12 causes substantially 
simultaneous corresponding reclining movement of seat assembly 22 and 
tilting movement of chair frame 12. In addition, wheel bearing link 
assemblies 26 are operatively coupled to tilt linkage means 32 for causing 
independent tilting movement of chair frame 12 upon corresponding 
actuation of leg rest assembly 20 via rotation of drive rod 35. As will be 
appreciated, upon raising leg rest assembly 20 to an intermediate 
position, tilt linkage means 32 only produces a proportional amount of 
tilting movement. 
In general, left and right bearing link assemblies 26 are mirror-imaged 
wheeled assemblies disposed respectively for rolling movement in left and 
right tracks 42 of base assembly 24. Preferably, tracks 42 are aligned in 
parallel relationship and are slightly downwardly curved from back to 
front to generate a gravity-assisted "down-hill" rolling movement of the 
wheeled unit therein. More specifically, bearing link assemblies 26 each 
include an angled bracket 120 adapted to be securely affixed directly to 
the bottom edge surface of horizontal bottom members 46 of chair frame 12 
such as by wood screws 121. Angled brackets 120 include a downwardly 
extending flange 122 connected to a bearing link member 124 having a 
forward wheeled rolling unit 126 supported thereon and which is rollingly 
disposed within tracks 42. The upper rear end of bearing link 124 has a 
right-angled flange 127 having at least one elongated slot 128 provided 
for permitting a secondary mounting bracket 130 to be adjustably mounted 
thereto. Secondary mounting bracket 130 is provided for securely attaching 
bearing link 124 to an inner veritcal surface of horizontal bottom members 
46, such as by wood screws 132. Accordingly, elongated slot 128 on bearing 
link flange 127 and slots 136 in angled bracket 120 permit selective 
side-to-side adjustment of bearing link assemblies 26 to compensate for 
manufacturing tolerances in base assembly 24 and/or chair frame 12. A 
pivot lever 138 is pivotally connected to bearing link 124 and angle 
bracket 120 about pivot point 140. More particularly, pivot lever 138 
includes a second rear wheeled unit 142 disposed for rolling in tracks 42 
with the opposite end of pivot levers 138 secured to respective left and 
right "tilt" linkage means 32, the structure and operation of which will 
be described hereinafter. 
With particular reference now to FIGS. 5 through 7, leg rest assembly 20 is 
shown to include frame board 40 having an outer surface that is padded and 
upholstered so that finished chair 14 will be seen as in FIG. 1. Frame 
board 40 is supported and moved by identical left and right hand 
pantograph linkages 28. Pantograph linkages 28 are substantially identical 
in function and structure to that shown in FIG. 9 of U.S. Pat. No. 
4,367,895. However, for a better understanding of their operation, a brief 
description is included herein. More particularly, frame board 40 has an 
angled bracket 143 secured to its bottom face 144 for each pantograph 
linkage 28 whereby board 40 is pivotably connected at a rear pivot 146 and 
a front pivot 148 to one end of board links 150 and 152, respectively, of 
pantographs 28. The opposite end of front board link 152 is pivoted at 154 
to an end of a connector link 156 which, in turn, is centrally pivoted at 
158 to a portion of rear board link 150. The other end of connector link 
156 is pivoted at 160 to a top end of a long support link 162. The other 
end of rear board link 150 is pivoted at 164 to one end of a curved link 
166 which is pivoted at a central pivot 168 to a central portion of long 
support link 176. The other end of curved link 166 is pivotably connected 
at pivot 170 to a front support bracket 172 (FIGS. 3 and 4) mounted to 
chair frame front cross member 58. Ribbed offset lateral support members 
174 extend from square drive rod 35 to pivot 170 to provide lateral 
support and maintain the desired spacing between left and right pantograph 
mechanisms 28. 
Another point of support is pivot 176 at the curved bottom end of long 
support link 162 which connects link 162 to a first end of a drive link 
178, the other end of which has a square aligned hole through which square 
drive rod 35 extends such that drive link 178 is driven by angular 
movement of drive rod 35. Thus, rotation of drive rod 35 turns drive link 
178 which acts through pivot 176 to move long support link 162. Such 
movement of support link 162 causes curved link 166 to swing about fixed 
pivot 170 by virtue of pivot connection 168 that curved link 166 has with 
long support link 162. The action of link 166 swinging about fixed pivot 
170 acts to move rear board link 150 outwardly and upwardly. In addition, 
pivot 169 at the top end of long support link 162 causes connector link 
156 to swing about pivot 158 such that front board link 152 is also moved 
outwardly and upwardly. This extensible action takes place simultaneously 
with both the left hand and right hand pantograph linkage mechanism 28 
when there is sufficient angualr rotation of drive rod 35 via handle 37. 
As such, the effect is to move frame board 40 between its stowed vertical 
position (FIG. 5) and one of its elevated protracted position (FIG. 7). 
As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, drive link 178 is generally U-shaped having 
parallel short and long legs 182 and 184, respectively, joined by a base 
186. Both legs have square aligned holes in them through which the square 
drive rod 35 extends. In the fully extended horizontal position of leg 
rest assembly 20, a cold deformed stop tab 187 on long end 184 contacts a 
stop shoulder 188 formed on the lower end of long support link 162 when 
long leg 184 and link 162 are almost in relatively colinear alignment. Due 
to engagement of stop tab 187 and stop shoulder 188, pantograph linkages 
28 cannot go over-center such that leg rest frame 40 is held in the 
protracted position. A ratchet type detent mechanism 190 interconnects 
drive rod 35 and front structure 56 of chair frame 12 for providing 
various intermediate locakble protracted positions for leg rest 20 (shown 
in phantom in FIG. 7). 
The structure of ratchet mechanism 190 includes an inclined link 203 which 
is suspended at its front end from upper cross piece 58 of chair frame 12 
by a tension spring hanger assembly 205. The other end of link 203 is 
bifurcated to receive a sector-shaped plate member 207 that is mounted by 
way of a square hole on drive rod 35 so as to rotate therewith. Ratchet 
plate 207 has specially shaped recesses 209 in its outer periphery which 
act as ratchet means cooperating with a floating detent pin 210 carrier by 
the bifurcations and urged into recesses 209 by tension springs 211 
anchored on a pivot pin 213 between plate 207 and link 203. When drive rod 
35 is rotated to operate a leg rest assembly 20, plate 207 is also rotated 
to expose different recesses 209 to pin 210 depending upon the degree of 
rod rotation and the elevation. When pin 210 is lockingly biased into one 
of recesses 209, leg rest assembly 20 is yieldably held in an elevated 
position against inadvertent angular movement by mechanism 190. Spring 
assembly 205 accommodates relative movement between link 203 and cross 
piece 58 due to movement of pin 213 upon rotational plate 207. Leg rest 
assembly 20 can only be returned to its stowed position from an 
intermediate position by fully protracting leg rest 20. Thereafter, 
reverse rotation of handle 37 cause pantograph linkages 28 to return to 
the FIG. 5 stowed condition. 
As noted, reclining mechanism 10 is confined below seat frame 6 with tracks 
42 being an integral portion of base assembly 24. In this manner, the 
wooden bottom support rails typically incorporated into conventional 
reclining systems have been eliminated. Therefore, an overall reduction in 
the height of recliner 10 permits use of loose cushions removably 
installed on top of seat frame 36. In addition, reclining mechanism 10 is 
designed to cause less upward angular movement of seat frame 36 than 
conventional recliners upon forward "reclining" motion thereof as well as 
during "tilting" movement for significantly reducing the effort required 
for the seat occupant to return seat assembly 22 to the upright position. 
According to the present invention, selective angular movement of drive rod 
35 about its axis causes actuation of leg rest assembly 20 and "tilting" 
movement of chair frame 12. In addition, the weight of the seat occupant 
and the center of gravity of seat assembly 22, defined by the orientation 
of front and rear wheeled units 126 and 142 disposed within tracks 42, 
combine to generate a forwardly directed force on bearing link assemblies 
26 which tends to augment the limited occupant input (i.e. pressure to 
seat back 16) required for causing substantially smoother operation of 
recliner 10. In addition, an over-center spring-loaded toggle assembly 180 
is designed to selectively assist in driving leg rest assembly 20 between 
its respective "stowed" and "extended" positions. 
With particular reference now to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9, bearing bracket 
assemblies 26 are shown to be operatively coupled to tilt linkage means 32 
for "tilting" chair frame 12 relative to the floor upon movement of leg 
rest assembly 20. In general, tilt linkage means 32 interconnect the 
forward end of pivot levers 138 of bearing link assemblies 26 to drive 
assembly 4. More particularly, the forwardmost end of pivot levers 138 
extend below and are generally aligned with the axis of drive rod 35 and 
are pivotally connected at pivot 219 to a lower end of a J-shaped toggle 
link 220. The other end of J-shaped toggle link 220 is pivotably connected 
to a connector link 222 at pivot 224 and which, in turn, is secured on 
drive rod 35 for angular movement therewith. Tilt linkage mechanisms 32 
inhibit tilting movement of chair frame 12 until actuator lever 37 and, in 
turn, drive rod 35 are rotated for causing pivotal movement of pivot 
levers 138 relative to bearing links 124. More particularly, pivot levers 
138 are formed with a lost motion slot 226 through which a rivet 228, 
extending through bearing link 124, moves to define a limited range of 
angular movement between pivot levers 138 and bearing links 124. 
Therefore, upon rotation of drive rod 35, the corresponding rotation of 
connector link 222 cause toggle link 220 to drive the forward end of pivot 
levers 138 downwardly. At this point, the mechanical advantage of tilt 
linkages 32 act to forwardly drive J-shaped toggle 220 around and below 
drive rod 35 so as to permit pivot levers 138 to pivot about pivot points 
140 such that bearing link assemblies 26 and, in turn, chair frame 12 are 
"tilted" relative to tracks 42. In addition, rivet 228 provides structural 
support to chair 14 for maintaining the alignment and rigidity of pivot 
lever 138 for causing wheeled unit 142 to run straight within track 42. As 
such, lateral (i.e. side-to-side) cross-members can be eliminated since 
the rigidity of chair frame 12 is used to maintain correct wheel alignment 
to track 42. 
As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, at least one spring-assist toggle assemblies 
180 is provided which, as pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,895, works 
coactively with leg rest pantograph linkages 28. Toggle assembly 180 
provides means for holding leg rest assembly 20 tightly in a fully 
retracted (i.e., stowed) position against front brace structure 54 of 
chair frame 12 while also providing means for supplying a spring force for 
driving leg rest assembly 20 toward one of its extended positions. Toggle 
assembly 180 includes a toggle lever 230 with a square hole which is 
mounted by means of the square hole on square drive rod 35 for selective 
rotation therewith. Toggle lever 230 is pivotally connected at pivot 232 
to front leg 234 of a C-shaped toggle link 236 that curves around, below 
and to the rear of drive rod 35 where its rear leg 238 has an opening in 
which one end of a helical coil spring 242 is hooked. The opposite end of 
spring 242 is hooked to a spring bracket 244 which is secured to secondary 
mounting bracket 130. Tension adjustment means, such as a plurality of 
holes 246 in mounting bracket 130, are provided for adjusting the tension 
in spring 242. For example, the tension in spring 242 can be adjustable 
relieved for a lighter weight occupant or it can be increased for a 
heavier seat occupant. Such adjustment means provide an extra comfort and 
convenience feature to reclining mechanism 10. 
Operation of toggle assemblies 180 will now be described in greater detail. 
The location of pivot 232 below drive rod 35 and the line of action of 
spring 242 are such that in the retracted position of leg rest assembly 
20, the spring force holds or "retains" leg rest assembly 20. As leg rest 
20 is initially exerted upon slight rotation of actuator lever 37 and, in 
turn, drive rod 35, pivot 232 moves up and over center of the drive rod 
axis. Once pivot 232 is over-center, tension loading on spring 242 assists 
in drivingly rotating drive rod 35 for elevating leg rest assembly 20 as 
rear leg 238 of link 236 is pulled toward secondary mounting bracket 130. 
In addition, spring 242 assists the occupant in pivoting handle 37 through 
the require actuation angle. Furthermore, toggle assembly 180 is adapted 
to utilize the spring biasing force of spring 242 to assist in returning 
leg rest assembly 20 to its stowed position upon reverse rotation of 
handle 37. 
According to the operative principles of the present invention, leg rest 
assembly 20 and the associated tilting movement of chair frame 12 on base 
assembly 24 both occur upon selective angular movement of handle lever 37. 
Operation of the recline feature of reclining mechanism 10 and its 
associated tilting movement of chair frame 12 however, occur simply by 
weight shifting on the part of the seat occupant with no spring or lever 
assistance. When the chair occupant lets the weight of his or her back 
rest heavily against seat back frame 38, most of the load will be 
concentrated above pivots 76 so that rear swing links 74 plus seat back 
frame 38 become long lever arms that transform the pressure applied into 
forward motion of bearing link assemblies 26 in tracks 42 via actuation of 
push link mechanisms 30. To reverse this motion and return chair 14 to its 
upright position, the seat occupant simply leans forward to take his or 
her weight off seat back frame 38 and let that weight component be carried 
by seat frame 36. The weight balance provided by swing linkage 70 and tilt 
linkage 32 in conjunction with the load balancing due to the positioning 
of wheeled units 126 and 142 in tracks 42, enable the translational 
movements just described to be started, continued and terminated without 
the need for the set occupant to push against chair arms 48 or any other 
forms of additional leverage. 
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes an exemplary embodiment of 
the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from 
such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that 
various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the 
following claims.