Patent Publication Number: US-4580834-A

Title: Chair convertible to easy chair

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This useful model concerns a recliner chair which is a piece of furniture that, in two different positions, serves two purposes, namely sitting in the chair either to work or to rest in it. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The usefulness of the object is marked in light of the continuing reduction of usable space in dwellings and a partments. The increasing availability of places with less space, for the use of furniture as well as its storage, has led to the appearance of multipurpose furniture such as easy chairs or sofa beds and now, this recliner chair of a new type. 
     In addition to the achievement of two different purposes with the same item of furniture, its utility is increased in that it is easily disassembled, thus permitting its storage in limited space. 
     In addition, its cost is the same as it would be if only one function were met so that each purpose is served at half the price of this piece of furniture. 
     To shift from one to the other function described, only simple and easy motions are required, thus providing a further incentive for using this invention. 
     The piece of furniture consists of two pieces, joints, reinforcements and stops. One of the pieces is made up of a structure that includes the seat of the chair and two of the legs of the combined unit, while the second piece consists of the back of the chair and recliner as well as the seat of the recliner, the structure of which makes up the second supporting pair of legs when the piece of furniture is used as a chair. 
     Lastly, it is useful to point out that any kind of covering can be used for the unit that has been described, and that the tubular section can be replaced by any ordinary polygonal section. 
     The characteristics of the recliner or easy chair, with reference to the attached figures, show one way of building it without being limited to this form, which is presented by way of illustration of the model for the indicated purpose since the dimensions, colors and fabrics with which the different pieces are made will, in each case, be those considered most appropriate for the specific use involved without these variations. Other changes can be made in details of appearance or structure, affecting the essence of what is claimed so that recliner chairs that may be produced in accordance with the general idea that is outlined, and any of those modifications will only be variations, equally included and protected. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the whole unit used as a chair. 
     FIG. 2 is another view of the whole unit when it is used as a recliner. 
     FIG. 3 is a view of a raised cross section of the chair. 
     FIG. 4 is similarly a view of a raised cross section of the recliner revolving. 
     FIG. 5 shows a view of a raised cross section of the recliner in its final position. 
     FIG. 6 shows a view of the two basic pieces of the structure on which two varied forms, one rounded and the other rectangular, have been placed. And finally, 
     FIG. 7 shows the joint mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to these figures and to the numbers on them that indicate the different parts and details of the recliner chair that is depicted, and that are of interest for the purposes of this account, the description is as follows: The whole structure is made up of independent first frame part 1 and second frame part 3 (FIG. 1) that are linked together by joint 2 which will be described in full detail later on. 
     In FIG. 1, those two parts are shown in such fashion that they form a chair, its back (13) resting on second frame part 3 and forming the seat (12) within the upper structure of first frame part 1. 
     In this figure, the braces are also shown--back brace (4) of second frame part 3 and leg brace (5) of first frame part 1--the basic purpose of which is to help to maintain the shape of the pieces by making the unit rigid. 
     In FIG. 2, another position of the same chair is shown, and the elements previously described in a different recliner position are seen. 
     In this figure, it is apparent that the seat (12) serves to support the recliner, and the back (13) is extended by the canework (14) to form the actual seat of the recliner. 
     In addition to these parts that have been described, it is necessary to point out the existence of the stops (6), the location of which is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, and the purpose of which is to limit the movement of the various parts to certain positions. In FIG. 3, for example, one sees how stop 6&#39; specifically prevents movement of the two frame parts 1 and 3, once they are set up as a chair. Similarly, FIG. 4 shows an intermediate position of the frame parts 1 and 3 revolving in the direction indicated by the curved arrow (7) to form a recliner which only occurs when the position shown in FIG. 5 is reached in which the second frame part 3 rests on stop 6&#34; following the direction indicated by the arrow (8), as well as on stop 6&#39;&#34; as the second frame part 3 revolves around its joint (2). In FIG. 6 the two frame parts 1 and 3 are shown separately, one of them with its end rounded and the other straight. It is necessary to point out that both can be straight or rounded or either of them can have a curved or straight end according to the decorative effect that is sought. 
     Lastly, FIG. 7 shows the joint 2 that serves to connect frame parts 1 and 3 respectively. In this figure one can see specifically how the second frame part 3 has a sliding joint (9), the movement of which is limited by two stops (6) and (6&#34;) that rest on the joint (9), in accordance with the position in which the piece of furniture is used. 
     In this FIG. 7, the direction of the turn (7) is counterclockwise. The movement (8) of one piece in relation to the other is shown, as well as the connection of the joint (9) to the bracket-like joint 2 itself. Joint 2 consists of flexible material and is equipped with a slot (10), the purpose of which is to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of these two frame parts 1 and 3. This bracket-like joint 2 is mounted over the revolving pivot (11) attached to the first frame part 1, thus completing the connection. This useful model is based on the following claims.