Chair tilt and chair height control apparatus
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsArkady Golynsky, Donald A. Wimmer, Bryan B. Bray, Jr., Robert A. Melhuish
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tilt control mechanism that is mounted to the underside of a chair bottom, and permits the user or sitter to selectively control the chair height, as well as the degree of chair tilt. A tension adjustment mechanism is provided to permit the user to change the amount of spring tension exerted against the chair bottom when the chair is tilted back. Finally, a structural support is provided which interconnects the seat bottom with the tilt mechanism, and transmits downwardly-exerted weight to the mechanism. Each of these four mechanisms comprises a number of parts seated within a die cast enclosure or housing.
Claims7
A tilt mechanism for a chair having a seat, a back, and a support base with a top portion, said tilt mechanism comprising:
- a housing secured to said top portion of said support base, said housing having a front end and a rear end;
- a seat support plate having a front end and a rear end;
- means for pivotally securing said front end of said seat support plate to said front end of said housing;
- means for securing said seat to a top portion of said seat support plate;
- back support means having a front end;
- means for pivotally mounting said front end of said back support means to a portion of said housing located between said front and rear ends of said housing;
- means for mounting said chair back to said back support means;
- an elongated link means for pivotally linking in a spaced relationship, said rear end of said seat support plate and a portion of said back support means positioned rearward of said front end of said back support means;
- cam means mounted to said seat support plate and including a cam surface formed in a closed geometric pattern;
- and
- follower means movably mounted to said housing and including a follower mounted within said closed geometric pattern, said follower being guided by the cam surface for guiding said chair seat to tilt forward and to recline backward as said seat support plate and said back support means pivot relative to said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.