Chairs and seats – Rocker-mounted – With means to limit or inhibit rocking motion
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-24
2001-06-12
Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Rocker-mounted
With means to limit or inhibit rocking motion
C297S270100, C297S270200, C297S270300, C297S281000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244658
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rocking chair, and more particularly to a rocking chair with an automatic locking device to prevent rocking when a person rises from the chair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of known rocking chairs are equipped with a locking device to releasably lock the chair against rocking when so desired by the user.
Examples of such rocking chairs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,532 dated Jul. 30, 1974, entitled Rocking recliner with rocker lock and anti-overturn shock absorber, inventor Daniel F. CALDEMEYER, and in Canadian Patent 486,858 dated Sep. 30, 1962, entitled Locking device for rocking chair, inventor Adelard J. BELISLE.
In the U.S. Caldermeyer Patent, the rocking chair is prevented from rocking by operating a hand lever
44
which causes a cam
43
carried by a chair runner
17
to engage the serrations of a rod
47
(see FIGS.
1
and
2
).
In the Canadian Belisle Patent, operation of a manual lever
32
causes gripping of the plate
20
which locks the seat against rocking.
In both these patents, the two parts of the locking device are carried by the base member and by the seat respectively. Therefore, it is impossible to automatically lock the seat against rocking when a person leaves the chair and to permit rocking when the person becomes seated on the chair.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The general object of the invention is to provide a rocking chair with an automatic locking device which automatically locks the chair against rocking when a person leaves the chair and allows the chair to be rocked when a person sits on the chair.
An important object of the present invention is to provide a rocking chair with an automatic locking device as described, which is of simple and inexpensive construction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rocking chair with an automatic locking device controlled by a manual lever having two positions, an ON position causing the above-noted automatic unlocking of the chair when a person sits on the same and locking of the chair when a person leaves the chair, and an OFF position allowing the chair to be rocked whether a person is seated or not on the chair.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rocking chair with an automatic locking device which will become locked as soon as a person starts to rise from the chair, and which will remain in a locked position as long as a person is not sitting in the rear portion of the chair.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a rocking chair with an automatic locking device which will be as silent as possible.
It is an important object of the present invention to provide a rocking chair having a seat portion rockable in a back and forth movement, the rocking chair having an unidirectional locking device which can be set in either one of an operative condition, in which the seat portion is allowed to rock in a forward direction while being prevented to rock in a rearward direction, and an inoperative condition, in which the seat portion is allowed to rock in both the forward and the rearward direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rocking chair comprising a ground-resting base member, a seat support frame, a rocking device rockably mounting said seat support frame to said base member, a seat defining a front end portion and a rear end portion and pivotally mounted on said support frame at said front end portion allowing limited up and down movement of said seat rear end portion between an upper position and a lower limit position, a stop carried by said seat support frame and engaging said seat rear end portion in its lower limit position, a biasing device continuously biasing said seat towards said upper position, the weight of a person seated on said seat rear end portion lowering said seat rear end portion to its lower limit position against the bias of said biasing device, and a unidirectional two part ratchet locking device having a first and a second part respectively carried by a corresponding one of:
a) a selected one of said base and said rocking device; and
b) said seat support frame; said first and second parts of said unidirectional two part ratchet locking device being mutually engageable when said seat is in said upper position and clearing each other when said seat is in said lower limit position, wherein said seat and said seat support frame are automatically locked against rocking motion in the direction of said seat rear end portion while being allowed to rock in the direction of said seat front end portion when said first and second parts of said unidirectional two part ratchet locking device are mutually engaged, and wherein said seat and said seat support frame are allowed to rock in both the directions of said seat front and rear end portions when said first and second parts of said unidirectional two part ratchet locking device clear each other.
Preferably, said seat support frame forms arm rests disposed above said seat.
Preferably, said rocking chair further includes a back rest attached to said seat support frame in an upstanding position relative to said seat.
Preferably, said rocking device includes front and rear rocking arms defining opposite upper and lower end portions, said rocking arms depending from said base member and being pivotally mounted thereon at said upper end portions thereof, and a lower portion of said seat support frame being pivotally connected to said lower end portions of said rocking arms.
Preferably, said first part of said two part ratchet locking device is a ratchet wheel fixedly attached on the lower end portion of one of said rocking arms for concurrent pivotal displacement therewith, and said second part of said two part ratchet locking device is a pawl member pivotally attached to said seat support frame, said ratchet locking device further comprising a rigid link member pivotally attached to said seat rear end portion and to said pawl member, said link member pivoting said second pawl member in a first locked condition, when said seat is in said upper position, in which said pawl member and said ratchet wheel are mutually engaged to prevent rocking of said seat and said seat support frame in the direction of said seat rear end portion, while allowing rocking motion of said seat and said seat support frame in the direction of said seat front end portion, and a second unlocked condition, when said seat in said lower limit position, in which said pawl member clears said ratchet wheel to allow rocking motion of said seat and said seat support frame in both the directions of said seat front and rear end portions.
Preferably, said ratchet locking device further comprises a biasing device attached to said pawl member and to said seat support frame, said biasing device continuously biasing said pawl member towards said locked condition.
Preferably, said biasing device is a spring.
The invention also relates to a rocking chair comprising a ground-resting base member, a seat support frame, a rocking device rockably mounting said seat support frame to said base member, a seat defining a front end portion and a rear end portion and pivotally mounted on said support frame at said front end portion allowing limited up and down movement of said seat rear end portion between an upper position and a lower limit position, a stop carried by said seat support frame and engaging said seat rear end portion in its lower limit position, a biasing device continuously biasing said seat towards said upper position, the weight of a person seated on said seat rear end portion lowering said seat rear end portion to its lower limit position against the bias of said biasing device, and a unidirectional locking device including:
a first part and a second part each respectively mounted to a corresponding one of:
a) a selected one of said base member and said rocking device; and
b) said seat support frame;
a ratchet joint member provided on said first and second parts; and
a link member linking said seat rear e
Cartier Maxime
Parent Real
Barfield Anthony D.
Martineau François
Veranda Jardin R.P. Inc.
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