Abstract: A sleep sofa includes a main frame, a seat unit, a back unit and a supporting linkage assembly that can move the back unit along an arc to the front of the seat unit when the sleep sofa is converted to a bed state, the supporting linkage simultaneously lifting the rear side of the seat unit, which is mounted in the main frame to slope downwardly from horizontal at about a 5° angle, up to horizontal. Once positioned in front of the seat unit, the back unit can be pushed downwardly so as to rotate into a locked parallel orientation with the seat unit. The seat cushion of the seat unit and the back cushion of the back unit form the bedding surface. Pushing a back release tube will unlock the back unit to allow it to be returned to a sitting positioning above the seat unit (tilted rearwardly to define an angle of about 115° with the seat unit). During its arc movement over the seat unit, the back unit will rotate around pivots on the side backs thereof.

Abstract: A sleep sofa includes a main frame, a seat unit, a back unit and a supporting linkage assembly that can move the back unit along an arc to the front of the seat unit when the sleep sofa is converted to a bed state, the supporting linkage simultaneously lifting the rear side of the seat unit, which is mounted in the main frame to slope downwardly from horizontal at about a 50 angle, up to horizontal. Once positioned in front of the seat unit, the back unit can be pushed downwardly so as to rotate into a locked parallel orientation with the seat unit. The seat cushion of the seat unit and the back cushion of the back unit form the bedding surface. Pushing a back release tube will unlock the back unit to allow it to be returned to a sitting positioning above the seat unit (tilted rearwardly to define an angle of about 115° with the seat unit). During its arc movement over the seat unit, the back unit will rotate around pivots on the side backs thereof.

Abstract: A support assembly for a rocker-recliner chair which includes a base assembly having rocker cams and a support assembly mounted to the rocker cams and which can be shifted between a retracted state, and intermediate extended state and a fully extended state, the support assembly including left and right linkage subassemblies that each include a rocker mounting link, a backrest mounting bracket, a main carrier link pivotally connected to a front portion of the backrest mounting bracket, a back push link pivotally connected to a rear portion of the backrest mounting bracket, a roller lock tube mounting link pivotally connected at a first end to a rear end of the rocker mounting link, a roller lock tube push link pivotally connected between the roller tube mounting link and the back push link, and a roller lock tube connected between second ends of the roller lock tube mounting links of both linkage subassemblies to rest upon the base beneath the backrest mounting bracket to prevent rocking of the support assemb

Abstract: On a spring-assisted handle-operated rocker recliner, each side linkage is provided with a forward and a rear landing gear. On each side, the links on which the contact elements (such as rollers) are mounted, are pivoted at intermediate locations on each, to the main flange of the respective side linkage. The ends nearest to the middle of the respective rocker cam are both pivoted to a set of links that, in effect, pull up those ends as the handle, and therefore the torque tube, is rotated to thrust the ottoman, and to push down those ends as the torque tube is rotated to retract the ottoman. The flange on each side linkage is provided with slots, which are enlarged at one end for facilitating mounting the flange on the respective rocker cam.

Abstract: A base frame for a base assembly that supports a linkage support mechanism of a rocker-recliner chair includes metal side runners and metal end rails, the side runners having a generally Z-shaped cross sections and the end rails extending between and covering corresponding ends of the side runners. Upper flanges of the end rails are connected, e.g., bolted, to upper flanges of the side runners and lower flanges of the end rails are connected to lower flanges of the side runners to provide a rigid structure whose four corners are locked and display excellent squareness.

Abstract: A headrest support assembly for a recliner chair includes mirror-image right and left support subassemblies that each include first and second support links that are pivotally connected at their upper ends to mounting brackets that can support a headrest of the chair, and upper and lower swing links that are pivotally connectable to corresponding first ends to the backrest frame of the chair and at corresponding second ends to the first support link. A pin extending from a lower end of the second support link extends in an opening along the length of the upper swing link. An actuator link which is movable by a support carriage of the chair is connected to the lower swing link to cause the links to shift between a retracted condition wherein the supported headrest faces upwardly and a deployed condition wherein the supported headrest faces forwardly of the chair.

Abstract: A carriage mechanism for supporting the frame, seat, backrest, legrest and footrest of a glider/three-way recliner chair includes mirror-image right and left support assemblies connected by a torque tube, each support assembly including a base subassembly which provides front and rear mounting points and a main linkage subassembly which is suspended from these front and rear mounting points, the main linkage subassembly including front and rear scissor links which are pivotally connected, a mounting plate for attachment to a seat frame, a backrest support flange, a rear drive link and a rear ottoman link. Each main linkage subassembly is capable of moving in a forward and rearward gliding motion relative to a flooring surface when the support assembly is in a retracted condition and in a forward and rearward motion which is parallel to the flooring surface when the support assembly is in an intermediate extended condition.

Abstract: A double-shift carriage mechanism for supporting the seat, backrest, footrest and legrest of a full recline incliner chair includes mirror image right and left support assemblies connected by a torque tube, each support assembly including an incline frame subassembly, an extendable footrest-legrest subassembly, a toggle drive subassembly, and a recline frame subassembly, the incline frame subassembly shifting from a retracted to an extended condition to convert the chair from an upright to an inclined state and the recline frame subassembly then shifting from a retracted to an extended condition, thus moving the incline frame subassembly along a substantially straight line and converting the chair from an inclined to fully reclined state.

Abstract: Each of the left and right support assemblies for a shiftable carriage mechanism for an incliner chair includes a toggle drive subassembly that includes an upper toggle link which is pivotally connected to a mounting rail of a frame subassembly, a lower toggle link which is pivotally connected to a base member of the frame subassembly and a drive spring which is connected to the upper toggle link. The drive spring operates to position the toggle links in a locked condition when the support assembly is retracted and to drive the support assembly into an extended condition when the toggle links are manually rotated to an unlocked condition.

Abstract: A pivoting link subassembly of a linkage support system includes a first link having a circular bore hole therein, a second link having a non-circular bore hole therein, a washer positioned between the links so as to be aligned with an axis extending through the aligned bore holes, and a rivet which extends through the bore holes to maintain the links together and provide a pivot, the rivet including a shank portion which fills the non-circular bore hole in the second link to assure rotational connection thereto.

Abstract: A mechanism for a wall proximity-type of recliner chair, in which the chair-back reclining and erecting action is separate from the ottoman thrusting and retracting action, in which the forward-upward travel of the upholstered seat and arm frame unit as the chair back reclines feels as smooth as if it were produced by support wheels riding up an inclined ramp (although no wheels and ramp are used, thus avoiding the potential problem of a debris-obstructed ramp). The back end chair movement is synchronized by travel linkage to provide the desired upward and forward translation. Further, the locking linkage function and driving linkage function are provided by the same linkages. The mechanism can also be used in a modular sofa having a reclining unit, or in an armless chair, as the mechanism need not rise into a chair arm while the back is reclined and erected or the ottoman is thrust or retracted.

Abstract: A shiftable carriage mechanism for an incliner chair includes a right support assembly, a left support assembly, a torque tube connected between the right and left support assemblies and an operating lever, each of the right and left support assemblies including a frame subassembly having a base member mountable on the chair frame, and a mounting rail movably positioned above the base member; a toggle drive subassembly for locking the mounting rail above the base member or, when unlocked, for moving the mounting rail towards the base member; and a footrest-legrest subassembly which will become extended when the mounting rail is moved towards the base member. No main extension spring connected between the mounting rails and the base members is utilized.

Abstract: In concept, each vertical plane flange of each ottoman-mounting bracket of the resiliently releasing ottoman construction disclosed in the present inventor's commonly-assigned copending application Ser. No. 857,323 is elaborated upon by being divided into two elements, namely a laterally outer and an intermediate element, which are pivotally joined at a transverse horizontal axis pivot joint located near the upper ends of these two vertical plane flange elements. The tension coil spring is mounted between a transverse flange, which is provided on the laterally outer element, near the upper end of such element, and an anchoring site provided near the lower end of intermediate element. Accordingly, the ottoman may be pivoted up or down and/or displaced away from the front of the chair, at both sides equally or unequally, against restorative force provided by the tension coil spring on each ottoman-mounting bracket.

Abstract: The front end of each side linkage of an ottoman thrusting/retracting pantograph linkage system for a motion chair is provided by a link, pivotally mounted to respective front end links at two vertically spaced sites. For each side, an ottoman mounting bracket is provided, having a generally vertical-plane flange and a transverse flange. The ottoman is secured to the two transverse flanges, and the vertical-plane flange, which extends below the transverse flange, is pivotally secured near its lower end to a corresponding lower end site on the pantograph front end links. The vertical-plane flanges of the ottoman-mounting brackets lie outboard of and in planes parallel to those of the respective front end links. A tension coil spring is provided at each side for tending to keep the ottoman positioned across the front edges of the front end links.

Abstract: In a motion chair which is also a platform rocker with an extensible, retractable ottoman, handled-operated rotation of the torque tube which extends transversely between the side linkages for coordinating thrusting and retraction of the left and right ends of the ottoman is relied upon for setting and releasing a rocker lock secured on the underside of the rocker cam subframe intermediate and, preferably medially of the side linkages. The rocker lock includes two struts respectively transverse axis-pivoted scissors-fashion to a fixed mounting link. Rollers may be provided on the free first ends of these struts and their opposite second ends are connected by means of further interpivoted links to the torque tube in such a manner that as the torque tube is rotated in one angular sense, the strut second ends are pulled up to lower the rollers into engagement with fixed cross members of the chair platform subframe.