Control for adjustable backrest of a seat or lounge, and seat or lounge incorporating it

Abstract

An article of furniture such as a chair or lounge with an adjustable back. A control enables the angle of the back to be upwardly adjusted or laid flat, merely by appropriately tilting the backrest.

1 . In an article of furniture having a base and a backrest that is tiltedly adjustably attached to the base at a first hinge point, a control to enable placing the backrest at a selected angle restrained against backward movement, and enabling the backrest to be moved to a retracted, flat position, said control comprising:
 a rigid drive arm rigidly fixed to the backrest for rotation with the backrest around said first hinge point, said drive arm having a free end:   a rigid latch arm having a hinged end hingedly attached to the free end of the drive arm, and a follower end distant from the hinged end; and   a body providing a loop-shaped track, said track including an adjustment segment, a return segment, a divider between said adjustment segment and return segment, a divider separating said adjustment segment and return segment, a transition segment between both ends of said adjustment segment and return segment; and a plurality of stops along said adjustment segment; and   a biased selector in one of said transition segments permitting said follower to move from said adjustment segment into said return segment, but not the reverse after the backrest has reached its uppermost position, whereby raising the backrest moves the follower end along the stops, permitting raising movement but limiting lowering movement, and having fully raised the free end moves past the selector into the return segment to return to the adjustment segment when the backrest is fully lowered.   
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which said control is bilateral, being located at each side of the base with the drive arm and latch arm being disposed between the sides of the base. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  in which said first hinge point and said stops are fixed to said base, spaced apart in elevation, with the hinge between said arms being located such as to form a three link arrangement in which lowering of the backrest is resisted by a compressive force on the latch arm. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  in which said latch arm engages stops at both sides of the base. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  in which said stops comprise shoulders abutted by follower end when said back rest is pressed backwardly when the follower ends are disposed on said adjustment segment.