Steelcase Inc.

Charles C Pergler

Jack R Knoblauch

Ronald L Whitwam

Alexander A Karrip

Frederick S Faiks

Joseph M Wisniewski

Kenneth W Hozeski

Duane M Beukema

Donald D Korell

The specification discloses a chair control in which the pretension on the bias means can be adjusted by means of a bolt having a hollow shank with a retractable lever normally stored therein. There is a slot extending from the opening of the hollow shank down one side which can be engaged by said lever when the lever is retracted from the hollow shank and pivoted to one side. There is a retainer cap on the end of the hollow shank which includes an inwardly projecting annular lip which engages an annular rib on the lever to normally hold the lever in its stored position within the hollow shank of the bolt, even though the bolt is oriented upside down when the chair control is mounted on a chair. The lip is yieldable so that one can grasp the lever and pull it out past the lip when one wants to pivot it to one side and into the slot and thereafter rotate the bolt by applying a force to the lever.

Chair control tension adjustment assembly

The specification discloses a synchrotilt chair control in which a slide is provided between the front of the seat support and stationary control housing, which slide serves not only to make possible synchrotilt action between the back support and seat support, but also makes possible the incorporation of a seat adjustment assembly. The latter comprises a pivot bracket pivotally mounted on the slide and on the seat support, and an actuator for pivoting the pivot bracket. The pivotal mounting between the seat support and back support is also dual functional in that it supports a pivotally mounted lock plate for locking the control. A height adjustment actuator and hidden handle pretension adjustment bolt are also provided.

Synchrotilt chair control

The specification discloses a seat pitch adjustment assembly which a user can adjust upwardly or downwardly with basically the same applied force. A seat support is pivotally mounted with respect to a supporting assembly at one point and is joined thereto at another point through a pivot bracket. The pivot bracket is pivotally mounted to the support assembly on one pivot axis and to the seat support on a second pivot axis. The pivot bracketing includes a cylindrical wall defining at least a portion of the wall of a right circular cylinder whose axis of revolution lies on the aforesaid second pivot axis. The cylindrical wall includes at least one helically oriented slot receiving a projection from a slide slidably mounted on the seat support member whereby movement of the slide one way or the other rotates the pivot bracket about said second pivot axis and thereby changes the relative elevation of the first pivot axis with respect thereto. This in turn changes the pitch of the seat support with respect to the underlying support assembly and thereby changes the pitch of a seat mounted thereon.

Chair seat adjustment assembly

The specification discloses a chair control employing an open top, generally rectangular drawn cup for housing an energy storage package. An axle secured to and extending between stretchers which are secured to a tilting chair or member thereof, is journaled in the drawn cup and carries the energy storage package. Means for adjusting the preload of the energy package and reducing the likelihood of an energy package failure are provided. First and second interlocking spindle support members are provided which form a cup reinforcing and stress distributing structure roughly box-shaped in cross section. The four outside corners of the cup are strengthened by indented sidewall portions. A strengthening flange is disposed about the periphery of the cup and the axle journaled in the cup, has a relatively large diameter for distributing stress.

Chair control

The specification discloses a chair control in which a generally upright back support member is pivotally mounted to a support arm extending rearwardly from beneath a seat support member, there being a releasable securing means for securing or alowing adjustment of the angle of the back support member relative to the support arm. The releasable securing means passes through adjacent bottom walls in the back support member and the support arm. The support arm includes an integrally formed safety stop detent flange which prevents the back rest from falling all the way rearwardly in the event that the releasable securing means inadvertently disengages.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Charles C Pergler