Steelcase Inc.

Kysor Industrial Corporation

Daniel Ralph Bischoff

Frederick S Faiks

Craig M Anderson

A non-interlock blocking element adapted for use with a furniture unit having a plurality of drawers, a vertical guide for receiving a vertical stack of blocking elements which are slidably mountable in the guide for vertical translation therein, and a wedge element associated with each of the drawers which is reciprocable into the stack of blocking elements to effect interlocking relationships among the drawers is provided. The non-interlock blocking element allows such furniture units which are adapted for use with interlocking mechanisms, to be configured as non-interlocking furniture units, or as partially interlocking furniture units. The non-interlock blocking elements are generally similar to standard interlock blocking elements, but include a recess which allows unobstructed reciprocation of a wedge element associated with a drawer when the recess is in horizontal alignment with the wedge element, whereby the drawer can be opened irrespective of whether another drawer is already opened.

Drawer interlock to non-interlock conversion device

A controller is provided for seating, and the like, such as chairs of the type that have a stationary base or support, and a back which tilts about a generally horizontal axis with respect to the support. The controller includes an adjustable tension device, and a shared-load arrangement, which readily adapt the chair for different users and various applications. The adjustable tension device comprises a spring, having one end operably connected with a support, and the other end operably engaging the back at selected locations spaced apart from the tilt axis, such that rearward tilting of the chair back deflects the spring, and thereby generates a torque or back tension which resists further tilting. A shifter moves the other end of the spring between the selected back locations to vary the lever arm at which the spring acts, and thereby adjusts back tension. The shared-load arrangements comprises second and third springs, which are positioned on opposite sides of the first spring, and are operably connected between the support and the back. The second and third springs are pretensed to generate an initial torque which biases the back into a normally, fully upright position. The three controller springs combine to share the load applied to the back, with the second and third springs providing an initial, minimum back tension, and the first spring providing an additional, variable back tension.

Controller for seating and the like

A controller is provided for seating, and the like, such as chairs of the type that have a stationary base or support, and a back which tilts about a generally horizontal axis with respect to the support. The controller includes an adjustable tension device, and a shared-load arrangement, which readily adapt the chair for different users and various applications. The adjustable tension device comprises a spring, having one end operably connected with a support, and the other end operably engaging the back at selected locations spaced apart from the tilt axis, such that rearward tilting of the chair back deflects the spring, and thereby generates a torque or back tension which resists further tilting. A shifter moves the other end of the spring between the selected back locations to vary the lever arm at which the spring acts, and thereby adjusts back tension. The shared-load arrangement comprises second and third springs, which are positioned on opposite sides of the first spring, and are operably connected between the support and the back. The second and third springs are pretensed to generate an initial torque which biases the back into a normally, fully upright position. The three controller springs combine to share the load applied to the back, with the second and third springs providing an initial, minimum back tension, and the first spring providing an additional, variable back tension.

A double cylinder lock constructed with a single tailpiece driver and a clutch. The interior lock key can be extracted only when the lock bolt is retracted and not when the lock bolt is extended. The driver and clutch arrangement prevent either cylinder from becoming out of time, regardless of which cylinder is used to throw the bolt.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Daniel Ralph Bischoff