Claims
- 1. A chair comprising:
- a base,
- a vertically extendable and compressible gas spring having upper and lower ends, the lower end being supported on the base, the gas spring further having a pin located at the upper end for operating a valve integrated in the gas spring so that the effective length thereof is adjustable when the pin is depressed, the upper end thereby being movable relative to the base, and wherein the pin is biased away from the depressed position;
- a seat support member mounted on the upper end and movable therewith;
- a seat mounted on the seat support member;
- an elongated actuating rod mounted to the seat support member transversely of the gas spring for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the rod;
- a lever pivotably mounted to the seat support member between the actuating rod and the pin, one end of the lever being in engagement with a portion of the actuating rod, and the other end of the lever being disposed to engage the pin, the lever being pivotable to and between a first position where the pin is depressed and a second position where the pin is not depressed; and
- wherein the portion of the actuating rod engaging the lever comprises a slot, and the one end of the lever is received in the slot;
- whereby upon rotation of the actuating rod, the pin will be depressed, thereby effecting vertical movement of the seat relative to the base.
- 2. A chair according to claim 1 wherein the actuating rod is a tube having an inner end positioned adjacent the one end of the lever, an outer end extending outwardly from the seat support member and an opening extending through a wall of said tube inner end, said one end of the lever being positioned in registry with the opening, an edge of said tube defining the opening being adapted to engage the one end of the lever to move the lever toward and away from the second position.
- 3. A chair according to claim 2 wherein the gas spring comprises first and second members, the first member being mounted to the base, and the second member being attached to the seat support member, the second member carrying the pin, the first and second members being movable relative to each other along a substantially common axis to adjust the length of said gas spring and thus the height of the chair when the pin is depressed.
- 4. A chair according to claim 3 wherein the pin extends upwardly from the second member; and
- a downwardly depending boss on the other end of the lever is positioned to engage the upstanding pin whereby to depress the upstanding pin when the tube is rotated to move the lever to the second position.
- 5. A chair according to claim 4 further comprising an outer tube fixedly mounted in telescopic relationship to the tube outer end and having a handle extending outwardly from a longitudinal axis of said outer tube, said handle facilitating movement of said actuating tube to move the lever.
- 6. In a height adjustment mechanism adapted for use in connection with an article of furniture such as a chair or work surface, said article of furniture comprising a base, an extendable column supported on said base and a support member mounted on said column and supporting a component of said article of furniture, said mechanism comprising a vertically extendable and compressible gas spring adapted to be positioned within said column and mounted to and between said base and said support member for longitudinal adjustment to alter height of said furniture component relative to said base, the gas spring further having a pin located thereon for operating a valve integrated in the gas spring so that the effective length thereof is adjustable when the pin is depressed, the improvement comprising:
- an elongated actuating tube adapted to be mounted to the support member transversely of the gas spring for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said tube in actuating and return directions;
- a lever adapted to be pivotally mounted to the support member and having first and second ends, the first end being adapted to pivotally engage and depress the pin when the actuating tube is moved in the actuating direction;
- said actuating tube having an inner end positioned adjacent the lever second end, and outer end extending outwardly from the support means, and an opening extending through a wall of said tube inner end, said lever second end being positioned in registry with said opening, an edge of said tube defining said opening being adapted to engage said lever second end to move the lever first end into engagement with said pin and to depress said pin.
- 7. A mechanism according to claim 6 wherein said gas spring comprises first and second members, the first member being adapted to be mounted to said base and the second member being adapted to be attached to said support, said second member carrying said pin, said first and second members being movable relative to each other along a substantially common axis to adjust the length of said gas spring and thus the height of the furniture component when said pin is depressed.
- 8. A mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said pin extends upwardly from the second member; and
- said lever comprises a downwardly depending boss on the first end and positioned to engage the upstanding pin to depress the upstanding pin when the actuating tube is moved in the actuating direction.
- 9. A mechanism according to claim 8, and further comprising an outer tube fixedly mounted in telescopic relationship to the actuating tube outer end and having a handle extending outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the outer tube, the hand facilitating movement of the actuating tube in said actuating direction.
- 10. In a chair comprising a base, a seat, means for supporting said seat, a column mounted to and between the base and the support means and means for adjusting height of said seat relative to said base, said adjustment means comprising extendable means within said column and mounted to and between said base and said support means for longitudinal adjustment to alter height of said seat, locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions to prevent and permit, respectively, adjustment of said extendable means, and means for actuating movement of said lock means to said unlocked position, the improvement wherein:
- said actuating means is mounted to said support means for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said actuating means and actuating in return directions;
- said adjustment means further comprising a lever pivotally mounted to said support means and having first and second ends, said first end being adapted to pivotally engage said lock means to move said lock means to said unlocked position when said actuating means is moved in said actuating direction;
- said actuating means comprising an elongated actuating tube having an inner end positioned adjacent said lever second end, an outer end extending outwardly from said support means and an opening extending through a wall of said tube inner end, said opening being defined by an edge of said wall, said lever second end being positioned in registry with said opening, and said edge of said tube adapted to engage said lever second end to move said lever second end into engagement with said lock means to move said lock means to said unlocked position.
- 11. A chair according to claim 10 wherein said extendable means comprises first and second members mounted to said chair base and said support means, respectively, said second member mounting said lock means, said first and second members being movable relative to each other along a substantially common axis to adjust the length of said extendable means and thus chair height when said lock means is moved to said unlocked position.
- 12. A chair according to claim 11 wherein said lock means comprises an upstanding pin movable between said locked and unlocked positions; and
- said lever comprises a downwardly depending pin on said lever first end and positioned to engage said upstanding pin to move said upstanding pin to said unlocked position when said actuating tube is moved in said actuating direction.
- 13. A chair according to claim 12, and further comprising an outer tube fixedly mounted in telescopic relationship to said actuating tube outer end and having a handle extending outwardly from a longitudinal axis of said outer tube, said handle facilitating movement of said actuating tube in said actuating direction.
- 14. A chair according to claim 11 wherein said support means comprises a bottom wall having a first bore extending therethrough; and
- said extendable means is mounted to said support means, with said second member in registry with said first bore such that said upstanding pin of said lock means is accessible to said downwardly depending pin of said lever from a position above said bottom wall; and
- said adjustment means further comprises means for pivotally mounting said lever to said bottom wall.
- 15. A chair according to claim 14 wherein said lever further comprises a hole extending through a central transverse axis thereof; and
- said mounting means comprises a pair of spaced flanges on said bottom wall and a pin mounted to and between said flanges, said lever being rotatably mounted on said pin between said flanges, with said hole receiving said pin.
- 16. A chair according to claim 15 wherein said support means further comprises a side wall having a second bore extending therethrough and positioned substantially normal to said bottom wall; and
- said actuating tube is mounted to said side wall, with said actuating tube outer end rotatably received in said bore.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/317,582, filed mar. 1, 1989, which issued Apr. 21, 1992, as U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,157.
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
317582 |
Mar 1989 |
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