Rocking reclining chair

1. A furniture member, comprising:

first and second support members each having a flange;

a mechanism rotatably connected to the support members and adapted for at least a rocking motion,

a base frame operating to support the support members, the base frame including a first side channel having first and second flanges and a second side channel having first and second flanges;

a U-shaped biasing member connected between the base frame and at least one of the flanges of the first and second support members to permit forward and backward rocking motions of the mechanism and support members with respect to the base frame, the U-shaped biasing member including a first U-shaped leaf spring directly connected to the first side channel and a second U-shaped leaf spring directly connected to the second side channel; and

a stiffener brace positioned in direct contact with each of the first and second U-shaped leaf springs and fastened through the individual leaf springs and the second flange of each of the first and second side channels.

2. The furniture member of claim 1 , wherein the first side channel and the second side channel are directly connected to each other using a cross channel.

3. The furniture member of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism further includes:

opposed first and second side plates;

a pair of forward support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates; and

a pair of rear support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates.

4. A furniture member, comprising:

a support member;

a mechanism rotatably pinned to the support member and adapted for both rocking and reclining motions, including:

opposed first and second side plates;

a first pair of forward link members each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates; and

a second pair of rear link members each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates;

a base frame supporting the support member having first and second lateral elements;

first and second biasing members each defining a U-shaped spring each connected to one of the first and second lateral elements and further connecting the base frame to the support member, the first and second biasing members deflecting to permit forward and backward rocking motions of the support member with respect to the base frame; and

a stiffener brace positioned in direct contact with the first and second U-shaped leaf springs and fastened through the first and second leaf springs and a flange of each of the first and second lateral elements.

5. The furniture member of claim 4 , further comprising:

a first cross brace directly connecting the first pair of forward link members; and

a second cross brace directly connecting the second pair of rear link members.

6. The furniture member of claim 4 , further comprising:

a pantograph linkage set connected to the first pair of forward link members operating to extend and retract a footrest assembly; and

a drive rod supported for rotatable motion between the first and second side plates, rotation of the drive rod operating to each of extend and retract the pantograph linkage set.

7. A furniture member, comprising:

first and second support members each having a flange;

a mechanism rotatably connected to the support members and adapted for at least a rocking motion, including:

opposed first and second side plates;

a pair of forward support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates;

a pair of rear support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates;

a base frame operating to support the support members having first and second side channels each having a flange;

first and second biasing members connected between the base frame and the flange of each of the first and second support members and the flange of the base frame to permit forward and backward rocking motions of the furniture member; and

a stiffener brace positioned in direct contact with each of the first and second biasing members and fastened through the first and second biasing members and the flange of each of the first and second side channels to connect the first and second side channels.

8. The furniture member of claim 7 , wherein the first side channel and the second side channel are further connected to each other using a cross channel.

9. The furniture member of claim 8 , wherein the first and second biasing members each define a U-shaped leaf spring.

10. The furniture member of claim 7 , further comprising:

a pantograph linkage set connected to the first pair of forward link members and operable to extend and retract a footrest assembly, wherein the mechanism is further adapted for a reclining motion including having the pantograph linkage set positioned with the footrest assembly extended; and

a drive rod supported for rotatable motion between the first and second side plates, rotation of the drive rod operable to each of extend and retract the pantograph linkage set.

11. A furniture member, comprising:

first and second support members each having a flange;

a mechanism rotatably connected to the support members and adapted for at least a rocking motion, including:

opposed first and second side plates;

a pair of forward support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates; and

a pair of rear support links each rotatably connected to one of the first and second side plates;

a base frame operating to support the support members, the base frame including a first side channel and a second side channel connected to each other using a cross channel;

at least one biasing member connected between the base frame and at least one of the flanges of the first and second support members to permit forward and backward rocking motions of the furniture member, the at least one biasing member including a first U-shaped leaf spring directly connected to the first side channel and a second U-shaped leaf spring connected to the second side channel;

each of the first and second side channels include a flange, the first U-shaped leaf spring directly abutting the flange of the first side channel and the second U-shaped leaf spring directly abutting the flange of the second side channel;

a stiffener brace in direct contact with each of the first and second U-shaped leaf springs and connected to abutting ones of the first and second leaf springs and the directly abutting flange of its corresponding side channel; and

an attachment brace connected to the cross channel and the stiffener brace.