How to lock your chair in the upright seated position will depend upon the type of mechanism your chair is fitted with. This in turn can be determined in part by the number and location of the levers under the seat.
The lever to adjust the height of the seat is always located on the right (when seated), and towards the front if there is more than one lever on the right.
If your chair has just one lever (on the right), this single lever will adjust the height of the seat and also lock the backrest in the upright seated position. These are simple tilt/lock chairs. Pull the lever outwards away from the chair to lock the chair in the upright seated position. Push the lever inwards towards the chair to release the chair to rock back & forth. On some multi-lock chairs with a single lever, push the lever backwards to release the chair to rock back & forth, and push the lever forwards to lock the chair in any reclined position.
If your chair has two levers, one on the right & one on the left, the lever to lock the chair in the upright seated position will be the one on the left (when seated). These are knee-tilt multi-lock chairs. Push the lever downwards to lock the chair in any reclined position or in the upright seated position.
If your chair has two levers, both on the right, use the lever further back to lock the chair. These are permanent-contact backrest chairs (PCB chairs). Push the lever downwards to lock the chair’s backrest in any reclined position or the upright seated position. Pull the lever upwards to release the backrest to move with you as you lean backwards into the chair.
If your chair has 3 levers – two on the right and one one the left, you have an independent seat & back tilt chair (an ISB chair). Use the lever further back on the right-hand-side to lock the backrest as described for above PCB chairs. Use the lever on the left to similarly lock or release the seat independently of the backrest.
If your chair has 3 levers, with all 3 on the right-hand-side, you have a heavy-duty independent-seat and back chair (heavy-duty ISB chair). These chairs will hold weights of up to 23 stone and can be used in 24/7 round-the-clock environments such as in call centres. They may also have a seat-slide to adjust the seat depth for tall and short users. The lever to lock and release the backrest will be the one furthest to the back. The lever to adjust the height of the seat will be the one furthest to the front, and the lever to lock and release the seat tilt will be the one in the middle. Press the rear or middle lever downwards to lock the backrest or seat respectively; pull the lever upwards to release the backrest or seat.
Finally, if the lever required to lock the backrest is not locking it as it should, your chair probably has a faulty mechanism. The good news is that you probably do not have to throw your chair out because of a faulty mechanism. You can get the mechanism replaced relatively inexpensively (depending on if your chair is expensive or not!) Search Google for an office chair components supplier, or ask us at Chellgrove!
Filed under: Office Chair Mechanisms | Tagged: computer chair mechanism, ISB mechanism, knee-tilt, lock backrest, office chair components, office chair mechanism, office chair parts, pcb mechanism, tilt-lock | Leave a comment »
Office Chairs Q&A - Office Chairs Questions Answered 