Rocking chair

A rocking chair is a chair, standing on curved runners and where the user can perform swinging motions. Newer versions resting on elastic metal tube, but which allow only a small rocking motion.

History

The first rocking chair can be dated to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers, who settled in Massachusetts since 1620. A native of this period " Shaker" Rocking Chair faith community of the same name is considered the archetype of this piece of furniture (see also Shaker furniture ).

The invention of the rotary rocking chair is also repeatedly Benjamin Franklin attributed, although exact sources are not used. In fact, Benjamin Franklin ( 1780) had built a chair with armrests. This had roles in order to move it within the library can. The U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy had Shaker rocking chairs.

Production

In the famous rocking chair number 1 by Thonet, the two sides over hot steam bent rods made ​​of beech, the interior of which is awarded with elaborately ornate rods stability. In between are two frames of square profiles that arise with the stretched over a woven cane seat and backrest. Since the cost of production of such a chair was too high it is only available on request.

The Shaker rocking chairs were made of maple, cherry, walnut and pine. Treated with a neutral varnish or just red, blue, green or yellow stained they found enormous sales.

A product of the 1950s is the beach chair by Swiss designer Willy Guhl. The curved shape is similar in profile to the Thonet chair, innovative are the low seat height and the production of the chair of a piece of fiber cement.

The European Standard ISO 7174 regulates the stability and security of rocking chairs.

For use in medicine

The American scientist NM Watson has found that regular swings helps to calm difficult people with dementia. Between the daily duration of rocking and soothing taking antidepressants showed a relationship. The longer the patients were rocking, the greater was the dose of the medication can be reduced. He sees in the rocking chair therapy an effective and inexpensive way to train people with dementia and physically stimulating. Several Schaukler can also be cared for at the same time by one and the same person. The effect lead doctors to stimulation of the vestibular back as well as on the well-known in infants soothing effect of rocking.