While I admire the ingenuity, I have to agee with UCBeau: if the airline allows a certain amount of recline as part of their service, then you have no right to prevent the person in front of you from taking advantage of it.
Maybe airlines should have a no-recline section, just like they used to have no-smoking sections. Anyone who would rather have an upright seat with more space in front of them can sit in that section.