US3005661A

US3005661A - Reclining chair of the double movement type

Info

Publication number: US3005661A
Application number: US769714A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fridtjof F Schliephacke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-27
Filing date: 1958-10-27
Publication date: 1961-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-24

Description

Oct. 24, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,005,661

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Filed Oct. 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

F'Q 07JOF A S CHL IEPHA CKE Oct. 24, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,00

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Filed 001;. 27, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR. FIP/DTJOF F. .5 CH1 IE PR4 C85 Oct. 24, 1961 F-. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Filed. Oct. 27, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet a FIG. 4.

INVENTOR.

F/Q/DTJOF F. SCHZ lEPf/A CKE Arron/vars United States Patent 3,0ll5,661 RECLINING CHAER OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Fridtjof F. Schliephacke, Berlin-Schmargendorl, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,714 laims. (Cl. 29784) The present invention relates to improvements in reclining chairs and in particular to a new and improved leg-rest and seat control structure for a reclining chair of the double-movement type.

The usual reclining chair customarily includes a seat and a back-rest mounted on a support frame for movement between an upright sitting position and a reclining position in which the back-rest is rearwardly-tilted and the seat is inclined. The chair structure also generally includes a movable leg-rest which is provided with a control and actuating mechanism which is coupled to the seat and/or to the back-rest for coordinated movement of the leg-rest with the seat and back-rest. The leg-rest is disposed in a retracted position beneath the front end of the seat when the seat and back-rest are in their upright sitting position, and is then moved by the leg-rest linkage to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of and substantially at the level of the seat when the seat and back-rest are brought to their reclining position.

A recent development in reclining chairs has been the double movement type of chair in which the seat and back-rest are constructed and arranged to be moved through a first motion phase to an intermediate or semireclined position and then through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position. In the intermediate or semireclined position, the occupant of the chair is supported in a relaxed but still substantially upright attitude for reading, sewing, viewing television, or the like. In the fully-reclined position, the occupant is supported in an attitude of repose for complete relaxation. In this double movement type of chair, it is required that the leg-rest be brought to its extended leg-supporting posi tion in the intermediate semi-reclined position of the chair and be maintained in extended position at the level of the seat in the fully-reclined position of the chair.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a V reclining chair of the double movement type which includes an improved seat control mechanism for inclin ing the seat by raising the forward portion thereof in the intermediate or semi-reclined position of the chair, and

then by automatically guiding the seat to a further inclined position relative to the back-rest in the fullyreclined position of the chair.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a reclining chair of the character described, of a leg-rest control linkage adapted to actuate and guide the leg-rest to an extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of the seat and back-rest to their intermediate semi-reclined position, and is also adapted to maintain the leg-rest substantially at the level of the seat when the seat and back-rest are then moved to their fullyreclined position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reclining chair of the character described in which the seat control mechanism and leg-rest control mechanism are inter-related for cooperative automatic action in coordinating movement of the leg-rest with movement of the seat and in maintaining the leg-rest at the level of the seat during the movement of the chair parts from the semi-reclined to the fully-reclined position.

According to my invention, I provide a reclining chair of the double movement type having a back-rest which is pivotally mounted on the support frame and a seat connected to the back-rest for rearward movement in response to rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest. An actuating link is operatively connected to the seat for rearward movement therewith. A seat control assembly is provided to guide the seat as the latter is moved rearwardly, this assembly including a rear guiding link which is pivotally mounted on the support and a front guiding link pivotally mounted on a main guiding link. The main guiding link is pivotally mounted on the support and is maintained in an inactive position when the back-rest and seat are moved through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate semireclined position. A leg-rest is also provided with means mounting it on the seat for movement from a retracted position to an extended position, and a leg-rest control structure is provided for raising the leg-rest to its extended position in response. to rearward movement of the body-supporting structure during the first motion phase. The leg-rest control structure includes a lever which is pivotally mounted on the main guide link and is connected at one end to the actuating link and at the other end through an intermediate linkage to the leg-rest. When the seat is moved rearwardly during the first motion phase, the actuating link turns the lever upon the stationary main guide link, causing it to raise the legrest to its extended position through said intermediate linkage. At the end of the first motion phase, the main guide link is coupled with the actuating link in such a -manner as to be raised by said actuating link when the back-rest and seat are moved during the second motion phase, and the seat is then guided in its rearward movement by the main guide link and the rear guide link. The upward movement of the main guide link also raises the leg-rest control structure with it so that the leg-rest is retained in extended position during the second motion phase.

The above brief description will be more fully appreciated and additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating several illustrative embodiments of the invention, and in which:

PEG. 1 is a side elevational view of a double movement type of reclining chair made in accordance with the present invention, showing said chair in its upright sitting position, .with portions thereof broken away or shown in section to reveal inner constructional details;

FIG. 2 is a similar side elevational view of the chair shown in FIG. 1, but illustrating the chair in its intermediate or semi-reclined position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but showing the reclining chair thereof in its fully-reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified embodiment of reclining chair made in accordance with the invention and incorporating a diiferent type of leg-rest ther titlted to its fully-reclined position of FIG. 3.

3 control structure, the chair being shown in its upright sitting position;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the chair shown in FIG. 4 but illustrating the intermediate or semi-reclined position of the structure; and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, but showing the chair illustrated therein in its fullyreclined position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a reclining chair made in accordance with the present invention and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The reclining chair It) includes a support frame 12 having

opposed side walls

14 and 16 which are rigidly connected by suitable cross bars or braces such as cross bars 18 and 18a, and preferably raised above the floor level by depending legs 24 of any suitable type.

A body-supporting structure, comprising a back-rest 22 and a seat 24, is movably mounted on the support frame 12 between the

side walls

14 and 16. At its lower end, the back-rest 22 is pivotally mounted on a back-rest pivot 26 aflixed to the support frame 12, so that said back-rest may be rearwardly tilted about said pivot 26 to its semi-reclined position shown in FIG. 2, and then fur- The seat 24 is connected to the back-rest by a link 28, one end of which is pivotally connected to the seat at 34 and the other end of which is pivoted to the back-rest 22 at a point 32 located above the back-rest pivot 26. It will thus be appreciated that when the back-rest 22 is pivoted rearwardly, the seat 24 is drawn rearwardly with it through the agency of the link 28, with the result that the seat is moved rearwardly as a function of the rearward tilting movement of the back-rest.

The chair also includes a seat control assembly for the purpose of guiding the movement of the seat 24 as the latter is moved rearwardly in response to rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest 22. Said seat control assembly includes a rear guide link 34 and a front guide link 36. The rear guide link 34 is pivotally mounted at one end on the support frame 12 by a pivot 38, and is connected at its top end to the rear end of the seat 24 by the pivot 30.

At its top end the front guide link 36 is pivoted to the seat 24 at a point 40 spaced a substantial distance forwardly of the rear end of the seat. At its bottom end, the front guide link 36 is mounted by pivot 42 on a main guide link 44, the latter being mounted at its rear end on the support frame 12 by a pivot 46. In the vicinity of the pivot 42, the main guide link 44 rests upon the cross brace 18 of the support frame 12, and is normally maintained in this position by the weight of the seat 24 acting through the front guide link 36. This position of the main guide link 44 constitutes an inactive position thereof in which the said main guide link 44 serves as a fixed portion of the support frame 12. In the first motion phase of the chair parts, when the seat and back-rest are moved to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, the front guide link 36 pivots rearwardly about its pivot 42 on the inactive and immovable main guide link 44.

When the chair is in the upright sitting position of FIG. 1, the front guide link 36 is inclined forwardly and upwardly from its pivotal connection 42 on the main guide link 44 and the rear guide link 34 is inclined upwardly and forwardly from its pivotal mount 33 on the support. Thus, when the seat 24 is moved rearwardly with the back-rest 22 in the first motion phase the front and rear guiding links34 and 36 pivot rearwardly to guide the seat in a substantially horizontal plane in a rearward direction, although as the guide links'34 and 36 approach a vertically upstanding attitude they lift the seat somewhat relative to the support frame. In the second phase of movement of the chair parts, from the intermediate semireclined position of FIG. 2 to the'fully-reclined position of FIG. 3, the forward portion of the main guide link 44 is engaged and moved rearwardly by the leg-rest actuating means for further tilting movement of the seat 24, in a manner which will be presently described.

It will be noted that instead of being mounted on the seat at 30, the front end of the link 28 may be pivotally connected to the rear guide link 34 at a point slightly below the pivot 30, in which event the link 28 will still perform its function of drawing the seat rearwardly with the back-rest. In any event, it will be seen that the guiding means for the seat is a four-bar linkage consisting of

guide links

34 and 36, the portion of the seat 24 between

pivots

30 and 40, and, as the stationary link, the portion of the support frame between

pivots

38 and 42. The drive or actuating means for the seat is a second four-bar linkage consisting of rear guide link 34, link 28, the portion of the back-rest 22 between

pivots

26 and 32, and the portion of the support between

pivots

26 and 38. The rear guide link 34 is common to both four-bar linkages.

The chair shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 also includes a legrest 46 pivotally mounted on the front end of the seat 24 for movement from a retracted position beneath the seat, shown in FIG. 1, to various extended leg-supporting positions forwardly of the seat, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The leg-rest 46 has a rigid, rearwardly-connected hanger bar 48, the free end of which is pivotally connected at 50. to the front end of the seat 24. Actuating means are also provided to cause the leg-rest to pivot upwardly about its pivot 50 to the various extended positions in response to movement of the body-supporting means to the reclined positions. Such leg-rest actuating means includes a link or lever 52, a connecting link 54, and an actuating link 56. The lever 52 is mounted intermediate its ends on the forward end of the main guide link 44 by a pivot 58. One end of said lever 52 is connected to the forward end of the actuating link 56 by a pivot 60, the other end of sad lever 52 being pivoted at 62 to the rear end of the connecting link 54. The front end of the connecting link 54 is pivoted at 63 to the leg-rest 46 and/or to the hanger bar 43. The rear end of the actuating link 56 is connected with a portion of the structure such that said actuating link 56 will be drawn rearwardly in response to rearward pivoting movement of the backrest 22. For example, the rear end of the actuating link may be connected to the seat 24 at pivot 30, in the manner illustrated, so that if it is mounted on the seat coaxially with the

links

28 and 34, as an alternative, the actuating link 56 may be pivotally connected at a spaced point on the seat, or upon the rear guide link 34, so long as it is drawn rearwardly with the seat and back-rest.

As was previously explained, the main guide link 44 remains in "its inactive position of FIG. 1 during the first motion phase of the chair. Consequently, the pivot 58 mounting the lever 52 on said main guide link 44 is a fixed and immovable pivot While the body-supporting structure is moving from the sitting position to the intermediate semi-reclined position. the seat 24 during the first motion phase drawsthe actuating link 56 rearwardly and causes the actuating link to exert a rearward force on the lower arm 64 of lever 52, effecting a pivotal movement of lever 52 in a direction to move its upper arm 66 forwardly. Such forward move ment of the upper lever arm 66 thrusts the connecting link 54 in a forward and upward direction to raise the leg-rest 46 to its extended position of FIG. 2, substantially at the level of the front end of the seat 24.

A blocking member or car 68 is rigidly formed with the bottom end of the lever 52. As the actuating link 56 is drawn rearwardly with the seat 24 during the first motion phase, the lever 52 is turned about its pivot 58 and the blocking member or ear 68 moves into abutment with the forward end of the main guide linkv44 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Such abutment of the blocking member 68 with the link 44 prevents further rearward movement of the actuating link 56 relative to the stationary main guide link 44 and therefore temporarily Rearward movement of i halts further rearward movement of the actuating link 56, seat 24 and back-rest 22 to define the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2. It will be apparent that the stop member 68 may be placed at the forward end of the actuating link 56 rather than at the bottom of the lever 52 as illustrated, to effect the same blocking result. Since the actuating link 56 is now restrained from further rearward movement relative to the main guide link 44, further rearward movement of the seat and back-rest can now be effected only by upward and rearward movement of the main guide link 44 about its pivotal mount 45. Thus, when the body-supporting structure is moved from the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2 to the fully-reclined position of FIG. 3, the actuating link 56 is again drawn rearwardly with the seat 24, but during this second motion phase said actuating link 56 is coupled through the blocking member 68 with the main guide link 44 so that it raises the forward end of the latter.

A stop member 76 is formed rigidly with the support frame 12 and is located to engage the front guide link 36 at the end of the second motion phase to stop further rearward movement of said front guide link, and therefore of said seat 24 and back-rest 22, thereby defining the fully-reclined position of the chair shown in FIG. 3.

The operation of the reclining chair may be readily appreciated by a comparison of the chair positions shown in FIGS. 1-3. When the chair occupant is seated in the chair in the upright sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 and wishes to move the chair structure to a reclining position, he exerts rearward pressure against the back-rest 22, causing the back-rest to pivot rearwardly upon its pivotal mount 26. This rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest 22 draws the link 28 and the seat 24 rearwardly. As the seat moves rearwardly, it is guided by the rear and front guide links 34 and 66 which pivot upwardly and rearwardly on their

respective pivots

38 and 42.

During this first motion phase of the seat 24 and back-rest 22 from the sitting position of FIG. 1 to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, the main guide link 44 remains stationary in its inactive position resting upon the cross brace 18. The front guide link 36 pivots upwardly on the inactive main guide link 44, the latter acting as a fixed portion of the support frame during this first motion phase. terminated by engagement of the blocking member or ear 68 with the forward portion of the main guide link 44, as previously described.

During the movement of the seat and back-rest from the upright sitting position to the intermediate semi-reclined position, the leg-rest control linkage is actuated to raise the leg-rest 46 from its retracted position of FIG. 1 to its extended position of FIG. 2. Such extension of the leg-rest is effected by rearward movement of the actuating link 56 relative to the stationary main guiding link 44, and the lever mount 58 carried thereby. As the actuating link 56 moves rearwa-rdly with the seat 24 and rear guide link 34, it pulls the lower lever arm 64 rearwardly, causing the lever 52 to turn about its intermediate pivot 58 such that its upper arm 66 moves in a forward direction, thereby thrusting the connecting link 54 forwardly and upwardly to raise the leg-rest 46 to its extended position of FIG. 2.

Upon conclusion of the first motion phase, the occupant may return the chair to the sitting position of FIG. 1 by shifting his weight forwardly, or he may apply further rearward pressure against the back-rest to bring the chair to the fully-reclined position shown in FIG. 3. In the latter event, the application of further rearward pressure by the occupant will cause a rearward shift in the center of gravity of the seat and back-rest, which will be effective to cause the main guide link 44 to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly about its pivot 45. In pivoting upwardly, the main guide link 44 now The first motion phase is acts as the front guide means for the seat 24 as the latter is moved reanvardly, the main guide link 44 and fiont guide link 36 acting as a unitary front seat control link the length of which is the distance between pivot 40 and pivot 45. Since this effective length is greater than the length of the rear guide link 34, the forward end of the seat 24 is now raised relative to the rear end thereof, to incline the seat in the fully-reclined position of the chair. This rearward movement of the back-rest 22 and seat 24 in the second motion phase continues until the front guide link '36 engages with and is stopped by the stop member 70 in the extreme fully-reclined position of the chair shown in FIG. 3.

In the movement of the chair structure during the sec and motion phase, the main guide link 44 is rigidly and immovably locked with the lever 52 by the blocking member 63 so that the lever 62 and the connecting link 54 are raised with said main guide link 44 and the legrest is therefore maintained in an extended position forwardly of the front end of the seat 24. During the up ward movement of the leg-rest control linkage in the second motion phase, a slight angular displacement oc curs between the lever 52 and the connecting link 54 with the result that the leg-rest 46 is lowered slightly relative to the seat 24. The leg-rest, however, is still maintained in a leg-supporting position at the front of the seat 24 and is still located substantially at the level of the seat in alignment with the proper contour of the body in the fully-reclined position.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4-6, there is shown in diagrammatic form a modified construction of reclining chair which is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-3, except that the leg-rest is provided with a diflierent type of guiding linkage. For convenience, similar structural elements in the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6 are identified by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. l-3, as part of a series.

The reclining chair 11f) again includes a support frame 112, a body-supporting structure comprising a back-rest 122 mounted by pivot 126 on the support frame 112, and a seat 124 connected by a link 128 to the back-rest 122 at a point 132 above the back-rest pivot 126.

The seat 124 is guided for movement by a

pairof guide links

134 and 136. The rear guide link 134 is connected at its top end to the seat at pivot and at its bottom end is mounted on the support frame 112 by a pivot 138. The front guide link 136 is connected at its top end to the seat by pivot 140, while its bottom end is mounted, by pivot 142, upon the main guide link 14 4. The main guide link 144 is mounted on the support frame 112 by pivot 145 and normally maintained in the stationary, inactive position shown in FIG. 4, resting upon a cross brace 118 or other fixed portion of the support frame.

For actuation of the leg-rest 146, the chair again is provided with a lever 152 pivotally mounted at 158 intermediate its ends on the front end of the main guide link 144. Again, a connecting link 154 is provided to connect the upper lever arm 166 with the leg-rest guiding linkage, the rear end of said connecting link 154 being pivoted at 162 to the upper lever arm 166. The lower lever arm 164 is pivotally connected at to the forward end of the actuating link 156. The lever 152 is again provided with a blocking member or car 168 positioned to engage the main guide link 144 in the intermediate, semi-reclined, position of the chair shown in FIG. 5.

A stop member 170, forming a rigid part of the support frame 112 is positioned to engage the front guide link 136 at the end of the second phase of movement of the chair in order to define the fully-reclined position thereof, shown in FIG. 6.

The aforementioned parts of the chair 11G illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 are identical with those of the chair 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 and previously described. Modified means are, however, provided to support the leg-rest 146 and guide the latter for movement between its retracted position and its extended position. The leg-rest 146 is carried by a pair of

links

172 and 174 which are mounted at spaced points on said leg-rest by

respective pivots

176 and 178. The

links

172 and 174 are connected in end-to-end relationship with respective depending

links

180 and 182 by

pivots

184 and 186. The top ends of the depending

links

180 and 182 are mounted at spaced points on the forward portion of the seat 124 by

respective pivots

188 and 190. The link 174 crosses over the depending link 180 and is connected at its crossing-over point by pivot 192. The front end of the connecting link 154 is pivotally connected to one of the depending links such as the rear depending link 182 at point 194 located between

pivots

186 and 190.

In this embodiment of the invention, the leg-rest linkage constitutes an interconnected double four-bar linkage, one four bar linkage being formed by the depending

links

180 and 182, the portion of link 174 between

pivots

186 and 192, and the portion of the seat 124 between the pivots 188 and'190. The other four bar linkage is formed by link 172, the portion of link 174 between

pivots

178 and 192, the portion of depending link 180 between

pivots

184 and 192, and the portion of the leg-rest 146 between the

pivots

176 and 178. Thus, it will be apparent that in following my invention, the legrest need not beipivotally mounted directly on the seat as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, but may be provided with indirect four-bar linkage suspensions such as the type shown to produce a greater forward extension of the leg-rest or other desired leg-rest movements.

The movement of the back-rest 122 and seat 124 to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 5 and then to the fully-reclined position of 'FIG. 6 is identical to the movements described in connection with the structure of FIGS. 1-3. As the back-rest 122 is pivoted rearwardly, the seat'is drawn by link 128 in a rearward direction causing the actuating link 156 to also move in a rearward direction.- The seat is guided rearwardly by pivoting movement of the rear and

front guide links

134 and 136, while the actuating link 156 turns the lever 152 about its temporarily fixed pivot 158 to raise the leg-rest 146 to its extended position. At the intermediate semi-reclined position, the blocking member 168 on the lever 152 engages the main guide link 144, thereby blocking further movement of. the actuating link 156 relative to the main guide link 144. As the back-rest is pivoted to the fully-reclined position, the first main link 144 then pivots upwardly, cooperating with front guide link 136 to guide the forward portion. of the seat 124 and to cause the seat to take an inclined attitude.

As the structure is moved rearwardly from the sitting position of FIG. 5, the actuating link 156 exerts a rearward pulling force on the lower arm 164 of lever 152, causing said leverto turn about the pivot 158,

whereby its upper arm 166 thrusts the connecting link' 154 in a forward and upward direction. The connecting link 154, through its pivotal connection 194, thereby moves the depending link 182 forwardly and upward- 1y about its pivot 190 to raise the leg-rest to its extended position of FIG. 5, the

links

172, 174 and 188 cooperating to bring the leg-rest 146 to a horizontally-disposed attitude forwardly of the seat.

When the body-supporting structure is moved to the fully-reclined position of FIG. 6, the lever 152 and connecting link 154 are moved upwardly with the main guide link 144, and the leg-rest 146 is thus maintained in its extended position substantially at the level of the seat.

While several preferred embodiments of my invention have been shown and described herein it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest and a seat mounted on the support, for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position, and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, a front and rear guide link for guiding the seat as the latter is moved relative to the support, a main guide link pivotally mounted on the support, means supporting said main guide link in an inactive position, during theiirst motion phase, the rear guide link being pivotally mounted on the support and the front guide link being pivotally mounted on the main guide link, the seat being movable rearwardly during said first motion phase in which it is guided by rearward pivoting movement of the front and rear guide link, and actuating means remote from said front guide link and engaging the main guide link for turning the latter about its pivotal mount on the support during said second motion phase, whereby during further rearward movement of the seat, the latter is guided by the rear guide link and by the main guide link and front guide link moving as a unit, said actuating means having a lost motion movement relative to the main guide link during the first motion phase.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, a backrest pivotally mounted on the support, a seat, means connecting the seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest, and seat control means for guiding the seat through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position and for further movement through a second motion phase from the intermediate position to fully-reclined position, said seat control means including a front and rear guide link for guiding the seat as the latter is moved with said backrest during said first motion phase, a main guide link pivotally mounted on the support and resting in an inactive position during the first motion phase, the rear guide link being pivotally mounted on the support and the front guide link being pivotally mounted on the main guide link, the seat being movable rearwardly with the back-rest during said first motion phase in which it is guided by rearward pivoting movement of the front and rear guide link, and means for turning the main guide link about its pivotal mount on the support at said intermediate semi-reclined position whereby during further rearward movement of the seat through said second motion phase, the latter is guided by the rear guide link and by the main guide link and front guide link moving as a unit, the latter means including an actuating link pivotally mounted on the seat and movable rearwardly therewith relative to the stationary main guide link during the first motion phase and means carried by said actuating link and positioned to engage the main guide link at the intermediate semi-reclined position for operatively connecting said actuating link rigidly with the main guide link.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting structure comprising a seat and back-rest, said back-rest being pivotally mounted on the support, means connecting the seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to pivoting movement of the back-rest, a front and rear guide link for guiding the seat as the latter is moved with said back-rest, a main guide link pivotally mounted on the support and resting in an inactive position, the rear guide being pivotally mounted on the support and the front guide link being pivotally mounted on the main guide link, the seat being movable rearwardly with the back-rest during a first motion phase in which it is guided by rearward pivoting movement of the front and rear guide link to an intermediate semi-reclined position, means rigidly coupling said front guide link and main guide link at said intermediate semi-reclined position for turning the main guide link about its pivotal mount on the support during a second motion phase in which the seat is guided for further rearward movement by the rear guide link and by the main guide link and front guide link moving as a unit, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving the leg-rest from a retracted position beneath the 'seat to an extended position forwardly of said seat, said leg-rest control means comprising an actuating link connected to a portion of said body-supporting means for movement therewith, a lever pivotally mount ed intermediate its ends on the main guide link, means connecting one arm of the lever to said actuating link, and means operatively connecting the other arm of the lever to said leg-rest.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest pivotally mounted on the support, a seat, means connecting the seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to pivoting movement of the back-rest, a front and rear guide link for guiding the seat as the latter is moved with said back-rest, a main guide link pivotally mounted on the support and resting in an inactive position, the rear guide link being pivotally mounted on the support and the front guide link being pivotally mounted on the main guide link, the seat being movable rearwardly with the back-rest during a first motion phase in which it is guided by rearward pivoting movement of the front and rear guide link, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving the legrest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of the seat, said leg-rest control means comprising an actuating link operatively connected to said seat for movement therewith, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the main guide link, means connecting one arm of the lever to said ac tuating link, means connecting the other arm of said lever to said leg-rest, and blocking means carried by said leg-rest control means and positioned to engage said main guide link at the end of said first motion phase to rigidly couple the actuating link and said main guide link, whereby the main guide link is pivoted upwardly by said actuating link and the seat is guided at its front end by said main guide link and front guide link acting as a unit in a second motion phase, the lever being carried upwardly by said main guide link to maintain the leg-rest in extended position during said second motion phase.

5. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which said blocking means comprises a blocking member rigid with said lever.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest pivotally mounted on the support for rearward pivoting movement, a seat connected at its rear end to said back-rest for rearward movement in response to rearward pivoting movement of said back-rest, said back-rest and seat being movable through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position and subsequently through a second motion phase from said intermediate to a fully-reclined position, seat control means for guiding said seat, a leg-rest, and legrest control means for moving the leg-rest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of the front end of the seat during said first motion phase, said seat control means including a main guide member pivotally mounted on the support and resting in an inactive and immovable position during said first motion phase, a front guide link and a rear guide link for guiding said seat during movement of the latter in said first motion phase, the front guide link being pivotally mounted on the main guide member and the rear guide link being pivotally mounted on the support, said front and rear guide links being connected to spaced points on the seat, said leg-rest control means including an actuating link operatively connected to said seat for movement therewith, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said guide member, means coupling one arm of said lever to said actuating link for actuation of said lever by rearward movement of said actuating link with the back-rest during the first motion phase, means coupling the other arm of said lever to said leg-rest, and blocking means positioned to rigidly couple said actuating link with said main guide member at the intermediate semi-reclined position, whereby said main guide member is moved by said actuating link during the second motion phase for guiding of the seat by said rear guide link and by said main guide member and front guide link'acting as a unit.

7. A reclining chair according to claim 6 in which the leg-rest control means also includes a hanger arm rigid with the leg-rest and pivotally mounted on the front end of the seat, and a connecting link connecting said hanger arm to said other arm of the lever.

8. A reclining chair according to claim 6 in which the leg-rest control means also includes a pair of depending links pivotally mounted at spaced points on the forward end of the seat, a pair of rearwardly-extending links pivotally mounted at spaced points on the leg-rest, pivot means interconnecting said depending links and rearwardly-extending links to form a double four-bar linkage mounting the leg-rest on the seat, and a connecting link pivotally coupled to one of said depending links and to said other arm of the lever.

9. In a reclining chair, a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, and means for controlling the inclining movement of seat as a function of said reclining movement of said back-rest, said controlling means including a rear guide link movably mounted on the support, a main guide link movably mounted on the support, a front guide link movably mounted on said main guide link, said front and rear guide links being respectively connected to the front and rear portions of said seat, means coupling said seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to reclining movement of the back-rest, said front and rear guiding links guiding said seat and inclining the same during a first motion phase in which said seat is brought to an intermediate semi-reclined position, means supporting said main guide link in an inactive position during said first motion phase whereby said inactive main guide link serves as a fixed support for the front guide link, and actuating means movable with the seat in a lost motion movement relative to the main guide link during the first motion phase and engaging said main guide link at said intermediate semi-reclined position and rigidly couplng said front guide link with said main guide link for subsequent simultaneous movement about the movable mount of the main guide link on the support during a second motion phase in which the seat is further inclined to a fully-reclined position.

10. In a reclining chair, a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, and means for controlling the inclining movement of seat as a function of said reclining movement of said back-rest, said controlling means including a rear guide link movably-mounted on the support, a main guide link movably mounted on the support, a front guide link movably mounted on said main guide link, said front and rear guide links being respectively connected to the front and rear portions of said seat, means coupling said seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to reclining movement of the back-rest, said front and rear guiding links guiding said seat and inclining the same during a first motion phase in which said seat is brought to an intermediate semi-reclined position, means supporting said main guide link in an inactive position durng said first motion phase whereby said inactive main guide link serves as a fixed support for the front guide link, a lever pivotally mounted on 3,005,661 11 12 said main guide link, link means connecting said lever References Cited in the file of this patent to said rear guide link for movement of said lever therewith relative to the inactive'main guide link during UNITED STATES PATENTS said first motion phase, and blocking means carried by 1,846,797 Decker Feb. 23, 1932 said lever and positioned to engage said main guide link at 5 2,871,919 Schliephacke Feb. 3, 1959 said intermediate semi-reclined position for coupling said 2,918,109 Schliephacke Dec. 22, 1959 rear guide link with said main guide link during a second 2,918,113 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1959 motion phase in which the front guide link and main guide link turn in unison about the movable mount of the main FOREIGN PATENTS guide link on the support to further incline the seat to a 10 797,178 Great Britain June 5 5 fully-reclined position.