US3014758A

US3014758A - Leg-rest control for multiple-position reclining chair

Info

Publication number: US3014758A
Application number: US740215A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fridtjof F Schliephacke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-06-06
Filing date: 1958-06-06
Publication date: 1961-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-26

Description

Dec. 26, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,014,758

LEG-REST CONTROL FOR MULTIPLE-POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed June 6, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR.

FQ DTJ l-T' JCHZ lip/64 C/(E Adm-e Dec. 26, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,014,758

LEG-REST CONTROL FOR MULTIPLE-POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed June 6, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

FlQ/DTJOF F JCHL/E'PHAC/(E Dec. 26, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,014,

LEG-REST CONTROL FOR MULTIPLE-POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed June 6, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 6.

IN VEN TOR.

FIG. 8). 42.4 W M United States Patent O Fla.

Filed June 6, 1958, Ser. No. 746,215 Claims. (Cl. 297-39) The present invention relates to reclining chairs of the type including a body-supporting unit having a seat, backrest and leg-rest mounted on a support for coordinated movement, and in particular to an improved leg-rest and control arrangement for a reclining chair in which the back-rest and seat are movable from a sitting position to an intermediate resting position with the seat and backrest in an angular relationship for accommodating the chair occupant in a partially reclined or resting attitude, followed by movement of the back-rest and seat into a fully reclined position with the seat and back-rest in an angular relationship for accommodating the occupant in a fully reclined attitude.

The well known reclining chair comprises a support, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest movably or rockably mounted on the support and a legrest appropriately coordinated to the body-supporting unit for movement into an elevated leg-supporting position as a function of the reclining movement of the chair. One of the most recent developments in such reclining chairs is a chair which is designed to provide an intermediate semi-reclined or tilted position for the chair occupant, suitable for reading, television viewing and the like, as well as a fully reclined or completely relaxed position for the chair occupant, suitable for complete or total relaxation. In such double movement chairs, the leg-rest should be moved into an elevatedleg-supporting position forwardly of the seat when the body-supporting unit of the chair moves into the intermediate semi-reclined or tilted position such that the leg-rest will cooperate with the seat and back-rest to comfortably accommodate the chair occupant in the proper attitude for this mode of relaxation.

It is broadly an object of the present invention to pro vide an improved leg-rest and control arrangement for a reclining chair of the aforesaid type. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a leg-rest control arrangement which moves the leg-' rest from a stored position beneath the seat to an elevated leg-supporting position in front of the seat during a first portion of the reclining movement of the body-supporting unit during which the seat and back-rest move from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position such that the elevated leg-rest, in conjunction with the seat and back-rest in the required angular relationship, coact to comfortably accommodate the chair occupant in the intermediate semi-reclined or tilted position appropriate for reading, television viewing and like pursuits.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, my reclining chair comprises a support, a body-supporting unit normally disposed in a sitting position and including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, a leg-rest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat, and a legrest supporting and controlling linkage operatively con nected to and mounting the leg-rest for pivotal movement from the stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position. The leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage is operatively connected between the body-supporting unit and the leg-rest for effecting said pivotal movement and includes a control link pivotaliy connected to said body-supporting unit and to said leg-rest. A guide and follower means mounts the control link on said support for translation between two limit positions established by said guide and for turning movement on said follower as a pivot and seat control means are operatively connected to the seat for imparting a first prescribed inclination to said seat during a first portion of the reclining movement of said chair and for imparting a further prescribed inclination to the seat during a further portion of the reclining movement. The control link is disposed in one limit position in the sitting position and is turned while in said one limit position in response to said first portion of said reclining movement to move the leg-rest into said leg-supporting position, the control link being translated toward the other limit positionin response to the further portion of the reclining movement to enable the leg-rest to move as a unit with the seat.

To advantage, the leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage includes a compensating connection to the bodysupporting unit such that the elevation of the leg-rest to the leg-supporting position does not in turn effect the inclination of the seat. This facilitates the design of the chair, enabling the use of a leg-rest which is folded back in an angular position extending downwardly and rearwardly from the forward end of the seat to lie within the outline of the chair frame and control of the inclination of the seat independently of the leg-rest and its control arrangement.

The above brief description, as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, of an improved reclining chair embodying features of the present invention, the chair being shown in its upright or sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the chair in the partially reclined or intermediate tilted position with the leg-rest disposed in the elevated leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat;

FIG. 3 is aview similar to FIG. 2, but showing the chair in the fully reclined position with the leg-rest in the elevated leg-supporting position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, with the adjacent side wall of the support broken away for clarity, showing part of the leg-rest supporting and control linkage, the full lines illustrating the position of the control link in the sitting position of the chair, the broken lines at the left showing the position of the control link in the semi-reclined position (see also FIG. 2) and the further broken lines at the right showing a fragment of the control link in the fully reclined position (see also FIG. 3);

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view with parts broken away and sectioned, of a modified reclining chair embodying further features of the present invention, the chair being shown in its upright or sitting position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the chair in the partially reclined or intermediate tilted position; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the chair in the fully reclined position.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 1 to 5 of the drawings, there is shown an improved reclining chair demonstrating features of the present invention, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. This chair is of the double-movement type and includes a support 12 having opposite side walls 14 interconnected by a number of cross braces 16 and mounted on legs 18. Movably or rockably mounted on the support 12 is a body-supporting unit 20 which includes a seat 22 and a back-rest 24 mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively. The back-rest 24 is mounted on the support at a back-rest pivot 26 at the lower end thereof, while the seat 22 is mounted on the back-rest 24 at a seat pivot 28 which is disposed above and slightly forward of the back-rest pivot 26 such that the rear portion of the seat translates'through a rearwardly and upwardly directed arc to a dead center position. (see FIG. 2) and then translates through a rearwardly and downwardly directed arc (see FIG. 3).

Operatively connected to the seat 22 is a seat control mechanism, generally designated by the reference numeral 30, which is arranged to impart a first prescribed inclination to the seat 22 during the first portion of the reclining movement as the chair moves from the upright sitting position of FIG. 1 to the semi-reclined or tilted position of FIG. 2; and is further arranged to impart a further prescribed inclination to the seat during the further portion of the reclining movement as the chair moves from the semi-reclined or tilted position of FIG. 2 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 3. The seat control mechanism 30 includes a roller 32 journalcd by a bracket 34 on the adjacent side wall 14 and a follower 36 fixed to and depending from the seat 22. The follower 36 is disposed at a prescribed inclination and is formed on its under surface with a follower track in engagement with the roller 32 which includes three spaced cutouts or

dwell portions

36a, 36b and 36c which establish three discrete positions for the seat. The cut-out 36a establishes the inclination for the seat in the sitting position of the chair, as illustrated in FIG. 1; the cut-out 3612 establishes the inclination of the seat in the semi-reclined position of the chair, as illustrated in FIG. 2; and the cut-out 36c establishes the inclination for the seat in the fully reclined position of FIG. 3. The spacing between the respective cut-outs establishes the inclination imparted to the seat 22 in its movement from the sitting position to the tilted position and in its movement from the tilted position into the fully reclined position. Although the illustrated seat control mechanism 30 serves admirably to independently establish the inclination 'for the seat and the several positions of the chair, other types of seat control arrangements are equally within the contemplation of the invention.

Disposed beneath the forward portion of the seat is a leg-rest 38 which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from its upper end to its lower end such that the leg-rest is accommodated generally within the outline of the side walls 14 of the chair frame 12. The leg-rest 38 is mounted beneath the seat by the provision of a leg-rest pivot or hinge 40 connected to the undersurface of the forward edge 22a of the seat and the adjacent upper end of the leg-rest 38. The hinge 46 forms part of the leg-rest supporting and control linkage, which will now be described. This linkage, which is operatively connected between the body-supporting unit and the leg-rest for effecting pivotal movement of the leg-rest from the stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to the first portion of the reclining movement, includes a control link 42 which is mounted for pivotal movement and for translation between two limit positions, a first connecting link 44 having a pivotal connection 46 at its rearward end to the seat 22 and a pivotal connection 48 at its forward end to the upper end of the control link 42, and a second connecting link 50 having a pivotal connection 52 at its rearward end to the lower end of the control link and a pivotal connection 54 at its upper end to the leg-rest 38 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 40 of the leg-rest to the seat 22. As is generally understood, the pivotal connection 40 directly between the leg-rest 38 and the seat 22 may be replaced by a link pair coordinated to the remaining links of the leg-rest support and control linkage. Accordingly, it is intended that the recitation of the leg-rest supporting and control linkage in the appended claims be construed as including those arrangements wherein the leg-restis pivoted directly on the seat as well as those arrangements wherein the leg-rest is mounted beneath the seat by means of a further link pair coordinated to the remaining links of the leg-rest supporting and control linkage.

The control link 42 is mounted on the support for translation between its limit position by a guide and follower means which includes the guide member 56 fixed to the support and the follower member 58 fixed to the control link 42 intermediate the ends thereof and engaging the guide member 56. As seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the guide member 56 is formed with mounting flanges 56a, 5612 at the opposite ends thereof which are fixed to the inner surface of the adjacent supporting wall 14, which supporting wall has been broken away for convenience of illustration in FIG. 4, by means of appropriate wood or metal screws 66. The central or main body portion 56c of the guide member is offset inwardly from the support 14 (see FIG. 5) to provide a clearance space therebehind, generally designated by the reference numeral 62. As seen in FIG. 4, the guide member 56 is formed with an elongated slot 64 which inclines upwardly and rearwardly from its lower end toward its upper end, with the slot 64 opening at its lower end into a circular bearing opening 66 which is of a diameter greater than the width of the inclined slot 64. The follower member 58 includes an elongated substantially rectangular trunnion part or portion 58a which is of a length substantially equal to the diameter of the circular bearing 66, with the opposite end portions 58b, 56c rounded to conform generally to the curvature of the circular bearing 66. The width of the trunnion part or portion 58a is selected to be substantially equal to or somewhat smaller than the width of the inclined slot 64, with the trunnion part 58a normally being disposed in the bearing opening 66 in a position out of alignment with the inclined slot 64. As will appear hereinafter, the trunnion serves a dual function, namely as a pivot for the control link 42 when confined in the bearing 66, and as a follower member for guiding the control link 42 when in the inclined slot 64. As seen in FIG. 5, the trunnion part 58a is fixed at one end to the control link 42 and at its other end to an enlarged head 58d which is disposed in the clearance space 62 intermediate the oifset main portion 56: of the guide member and the adjacent supporting wall 14. For convenience in illustration the head 58d has also been broken away in the detailed showings of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 along with the adjacent wall 14 of the support 12.

The function and purpose of my improved leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following description of a typical sequence of operations, making progressive reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings:

In the upright sitting position of the chair illustrated in FIG. 1, the follower 58 is in the bearing opening 66 of the guide member 56, with the trunnion or pivot portion 58a out of registry with the inclined slot 64. According- 1y, as the chair occupant leans against the back-rest 24 and urges the back-rest rearwardly, a rearwardly directed thrust is exerted on the connecting link 44 which is applied at the pivotal connection 48 to the upper end of the control link 42. This causes the control link 42 to translate about the trunnion 58a serving as a pivot within the bearing 66. Simultaneously, the follower arm'36 of the seat control mechanism 30 begins its upward movement relative to the roller 32, thereby causing a prescribed inclination to be imparted to the seat 22.

When the body-supporting unit 20 moves into the intermediate tilted position, shown in FIG. 2, as established by the location of the cut-out 36b on the follower arm 36, the leg-

rest supporting linkage

42, 44, 50 is effective to move the leg-rest 38 to the elevated leg-supporting position extending forwardly of the seat 22, with the follower member 58 serving as a pivot in the bearing 66 of the guide member 56. In the intermediate tilted or partially reclined position, the trunnion 58a of the follower member, which extends through the bearing 66, is aligned with the elongated inclined slot 64. In such aligned position, the trunnion is rotationally oriented relative to the inclined slot 64 to enter the lower end of the slot in response to further reclining movement of the chair, and does so as the chair moves from the semi-reclined position of FIG. 2 into the fully reclined position of FIG. 3. During the further movement between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 positions, the leg-rest 38 translates as a unit with the seat 22, and the control link 12 moves from the lower limit position as established by the bearing opening 66 into the upper limit position as established by the uppermost end of the inclined slot 64 and the location of the cutout 36c in the follower 36 of the seat control mechanism 30. The facility for translating the pivot 58 for the control link 42 after the required extension of the leg-rest 33 is achieved in response to movement of the body-supporting unit 2% into the intermediate reclined position enables the movement of the leg-rest into the requisite leg-supporting position in response to the first phase of the double movement, with the leg-rest moving as a unit with the seat and providing the requisite leg-supporting function as the body-supporting unit moves to the fully reclined position. During the translation of the trunnion 58a along the length of the inclined slot 64, both during the upward stroke and during its return stroke, the leg-rest is constrained against rotation.

When the chair occupant desires to return the seat to the upright sitting position, it is merely necessary to exert a downward pressure on the leg-rest 38, whereupon the trunnion 58a is displaced downwardly along the slot 64, arriving in the bearing 66 at the time that the intermediate tilted position is reestablished by the associated dwell portion 36b of the seat control mechanism 39. Further forward movement of the seat will thereafter cause the leg-rest to move from the elevated leg-supporting position to the stored position within the outline of the chair, with the trunnion free to rotate within the bearing opening 66 to achieve the requisite folding of the leg-rest supporting linkage into the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 6 to 8 of the drawings, there is shown another embodiment of reclining chair demonstrating further features of the present invention, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 110, and includes a support 112 having opposite side walls 114 interconnected by a number of cross braces 116 and mounted on legs 118. Movably or rockably mounted on the support 112 is a body-supporting unit 12 which includes a seat 122 and a back-rest 124 mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively. The back-rest 124 is mounted on the support at a back-rest pivot 126 at the lower end thereof while the seat 122 is mounted on the back-rest 124 at a seat pivot 128 which is disposed above and slightly forwardly of the back-rest pivot 126.

Operatively connected to the seat 122 is a seat control mechanism, generally designated by the reference numeral 130, which is arranged to impart a first prescribed inclination to the seat 122 during the first portion of the reclining movement as the chair moves from the upright sitting position of FIG. 7 to the semi-reclined or tilted position of FIG. 8; and is further arranged to impart a further prescribed inclination to the seat during the further portion of the reclining movement as the chair moves from the semi-reclined or tilted position of FIG. 8 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 9. The seat control mechanism 131) includes a roller 132 journaled by a bracket 134 on the adjacent side wall 114 and a follower 136 fixed to and depending from the seat 122. The follower 136 is disposed at a prescribed inclination and is formed on its under surface with a follower track in engagement with the roller 132 which includes three spaced cut-outs or dwell

portions

136a, 136b and 136C which establish the three discrete positions for the seat.

Disposed beneath the forward portion of the seat is a leg-rest 138 which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from its upper end to its lower end such that the legrest is accommodated generally within the outline of the side walls 114 of the chair frame 112. The leg-rest 138 is mounted beneath the seat by the leg-rest supporting and control linkage, which will now. be described. This linkage, which is operatively connected between the body-supporting unit and the leg-rest for eifecting pivotal movement of the leg-rest from the stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to the first portion of the reclining movement, includes a control link 142 which is mounted for pivotal movement and for translation between two limit positions, a first connecting link 144 having a pivotal connection 146 at its rearward end to the seat 122 and a pivotal connection 148 at its forward end to the upper end of the control link 142, and a second connecting link 150 having a pivotal connection 152 at its rearward end to the lower end of the control link and a pivotal connection 154 at its upper end to the leg-rest 133, at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 46 of the leg-rest to the seat 22. In this embodiment, the pivotal connection directly between the leg-rest 138 and the seat 122 is replaced by a

link pair

155, 157 coordinated to the remaining links of the legrest support and control linkage. Specifically, the link has a pivotal connection 159 at its upper end to the first connecting link 144 at a point spaced rearwardly of the pivotal connection 148 and a pivotal connection 161 at its lower end to the rearward end of the link 157. The link 157 has a pivotal connection 163 at its forward end to the leg-rest 138 at a point spaced upwardly from the pivotal connection 144. The link 157 crosses behind'the link 142 and at such crossover point there is a pivotal connection 165 between the

links

157, 142.

As previously described, the control link 142 is mounted on the support for translation between its limit position by a guide and follower means which includes the guide member 156 fixed to the support and the follower member 158 fixed to the control 1ink 142 intermediate the ends thereof and engaging the guide member 156. The details of the construction of the guide and follower means 156, 158 are identical to the corresponding means in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive and accordingly are not described again in the interests of brevity.

The operation of the improved leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 has been pre viously described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings and such description is dispensed with in connection with this embodiment. It suffices herein to point out that the

link pair

155, 157 achieves the function of the pivotal connection directly between the leg rest and seat, with the added advantage of facilitating greater outward extension of the leg-rest as a function of the reclining movement.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure. In some instances some features of the invention will be used without a corresponding use of other features of the invention. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. In a reclining chair including a support, a body-supporting unit normally disposed in a sitting position and including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, a legrest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat, and a leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage Operatively connected to and mounting said leg-rest for pivotal movement from said stored position to an elevated leg-supportporting unit and said leg-rest for efiecting said pivotal movement and including a control link, first connecting means pivotally connecting said control link to said seat of said body-supporting unit, second connecting means pivotally connecting said control link to said leg-rest, a pin and slot interconnection mounting said control link on said support for turning movement and for translation between two limit positions, a seat control operatively connected to said seat and including means for imparting a first prescribed inclination to said seat during a first portion of the reclining movement of said chair and further means for imparting a further prescribed inclination to said seat during a further portion of said reclining movement, and means for maintaining said control link at one limit position during said first portion of said reclining movement and releasing said control link for translation into the other limit position during said further portion of said reclining movement, said control link remaining in said one limit position during said first portion of said reclining movement and being turned in response to said first portion of said reclining movement to move said leg-rest into said leg-supporting position, said control link being translated toward said other limit position in response to said further portion of said reclining movement to enable said leg-rest to move as a unit with said seat.

2. In a reclining chair according to claim 1, said linkage including means pivotally mounting said leg-rest on the forward portion of said seat.

3. In a reclining chair according to claim 1, said linkage including a pair of links pivotally connected to each other and operatively connected between said body-supporting unit and said leg-rest and cooperating with said control link and its connecting means for mounting said leg rest beneath said seat.

4. In a reclining chair including a support, a body-supporting unit normally disposed in a sitting position and including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, a legrest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat, and a leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage operatively connected to and mounting said leg-rest for pivotal movement from said stored position through a downward arc and then through an upward arc to an elevated leg-supporting position, said leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage being operatively connected between said bodysupporting unit and said leg-rest for effecting said pivotal movement and including a control link, first connecting means pivotally connecting said control link to said seat of said body-supporting unit, second connecting means pivotally connecting said control link to said legrest, a pin and slot interconnection operatively connected to said control link intermediate its ends and mounting said control link on said support for turning movement and for translation between two limit positions, and a seat control operatively connected to said seat and including first means for imparting a first prescribed inclination to said seat during a first portion of the reclining movement of said chair and second means for imparting a further prescribed inclination to said seat during a further portion of said reclining movement, said control link being at one limit position in said sitting position and moving into the other limit position during said further portion of said reclining movement, said control link remaining in said one limit position during said first portion of said reclining movement and being turned in response to said first portion of said reclining movement to move said leg-rest into said leg-supporting position, said control link being translated toward said other limit position in response to said further portion of said reclining movement to enable said leg-rest to move as a unit with said seat.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit normally disposed in a sitting position and including a seat and back-rest mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, a leg-rest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat, and a legrest supporting and controlling linkage operatively connected to and mounting said leg-rest for pivotal movement from said stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, said leg-rest supporting and conrtolling linkage being operatively connected between said body-supporting unit and said leg-rest for effecting said pivotal movement and including a control link, a first connecting link pivotally connecting one end of said control link to said seat of said body-supporting unit, a second connecting link pivotally connecting the other end of said control link to said leg-rest, guide and follower means operatively connected to said control link intermediate its ends and mounting said control link on said support for translation between two limit positions established by said guide and for turning movement about said follower, and a seat control operatively connected to said seat and including first means for imparting a first prescribed inclination to said seat during a first portion of the reclining movement of said chair and second means for imparting a further prescribed inclination to said seat during a further portion of said reclining movement, said control link remaining in one limit position in said sitting position and being turned in response to said first portion of said reclining movement while in said one limit position and with said follower serving as a pivot to move said legrest into said leg-supporting position, said control link being translated toward said other limit position in response to said further portion of said reclining movement to enable said leg-rest to move as a unit with said seat.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 5 wherein said guide and follower means include a guide member on said support formed with an inclined slot of a prescribed Width opening into a circular bearing at its lower end and a follower member having an elongated trunnion, said trunnion being of a length substantially equal to the diameter of said circular bearing and having its opposite ends rounded to conform generally to the curvature of said bearing and being of a width substantially equal to the width of said inclined slot, said trunnion being normally disposed in said bearing in a position out of align ment with said inclined slot, said trunnion pivoting in said bearing in response to said first portion of said reclining movement to move said leg-rest into said leg-supporting position and translating into a position in alignment with said inclined slot, said trunnion entering and translating along said inclined slot in response to said further portion of said reclining movement to enable said leg-rest to move as a unit with said seat.

7. In a reclining chair, a support, a body-supporting means normally disposed in a sitting position and including a seat and back-rest movably mounted on said support, a leg-rest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat, and a leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage operatively connected to and mounting said leg-rest for movement from said stored position to an elevated legsupporting position, said leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage being operatively connected between said body-supporting means and said leg-rest for effecting said pivotal movement and including a control member operatively connected to said body-supporting means and to said leg-rest, guide and follower means mounting said control member on said support for translation between two limit positions and for turning movement about said follower, said guide and follower means including a guide member on said support formed with a slot of a prescribed width opening into a circular hearing at its lower end and a follower member having an elongated trunnion, said trunnion being of a length substantially equal to the diameter of said bearing and being of a width substantially equal to the width of said slot, said trunnion being normally disposed in said bearing in a position out of alignment with said slot, said trunm'on pivoting in said bearing in response to a first portion chair movement to move said leg-rest into said leg-supporting position and translating into a position in alignment with said slot, said trunnion entering and translating along said slot in response to a further portion of said chair movement to enable said leg-rest to move With said seat.

8. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body supporting unit including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, means movably mounting said bodysupporting unit on said support for chair movement from a sitting position to a reclining position during which said back-rest is angularly displaced respective to said seat, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest on said chair for movement from a stored position beneath said seat to an elevated leg-supporting position in front of said seat during a first portion of said chair movement and for appreciably no movement relative to said seat during a further portion or" said chair movement, the leg-rest mounting means including a control member, means including a pin and slot interconnection pivotally and movably mounting said control member on said support for pivotal movement While in a first limit position and for translating movement from said first limit position to a second limit position, first connecting means pivotally connecting said control member to said leg-rest, second connecting means pivotally connecting said control member to said seat of said body-supporting unit for pivotal movement during said first portion of said chair movement, said control member remaining in said one limit position during said first portion of said chair movement and pivoting in response to said first portion of said chair movement to move said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position, and a seat control for imparting first and second inclinations to said seat during said first and further portions of said chair movement, said leg-rest being moved with said seat as a unit during said further portion of said chair movement with said control member translating from said first limit position into said second limit position in response to said further portion of chair movement.

9. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest, means mounting said seat and back-rest on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively such that said body-supporting means may move from a sitting position through a first motion phase to an intermediate position and from said intermediate position through a second motion phase to a reclining position, a seat control operatively connected to said seat and including first means for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first motion phase and second means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second motion phase, a legrest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat and adapted to be moved to an elevated leg-supporting position during said first motion phase, and a leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage operatively connected to and controlled from said body-supporting means and operatively connected to and controlling said leg-rest for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position in response to said first motion phase, said linkage including a control member, a pin and slot interconnection operatively connected between said support and said control member and mounting said control member for turning movement about a pivot intermediate its ends which remains relatively fixed during said first motion phase, said pin and slot interconnection mounting said control member for translating movement rearwardly relative to said support during said second motion phase, first connecting means pivotally connecting said control memher to said body-supporting means, second connecting means pivotally connecting said control member to said leg-rest, movement of said body-supporting means through said first motion phase being effective to turn said control member about said relatively fixed pivot for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position, and means operative at the end of said first motion phase releasing said control member for translation relative to said support in response to movement of said body-supporting means through said second motion phase such that said leg-rest may move substantially as a unit With said bodysupporting means during said second motion phase.

10. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest, means mounting said seat and back-rest on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively such that said body-supporting means may move from a sitting position through a first motion phase to an intermediate position and from said intermediate position through a second motion phase to a reclining position, a seat control operatively connected between said seat and said support and including first means for imparting a first inclination to said seat during said first motion phase and second means for imparting a second inclination to said seat during said second motion phase, a leg-rest disposed in a stored position beneath said seat and adapted to be moved to an elevated leg-supporting position during said first motion phase, and a leg-rest supporting and controlling linkage operatively connected to and controlled from said body-supporting means and operatively connected to and controlling said leg-rest for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position in response to said first motion phase, said linkage including a control member, a pin and slot interconnection operatively connected between said support and said control member and mounting said control member for turning movement about a pivot intermediate its ends which remains relatively fixed during said first motion phase, said pin and slot interconnection mounting said control member for translating movement rearwardly relative to said support during said second motion phase, first connecting means pivotally connecting said control member to said bodysupporting means, second connecting means pivotally connecting said control member to said leg-rest, movement of said body supporting means through said first motion phase being effective to turn said control member about i said relatively fixed pivot for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position, and means operative at the end of said first motion phase releasing said control member for translation relative to said support in response to movement of said body-supporting means through said second motion phase such that said leg-rest may move substantially as a unit with said body-support! ing means during said second motion phase.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 22, 1955