US3039816A

US3039816A - Leg-rest control assembly for multiple position reclining chair

Info

Publication number: US3039816A
Application number: US66337A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fridtjof F Schliephacke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-10-31
Filing date: 1960-10-31
Publication date: 1962-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1979-06-19
Also published as: US3061367A; US3101216A; DE1404664A1

Description

J1me 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3, ,8

LEG-REST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed 001:. 31, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR FP/DTJGF FJCf/Z/A'PHACKE IPTTDR VEYJ June 19, 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,039,816

LEG-REST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed Oct. 31, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 if 4/ 4; J7 g {I 7 2 FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

June 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,039,316

LEG-REST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed Oct. 51, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

EQ/DTJOF E JCY/L/A-PHACKA M w arrosmsxs United States Patent Office Patented June 19, 1962 3,939,816 LEG-REST CONTRGL ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE PQSITION RECLINING CHAIR Fritltjof F. Schliephacke, Hundekehienstrasse 18, Berlin- Schmargendorf, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Ocean Ridge, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Filed Oct. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 66,337 11 Claims. (Cl. 29788) The present invention relates to improvements in multiple-position reclining chairs, and more particularly to a novel and improved leg-rest control structure for chairs of this type.

By the term multiple-position reclining chairs is meant a reclining chair in which the body-supporting structure is mounted on a support frame for movement from an upright sitting position to at least two discrete tilted positions. One of these tilted positions is an intermediate position in which the seat and back-rest are only slightly tilted and the occupants body is disposed in an active but comfortable sitting position suitable for television viewing or the like. The body-supporting structure can then be moved to a fully-tilted or reclining position in which the seat and back-rest are disposed to support the occupants body in a position of optimum repose for greater relaxation.

A feature of multiple-position reclining chairs is the provision of a leg-rest and control means for elevating the leg-rest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat in response to movement of the body supporting structure toward the intermediate position. Thus, in the intermediate position, the occupants legs are supported comfortably in outstretched condition. The leg-rest control means must also be so constructed as to maintain the legrest in extended leg-supporting position when the bodysupporting structure is moved to the fully-tilted or reclining position.

In some types of multiple position chairs previously described, there has been employed as the leg-rest control means an actuating link pivotally mounted on the support frame and pivotally connected to the leg-rest, the latter being pivctally mounted on the seat. As the seat and back-rest are moved to the intermediate position, the legrest is carried rearwardly with the seat and the fixedlymounted actuating link pushes forwardly and upwardly on the leg-rest to move the latter to its extended position. When the seat and back-rest are, however, moved to the fully-tilted position, the actuating link and seat necessarily have some movement relative to each other, and the legrest is moved relative to the seat from the extended position which it assumed in the intermediate position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a multiple position reclining chair an improved leg-rest control means which is effective to move the leg-rest to its extended position when the body-supporting structure is moved to the intermediate position, and yet is capable of maintaining the leg-rest in the same extended position with no movement relative to the seat when :the seat and back-rest is moved to the fully-tilted position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of legrest control means of the character described in which an actuating link is employed for producing a directing thrust upon the leg-rest, but which actuating link is mounted on a movable unit capable of coupling to the seat, instead of being mounted fixedly on the support frame.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided in a multiple position reclining chair a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest movably mounted on a support frame by a forward roller and rear roller journalled on the seat and extending into respective guide slots carried by the support frame. The rollers travel rearwardly in their respective guide slots to guide the seat rearwardly through a first motion phase to the intermediate position. The front guide slot communicates at its rear end with an upwardly-extending slot in which is movably mounted a roller unit constructed to receive and contain the front roller at the intermediate position. A legrest is pivotally mounted on the forward end of the seat and an actuating link is pivotally mounted on the roller unit and pivotally connected to the leg-rest. During a second motion phase, the body-supporting unit turns about the rear roller and the front roller unit moves upwardly in the upwardly extending slot, carrying with it the actuating link so that there is no movement of the leg-rest relative to the seat during the second motion phase.

As a further feature, the chair is provided with latch means which locks the roller unit to the support frame during the first motion phase but which automatically unlocks the roller unit at the intermediate position so that the latter can rise with the seat during the second motion phase.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a reclining chair made in accordance with the invention, the chair being shown in an upright sitting position with the leg-rest in retracted position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the front guide means and roller unit of the chair shown in the same position as it assumes in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view on a more enlarged scale of a portion of the front guide means and roller unit on the opposite side of the chair, the parts being shown in the same position as those in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the chair in its intermediate, slightly-tilted position with the leg-rest extended;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the front guide means and roller unit as shown in FIG. 4 in the intermediate position;

'FIG. 6 is a perspective view on a more enlarged scale of a portion of the front guide means and roller unit on the opposite side of the chair, the parts being shown in the same intermediate position as those in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 1 and 4, but showing the chair in its fully-tilted position with leg-rest extended;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevational view of the front guide means and roller unit as shown in FIG. 7 in the fully-tilted position; and,

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the front guide means and roller uni-t shown in FIG. 5, but viewed from the reverse side thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a reclining chair made in accordance with the invention and including a support frame indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The support frame 10 comprises a pair of

side frames

12 and 14 spaced from each other and interconnected by cross bars or

braces

16, 18 and 20. The support frame 10 is maintained above the floor surface by suitable legs 22.

The chair also includes a body-supporting unit, desig nated generally by the reference numeral 24 and including a back-rest 26 and seat 28 formed-rigidly with each other. The body-supporting unit 24 is movably mounted on the support frame 10 by front guide units 15, 15a and rear guide units 25, located on opposite sides of the seat 28 adjacent the

respective side frames

12 and 14. In FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, the front guide unit 15 at the right hand side of the seat 28 (as viewed from the front) is illustrated. In FIG. 3 the front guide unit at the left hand side of the seat 28 is shown. Since both front guide units 15 and 15a are identical in construction, the same reference numenals are given for corresponding parts thereof and a description done of the units will apply to both.

The rear guide units are also identical in construction, and each includes a plate 30 having at its bottom end an integral latenal flange 32 which is securely mounted on the cross-bar 20 beneath the rear end portion of seat 28. The plate 30 contains an elongated, horizontally-disposed slot 34 in which rides a roller 36 mounted on the rear end portion of seat 28 by means of a. pivot '38.

The front guide units 15, 15a each include a plate 44 containing a pair of

contiguous guide slots

46 and 48. The slot 46 is of lesser width than the slot 48 and is sized to receive a roller 42 journalled by an elongated pin 41, a bracket affixed to the forward end portion of the seat 28. The plate 44 is preferably triangular in shape, and has at its bottom end an L-shaped integral flange 47 which is affixed to the

cross-bars

16 and 18 so that the plate 44 is rigidly and immovably mounted on the support frame 10.

Slot 46 is arcuate and extends upwardly and rearwardly at a slight inclination from the forward portion of late 44 to the slot 48 with which it communicates at the lower end thereof. Slot 48 is also arcuate and extends substantially vertically upward from its juncture with the rear end of slot 46. The radius of curvature of slot 48 is equal to the distance between the

rollers

36 and 42, for a. purpose which will be presently explained.

The

slots

34 and 46 cooperate to guide the body-supporting unit 24 through the first motion phase to the intermediate position of FIG. 4. In the upright sitting position of the chair shown in FIG. 1, the

rollers

36 and 42, carried by the seat 23, are located at the forward ends of their

respective slots

34 and 46. When the body-supporting unit is urged rearwardly, the roller 36 rides to the rear end of slot 34 to guide the rear end of the seat in a horizontal rearward path. At the same time, the roller 42 rides to the rear end of slot 46 moving to forward end of seat 23 rearwardly and also raising the same slightly, so that in the intermediate position of FIG. 4, the body-supporting unit 24 is slightly tilted.

The chair also includes a leg-rest 50 of triangular shape and having a leg-supporting surface 52. At its corner or apex remote from surface 52, the leg-rest 50 is mounted by pivot 54 on the forward end of the seat 28. In the uprightsitting position of the chair shown in FIG. 1, the leg-rest 59 is disposed in an underslung, retracted position with its leg-supporting surface 52 inverted and parallel to the lower surface of seat 28 and to the floor surface. During the first motion phase, the leg-rest 56 must be turned about its pivotal mount 54 through 'an angle of almost 180 to its extended, leg-supporting position, shown in FIG. 4, in which the leg-supporting surface 52 faces upwardly and is aligned with the upper surface of the seat.

The leg-rest movement is achieved by an actuating link 58 which is pivotally connected at one end by pivot 56 to the leg-rest 50 at a point closely spaced from the pivotal mount 54 of said leg-rest. The rear end of the actuating link 58 is mounted on a carrier element in the nature of a roller unit 60 movably mounted in the slot 48 and adapted to couple with the roller 42, in a manner to be presently explained.

The roller unit 60 comprises a body plate 62 and a pair of

rollers

64 and 66 journalled upon

respective pins

70 and 68 afiixed to the ends of said body plate 62. A slot or recess 72 is formed in the central portion of body plate 62 between the

rollers

64 and 66. The

rollers

64 and 66 are rotatably contained within slot 48. Roller unit 60 is normally located at the bottom of slot 48, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, with the lowermost roller 66 seated in an extension 84 of slot 43 which extends slightly below the juncture with slot 46. This positions the recess 72 of body plate 62 in registry with the end of slot 46 and in position to receive the roller 42. The roller 42 is sized to fit snugly Within the recess 72 and to be retained thereby during operation of the chair structure.

The roller unit 60 also includes a latch plate 74 having a bottom hook portion 76 for engaging a pin '78 affixed to the plate 44. The latch plate 74 is pivotally mounted on pin 70 which also serves as the axle for roller 64, and the rear end of actuating link 58 is also pivotally mounted on this pin 70 and thereby connected to the roller unit 60. A tension spring 80 is mounted at one end on the pin 68 and at its other end is connected to a pin 32 aflixed to the latch plate 74. When the roller unit 60 is in its lowermost position with the chair in its upright sitting position, as shown in FIG. 2, the spring 80 biases the latch plate 74 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 2) and retains the hook portion 76 beneath the pin 78. The latch plate 74 therefore releasably locks the roller unit 60 in its lowermost position at the bottom of slot 48.

Reference to FIG. 3 will reveal that the

rollers

42, 64 and 66 are of lesser width than their

respective slots

46 and 48 so that they occupy only about half the width of said slots. The

rollers

64 and 66 are mounted on the outer side of plate 62, that is to say, the side of plate 62 facing the adjacent chair side frame, so that the

rollers

64, 66 and the plate 62 lie along different longitudinal planes Within slot 48. The bracket 40, on the other hand, is disposed on the inner side of plate 44, that is to say, the side facing the seat 24, and the roller 42 journalled thereon is located in the same longitudinal plane as the plate 62. Thus, when the roller 42 is moved to the rear end of slot 46 and into the slot 48 at the end of the first motion phase, it enters the recess 72 in plate 62 without contacting either of the

rollers

64 and 66. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the latch plate 74 and the actuating link '58 are disposed on the side of plate 44 opposite to bracket 40, so that the bracket 49 will not contact these parts or interfere with the operation thereof.

In the upright sitting position of the chair shown in FIG. 1, the roller 36 is located at the forward end of the slot 34 of each rear guide member 25, and the roller 42 is located at the forward end of slot 46 of the front guide members 15, 15a. The engagement of these

rollers

36 and 42 with the ends of their respective slots supports and maintains the seat 28 in the level sitting position. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the roller unit 60 is seated in the bottom extension 84 of the slot 48 and is locked in this position by spring latch plate 74. The leg-rest 56 is in its retracted, underslung position with the actuating link 58 extending rearwardly therefrom to the roller unit 60.

When a person in the chair wishes to assume a more comfortable position, he applies rearward pressure with his body against the body-supporting unit 24. The

rollers

36 and 42 then roll to the rearends of their

respective slots

34 and 46, as previously described, to guide the body-supporting unit 24 through the first motion phase to the intermediate position of FIG. 4. In this positon, the body-supporting unit is slightly tilted and the occupants body is disposed in a comfortable active sitting position with the eyes still forwardly directed for viewing television, reading, holding conversation, or the like.

During the first motion phase, the seat 28 in moving rearwardly, carries the leg-rest 50 rearwardly with it through the pivotal connection 54. The actuating link '58 is, however, restrained from rearward movement because it is mounted upon roller unit 60 which is locked to the plate 44 by latch plate 74 and therefore constitutes an immovable part of the support frame 10. The actuating link 58 thus exerts a pushing force or thrust upon the leg-rest 50 at pivot 5e and causes the rearwardlymoving leg-rest to turn about its pivotal mount 54 on the seat until, in the intermediate position of FIG. 4, the leg-rest 50 has reached its extended position. In this position, the leg-rest has turned through an angle of almost 180 and its leg-supporting surface 52 faces upwardly and is substantially aligned with the top forward surface of the seat 28.

As the chair reaches the intermediate position of FIG. 4, the front roller 42 leaves the slot 46 and moves into slot 48, entering the recess 72 in the roller unit body plate 62. In moving into said recess 72, the elongated pin 41, projecting beyond roller 42, engages the leading edge of the latch plate 74, as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, causing said latch plate 74 to turn rearwardly about its pivot 70 against tension of spring 80, until the hook portion 76 moves out of engagement with pin 78. Thus, in the intermediate position of FIG. 2, the roller unit 6% is unlocked from the plate 44 and is freed to move upwardly within slot 48. The roller 42 nests within the recess 72 of roller unit body plate 62 and thus becomes rigidly coupled with the roller unit 60 so that it will move upwardly therewith along slot 48.

The end of the first motion phase is determined by engagement of the rear guide roller 36 with the rear end of slot 34 and also by engagement of the front guide roller 42 with the roller unit body plate 62.

If the occupant of the chair in the intermediate position now wishes to assume a reclining position for optimum relaxation, he applies further rearward body pressure against the body-supporting unit 24. The rear guide roller 36 can no longer move rearwardly in slot 34, but it provides a fixed pivot at its axle 38 about which the seat 28 can tilt. To permit this tilting movement of seat 23 about the immovable pivot 38, the slot 48 is formed as the arc of a circle whose center is concentric with the pivot 38 in its position of FIG. 4. Thus, during the second motion phase, as the body supporting unit turns about pivot 38, the roller 42 is raised by the forward end of seat 28 and travels upwardly through slot 48 in a lost motion movement. Since the roller 42 is coupled to the roller unit 60, it carries the latter upwardly through slot 48 and the roller unit 60 in turn carries upwardly with it the rear end of actuating link 58.

The second motion phase is terminated by engagement of the roller unit 60 roller 64 with the top end of slot 48, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the body-supporting unit 28 being in the fully-tilted position and incapable of further rearward turning movement about pivot 38.

When the body-supporting unit 28 turns about pivot 38 through the second motion phase, the leg-rest 50 and the forward end of the actuating link 58 are carried by the forward end of the seat in a circular path about pivot 38. The rear end of actuating link 58 is also coupled to the seat 28, and carried thereby because of the coupling between front roller 42 and the roller unit 60 mounting the rear end of actuating link 58. Thus, during this second motion phase, the actuating link 58 is eifectively connected at both ends to the seat 28 and is merely lifted therewith with no relative movement therebetween. The leg-rest 50 is therefore maintained in its extended position with no further movement relative to the seat.

To return from the fully-tilted position of FIG. 7 to the intermediate position of FIG. 4, the occupant shifts his weight forwardly, causing the body-supporting unit 24 to turn forwardly about the pivot 38. The roller unit 60 travels downwardly to the bottom of slot 48 carrying the roller 42 and the end of actuating link 58. To return to the upright sitting position of FIG. 1, the occupant shifts his weight further forwardly and presses downwardly with his legs upon the leg-rest 50. The rear roller 36 moves forwardly through the slot 34, and the front t5 roller 42 leaves the recess 72 in roller unit 60, enters slot 46, and moves forwardly and downwardly therein.

As the roller 42 leaves the roller unit 60, its pin 41 frees the latch plate 74, permitting the spring to pull said latch plate forwardly about pivot 70 until its hook portion 76 engages pin 78. The roller unit 60 is thus again locked to plate 44 so that it cannot rise in slot 48. The actuating link 58 pulls rearwardly upon the forwardly-moving leg-rest 50 causing the latter to turn about its pivotal mount 54 on the seat 28 and return to its retracted position of FIG. 1.

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

What I claim is:

l. A multiple position reclining chair comprising a support frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting said seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position, lost motion means operatively associated with the front guide means for releasing the forward end of the seat from its guided support by the front guide means at said intermediate tilted position, whereby the seat turns about the rear guide means during a second motion phase in a pivoting movement in which the front end of the seat is elevated relative to the support frame, said lost motion means comprising a carrier element movably mounted on the support frame, means supporting said carrier element immovably relative to the support frame during said first motion phase, means for coupling the carrier element to the front guide means at the end of the first motion phase whereby said carrier element is carried upwardly by the forward end portion of the seat during the second motion phase, a leg-rest, means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end of the seat for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, and a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected to said leg-rest and pivotally mounted on the carrier element, the pivotal mount of the leg-rest actuating link remaining immovable relative to the support frame with the carrier element during the first motion phase and the leg-rest actuating link opposing rearward movement of the bodysupporting unit to raise the leg-rest to its extended position, said pivotal mount of the leg-rest actuating link being raised by the carrier element with the forward end of the seat during the second motion phase to maintain the leg-rest in its extended position relative to the seat.

2. A multiple position reclining chair comprising a support frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting said seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position, lost motion means operatively associated with the front guide means for releasing the forward end of the seat from its guided support by the front guide means at said intermediate tilted position, whereby the seat turns about the rear guide means during a second motion phase in a pivoting movement in which the front end of the seat is elevated relative to the support frame, said lost motion means including a carrier element, slide means releasably mounting said carrier ele ment immovably on the support frame during the first motion phase, and means for coupling the carrier element with the forward end of the seat at the end of the first motion phase whereby said carrier element is slid upwardly by the forward end portion of the seat during the second motion phase, a leg-rest, means mounting the legrest on the forward end of the seat for movement between -a retracted position and an extended position, and a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected to said legrest and pivotally mounted on the carrier element, the pivotal mount of the leg-rest actuating link remaining immovable relative to the support frame with the carrier element during the first motion phase and the legrest actuating link opposing rearward movement of the body-supporting unit to raise the leg-rest to its extended position, said pivotal mount of the leg-rest actuating link being raised by the carrier element with the forward end of the seat during the second motion phase to maintain the leg-rest in its extended position relative to the seat.

3. In a multiple position reclining chair including a support frame, a body-supporting unit comprising a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting the seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position in which the seat is guided by both front and rear guide means, and then for movement to a fully-tilted position through a second motion phase in which the seat turns in a pivotal movement about the rear guide means and the forward end of the seat rises in a lost motion movement relative to the support frame; a leg-rest, means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end portion of the seat for movement between a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended, leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat, a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected at one end to said leg-rest, a carrier element movably mounted on the support frame, the other end of the leg-rest actuating link being pivotally 'mounted on the carrier element, means supporting the carrier element in an immovable position relative to the support frame during the first motion phase whereby the carrier element provides a fixed pivotal mount for the actuating link and the latter opposes rearward movement of the leg-rest to elevate the leg-rest to its extended position during the first motion phase as the leg-rest is moved rearwardly with the seat, the carrier element having coupling means positioned to engage and couple with the front guide means at the intermediate tilted position whereby the carrier element and the end of the actuating link mounted thereon are raised with the forward end portion of the seat during the second motion phase and the leg-rest is maintained in its extended position without further movement relative to the seat.

4. A multiple position reclining chair comprising a support frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting said seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position, said front guide means including a slide member carried by the forward end portion of the seat and a slot rigid with the support frame and receiving said slide member, lost motion means operatively associated with the front guide means for releasing the forward end of the seat from its guided support by the front guide means at said intermediate tilted position, whereby the seat turns about the rear guide means during a second motion phase in a pivoting movement in which the front end of the seat is elevated relative to the support frame, said lost motion means comprising a second slot communicating with the first slot and extending upwardly therefrom, and a carrier element slidably mounted in said second slot, the carrier element resting at the bottom of said second slot during the first motion phase and having a recess sized to receive and retain said slide member at the intermediate tilted position whereby said carrier member is moved upwardly in the second slot by the forward end portion of the seat during the second motion phase, a leg-rest, means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end of the seat for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, and a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected to said leg-rest and pivotally mounted on the carrier element.

5. A multiple position reclining chair comprising a support frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting said.

seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position, said front guide means including a roller mounted on the forward end portion of the seat, a first slot rigid with said support frame and receiving said roller, said first slot extending rearwardly and gr nding the forward portion of the seat during the first motion phase, a second slot communicating with the rear end of the first slot and extending upwardly therefrom, said second slot being sized and positioned to receive said roller and guide the same upwardly through a second motion phase in which the seat turns about the rear guide means from said intermediate tilted position to a fully tilted position, a roller unit slidably contained in said second slot and having a recess sized and positioned to receive and retain said roller at the end of the first motion phase, whereby said roller unit is carried upwardly in the second slot by the forward end portion of the seat during the second motion phase, a leg-rest, means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end of the seat for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, and a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected to said leg-rest and pivotally mounted on the roller unit.

6. A multiple position reclining chair according to claim 5 in which said second slot has a bottom extension seating the roller unit during the first motion phase with said recess in registry with the rear end of said first slot.

7. A multiple position reclining chair according to claim 5 in which said roller unit comprises a plate and a pair of rollers respectively mounted at the end of said plate, said recess being formed in said plate between said pair of rollers.

8. A multiple position reclining chair according to claim 7 in which said plate and said pair of rollers are disposed in spaced longitudinal planes within said second slot, the roller mounted on the seat being disposed in the same plane as said plate.

9. A multiple position reclining chair comprising a support frame, a body-supporting unit comprising a seat and back-rest, front and rear guide means mounting the seat on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from an upright sitting position to an inter mediate tilted position and then through a second motion phase to a fully-tilted position, said front guide means including a roller carried by the forward portion of the seat, a first slot receiving the roller during the first motion phase for guiding the same rearwardly, and a second slot communicating With the rear end of the first slot for receiving the roller at the intermediate tilted position and guide said roller upwardly through the second motion phase as the seat turns about the rear guide means, a leg-rest, means mounting the leg-rest on the forward end portion of the seat for movement between a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended, leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat, a leg-rest actuating link operatively connected at one end to said leg-rest, a roller unit movably mounted in the second slot and having a recess therein sized to receive said roller, the roller unit resting in a stationary position at the bottom of the second slot during the first motion phase with its recess in communication with the rear end of the first slot and positioned to receive the roller at the intermediate tilted position whereby the roller rises with the forward portion of the seat during the second motion phase and carries the roller unit upwardly in the second slot, the other end of the leg-rest actuating link being pivotally mounted on the roller unit, the stationary roller unit providing a fixed pivotal mount for the actuating link during the first motion phase whereby the actuating link moves the legrest to its extended position as the leg-rest is moved rearwardly with the seat, the actuating link being lifted by the roller unit during the second motion phase to maintain the leg-rest in its extended position without further movement relative to the seat.

10. A multiple position reclining chair according to claim 9 which also includes latch means for retaining the roller unit at the bottom of said second slot during the first motion phase.

11. A multiple position reclining chair according to claim 10 in which said latch means includes a latch plate having a hook portion, a pin rigid with said support frame, spring means urging said latch plate to a position in which its hook portion engages and retains said pin and in which a portion thereof ove lies the recess in said roller unit, the roller carried by said seat having a portion positioned to engage latch plate in the intermediate tilted position and move the latch plate to a position in Which said hook portion releases said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS