US3393007A - Multiple movement reclining chair - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1966 all;

July 16, 1968 P. s. FLETCHER 3,393,007

MULTIPLE MOVEMENT RECLINING CHAIR Filed July 14, 1966 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 \m g s P INVENTOR. L, /%rz e J Esra/A54 whim July 16, 1968 P. s. FLETCHER MULTIPLE MOVEMENT RECLINING CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet Z we m; 6 m p Filed July 14, 1966 July 16, 1968 P. S. FLETCHER MULTIPLE MOVEMENT RECLINING CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR. 5522 J. Qzrorze Filed July 14, 1966 July 16, 1968 s, FLETCHER I 3,393,007

MULTIPLE MOVEMENT RECLINING CHAIR Filed July 14, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,393,007 MULTIPLE MOVEMENT RECLINING CHAIR Peter S. Fletcher, 200 NW. 15th St., Delray Beach, Fla. 33444 Filed July 14, 1966, Ser. No. 565,272 9 Claims. (Cl. 297-85) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reclining chair for multiple movement having front and rear guide links and three pivot seat control lever connected to the seat, to the front guide link and to the back-rest for controlling movement of the seat and the back-rest.

The present invention relates generally to reclining chairs and specifically to a reclining chair of the multiple movement type having an improved and advantageously simple linkage for supporting a seat, back-rest and legrest for movement within an arm frame.

During the last several years, the automatically sequencing multiple movement reclining chair has become the standard for the reclining chair industry. Whereas in earlier times, reclining chairs demonstrated a continuous and uniform movement from an upright position to a fully reclined position with the leg-rest moving at a rate generally proportional to the rate of movement of the seat and back-rest, current reclining chairs have a seat and back-rest which move through a first path of movement during a first movement phase from the upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and then through a second path of movement during a second movement phase to a fully reclined position. The leg-rest of the modern multiple movement chair is raised to its fully elevated and extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of the seat and back-rest during the first movement phase and, during the second movement phase, the leg-rest substantially maintains its same position with respect to the seat, i.e. it maintains itself in its leg-supporting position. A variety of different linkage systems have been devised and utilized in order to provide the double movement operation described above and a Substantial amount of commercial success has been achieved for several of these linkage systems.

Although there have been and are successful linkage systems for multiple movement reclining chairs, there nevertheless remains a need for a simple linkage which, because of its simplicity, has the advantages of low initial manufacturing cost, low likelihood of production problems and long life, all without any sacrifice in performance characteristics. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a linkage system in which the chair designer may, without departing from the basic structure of the linkage system, vary the length of individual links in order to provide the proper balancing for good automatic operation in chairs of different styles. For example, a large upholstered chair with a heavy back obviously has a center of gravity of its seat and back-rest whch is located, during the second movement phase, rearwardly of the center of gravity of a generally similar chair but in which there is a sparsely upholstered and relatively light back. In that circumstance, it is desirable for a manufacturer to have a linkage system in which relatively minor changes in the placement of a pivot point on a link will produce a complementary change in point of rotation of one of the movable members thereby to make adjustments in the balance characteristics of the chair.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a linkage system in which the necessary functions of operation are provided by the most simple arrangements and where the various links of the linkage cooperate together to provide the desired movement with the fewest number of parts and without duplication of function. For example, it is desirable in a reclining chair of this type to provide leg-rest mounting means which function in cooperation with the means mounting the seat and backrest such that the combination automatically sequences correctly without the requirement for an additional sequencing mechanism.

Accordingly, in chairs according to the present invention there is provided a linkage system which exhibits the aforementioned advantages and fulfills the aforementioned requirements. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair construction including a linkage system which is, on the one hand, extremely simple in order to reduce material costs and manufacturing expenses and is, on the other hand, flexible to enable a designer to adapt a single linkage system for use in chairs of varying frame designs or styles and produce well balancing chairs.

In accordance with one presently preferred illustrative embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multiple position reclining chair including an arm frame in which is mounted a body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest and in which is also mounted a legrest. A mounting linkage is provided mounting the seat and back-rest in the arm frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and then through a second movement phase to a fully reclined position. At the same time, the mounting linkage transports the legrest from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to movement of the body-supporting unit during the first movement phase and the leg-rest is thereafter maintained in its elevated leg-supporting position during the second movement phase. The mounting linkage includes a front guide link pivotally secured to the frame at one end and pivoted at its other end to a seat control lever which has three spaced pivots, one of which is pivoted to the upper end of the front guide link. The seat control lever is interconnected with the seat at a second of the three pivots and the third one of the three pivots of the seat control lever is interconnected with the back-rest. A rear guide link is pivoted at its lower end to the frame and at its upper end to the back-rest. The back-rest is in turn pivotally connected to the seat at a seat-ba-ck-rest pivot. A connecting link is provided in the mounting linkage forming the interconnection between one of the seat control lever and the seat and the seat control lever and the back-rest. The seat, back-rest, seat control lever, and the connecting link form a four bar mounting linkage operating during the second movement phase to increase the angle between a seat and back-rest. Further included within the mounting linkage is means for mounting said leg-rest for movement of said leg-rest in response to motion during said first movement phase. The leg-rest mounting means includes an actuating link which functions to extend the leg-rest during the first movement phase and also functions to prevent movement of the body-supporting means in the second movement phase until completion of the first movement phase. First stop means are provided and are operable during the first movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of the seat control lever and second stop means are provided and are operable during said second movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of said rear guide link.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be best appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention when considered in conjuncton with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a first embodiment, specifically:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a reclining chair with a portion of the frame broken away for the sake of clarity, illustrating a linkage system in accordance with the present invention with the chair shown in its upright sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 illustrating the chair in its intermediate, tilted sitting position;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the chair in its fully reclined position;

FIGS. 4, and 6 show a second embodiment and are enlarged views corresponding generally to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 but illustrating a specific mechanical linkage kinematically similar to the linkage system shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 but showing a specific commercial fixture or chair hardware as is used in a commercial embodiment with FIG. 4 showing the upright sitting position, FIG. 5 showing the intermediate, tilted sitting position and FIG. 6 showing the fully reclined position;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show a third embodiment, specifically:

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a reclining chair, with portions broken away for clarity, illustrating a chair in accordance with the present invention incorporating a somewhat different linkage system from that shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, the chair being shown in its upright sitting position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 illustrating the chair in its intermediate, tilted sitting position; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrating the chair in its fully reclined position.

Now referring specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a reclining chair generally designated by the reference numeral 10 which comprises a frame 12 formed in the conventional manner with cross braces 14, legs 16, a body-supporting unit comprising a seat 20 and a back-rest 22 mounted in the frame 12 and a leg-rest 24. A mounting linkage, generally designated by the numeral 26 and comprising a body-supporting mounting linkage 28 and a leg-rest mounting linkage 30, mounts the seat and back-rest and the leg-rest for movement from the upright sitting position of FIG. 1 to the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG. 2 during a first movement phase and then to the fully reclined position of FIG. 3 during a second movement phase.

The body-supporting unit mounting linkage 28 includes a front guide link 32 pivotally supported at its lower end at a front pivotal mount 34 and is connected at its upper end at the front guide link pivot 36 to a seat control lever 38. The seat control lever 38 has three pivots, the first being the front guide link pivot 36, the second being the seat pivot 40 at which the seat control lever 38 is pivotally connected to the seat 20 and the third being a pivot, to be described below, at which point interconnection is made with the back-rest. A stop 42 is mounted on the seat 20 and functions to fix the seat control lever 38 immovable with the seat 20 during the first movement phase thus essentially making the front guide link pivot 36 a fixed pivot on the seat 20 for front guide link 32 during the first movement phase. The seat and the back-rest are interconnected at a seat-backrest pivot 44. A back-rest plate 22a is secured to the backrest 22 forming a part thereof and serves as a mounting means for the various pivot points on the back-rest 22. The back-rest 22 is supported on the frame 12 by means of a back-rest link or rear guide link 46 which is connected at its lower end to a rear pivotal mount 48 (provided on a mounting plate 48a) and pivoted at its upper end to the back-rest 22 (on the mounting plate 22a) at the back-rest pivot 50. A rear guide link stop 52 is provided on the mounting plate 48a to define the rearwardmost position of the back-rest link 46. It should be appreciated that during the first movement phase, the back-rest link 46 pivots rearwardly, in a clockwise direction about the rear pivotal mount 48 thus carrying the back-rest 22 rearwardly. When the back-rest link 46 engages the stop 52, the intermediate, tilted sitting position is defined. Thereafter, during the second movement phase, the back-rest pivot 50 functions as a fixed pivot point about which the back-rest 22 may rotate.

The interconnection between the seat control lever 38 and the back-rest 22 is provided by a connecting link 54 pivotally connected at its rearward end at pivot 56 to a downward extension of the back-rest 22 and specifically at a downward extension of the back-rest plate 22a and pivotally connected at its forward end to the third pivot point 58 on the seat control lever 38. As will be seen from the description of Operation of the chair, which will be given below, the interconnection between the back-rest 22 and the seat control lever 38 through the connecting link 54 functions to maintain the angle between the seat and back-rest during the first movement phase and to control that angle during the second movement phase as the back-rest is titled rearwardly about the back-rest pivot 50 and the seat 20 is moved upwardly.

The leg-rest mounting linkage 30 is comprised of two pairs of links mounting the leg-rest 24 on the seat 20. Specifically, a first leg-rest link 60 is pivoted to the forward end of the seat 20 at seat pivot 62 and is pivotally connected to a second leg-rest link 64 at pivot 66. The leg-rest 24 is pivotally mounted on the forward end of the second leg-rest link 64 at pivot 68. The second pair of links includes the third leg-rest link 70 which is pivoted to the seat 20 at a further seat pivot 72 at one of its ends and is pivoted to the fourth leg-rest link 74 at pivot 76. The forward end of the fourth leg-rest link 74 is pivotally connected to the leg-rest 24 at pivot 77 at a location spaced from the other leg-rest pivot 68. The two pairs of links are interconnected at pivot 78 at the crossover point of the first leg-rest link 60 and the fourth leg-rest link 74. The four leg- rest links 60, 64, 70, 74 and their various pivots provide a lazy tong type mounting for the leg-rest 24 on the seat 20. Actuation of this mounting linkage is accomplished by the leg-rest actuating link 80 which is pivotally connected to the lazy tong linkage at pivot 76 (the interconnection between the third legrest link 79 and the fourth leg-rest link 74) and is pivotally connected to the frame 12 at the leg-rest actuating pivot 82. This leg-rest mounting arrangement is shown in US. Patent No. 3,092,416, issued on June 4, 1963 and entitled Leg-Rest Control Linkage for Multiple Position Chair.

Reference should now be made to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in succession for the following description of the operations of the reclining chair 10. During the first movement phase, as the chair occupant pushes the body-supporting unit rearwardly, the front guide link 32 pivots rearwardly (in a clockwise direction) about the front pivotal mount 34 and the rear guide link or back-rest link 46 pivots in the same direction about the rear pivotal mount 48. The seat 20 and back-rest 22 are thus translated rearwardly and are tilted slightly with the angle between the seat 20 and the back-rest 22 remaining substantially uniform. The intermediate, tilted sitting position, illustrated in FIG. 2, is defined by engagement of the rear guide link 46 against the stop 52. During the first movement phase, the seat control lever 38 is maintained against its stop 42 on the seat 20 thus allowing the pivot 36 on the seat con trol lever 38 to function essentially as a fixed pivot point on the seat 20 for the front guide link 32. The interconnection between the seat control lever 38 and the backrest 22 through the connecting link 54 is therefore effective to control the angle between the seat 20 and the backrest 22.

During this first movement phase, and as may be best seen by comparing FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat 20 moves upwardly and rearwardly thus carrying the pivots 62 and 72 upwardly and rearwardly. It will be appreciated that the links 70, 8t and their pivotal interconnection 76 must swing sharply in a clockwise direction about their respective pivots 72, 82 thus activating the extension and elevation of the leg-rest 24. Simultaneously with its functioning as an actuating link for the leg-rest mounting linkage 30, the link 80, in cooperation with the third leg-rest link 70, serves as a sequencing device to prevent movement of the body-supporting means in its second movement phase motion prior to completion of the first movement phase. Quite obviously, in the position of FIG. 1, upward motion (second movement phase motion) of the seat 20 is inhibited by the actuating link 80 since any upward motion of the seat 20 would require upward motion of the link 70 and would similarly require upward motion of the link 80; however, link 80 is fixed to the rigid pivotal mount 82 on the frame 12 thus precluding such motion. On the other hand, at the completion of the first movement phase, the position shown in FIG. 2, the links 70 and 80 have been moved through approximately 90 and no longer inhibit upward motion of the seat 20 since the angle between those links may be easily opened as may be seen in comparing FIGS. 2 and 3. The actuating link 80 and the third leg-rest link 70 thus serve a sequencing means for the chair 10.

The movement from the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG. 2 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 3 during the second movement phase comprises a rear-ward tilting of the back-rest 22, an opening up of the angle between the seat 20 and the back-rest 22 and maintenance of the leg-rest 24 in the extended leg-supporting position with respect to the seat 20. The body-supporting unit including the seat 20 and the back-rest 22 is controlled during the second movement phase by a four bar linkage as follows: the first link is the seat 20 between the seat pivot 40 and the seat-back-rest pivot 44; the second link is the back-rest 22 between the seat-back-rest pivot 44 and the pivot 56; the third link is the connecting link 54; and the fourth link is the seat control lever 38 between the pivot point 58 tothe connecting link 54 and the front seat pivot 40. This four bar linkage is mounted on the frame 12 at the back-rest pivot 58 (which functions as a fixed pivot point during the second movement phase) and by the front guide link 32 pivotally connected to the seat control lever 38 at pivot 36. Thus, it will be seen that the back-rest 22 pivots about the back-rest pivot 50 and the seat 20 is guided upwardly and its angle with respect to the back-rest is controlled by the above-described four bar linkage. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the various members of the four bar linkage may be varied in length thereby to produce variations in the position and balance of the seat 20 with respect to the backrest 22 without having any material effect on the first phase of the motion of the chair 10. A similar but converse statement may be made with respect to the linkage elements which control the first movement phase; they may be varied to vary the position and balancing the chair during the first movement phase without any effect on the second phase of motion of the chair 10. For example, the length or placement of either or both of the front guide link 32 or the rear guide link 46 may be varied at will without affecting the four bar linkage described above.

Reference should now be made to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 which show a commercial embodiment of the linkage system illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, numbers similar to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 will be used in the hundreds series rather than in the tens series in order to show the relationship between the respective parts. Furthermore, the description will be abbreviated as much as possible. The seat 120 is provided with a seat rail 128a and the back-rest 122 is provided with a back-rest strap 122a, The seat and back-rest are interconnected at a seat-back-rest pivot 144. A mounting linkage 126 comprising a body-supporting unit mounting linkage 128 and a leg-rest mounting linkage 130 mount the seat and back-rest in the chair frame (not shown in these figures). The mounting linkage 126 is secured in the frame by means of a mounting rail 112:: which is conveniently formed with mounting points 1121; and 1120. The front guide link 132 is secured to the mounting rail 112a at the front pivotal mount 134 and is pivoted at its upper end, at the front guide link pivot 136, to the seat control lever 138. The seat control lever is in turn pivoted to the seat along the seat rail 120a, at the front seat pivot 140. In the upright sitting position, through the first movement phase and in the intermediate, tilted sitting position (FIG. 5) a pressed out stop 142 on the seat control lever 138 engages the lower portion of the seat rail 120a essentially making the seat control lever 138 fixed to the seat 120 thus making the front guide link pivot 136 essentially a fixed pivot point on the seat 120 during the first movement phase.

The back-rest 122, and specifically the back-rest strap 122a, is mounted on the frame by means of the back-rest link or rear guide link 146 which is secured at its upper end to the back-rest strap 122a at the back-rest pivot 150 and at its lower end to the mounting rail 112a at the rear pivotal mount 148. A back-rest link stop 152 is pressed outwardly of the material forming the mounting rail 112a and functions to define the stop defining the intermediate, tilted sitting position at the end of the first movement phase. As explained in detail above, the first movement phase of the seat and back-rest supported by the mounting linkage 128 comprises a rearward and tilting movement with the front guide link pivoting rearwardly about the front pivotal mount 134 and the rear guide link or backrest link 146 pivoting rearwardly about the rear pivotal mount 136 until such time as that link contacts the stop 152.

The leg-rest mounting linkage 130 is virtually identical to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and consists of first, second, third and fourth leg- rest links 160, 164, 170, 174 connected among themselves and to the seat 120 and leg-rest 124 at pivots 162, 172, 178, 166, 176, 177, 170, 168, all in the manner as described in detail for chair 19 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The actuating link 180 is connected to the leg-rest linkage at pivot 176 and is pivoted to the frame of the chair at the forward end of the siderail 112 at the leg-rest actuating pivot 182. An upright sitting position stop 184 is pressed outwardly of the material of the leg-rest link and engages a notch 184a formed in the leg-rest link 174 to accurately define the closed position of the leg-rest linkage 130 when the leg-rest 124 is in its closed position below and the front edge of the seat 120.

A squencing pin 186 is mounted on the side rail 112 and is in position to abut a surface 188 formed on the seat control lever 138 during the beginning and most of the movement of that element during the first movement phase to further assure a preclusion of motion of the body-supporting unit in its second movement phase prior to completion of the first movement phase. Although it is unlikely that such unwanted motion could occur (because of the operation of the leg-rest actuating link 180 with the leg-rest link the position of the seat control lever 138 with respect to the side rail 112a is such that the extremely simple and extremely inexpensive provision of a single pin on the side rail 112a can preclude second movement phase motion even under such abnormal conditions as someone grasping the front of the seat 120 attempting to lift it upwardly or someone exerting a strong moment on the back-rest 122.

The seat control lever 138 has a further pivot 158 connected to the front of the connecting link 154 the rear of which is connected at pivot 156 to the lower end of the back-rest strap 122a and therefore to the lower end of back-rest 122. The four bar linkage for operation and control of the seat and back-rest during the second movement phase is thus established in the back-rest strap 122a, the seat rail 120a between the seat-back-rest pivot 144 and the pivot 140, the seat control lever 138 between the pivot 140 and the pivot 158 and the connecting link 154. A notch 142a is formed in the upper surface of the connecting link 154 which engages the stop 142 on the seat 7 control lever when the fully reclined position is reached (see FIG. 6).

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 for a description of a second embodiment of the present invention generally similar to chair 10 but with a variation in the specific linkage arrangement. The chair of FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 is generally similar to the chair 10 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and will be described in the same terms using part numbers analogous to those used in connection with chair 19 numbers but in the 200 series rather than the tens series. The chair 210 includes a support 212 with cross braces 214, legs 216, arms 218 and a body-supporting unit comprising a seat 220 and back-rest 222 and a legrest 224 mounted in the frame 212 by means of a mounting linkage 226 comprising a body-supporting unit mounting linkage 228 and leg-rest mounting linkage 230. The leg-rest mounting linkage 230 is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and hence will not be further described here.

The body-supporting unit mounting linkage 228 includes a front guide link 232 mounted at its lower end on the front pivotal mount 234 and is interconnected to a seat control lever 238 at the front guide link pivot 236. The seat control lever 238 is interconnected with the seat 220 by the connecting link 254 which is connected at its upper end to a second pivot 240 of the seat control lever and which is pivotally mounted at its lower end on the seat at seat pivot 256. At its rearward end, the seat con trol lever 238 is interconnected with the back-rest 222 at a back-rest extension 222a and specifically at the pivot 258. The back-rest 222 is pivoted to the seat 220 at a seat-back-rest pivot 244 and is further mounted on the frame 212 by the back-rest link or rear guide link 246 at the back-rest pivot 250, the back-rest link 246 being mounted on the frame 212 at the rear pivotal mount 248. An appropriate stop 252 is provided to define the rearwardmost position of the back-rest link 246 thereby to allow the back-rest pivot 250 to function as a stationary pivot during the second movement phase. A stop 242 is mounted on the seat 220 and engages the seat control lever 238 (or the front of the back-rest extension 222a) during the first movement phase essentially holding the seat control lever stationary during that phase of movement such that the pivotal connection 236 of the upper end of the front guide link 232 serves as a fixed pivot point on the seat 220 during the first movement phase.

During the first movement phase in response to rearward pressure by the chair occupant, the front guide link 232 pivots rearwardly (in a clockwise direction) about the front pivotal mount 234 and the rear guide link or backrest link 246 similarly pivots rearwardly about the rear pivotal mount 248 thus transporting the seat 220 and the back-rest 220 rearwardly and tilting same slightly until the rear guide link 246 engages the stop 252 defining the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG. 2. During this movement, the leg-rest mounting linkage 230 is actuated by the actuating link 280 to move the leg-rest 224 to its extended leg-supporting position.

Further rearward force by the chair occupant on the back-rest 220 causes the chair to move into its fully reclined position with an increased angle between the seat and back-rest. During this movement, the back-rest 220 pivots rearwardly about the back-rest pivot 250 and the seat 220 is moved upwardly by the upward movement of the back-rest extension 222a acting upon the seat control lever 238 and its appropriate connection to the seat 220. During this movement, the body-supporting unit is guided by a four bar linkage in which the first link is the backrest between the pivots 258, 244, the second link is the seat control lever 238 between the pivots 258 and 240, the third link is the connecting link 254 and the fourth link is the seat between the pivots 256 and 244 with the entire four .bar linkage being mounted at 250 on the back-rest link and on pivot 236 at the front guide link 232. As is the ease with the chair 10 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the chair designer may vary the action of the linkage system during the second movement phase without a harmful variation in the motion during the first movement phase and similarly the links controlling the first movement phase may be varied without harmfully affecting motion in the second movement phase.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the linkage system in accordance with the present invention, as exemplified by the two chairs described above, is of an extremely simple design necessitating a minimum number of pieces of minimum sizes thus presenting minimum cost and a minimum of manufacturing and performance problems. Combined with this, those skilled in the art will recognize that the linkage system described enables the designer to vary the balance in the reclining chair by relatively simple operations which do not deleteriously affect other operations of the linkage system thereby allowing the disclosed linkages to be used in a variety of different styles or designs of chairs.

Although there have been only three embodiments of the present invention shown herein, the gist of the invention may be incorporated in reclining chairs which vary in major or minor respects from those specifically disclosed herein. Accordingly, the following claims should be construed in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, body-supporting unit mounting means including a front guide link secured at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a seat control lever having three spaced pivots, a first one of said three pivots pivoted to the upper end of said front guide link, a second one of said three pivots pivotally interconnected with said seat and a third one of said three pivots being pivotally interconnected with said back-rest, a rear guide link secured at its lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount and pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back rest pivot, said seat and said back-rest being pivoted together at a seat-backrest pivot spaced from said back-rest pivot, a connecting link forming the pivotal connection between one of said lever and said seat and said lever and said backrest, first stop means operable during said first movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said seat during the first movement phase, and second stop means operable during said second movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of said rear guide link during said second movement phase, said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said back-rest during said second movement phase, said front and said rear guide links pivoting rearwardly about said front and said rear pivotal mounts respectively guiding said seat and back-rest during said first movement phase, said back-rest pivoting about said back-rest pivot during said second movement phase increasing the included angle between said seat and said back-rest.

2. In a reclining chair in accordance with claim 1, a leg-rest and a leg-rest mounting linkage mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of said body-supporting unit during said first movement phase.

3. A reclining chair in accordance with claim 1 wherein said seat control lever is pivoted directly to said seat and said connecting link is pivoted at one end to said seat control lever and at its other end to said back-rest.

4. A reclining chair in accordance with claim 1 wherein said seat control lever is pivoted directly to said backrest and said connecting link is pivoted at one end to said seat control lever and at its other end to said seat.

5. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, a leg-rest, a leg-rest mounting linkage mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of said body-supporting units during the first movement phase, body-supporting unit mounting means including a front guide link secured at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a seat control lever having three spaced pivots, a first one of said three pivots pivoted to the upper end of said front guide link, a second one of said three pivots pivotally interconnected with said seat and a third one of said three pivots being pivotally interconnected with said back-rest, a rear guide link secured at its lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount and pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back-rest pivot, said seat and said back-rest being pivoted together at a seat-'back-rest pivot spaced from said back-rest pivot, a connecting link forming the pivotal connection between one of said lever and said seat and said lever and said back-rest, said seat, backrest, seat control lever and connecting link forming a four-bar mounting linkage operable during said second movement phase to increase the angle between said seat and back-rest, first stop means operable during said first movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said seat during the first movement phase, second stop means operable during said second movement phase for restraining pivotal movement of said rear guide link during said second movement phase, said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said backrest during said second movement phase, said front and said rear guide links pivoting rearwardly about said front and said rear pivotal mounts respectively guiding said seat and back-rest during said first movement phase, with substantially no change in the included angle therebetween, said back-rest pivoting about said back-rest pivot during said second movement phase increasing the included angle between said seat and said back-rest, and actuating means for said leg-rest mounting linkage, said actuating means and said leg-rest linkage cooperating with said body-supporting unit mounting means to insure sequenced operation of said body-supporting means first in said first movement phase and subsequently in said second movement phase.

6. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, body-supporting unit mounting means including means pivotally interconnecting said seat and said back-rest at a seatback-rest pivot, a front guide link, said front guide link pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted at a lever pivot on said seat, said front guide link being pivoted to said lever at a point removed from said lever pivot, stop means for maintaining said lever stationary with respect to said seat during said first movement phase, said front guide link pivoting about said front pivotal mount during said first movement phase guiding said seat rearwardly and raising the forward portion of said seat slightly, at rear guide link, said rear guide link being pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount, said rear guide link being pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back-rest pivot spaced from said seat-backrest pivot, said rear guide link being substantially vertical in said upright sitting position and being tilted rearwardly in said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said fully reclined position, stop means holding said rear guide link stationary during said second movement phase with said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said back-rest during said second movement phase, and a seat back-rest coordinating link pivotally interconnecting said lever at a point spaced from said lever pivot and from the pivot between said lever and said front guide link and said back-rest at a point spaced from said seatback-rest pivot and from said back-rest pivot, said bodysupporting unit being guided by said front and rear guide links during said first movement phase with said lever remaining stationary, said lever moving during said second movement phase and said back-rest pivoting about said stationary back-rest pivot during said second movement phase to increase the included angle between said seat and back-rest.

7. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, a leg-rest, a leg-rest mounting linkage mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position be neath the forward end of said seat to an elevated legsupporting position in front of said seat in response to movement of said body-supporting unit in said first movement phase, body-supporting unit mounting means including means pivotally interconnecting said seat and said back-rest at a seat-back-rest pivot, a front guide link, said front guide link pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a bell crank lever pivot-ally mounted at a lever pivot on said seat, said front guide link being pivoted to said lever at a point removed from said lever pivot, stop means for maintaining said lever stationary with respect to said seat during said first movement phase, said front guide link pivoting about said front pivotal mount during said first movement phase guiding said seat rearwardly and raising the forward portion of said seat slightly, a rear guide link, said rear guide link being pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount, said rear guide link being pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back-rest pivot spaced from said seat-back-rest pivot, said rear guide link being substantially vertical in said upright sitting position and being tilted rearwardly in said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said fully reclined position, stop means holding said rear guide link stationary during said second movement phase with said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said back-rest during said second movement phase, a seat-back-rest coordinating link pivotally interoonnecting said lever at a point spaced from said lever pivot and from the pivot between said lever and said front guide link and said back-rest at a point spaced from said seat-back-rest pivot and from said backrest pivot, and actuating means for said leg-rest mounting linkage, said body-supporting unit 'being guided by said front and rear guide links during said first movement phase with substantially no change in the angular relation between said seat and back-rest and with said lever remaining stationary, said lever moving during said second movement phase and said back-rest pivoting about said stationary back-rest pivot during said second movement phase to increase the included angle between said seat and back-rest, said actuating means for said leg-rest cooperating with said body-supporting unit mounting means to insure operation through the first movement phase and subsequently through the second movement phase.

8. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, body-supporting unit mounting means including means ivotally interconnecting said seat and said backrest at a seat-back-rest pivot, a front guide link, said front guide link pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to said seat at a lever pivot, said lever being pivotally mounted on said back-rest, said front guide link being pivoted to said lever at a point removed from said lever pivot, stop means for maintaining said lever stationary with respect to said seat during said first movement phase, said front guide link pivoting about said front pivotal mount during said first movement phase guiding said seat rearwardly and raising the forward portion of said seat slightly, a rear guide link, said rear guide link being pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount, said rear guide link being pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back-rest pivot spaced from said seat-back-rezt pivot, said rear guide link being substantially vertical in said upright sitting position and being tilted rearwardly in said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said fully reclined position, stop means holding said rear guide link stationary during said second movement phase with said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said back-rest during said second movement phase, and a seat-back-rest coordinating link pivotally interconnecting said lever at a point spaced from said lever pivot and from the pivot between said lever and said front guide link and said seat at a point spaced from said seat-back-rest pivot, said body-supporting unit being guided by said front and rear guide links during said first movement phase with said lever remaining stationary, said lever moving during said second movement phase and said back-rest pivoting about said stationary back-rest pivot during said second movement phase to increase the included angle between said seat and back-rest.

9. A multiple position reclining chair comprising an arm frame, a body-supporting unit including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said frame for movement through a first movement phase from an upright sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for further movement through a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, a leg-rest, a leg-rest mounting linkage mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position beneath the forward end of said seat to an elevated leg-supporting position in front of said seat in response to movement of said body-supporting unit in said first movement phase, body-supporting unit mounting means including means pivotally interconnecting said seat and said back-rest at a seat-back-rest pivot, a front guide link, said front guide link pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame at a front pivotal mount, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to said seat at a lever pivot, said lever being pivotally mounted on said back-rest, said front guide link being pivoted to said lever at a point removed from said lever pivot, stop means for maintaining said lever stationary with respect to said seat during said first movement phase, said front guide link pivoting about said front pivotal mount during said first movement phase guiding said seat rearwardly and raising the forward portion of said seat slightly, a rear guide link, said rear guide link being pivotally connected at its .lower end to said frame at a rear pivotal mount, said rear guide link being pivoted at its upper end to said back-rest at a back-rest pivot spaced from said seat-back-rest pivot, said rear guide link being substantially vertical in said upright sitting position and being tilted rearwardly in said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said fully reclined position, stop means holding said rear guide link stationary during said second movement phase with said back-rest pivot providing a stationary pivot for said back-rest during said secondmovement phase, a seat-backrest coordinating link pivotally interconnecting said lever at a point spaced from said lever pivot and from the pivot between said lever and said front guide link and said seat at a point spaced from said seat-back-rest pivot, and actuating means for said leg-rest mounting linkage, said body-supporting :unit being guided by said front and rear guide links during said first movement phase with substantially no change in the angular relation between said seat and back-rest and with said lever remaining stationary, said lever moving during said second movement phase and said back-rest pivoting about said stationary back-rest pivot during said second movement phase to increase the included angle between said seat and back-rest, said actuating means for said leg-rest cooperating with said body-supporting unit mounting means to insure operation through the first movement phase and subsequently through the second movement phase.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,939,515 6/ 1960 Schliephacke 297- 3,269,769 8/1966 Mizelle 297-85 3,302,969 2/1967 Mizelle et a1 29785 3,322,459 5/1967 Hampton 297-85 JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

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