US3032372A - Multiple position reclining chair - Google Patents

Description

May 1, 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,032,372

MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1960 INVENTOR. FR/DK/OF A JCHZ /PA/AC,

M 4 w? ,qrroRA/E/ y 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,032,372

MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR.

Filed March 14, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

EQ/DTJOF' E SCHL AFPHACZE y 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,032,372

' MULTIPLE POSITION RECLINING CHAIR Filed March 14, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 4.

\ IN VEN TOR.

FQ/DZ/OF E SUM/[FHA Ck! w w A 2 V I itev The present invention relates to improvements in adjustable reclining chairs and in particular relates to new and improved seat control means for reclining chairs of the multiple position type.

In multiple position reclining chairs, the seat and backrest are independently mounted for movement to various inclined and reclined positions and the angle therebetween varies during such reclining movement. In chairs of this type, the seat and back-rest are mounted for movement from an upright sitting position through a first motion phase to an intermediate, semi-reclined position, and then in a second motion phase through various reclining positions to a fully-reclined position. Such type of chair also includes a leg-rest and leg-rest control means operative in response to movement of the seat and back-rest to move the leg-rest to an extended leg-supporting position during the first motion phase, and to maintain the leg-rest in proper leg-supporting position during the second motion phase.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair of the type described having improved control means in the nature of two seat control links for moving the seat at different rates relative to the back-rest in the two motion phases.

Another object of the invention is the provision of seat control means of the character described in which one of the seat control links raises the forward portion of the seat at a slow rate during the first motion phase so that in the intermediate semi-reclined position, the seat is only slightly inclined, and in which the other seat control link automatically takes over the seat raising operation during the second motion phase and raises the forward portion of the seat at a substantially faster rate so that the seat is appreciably inclined in the fully-reclined position of the chair.

In accordance with the invention, the chair includes a four-bar actuating linkage formed separately from the seat and driven in response to movement of the back-rest, and a pair of seat control links connecting the four-bar actuating linkage to the seat. Each seat control link provides a lost motion connection between the actuating linkage and the seat, the lost motion connection being in the nature of a pin-and-slot coupling. The control means is so arranged that a lost motion action is effected by one of the seat control links during the first motion phase while the other seat control link provides a direct connection between the actuating linkage and the seat. During the second motion phase, the other seat control link effects a lost motion action, while the first seat control link raises the seat further and at a difierent rate.

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 and shown in an upright sitting position with the leg-rest retracted.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chair parts in an intermediate, semireclined position, with the leg-rest in extended, legsupporting position.

FIG. 3 is'a side elevational view similar to FIG-S. 1 and atet 2 2, but illustrating the chair parts in their fully-reclined position.

PIG. 4 is a side elevation view, with parts broken away and shownin section, of a reclining chair incorporating a modified type of seat control means made in accordance with the invention, the chair being shown in an upright sitting position with the leg-rest retracted.

FIG. 5 is a sideelevational view of the chair shown in FIG. 4, out with the chair parts illustrated in an intermediate semi-reclined position and the leg-rest extended;

ano

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but showing'the chair parts in their fully-reclined position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the reclining chair shown therein includes a support frame designated generally by the reference numeral 10, and having a pair of spaced side walls 12 and 14 connected by cross bars or braces 16, 18 and20. The support frame it is supported above the floor surface by the usual legs 22. v

The chair also includes a body-supporting structure designated generally by reference numeral 24 and comprising a back-rest 26 and a seat 28. At its lower end portion the back-rest is mounted on the support frame 19 by pivot 38!. A bar 32 is affixed along the lower end of the seat 23 and projects from the rear end thereof, the projecting rear end, of the bar 32 being connected by the pivot 30 to the support frame 10. Thus, both the seat 28 and back-rest 26 are pivotally mounted on the support frame by the same pivot 30' but are independently turnable thereabout. l

The back-rest 26. has an extension bar 34 rigidly mounted thereon and depending beneath its'bottom end. This extension bar 34 is connected by pivot 36 to one end of an actuating link 38, the other end of which is connccted by pivot 4i? to an intermediate point on a guide link 42. At its upper end the guide link is mounted by pivot 44 on the support frame 10.

Movement of the seat is effected by a pair of seat control links 46 and 43, both of which are mounted on the guide link 42. The rear seat control link 46 is mounted by pivot 56" at an intermediate point on the guide link 42 while the front seat control link 48 is mounted by pivot 52. on the bottom end of said guide link;

Both seat control links 46 and 48 have lost motion connections with the seat 28, which are illustrated in the form of pin-and-slot couplings. Specifically, the rear seat control link 46 has an elongated longitudinal slot 54 at its upper end which slidably receives a pivot pin 56 rigidly connected to the seat 28. Similarly, the front seat control link 4% has at its upper end a shorter longitudinal slot 58 which slidably receives a pivot pin 60 rigidly connected to the seat 28 at a point spaced forwardly of the pin 56.

It will be observed that a four-bar linkage is formed by the actuating link 38, the upper portion of guide link 42, the back-rest extension bar 34, and the portion of the support frame 10 between the fixed pivots 30 and 44 as the stationary link of the four-bar linkage. This fourbar linkage is actuated by movement of the back-rest and serves as the drive means for the seat movement, although the seat 28 is not a part of this four-bar linkage. The seat control links 46 and 4d serve as the connection between the four-bar drive linkage and the seat, and through their lost- motion couplings 54, 56 and 58, 6t effect different seat movements in the proper sequence during the two motion phases in a manner which will now be described.

In the upright sitting position of the chair shown in FIG. 1, the back-rest extension bar 34 rests against the rear cross-bar 20, .thereby preventing the back-rest 26 u! from pivoting forwardly. The guide link 42 is slightly rearwardly inclined and both seat control links 46 and 48 are inclined upwardly and forwardly from said guide link toward said seat. The pivot pin 60 is located at the upper end of the slot 58. The pin 56 is, however, located at the bottom end of the slot 56 of rear seat control link 46, the latter serving to support the forward end of the seat in this sitting position.

When the occupant of the chair in the sitting position of FIG. 1 Wishes to assume a more reclined position for further relaxation, he leans rearwardly against the backrest 26, causing the latter to turn about its pivotal mount 30. During such turning movement, the upper portion of the back-rest moves rearwardly while the back-rest portion below the pivot 36 moves upwardly and forwardly, carrying with it the depending back-rest extension 34. The actuating link 38 is pushed forwardly by the backrest extension 34, and in turn pushes the guide link 42, causing the latter to turn forwardly about its pivotal mount 44. The guide link 42 thus raises both seat control links 46 and 48. During this first motion phase, the forward seat control link 48 has no active effect upon the seat 28, the slot 58 merely sliding relative to the seat pivot pin 60, until in the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, the pin 60 is located at an intermediate point in the slot 58. On the other hand, since the seat pivot pin 56 is in engagement with the rear seat control link 46 at the bottom of slot 54 in the sitting position of FIG. 1, said rear seat control link 46 is effective to raise the forward end portion of the seat 28 during the first motion phase, causing said seat to turn upwardly a short distance about its pivotal mount 30. The inclining movement of the seat 28 is small because the rear seat control link 46 is mounted by pivot 50 on the guide link 42 only a relatively short distance below the pivotal mount 44 of said guide link, and the rear seat control link 46 is therefore raised only a short distance. The front seat control link 48 is connected to the bottom end of the guide link, and is therefore raised a greater distance, this longer travel being allowed by the lost motion movement of the pin-and- slot coupling 58, 60. In the intermediate position of FIG. 2, therefore, the pin 60 is located close to the lower end of slot 58 and in such a position as to connect the seat 28 with the front seat control link '48 during the second motion phase, as will presently be described.

In the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, the back-rest 26 is slightly reclined and the seat 28 is slightly reclined. In such semi-reclined position, the occupant is disposed in a comfortable attitude, but is still in a substantially upright, active position with the eyes forwardly directed, whereby the occupant may conveniently read, view television, converse or the like.

If the occupant now wishes to assume a fully-reclined position for complete relaxation, he applies further rearward leaning pressure against the back-rest 26. The backrest thus turns further about its pivotal mount 30, and further actuates the guide link 42 through the extension 34 and actuating link 33. Thus, during the second motion phase, the guide link 42 is turned forwardly and upwardly about its pivotal mount 44 until, in the fullyreclined position of FIG. 3, it is disposed almost horizontally. During such pivoting motion, the guide link again raises both seat control links 46 and 48.

As was previously indicated, the front seat control link 48 is imparted with a longer movement than the rear seat control link 46, because the former is mounted on the guide link 42 a greater distance from the pivotal mount 44. Consequently, during the second motion phase, the seat 28 is initially raised by the rear seat control link 46, but the bottom end of slot 58 soon engages the seat pivot pin 60 and the front seat control link 48 then takes over the function of lifting the seat forward portion. As soon as the pin 60 engages the bottom of slot 58, the front seat control link 48 begins to turn the seat 28 aboutits pivotal mount 39 at a faster rate than did the rear seat control link 46. A lost motion movement is then provided by the pin-and- slot coupling 54, 56, since the seat is being moved upwardly at a faster rate than the rear seat control link 46. The seat pivot pin 56 thus slides upwardly in the slot 54 until, in the fully-reclined position 0 FIG. 3, it is located at the top of said slot 54.

It will thus be appreciated that while the seat movement during the first motion phase was relatively small under the influence of the slow-moving rear seat control link 46, the ratio of seat movement relative to back-rest movement during the second motion phase is appreciably increased under the influence of the faster-moving front seat control link 48. In the fully-reclined position of FIG. 3, the seat 28 is substantially inclined, and the occupant is disposed in a completely relaxed position.

The fully-reclined position of FIG. 3 is determined by engagement of the back-rest extension 34 with the crossbar 18, the latter acting as a stop to prevent further rearward movement. The seat 28 is supported in this position by engagement of the pivot pin 60 with the bottom end of slot 58.

The chair also includes a leg-rest 66 which is controlled and guided by a leg-rest control linkage which may be of any suitable type, capable of moving the legrest from the retracted position of FIG. 1 to the extended leg-supporting positions of FIGS. 2 and 3. For purposes of illustration the leg-rest control linkage, designated generally by reference numeral 68, is shown as including a first pair of links '70 and 72 depending from the forward portion of the seat 28 and connected at spaced points thereon by respective pivots 74 and 76, and a second pair of links 78 and 80 connected to spaced points on the leg-rest 66 by respective pivots 86 and 88. The end of link 70 is connected by pivot 82 to the end of link 78, while the links 72 and 80 are connected end-to-end by pivot 84. The link 74) crosses over the link 80 and is connected thereto at the crossing-over point by a pivot 90 so that movement of the link pairs is coordinated.

The leg-rest control linkage 68 is driven by an actuating link 92, the forward end of which is connected by pivot 94 to the upper portion of link 72. The rear end of actuating link 92 is mounted by pivot 40 on the guide link 42.

When the guide link 42 is pivoted forwardly during the first motion phase, it moves the actuating link 92 forwardly, and since the latter is connected by pivot 94 to the link 72 at a point close to the pivotal mount 76 thereof, the link 72 is swung up a relatively long distance, raising the leg-rest 66 to the extended leg-supporting position of FIG. 2. During the second motion phase, the actuating link 92 continues to be raised and moved forwardly by the guide link 42, so that as the forward end of the seat 28 is raised, the leg-rest 66 is raised with it and is maintained at proper leg-supporting level in the fully-reclined position of FIG. 3.

To return from the fully-reclined position to the upright sitting position, the occupant need only apply downward pressure upon the extended leg-rest 66 and the chair movement is reversed, the seat and back-rest passing through the intermediate semi-reclined position and finally arriving at the upright position of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 through 6 illustrate a modified type of seat control structure in which the front and rear control links have lost motion connections with the guide link rather than with the seat.

In the chair shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the body-support ing unit and support frame are identical to those shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, and are therefore not illustrated in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the seat and back-rest are independently mounted on the support frame and when the back-rest is pivoted rearwardly, it actuates seat control linkage to raise the seat.

Movement of the seat 128 is again guided by a pair of seat control links 196 and 200 which, in this instance,

are connected by fixed pivots 160 and 156 to the forward end of the seat 128. Both seat control links 196 and 200 are carried by the guide link 142 and have lost motion connections therewith in the nature of pin-andslot couplings. Thus, the rear seat control link 260 has an elongated longitudinal slot 202 at its lower end which slidably receives a pivot pin 150 rigidly located at the intermediate portion of guide link 142. The front control link 196 also has a longitudinal slot 198 at its lower end which slidably receives a pivot pin 152 rigidly carried at the bottom end of the guide link 196.

The guide link 142 is mounted by a fixed pivot 144 on a position of the support frame. An actuating link 138 is connected by pivot 146 to the guide link 142 at a point between the pivot pins 150 and 152. The rear end of the actuating link is pivotally connected to a depending extension of the chair back-rest in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The leg-rest 166 is again carried by a leg-rest control linkage 168 which is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The linkage 168 includes a first pair of links 179 and 172 depending from the forward portion of seat 128 and connected at spaced points thereon by respective pivots 174 and 176, and a second pair of links 178 and 180 connected to spaced points on the leg-rest 166 by respective pivots 186 and 188. The end of link 1711 is connected by pivot 182 to the end of link 178, while the links 172 and 180 are connected end-to-end by pivot 184. The link 170 crosses over the link 180 and is connected thereto at the crossing-over point by pivot 190 so that movement of the link pairs is coordinated.

The leg-rest control linkage 168 is again driven by an actuating link 192, the forward end of which is connected by pivot 194 to the upper portion of link 172. The rear end of actuating link 192 is mounted by pivot 140 on the guide link 142.

In the upright sitting position of the chair shown in FIG. 4, the guide link 142 is slightly rearwardly inclined and both seat control links 196 and 200 are inclined upwardly and forwardly therefrom toward the seat 128. The pivot pin 150 is located at the upper end of slot 202, while the pivot pin 152 is located at the bottom end of slot 198. The body of rear control link 290 resting on the pin 150, serves to support the forward end of the seat 128 in the sitting position.

When the back-rest is pivoted rearwardly during the first motion phase, its depending extension pushes the actuating link 138 forwardly in the manner previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. l-3. As the actuating link 138 moves forwardly, it pushes the guide link 142, causing the latter to turn forwardly about its pivotal mount 144. As the guide link 142 moves forwardly and upwardly, it raises the rear control link 200 because of the engagement of pin 150 with the top of slot 202. The front control link 196 is not raised by the guide link 142, however, the pin 152 merely sliding upwardly in the slot 198. Thus, during the first motion phase, the rear seat control link 200 raises the forward end portion of the seat 128 during the first motion phase, causing the seat to turn upwardly a short distance about its pivotal mount on the support frame. This inclining movement of the seat 128 is small because the rear seat control link 200 is mounted by pivot 150 on the guide link 142 only a short distance below the pivotal mount 144 of said guide link. The front control link 196 has no active effect on the seat during the first motion phase because of the lost motion provided by the pin-and- slot coupling 152, 198.

At the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 5, the seat 128 is slightly reclined, and the occupant of the chair is in a comfortable, but still substantially upright attitude. The guide link 142 is now slightly forwardly inclined, and the pin 152 is located at an intermediate point in the slot 198. In moving forwardly, the guide link 142 pushes actuating link 192 forwardly, thereby 6 extending the leg-rest control linkage 168 and raising the leg-rest 166 to the extended position shown in FIG. 5.

The chair occupant may now apply further rearward pressure against the back-rest to move the chair parts through a second motion phase to the fully-reclined position of FIG. 6. The back-rest thus turns further about its pivotal mount and further actuates the guide link 142 through the actuating link 138. The guide link 142 turns forwardly and upwardly about its pivotal mount 144 until, in the fully-reclined position of FIG. 6, it is disposed almost horizontally.

As the guide link 142 pivots upwardly during the second motion phase, the pin 152 moves through slot 198 until it engages the top of said slot 198. This provides a fixed pivotal connection between the guide link 142 and the front control link 196. Since this connection is further from the guide link pivotal mount 144 than is the pivotal connection 150, 202 of the rear control link 2410. The front control link 196 is raised at a faster rate than the rear control link 200. Consequently, during the second motion phase, the front control link 196 soon takes over the function of lifting the seat forward portion. As soon as the pin 152 engages the top of slot 198, the front seat control link 196 begins to raise the seat 128 at a faster rate than did the rear seat control link 290'. A lost motion movement is then provided by the pin-and- slot coupling 150, 202, since the seat is being moved upwardly at a faster rate than the rear seat control link 200. The pivot pin thus slides downwardly in the slot 202 until, in the fully-reclined position of FIG. 6, it is located at the bottom of slot 202.

As was explained previously in connection with FIGS. 1-3, the seat movement during the first motion phase is relatively small under the influence of the slow-moving rear seat control link 200, while the seat movement during the second motion phase is appreciably increased under the influence of the faster-moving front control link 192. In the fully-reclined position of FIG. 6, the seat 128 is substantially inclined, and the occupant is disposed in a completely relaxed position.

During the second motion phase, the actuating link 192 is further raised by the guide link 142, so that a the forward end of the seat 128 is raised, the leg-rest 166 is raised with it and is maintained at a proper leg-supporting level.

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 reclining chair comprisin a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, said seat control means comprising a four-bar actuating linkage including a portion of said back-rest and a guide link movably mounted on said support frame, first and second seat control links each connected at one end to spaced points on the seat and at the other end to spaced points in the guide link, the connection at one end of each seat control link being a pin-andslot coupling, the pin-and-slot coupling of the first seat control link providing a lost motion movement during the first motion phase with the second seat control link guiding the seat, the pin-and-slot coupling of the second seat control link providing a lost motion movement during the second motion phase with the first seat control link guiding the seat.

2. A reclining chair according to claim 1 in which the pin-and-slot couplings connect the seat control links to the seat.

3. A reclining chair according to claim 1 in which the pin-and-slot couplings connect the seat control link to the guide link.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, said seat control means comprising a guide link movably mounted on said support frame, and operatively connected to said back-rest for pivoting movement in response to reclining movement of the back-rest, first and second seat control links pivotally mounted at spaced points on said guide link for upward movement when said guide link is pivoted, first and second lost motion couplings respectively connecting said first and second seat control links to spaced points on said seat, said first coupling providing a lost motion movement between the seat and said first control link during said first motion phase while the second control link guides the seat through the second coupling, the first coupling then providing a fixed pivotal connection between the seat and the first control link whereby the latter guides the seat during the second motion phase, with the second coupling providing a lost motion movement between the seat and second control link.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, said seat control means comprising a four-bar actuating linkage including a portion of said back-rest and a guide link movably mounted on said support frame, a pair of seat control links pivotally mounted at spaced points on said guide link for upward movement when said guide link is pivoted as part of said four-bar actuating linkage, a lost motion coupling for each of said seat control links and connecting the latter to spaced points on said seat, one of said seat control links guid ing said seat during said first motion phase while the lost motion coupling of the other seat control link is effective to permit the seat to move relative to the latter, said other seat control link further guiding the seat during the second motion phase, with the lost motion coupling of said one seat control link operating to permit movement of said seat relative thereto.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, said seat control means including a guide link pivotally mounted at its upper end on said support frame and operatively connected to the back-rest for forward movement in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, a first seat control link pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on said guide link, a second seat control link pivotally mounted on the lower end of said guide link, a pin-and-slot coupling connecting the first seat control link to the seat, and a second pin-.and-slot coupling connecting the second control link to the seat at a point spaced forwardly of the connection between the first control link and the seat, both said seat control links being raised by said guide link during said first motion phase with the first guide link raising the forward portion of the seat through said first pin-and-slot coupling and with a sliding action between the pin-andslot of the second pin-and-slot coupling, the pin engaging the end slot of said second pin-and-slot coupling during said second motion phase, whereby the second seat control link raises the seat, and the first pin-and-slot coupling providing a lost motion action during said second motion phase to permit the seat to be raised relative to the first seat actuating link.

7. A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means operatively connected to said seat and said back-rest for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, said seat control means including a guide link pivotally mounted at its upper end on said support frame and operatively connected to the back-rest for forward movement in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, a first seat control link pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on said guide link, a second seat control link pivotally mounted on the lower end of said guide link, a pin-and-slot coupling connecting the first seat control link to the seat, a second pin-and-slot coupling connecting the second control link to the seat at a point spaced forwardly of the connection between the first control link and the seat, both said seat control links being raised by said guide link during said first motion phase with the first guide link raising the forward portion of the seat through said first pin-and-siot coupling and with a sliding action between the pin-and-slot of the second pin-and-slot coupling, the pin engaging the end of the slot of said second pin-and-slot coupling during said second motion phase, whereby the second seat control link raises the seat, and the first pin-and-slot coupling providing a 10st motion action during said second motion phase to permit the seat to be raised relative to the first seat actuating link, a leg-rest, link means mounting the leg-rest on the seat for movement between a retracted position beneath the seat and various extended leg-supporting positions, and an actuating link pivotally mounted on the guide link and pivotally connected to said link means, said actuating link being moved upwardly and forwardly by said guide link during said first motion phase to bring the leg-rest to an extended leg-supporting position and being moved further upwardly and forwardly during the second motion phase to raise the leg-rest further to another extended leg-supporting position.

8. A reclining chair comprising a support frame, a back-rest and a seat independently mounted on the support frame for movement through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate position and for further movement through a second motion phase to a fully-reclined position, and seat control means for controlling the movement of said seat in response to rearward movement of said back-rest in both of said motion phases, a four-bar actuating linkage comprising an extension of said back-rest below the pivotal mount of said back-rest on the support frame, a guide link pivotally mounted on said support frame and depending therefrom, an actuating link connecting said extension and said guide link, and the portion of the support between the pivotal mount of the back-rest and the guide link thereon, said seat control means including first and second seat control links pivotally mounted at spaced points on said guide link for upward movement when said guide link is pivoted as part of said four-bar actuating linkage, first and second lost motion couplings respectively connecting said first and second control links to spaced points on said seat, the second control link raising the forward portion of said seat during said first motion phase while the first lost motion coupling is effective to permit the seat to move relative to the first control link, the first control link further raising the seat forward portion during the second motion phase, with the second lost motion coupling operating to permit movement of said seat relative to the second control link.

9. A reclining chair according to claim 8 in which said first control link is pivotally mounted on the lower end of said guide link and the second control link is pivotally mounted on an intermediate portion of the guide link at a point closer to the pivotal mount of the guide link on the support frame, the first control link being moved a greater distance by said guiding link than the second control link whereby the forward portion of the seat is raised a relatively short distance by the second control link during the first motion phase and a relatively long distance by the first control link during the second motion phase.

10. A reclining chair according to claim 9 in which said first lost motion coupling is located at a point on said seat spaced rearwardly from the second lost motion coupling.

11. A reclining chair according to claim 10 in which both lost motion couplings comprise pin-and-slot connections between the seat and the respective seat control links,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,497 Luckhardt Oct. 28, 1952 2,903,045 Viall Sept. 8, 1959 2,918,109 Schliephacke Dec. 22, 1959 2,918,113 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1959 2,940,509 Fletcher June 14, 1960 2,940,510 Schliephacke June 14, 1960 2,948,330 Lorenz Aug. 9, 1960

Images