US3047336A - Reclining chair and seat control - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,047,335

RECLINING CHAIR AND SEAT CONTROL Filed May 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

k 1. INVENTOR. i L/ 59/0273} r'-. SCHL/EPHACkE B TTM I July 31, 1962 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,047,336

RECLINING CHAIR AND SEAT CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed May 6, 1959 INVENTOR. FR/DK/OF F SCI-IL aka/A ME MW fiTTOE/VFYS Patented July 31, 1962 Free 3,047,336 RECLINING CHAIR AND SEAT CONTROL Fridtjof F. Schliephacke, Berlin-Schmargendorf, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed May 6, 1959, Ser. No. 811,315 8 Claims. (Cl. 29785) The present invention relates generally to reclining chairs, and in particular to an improved seat control and reclining chair incorporating such seat control. This is a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed application Serial No. 689,729 filed October 11, 1957 entitled Leg-Rest Mechanism for Reclining Article of Furniture, which has now matured into US. Patent No. 2,929,440 of March 22, 1960, which earlier filed application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed application Serial No. 651,709 filed April 9, 1957, now abandoned, and entitled A Reclining Article of Furniture.

The Well known reclining chair comprises a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively about back-rest and seat pivots, and a seat control arrangement operatively connected to the seat and controlled from the back-rest for inclining the seat as a function of the reclining movement of the backrest.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved seat control means for a reclining chair. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified seat control incorporating a toggle linkage for coordinating the inclination of the seat to the reclining of the back-rest.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, my improved seat control means includes a first link, a second link, means pivotally connecting the first link to the support at a pivotal mount, means pivotally connecting the second link to the seat at a control pivot and means operatively connected to the back-rest and to one of the first and second links for actuating the links in response to reclining movement such that the control pivot moves rearwardly and upwardly and the seat pivot moves rearwardly and downwardly in response to the reclining movement. This control function, in conjunction with the movement of the seat pivot, causes a compound inclination to be imparted to the seat. Advantageously the first and second links may be arranged as a toggle link pair, with a straightening action being imparted to this toggle link pair in response to the reclining movement for control functions in the chair.

Of recent times there has been developed a reclining chair referred to as the double movement type wherein during a first phase or portion of the reclining chair the seat and back-rest of the body-supporting means rocks or tilts rearwardly from the upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position with little or no change in the angular relationship between the seat and backrest and with the leg-rest being elevated to the requisite leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat; and during a second phase or portion of the reclining movement, the seat and back-rest move from the intermediate tilted position to a fully reclined position with an increase in the angle between the seat and back-rest and with the leg-rest remaining substantially in fixed relation to the seat and in the elevated leg-supporting position.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a reclining chair of the double movement type which comprises a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back rest having a depending extension, means movably mounting the back-rest on the support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, and

163118 movably mounting the seat on the back-rest at a seat pivot for inclining movement. Seat control means including a toggle linkage having a pivotal connection to the seat and a further pivotal connection to the support are provided, with the extension, the toggle linkage and the portion of the seat intermediate the pivotal connection and the seat pivot serving as movable links of the seat control means. Actuating means are operatively connected to the extension of the back-rest and the toggle linkage for inclining the seat inresponse to a first phase of the reclining movement of the back-rest. A leg-rest is provided which is mounted for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, with the leg-rest being controlled by a leg-rest control means operatively connected thereto and to the support and toggle linkage such that the leg-rest is moved to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to a first phase of the reclining movement. The toggle linkage is effective during a further phase of the reclining movement to bring about an increase in the angle between the seat and back-rest, with no appreciable relative movement beween the elevated leg-rest and the seat.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but illustrative embodiments according to the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an improved reclining chair demonstrating features of the present in vention, shown in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chair in an intermediate tilted position with the leg-rest in an elevated leg-supporting position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, but showing the reclining chair in a fully reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of reclining chair demonstnating further features of the invention, shown in the upright or sitting position; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the chair shown in FIG. .4 in a reclined position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown an improved reclining chair, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which includes a support or frame 12; having opposite sides 14 interconnected by appropriate cross braces, the adjacent side of the chair having been removed for clarity to expose the operating linkages at such side of the chair.

A body-supporting means including a back-rest 1.6 and a seat 18 are movably mounted on the support 12 for reclining and inclining movement respectively. Specifically, the back-rest is pivotally mounted on the support at a backrest pivot 2%), with an extension 16a thereof depending below the back-rest pivot. The seat 18 has secured thereto rearwardly directed hangers 22 which mount the seat at a seat pivot 24 on the back-rest 16. The seat pivot 24 is spaced above the back-rest pivot 20 and is movable rearwardly and downwardly in an are about the back-rest pivot 20 in response to chair movement, as will subsequently be described.

Seat control means, generally designated by the reference numeral 26, are provided for inclining the seat 18 as a function of and in response to the reclining move ment of the back-rest 16. Specifically, the seat control means includes a first or supporting link 28 having a pivotal mount 30 at its lower end on the support 12 and a second or seat control link 32 having a control pivot 34 on the seat 18. The first and second links 28 and 32 are disposed in converging relation, with the link 28' extending upwardly and rearwardly from its pivotal mount 3t and the link 32 extending rearwardly and downwardly from the control connection 34, with the adjacent rearward ends of the links 28, 32 being interconnected at a knee pivot 36. The links 28, 32 will be recognized as providing a toggle linkage pair, with the toggle action occurring as the knee pivot 36 moves towards an in-line position with respect to the pivots 3t), 34. The straightening action is imparted to the toggle linkage pair 28, 32 via an actuating or connecting link 38 having a pivotal connection 40 at its rearward end to the depending extension 16a of the back-rest 16 at a point spaced below the back-rest pivot 20 and a pivotal connection 42 at its forward end to one of the links of the toggle link pair 28, 32, which in this embodiment is seen to be the first or upporting link 28. The toggle links 28, 32, the portion of the seat 18 intermediate the control pivot 34 and the seat pivot 24, and the portion of the back-rest intermediate the seat pivot 24 and the back-rest pivot 20 all serve as movable links of the seat control means, with the portion of the support 12 intermediate the back-rest pivot 20 and the pivotal mount 30 serving as the stationary link thereof. In response to reclining movement of the backrest 16, the extension 16a via the actuating link 38 will be effective to cause the control pivot 34 to move rearwardly and upwardly, with the seat pivot 24 moving rearwardly and downwardly such that a compound inclination is imparted to the seat 18.

Disposed below the forward end of the seat 18 is a legrest 44 which is movable from a stored position (see FIG. 1) to various elevated leg-supporting positions (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The leg-rest is movably mounted by a leg-rest mounting and controlling arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 45, which is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 811,314, filed May 6, 1959 and entitled Improved Leg-Rest Control. The leg-rest mounting and controlling arrangement 45 includes an integral extension of the link 32, designated by the reference numeral 46, the links or arms 32, 46 constituting a double-arm lever having the control pivot 34 as a pivotal mount therefor. A leg-rest mounting linkage is operatively connected to the extension 46 and to the seat and includes a first link pair having first and second mounting links 48, 50 and a second link pair having first and second mounting links 52, 54. The first and second links 48, 58 of the first link pair have their adjacent ends pivotally connected at a pivot 56, while the first and second links 52, 54 of the second link pair have their adjacent ends pivotally connected at a pivot 58. The link 48 has a pivotal mount 68 on the seat adjacent the forward end thereof, while the link 52 has a pivotal mount 62 on the extension or rigid mounting arm 46 of the double arm lever 46, 32. The link 50 has a pivotal connection 64 at its forward end to the leg rest 44, while the link 54 has a pivotal connection 66 at a point adjacent to and spaced rearwardly of its forward end to the leg-rest 44, with the pivotal connection 66 being spaced from the pivotal connection 64. The link pairs 48, t and 52, 54 are coordinated by a pivotal interconnection 65. The pivot-a1 connection 64 is confined within a slot or guideway 68 formed in the leg-rest 44, with the pivotal connection 64- being connected via a control link 70 to the extension of the link 54 forwardly of the pivotal connection 66 at a further pivotal connection 72. The pivotal and slidable connection 64 of the leg-rest mounting linkage to the leg-rest 44- and the control link '70 and its pivotal connection 72 to the link 54 serves to properly position the leg-rest with respect to the seat during reclining movement as disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 689,729 filed October 11, 1956 and entitled Leg Rest Mechanism for Reclining Article of Furniture, which application has matured into US. Patent No. 2,929,440.

The link 52 of the second link pair 52, 54 includes an integral projection 52a extending upwardly from the pivotal mount 62 of the link 52 on the arm 46. A constraining link 74 has a pivotal connection 76 at its upper end to the extension 52a and a pivotal mount 78 d at its lower end to the support 12. During reclining movement, the constraining link 74 causes the link 52 of the leg-rest mounting linkage to turn on the pivotal mount 62, with the extension 52a moving in a clockwise direction about the pivotal mount 62 as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In order to close the gap between the leg-rest 44 and the forward end of the seat 18, there is provided a filler board 80 which is secured by bolts, rivets or the like 82 to the link 54 intermediate the pivotal connection 66, 65. The filler board 80 moves to a position intermediate the seat 18 and the leg-rest 44 when the latter is moved to the leg-supporting position.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understanding of this embodiment of the invention, there will now be described a typical sequence of operations.

When the chair occupant is seated in the chair It), and leans against the back-rest '16, the back-rest pivots around the back-rest pivot 20, with the depending ex tension 16a swinging through an upward and forward arc. The swinging movement of the extension 16a via the actuating or connecting link 38 causes the toggle link pair 28, 32 to straighten, with the knee pivot 36 moving toward a position in a line with the pivot 30, 34. The link 28 constitutes the driver of the toggle linkage mechanism and is constrained to move in a rotary path about the pivotal mount 30 to exert an axial force on the link 32 which constitutes the connecting link of the toggle linkage. The rotary motion of the driver under control of the back-rest extension 16a is such that the effective lever arm (which is the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the connecting link 32 to the center of rotation of the driver link 28) is less when the driver link is in the intermediate tilted position of FIG. 2 than in the initial sitting position of FIG. 1. The axial force produced in the connecting link 32 is transmitted to the seat 18 which is subjected to the toggle effect, with this toggle effect occurring between the upright or sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 and the intermediate tilted position shown in FIG. 2, with the intermediate tilted position occurring in advance of the final reclining position shown in FIG. 3. By employing this toggle effect, the seat 13 may be moved in relation to the back-rest in between the upright sitting position and the intermediate tilted position such that there is relatively no angular change in the relationship of the back-rest 16 and the seat 18, with the leg-rest 44 moving into an extended and elevated leg-supporting position During the second phase of the reclining movement very little inclining movement is imparted to the seat by the seat control mechanism and accordingly the back-rest 16 increases its angle relative to the seat 18, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 2 and 3. Insofar as the leg-rest control is concerned, the uniform motion imparted to the toggle linkage pair 28, 32 is effective during the first phase of the reclining movement to cause a relatively rapid elevation of the leg-rest until the pivots 30, 36, 34 of the toggle linkage approach the in-line or dead center position. Accordingly, when the reclining chair moves into the intermediate tilted position shown in FIG. 2, the leg-rest is substantially at its elevated leg-supporting position. As the in-line or dead center position of the toggle linkage is approached, the continued uniform motion imparted to the driver link 28 manifests itself as a rapidly decreasing turning movement of the follower and accordingly the leg-rest when once elevated, remains in a substantially fixed relation relative to the seat, with the angle between the seat 16 and the back-rest 18 opening up or increasing. In the final fully reclining position shown in FIG. 3 the leg-rest has moved up somewhat, with the seat and back-rest angle opening up to establish the requisite relationship therebetween for accommodating the chair occupant in a fully reclined position. When the chair occupant desires to restore the chair to the upright sitting position,

the occupant merely presses against the leg-rest which causes the chair to move through the successive positions, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, to the upright sitting position of FIG. 1.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, there is shown a further reclining chair 110 according to the present invention which includes a support or frame 112 having opposite sides 114 interconnected by appropriate cross braces, the adjacent side of the chair having been removed for clarity to expose the operating linkages at such side of the chair.

A body-supporting means including a back-rest 1'16 and a seat 118 are movably mounted on the support 112 for reclining and inclining movement respectively. Specifically, the back-rest is pivotally mounted on the support at a back-rest pivot 120, with an extension 116a thereof depending below the back-rest pivot. The seat 118 has secured thereto rearwardly directed hangers 122 which mount the seat at a seat pivot 124 on the back-rest 116. The seat pivot 124 is spaced above the back-rest 120 and is movable rearwardly and downwardly in an are about the back-rest 120 in response to chair movement, as will subsequently be described.

Seat control means, generally designated by the reference numeral 126, are provided for inclining the seat 118 as a function of and in response to the reclining movement of the back-rest 116. Specifically, the seat control means includes a first or supporting link or plate 128 having a pivotal mount 136 at its upper end on the support 112 and a second or seat control link 132 having a control pivot 134 on the seat 118'. The rearward end of the seat control link 13 2 is connected to the supporting link 1255 at a pivot 136 spaced below the pivotal mount 130. The linkage pair 128, 132 are actuated from an actuating or connecting link 138 having a pivotal connection 140 at its rearward end to the depending extension 116a of the back-rest 116, a point spaced below the backrest pivot 120 and a pivotal connection 142 at its forward end to the supporting link or plate 128 at a point spaced below the pivotal mount 13%. Link 128 intermediate pivots 130, 136, link 132, the portion of the seat 11% intermediate the control pivot 134 and the seat pivot 124, the portion of the back-rest intermediate the seat pivot 124 and the back-rest pivot 12% all serve as movable links of the seat control means, with the portion of the support 112 intermediate the back-rest pivot 120 and the pivotal mount 130 serve as the stationary link thereof. In response to reclining movement of the backrest 116, the extension 116a via the actuating link 138 will be effective to cause the pivot 134 to move rearwardly and upwardly, with the seat pivot 124 moving rearwardly and downwardly such that a compound inclination is imparted to the seat 118 in accordance with the proportions of the seat control linkage.

Disposed below the forward end of the seat 118 is a leg-rest 144 which is movable from a stored position (see FIG. 4) to various elevated leg-supporting positions (see FIG. 5). The leg rest 144 is movably mounted by a leg-rest mounting and controlling arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 145. The leg-rest mounting and control arrangement 145 includes a legrest mounting linkage operatively connected to the supporting plate 123, the seat 118 and the support 112 and includes a first link pair having first and second mounting links 148, 1511 and a second link pair having first and second mounting links 152, 154. The first and second links 148, 1511 of the first link pair have their adjacent ends pivotally connected at the pivot 156 while the first and second links 152, 154 of the second link pair have their adjacent ends pivotally connected at a pivot 158. The link 148 has a pivotal mount 168 on the seat adjacent the forward end thereof, while the link 152 has a pivotal mount 162 on the support 112. The link 150' has a pivotal connection 164 at its forward end to the legrest 144-, while the link 154 has a pivotal connection 166 at its forward end to the leg-rest 144-, with the pivotal 6 connection 166 being spaced from the pivotal connec tion 164. The link pairs 148, 150 and 152, 154- are coordinated at a pivotal interconnecton 165 at the crossover point of links 148, 154.

The link 152 of the second link pair 152, 154 is operatively connected to an actuating or connecting link 174 which has a pivotal connection 176 at its forward end to the link 152 and a pivotal connection 178 at its rearward end to the supporting link 128. During reclining movement the constraining link 174 causes the link 152 of the leg-rest mounting linkage to turn on the stationary pivotal mount 162, with the link 152 moving in a clockwise direction about the pivotal mount 162 as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 4 and 5.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understanding of this embodiment of the invention, there will now be described a typical sequence of operations:

When the chair occupant is seated in the chair and leans against the back-rest 116, the back-rest pivots about the back-rest pivot 120, with the depending extension 116a swinging through an upward and forward arc. The swinging movement of the extension 116a via the actuating or connecting link 13% causes the supporting plate or link 128 to swing about its pivotal mount on the support 112. As the supporting link or plate 128 swings in the clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 4, the seat control link 132 is effective to cause the seat control pivot 134 to swing through an upward and rearward are as the seat 118 moves rearwardly under the control of the back-rest, with the seat pivot 124 swinging through a rearward and downward are about the b ack-rest pivot 120. Further, as the supporting link or plate 128 swings through the forward arc, the leg-rest mounting linkage 146 is actuated via the actuating or connecting link 174 to move the leg-rest to an elevated legsupporting position.

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

I claim:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to be mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted sitting position with a substantially fixed angular relationship between said seat and back-rest and for a second movement phase from said intermediate tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position during which there is an increasing angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, means movably mounting said back-rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means movably mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said back-rest pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a toggle linkage for inclining said seat at a variable rate in response to uniform movement imparted thereto from said back-rest such that there is substantially no angular change between said seat and backrest during said first movement phase as said body-supporting means moves into said intermediate tilted sitting position and such that there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest during said second movement phase and as said body-supporting means moves into said fully reclined position, said toggle linkage mechanism including a pair of links joined together at a knee pivot and disposed at an angle with respect to each other in said sitting position, one of said links serving as a driver link and having a pivotal mount on said support and the other of said links serving as a connecting link and being pivotally connected to said seat to produce a toggle effect thereon, and means coupling said driver link to said back-rest such that said driver link moves in a rotary path and produces an axial force along the line of action of said connecting link such that said seat is inclined relative to said back-rest during said first movement phase to maintain said fixed angular relationship and is inclined during said second movement phase to establish said increasing angular relationship.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to be mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted sitting position with substantially no change in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest and for a second movement phase from said intermediate tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position during which there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said back-rest pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a toggle linkage for inclining said seat at a variable rate in response to uniform movement imparted thereto from said back-rest such that there is substantially no angular change between said seat and backrest during said first movement phase as said body-supporting means moves into said intermediate tilted sitting position and such that there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest during said second movement phase and as said body-supporting means moves into said fully reclined position, said toggle linkage mechanism including a pair of links joined together at a knee pivot and disposed at an angle with respect to each other in said sitting position, said pair of links approaching an in-line position with respect to each other during said first movement phase and as said bodysupporting means moves into said intermediate tilted sitting position, said pair of links further approaching said in-line position during said second movement phase and as said body-supporting means moves into said fully reclined position.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, bodysupporting means including a seat and back-rest adapted to be mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively for a first movement phase trom a sitting position to an intermediate tilted sitting position with substantially no change in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest and for a second movement phase from said intermediate tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position during which there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means movably mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot spaced above said back-rest pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a toggle linkage for inclining said seat at a variable rate in response to uniform movement imparted thereto from said back-rest such that there is substantially no angular change between said seat and back-rest during said first movement phase as said body-supporting means moves into said intermediate tilted sitting position and such that there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and backrest during said second movement phase and as said body-supporting means moves into said fully reclined position, said toggle linkage mechanism including a pair of links joined together at a knee pivot and disposed at an angle with respect to each other in said sitting position, one of said links serving as a driver link and being pivotally mounted on said support at a pivotal mount and the other of said links serving as a connecting link and being pivotally connected to said seat at a control pivot, and means coupling said driver link to said back-rest such that uniform movement is imparted to said driver link in response to said reclining movement, said driver and connecting links approaching an aligned position with respect to each other during said first movement phase and producing a substantially uniform inclination of said seat such that there is substantially no change in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, said driver and connecting links further approaching said aligned position during said second movement phase and producing a decreasing inclination of said seat such that there is an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest.

4. In a reclining chair of the type including a support and a body-supporting means including a seat and backrest movably mounted in said support, the improvement comprising control means for said body-supporting means including a double-arm lever having an upwardly directed actuating arm operatively connected to said body-supporting means and a depending driver arm, means pivotally mounting said double-arm lever on said support for turning movement about a first pivotal mount, a toggle link pair, means pivotally connected to one link of said toggle link pair and pivotally mounting said toggle link pair on said support for turning movement about a second pivotal mount, means pivotally connecting the other link of said toggle link pair to said seat, and means pivot ally connected between said driver arm and said toggle link pair for imparting a straightening action to said toggle link pair in response to turning movement of said double-arm lever.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, body supporting means including a seat and back-rest having a depending extension, means movably mounting said back rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means movably mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a link pair having a pivotal connection to said seat and a further pivotal connection to said support, said extension, said link pair and the portion of said seat intermediate said pivotal connection and said seat pivot serving as movable links of said seat control means and the portion of said support intermediate said further pivotal connection and said back-rest pivot serving as a stationary link thereof, actuating means operatively connected to said extension of said back-rest and said link pair for inclining said seat in response to said reclining movement of said back-rest, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and leg-rest control means operatively connected to said leg-rest, said support and said link pair for moving said leg-rest to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to said reclining movement.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest having a depending back-rest extension, means movably mounting said back-rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means movably mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a toggle linkage having a pivotal connection to said seat and a further pivotal connection to said support, said extension, said toggle linkage and the portion of said seat intermediate said pivotal connection and said seat pivot serving as movable links of said seat control means and the portion of said support intermediate said further pivotal connection and said back-rest pivot serving as a stationary link thereof, actuating means operatively connected to said extension of said back-rest and said toggle linkage for inclining said seat in response to said reclining movement of said backrest, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and leg-rest control means operatively connected to said leg-rest, said support and said toggle linkage for moving said leg-rest to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to said reclining movement.

7. A reclining chair of the double movement type comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest rnovably mounted on said support for inclining and reclining movement respectively, seat control means including a toggle linkage operatively connected between said seat and said support and controlled from said back-rest for inclining said seat in response to a first phase of said reclining movement of said back-rest, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and leg-rest control means operatively connected to said leg-rest, said support and said toggle linkage for moving said leg-rest to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to said first phase of said reclining movement, said toggle linkage being effective during a further phase of said reclining movement to permit an increase in the angle between said seat and back-rest with no appreciable relative movement between the elevated leg-rest and said seat.

8. A reclining chair of the double movement type comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest having a depending back-rest extension, means movably mounting said back-rest on said support at a back-rest pivot for reclining movement, means movably mounting said seat on said back-rest at a seat pivot for inclining movement, seat control means including a toggle linkage having a pivotal connection to said seal: and a further pivotal connection to said support, said extension, said toggle linkage and the portion of said seat intermediate said pivotal connection and said seat pivot 7 the portion of said support intermediate said further pivotal connection and said back-rest pivot serving as a stationary link thereof, actuating means operatively connected to said extension of said back-rest and said toggle linkage for inclining said seat in response to a first phase of said reclining movement of said back-rest, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and legrest control means operatively connected to said leg-rest, said support and said toggle linkage for moving said legrest to an elevated leg-supporting position in response to said first phase of said reclining movement, said toggle linkage being effective during a further phase of said reclining movement to permit an increase in the angle between said seat and back-rest with no appreciable relative movement between the elevated leg-rest and said seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,225 Luckhardt Nov. 24, 1953 2,670,030 Richardson Feb. 23, 1954 2,746,520 Ducrot May 22, 1956 2,781,826 Rote Feb. 19, 1957 2,782,836 Krakauer Feb. 26, 1957 2,871,918 Schliephacke Feb. 3, 1959 2,871,919 Schliephacke Feb. 3, 1959 2,893,472 Repaich July 7, 1959 2,906,046 Repaich Sept. 8, 1-959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,113,444 France Dec. 5, 1955

Images