Reclining chair with two-part backrest

Claim 1

A reclining chair comprising: a stationary frame and a body-supporting unit including a seat and a two-part backrest, the body-supporting unit being mounted on the stationary frame for disposition between an upright sitting position and an intermediate reclined position and a fully reclined position, and reclined positions therebetween, the two-part backrest comprising operatively connected upper and lower backrest parts, a legrest mounted on the body-supporting unit for movement between retracted and extended positions, means for moving the legrest in concert with movement of the body-supporting unit, means for projecting the upper backrest part from a retracted position within the lower backrest part to an extended position overlying said lower backrest part upon movement of the bodysupporting unit from upright sitting position to said intermediate reclined position and for retaining said upper backrest part in extended position during movement of the bodysupporting unit between said intermediate and fully-reclined positions and reclined positions therebetween, and for returning the upper backrest part to said retracted position upon movement from said intermediate reclined position to upright sitting position, the means for moving the upper backrest part comprising a pair of parallel pivot links pivotally connecting between the upper and lower backrest parts, first and second toggle links, and first toggle link being pivoted to the upper backrest part, the second toggle link being pivoted to the first toggle link and to the lower backrest part, a stop on the upper backrest part engageable by the first toggle link for precluding overtravel of said first and second toggle links whereby these links assume a toggled or locked position on movement to reclined positions, a connecting link, a seat link and a drive link, the connecting link being pivoted to the first toggle link and to the seat link, the seat link being pivoted to the seat, the drive link being pivoted to the stationary frame and to the seat link, all for guiding the upper backrest part in a generally curvilinear direction in its movement relative to the lower backrest part, with the toggle links locking the upper and lower backrest parts against movement relative to each other during movement of the body-supporting unit between said intermediate and fully reclined positions.