Reclining chair

Claim 2

A reclining chair comprising: a frame forming a generally horizontal guide track; a seat on said frame movable along said guide track between a retracted position and an advanced position; a back rest having a lower edge pivotally connected to the rear end of said seat; and an articulated linkage connecting an intermediate portion of said back rest with two degrees of freedom to a point on said frame rearwardly of said back rest and above the level of said seat for allowing said back rest to swing between a nearly upright attitude in said retracted position and a sharply inclined attitude in said advanced position, said back rest having an upper edge descending substantially vertically upon passage from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude; said linkage comprising a lever fulcrumed on said frame at said point, and a pair of arms shorter than said lever articulated to a free end thereof at spaced-apart locations, said arms being joined to said intermediate portion on opposite sides of said lever by respective pivots whose spacing is less than the sum of the effective lengths of said arms.

Claim 3

A reclining chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion lies about midway along said back rest at a level with reference to said point making said lever generally perpendicular to said back rest in said advanced position.

Claim 4

A reclining chair as defined in claim 1, further comprising a foot rest forwardly of said seat, a flexible connection between said foot rest and said seat, and thrust means articulated to said foot rest and guided on said seat for generally horizontal motion relative thereto, said thrust means being provided with link means engaging said back rest for extending said foot rest forwardly with reference to said seat upon movement of said back rest from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude.

Claim 5

A reclining chair as defined in claim 3 wherein said link means comprises a first lever pivoted to said thrust means and fulcrumed on said seat, a second lever generally parallel to said first lever fulcrumed to said seat and articulatedly linked with said back rest, and an arm articulatedly interconnecting said first and second levers.

Claim 6

A reclining chair as defined in claim 3 wherein said foot rest comprises a first part spaced from a front edge of said seat and articulated to said thrust means, and a second part hinged to said first part and inserted between said front edge and said first part, said flexible connection extending between said front edge and said second part.

Claim 7

A reclining chair as defined in claim 5 wherein said foot rest is provided with spring means tending to hold said second part aligned with said first part, said thrust means maintaining said first part substantially vertical with said second part rising thereabove to substantially the upper level of said seat in said retracted position, said spring means being sufficiently yieldable to let said second part be held back and tilt upwardly under body pressure upon forward movement of said first part.

Claim 8

A reclining chair comprising: a frame forming a generally horizontal guide track; a seat on said frame movable along said guide track between a retracted position and an advanced position; a back rest having a lower edge pivotally connected to the rear end of said seat; an articulated linkage connecting an intermediate portion of said back rest with two degrees of freedom to a point on said frame rearwardly of said back rest for allowing said back rest to swing between a nearly upright attitude in said retracted position and a sharply inclined attitude in said advanced position, said back rest having an upper edge descending substantially verticallY upon passage from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude; a foot rest forwardly of said seat including a first part spaced from a front edge of said seat and a second part hinged to said first part and inserted between said front edge and said first part; a flexible connection extending between said front edge and said second part; thrust means articulated to said first part and guided on said seat for generally horizontal motion relative thereto, said thrust means being provided with link means engaging said back rest for extending said foot rest forwardly with reference to said seat upon movement of said back rest from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude while maintaining said first part substantially vertical with said second part rising thereabove to substantially the upper level of said seat in said retracted position; and spring means tending to hold said second part aligned with said first part, said spring means being sufficiently yieldable to let said second part be held back and tilt upwardly under body pressure upon forward movement of said first part.

Claim 9

A reclining chair comprising: a frame forming a generally horizontal guide track; a seat on said frame movable along said guide track between a retracted position and an advanced position; a back rest having a lower edge pivotally connected to the rear end of said seat; an articulated linkage connecting an intermediate portion of said back rest with two degrees of freedom to a point on said frame rearwardly of said back rest for allowing said back rest to swing between a nearly upright attitude in said retracted position and a sharply inclined attitude in said advanced position, said back rest having an upper edge descending substantially verticallY upon passage from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude; a foot rest forwardly of said seat including a first part spaced from a front edge of said seat and a second part hinged to said first part and inserted between said front edge and said first part; a flexible connection extending between said front edge and said second part; thrust means articulated to said first part and guided on said seat for generally horizontal motion relative thereto, said thrust means being provided with link means engaging said back rest for extending said foot rest forwardly with reference to said seat upon movement of said back rest from said nearly upright attitude to said sharply inclined attitude while maintaining said first part substantially vertical with said second part rising thereabove to substantially the upper level of said seat in said retracted position; and spring means tending to hold said second part aligned with said first part, said spring means being sufficiently yieldable to let said second part be held back and tilt upwardly under body pressure upon forward movement of said first part.

Claim 10

A reclining chair as defined in claim 7 wherein said thrust means is displaceable far enough to realign said parts substantially horizontally with each other in said advanced position while stretching said flexible connection to limit the forward movement of said second part.

Claim 11

A reclining chair as defined in claim 8 wherein said flexible connection comprises a strip of sheet material.

Claim 12

A reclining chair as defined in claim 9, further comprising a chain anchored to said seat and to said first part underneath said strip for tautening simultaneously therewith in said advanced position.