[0045] When the wheel chair bed body 7 is placed into its flat position as shown in FIG。 5 by operating the wheel chair reclining mechanism, it may be used as the  stretcher。

[0046] The wheel chair lifting mechanism may be oper- ated for causing the wheel chair seat mat part 8b to move up and down in the vertical direction as shown by arrows 102, 103 in FIG。 4。

[0047] When the wheel chair mat section 8 is in the flat state in which it is extended in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG。 5, the wheel chair lifting mechanism may also be operated for causing the wheel chair mat section 8 to move up and down in the vertical direction as shown by arrows 104, 105。

[0048] FIG。 3(a) is a side elevation view that illustrates how the wheel chair bed body 7 can be moved into the middle space between the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 on the bed frame 6 in the direction indicated by arrow 100 when the wheel chair bed body 7 is placed in its flat position by operating the wheel chair reclining mechanism。

[0049] FIG。 3(b) is a side elevation view that illustrates how the wheel chair mat section 8 can be lowered from the state shown in FIG。 3(a) to the state shown in FIG。 3(b) by operating the wheel chair lifting mechanism so that the upper side of the first bed mat section 3 on the first bed body 2, the upper side of the second bed mat section 5 on the second bed body 4 and the upper side of the wheel chair mat section 8 on the wheel chair bed body 7 now in its flat position can be placed flush with each other and the upper side of the nursing care bed can thus be   formed。

[0050] FIG。 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG。 3(b), in which the wheel chair bed body 7 is moved into the middle space between the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 on the bed frame 6 in the direction of arrow 100, and the wheel chair bed body 7 may then be placed in its flat position by operating the wheel chair reclining mechanism so that the upper side of the first bed mat section 3 on the first bed body 2, the upper side of the second bed mat section 5 on the second bed body 4 and the wheel chair mat section 8 on the wheel chair bed body 7 now in its flat position can be placed flush with each other, and the upper side of the nursing care bed can thus be formed。 FIG。 7 is a plan view illustrating that the nursed person is lying on his or her back on the nursing care bed that has been completed by assem- bling its components as shown in FIG。   2。

[0051] It may be seen from FIGS。 2 and 7 that the respective back bed mat parts 3a, 5s, seat bed mat parts 3b, 5b, leg bed mat parts 3c, 5c and foot bed mat parts 3d, 5d included in the first bed mat part 3 on the first bed body 2 and second bed mat section 5 on the second bed body 4, and the corresponding wheel chair back mat part 8s, wheel chair seat mat part 8b, wheel chair leg mat part 8c and wheel chair mat part 8c included in the wheel chair bed mat section 8 on the wheel chair bed body 7 have the same length as measured in the longitudinal  direction。

[0052] The wheel chair reclining mechanism includes a reclining drive 20 mounted below the wheel chair seat mat part 8b, and drive shafts 21, 22 being capable of retractably extending from the reclining drive  20。

[0053] The forward end of the drive shaft 21 that may be moved into or out of the reclining drive 20 in the directions of arrows 106, 107 in FIG。 5 when the reclining drive 20 is operated is pivotally coupled with an arm 23 secured to the underside of the wheel chair leg mat part 8c。 Similarly, the forward end of the drive shaft 22 that may be moved into or out of the reclining drive 20 in the directions of arrows 108, 109 in FIG。 5 when the reclining drive 20 is operated is pivotally coupled with an arm 24 secured to the underside of the wheel chair leg mat part 8c。 Furthermore, an arm 27 is secured to the underside of the wheel chair seat mat part 8b, and an arm 26 is secured to the underside of the wheel chair foot mat part 8d, each of the arms 27 and 26 being pivotally coupled with a lever  25。