[0054] This permits the wheel chair bed body 7 to be reclined between the state shown in FIG。 5 in which the wheel chair mat section 8 is placed in its flat position and the state shown in FIG。 4 in which the wheel chair back mat part 8s, wheel chair seat mat part 8b, wheel chair leg mat part 8c and wheel chair foot mat part 8d included in the wheel chair mat section 8 is placed in their folded  positions。

[0055] The reclining operation from the state  shown in FIG。 4 to the state shown in FIG。 5 or from the state shown

in FIG。 5 to the state shown in FIG。 4 may be performed by controlling the reclining drive 20 from the remote under control of the controller (not  shown)。

[0056] The bed reclining mechanism for each of the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 may be operated similarly to the wheel chair reclining mechanism described  above。

[0057]  Specifically, the bed reclining mechanism includes a reclining drive 20a secured to the underside of the seat bed mat part 3b, 5b, drive shafts 21a, 22a being capable of retractably extending from reclining drive 20a, an arm 23 a secured to the underside of the back bed mat part 3a, 5s, in arm 24a secured to the underside of the leg bed mat part 3c, 5c, an arm 27a secured to the underside of the seat bed mat part 3b, 5b, and an arm 26a secured to the underside of the foot bed mat part  3d, 5d, and a bar  25a。

[0058] Similarly to the operation of the wheel chair reclin- ing mechanism, the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 may be reclined between the state shown in FIGS。 1, 2 and 3(b) in which each of the first bed mat section 3 and second bed mat section 5 is placed in its flat position and the state shown in FIG。 8 in which the respective back bed mat part 3a, 5s, seat bed mat part 3b, 5b, leg bed mat part 3c, 5c and foot bed mat part 3d, 5d included in each of the first bed mat section 3 and second bed mat section 5 are placed in their folded positions。

[0059] Similarly to the wheel chair reclining mechanism described above, the bed reclining mechanism for each of the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 may be operated by controlling the reclining drive 20a Tom the remote under control of the controller (not  shown)。

[0060] By operating the bed reclining mechanism for each of the first bed body 2 or second bed body 4, which then causes the wheel chair reclining mechanism operatively linked with the bed reclining mechanism to be operated in the manner described above, the respective back bed mat parts 3s, 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 section 3 and second bed mat section 5 will be folded as shown in FIG。 8 through the respective linkages with the wheel chair mat part 8s, wheel chair seat mat part 8b, wheel chair leg mat part 8c and wheel chair foot mat part    8d。

[0061] The reclining drive 20 may be omitted from the bed reclining mechanism。

[0062] It may be seen from FIGS。 2, 6 and 7, for example, that the upper side of the nursing care bed is formed by operating the wheel chair reclining mechanism so that the wheel chair bed body 7 placed in the middle space between the first bed body 2 and second bed body 4 can be placed in its flat position, and then by bringing the upper side of the first bed mat section 3 for the first bed body 2, the upper side of the second bed mat section 5 for the second bed body 5 and the upper side of the wheel chair mat section 8 for the wheel bed body 7 now in its flat position into becoming flush with each other。 The back bed mat part 5s, wheel chair back mat part 8a and back bed mat part 3a that are adjacent to each other in the lateral direction may be fixed in position below them as shown in FIG。 6, for example。 Similarly, the seat bed mat part 5b, wheel chair seat mat part 8b and seat bed mat part 3b that are adjacent to each other in the lateral direction may be fixed in position below them as shown in FIG。 6。 The leg bed mat part 5c, wheel chair leg mat part 8c