US1285789A - Pivotal truck for disappearing beds. - Google Patents

Description

, E. C. PITCHER. PIVOTAL TRUCK FOR DISAPPEARING BEDS. APPLICATION men MAR.8. 19x5.

RENEWED APR. I2, I918- Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET m 5 S w T W M ATTORNEYS.

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PIVOTAL TRUCK FOR DISAPPEARING BEDS. APPLICATION FILED MARE, 1915. RENEWED APR. I2, 1918.

Patented N 0v. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ELMER C. PITOHEB, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PIVOTA L TRUCK FOR DISAPPEARING BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. .Patented NOV. 26, 1918.

Continuation in part ofapplication SerialNo. 831,345, filed April 11, 1914. This application filed March -8,

1-915,Seria1 ITO/12.827. Renewed April 12, 1918. Serial N0.-228,280.

the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, (whose post-ofiice address is Fifth and Bryant streets) have invented new and useful Improvements in Pivotal Trucks for Disappearing Beds, of which the following is a specification, forming a continuation in part of my 'copending application filed April '11, 1914, Serial No. 831,345, which eventuated into Patent No. 1,132,616, March 3, 1915. r

This invention relates more particularly to supporting trucks for moving beds, display racks, or other furniture into and out of closets or other concealing recesses, through an opening in the wall thereof.

Among the objects of this invention are To provide a rolling truck adapted to roll into and out of an. inclosure, through an opening narrower than the width of the object supported by the truck;

To provide a support for folding beds, whereby said bed may be passed through an opening narrower than the width of the bed.

To provide a support for folding beds, adapted to swing about a center such as a door post, without mechanical or combinative attachment with or to the door post or contiguous structure.

To provide a support for beds; whereby they may be swung into and out of closets clear of the door, and have a movement tangential to the are of the swing movement, to leave a passage through the door opening at all times.

In the art of disappearing beds, considerable difficulty is experienced in hanging this class of beds, on vertical axes or pivots attached to the side of .the door frame openings, through which said beds are to be swung. In modern Glass A buildings con 'structed of steel, reinforced concrete, with tile partitions, and having the .or plaster finish, no "suitable place or manner of attachment can be readily accomplished; re-

iquirin'g .that the architecture be subordi- Inatedto theb'ed.

.In'th'e present invention, vthe' only require .ment is sufficient -depth "to the .inclosure, to

permit the passage 'of'th'e upstanding bed, iniits evolutions about the edge of theopening. This truck permits :the installation of disappearing beds, wherever space will permit, irrespective of the form of doors used, whether sliding hinged, or absent entirely.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description'progresses. I shall outline infull that form of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. Thenovelty of theinvention will be included in the claims succeeding said description. From this it will be apparent that I do not restrict myself to the showing made by said drawings and description, as I may adopt many variations within the scope of my invention as expressed in said claims.

In the drawings z- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a supporting truck constructed in accordance with this invention, having a folding bed mounted thereon in a raised position, adapted to pass through the opening shownin the back ground by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view from above of the supporting truck with its concentric "guide secured to the floor and adapted to cooperate in controlling the movement of the truck through the opening, one side jamb of which is indicated in dotted lines. The platform mounted upon the truck is shown as having been moved across the truck in a lateral direction tangential to the swing of the truck.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail similar view showing the supporting truck with the sliding platform removed, and illustrating the safety catch in the operative position of th truck.

- In detail the construction illustrated in the drawing includes a .main frame composed of the parallel side bars 1 and 2 joined by the cross bar 3. The side bars 1 and 2 are preferably integral castings, having the socket lugs 4 and 5 formed thereon to receive the cross bar 3 secured thereto by 'suitable bolts 6 and 7, forming. a rigid construction holding the sidebars 1 and 2 in the proper fixed relation to each other. The side bars 1 and 2 are provided with the lugs 8-8 and 99 respectively, that provide bearings for the opposite ends :of the spindles of the conical'rollers1010. The axes of these rollers converge toward a common center X, indicated bycross in Fig. 2.

The taper of the rollers 10-10 and their converging axes cause the rollers to describe a concentric orbit about the center X. This concentric movement of the truck is definitely controlled by the segmental guide 11, fixed to the floor XI concentric with the center X. This guide is provided with the dovetail groove 12, the overhanging edges of which slidably engage the beveled edges 13 of the tongue 14 concentric with the guide, within which it slides freely. The tongue 1-1 is provided with the lugs 1515, by means of which it is rigidly secured by the bolts 16 to the side bar 1.

The concentric tongue and groove guide described is necessary only in certain applications of the truck in practice. If the floor surface is even and smooth, the conical roll ers will roll about the center X with little or no deviation from the true orbit, and the concentric guide may be dispensed with. There are instances however, as in the eX- treme ease illustrated, wherein the guide is a very desirable feature of the combination. The width of the opening X is limited with respect to the width of the be'd frame X to be passed therethrough, the range of deviation of the truck must therefore be eliminated and the truck held to its true orbit, to prevent injury to the architectural finish surrounding the opening in the wall. It is obvious that concentric tracks for guiding the rollers could be provided, but would be an unsightly addition in this particular application, wherein it is desired to disguise the presence of the bed when it is not in use.

It is also obvious that the height of the bed while in the vertical position on the truck, renders it very top heavy and easily upsets, the prevention of which is an additional function of the tongue 1% engaging the overhanging edges of the roove, to pre vent its disengagement therefrom in a vertical direction; thus maintaining the truck on a level plane and permitting its free hori- Zontal movement in its defined orbit.

The extension 14 of the tongue 1; engages the socket l fixed to the floor or the wall, to give stability and prevent upsetting of the bed, should the tongue 14 break or become disengaged from the guide, during the operation.

For the particular accommodation of bed frames as in Fig. 1 or other objects or pieces of furniture of greater Width than the width of the opening through which they are to pass; and to permit a certain latitude in their lateral placement on opposite sides .of the wall X, a platform is slidably mounted upon the truck.

The platform includes a rectangular frame made up of the side bars 17 and 18, preferably of angle iron having their opposite ends rigidly joined to the end blocks 19 and 20. For economy in construction and assembling the end blocks 19 and 20 are preferably formed of castings. The side bars 17 and 18 rest upon the rollers 2121 and 2222 journaled on studs projecting from the sides of the side bars 1 and 2 of the truck frame; the platform rolls freely from end to end across the truck frame, on a line tangential to the arc of movement of the truck about the center X, and transverse to the axes of the rollers 10, permitting the platform to move laterally to the opening X The overhanging lug 23 preferably formed integrally with the socket lug 4-, overhangs the edge of the side bar 18, preventing the ver tical displacement of the platform from its engagement with the truck frame.

The platform is assembled with the truck by inserting the inner edge of the side rail 18 under the lug and over the rollers 2121, the rail 17 when lowered onto the rollers 22 has the depending flange 17, eX- tending beyond the rollers 22. The platform is prevented from transverse displace ment on the truck by the inner edge of the side rail 18 engaging the upright portion of the lug 23 on the one side, and by the flange 17 having a rubbing engagement with the extended fin 2% extending outward from the side rail 2, sutiicient play being permitted between these lateral points of contact to permit a free movement of the platform longitudinally while so guided.

To support the extended ends of the platform when it is moved into the lateral positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 in either direction, the caster rollers are inserted in the end blocks 19 and 20. These rollers are preferably set slightly above the plane of the floor X, upon which they only rest when the load on the platform overhangs the lateral. support ef the truck. To protect the surrounding architecture the several corners of the platform are provided with a resilient roller buffer 26.

In the present instance it is desirable that the weight of the bed be centered upon the truck before being moved through the opening or the truck swung in its orbit. ii. locking means is provided for holding the platform centrally on the truck. This lock includes the strip 27 preferably of spring steel, having perforations near its opposite ends, loosely engaging studs 28 projecting above the top of the end blocks 19 and 20. The center of the strip is provided with a hole 29 adapted to engage the pointed stud 30 projecting above the surface of the lug 4, winch it engages by dropping thereover, to hold the platform centrally locked over the truck. The lock is released by a downward pressure on either end 31 of the strip which rests upon the fulcrums 32, the downward pressure causing the center of the spring strip 27 to bow upward, releasing the hole 29 from engagement with the stud 30, permitting free longitudinal movement of the platform on the truck. The same result could be accomplished by forming a notch center X, that is the'theoretical axis of rotation is located within the confines of the wall X making it possible to swing a bed or other structure closer to the side of the opening X than if the center of rotation or axis was within the opening or adjacent thereto. In its present adaptation every fraction of an inch gained in swinging a wide bed through a relatively narrow opening, is an important advantage. All the guiding and supporting means for the bed including the truck and the guide 11, are within theinclosure of the concealing closet the presence of the bed and any of its associated parts being entirely concealed when the door is closed. Neither the truck nor the bed depending upon the door or any part of the wall in the performance of their several functions.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patents is 1. A supporting truck having a frame, rollers in said frame the axes of which converge toward a common center and a guide spaced outward from said center and engaging said frame.

2. A supporting truck having a frame; rollers in said frame adapted to travel in an arc about a center; a guide concentric with said center; and a tongue on said frame slidably engaging said guide.

3. A supporting truck having a frame; conical rollers in said frame; the axes of said rollers converging toward a comnn center; a guide concentric with said center; and a tongue on said frame engaging said guide.

4. A supporting truck having a frame; conical rollers in said frame; the axes of said rollers converging toward a common center; a guide concentric with said center and having a groove with an overhangin portion; a tongue slidably engaging sai groove beneath said overhanging portion.

5. A supporting truck having a frame; rollers in said frame adapted to travel. in an arc about a center; a guide concentric with said center; a tongue on said frame slidably engaging said guide; a platform slidably supported on said truck; and a lock strip on said platform detachably engaging said truck.

6. A supporting truck having a frame; rollers in said frame adapted to travel in an are about a center; a guide concentric with said center; a tongue on said frame slidably engaging said guide; a platform slidably supported on said truck having a lateral movement tangential to the arc of movement of said truck; and means for locking said platform against longitudinal movement on said truck. a

7. A supporting truck having a frame; rollers in said frame adapted to travel in an arc about a center; a guide concentric with said center engaging said frame; a platform slidably supported on said truck and meansfor preventing the vertical and horizontal disengagement of said platform from said truck.

8. A supporting truck having a frame; rollers in said frame adapted to travel in an said center engaging said frame; a platform 80. are about a center; a guide concentric with I slidably supported on said truck; and a lug on said truck overhanging said platform.

9. A supporting truck having a frame;

' rollers in said frame adapted to travel in an arcabout a center; a guide concentric with said center engaging said frame; a platform slidably supported on said truck; and a lock strip fixed on said platform having means intermediate its ends for detachably engaging said truck.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of February, 1915. ELMER C. PITGHER.

Witnesses: v

BALDWIN VALE, A. J. HENRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofl'atents, Washington, D. 0.

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