US3002198A - Sofa bed - Google Patents

Description

J. KAISER, JR

Oct. 3, 1961 SOFA' BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9. 1959 INVENTOR. Jai jzwer J)".

J. KAISER, JR

Oct. 3, 1961 SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9. 1959 rates finite The present invention relates to a sofa bed.

For some time the sofa beds, a sofa which may be unfolded to form a bed, have been becoming more and more popular. In theory these items should have the appearance of an ordinary sofa when they are folded yet should be a comfortable bed. However, the existing articles on the market have disadvantages which result in their failing to accomplish this aim in at least several respects. The principal object of the present invention is to overcome some of these disadvantages that exist with respect to the sofa beds presently being marketed.

As has just been mentioned one of the aims in creating an article of this type is to provide a sofa bed that when folded has all the appearances of a conventional sofa. Because of the necessity for storing the springs and/or mattress within the sofa bed itself, many of the conventional beds are bulky and unwieldy. The base and/or the portion behind the seat back cushions are substantially enlarged to provide the necessary storage space. As a result, as compared to a conventional sofa, there is a much greater depth between the front of the seat cushions and the back of the sofa bed than is the case with a conventional sofa. To provide some of the necessary storage space, often the width of the seat, i.e., the dimension from the front edge of the seat to the seat back cushions is substantially greater than that of a conventional sofa. In some instances this is offset by providing additional seat cushions to shorten this dimension of the sofa but that practice also has its disadvantages as will be subsequently mentioned. Because of these factors such a sofa bed differs substantially in appearance from the appearance of a conventional non-folding sofa. The sofa bed I have devised not only holds down the width of the seat of the sofa but maintains the distance between the front of the seat back and the back of the sofa comparable to that found in a conventional sofa.

In many of the ordinary sofa beds additional cushions are provided for use when the bed has been folded into the shape of a sofa, to obtain something relatively similar to the shape of a conventional sofa. These cushions may be used as seat backs, as seats or both. No matter how they are used they must be removed and a place found to put them when the sofa is unfolded into a bed. This is not only a nuisance but the necessity for providing additional cushions increases the initial cost of the sofa bed. With my invention the sofa is formed of at least part of the same cushions that are employed to form a mattress when the sofa is unfolded with any remainder being automatically stored when the bed is formed into a sofa. This holds down the manufacturing cost, reduces storage requirements, eliminates the necessity for removing portions of the sofa before it is unfolded into a bed and eliminates the necessity for finding some place to put such extra cushions when the sofa is unfolded into a bed.

Other objects and advantages include: the simplicity of operation in converting the sofa to a bed or vice versa, when moving in either direction it is but a simple single movement; a maximum utilization of storage space when the bed has been folded into a sofa; a positive lock of the operating parts when the bed has been folded into a sofa so as to prevent any unwanted movement of the sofa in the direction of conversion to a bed yet a lock which atent does not require any special manipulations to disengage when it is desired to convert the sofa into a bed; and the 2 concealment of the linkage used to achieve the foldability, thus improving the appearance of the article.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with the embodiment being illustrated in position for use as a bed;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 in folded position for use as a sofa with the end of the sofa removed to illustrate the folding and unfolding mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1 with the mattress (removed; and

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation corresponding to FIG- URE 3 but showing the mattress on the bed and with the end of the bed removed.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 4 the sofa is made up of a frame, generally 10, which includes a back 11, a front 12 and two ends, 13 and 14. Within this frame are three cushion holding members, generally 15, 16 and 17, which carry the three cushions 18, 19 and 2t), respectively. Members 15 through 17 are generally rectangular in shape and are formed of angle iron which define the outer borders thereof. The ends of members 15 and 16 at these adjacent sides are spatially positioned by longitudinal bar 22 except for the two adjacent sides of members 15 and 16. Members 15 and 16 have longitudinal braces 23 and 24, respectively, while member 17 has a cross-brace 25. Within the angle iron boundaries of each of members 15-17 is a suitable spring means 26. Spring means 26 may be of any suitable design and the details thereof are unimportant insofar as my invention is concerned. Members 16 and 17 are connected by hinges 27 while members 16 and 15 are connected by hinges 28.

Member 15 is secured to frame 1%} by means of brackets 29 and pins 30. Brackets 29 are secured to ends 13 and 14 of the frame. Pin 30 passes through both bracket 29 and member 15. V The pin has heads on both sides to hold it in place. A pair of springs 31 have one end thereof hooked through an opening 32 in member 15 with the other end of the springs being secured to bolts or pins 33 secured to frame 10.

The end of member 15 adjacent member 16 is tapered, as seen at 36. Similarly the adjacent end of member 16 is tapered as'seen at 37. The purpose of these tapers is to permit the members to fold closely together, as seen in FIGURE 2. Member 15 has a downwardly extending pin 38 which projects through a generally vertical opening 35 in angle iron 39. Angle iron 39 is secured to and forms a part of the ends 13- and 14 of frame 10.

As will hereinafter be discussed angle irons 39 form a track.

Pivotally attached to member 17 by rivets 40 are a pair of legs 42 which are connected by cross brace 43. Helical twist springs 41 about rivets 40 urge legs 42 into the vertical position illustrated in FIGURES l and 4. However, against the urging of the spring the legs 42 may be swung up into the angle irons forming the ends of member 17, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Legs 42 have casters 44 at the bottom end thereof and to permit the aforesaid retraction of the legs the ends of member 17 have cut-outs 45 into which the casters will fit.

At the outboard side of member 17 isa leg means formed of plate 46 at the bottom end of which are cap-" tive ball casters 47. Plate 46 is attached to a downward projection 48 forming a part of member 17 and is positioned at an angle to match the angle of front 12 of frame 10. Thus When the bed is retracted into a sofa, as

seen in FIGURE 2, the plate 46 fits flush against front- 12 of frame 10. This construction gives an attractive appearance to the front of the sofa and at the same time permits adequate room for the feet of a person sitting on the sofa. The top of plate 46 may be provided with a rubber bumper 50.

Adjacent the outboard end of member 17 is a down wardly projecting pin 49 which is received in the opening 35 in angle iron 39 to lock the sofa in the closed position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Thus the pins 38 in conjunction with the opening in angle iron 39 form a latch means to hold the structure in the shape of a bed as illustrated in FIGURE 4 while pins 43 in conjunction with the same opening 35 form a latch means to hold the folding structure in the form of a sofa, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Adjacent the inboard side of member 17 and rotatably affixed to the ends thereof by means of pins 52 are a pair of rollers 53. These rollers cooperate with the upper surface of angle irons 39 which form a track 54. At the rearward end of track 54 is a stop 55. It will be seen that the rearward end of track 54 is at the somewhat lower elevation than is the forward end (the end adjacent the front 12 of the frame). Thus the track 54 not only facilitates the opening and closing of the sofa bed in conjunction with roller 53 but this angular position achieves a definite slope to the seat cushion 20, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 to provide a comfortable sofa. Immediately to the front of track 54 are a pair of pins 56 which serve to trip the legs 42 when the bed is being folded into a sofa.

Assuming that one wishes to convert from a sofa as illustrated in FIGURE 2 to a bed in FIGURE 4 all that is necessary is to grasp the outboard end of member 17 as for example by taking hold of plate 46, lifting up slightly to remove pin 49 from the opening in angle iron 39 and in the same movement pulling the plate towards oneself. Member 17 rolls easily out on roller 53. As that roller commences to leave the end of track 54, legs 42 will pivot downwardly whereupon member 17 will be supported on the legs 46 and 42. During the extension movement member 15 pivots about pin 30 with spring 31 being extended. Spring 31 thus cushions the downward pivotal movement of member 15. As the individual continues moving the members away from frame members 16 and will pivot out flat and pin 38 will enter the opening in angle iron '39 looking the members in that position.

The converting of the bed of FIGURE 4 into a sofa as shown in FIGURE 2 is just as simple an operation. All that the person need do is push on member 17 in the direction of frame 10. The pressure thus applied will cause members 15 and 16 to pivot toward each other about hinge 28 thus withdrawing pin 38 from the opening in angle iron 39. The pivotal movement is assisted by spring 31. As the inboard side of member 17 approaches the outboard side of frame 10 legs 42 contact pins 56 and are tripped outwardly to fold within member 17. At about the same time rollers 53 will commence riding on track 54 to carry member 17 back into the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. At about the time of the completion of the movement the individual can lift up on member 17 to bring pin 49 up over track 54 so that it can drop into the opening in the top of that track and lock the sofa in the FIGURE 2 position.

The foregoing detailed description of a specific embodiment is only for clearness of understanding and for the purpose of complying with 35 U.S.C. 112 and I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A folding sofa bed or the like characterized by being adapted to be positioned with its back close to a wall or the like, said bed comprising: a frame having a front, a back and two spaced ends; a pair of parallel tracks, each of said tracks being attached to the inner side of an end respectively, the forwardly end of said tracks being adjacent said front, the rearwardly end of said tracks being spaced from said back and being at a lower elevation than said forwardly end, said forwardly end having a generally vertical opening therein; a first cushion supporting member of a length to be received between said ends, said member having leg means on the outboard side thereof and a roller on each end thereof adjacent the inboard side thereof, each of said rollers being positioned to ride in one of said tracks respectively; releasable latch means on said member adjacent the outboard side including a downwardly projecting pin receivable in said opening, a second cushion supporting member of a length to be received between said ends of the frame, the outboard side of said second member being contiguous to inboard side of said first member; hinge means connecting said contiguous sides of said members; a third cushion supporting member of a length to be received between said ends of said frame, the outboard side of said third member being contiguous with the inboard side of said second member, said third member being pivotally connected to said frame at points along the ends of said third member and spaced a substantial distance from the outboard side thereof; supporting means associated with said frame and said third member to support said third member generally horizontal when said outboard side is pivoted to a position adjacent said front, including a downwardly projecting pin receivable in said opening; cushion means on said members; whereby said members may be moved from a first position at which the cushion means on said third member is adjacent said back in a generally vertical position, the cushion means on said second member forms the back of a seat and the cushion means on said first member forms the seat of the sofa, to a second position at which the cushion means of all of said members are generally horizontal to form a bed.

2. A folding sofa bed or the like characterized by being adapted to be positioned on a floor with its back close to a wall or the like, said bed comprising: a front, a back and two spaced ends; a pair of tracks on said ends; three rectangular cushion supporting members of a length to be received between said ends, a first and second of said members being positioned contiguous to the third at opposite sides of said third member; hinge means connecting said contiguous sides of said members; the first of said members being pivotally attached to said ends with the portion of the first member rearwardly of the pivotal attachment being somewhat less than the distances be tween said pivotal connection and the floor and the back; supporting means adjacent the front of said frame to prevent the contiguous side of said first member from pivoting downwardly any farther than the position at which said member is substantially horizontal; a first leg means connected to one of the remaining two members adjacent the contiguous sides thereof to support said sides at a position level with the contiguous side of said first member when it is resting on said supporting means, said leg means being pivotable with respect to said one member between a first position at which it is generally parallel to said one member with the extending ends of the legs outwardly from the pivotal connection to a second position at which said leg means is generally normal to said one member, said leg means being resilient-1y urged to said second position, said leg means including rollers at the extending ends thereof to serve as castors when said leg means is in the first position, and are received on said tracks when said leg means is in the second position; -a second leg means attached to the second of said members and positioned adjacent the side thereof opposite said contiguous side, said second leg means being of a length to position said opposite side at a level corresponding to the height of said first leg means; whereby when said first member is pivoted from the horizontal to a generally vertical second position it will be facing the back of said frame, said third member will similarly pivot to a generally vertical second position adjacent to and facing outwardly from said first member and said second member will move to a second position between said ends; means attached to said frame and said second member to support said second member in said second position with said opposite side of said second member at a height greater than that at which said contiguous side of said second member is supported; a cushion means on each of said members forming a mattress when said mem-bers are in the horizontal position, the cushion means in said second and third members forming a seat and back, respectively, of a sofa when said members are moved to said second position, the cushion means in said first member being folded adjacent said back when said members are moved to said second position; and releasable latch means to hold said members in said second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,771 Axelrad Jan. 24, 1905 2,307,908 Campbell Ian. 12, 1943 2,628,367 Green Feb. 17, 1953 2,815,794 Hendrickson et a1. Dec. 10, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 866,545 Germany Feb. 9, 1953 703,109 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1954 1,144,777 France Apr. 29, 1957 1,150,869 France Aug. 19, 1957

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