GB1564196A - Twin beds - Google Patents

Twin beds Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1564196A
GB1564196A GB2454875A GB2454875A GB1564196A GB 1564196 A GB1564196 A GB 1564196A GB 2454875 A GB2454875 A GB 2454875A GB 2454875 A GB2454875 A GB 2454875A GB 1564196 A GB1564196 A GB 1564196A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
couplers
beds
bed
slot
coupler
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB2454875A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Slumberland Ltd
Original Assignee
Slumberland Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Slumberland Ltd filed Critical Slumberland Ltd
Priority to GB2454875A priority Critical patent/GB1564196A/en
Publication of GB1564196A publication Critical patent/GB1564196A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C17/00—Sofas; Couches; Beds
    • A47C17/04—Seating furniture, e.g. sofas, couches, settees, or the like, with movable parts changeable to beds; Chair beds
    • A47C17/32—Changing a single bed into a double bed by extending, pivoting, or tilting a previously hidden second mattress or other bed part
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C19/00—Bedsteads
    • A47C19/02—Parts or details of bedsteads not fully covered in a single one of the following subgroups, e.g. bed rails, post rails
    • A47C19/028—Parts or details of bedsteads not fully covered in a single one of the following subgroups, e.g. bed rails, post rails for joining separate bedsteads

Description

(54) TWIN BEDS (71) We, SLUMBERLAND LI MITED, a British Company, of Sedgley Road East, Tipton, West Midlands DY4 77RH, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to twin beds.
Twin beds are usually disposed side by side in the same room but with a gap between them. It is sometimes desirable to move the beds so that there is no gap between them and together they can be used as a double bed. Various devices have been proposed for releasably securing twin beds together to form a double bed but they have generally been relatively complex and have usually included components such as wing nuts, screws and transverse bars. The aim of the present invention is to provide a simple yet effective system for enabling twin beds to be releasably secured together.
According to the present invention there are provided twin beds provided with cou plers enabling them to be releasably secured together side by side, each bed having a first coupler and a second coupler, one of those couplers being at or near the head end of the bed and the other of those couplers being at or near the foot end of the bed, both of the two couplers at the head ends of the beds being either first couplers or second cou plers, and both of the two couplers at the foot ends of the beds being either second couplers or first couplers, respectively. the first couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by the endwise movement of one bed relatively to the other bed, and the second couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by lifting that part of one bed adjacent to the second coupler thereof shifting that bed laterally towards the other bed and lowering it again, the second couplers being such that when they are coupled together they canot be uncoupled merely by relative horizontal movement between the beds, and the first couplers being such that when they are coupled together they cannot be uncoupled by relative horizontal movement of the beds while the second couplers remain coupled.
The term bed is used herein to denote not only a complete bed but also the base or base-frame of a bed or divan.
Preferably the first couplers are at or near the head ends of the beds, and the second couplers are at or near the foot ends of the beds. The arrangement is preferably such that the beds can be secured together by pushing one bed endwise, so that the head end leads, relative to the other bed so as to cause the first couplers to couple together, and then raising the foot end of that one bed, shifting it laterally towards that other bed and lowering it again so as to cause the second couplers to couple together.
The couplers preferably have no moving parts. Each coupler or part thereof may be formed integrally with the associated bed or may be separately formed and secured to the bed.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example. with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of twin beds embodying the present invention, the beds being shown with their foot ends widely spaced apart to enable the couplers to be seen, and the Figure including enlarged views of the couplers.
Figure 2 is a side view to a larger scale of part of the foot end of the bed shown on the left hand side of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a side view to the same scale as Figure 2 of part of the foot end of the bed shown on the right hand side of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
The beds comprise divan bases A and B of standard construction. Each divan base is in the form of a frame, with rigid side and end walls, containing a spring interior, the whole being upholstered and mounted on legs. Each bed is shown as having a headboard 10 and carries a mattress 11 of generally standard construction. The arrangement is such that the beds A and B can be releasably secured together side-byside. To this end the adjacent sides of the beds are provided with couplers. Bed A has a coupler 12 near its head end and a coupler 13 near its foot end, while bed B has a coupler 14 near its head end and a coupler 15 near its foot end.The two couplers 12 and 14 near the head ends of the beds can be releasably coupled together and constitute first couplers, while the two couplers 13 and 15 near the foot ends of the beds can also be releasably coupled together and constitute second couplers.
As indicated in Figure 1. the couplers 12 and 13 on bed A are of the same construction. One of these couplers, 13, is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 and comprises a metal plate 16. with screw holes for receiving screws 17 by means of which it is secured to the side 18 of the associated bed A, and a headed pin 19 projecting horizontally outwards from the centre of the plate. The pin 19 comprises a cylindrical shank 20 and a head 21, the underside of the head being planar and parallel with the plate 16, while the top of the head is domed.
The couplers 14 and 15 on bed B are of the same construction as each other, but they are orientated differently, as can be seen by reference to Figure 1. The second coupler, 15, near the foot end of the bed is shown in more detail in Figures 4 and 5. The coupler 15 comprises a flat base plate 22 with a slotted plate 23 secured to it. The two side parts 24 of the slotted plate 23 engage the base plate 22 face to face and are secured to it, but between the side parts 24 the slotted plate is cranked so that the central part 25 of the slotted plate is spaced outwards from the base plate so as to leave a gap between the central part of the slotted plate and the base plate. A slot 26 is formed in the central part 25 of the slotted plate; the slot 26 is open at one end and closed at the other, and extends lengthwise of the slotted plate. The open end of the slot is flared.
Screw holes extend through the side parts 24 of the slotted plate 23 and the underlying parts of the base plate 22 for receiving screws 27 by means of which the coupler is secured to the side 28 of the associated bed B.
The arrangement is such that when the second couplers 13 and 15 are brought together with their base plates 16 and 22 mutually parallel they can be manipulated so that the shank 20 of the pin 19 of the coupler 13 enters the slot 26 in the coupler 15 from the open end of the slot, while the head 21 of the pin, being too large to pass through the slot, becomes trapped between the base plate 22 of the coupler 15 and those parts of the slotted plate 23 bordering the slot. Thus, the couplers 13 and 15 can be coupled together only by relative movement in one direction, lengthwise of the slot 26, and can be uncoupled only by relative movement in the reverse direction.
The coupler 14, that is the coupler near the head end of the bed B, is similar in construction to the coupler 15 but has its slot disposed horizontally and opening towards the foot end of the bed; the coupler 15, dcscribed above and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, has its slot 26 disposed vertically and opcning upwards.
In use, when the beds A and B are to be coupled together, the user pushes the beds together so that they are side by side but with a small gap between them. It will be assumed that the heads of the beds are against a wall. He or she manipulates the bed A, having the two couplers 12 and 13 with headed pins, so as to bring the couplers into mutual engagement. To do this he or she first pulls the bed A a short way from the wall, shifts the head end more closely towards the stationary bed, B, and pushes the bed back to the wall again, thus casing the pin of the coupler 12 near the head end to engage the complementary slotted coupler 14 on the stationary bed.He or she then shifts the foot end of the bed A towards the foot end of the stationary bed B, lifts the foot end of bed A, continues to shift the foot end of bed A laterally until not further lateral movement is possible, and finally lowers the foot end of A, thus causing the pin 19 of the coupler 13 near the foot end of bed A to engage the complementary slotted coupler 15 on the stationary bed B.
It will be appreciated that once the beds have been coupled together in this manner they can be uncoupled only by first uncoupling the second couplers 13 and 15 and then uncoupling the first couplers 12 and 14.
The adjacent sides of the mattresses 11 are provided with sliding-clasp fasteners 29 and 30 at their upper and lower edges respectively. When the beds have been coupled together as described above, the mattresses may additionally be connected together by means of those fasteners. It is, of course. normally necessary to separate the fasteners before the beds can be uncoupled.
It will also be appreciated that numerous variants are possible within the scope of the invention. For example the couplers 12 and 14 can be re-arranged so that each occupies the position formerly occupied by the other; likewise the couplers 13 and 15 can similarly be re-arranged. In each instance, however, the slotted coupler is reversed so that its slot opens in the direction opposite to that in which it previously opened. Either the first couplers or the second couplers or both may be re-arranged in this manner. Again, if the slot in either slotted coupler opens in the reverse direction from that described above the beds can still be coupled together in much the same way, but it may then be necessary to couple the first couplers by manipulating one bed and to couple the second couplers by manipulating the other bed.In another variant the second couplers, adapted to be coupled and uncoupled by relative vertical movement, are disposed at or near the head ends of the beds, while first couplers, adapted to be coupled and uncoupled by relative horizontal movement, are disposed at or near the foot ends of the beds. The only disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it is then necessary for the head end of one of the beds to be lifted during coupling and uncoupling, a movement which may be awkward if it necessitates the movement of the heads of both beds away from a wall and the subsequent return of the beds to their positions with their heads against the wall.
Either one of the slotted couplers 14 and 15 or both of them may be replaced by a similar coupler in which the slot is open at both ends so that the associated headed pin can be introduced into the slot from either end at will. In general this is unsuitable for the horizontally extending slot as it then provides no positive stop to the relative longitudinal movement between the beds when they are being coupled together, such a stop being afforded by the engagement between the pin and the closed end of the slot when there is employed a slotted coupler of the kind described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
On the other hand a slotted coupler with a slot open at both ends is suitable for use when the slot is vertical as the arrangement is then such that either bed can be lifted to effect engagement with or disengagement from the pin of the associated coupler.
In each of the embodiments described above the slotted coupler is engaged by a headed pin. In an alternative arrangement however, the headed pin is replaced by an L-shaped pin, one limb projecting horizontally outwards from the base plate secured to the bed, and the other limb extending in a direction parallel with the side of the bed, either horizontally or vertically as required.
It will be understood that the common feature of each of these possible arrangements is the provision of couplers at or near the head ends and the foot ends of twin beds, the couplers at one end being coupled and uncoupled by relative longitudinal movement of the beds, and the couplers at the other end being coupled and uncoupled by relative vertical movement of the beds.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Twin beds provided with couplers enabling them to be releasably secured together side by side, each bed having a first coupler and a second coupler, one of those couplers being at or near the head end of the bed and the other of those couplers being at or near the foot end of the bed, both of the two couplers at the head ends of the beds being either first couplers or second couplers, and both of the two couplers at the foot ends of the beds being either second couplers or first couplers, respectively, the first couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by the endwise movement of one bed relatively to the other bed, and the second couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by lifting that part of one bed adjacent to the second coupler thereof, shifting that bed laterally towards the other bed and lowering it again, the second couplers being such that when they are coupled together they cannot be uncoupled merely by relative horizontal movement between the beds, and the first couplers being such that when they are coupled together they cannot be uncoupled by relative horizontal movement of the beds while the second couplers remain coupled.
2. Twin beds according to Claim 1 in which the first couplers are at or near the head ends of the beds, and the second couplers are at or near the foot ends of the beds.
3. Twin beds according to Claim 2 in which the arrangement is such that the beds can be secured together by pushing one bed endwise, so that the head end leads, relative to the other bed so as to cause the first couplers to couple together, and then raising the foot end of that one bed, shifting it laterally towards that other bed and lowering it again so as to cause the second couplers to couple together.
4. Twin beds according to any of the preceding claims in which the couplers have no moving parts.
5. Twin beds according to Claim 4 in which one of the first couplers comprises a laterally projecting shank with a head, while the other of the first couplers is formed with a horizontal slot extending lengthwise of the associated bed, one of the second couplers also comprises a laterally projecting shank with a head, while the other of the second couplers is formed with a vertical slot, the arrangement being such that when a pair of
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. variants are possible within the scope of the invention. For example the couplers 12 and 14 can be re-arranged so that each occupies the position formerly occupied by the other; likewise the couplers 13 and 15 can similarly be re-arranged. In each instance, however, the slotted coupler is reversed so that its slot opens in the direction opposite to that in which it previously opened. Either the first couplers or the second couplers or both may be re-arranged in this manner. Again, if the slot in either slotted coupler opens in the reverse direction from that described above the beds can still be coupled together in much the same way, but it may then be necessary to couple the first couplers by manipulating one bed and to couple the second couplers by manipulating the other bed.In another variant the second couplers, adapted to be coupled and uncoupled by relative vertical movement, are disposed at or near the head ends of the beds, while first couplers, adapted to be coupled and uncoupled by relative horizontal movement, are disposed at or near the foot ends of the beds. The only disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it is then necessary for the head end of one of the beds to be lifted during coupling and uncoupling, a movement which may be awkward if it necessitates the movement of the heads of both beds away from a wall and the subsequent return of the beds to their positions with their heads against the wall. Either one of the slotted couplers 14 and 15 or both of them may be replaced by a similar coupler in which the slot is open at both ends so that the associated headed pin can be introduced into the slot from either end at will. In general this is unsuitable for the horizontally extending slot as it then provides no positive stop to the relative longitudinal movement between the beds when they are being coupled together, such a stop being afforded by the engagement between the pin and the closed end of the slot when there is employed a slotted coupler of the kind described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. On the other hand a slotted coupler with a slot open at both ends is suitable for use when the slot is vertical as the arrangement is then such that either bed can be lifted to effect engagement with or disengagement from the pin of the associated coupler. In each of the embodiments described above the slotted coupler is engaged by a headed pin. In an alternative arrangement however, the headed pin is replaced by an L-shaped pin, one limb projecting horizontally outwards from the base plate secured to the bed, and the other limb extending in a direction parallel with the side of the bed, either horizontally or vertically as required. It will be understood that the common feature of each of these possible arrangements is the provision of couplers at or near the head ends and the foot ends of twin beds, the couplers at one end being coupled and uncoupled by relative longitudinal movement of the beds, and the couplers at the other end being coupled and uncoupled by relative vertical movement of the beds. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. Twin beds provided with couplers enabling them to be releasably secured together side by side, each bed having a first coupler and a second coupler, one of those couplers being at or near the head end of the bed and the other of those couplers being at or near the foot end of the bed, both of the two couplers at the head ends of the beds being either first couplers or second couplers, and both of the two couplers at the foot ends of the beds being either second couplers or first couplers, respectively, the first couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by the endwise movement of one bed relatively to the other bed, and the second couplers being such that they can be releasably coupled together by lifting that part of one bed adjacent to the second coupler thereof, shifting that bed laterally towards the other bed and lowering it again, the second couplers being such that when they are coupled together they cannot be uncoupled merely by relative horizontal movement between the beds, and the first couplers being such that when they are coupled together they cannot be uncoupled by relative horizontal movement of the beds while the second couplers remain coupled.
2. Twin beds according to Claim 1 in which the first couplers are at or near the head ends of the beds, and the second couplers are at or near the foot ends of the beds.
3. Twin beds according to Claim 2 in which the arrangement is such that the beds can be secured together by pushing one bed endwise, so that the head end leads, relative to the other bed so as to cause the first couplers to couple together, and then raising the foot end of that one bed, shifting it laterally towards that other bed and lowering it again so as to cause the second couplers to couple together.
4. Twin beds according to any of the preceding claims in which the couplers have no moving parts.
5. Twin beds according to Claim 4 in which one of the first couplers comprises a laterally projecting shank with a head, while the other of the first couplers is formed with a horizontal slot extending lengthwise of the associated bed, one of the second couplers also comprises a laterally projecting shank with a head, while the other of the second couplers is formed with a vertical slot, the arrangement being such that when a pair of
the couplers is being coupled together the shank passes into and along the associated slot, but when coupling is complete the shank cannot be withdrawn axially from the slot because the head on the shank is too large to pass through the slot.
6. Twin beds according to Claim 5 in which the vertical slot is such that its associated shank can enter it from either end.
7. Twin beds according to either of Claims 5 and 6 in which the horizontal slot is such that its associated shank can enter it from one end only.
8. Twin beds provided with couplers, enabling them to be releasably secured together side by side, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB2454875A 1976-09-07 1976-09-07 Twin beds Expired GB1564196A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2454875A GB1564196A (en) 1976-09-07 1976-09-07 Twin beds

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2454875A GB1564196A (en) 1976-09-07 1976-09-07 Twin beds

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GB1564196A true GB1564196A (en) 1980-04-02

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2454875A Expired GB1564196A (en) 1976-09-07 1976-09-07 Twin beds

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2187380A (en) * 1986-03-06 1987-09-09 Vi Spring Limited Linking devices for linking together beds or parts of beds
GB2211724A (en) * 1987-11-03 1989-07-12 Gerald Zeph Mizel Furniture assembly

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2187380A (en) * 1986-03-06 1987-09-09 Vi Spring Limited Linking devices for linking together beds or parts of beds
GB2187380B (en) * 1986-03-06 1990-08-01 Vi Spring Limited Linking devices for linking together beds or parts of beds
GB2211724A (en) * 1987-11-03 1989-07-12 Gerald Zeph Mizel Furniture assembly

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed
732 Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977)
732 Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19940907