GB2112278A - Stowable beds - Google Patents

Abstract

A stowable bed has a frame (6) with retractable pivoted legs (8) which are each spring-loaded downwards towards the fully extended position with a force insufficient to overcome the weight of the frame, so that the latter may be moved on castors (19) when the legs are retracted. The bed frame may be stowed beneath another bed when the legs are retracted. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stowable beds Portable "camp" beds are known in which the bed frame is supported upon retractable legs which are folded towards the frame to make a conveniently compact structure for transport and stowage. The retractable legs are often spring loaded, but they have to be moved positively, usually by hand, between the retracted and extended positions.

The present invention provides, in one aspect, a stowable bed in which retractable legs move automatically into an extended position when a rigid frame of the bed is lifted.

The stowable bed according to the invention comprises a rigid frame carrying a mattress support and retractable legs pivoted to the frame, each leg being spring-loaded towards an extended position with a spring force which is insufficient to overcome the weight of the frame when the legs are retracted.

The rigid frame of the bed is normally stowed flat on the ground in a horizontal position conveniently, the bed frame may be stowed flat beneath an existing bed. When it is desired to erect the bed the frame is simply lifted at one end.

This will cause the retractable spring loaded legs at that end to extend under their spring loading into their fully extended position. The bed is then lifted at the other end to allow the spring loaded legs at that end to extend fully. At no stage is it necessary for the user to move the retractable legs by hand when erecting the bed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the legs when retracted are disposed in the plane of the frame. Thus the legs may be pivotally mounted on longitudinal members of the frame about axes which are parallel to transverse members of the frame. When retracted the legs preferably lie within the frame.

The legs, in a preferred embodiment of the bed, are spring loaded into engagement with stop surfaces on the frame when the legs are in their extended positions. In moving from their retracted into their extended positions the legs preferably pass through positions in which they are perpendicular to the frame. In order to retract the legs once these have extended under their spring loading it is necessary to move the legs, usually by hand, past the position in which they are perpendicular to the frame. The frame can then be lowered to the ground, when the legs will be collapsed under the weight of the frame.

As indicated earlier, the invention has particular applicability to the stowage of a bed in a flat horizontal condition, for example beneath an existing bed. According, therefore, to another aspect the invention provides a twin bed assembly comprising a first bed having a stowage space beneath its mattress support surface in which a second bed and its mattress is accommodated when not in use, the second bed having a frame with retractable legs and being provided with castors on which the said frame can be moved when its legs are retracted. The second bed may be a stowable bed as previously defined, although any form of stowable bed with retractable legs could be used.

To facilitate movement of the stowable bed when its legs are retracted castors are preferably mounted on the retractable legs, to support the bed frame when the legs are retracted.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general perspective view illustrating a twin bed assembly according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of part of the stowable bed shown in Figure 1, illustrating one of the retractable legs; and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of part of the stowable bed shown in Figures 1 and 2, taken on line Ill-Ill in Figure 1.

The twin bed assembly illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a first bed 1 having a bed frame 2, for example of pine wood, supporting a number of resiliently interconnected transverse pine slats 3 forming a sprung structure, of the kind described in U.K. Patent Specification 1 230821. The frame 2 is supported clear of the ground by legs 4 at opposite ends of the frame, leaving an open space beneath the frame 2 in which a stowable bed 5 is accommodated when not in use.

The stowable bed 5 also has a pine wood frame 6 supporting elastically interconnected transverse slats 7 forming a spring mattress support surface similar to that of the bed 1. Four retractable legs 8 are pivotally connected to the two longitudinal members of the frame 6, inboard of the latter, for pivotal movement about respective transverse pivot pins 9 (Figure 2). Each leg 8, in its retracted position, lies in the plane of the bed frame 6 and projects from its respective pivot pin towards the opposite end of the bed frame.

The bed frame 6 supports respective stop blocks 10 attached to the frame and located between the pivoted end of each respective leg 8 and the adjacent transverse member of the frame 6. Each stop block 10 has a stop face 11 which is parallel to the pivot axis of the associated leg 8 and which is inciined to the vertical when the bed frame 6 is horizontal. A longitudinal groove 1 2 is formed in the lower face of the stop block 10 and accommodates an anchorage for one end of a tension spring 13.The tension spring 1 3 extends through the groove 12 and through a corresponding groove 1 4 in the lower face of the retracted leg 8, the groove 14 being in effect a continuation of the groove 12, the other end of the spring 1 3 being anchored at the end of the groove 14 remote from the groove 12.

The tension spring 1 3 attached to each leg 8 acts continuously on the leg 8 and exerts a turning moment about the respective pivot pin 9, urging the leg 8 towards an extended position, shown in broken outline in Figure 3, in which one face of the leg 8 abuts the stop face 1 The spring loading exerted by the tension springs 1 3 is sufficient to move the respective legs 8 from their retracted into their extended position, and to hold the legs in their extended positions, when the bed frame 6 is lifted, but is insufficient to move the legs 8 by overcoming the weight of the frame 6 when the legs 8 are retracted and the frame 6 rests on the ground.

The bed frame 6 is provided at opposite ends with shallow upstanding head and foot boards 15, 1 6 respectively, each of which is provided centrally with a respective finger grip aperture 17, 18. The legs 8 of the retractable bed are each provided with a respective castor 19 on the lower face of the retracted leg 8 so that, when the legs 8 are retracted the bed frame 6 is supported on the castors 19. This facilitates movement of the bed frame when the legs are retracted.

The pivot pin 9 for the rectactable hinged legs 8 of the stowable bed 5 may be attached to the longitudinal members of the bed frame 6, each pivot pin 9 being anchored at its end opposite the adjacent longitudinal bed frame member by a metal support bracket 20 attached to the adjacent stop block 10.

The two legs adjacent each end of the stowable bed 5 are preferably but not necessarily, interconnected by wooden struts 21 so that the two legs 8 at each end of the bed 5 always move in unison.

The size of the two boards 1 5, 16, and the thickness of the mattress (not shown) accommodated on the slats 7, is such that the entire bed 5 may be stowed in a flat position with its legs retracted in the space beneath the frame 2 of the first bed 1.

When it is desired to bring the stowable bed 5 into use the frame 6 is moved to a desired position on the castors 19. One end of the frame 6 is then lifted using the finger grip 1 7 on the headboard 1 5. As the end of the frame 6 is lifted the springs 13 acting on the legs 8 at that end of the frame draw the legs 8 into their fully extended positions, shown in broken outline in Figure 3, this movement occurring automatically without any need to act on the legs 8 manually. A similar action occurs when the other end of the bed frame 6 is lifted using the finger grip 1 8 in the foot board 16.

It will be noted that when the legs 8 are in their fully extended positions, shown diagrammatically in Figure 3, each leg is inclined outwardly to the vertical, so that the weight of a user lying on the bed urges the leg 8 into further engagement with the stop face 11, assisting the action of the associated spring 13.

It will be appreciated that the mattress support surfaces formed by the slats 3, 7 in the illustrated beds 1, 5 could alternatively be of any suitable type. Moreover, the twin bed assembly illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 could employ a stowable bed 5 with foldable legs of any suitable type, and not necessarily a stowable bed of the kind specifically illustrated.

Claims (10)

1. A stowable bed comprising a rigid frame carrying a mattress support and retractable legs pivoted to the frame, each leg being spring-loaded towards an extended position with a spring force which is insufficient to overcome the weight of the frame when the legs are retracted.

2. A stowable bed according to Claim 1, in which the legs when retracted are disposed in the plane of the frame.

3. A stowable bed according to Claim 2, in which the legs are pivotally mounted on longitudinal members of the frame about axes which are parallel to transverse members of the frame.

4. A stowable bed according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the legs lie within the frame when retracted.

5. A stowable bed according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the legs are spring loaded into engagement with stop surfaces on the frame when in their extended positions.

6. A stowable bed according to Claim 5, in which the legs, in moving from their retracted into their extended positions pass through positions in which the legs are perpendicular to the frame.

7. A twin bed assembly comprising a first bed having a stowage space beneath its mattress support surface in which a second bed and its mattress is accommodated when not in use, the second bed having a frame with retractable legs and being provided with castors on which the said frame can be moved when its legs are retracted.

8. A twin bed assembly according to Claim 7, in which the second bed is a stowable bed in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 6.

9. A twin bed assembly according to Claim 8, in which the castors on the second bed are mounted on the retractable legs, which are pivotally attached to the frame of the second bed, the supporting legs of the second bed frame lying within the frame when the legs are retracted.

10. A stowable bed substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.