US1271952A - Couch-bed. - Google Patents

Description

A. SCHRENKEISEN.

COUCH BED.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 19. WW.

1,271,952, Patented-July 9,1918... I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

effzessea.

ARTHUR SCHRENKEISEN, or NEW YORK, n. Y. I

COUCH-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented July e, 1918'.

Application filed June 19, 1917. Serial No. 175,566.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR SCHRENKEI- snN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-Beds, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, illustrative of one particular embodiment of my invention.

This invention relates to a class of furniture now generally known as day-and-night beds. Among the particular objects of my invention are the production of such structure to meet the practical requirements, and to avoid the many objectionable features of such articles that have heretofore been produced, and which objects have minimized their usefulness and as known in the trade have resulted in commercial failure.

Amongthe various features of my invention which produce a successful-article of this character, may be mentioned the supporting of a convertible couch and bed frame in a manner that permits the reversal of the same without moving the. entire bed structure away from the wall or other normal position; the embodiment of elements that insures the uniform front base; means which may be operated by one hand to release the convertible couch-bed frame and swing the same by the same person in one position; the automatic means that catches the swinging couch frame by means indicating when it has reached its converted positionj the embodiment of means substantially and rigidly supporting both sides of the frame in either of its operative positions carrying the weight and strain on the side members substantially supported; and

the combination of all elements in a manner permitting all desired upholstery and other detailed work in the most approved form. Furthermore, the invention enables me to produce a knock-down article which may be readily assembled into the rigid, operative structure in a simple manner, whereby packing and shipping facility insures its success for use as an article to meet the general trade conditions of manufacture, sale and use. i

The importance of this latter characteristic will be apparent when it is considered that a convertible bed is desired for purposes of economy in its'double aspect, and it therefore becomes essential that it be bed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal. section through the swiveling axis of the couch-v bed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on a larger scale at one end of the pivots Figure 1 is a front elevation of the couch Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View on a larger scale, showing a corner of the bed- 1 spring frame.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the couch-bed near one end.

The end sections AB terminate in suitable. legs a.b. A front rail C and a rear rail D connect these end sections A and B, being secured thereto by dowels and bolts so that the rails and end sections may be detached readily, and at the same time when secured constltute a firm, rigid, rectangular and self-sustaining structure if so desired.

The frame E constitutes the base for the vertical features of the structure, which has been called a couch-bed, but which I have more particularly designated in the trade as a day-and-night bed. The frame E has the end members F, and in the approximate center of said end members a bolt G extends through the member on a longitudinal central axis of the entire structure, being supported in the frame F by a bushing g, and projecting into the transverse member B of the end section, while the pivot at the opposite end similarly projects into, or is secured to the transverse member A on the other end section A. This pivot may have a flange as g, which, as shown, is screwed to the member B so as to hold the bolt G securely in place and projecting for engagement in the bushing g of the frame member F. At the inner end the nut g" serves to hold the frame member securely on the bolt G and to tie the frame member to the end sections.

In this manner the frame E is tied at its middle point at each end to the end sections respectively, of the couch-bed in a plane considerably higher than the rails C and D, which tie the end sections together thereby at lower lateral points, so formmg a three point interconnection between the end sections,-one of which is Well out of the plane of the other two, and insures a substantial, strong and complete structure when assem- 5 bled.

When the bolts G are released by removing the nuts 9 and the bolts at the rail ends are removed, the end sections are free to be disassembled from the entire structure and handled and packed separately'in convenient, light units, so that they may be acked and transported with greatest facility. I

The frame E has transverse bridges H which are offset so that while contributing the desired rectangular rigidity of the frame E, their arrangement leaves them clear of the bed-spring, and allows clear space for the yield of the bed when in use. Corner braces 6 add to the rectangular rigidity of the frame and offer a base for the engage- 'ment of the bed-spring frame J. The bedspring frame J is secured at one side by hinges J, and at the other side by hinged bolts and win nuts K, which engage a recess k in the edge of frame J. I

On the side of the frame E opposite to the bed frame side, webbing L is stretched from all sides of the frame E, and supports the upholstery springs M, on top of which the upholstery is secured, and the covering ma terial P is carried over the upholstery and down the side and secured to the edge of the frame. This covering material, however, on one side is secured to the edge of the frame E, and an additional strip E then screwed on resulting in a neat finish, while the rail or strip E" also serves as an offset of the frame E on that side, for purposes of engagement at the front with the supporting member Q when the couch is converted into a bed with the mattress side up.

The front lid Q is hinged, preferably with a blind hinge g, and as shown in Fig. 5 in dotted position, drops or is shiftable outward, which movement may be limited by a desk elbow stop 9, or similar device. An under-cut groove R, which in this form extends-the full length of the drop lid Q, en- 50 ables a person to grip the front lid when standing in any posltion in front of the bed, and the snap catch .9 on the top of the drop lid Q engages a recess 8 in the overhanging edge of the frameE, permitting, however, ready displacement by the operator when applying suitable effort at the under-cut ip R, and at the same time securely hold ing the drop lid Q in its supporting posit1on so that it forms a rigid support between the rail C and the lateral edge of the frame E, ample for all purposes for which the couch or bed may be used. The main strain which always comes on the front edge, is thereby most admirably provided for. On 65 the rear the frame E is supported at either end by shelf-springs T, which are inclined so that the edge of the frame approaching from below will slide over and depress the shelf-springs T, and when the edge of the frame E has passed, these shelf-springs T will spring into operative position and offer an audible signal that the rotation of the frame has passed to the desired reversed position. -These shelf-springs support the rear side of the frame, and with the front drop lid Q constitute a complete support for the main load applied on the frame, which in use is transmitted by upholstery or bed to the side members of the frame. Thus the pivots G will not receive the main strain, but are ample to supportthe entire frame and couch and bed material during the rotation or conversion, and are made, however, sufficient to stand any further strain that might be transmitted to such pivots in the course of ordinary use.

The bed frame J has the bed-springs y secured in the usual manner, but the edges J" of the frame J I prefer to reverse from the usual position in which they are placed, whereby said edges J" serve to partially inclose the edges of the mattress and keep it in place, and prevent engagement with any objects in the process of conversion of thebed. Straps U are secured to the bed frameJ and enable me to strap the mattress, aswell as pillows or other material, securely in place, so that upon reversal with the bed side down they will be held against displacement, affording in this respect the utmost convenience, as will be appreciated by those familiar with this art.

By the combination of the rectangular frame comprising the end sections and rails C and D, as a completely open frame without any bottom, I avoid entirely the danger of accumulation of dust and dirt which has caused the complete failure of structures having that characteristic. Furthermore, such convertible 'day-and-night beds must have a practical width for convenlence and comfort, and at the same time without a prohibitive height, and this I accomplish in my structure with the open frame WlllCh permits the low form of convertible structure, which as shown in Fig. 5, swings on the dotted line and the proportions may be so made that the edges of the frame E will clear the floor, thereby providing the lowest permissible height whether in couch or bed position, and producing with respect to practical commercial dimensions a most successful article of manufacture, to insure the maximum width and least height. I, furthermore, bevel the edge of the rails at c and d, thereby gaining clearance, or width of the bed or couch, as every degree of imrovement possible in this respect is of add d commercial value.

The hinging of the bed frame J at one side, is permitted by the loosening of the wing nuts K, so that the bed section may be -more or less displaced and Permit cleaning and inspection of the entire structure, or, in brief, affording the greatest-facility for cleanliness, which is an essential characteristic.

The entire structure has the most important characteristics of being readilv set-up, or, on the other hand, made in its parts and readily shipped or disassembled. and in addition the structure is open, in a sense, throughout so as to afford no chance of collection of dust or dirt, and as to space between mattress and couch top my construction afl'ords means readily operable by the housewife, or anyone, to air and clean whenever desired.

My .invention or its various features of advantageous combination, may be embodied in different styles of finish, indifferent dimensions and the material may be changed and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a piece of convertible furniture the combination with a pair of end sections, of a displaceable supporting board extending between the end sections on the front side of said piece, a rotatable frame adapted-to carry a bed on one side and an upholstered section on the other pivoted on its longitudinal axisto the end sections, one side of the upholstered section being flush with the edge of the frame and the frame extending beyond the edge of the upholstered section on the other side to form a ledge adapted to be engaged by the supporting board when the bed side of the frame is uppermost, and a pair of spring shelves, one. mounted on the rear portion of each end section and extending inwardly to support the frame when in horizontal position and to permit the frame to be revolved in one direction.

2. In a piece of convertible furniture the combination with a pair of end sections, of a displaceable supporting board extending between the end sections on the front side of said iece, a rotatable frame adapted to carry a bed on one side and an upholstered section on the other pivoted on its longitudinal axis to the end sections, the frame extending beyond the edge of the upholstered section on one side to form .a ledge adapted to be engaged by the supporting board when the bed side of the frame is uppermost, and supporting means mounted on the rear portion of each end section and extending inwardly adapted to permit the frame to be revolved and to support the frame when in horizontal position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of June, 1917.

ARTHUR SCHRENKEISEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE V. MoNALLY. HERMAN H. Conn.

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