US1416146A - Portable housing device - Google Patents

Description

J. S. WHITE.

PORTABLE HOUSING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED NOV-26. 1920.

B'SHEETS-SHEET l Patented May 16, 1922.

I. S. WHITE.

PORTABLE HOUSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.26,1920.

2 2. 92 IT E 6m 114 .km. S as .m m a P J. 8. WHITE.

PORTABLE HOUS|NG-DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.2s. 1920.

1 1,416,146. Patented May'16,1922.

e SHEETS 'SHEET a.

1. 3. WHITE.

PORTABLE HOUSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION. FILED NOV.26. I920.

lmrzlr /2/21: J.

Patentd May 16, 1922.,

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

1. 8. WHITE.

PORTABLE HOUSING DEVICE.

' v "APPLICATIQN'FILED Nov.26. 1920. v 1 I I 11,416,146. v Patented y 16,1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

J."S. WHITE. PORTABLE HOUSING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED NOV.26, 1920.

Patented May 16, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

haz-zzr entran stares! Parent Erica;

.rorin s. WHITE, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. Assrenon T0 LILLY B. siviirn, on

. ATLANTA, GEORGIA. v i a PORTABLE ga'ousnv'e DEVICE.

Application filed November 26, 1920. Serial No. 426,397.

To all whom it may concern: ,7

Be it known that I, JOHN S. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Portable 'Housing' Devices of which the following is a specifications One object of my invention is to provide an improved portable housing device which can be easily moved from place toplace and canbe used with great comfort and conven ience at the seashore, for camping purposes, on open porches or for many other purposes where a person wishes privacy in a portable the comforts and conveniences procurable-in a permanent housing structure and atthe same time affording an abundance of fresh air and other conditions which. will insure health. I

Another object is to so construct my' improved devicethat it will insure privacy andcomfort as a sleeping compartment or as a couch so that aperson may either sit upright therein or in an inclined position and at the same time will be protected against the elements.

Another object is to so construct my'in yvention that when usedfor sleeping purposes, sufi'icient fresh air can be admitted into the structure without causii'ig drafts or other conditions which would impair the health of the occupant.'

A further object is to include in the structure, means readily adapted for use instoring either personal or bed clothing; said means being operative to; prevent drafts from affecting the sleeper. Said means also when not adapted for use for the latter mentioned purpose being operative to provide a back support for 'aperson sitting within the Specification ofLetters iatent. Pafbented M 16 1922 Astill further object is to make the de-- vice of mypresent invention of a durable construction which can be used in all kinds of weather and at'the same'time insure comfort to the user. I p i These Objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I c

attain in the followingmanner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in -which 1' Figure l is a front elevation of a portable 1 housing device made in accordance with my present invention Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l, housing devicewithout the deprivation of Figure 3' is a view :of the same' general A character as shown in Figure 2 with certain of the parts having been moved into anotherposition, I i I Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevationtaken on the line et-4e of Figure 2',

Figure 5 isa front elevation showing the dev ce full open in the front v Figure 6 is an endelevation of the device open at the front; the" movable sections serving as a canopy, v i r Figure 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating an opening closed by a door to permit a waste water receptacle to be re moved and inserted'therein", and

Figure 8 is a sectionon the line 8-8 of Figure 4:. 1 I 2 Referring tot'he drawings 8 represents a hollow body: portion which may be made of any suitable material suchas sheet metal,

:wood or the like; said bodyportion being elongated in the direction ofits width and including a partition 9 spaced inwardly a short distance fromthe end 10; said partition extending upwardly' from the bottom 11 to 'the top' 12 as clearly shown in Figures 2,3 and 4:. The space between the partition 9 and the end lOis divided into a number of compartments 13; 14, 15, 16 and 17 The bottom 11 supports,- within the main compartment orchamberlS a frame"19";"said frame stopping short'of the partition 9 and ofthe' opposite end 20 of the body portion.

cushion 21 is positioned upon] the frame, 19 and is substantially of the same length I assaid frame as sliown in Figure 4.: This cushion extends from the front 22 to the back 23 of the body portion 8 and provides a bed bottom and is preferably tufted and covered with material which presents a pleasing appearance. Two end cushions 24 and 25 are placed in upright positions; the lower ends being respectively positioned adjacent the ends of the frame and rest upon the bottom 11. A ledge strip 26 is secured to the partition 9 and end 20 and also to the back 23 at a position just above the top edges of the cushions 24 and 25. The part 27 of the ledge 26 which is secured to the back 23 has hinges 28 secured thereto at positions spaced apart within the width of the chamber 18 and these hinges are attached to one edge of a box 29; said box flaring from its end 30 to its end 31 and being normally positioned as shown in Figure 2 with its side 32 positioned against the back 23 of the body portion 8 so that'its opposite side 33 slants downwardly and forwardly from the hinges 28. The side 33 has a cushion 34 which provides a back cushion, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, to permit a person to sit on the cushion 21 with his or her back supported by the cushion 34 when the front section is open as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The open end 31 of the box 29 is closed by a door 35; said door being hinged to the outer free end of the side 33. When in this lowered position, the end 30 of the box 29 is positioned under the portion 27 of the ledgestrip 26 so that an ornamental finish is provided by the strip 26 which covers the upper end of the box 29 and also the upper edge portions of the end cushions 24 and 25. The box 29 can be swung upwardly either in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 or into the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in said figure. When in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3, the box can be supported by means of a hook 36 which is adapted to engage within an eye 37 on the box. If deslred similar structures can be provided at opposite ends; the one hook 36 being'preferably secured to the partition 9 as shown in Figure 2. Then in this position,

the door'35 can be readily opened to permit clothing, either bed clothing or personal clothing. to be stored within or removed from the interior of the box 29 and by raisingsaid box on its hinges a greater area of .the cushion 21 will be exposed for sleeping purposes. The back 23 is provided with screened windows 38 at a position above the ledge strip 26 and I preferably provide flex-- ible curtains 39 which are slidably mounted on rods 40 so that the curtains can be drawn in position to secure privacy and also to fvary the amount of ventilation through the screened-windows. It will be noted that by swinging the box 29"into the dot-and-dash .-line position shown in Figure 3, that said box will'serve as a battle or air entering through the screened windows 38 and when the box is in the full line position as shown in Figure 3, the same will form a canopy or overhead structure to protect the sleeper against downward draft and furthermore the curtains 39can be moved into a position away from the screened windows and yet the box 29 will serve as means for preventing the sleeper from being seen through said windows. The box 29 can be held in the dotand-dash line position by means of a hook 41 which'is adapted to engage with the eye 37 said hook 41 being positioned above and to the rear of the hook 36.

The front 2. has an opening 42, the bottom of which is preferably made slightly below the top of the forward edge of the cushion 24. This opening extends preferably the full width of the chamber 18 and'can be closed by two screened frames 43 and 44' which are hinged together at 45; the upper frame 43 being hinged at 46 to the lower'edge of the top 12; said top being of a curvature such as clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 8-.

I preferably provide curtains 47 for the screened frames 43 and 44; said curtains being slidable on rods 48. The frames can be held in their closed position by any suit able securing means accessible from the interior of the chamber 18 and as illustrated I have shown hooks 49 for said purpose. With this arrangement the frames 43 and 44 can be extended into their full open positions as shown in full lines in Figure 6 and supported by auxiliary bracket bars 49 said bracket bars having their lowered ends secured to the body portion 8 in any suitable manner preferably by inserting them within sockets 50 as shown in Figure 6; the upper ends of the bars 49 being hooked within eyelets 51 in the frame 44.

For purposes of protection during a storm or severe weather, I provide a covering 52 ring 52 and also attached to the cleats 54.

The bottom of the covering 55 can be secured to cleats 56 on the front 22 below the bottom of the opening 42. r

The body portion 8 can be mounted on rollers or. wheels 57 which are preferably secured to the bottom of tubular end supports 58; said end supportsbeing bent in the formof yokes and bolted tothe opposite ends-of the body as clearly shown in Figure 6. If desired the roller 53 for the covering 52 can be constructed in the same manner as a spring shade roller so that'it will auto matically operate to re-wind the covering 52 when it is desired to remove said covering from its protecting position.

The partition 9 has an opening 60 which is normally closed by a panel 61 ;said opening and panel in their normal positions being directly behind the cushion 24; so as to be invisible when the cushion 2a is in place. The panel or door 61 is hinged at its bottom to the partition 9 and when the cushion Qt is removed, by slightly tilting and lifting the same, the panel can be swung into the dotand-dash line position shown in Figure 4c. The inner surface of the panel 61 supports a lavatory 62 and in order to support the lavatory in a horizontal position, I I provide a flexible connection which consistsof two bars 63 and 61 which are hinged together at 65; the bar 64 being pivoted to the panel 61 while the bar 63 is pivoted at 66 toa fixed part on theend 10. The lengths of the bars 63 and 64; are such that when the panel moves into its horizontal posit-ion as shown inidotand-dash lines in Figure 1, said bars will form a brace for supporting the panel and lavatory in a horizontal position so that the same can be used for washing purposes. The lavatory 62 includes a recessed lip 67 and the bottom of the compartment 13 has a waste water receptacle 68 so positioned that after thetdevice is used. the mere swinging of the panel 61 upwardly on its hingewill' cause the lip to be projected downwardly so that the waste water within the lavatory will fall into the receptacle 28. This receptacle can be removed from time to time through an opening 69 in the back 23; said opening being normally closed by a door 70 as shown in Figure 7. Clean water can be supplied to the lavatory through the medium of a pipe 71 which leads from a water storage tank 7 2 which is mounted within-the compartment 15 and, as shown, the tank 72 has a filling neck which leads through the top 12 of the body portion and through which fresh water can be supplied from time to time.

The pipe 71 is provided with a valve 73 which may be operated from the compartment 1 1; said compartment having an opening 7% closed by a door 7 5. The outlet end of the pipe 71 is so positioned that when the valve 73 is opened, the water will flow into the lavatory 62 and in this manner a person within the chamber 18 can conveniently wash, and when not desired for use the lavatory can be moved into the compartment 13 merely by swinging the panel 61 upward as above described, after which the cushion 2a can be slipped into place between the frame 19 and partition 9. 1] preferably provide a mirror 76 which is positioned within the compartment I l and secured to the inner surface of the end 10 of the body portion; said mirror being in position so as to be clearly visible through the opening 74: in the partition 9 when the door 75 isopened I The compartment 16 can be used for an electric storage battery for the purpose of supplying currentto electric lamps77. r

The compartment--17 extends to the rear of the compartment 1 land is located between the compartment 16 and the compartment 13; there being an extension 17 of the compartment 17 which leads downwardly to therear of the compartment 13 as clearly shown in Figure 8. The compartment 17 has an opening 78 which is normally closed by a hinged .door 79 and the extension 17' of the compartment 17has an opening 80 which is closed by a hinged door 81. The compartment 17 can be used preferably for holding coats or other articles to prevent them from being mussed and by the provision of the extension 17 itis possible to suspendany long garments,-such as mens trousers or the like; said garments extending entirely within the depth of the compartment 17 and its extension 179. The door 80 can be opened to permit shoes or similar articles to be storedin the bottom of the extension compartment 17?.

Thus apersontcan comfortably sit, re-- cline or sleep within the. device and at the same time can wash and keep hisor her clothes in proper order. A casing 82 is preferably secured to the bottom 11 and may be used for storing bed clothing or other articles. r

It is believed to be obvious that my improved device} affords exceptional comfort and convenienceawhich renders the device particularly desirable for use out of doors such for example as theseashore, for camping purposes orthe, like and at the same time the structure is such that it can be readily moved from place to placecto suit the convenience and pleasure of the occuant.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what the bed bottom into a position spaced above the bed bottom said box having an opening in its bottom; a door for closing said opening; and means for locking said door to prevent it from opening downwardly when the box is in said first position; substantially as described.

2. A portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber; a bed bottom therein; and a back member movable from a position covering a portion of the rear of the bed bottom into a position spaced above said bed bottom to form a canopy for a person lying on said bedbottom; substantially as described.

8.1K portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber; a bed bottom therein; and a box movable from a position covering a portion of the rear of said bed bottom to a position spaced above said bed bottom, said box flaring clownwardly whereby when the box is in said first position its outer side will be inclined to the plane of the bed bottom; substantially as described.

4. A portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber; a bed bottom therein; and a box providing a seat back and movable from a position partly covering the bed bottom into a position spaced above the bed bottom, said box hav ing an opening which permits access to the interior thereof when in said raised position; substantially as described.

5. A portable housing device including a body portion providin a chamber; a bed bottom therein; and a loox movable from a position covering a portion of the rear of said bed bottom to a position spaced above said bed bottom, said box flaring downwardly whereby when the box is in said first position its outer side will be inclined to the plane of the bed bottom, the wide end of said box having an opening whereby free access may be had to the interior of the box when the box is in its raised position; substantially as described.

6. A portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber; a bed bottom therein; and a box hinged adjacent the back of said body portion and adapted to be swung from a position partly covering the bed bottom into a position spaced above the bed bottom said box having an opening which permits access to the interior thereof when said box is in its raised position; substantially as described.

7. A portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber and windows leading therefrom; a bed bottom in said chamber; and a back member movable from a position covering a portion of the rear of the bed bottom into a position spaced above said bed bottom to form a canopy spaced between said bed bottom and said windows; substantially as described.

8. A portable housing device including a body portion providing a chamber and windows leading therefrom; a bedbottom in said chamber; and a back member movable from a position covering aportion of the rear of the bed bottom into a position spaced above said bed bottom to form a canopy spaced between said bed bottom and said windows the forward portion of said member when in said latter position being spaced to the rear of the front of said chamber whereby air can pass from said windows to a position below the level of said member but a person lying on said bed bottom cannot be seen through said windows; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. WHITE.

I lVitnesses:

CHAS. E. Porrs, ELIZABETH ,Go'rnn.

Images