US1903404A - Combination furniture - Google Patents

Description

Apri'14, 1933. T ABRAMS 1,903,404-

COMBINATION FURNITURE Filed June 16. 1932 Patented Apr. 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlicE THEODORE ABRAMS, WOODHAVEN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STUDIO COUCH .I PATENTS CO. INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COMBINATION FURNITURE Application led .Tune 16,

This invention relates to combination furniture, and has more particular reference to certain improvements in combined lounges and beds of th-e type which include two frames nested one within vthe other when used as a lounge and in which the frames are either disposed in side by side contiguous relation to serve as a double bed or separated from each other to serve as twin or indi- 13 vidual beds. -Furniture of this type is vari- ,ously known in the trade as twin studio divans, bed couches or under other similar names, which are really immaterial so far as the present invention is concerned except l5 for the purpose of defining generally the type of furniture to which the invention relates.

Articles of furniture of this type which are now in general use and on the market g have been found to be open to the objection and to possess the distinct disadvantage that they are difficult and laborious for one person to shift the two frames from the nested relation to the opened or unnested relation, as it requires either bending over and grasping of the outer frame at the center of the lower edge or grasping of the upper mattress, which tends to distort or disig'ure the same. In contradistinction to this, the shifting of the frames to a nested relation is neither diiiicult nor laborious. y

The present invention ltherefore broadly comprehends the conceptive idea of providing in combination furniture .of this character, normally restrained or detained manually releasable interengaging `means on said frames which acts, when released, to shift the frames from a nested to an unnested relation. y

More particularly, the invention embodies the provision of means on one of the frames which engages with means on the other frame to place one of said means under tension when the frames are 4moved to nested position. together with means for holding or retaining said frames when so nested against movement to unnested position by the tension of said means until manually released.

rThe invention further contemplates such means which does not, when released, estab- 1932. Serial No. 617,622,-

lish a'connection between theframes which would serve as an impediment or obstruction to the complete separation of the frames for use as separate or twin beds.

The invention furthermore resides in the provision of detaining or retaining means for the purpose set forth so constructed and arranged as to permit of manual release from either end of the couch, so that the person eecting the release is so located as to be disposed out of the path of movement of the movable frame as the same is moved by the tension means to the unnested position.

As a still 'further ob]- ect, the invention embodies an improvement of the indicated character which is comparatively simple in its construction and mode of operation, which may be inexpensively produced and installed upon or incorporated in articles of furniture of this character and which is highly efficient in its purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specification and accompanying' drawing, in which there is illustrated a preferred em- V75 bodiment of the invention, while the claims define and mark out the actual scope of the invention.

In the drawing.: 4

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts broken away and shown in section to disclose the underlying structure and illustrating in full and broken lines the several positions of the frames.

Figure 2'is. a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 2 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line indicated at 3-3 in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A and B designate generally the two frames of the combined lounge and bed or beds, and in the present instance the frame A will be referred to as the outer or movable frame and the frame B as the inner or iXed frame, although it is to be understood that this is not intended as a limitation upon the scope of the invention but is employed for the sake of clearness in describing the same. V 100 As shown, the outer or movable frame is designed to move from the dotted line nested position covering the inner or fixed frame to the full line extended or unnested position, as illustrated in Figures l and 2, it being understood that the outer or movable frame is larger in height, width and depth for this purpose, as is the common construction of these articles. The frame A includes an upper front rail 10 and an upper rear rail 11, upper end rails 12 and depending front and rear legs 13 and 14 which are provided with castors, rollers orequivalent iioor bearing elements 15 by virtueof which the frame may be readily moved. The rear frame B likewise includes front and rear side rails 16 and 17, end rails18 and depending front and rear legs 19 and 20 which are also provided with castors or equivalent floor bearing elements 21. As is customary in these articles of furniture, themovable and fixed frames are respectively provided with interengageable elements 22 and 23 which are in the nature of reversely directed hooks or equivalent means, the purpose of which is to prevent complete 'separation of the frames when extended or moved to an unnested position so as to locate and hold the same in contiguous relation when the frames are to form a double bed when extended. The elements 22`and 23 may, however, be readily l'disengaged by lifting one frame slightly with reference to the other so that the frames may be independently used as separate or twin beds. The foregoing is a general description of the type of article of furniture to which' the invention pertains, and, as previously set forth, the movable outer frame has heretofore been moved from a nested position telescopically arranged over the fixed inner frame by directlypulling the movable frame outwardly in any manner in which the user elects or can accomplish the movement.

The present-invention aims to provide suitable means such as herein disclosed or its equivalent, for normally urging or. shifting the frames apart to an unnested onextended position, which means, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, consists of a pair of coiled contractile springs 25, the outer ends` of which are respectively anchored as at 26 to the front legs 19 of the inner or fixed frame. B, and the inner ends of which are respectivevly engaged in the apertured ears 27 of an abutment plate 28 to connect the springs with 'said plate and form an elastic element spanning spaced portions of the frame. The plate 28 is suspended and mounted for guided movement from a position adjacent the frontof the inner or fixed frame as shown in full lines in Figure 1, to -a position adjacent the rear of the frame B, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1. As shown, the plate 28 is provided with upstanding arms 29 which are apertured and receive therethrough the suspension and guide Wires 30 which are anchored to and extend between the front and rear upper side rails 16 and 17 of the frame B. rlhe means further includes a push or thrust bar 31 which'isanchored at 32 to the front of the outer or movable frame A and which extends transversely rearward from the front of the frame A to the rear thereof, said push or thrust bar being supported adj acent its rear end by a depending l-eg 33 which is provided with a castor `or other equivalent floor bearing element 34. From this construction and arrangement, it is apparent, assuming the frames to be in the full line position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, that movement of the frame A inwardly toward the frame B to nest the frames will cause the leg 33 of the push or thrust bar to contact and engage with the abutment plate 28, and as the frames are moved to nesting relation, the abutment plate moving from its normal position adjacentthe front of the frame B toward the rear of the frame B will stretch the springs 25 and place them under tension, which tension is sufficient when the frames are completely nested t-o shift the frames from the nested to the unnested relation, which movement due to moment-um is arrested when the elements 22 and 23 come into contact.

In orderto provide means for detainingv or locking the frames .in neste-d relation against the action of the-springs 25 when placed under tension, any. suitable detent means may be employed. This detent or locking means which has been selected for the purpose of the present illustration consists of a latch bolt 35 which is mounted and guided for vertical movement in a latch housing 36 and is normally projected downwardly by a spring 37, Where it is disposed in the path of movement of a catch terminal 38 provided at the free inner end of the push or thrust bar 31. The catch termin-al is formed with an in clined cam face 39 which cams the bolt 35 upwardly against the action of the spring 37 when the frames are moved to fully nested condition and the bolt 35 then obviously retains and holds the frames in nested condition with the springs 25 under tension until the latch bolt 35 is moved upwardly out of engagement with the 4catch `terminal 38. As shown, the bolt housing 36 is secured to a depending bracket 40 which is secured to the rear side rail 17 of the frame B. In lorder to provide means for releasing the latch bolt 35, which means may be manipulated from either end of the couch, a flexible cable 41 is attached to the latch bolt 35' and is provided with branch leads 42 and 43 which are respectively trained over guide sheaves 44 and 45. The opposite ends of the branch leads 42 and 43 extend through the ends of the frame B. preferably adjacent the rear si-d-e rails ,17 and the terminals are provided with manipulating rings or equivalent elements 46.

From the foregoing, it Willy thus be seen that when the frames are in the unnested or plate 28, thereby stretching'and placing the springs 25 under tension. As the catch terminal 38 engages With the latch bolt 35, the frames are automatically locked in nested relation With the springs under tension, so that immediately upon release by exerting a pull upon either of the manipulating rings 46, the frame A Will move to an unnested extended position. Obviously, when so moved or ejected, the elements 22 and 23 in addition to acting as stops for limiting the opening,

movement of the frame A, serve to retain the frames in contiguous side by side relation whereby the frames may be used as a double bed. If it is desired to use the frames separately as individual or tvvin beds, the elements 22 and 23 are disengaged.

From the foregoing, it Will thusbeseen that an'improvement in combination furniture of the indicated character has been devised which is exemplified in the preferred.'

form of the invention as set forth, but it is to be clearly understood that no limitation is intended to the precise structuraly detalls,

Which may be varied in accordance with the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination article of furniture including a pair of laterally nestable bed frames and interengageable means on said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested relation comprising an elastic element extending longitudinally across one side of one frame, a rigid element on the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing said element under tension when the frames are moved to the nested relation and manually releasable detent means for holding the frames in nested relation against the action of the tensioned elastic means.

2. In an article of furnitureincluding a pair of nestable bed frames, means to propel one of the frames from its nested position With respect to the other frame, said means comprising an elastic element carried by one of the frames in a spanning position, means carried by the other frame for impacting said elastic element upon closing movement of the vframe to produce a bight in said element and to place said element under tension, and manually releasable detent means having coacting elements on the respective frames, which elements interlock upon closure of the frames.

3. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth including a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means on said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested or extended pesition comprising an elastic element extending .longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing the same under tension when the frames are moved to nested relation.

4. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth including a pair of laterally nestable frames; interchangeable means on said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested or extended position comprising an elastic element extending longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid elementl extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing'the same under tension when the frames are moved to the inner ends of the springs are connected Y and means for supporting and guidingsaid abutment plate for transverse movement.. Y

5. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth' including 'a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means on said frames for shiftlng the same from a nested to an unnested` or extended position comprising an A-elastic ele-- ment extending longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing the same under tension when the frames are moved to nested relation, said elastic element comprising a pair of coiled contractile springs anchored at their outer ends to the opposite ends of the frame and an abutment plate to which the inner ends of the springs are connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutment plate for transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the other frame consistingl of a bar having a depending leg adjacent itsv free end for engagement With said abutment plate.

6. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth including a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means on said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested or extended position comprising an elastlc element extending longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing the same under tension when the frames are moved to nested relation, said elastic element com.4

ment, said transverse rigid means on the other frame consisting of a bar having a de pending leg adjacent its free end for engagement With said abutment plate and means at the free end of said bar and on the y other frame adapted tointerengage when the frames are nested, for locking the same.

7. In a combination article of furniture of the character'set forth including a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means on' said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested or extended position comprising anelastic element eX- tending longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing the same under tension When the frames are moved to nested relation, said elastic element comprising a pair of coiled contractile springs anchored at their 4outer ends to the opposite ends of the frame and -an abutment plate to which the inner ends of the springs are connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutment plate for transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the other' frame consisting of a bar Vhaving a i depending leg adjacent its free end for engagement with said abutment plate, means at the free end of said bar and on the other frameA adapted to interengage when the frames are nested, for locking the same and means for releasing said locking means.

8. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth including a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageablc means on said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested or extended position comprising an elastic element eX- tending longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing the same under tension When the vframes are moved to nested relation, said elastic element compris'- ing a pair of coiled contractile springs anchored at the outer ends to the opposite ends of the frame and an abutment plate to Which the inner ends of the springs are connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutment plate for transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the other framecons-isting of a bar having a depending leg adjacent its free end for engagement with said abutment plate, means at the free end of said bar and on the other frame adapted to interengage when the frames are nested, for locking the same and means for releasing said locking means including manipulating elements located adjacent the opposite ends of the frame. Y

THEODORE ABRAMS.

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