US2143253A - Couch - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1939.. H. A. WUEST COUCH Filed April 5, 1937 2 Sheets--SheekI 1 INVENTOR HERBERTWUEST v A ORNEY. l

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE COUCH ration of Ohio Application April 5, 1937, Serial No. 134,948

Claims.

This invention relates to couches of the character generally referred to as studio couches. The invention is concerned with means for extending one portion of the device relative to another por- 5 tion thereof whereby a double bed may be provided.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient arrangement of parts for providing an extensible arrangement of bed forming parts of such a device.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts that will permit ready separation of the relatively extensible parts whereby to provide, if desired, a plurality of separate bed portions, in

the nature of twin beds.

Another object of the invention is to obviate certain objectionable features present in prior art devices of the character referred to as sofas, and wherein there are likewise relatively movable parts for providing an extended'bed.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts for accomplishing the indicated purposes, wherein a simple and effective operating means or mechanism is provided for extending and retracting relatively movable parts of the device.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing diagrammatically the relationship of parts of a device embodying the invention, the relatively movable bed members being slightly extended.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view of parts shownin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of device, showing the parts in substantially the same relationship as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View of the same general character of Fig. 2 and showing modifications that may be incorporated in a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig, '7 is an enlarged detail view of one of the parts shown in Fig. 3 and forming a detail of the invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged diagrammatic View showing details of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a view, somewhat similar to Fig. 1, and showing a modication of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing parts of u the device shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmental plan view of parts shown in Fig. 9, the relatively movable bed sections being extended.

Fig. 12 is a fragmental detail view showing a pillow support forming part of the back rest, and 5 all of which form part of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a View showing parts shown in Fig. 12, in a different position.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional View on line M-M of Fig. 12. 10

The device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a stationary frame 2li provided with suitable supporting legs or standards 2|. Preferably, the frame 20 is a relatively stationary member. The frame 20 may comprise an ordinary rectangular frame of 15 approximately the width and length necessary to provide a comfortable bed and is provided with a suitable wire fabric 22 for providing the equivalent of an ordinary bed spring. The frame 20 may comprise the lateral members 23 and end 20 members 2li, and which members are preferably made of angle iron form. The wire fabric 22 is connected to the members 23 and 24 by suitable springs 25. It is intended that when the stationary frame 29 is being used as a bed, suitable bed- 25 ding or cushions will be disposed over the spring supporting structure provided intermediate the members 23 and 24.

A movable section 26 is tractionally supported by mounting suitable casters |21 at the corners thereof. The movable member 26 referred to as the seat portion of the studio couch, is hollow to such extent as will permit the same to be moved back and forth for enclosing and exposing the stationary member 2U of the device. Suitable 35 guide means may be provided, if necessary or desirable, for assuring free and easy relative movement of the parts 20 and 2li for the indicated purpose.

As shown in Fig. 1, a means for effecting rela- 40 tive movement of the parts 2D and 26, comprises the back forming member or rail 21 and end or arm rest forming members or rails 28. The members 2'! and 28 are pivotally or hingedly connected together at 2E! and each of the members 2l and 28 has a hinged or pivotal mounting upon one or the other of the relatively movable members 20 and 26. As shown, the member 2l, which preferably is tubular, is of generally inverted U-shaped form and has the free ends of the arms 3D thereof pivotally connected to the ends 24 of the stationary member 2|] as shown at 3|. The connection of the back rest or support member 2l is preferably such that the hinged connection will permit separation of the member 21 from the member 2B whereby to make possible the moving of the bed members to positions independent of one another, thereby permitting use of the two bed forming parts of the device as twin beds. rIhe arm rest member 28 of which one is provided at each side of the device, has a pivotal mounting or connection 32 with the seat member 26 adjacent the forward end thereof. The various pivotal mountings are so positioned, in view of the shapes and lengths of the various parts of the device, that by moving the back rest member 2l, shown in Fig. 1, in a counter-clockwise direction, the said portion 26 is moved outwardly or projected laterally beyond the stationary member 26. By-reversing the direction of movement of the member 2l, the movable seat member 26 is moved backk to position enclosing the stationary member 26. The connection at 29 may be effected by means of an angle bracket i253 bolted as at |28 to the arm 30, Fig. 5.

Ordinarily cushions are placed upon the seat member 26 and similar pillows are set on end and rest against the cushions on the member 26 and against the back support 2l. In order to provide adequate-support for the pillows, intermediate the arms 36 of the back rest 2l as Well as beneath the base portion 33 thereof, a strap 35i is provided between the arm members 36. Preferably, the strap member comprises two sections, one each of which is attached to one of the arms 3l), and the centermost portions of such straps are connected by a spring 35. The spring 35 is suinciently tensioned to withstand the normal pressure directed upon the straps and the spring incident to persons seated upon the member 26, leaning against the pillows standing on end and supported by the back rest members. The strap members 35 are so connected to the arm members 36 that when the back rest is moved to horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the straps 3d will lie immediately over or upon the stationary frame 26, thus serving to provide a support for the back rest member 2.

The means provided for detachable connection of the back rest member 2T to the stationary member 20 may be varied as desired. As shown in Fig. 2, such means comprises hinge pin 3| carried vby an arm such as -36 and havingrits inner end received in a suitable opening or slot 36 provided either in the frame 20 or in one of the support legs 2l thereof. If the slot or opening 26 is provided in the stationary member 2l), such opening may be suiciently high to permit the back rest to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 inoident to the normal turning down action thereoi". In instances, however, where it might be desired to have the hinge connection 3l provided between the back rest 2l and a leg such as 2l, itis desirable to elongate the slot or opening as shown at 316 so that the hinge pin 3l may be elevated incident to the turning down movement of the member 2l and whereby the frame 2l may Y. assume a substantially horizontal position with the straps 34 in `substantially the position shown in Fig. 2. In the horizontal position of the frame 2l, it may rest upon suitable blocks or stops such as 5l, secured to member 23, Fig. 2.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the back rest iii which to all purposes and intents functions as does the back rest 21, carries the wire fabric il as distinguished from having such fabric carried by the stationary member l2 and which stationary frame member 42 otherwise corresponds with the stationary member 26 shown in Fig- 1. In this form of device the stationary frame member l2 may be in the nature of a hollow boX in which suitable bedding may be stored and the wire fabric il carried by the back rest serves as a closure for the open top of the box formed in and by means of the stationary member d2. Similar reference characters are applied to those parts of Fig. 4 that correspond to similarly marked parts of Figs. i and 2.

Where the wire fabric il is carried by the back member liu, it is desirable to provide a lateral member e3 between the free ends of the arms i4 thereof, whereby to provide suitable anchorage means for the springs 25 and the wire fabric il Also, in this form of device, it may be desirable to so arrange the pivot 3l that the back rest 4l assumes a position upon or is supported by the stationary member i2 as distinguished from the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 wherein the back rest 2l' clears the stationary member 2Q.

In Fig. 3 there is provided a stationary fra-me 366 corresponding to the stationary frame member 20 of Fig. l, and a back member or support 3l 'corresponding to member 2'! shown in Fig. 1. In lieu of a tubular arm rest such as is shown at 28 in Fig. 1 lthere is provided a closed arm rail or end member 38 which is secured to and forms part of the bed forming portion of the movable section of the device and corresponding to that part of Fig. l indicated as 26. The end members 38 are in the nature of a. headboard and a footboard when the device is being used as a bed, and at other times they serve as arm supports. The device shown in Fig, 3 is provided with a linked connection which functions as does the arm rest 28 of Fig. 1. The indicated link connection comprises an inverted L-shaped link SIB having a pivotal mounting at 326 upon the back rest 31 and having a sliding pivotal mounting 3M) upon a slotted bracket 355i carried by the end or arm member 33. A similar link and bracket arrangement Sliland 356 is provided at each end of the device. The member 350 is preferably in the form of an angle iron having one of its legs attached to the member 38 and the other end eX- tending at right angle and having formed therein a suitable elongated slot 360 in which the hinge pin 3136 may slidably engage. The arrangement of parts is such that as the back member 3'! is moved in counter-clockwise direction (see Fig. 3) the link 3m so cooperates, by reason of its pivotal and sliding connections to the member 3l and the bracket 356, that substantially the same relative movement is eiected between` the stationary frame 30 and the movable seat portion 35, as is attained by corresponding parts shown in Fig. 1. If desired, a suitable upright 39, which may be ornamental as Well as utilitarian, may be provided for supporting the upper portion of the bracket 356 and for substantially enclosing and concealing the various operating parts disposed between it and the back member 31. It is to be understood that in the form of device shown in Fig. 3, the stationary member may either carry the wire fabric as does the frame 26 shown in Fig. 2 or the member 36! may be of the hollow box variety shown in Fig. 4 and the wire fabric may be carried by the back member 3?.

Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive show generally a structure of the general character shown in Fig. 3 in that the movable member is provided with relatively stationary arm rest members but wherein a means other than that shown in Fig. 3 is employed for effecting relative movement of the movable and stationary seat and bed forming members. In the form of device shown in Fig. 9, there is used generally the link arrangement shown in Fig. 1, suitable changes being made in the proportioning and attachment of parts whereby to attain substantially the same results.

In Fig. 9 the stationary frame is shown at 9B and the movable seat portion is at 9S. The arm rest portion is shown at E38 and the back rest is shown at 9?. A link 9i has pivotal mounting at 92 upon the back support 9i and has its other end pivotally connected at 93 to the member 95 whereby upon turning down the member ST, the tractionally supported ymember Sii is projected in the same manner as similar members are projected in the other forms of the invention. The end or arm rest member S8 may be provided with a suitable opening or slot 94 into which the lower end of the link 9i extends. It is to be understood. that the stationary member 90 may be oi" the form shown in either of Figs. 2 or 4 and that the wire fabric may either be attached to the stationary member 9!! or to the movable back support member 9?, suitable modication being made to accommodate either of those forms.

In Figs. l2 and i3 there is shown the back member such as 2l in association with a movable pillow supporting member 21 which performs substantially the same function as is performed by the straps tdi and spring 35 shown in Fig. 2. In order that the pillow supporting mem.- ber 2li? may be moved out of possible contact with a stationary member such as 2E), the member 2l@ may be hinged at its opposite ends to the arms (tu of the member 2 so that by reason of such pivotal connection and the crank formation indicated generally at 2li, the member lu may assume the position shown in Fig. 13, and thus obviate interference thereof with any of the stationary members with which the structure might be employed. A suitable stop member 2l2 may be provided for retaining the member 2l@ in position against the pressure of the weight of any person resting against any of the pillows standing on edge and supported by the back member 2l and the member 210.

Ordinarily, a large cushion would be placed upon the movable member 2li and a number of pillows would be standing on edge and resting against the member 2l as previously explained. If a device is to be used as a double bed, the pillows standing on edge would be removed and the back member 2l would be moved to horizontal position, thus projecting the movable member to a position at one side of the stationary member. The removed cushion would then be placed over the stationary member 2u and serve as mattress upon which suitable bedding would then be arranged. If it should be desired to use the device as a set of twin beds, the arms 3D of the back member El may be sprung apart sufriciently to permit withdrawal of the hinge pins Eil irom the sockets or slots 35 and 3l whereupon the movable portion oi the device may be moved to any desired portion of a room without disturbing the stationary portion 20 of the device. In order to return the parts to normal or closed position, the foregoing procedure is reversed.

In those forms of the invention embodying the attachment oi the wire fabric to the back rest member, the back rest is preferably not detachable from the stationary member 42, and a detachable hinged connection is provided 'between the arm rest members 23 and the back rest member 45). This may be readily accomplished either at the place of connection of the arm rests upon the back rest; viz., at 44B, or at 45D, where the arm rest is pivotally connected to the movable member dil. Such detachable connections may be similar to that shown at :M -36, or any other suitable arrangement may be employed. Any equivalent arrangement of parts that will permit teleseoping of the members 2G and 2S may be used.

The link 3l@ provides a simple arrangement for a detachable connection of the character referred to in the preceding paragraph. 'I'he link 3H) is provided with a slot or pocket 324 adapted to receive a pin 32! carried by back rest 31. A latch 322, carried by link 3H! has a pocket 323 adapted to also receive pin 32! and thus pivotally lock the link and back rest together. The particular form of link 3H), shown herein, is designed to avoid Contact of the back rest member upon the cushion on the movable member, incident to turning down the back rest member for extending the device.

In some forms of the invention, it may be desired to provide a box and wire fabric arrangement as disclosed in Fig. 4, and wherein the wire fabric is separate from the back rest member 4l). Under such circumstances, a separate frame for the wire fabric may be hingedly carried b-y the box formed by the stationary member 42. The Aform of pillow support shown at 219 is preferably used whereby to permit ready access to the interior of the box without necessarily detaching the tractionally supported member o1' the back rest member.

The oiset structure of the straps 355, shown in Fig. 6, is provided essentially to permit the back rest member to assume a horizontal position in the extended condition of the relatively movable bed members or portions.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary frame, a spring structure on the frame providing a bed, a b-ack rest member having a transverse rail and extending legs hinged to the frame at the ends of the frame and adjacent one side thereof, a movable member adapted for use as a bed and as a seat or couch member, the movable member being open at one side and hollow to an extent suicient for it to telescope the stationary member, link means connecting the opposite ends of the movable member with the legs of the back rest, and a U-shaped support carried by the back rest for cooperation with the back rest for supporting a pillow resting on edge on the movable member when the movable member is telescoped over the stationary frame said support including a part spanning the back rest member, and opposed off-set ends pivoted upon the back rest legs for guiding the spanning part from a position closely along and in substantial parallelism with the transverse back rest rail, to a position relatively distant from said rail.

2. In a convertible couch, the combination of a stationary frame having opposite ends and front and rear sides, a movable eXtendible frame adapted for use as a bed and as a seat, the movable frame being open at one side and hollow to an extent suicient for it to telescope the stationary frame, a back rest in the form of a U-piece having a transverse upper rail and a leg extending from each end of the rail, said legs each having a free end, means pivoting the free ends of the legs to the stationary frame adjacent to the rea-r side thereof, for guiding the rail of the back rest to a -position along the front of the stationary frame in the extended position of the movable frame, and a crank-shaped pillow support having a back rest span and opposite ends eccentrically related thereto, the ends being pivoted to the legs of the back rest and spaced from the back rest rail, for rotation of the pillow support span from a position closely along the back rest rail to a position relatively distant from said rail.

3. In a convertible couch, the combination of a stationary frame having opposite ends and front and rear sides, a movable extendible frame adapted for use as a bed and as a seat, the movable frame being open at one side and hollow to an extent suicient for it to telescope the stationary frame, a back restv in the form of a U- piece having a transverse upper rail and a leg extending from each end of the rail, said legs each having a free end, means pivoting the free ends ofthe legs to the stationary frame adjacent to the rear side thereof, for guiding the rail of the back rest to a position along the front of the stationary frame in the extended position of the movable frame, link means connecting the back rest to the-movable frame for automatically extending said frame forwardly of the stationary frame upon rotation of the back rest about its pivot means to the said position along the front of the stationary frame, and a crank-shaped pillow support having a back rest span and opposite ends eccentrically related thereto, the ends being pivoted to the legs of the back rest and spaced from the back rest rail, for rotation of thepillow support span from a position closely along the back rest rail to a position relatively distant from said rail.

4. In a couch, the combination of a stationary frame having opposite ends and front and rear sides, a back rest in the form of a U-pieee having a transverse upper rail and a leg extending from each end of the rail, said legs each having a free end, means pivoting the free ends of the legs to the stationary frame at opposite ends thereof to guide the rail of the back rest toward and from a position in substantial spaced parallelism with and alongside of the front side of the stationary frame, a support carried by the back rest for supporting a pillow, said support including a part spanning the back rest, and off-set ends eccentrically related to the spanning part, and means pivoting said off-set ends to the legs of the U- piece at a location spaced from the rail a distance corresponding to the amount of the ofi-set of said ends, rotation of the pillow support about its pivots thereby serving to dispose the spanning part selectively closely along the transverse rail, or at a position relatively Adistant therefrom.

5. In a couch, the combination of a stationary frame having opposite ends and a front and rear sides, a back rest in the form of a U-piece having a transverse upper rail and a leg extending from each end of the rail, said legs each having a free end, means pivoting the free ends of the legs to the stationary frame at opposite ends thereof to guide the rail of the back rest toward and from a position in substantial parallelism with and alongside of the front side of the stationary frame, a support carried by the back rest for supporting a pillow, said support including a part spanning the back rest, and off-set ends eccentrically related to the spanning part, and means pivoting said ofi-set ends to the legs of the U- piece at a location spaced from the rail a distance corresponding to the amount of the oi-set of said ends, rotation of the pillow support about its pivots thereby serving to dispose the spanning part selectively closely along the transverse rail, or at a position relatively distant therefrom, and a stop on the back rest for limiting the rotation of the support in one direction about its off-set pivoted ends.

HERBERT A. WUEST.

Images