US2144929A

US2144929A - Convertible furniture

Info

Publication number: US2144929A
Application number: US126602A
Authority: US
Inventors: Angelo R Paladino
Original assignee: ENGLANDER SPRING BED CO Inc
Current assignee: ENGLANDER SPRING BED Co Inc
Priority date: 1937-02-19
Filing date: 1937-02-19
Publication date: 1939-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1956-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1939. A.VR. PALADINO 2,144,929

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 19, 1937 Q xx;

i *q w INVEIYTOR.

4/1 5540 A, 844 AD A O ATTORNEYS Jan. 24, 1939. A R O 2,144,929

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Feb. 19

INVENT OR.

fl/va-zzo P, Ramp/W0 BY ATTORNEYS Jan. 24, 1939. A. R. PALADINO CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19, 1957- 2/4/ N SN QM k\ MM \Q WQ LN 4 y Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Angelo R. Paladino, Elmont, N. Y., assignor to Englander Spring Bed 00. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 19, 1937, Serial No. 126,602

2 Claims.

This invention has to do with convertible furniture and is directed to certain improvements in trundle units adapted to be combined with a chair, sofa, love seat, couch or other equivalent types of furniture having a seat structure so as to provide means for converting the same into a bed.

Broadly the invention resides in a foldable and collapsible trundle unit which is adapted, when folded and collapsed, to be housed and concealed beneath the seat structure and to be withdrawn therefrom and unfolded and extended for disposition in contiguous relation to the seat structure so as to provide, together therewith, a bed of appropriate length to accommodate adults reclining partially upon the seat structure and partially upon the trundle unit.

The invention further comprehends a trundle unit including a bed spring frame so constructed and arranged as to be capable of being increased and reduced in length, a support therefor which is so constructed and arranged as to be vertically extensible and contractible, and means so constructed and arranged as to automatically lock the support in vertically extended position when the frame is adjusted to its increased length and to automatically release when the frame is adjusted to reduced length.

The invention more particularly contemplates an improved trundle unit which embodies a bed frame composed of a pair of hingedly connected sections adapted to be swung from an opened active aligned position in the same plane, to an inactive parallel folded relation so as to reduce the length thereof to a size commensurate with an area of the space beneath the seat structure, and a vertically extensible and collapsible cross leg support for one section thereof with past center locking link means operable to automatically lock said support in vertically extended position when the frame sections are unfolded or open to active aligned position and which link means are operable to automatically release and effect the vertical collapsing of the support so as to reduce the height of the trundle unit commensurate with the height of the space beneath the seat structure for accommodation thereby.

As a further feature of the trundle unit, the remaining frame section thereof is provided at its outer free end with a legged head member pivoted to the free end thereof so as to fold into a plane substantially parallel therewith from its active position in a plane perpendicular thereto, together with a connection between the first mentioned frame section and the head member for automatically effecting relative movement between the head member and the said remaining section as the latter section is moved to folded and unfolded positions.

With the above enumerated objects and features in view, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following specification, is particu-- larly pointed. out in the appended claims and is disclosed in the accompanying drawings which portray one embodiment as illustrative of a practical form which is not intended as a limitation upon the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of a love seat provided with a trundle unit constructed in ac- 15 cordance with the invention illustrating said unit in active position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the trundle 20 unit in folded inactive position nested and concealed beneath the seat structure.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the trundle unit in active unfolded position taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional View taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with the fabric spring structure omitted.

Fig. 6 is a similar enlarged longitudinal sec- 30 tional view showing the trundle unit in folded inactive position nested beneath the seat structure.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view on an enlarged scale showing the elements of the trundle unit adjacent the connection between 5 the main and auxiliary sections thereof.

In the present disclosure, the invention; is shown as applied to a love seat, although, obviously, the same is applicable to an equivalent article of furniture, such as a sofa, chair or 40 couch, the only difference being in the width of the trundle unit to correspond with the article of furniture to which it is applied.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, A designates generally an article of 5 furniture constituting a seat structure having a resilient horizontally disposed cushion support Ill, a back rest II and arms l2 carried by a depending frame structure 13 which is open at the front and defines beneath the cushion 50 support ID a space M for accommodating and housing a foldable and collapsible trundle unit, designated generally by the reference character B.

The trundle'unit B includes a bed spring frame composed of a main section l5 and an auxiliary section IS. The main section comprises spaced parallel side rails I! of angle iron with the horizontal flanges thereof disposed upwardly and the vertical flanges outwardly, which rails are connected by transverse drop frame members l8. The auxiliary section 16 includes side rails IQ of angle iron with the flanges thereof similarly disposed and with the upper flange of each side rail swingably connected by hinges 20 to the upper flanges of the side rails I! of the main section l5 so that the auxiliary section may be folded from an opened active aligned position in the same plane with the main section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, to an inactive parallel relation, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, so as to reduce the length of the spring frame to a size commensurate with the area of the space 14, the outer free ends of the side rails IQ of the auxiliary section It being connected by a transverse angle iron member 2|.

A fabric spring 22 is connected with and stretched between the angle iron member 2| and the transverse strap 22A and connected with and stretched between the side rails I1 and IQ of the frame sections, said spring being adapted to fold and unfold with the frame sections. A vertically extensible and collapsible crossed leg support is associated with the main bed spring frame section l5 and consists of a pair of

crossed legs

23 and 24 pivotally connected to each other at 25. The upper ends of the legs 23 are pivotally connected at 26 to the vertical flanges of the side rails I1 and are provided at the lower ends with rollers 21. The remaining pair of crossed legs 24 are pivotally and slidably connected by pivots 28 to the side rails H of the frame section i5 by virtue of longitudinal slots 29 formed in the vertical flanges of the side rails and are also pivotally connected by the pivots 28 to links 30 which extend along the outer sides of the vertical flanges and which links, at their opposite ends, are pivotally connected by pivots 3| to the vertical flanges of the side rails 19 of the auxiliary frame section IS. The lower ends of the links 24 are provided with rollers 32 which, together with the rollers 2?, support the unit for trundling to and from the housed position in the space l4 under the seat structure. Under this construction and arrangement, it is apparent that swinging of the auxiliary frame section I6 from the folded position overlying and parallel to the main section, to the active unfolded position will, through the medium of the links 3!], effect vertical expansion of the crossed leg structure thereby elevating the spring frame so that the upper surface thereof is disposed in a plane coinciding with the plane of the upper surface of the cushion support l0. It will also be observed that when the frame section l6 has been fully unfolded, the pivotal points 3| of the links 30 passing below the hinges 2!] make for a past dead center locking action which automatically locks the crossed leg structure against collapsing.

In order to cushion the action of folding the frame and collapsing the crossed leg supporting structure and to counter-balance to a degree the weight of the frame during the unfolding opits folded position, the links 30 are shifted to the left distending the springs 35 and at the same time causing the vertical collapsing of the crossed leg structure so that the frame is lowered and the unit contracted to a height commensurate with the height of the space l4 below the seat structure.

In order to provide means for supporting the outer free end of the auxiliary frame section IS, a legged head member 40 is pivoted at 4! to the side rails l9 and is adapted for swinging movement from its active position in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the frame, to an inactive folded position substantially parallel therewith. The swinging of the head member is automatically effected by means of links 42 each of which is pivoted at one end as at 43 to the leg portions 44 of the head member and each of which is slidably and pivotally connected by a pivot 45 to the slotted extension terminals 46 of the vertical flanges of the side rails I! of the main frame section IS.

The trundle unit B is connected with the seat structure A for guided sliding movement to and from its housed position by means of a pair of crossed links 50 and 5|, the former having at one end fixed pivotal connection at 52 with the seat structure A and at the oppostie end slidable and pivotal connection with a cross bar 53 carried by the lower ends of the crossed legs 23, the slidable and pivotal connection consisting of a pivotal pin 54 extending through the opposite end of the link 50 and through a slot 55 in the cross bar. The other link 5| has, at one end, flxed pivotal connection at 56 with the cross bar 53 and at the opposite end pivotal and sliding connection with the seat structure by means of a pivot pin 51 extending through the link 5! and through a slot 58 in a bracket 59 attached to the seat structure.

The lower terminals of the crossed legs 24- are provided with brackets 60 protruding therefrom to which is attached a transverse panel 6i adapted to snugly flt within the open front of the depending frame structure I3 when the trundle unit is housed within the space [4 to thereby conceal the same.

The seat structure is provided with cushion sections C and D and back rest cushion sections E which are normally arranged in superimposed relation as particularly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings when the seat structure is in normal position for use as a love seat or equivalent article of furniture. When the article. is to be used as a bed and the trundle unit is withdrawn and unfolded with its. support vertically expanded, asv particularly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the upper cushion D and the back rest cushion E are arranged upon the fabric spring 22 to constitute a mattress and pillows.

What is claimed is:

1. A trundle unit as and for the purpose set forth comprising a foldable bed frame including a pair of hingedly connected sections, a vertically extensible and collapsible support for one of said sections including pairs of pivotally connected crossed legs at opposite sides of said bed frame section, one leg. of each pair having fixed pivotal connection with and adapted to fold inside of the frame section, the other leg of each pair having slidable and pivotal connection with and adapted to fold outside of said section, a link having pivotal connection with each leg of the latter pair and located between the same and the outer side of said frame section, andpivotal 75 connections between the opposite ends of said links and the other frame section so located with reference to the hinged connection between the bed frame sections as to automatically efiect collapsing of the support coincident with the folding of the bed frame and the automatic extension of the support coincident with the opening of the bed frame, the pivotal points of connection of the links being so located with reference to the hinged connection between the frame sections as to provide a past center lock for holding the support extended when the bed frame is unfolded, and tension means for counter-balancing the collapsing and extension of the support and for cushioning the collapsing thereof.

2. A trundle unit as and for the purpose set forth comprising a foldable bed frame including a pair of hingedly connected sections, a vertically extensible and collapsible support for one of said sections including pairs of pivotally connected crossed legs at opposite sides of said bed frame section, one leg of each pair having fixed pivoted .eonnection with and adapted to fold inside of the frame section, the other leg of each pair having slidable and pivotal connection with and adapted to fold outside of said section, a link having pivotal connection with each leg of the latter pair and located between the same and the outer side of said frame section, and pivotal connections between the opposite ends of said links and the other frame section so located with reference to the hinged connection between the bed frame sections as to automatically effect collapsing of the support coincident with the folding of the bed frame and the automatic extension of the support coincident with the opening of the bed frame, the pivotal points of connection of the links being so located with reference to the hinged connection between the frame sections as to provide a past center lock for holding the support extended when the bed frame is unfolded.

ANGELO R. PALADINO.