US2173641A

US2173641A - Convertible couch

Info

Publication number: US2173641A
Application number: US103555A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph D Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-10-01
Filing date: 1936-10-01
Publication date: 1939-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1939., J. D. BELL 2,173,641

CONVERTIBLE COUC H Filed Oct. '1, 1956 INVENTOR,

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to the sofa or studio couch type of furniture. Among the first objects of the invention is to supply an inexpensive, comfortable, durable, artistic, simple operating,

space saving, convertible piece of furniture.

This invention differs from my pending application Serial Number 75,l19, filed April 18, 1936. The difference is of much value in that the space required for it in the home is greatly reduced and the cost to manufacture is also reduced. And that, by use of the L shape links, the mechanism can be wholly concealed without the use of ends.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective end view with the back member in its normal position, the section which forms the center section of the bed resting in a horizontal position on the floor and the wheeled couch ready to be pushed over the latter section up to and against the vertical back member to form a seat with the back member forming a back support therefor. It will be noted that in the process of rolling this couch to the latter. described position, the wheels of said couch must pass over a block which is fastened to the angle track-way. This block acts to hold the couch in place against the back member. Once the couch is in the last described position it may be very easily moved outward again by pulling outward on the topmost part of the back member. The action of this movement is that the back member swings upward and forward on the L shape links, which links are caused to swing over in unison by means of a bar member which connects the two links together thus forming a yoke member. The stretching springs indicated as being attached to the said links and to the back board member greatly lightens the effort required to move the back member'regardless of the direction being forward or rearward.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 after the center section I9 has been wholly removed. It will be noted that the removal of the latter does not interfere in the operation of either the back member or the couch member. It will further be noted that L shape links and their interconnecting member form a cradle in which the back rest member is positioned.

Fig. 3 is a modified form. In this form, instead of the links 3 being bent in L shape to permit of them being attached to the back member, 2A intermediate the end of said member, they are adapted to be attached to the outer end of said back member. The comparison of operation being that in the case where the L shape links are used the action is that a forward pull on the top of back member 2 will cause the lower portion of said back to contact the inside of L shape link at I DA and then swing upward and over pivot 4 in practically a vertical position. Whereas in the case of modified form of Fig. 3 the forward pull on the top of back member 2A causes stop pin IIlB to contact link 30 and thus accomplish the same purpose. In the instance of Fig. 3 end members 36 are indicated attached to angle irons IA by detachable means 31, in instances where ends are used if preferred stop pins such as 38 may be used in the place of cable 9.

Fig. 4 shows the device of Figure 1 in bedforming position.

I indicates two floor engaging supports comprising two angle irons arranged in spaced and parallel relation. 2 indicates a couch back member adapted to be converted into a seat. 3 indicates a pair of L shape registering links, spaced apart and lower ends welded to connecting bar 3A which is pivoted at 4, in the opposite angle irons I and their upper ends being pivoted to the back of back member 2 inward from the end thereof at 5. If preferred, links 3 may be pivotally connected directly to angle irons I and bar 3A connected to the two links 3 at another location. 6 indicates a rigid back board member serving to check the rearward travel of back member 2, and to tie the twoangle irons I, together, said back board being connected to angle irons I by means of vertical standard I which in turn is riveted at 8 to angle irons I. A floor shoe or a supporting base is perhaps a proper name for the element comprising angle iron I and backboard 6. 9 indicates a checking cable for limiting the forward swing of links 3. One end of said cable being fastened at II to back board 6, the other end connected at I2 to back member 2, I0 indicates a stop to limit the forward move-'- ment of links 3. IDA indicates a point on back member 2 adapted to contact the inside of L link 3 to limit the rearward swing of the lower portion of member 2 on the latters pivotal connections with said links. I3 indicates a pair of blocks mounted upon angle iron I to offer yielding outward resistance to the movement of wheels as they tend to move away from back member 2 and to keep the support I from tilting over back wards when pressure is forcibly exerted against the top of said back member.

To extend a member from one angle iron to the other in the place of blocks I3 is optional, because of it being optional as to whether the legs of said angle iron may be placed outwardly instead of inwardly as shown. I4 indicates two supporting legs for the front end of the back member 2 adapted to support said member when it is in a position for use as a seat. The legs I4 being interconnected by a continuous bar thus forming a yoke swingably connected to back member 2 by clips l6. 17 indicates stretching springs, the upper ends of which are connected to the back board 6, the lower ends connected to L shape link 3 by clip I8. The purpose of this spring is to reduce the physical efiort required to swing back member 2 from either of its positions. l9 indicates a mattress supporting center section which is adapted to be added if desired to back member 2 by means of attaching the hinge 20 to back member 2 by screws 2|. 22 is a couch frame in the nature of an open side receptacle comprising two end members 23, a front member 24 and a top surface member 25. Mounted on the inside of the two end members 23 are wheels 26 supported by axles 2?. On the top of surface member is placed a mattress 28. 29 indicates casters mounted underneath the front edge of center section it for the purpose of holding it off the floor and to aid in the case of movement. 38 indicates a bar bent into a U shape member having its lower free ends swingably connected to the lower portion of couch and members 22 at 31 and having attached to it a chain 32 for limiting the rearward swing of its top. 33 indicates a catch centrally located on the front edge of frame It adapted to be hooked over the top of U shape member 39 for holding the couch 22 abutted to center section l9 when back member 2 is in a horizontal position. 34 indicates detachable mattress on

back section

2, and 35 indicates a detachable mattress on center section 59. When in a position as a sofa, section i9 is housed in a horizontal position under and within the limits of the walls of couch 22.

The preferred way to operate the device as designated in Fig. 1 is to first stand at one end of the couch. Then with your right hand grasp the top back 2 and with a forward jerk swing member 2 bodily forward. In so doing the forward motion of the membeiiforces. forward the wheeled couch 22 from over the center section member [9 with such momentum that the wheeled couch usually rolls forward away from the back member 2 and the center section l9 far enough to permit the latter two members to be extended in horizontal alignment with each other. The action of forming them into alignment operates in the following way. As the back is swung forward the L shape links 3 swung upward and forward on the lower pivots 4 until the cable 9 stops the forward motion. The stopping of the forward motion by cable 9 supplies a jerking action which compels the portion of the back member 2, which is above its pivotal connection with the L link, to flop rearward and downward until upper portion of said member comes to rest on the backboard 6. While this action is taking place legs 04, which are attached to the lower portion of back member 2, automatically assume a'vertical position to support what is now the front edge of back member 2. You now find the back member 2 in a horizontal position with center section IS in horizontal alignment with it. The inner edge of the center section l9 being supported by legs l4 and by the back member 2, but with no outer support for the outward extending edge thereof. To supply this support for the outer edge you roll couch22 back against the center section I9 so that yoke 32 comes un der and engages clip 33 to become a support for the outer edge of the center section l9.

The bed is now complete and the various parts thereof are arranged in the manner indicated in Figure 4. It will be noted from Figure 1 that the major portion of the weight of the couch is arranged at the rear of the floor-engaging supports when the back is vertical. In order to prevent the couch from overturning, particularly when the back is relatively high, the back is first moved forwardly so as to shift the weight thereof into a central position relative to the supports l before the back 2 is swung into a horizontal position. This principle may be used in roll-about beds without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention and reserving the right to make any claims coming within what I have revealed herein, I make the following claims:

1. In a convertible couch, a substantially upright back rest, means supporting the back rest for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a seat hinged to the bottom edge of the back rest, a roll-about couch positioned against the front face of the back rest below said axis to prevent the upper part of the back rest from tipping rearwardly and to conceal said seat, means for moving the back rest and the seat into horizontal alignment with respect to each other when the roll-about couch is rolled away from the back rest and the roll-about couch being adapted to form a continuation of the aligned back rest and seat.

2. In a convertible couch, a back rest, a seat having one side thereof hinged to the back rest, means for moving the back rest and the seat into horizontal alignment with respectv to each other, a roll-about couch normally concealing the seat and being adapted to be rolled into a position to form a continuation of the aligned back rest and seat, a U-shaped member swingably secured to the roll-about couch on one side thereof, and a catch on the seat to engage with the U-shaped member for holding the roll-about couch and the seat together when arranged adjacent to each other.

3. In a convertible couch, a back rest, a seat having one side thereof hinged to the back rest, means for moving the back rest and the seat into horizontal alignment with respect to each other, a roll-about couch normally concealing the seat and being adapted to be rolled into a position to form a continuation for the aligned back rest and the seat, and means for connecting the couch with the free side of the seat to support the latter.

4. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having aligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots, a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upper ends of the links, and being movable across the vertical plane of said pivots when the links are moved, the links being arranged to engage with a portion of the back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing said plane when forward movement is imparted to the top of the back rest, and a member secured at one end to a fixed anchorage and having its other end fastened to the back rest above the tops of the links and made for swinging the back rest into a horizontal position after the back rest hascrossed said vertical plane.

5. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having aligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots, a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upper ends of the links and being movable across the vertical plane of said pivots when the links are moved, the links being arranged to engage with the back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing said plane when forward movement is imparted to the top of the back rest, and means for swinging the back rest into a horizontal position after the latter has crossed said plane and means engageable with the links when the back rest is horizontally disposed for limiting the forward movement of the links, whereby the links are made to serve as supports for the horizontal back rest.

6. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having aligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots, a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upper ends of the links and being movable across the vertical plane of said pivots in response to forward pressure exerted on the top of the back rest, the back rest in normal upright position being disposed entirely to the rear of said vertical plane of the pivots, the intermediate portions of the links being arranged to engage with the back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing said plane in response to said forward pressure, and means for swinging the back rest into a horizontal position after the latter has crossed said plane.

'7. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having aligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots, a substantially upright back rest swingably secured to the upper ends of the links with the latter spaced inwardly from the ends of the back rest, the back rest being movable across the vertical plane of said pivots in response to forward movement exerted on the top of the back rest, the back rest in normal upright position being disposed entirely to the rear of said vertical plane of the pivots, the intermediate portions of the links being arranged to engage with the bottom of the back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing said plane in'response to said forward pressure, and means for swinging the back rest into horizontal position after it has crossed said vertical plane.

8. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having aligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots, a substantially upright back rest, a horizontally disposed seat hinged to the lower end of the back rest, said back rest being swingably suspended from the upper ends of the links and being swingably movable across the vertical plane of said pivots in response to forward pressure exerted on the top of the back rest, the back rest in normal upright position being disposed entirely to the rear of said vertical plane of the pivots, the links being arranged to engage with a portion of the back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing said plane in response to said forward pressure, said back rest being operable to push the seat forward when its top is tilted rearwardly and to recline into horizontal alignment with the seat.

JOSEPH D. BELL.