US2432572A - Railway sleeping car bed - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1947. B. E. JONES El AL RAILWAY SLEEIQIHG CAR BED Original Filed larch 22, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet l 1.5 M] EJ571236:

Dec. 16, 1947. B. E. JONES ET AL RAILWAY SLEEPING CAR BED Original Filed March 22, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW 15. JWZEI 1W 6 Ja 5,L/ E 15726.5

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RAILWAY SLEEPI ENG CAR BED Original Filed March 22, 1941 e Sheets-Sheet 5 iul fiaegfora: Jmea Edy/E175 e5 Dec, 16, 1947. B. E. JONES ET AL 2,432,572

RAILWAY SLEEPING CAR BED 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed March 22, 1941 Patented Dec. 16, 1947 RAILWAY SLEEPING CAR BED Basil E. Jones, Fiossmoor, IlL, and James K. Tully, United States Army, assignors to The Pullman Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application March 22, 1941, Serial No. 384,681. Divided and this application February 7, 1944, Serial No. 521,487

Claims. (Cl. 5-436) This invention relates to railway sleeping cars and has for its primary object the provision of a car having permanently separate and independent compartments at upper and lower levels upon respectively opposite sides of a central longitudinal aisle with each compartment having complete toilet facilities and including beds adapted to be disposed out of the area of the normally usable space of the respective compartments with all of the beds at one level being foldable endwise into a wall and those at the other level slidable endwise into a, recess to clear the respectively usable areas, whereby such compartments are convertible for either day or night use.

The invention contemplates a bed foldable endwise into a wall of a compartment, but of less length than the compartment, and having an extension articulated therewith movable from a folded position, in the closed position of the bed, to a horizontal mattress-supporting position in the open or nighttime position of the bed. A feature of the invention is the association of a seat and folding backrest with the bed, with the backrest movable to inoperative position as the bed is opened and having balancing mechanism adapted to provide for easy operation of the folding bed as it is manipulated from one extreme position to the other.

The foregoing and other objects, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are attained by the construction and arrangement more fully hereinafter to be described and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of a portion of a railway car having portions broken away better to reveal the compartments at upper and lower levels constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing compartments at an upper and a lower level, each made up for daytime occupancy;

Fig. 3 is also a longitudinal sectional view showing the compartments at upper and lower levels made up for nighttime occupancy with the beds each in the open position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal plan sectional view taken wholly beneath the level of the upper compartment and through the bed recess for, the lower compartment showing the disposition of the bed in its receded position;

Fig 5 is a similar view showing the bed in fully extended position;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2, through an upper level compartment, showing the folding bed in its closed upright position with the seat in the daytime occupancy position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view of the antifriction roller track arrangement for the sliding bed;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating the bed and folding seat pivot arrangement for the upper level compartment and showing the bed balancin mechanism together with the bed extension for supporting the mattress; and

Fig, 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the articulated bed extension for the folding bed.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 384,681, filed March 22, 1941, for Railway sleeping car.

In the drawings l0 represents a railway car having sidewalls II and I2 and longitudinal partitions l3 and I4 defining a central aisle l5. Between the partitions l3 and i l and the respective side walls Ii and 12 are compartments l6 and I1 at upper and lower levels, respectively, and isposed at opposite sides of the central aisle. The upper and lower compartments at each side of the aisle are separated by partitions l8 and H) at opposite ends of the various compartments and extending from the respective side walls to the respectively associated aisle partitions. The partitions l9 extend continuously from the floor 20 of the car H] to the roof framing 2|, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the partitions I8 extend from the roof framing to floor 22 of upper compartments 16. The partitions I9 are each disposed in a single plane and continuous except for Opening 23 which provides access to luggage compartment 23 provided for each upper compartment and which is disposed over the ceiling 25 of lower compartment I7. Rear wall 26 defines the depth of the luggage compartment.

Partitions I8 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are of substantial depth for a purpose hereinafter to appear. Each of the compartments I6 is provided with a bed 21 foldable endwise into the respective partitions I8 where it is retained by springpressed latches 28 disposed in respectively opposite side walls 29 of bed recess 30 and which are released by mechanism 3| including pushrods operatively associated with operating handle 32 and adapted to push the latches 28 out of engagement with catches 33 on opposite sides of the bed 21 to permit withdrawal of the bed from the recess 30. The bed is hingedly mounted in the partition recess as at 34 by means of a bracket 35 secured in the recess 30, adjacent the lower end thereof, having an upwardl opening slot 36 adapted to co- 3 operate with trunnion 37 forming part of bracket 38 secured to the bed all as best shown in Fig. 8. The horizontal depth of partition is is greater at 39 to provide an overhanging support all for seat ll and the hinge mechanism id for the folding bed is disposed substantially at the position of this seat. As best shown in Fig. 3, seat iii conceals oedbalanclng mechanism including springs 52 anchored to the seat support to at 83 and having sprocket chains 44 secured to their respectively opposite ends and passing over sprockets d5 pivotally secured to the brackets 35 and then connected to the bed 21 at 46 and at that side oi the pivot 34 opposite the free end of the bed to exert a iorce thereon tending to close the bed, thus facilitating the operation of the bed. Backrest ll for the seat M is fixed to the bed 21 and movable therewith to an inoperative, inverted position as the bed is opened for use and to an upright position for use as the bed is closed. Upholstered fixed armrests 46 extend between and are secured to the partition I8 and the seat support 40 at opposite sides of the seat and backrest ,4I and 41 respectively.

The partition I8 is offset at 49 to provide a horizontal shelf 50 having an arcuate portion 5| connecting the shelf with the vertical rear wall 52 of the bed recess and which forms the dividing wall of the lower compartment II. It will be noted that the hingedly mounted bed ZI-does not afford a full length bed but the shelf 50 provides a support for a bed extension 65. foldable into the bed recess 30 and movable automatically with the bed to an operative horizontal position of rest on the shelf 50. As best shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the extension 55 comprises a substantially fiat plate having a reinforcing rod 60 extending across its edge next adjacent to the lower edge of the bed 21 and about which the extension plate 55 is wrapped, or folded, and secured. The rod 60 extends beyond the respectively opposite sides of the extension plate to engage flanged track guide members 6| and 62 mounted upon the opposite side walls of bed recess 30 in position to support that end of the extension out of engagement with the shelf 50.

The tracks 6| and 62 are of such length as to permit of the full movement of the extension into and out of the bed recess as the bed is closed or opened. The slidable extension 55 is connected to the bed 21 by means of links 64 disposed at opposite sides of the bed and extension and which are pivotally connected to the rod 60 at the respective ends between the extension and the tracks 6| and 62 and to the bed 21 at each side. as at 65. The opposite or far end of the extension 55 is slightly areuate, as at 66, and is supported by means of antifriction rollers 61 on the arcuate portion 5| between shelf 50 and dividing wall52. The rollers 61 are mounted upon a reinforcing rod 68 extending across the free end of the extension and about which it is folded and secured. The extension 55, as the bed 21 is moved from an open to a closed position, is adapted, by means of the rollers 61, to ride up the arcuate portion 5i and the wall 52 to an Inclined position in the fully closed condition of the bed, at which time the connecting links 64 allow sufllcient space to accommodate a folding mattress between the closed bed and upright extension, as best disclosed in Fig. 8. The bed 21 is adapted to receive a mattress 69 provided with a foldable extension por tion I0 hingedly secured thereto at H and which, in the open position of the bed, is adapted to provide a full length horizontally flush sleeping sur- .face and, in the closed position of the bed, to fold up automatically as the extension 55 rides up the wall 52 and be accommodated within the recess 3d. Both conditions of the folding bed arrangement are illustrated in Fig. 8 from which the relative positions may readily be ascertained, light 12' in the bed recess 30 provides illumination for reading when the bed is open, and fixtures 86 on the side and aisle walls provides light for reading in the closed position of the bed.

A combination member BI is provided in compartment l5 incorporating the toilet facilities for this room, including a covered hopper 83 and a folding washstand 84. The combination member is disposed in that corner of the room away from partition I8 and adjacent to partition 19 and aisle partition I3 and where the enclosed hopper is overlapped by the bed 21 in its open position which is supported at this free end on ledge 85 on the partition IS. -A window is disposed in the side wall II of the compartment I6 at a level convenient to a person using the seat 4| and alongside of which the bed2l is disposed when open. A single step 9|, having a lighting fixture 92, provides access to the level 22 of the compartment I6 through doorway 93 which may be closed by sliding door 94 receivable in pocket 95 in the aisle partition I3.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that where the upper compartment has a pivotally mounted folding bed the lower compartment is provided with a bed of fixed full length slidably mounted to move from a concealed, in-

the lower compartment I1, is best shown in its 7 two extreme positions of movement in Figs. Zand 3 respectively. The bed comprises a bunk or frame IOI in the form of an open top box like receptacle adapted to receive a full length mattress I02 and having rollers I05 secured at intervals along the outer side walls thereof to provide for longitudinal movement of the bed in compartment II, Mounting trunnions I04 afford bearings for ball or roller bearings for the rollers I05 which are adapted to support the bed for relative sliding movement in tracks provided therefor at opposite sides of the bed. The trunnions I04 comprise headed bolts secured through respective side walls of the bed by means of threaded fastenings I01 with spacing collars I03 maintaining the rollers I05 in proper spaced relation to the side of the bed. A track I06 is mounted upon the side wall II for support of the bed on that side and extends continuously the full length of the mov ment of the bed and therefore supports the bed at this side in both fully open and retracted positions. The bed I00 is adapted to move endwise longitudinally from a fully concealed, retracted ordaytime position beneath the floor 22 of the compartment I6 and partition I8 to a fully extended open or nighttime position in the compartment I1. The bed at the wall side is provided with three of the rollers I05one at each end and one at an intermediate position-so that it is supported over its full length throughout its travel from retracted to extended position and return. The track I06 comprises upper and lower rails I In on a base plate or web 91, as best shown in Fig. 7, and the rollers I05 are adapted to be disposed between the upper and lower rails for support on the lower rail with the upper rail acting as a guard or cover overlying the rollers. The bed is supported at the opposite side by means of rollers I05, engaging a track I08 which is secured to vertical longitudinally extending bed on this side is provided with two of the rollers I85-one at the inner end and one at an intermediate position with the intermediate roller disposed for support in the track on the combination member when the bed is extended. The track I88 is of the same construction as track I86 and extends continuously the length of the panel I89 and across the face of the combination member III to accommodate the full travel of the two bed supporting rollers I85 on this side. When the bed is extended both rollers support the bed in the track as in the retracted position of the bed and their disposition in relation to the length of the track and of the bed and its movement is such that once they are entered in the space between the upper and lower rails II8 they do not leave the confines of track I88 and the rollers I85 at both sides of the bed are entered into the tracks I88 and I88 by means of a removable portion 88 in the upper rail II8 on the face of the combination member III. When the upper rail portion 88 is removed, the bed frame I8I may be assembled with the supporting tracks in the following manner: The bed is disposed at an upward inclination in compartment I1 and the roller I85 at the inner end of the bed on the side adjacent wall I I is inserted between upper and lower rails I I8 of track I86 after which the end roller at the other side of the bed is dropped into track I88 through the space left b removed portion 88 whereupon the bed may be moved to a horizontal position where the remaining rollers on the wall side may be inserted in track I88 and the remaining roler at the other side dropped through the opening in the upper rail and the removable portion reapplied to maintain the relation of the bed in the supporting tracks, It will be noted that the bed frame, or bunk, I8I is not carried at its outside corner from the panel I89 by means of one of the rollers I85, but, instead, is supported by means of a laterally extending bedrest I22 adapted to enter the track I88 on the combination member III as the bed is closed to support this corner of the bed in retracted position. The bedrest I22 is adapted also to support the bed in extended position as will hereinafter appear.

The panel I89 is of approximately the same height from th floor as the bed I88 and extends from the partition I9 to the combination member III in the lower compartment, and a horizontal member II! of this same extent closes the space between the top of panel I89 and the aisle partitions I3 and I4, as best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, to prevent anything from the bed from falling into this space. A horizontal member H8 is disposed immediately beneath the bed frame I8I between the respective panels I89 and the car side walls I I and I2 and extending from the partition I9 to a vertical transverse wall H9, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which extends from the respective panels I89 to the side walls I I and I2 and from the members I I8 to the car floor 28. This member II8 prevents any part of the bedding from falling into the space I28, which otherwise would be exposed by the withdrawal of the bed I88 from the recess I 2| thus formed. The space I 25 beneath the bed I88, in its normally closed position, as best shown in Fig. 2, may be utilized for the storage of luggage as may the space on the bed beneath the seat support 48 and shelf 58 when the bed i not in use, if desired. The bed I88, in its retracted position, is concealed by means of a curtain I26 extending between the side wall II and aisle partition I3 and which may be withdrawn when the bed is extended for use. While the curtain I28 is indicated as closing this space, any other type of closure might be utilized, such as a rollaway partition or doors or the like.

A seat I38 is provided in compartment II adjacent to the partition I9 and having an associated backrest I3I supported against this partition. The seat and backrest may be supported entirely from the partition I9 or from the side wall II and aisle wall I3 or the floor 28 or in any manner desired from any one or combination of these elements. A seat end bracket I32 is associated with the seat and backrest at that side away from the sid wall I I and is provided with a slot I33 adapted to receive the bedrest I22 on the bed. The seat end bracket I32 is rigidly mounted and therefore provides a fixed support for the co-operating end of the bed I88 which, by means of the interlocking engagement between the part I22 and the slot I33, i thereby supported in its fully extended position with the bed I88 in overlapping relation to the seat I38. The bracket I32 might form part of an armrest for the seat I38 or be entirely dissociated from the seat so long as its supporting relation, with respect to the bed, is retained. Locking mechanism operable from the same corner of the bed as that upon which the bedrest I22 is mounted is provided for locking the bed in fully extended and retracted positions. The locking mechanism comprises a spring pressed retractable bolt I23 located within the end rail 96 of the bed frame IM and engageable with locking stops 18 and I9 in the retracted and extended positions of the bed respectively. The locking stops are secured upon the side wall II in position to be engaged by the locking bolt I23 as the bed is moved from one position to the other and are each provided with a slopin surface serving to retract the locking bolt automatically as the bed is moved to either extreme position. When the locking bolt passes the point of greatest dimension of the stop it is automatically projected into engagement behind the abutment surface serving as a positive stop to opposing movement of the bed by means of spring I38 associated with the bolt within the end rail 96. The locking stops l8 and 19 are oppositely disposed to present their abutment surfaces in opposed relation to opening and closing movements respectively of the bed. It wi l be noted that the locking bolt I23 extends within the end rail 96 substantially across the full width of the bed I88 and when it is desired to operate the bed by moving it from one position or the other the bolt may be retracted by means of an operating handle I24 which is located at the same side of the bed with the bedrest I22 so that while the locking mechanism for the bed is operative at the side wall position it is operable from the opposite side of the bed adjacent the entrance side of the room I1. The operating handle I24 is pivotally mounted in the end rail 96 to provide a fulcrum for retracting the locking bolt and extends above the level of the end rail where it is equipped with a knob 01' handle exposed above the end rail in a position where it may be grasped to release the lockin mechanism in either position of the bed. When the bed is disposed in either of its two locked position and it is desired to move it to the opposite position, it is necessary merely to manipulate the operating handle I24 to release the lockin mechanism, whereupon the bed may then be rolled to the other position where it will automatically engage the stop at that location to maintain the position of the bed.

The seat and backrest I30 and I3I are disposed alongside of window I35 mounted in the side walls II or l2, and a sliding door I36 is disposed at the opposite side of the seat and adapted to be received in a pocket I31 provided therefor in the aisle partition I3 which permits of the opening movement of the door.

The combination member III in compartment I1 includes folding washstand I40 and concealed chair hopper HI and is disposed at the aisle partition between the wall 52 and entrance door I36 where it is overlapped by the bed I00 when the bed is made ready for occupancy. The combination member 8|, in compartment I6, i disposed at the aisle partition in the corner of the room between partition I9- and the entrance door 94 and it will be noted in each instance that the respective beds 21 and I00 overlie the hoppers 83 and MI when the beds are extended, wherefore, in order to use the hoppers, which are each covered by a hinged cover seat, it is necessary first to remove the bed from its overlapping relation thereto before the hinged covers can be raised to reveal the hoppers. Hence, the respective beds are made easily operable 'by the counterbalancing mechanism 42 and the ball bearing mounting I rollers I05.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided an arrangement involving rooms disposed at opposite sides of a central longitudinal aisle at different levels and readily accessible from the aisle with the aisle level coincident with the level of certain of the rooms and involving folding beds in the rooms at one level and sliding beds in all of the rooms at the other level. It will be noted that by the use of the particular arrangement of beds, as disclosed herein, with the sliding beds'all disposed at one level and the pivotal folding beds all at another level, a greater number of accommodations can be gotten into a vehicle than would otherwise be'possible. By the efiiciency of the arrangement the greatest number of passenger accommodations may be incorporated in a vehicle without sacrificing the comfort of the occupants and without detracting from the standard of railway sleeping accommodations heietofore maintained. An important advance of the present construction over prior arrangements having rooms at two levels lies in the fact that the space over the seat in every room extends to the ceiling of the respective rooms, whereby the confined areas over the seats of earlier designs caused by overhanging shelves or bunks, or even floor areas, as a result of the overlapping of usable areas, is completely eliminated and the occupant afforded the luxury and unrestricted spaciousness of a high ceiling with attendant safety flowing from the elimination of the hazard always present with a structure immcdately overhanging the head of a seated occupant. In this design the only overlapping areas between upper and lower accommodations is utilized for the accommodation of the respective beds for the individual rooms, in that one is disposed above the offset in the intermediate partition and the other is disposed beneath this offset portion, whereby this otherwise unusable space is utilized for the accommodation of the facilities not ordinarily used in daytime.

What is claimed is:

1. A fixed partition, a bed recess in the partition, a bed having a rigid section of fixed length hingedly mounted for pivotal movement from an operative position affording a horizontal supporting surface extending outwardly of said recess to a substantially vertical position in the recess, a mattress of greater length than said bed section supported upon said surface, and a member operable with the bed section hingedly connected thereto and movable to a horizontal position substantially on a level with said supporting surface and adapted to provide an extension of the supporting surface affording a full length support for the mattress in the horizontal position of the bed section, means in said recess operative as the bed is moved to its vertical inoperative position to fold said member relative to the bed and thereby engage said mattress to fold the mattress into said recess.

2. A fixed partition, a bed recess in the partition, a bed having a rigid section of fixed length hingedly mounted for pivotal movement from an operative position providing a horizontal supporting surface extending outwardly of said recess to a substantially vertical position in the recess, a mattress of greater length than said rigid section supported upon said surface, and a member operable with the bed section hingedly connected thereto, means in said recess operative as the bed is moved to its vertical inoperative position to fold said member relative to the bed, said member being adapted to provide an extension of said supporting surface affording a full length support for said mattress in the horizontal position of the bed section.

3. In a vehicle having a room including a partition, a folding seat arrangement in the room including a seat portion adjacent the partition and a relatively movable backrest, a bed recess in the partition, a bed foldable into said partition including a section hingedly mounted for pivotal movement from an operative position providing a horizontal supporting surface extending outwardly of said recess to a substantially vertical inoperative position in the recess, a mattress supported upon said surface, a member hingedly connected to the bed section and movable to a horizontal position providing an extension of said supporting surface in the horizontal position of the bed section, means in said recess operative as the bed is moved to its vertical inoperative position to fold said member relative to the bed and thereby engage said mattress to fold the mattress into said recess, said backrest being operatively connected to said bed section for folding movements therewith from an inoperative folded position overlying said seat portion when the bed is operative to an operative position in normal relation to the seat when the bed is inoperative, and means for counterbalancing the bed and backrest during folding operations disposed between said bed section and the seat arrangement.

4. In a vehicle having a room including a partition, a bed recess in the partition, 9. bed foldable into the partition including a section hingedly mounted for pivotal movement from an operative position providing a horizontal supporting surface extending outwardly of said recess to a substantially vertical inoperative position in the recess, a mattress supported upon said surface, a member hingedly connected to the bed section and movable to a horizontal position providing an extension of said supporting surface in the horizontal position of the bed section, said extension member being foldable relative to the bed, means in said recess operative as the bed is moved to its vertical inoperative position to fold said member relative to the bed and thereby engage said mattress to fold the mattress into said recess, and meansincluding a spring connected with the bed section to exert a force in a direction counterbalancing the weight of the bed during opening operations and to assist in the closing operations of the bed.

5. In a vehicle having a room including a partition, a bed recess in the partition, a bed foldable into the partition including a section hingedly mounted for pivotal movement from an operative position providing a horizontal supporting surface extending outwardly of said recess to a substantially vertical inoperative position in the recess, and a member hingedly connected to the bed section and movable to a horizontal position providing an extension of said supporting surface in the horizontal position of the bed section, a mattress overlying the supporting surface and said extension member, means in said recess operative as the bed is moved to its vertical inoperative position to fold said member relative to 'the bed and thereby engage said mattress to fold the mattress into said recess.

BASIL E. JONES.

JAMES K. TULLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,341,307 Aronson Feb. 8, 1944 1,381,172 Davis et al June 14, 1921 394,186 Hurson Dec. 11, 1888 2,263,328 Bouchard Nov. 18, 1941 1,402,432 Monger Jan. 3, 1922 23,604 Payne et al Apr. 12, 1859 403,850 Merrill May 21, 1889 833,173 Owen Oct. 16, 1906 1,248,348 Larsen Nov. 27, 1917 819,174 Haskins Feb. '7, 1899 2,250,193 Emery July 22, 1941 203,728 Hall May 14, 1878 270,327 Meissner Jan. 9, 1883 791,717 Owen June 6, 1905

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