US2570401A

US2570401A - Sofa bed

Info

Publication number: US2570401A
Application number: US59745A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard G Stein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-11-12
Filing date: 1948-11-12
Publication date: 1951-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-09

Description

R. G. STEIN Oct. 9, 1951 SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1948 R/CA/ARD G- STE/N INVENTOR- /4/ ATF RAEX R. G. STEIN Oct. 9, 1951 SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1948 N. m 5m .V m m m R x 20 I FW 36 f Z fi wl Ms ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOFA BED Richard G. Stein, Croton-on-Hudson, N. Y.

Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,745

6 Claims.

This invention relates to sofa beds or studio couches and relates more particularly to an improved convertible sofa having an inclined seat and back rest therefor. 7

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel sofa having a seat section which can be quickly and easily moved to horizontal position when used for sleeping, the seat section being of approved width for sleeping purposes. A back rest is so arranged as to be disposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat section when the sofa is used for seating purposes, thus reduc-' ing the effective width of the seat section for maximum seating comfort. 7 Means are also provided for moving the back rest to a retracted position clear of the seat section conjointly with upward movement of the seat section to horizontal position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sofa bed of the general character described wherein the seat section is connected by hinge means along its forward edge .to a frame, the rear edge being supported by the frame on a somewhat lower plane when the sofa is used for seating purposes. When the sofa is to be used for sleeping purposes the rear edge of the seat section is elevated by the simple expedient of depressing a pivoted foot pedal or lever, thus positioning the entire seat section on a horizontal plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel seat back which is normally disposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat section so as to reduce the overall width of the seat. Novel means are provided, however, for causing the back rest to move rearwardly when such lever is depressed, thus clearing the full width of the sofa for sleeping purposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel back rest supporting means pivoted below the plane of the seat section and which also provides means for supporting the rear edge of the seat section when the latter is raised to the plane of the front edge.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby manual forward movement of the back rest will release the rear edge of the seat section for downward travel to its lowered position and also to provide locking means for retaining the back rest in its forward position.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sofa bed when in position for use as a sofa.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the seat section raised to a horizontal plane and the back Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation of the lower end of the back rest supporting brackets.

56 tory results.

The sofa bed of the present invention may include a generally rectangular frame comprising front and rear, longitudinal frame members I!) and I l and transverse frame members l2 and I 4. Front frame member I 0 is inclined rearwardly as shown and is provided with a horizontal reinforcing member l3. Transverse members l2 and M are provided with front and rear leg elements i 5 and 16.

The seat section 20 includes a generally rectangular frame member having front and rear longitudinal rails 2| and 22 and transverse rails 23 suitably secured together at their terminals. The inner upper edges of the frame are rabbeted out as shown at 24 to form a seat for the marginal edges of an upperwall 25 which supports a mattress 26, preferably of foam rubber. The opposed edges of the mattress may have straps 30 which are provided at their outer ends with fastening means (not shown) which cooperate with complemental fastening means on the lower surface of the frame. The straps hold the mattress in place on the support but permit the mattress to be reversed as to position when desired.

The mattress frame is pivoted along its forward edge on the .base frame by hinge means 3| which may comprise a continuous piano-type hinge. Alternatively, separate hinges at spaced points may be provided.

Rear frame member ll of the base frame is lower than the front frame member H] by the amount of decline necessary for seating purposes. A few inches will suifice. In this position the rear rail 22 of the mattress frame rests upon rear frame member H as shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

A back rest 32 is formed with a backing member 33 and a cushion member 34. It is supported by plural brackets 35 which are hinged at 36 at each end of the base frame. If desired, a continuous shaft could be provided, the terminals of which support the brackets. It has been found, however, that pivot pins passing into the ends of the rear rail ll gives perfectly satisfac- At its lower end each bracket 35 may have a generally semi-circular contour as shown at 39. Its upper edge is of stepped construction and comprises a straight section 40 which is on the same plane as the lower surface of rear rail 22 of the mattress frame when the latter is in lowered position.

Forwardly of section 40 is a higher straight section 4|, both sections being tangent to concentric circles having the axis of pivot 36 as their center. These two sections are connected by a radially inclined section 42 which forms a shoulder. A forward terminal section 43 has no function. If brackets 35 are made from wood'the upper surface of the lower portion including edge sections 4|, 42 and 43 may have a metal facing 44.

A transverse frame member 45 extends between frame members Ill and II substantially midway between the ends of the base frame.

, A lever 46 having at its forward end a downwardly extending pedal or forward foot-engaging section 50 is pivoted at 5! to the rear of the center of frame member 45. The rear terminal .52 .of lever 45 is disposed under rear rail 22 of the mattress frame. It will accordingly be seen that as the pedal 50 at the forward end of lever 46 is depressed, the rear end will raise the rear edge of the mattress frame upwardly from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to that shown in broken lines. Brackets 35 and the back rest .32 carried thereby are preferably so proportioned as to weight distribution as to cause the assembly to fall rearwardly by gravity when released from the position of full lines in Figs. 3 and 4. The

back rest assembly is nevertheless retained in this position by engagement of shoulder 42 against the forward edge of rear rail 22 of the mattress frame. Forward movement beyond the position in full lines in Fig. 4 is prevented by another shoulder section 53 resting against the rearedge of such rail.

The operation of the sofa bed is as follows: When in the full line position of Figs. 3 and 4 the back rest 32 is disposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat section by an amount suincient to'cause the effective width of the seat section to be suitable for seating purposes. The seat section is also suitably inclined for seating comfort due to the lesser height of rear frame member H. To instantly convert the sofa into a bed the pedal is depressed, raising the rear edge of the mattress section. This action releases the back rest assembly for rearward travel by gravity to the position shown in broken lines. This action also causes straight section 4! of the bracket to underlie the rear rail 22 of the mattress frame and support it in the horizontal position. The mattress may then be made up as abed.

When it is desired to reconvert itto a sofa, the back rest is simply moved forwardly, thus releasing the rear edge of the mattress frame from its support by edge sections 4 of the brack- I ets. The mattress drops to the position of full lines in Figs. 3 and 4 and the brackets become locked in their forward position.

While one form or embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to a specific application thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, not to its specific embodiment shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame, a mattress frame hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the base frame on a lower plane than the front edge, a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, a back rest which is normally disposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat cushion, brackets hinged at their lower ends at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends,

stop means associated with the brackets normally v,holding the back rest in its forward position,

means for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height of the front thereof, and shoulders carried by the lower ends of the brackets for retaining the mattress frame in such elevated position.

2. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame whose upper edge is on an inclined plane with its rear edge lower than its forward edge, a mattress support hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by'the rear edge of the base frame, a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, a back rest which normally overlies the rear section of the seat cushion, brackets hinged at their lower ends at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends, stop means normally holding the back rest in its forward position, a manually movable lever for raising the rear of the mattress support to a common height with the front thereof, and shoulders carried by the lower ends of the brackets forretaining the mattress frame in such elevated position.

3. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs and being higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress frame hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the base frame, a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, a back rest which normally overlies a portion of the seat cushion in vertically spaced relation thereto, spaced brackets hinged at their lower edges at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends,

shoulders formed at the lower ends of the brackets which engage the mattress frame and normally hold the back rest against rearward movement,

a centrally pivoted foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height of the front thereof, and shoulders carried by the lower ends of the brackets upon which the mattress frame is supported in such elevated position. 7

4. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs and being higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress frame hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the base frame,

a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, a back rest which normally over lies a portion of the seat cushion in vertically spaced relation thereto, brackets hinged at their lower edges at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends, stop means associated with the brackets normally holding the backrest-in its forward position, a

foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height of the front thereof and shoulders carried by the lower ends of the brackets for retaining the mattress frame in such elevated position.

5. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs and being higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress frame including front and rear rails hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the base frame, a mattress caried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion,

a back rest which normally overlies a portion of the seat cushion in vertically spaced relation thereto, brackets hinged at their lower edges at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends, stop means carried bythe brackets which engage the forward edge of the rear rail to normally hold the back rest in its forward position, the weight distribution of the back rest assembly being such as to cause it to fall rearwardly by gravity upon release of such stop means, a foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height of the front thereof while releasing the brackets for rearward travel and shoulders carried adjacent the lower ends of the brackets which underlie the rear rail and retain the mattress frame and the mattress in a horizontal plane.

6. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame whose upper edge is on an inclined plane with its rear edge lower than its forward edge, a mattress carried thereby and hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frame, a back rest which normally overlies the rear section of the mattress, brackets hinged at their lower ends at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends, stop means normally holding the back rest in its forward position, a lever for raising the rear of the mattress thereby releasing said stop means to permit rearward movement of said back rest and means for retaining the mattress in such elevated position.

RICHARD G. STEIN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,713 Bragg Oct. 9, 1866 1,028,548 Cromer June 4, 1912 1,149,421 Wilmot Aug. 10, 1915 1,301,835 Glenister Apr. 29, 1919 1,335,379 Lee Mar. 30, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 833,437 France July 18, 1938