US2642922A - Reversible and berthable seat - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1953 B. F. MONROE REVERSIBLE AND BERTHA BLE SEAT Filed Nov. 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A LS INVENTOR. BENJAMIN F. MONROE June 23, 1953 B. F. MONROE 2,642,922

REVERSIBLE AND BERTHABLE SEAT Filed Nov. 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BENJAMIN F. MONROE Ageni June 23, 1953 B. F. MONROE REVERSIBLE AND BERTHABLE SEAT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 25, 1946 nvmvron BENJAMIN F. MONROE Agent June 23, 1953 s. F. MONROE REVERSIBLE. AND BERTHABLE SEAT Filed Nov. 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. BENJAMIN F. MONROE Agent June 23; 1953 v B. F. MONROE REVERSIBLE AND BERTHABLE SEAT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 25, 1946 INVENTOR. BENJAMIN E MONROE A gent Patented June 23, 1953 REVERSIBLE AND BERTHABLE SEAT Benjamin F. Monroe, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank,

Calif.

Application November 25, 1946, Serial No. 712,119

15 Claims.

This invention relatesto vehicle seating, with particular reference to seats adustable for reclining, reversing and berthing positions. While my seats are particularly designed for use in airplanes, and will be so disclosed herein, it will be evident that they are equally suitable for use in railroad cars, highway busses, and other installations wherein adustable and berthable seats are desirable.

In airplane installations, it is desirable to have a central aisle with one or more rows of seats on either side thereof. For convenience in disclosing my invention I have a single row of seats, but it is to be understood that as many rows can be placed side by side as may prove desirable in any particular installation. Usually, two rows will be used wherein a group of four chairs can be made up into either two single, or one double berth, as may be desired by the occupants, since one occupant may prefer a berth and the other prefer a reclining chair. With chairs constructed according to my invention, aligned chairs of any two adacent rows may be made up into a berth, and each chair of any row may be reversed or reclined, regardless of the position of the other chair or chairs in the same or adjacent rows.

It is, accordingly, an important object of this invention to provide a reversible, reclining and berthable chair construction which will permit 7 all the chairs in the same or adjacent or successive rows to be operationally identical and interchangeable, above the base sections secured to the floor.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified chair of the character described wherein the seat and back are identical and interchangeable, the seat being transposed to become the back, and vice versa, when the chair is reversed to face the other way. With this arrangement the seat and back frames need be cushioned only on one side, permitting a decrease in thickness and in weight, while the bottoms or backs of both members may be recessed to provide more knee roomfor the occupant of the next seat.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified chair of the type described which comprises four major units, namely, a base fixed to the floor, seat and back panels pivoted together and having the pivot points thereof slidable in suitable guide-ways in the base, removable, reversible and interchangeable arm rests cooperating with the seat and back panels to hold the latter in their several adjusted positions, and removable head rests usable with either cushion.

It is another object of this invention to provide, in a chair of the character described, pivotally interconnected and identical seat and back frames having identical and interchangeable seat and back cushions slidably mounted on said frames and 50 arranged that whichever cushion is serving as the seat is locked relative to its frame, while the other cushion is slidable relative to its frame and moves relative thereto as the angle of the seat back is changed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified seat of the type described wherein the seat and back frames are pivoted together at apoint near the adjacent edges of the seat cushions and the gap between the cushions is closed by an elastic flap to prevent a passenger from inserting his toes between the cushions of the chair ahead of him. The flap also facilitates the desired downward movement of the back cushion when the back is being tilted or reclined.

It is a further object of this invention to provide pivoted seat and back frames on which the cushion serving as aback is movable and wherein the seat and back cushions are connected by an extensible compression strut adapted to push the back cushion upwardly on its frame when it is being erected from the reclined position.

It is also an object of this invention'to porvide a convertible chair construction of the type described wherein the several parts of the chair are readily assembled and removed without the use of tools for ease in installation and servicing thereof.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred'forms of the invention wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of adjacent chairs, either of which can be reversed, or together combined into a berth, the chair at the left being shown in full lines in its, erect position and in dotted lines in inclined berthable position, and the chair at the right being shown in full lines in erect position facing to the left and in dotted lines in erect position but facing to the right;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view, partlybroken away, and showing on an enlarged scale a chair built according to one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 3 shows the chairs of Figure 1 made up into a berth;

Figure 4 is a detail section of one of the adjustable arm rests for controlling the inclination of the back of the chair;

Figure 5 is an end fragmentary detail of the friction lock in the arm rest of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary inside perspective detail of the hinged connection between the seat and back frames and the compression tie rods between the seat and back cushions slidable on their respective frames;

Figure 7 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of an alternative form of the adjustable arm rest mechanism;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary outside perspective view, similar to Figure 6, showing the seat and back frames and cushions with the arm rest removed;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail section showing the cushion latch release mechanism with the head rest in place; and,

Figure 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of a chair assembly.

The seat construction of this invention comprises a base structure A, including legs l5 and cross ties l6; removable master and slave arm rests I1 and 18, which engage and lock into the base structure; identical seat and back cushions l9 and 20, separately numbered for convenience in tracing their positions when the seat direction is reversed, and a removable head rest 2|, which can be applied to whichever cushion, [9 or 20, is serving as the back cushion.

Two or more side-by-side seats will ordinarily be used in a given row, although only one seat is shown in the drawings to avoid complications;

and the intermediate legs [5' can conveniently serve both adjacent seats. It will be understood that they are removably secured to the floor B of the vehicle, with adjacent rows properly spaced to afford sufiicient knee room, and whereby tandem seats cooper-ate to form a horizontal berth when the cushions are arranged therefor,

The identical seat and back cushions l9 and are built up on bases 22 having side channels or boxes 23 in which frame members 24 are slidjecting through one of the slots in the side channels 23 of the cushion bases, the pins 29 on the back cushion normally engaging in sockets 3| carried by the arm rests. The pins 29 on the seat cushion normally enter the bottoms of scrolllike slots in guide sockets 32 carried by the arm rests, to support the seat cushion at a suitable angle; but when the seat is to be level as part of a berth, the seat and its frame are manipulated to release the pins 29 on the seat frame from the guide sockets 32 on the arm rests, and the seat frame is then pushed down to cause the pins 29 to drop through the slots 33 into the guide ways 28 in the base structure, which guide ways also normally sup ort the hinge rollers 21, as shown in Figure 8, thus leveling the seat frame and its cushion.

As so far described, both the seat and back cushions are slidable on the frame members 24 within the limits defined by the slots 30 in the side channels 23 of the cushion bases. In order While the hinge rollers 21 are movable in i to hold the cushion, which serves as a seat, from back and forth movement, a pin 34 on the side channel (shown in Figure 8) can engage a detent 35 on the arm rest (shown in Figure 7). In order to hold the seat against the back and forth movement on its frame members 24, a latch (Figure 9) can be used instead of pin 34 and detent 35. The latch comprises a pivoted spring pressed latch arm 36 engageable in two positions relative to the free end of One of the frame members 24, one detent 3'! close to the pivot point of the arm, engaging in a notch 38 in the frame member 24 to hold the seat cushion retracted, and a second detent 39 engaging in the same notch to hold the seat cushion l3 extended to facilitate reversing the seat direction. A thumb button 4!! enables manual release of either detent, and when the cushion becomes the back, insertion of the head rest 2| causes a dowel 4! carried thereby to contact a plunger 42 to automatically release the second detent 39 from the notch, permitting the cushion to slide up and down on the frame member with the notch 38 on the frame member located between the two detents under control of mechanism to be later described, which mechanically shifts the back cushion as the angle thereof is changed.

The seat and back cushion bases 22 are linked together by an elastic cloth closure 43, the primary purpose of which is to prevent a passenger in the next row of seats from placing his toes in the gap between the seat back cushions. The elastic tension in this closure also helps to pull down the back cushion base when the back is being adjusted. A freely extensible two part telescoping compression resisting strut 44 also connects the two cushion bases 22 and serves to push the base upwardly on its frame'member when the back is being returned from the reclining position to the erect position.

Control of the angular position of the back is through the adjustable arm rest caps 45 which are attached to the back frame pins 29 at the sockets 3 l. While either or both arm rests (Figs. 4 and '7) can control the back position, I have shown a single lock in Figure 4 and locks in both arm rests in Figure '7, wherein a single manual release in one master arm rest [1 controls the lock in the slave arm rest [8. Figures 4 and '7 show alternative forms of locking arm rests which are functionally similar, with Figure 4 using linkage, while Figure 7 uses flexible Bowden wires. In both forms the arm rest cap is slidable and tiltable as the seat back is moved, the rear end, which carries the socket 3!, being supported at 45a by a link rod 46 pivoting about a point 46a in the arm rest normally in approximate vertical alignment with the frame pin 28. In Figure 4 the arm rest cap has a pivot at 41. Each cap 45 is a shell having an open bottom and two parallel sides connected to or integral with a top member; and the slot or guideway 49 is provided in one of such parallel sides. The forward end of the arm rest cap 45 carries a pivoted finger lever 50 which actuates a friction locking lever 5| that slides on a rod 52. The locking lever 5| is pivotally secured to one of the parallel sides of the cap 45. In Figure 4 the rod 52 fulcrums at 41 on the relatively fixed part ll of the arm rest; and a seat back return and lock-engaging spring 54 is positioned on the rod between a collar 55 slidable thereon and an end collar 56. With this arrangement, release of the friction lock lever 5| allows the spring 54 to push the arm rest cap forwardly to pull the seat back erect.

58, in turn operating a second Bowden wire 59 to release the friction locking lever 5| a which slides on the rod 52a, which rod is pivoted to the arm rest cap at iii). In this case the return spring 54a also engages between the collar 53a and an end collar 56a. The locking lever 5la is pivoted, as denoted at 15, in the relatively stationary part [1' of the arm rest; and it has a pin 48 integral with it that engages in a slot or guideway 49 in the arm rest cap 45a. In this case, the arm rest cap comprises a shell portion 16 and a rear casting TI. The shell portion 16 has'an open bottom and two parallel sides. Casting 11 has a forwardly projecting portion 13 at one side which extends beneath side 19 of shell portion 16 and which is welded thereto and constitutes the remainder of one side of the cap. Casting 1'! has a median rib 39 between its two sides which is furcated and to which rod 52a and link rod 46 are pivoted by pin 69. 1

Figure '7 also shows a master control for the other or slave arm rest l8 comprising a springloaded plunger 6! which projects through a hole (Figs. 8 and 10) in the associated leg l5 and which is lifted when the bell crank 58 is actuated, as described in the preceding paragraph upon movement of the finger lever 50a. The plunger Bl rests on an arm 62 which is secured to a spring-loaded cross shaft 63 that is journaled in the base structure. A coil spring 64 that engages at one end with the leg I5 andat its opposite end with the arm 92 constantly urges the shaft 63 counter-clockwise about its axis as viewed in Fig. 7. A duplicate plunger in the slave arm rest contacts an arm on the shaft 63, which is a duplicate of the arm 92, to actuate through a bell crank and Bowden wire, similar to bell crank 58 and Bowden wire 59 a friction locking lever similar to the lever 5 la.

In the operation of the chair described, reference will first be had to Figure 1 wherein the lefthand chair is shown in full lines set up in the erect position facing the right, and the righthand chair, as shown in full lines, is set up to face the left. The dotted lines show how the right-hand chair can be reversed to face to the right. In so reversing the chair, the back cushion 20 moves down to become the seat cushion l9 and the erstwhile seat cushion i9 is tilted up to become the back cushion 20, the entire construction of the seats and backs being symmetrical and interchangeable about the :hinge pin 25.

In reversing the seat, the seat base 22 has its pins 29 released from the guide sockets 32 by manipulation of the seat to move the pins 29 out of the sockets 32.. The arm rests are then removed from the base structure after manual release of the latch 54. best shown in Figure '7. The head rest is preferably pulled out of the back and set aside. By grasping the outer ends of the seat and back cushions they may be held in a V like form limited by the link M, the hinge pins and their rollers 21 shifted to the other ends of the guideways 28 in the base to transpose the erstwhile back cushion into the seat cushion for the reversed chair. the former seat cush on being lifted or pivoted about the hinge pins 25 to form the back cushion. Reversing and interchangin the arm rests l! and I8. en aging the seat pins- 29 with the guide sockets 32 thereon, and the back pins 29 with the sockets 3! carried bv the arm rest caps. completes the chair reversal, except for replacing the head rest,

In Fig. 1 the chair at the left is shown in full lines in erect position with the seat cushion tilted, and it is shown in dotted lines during conversion into a reclining berth with the seat cushion flat. In this latter arrangement, the head rest may be applied to the seat cushion to further extend the same. As described elsewhere and shown in Figure 9, the seat cushion base 22 has its side channels 23 normally locked at the innermost position relative to the frame members 24 and the seat cushion is supported at a slight angle relative to the base for added com-' fort. In its tilted position the seat remains fixed, while the back cushion is being tilted back to the dotted line position of the left hand chair of' Figure 1, and because the back cushion is free to slide on its frame members 24 as permitted by the strut 44 connecting the two cushion bases, it slidesrdown on its frame members. Since the pivot points or hinges 25 between the cushion bases is to the rear of the back cushion, the lower edge of the back cushion moves back or away from the seat cushion to expose approximately two more inches, thus in effect, lengthening the seat. This extra effective seat length conforms to anatomical requirements so that a seated passenger changing from the erect to reclining 'position, or vice versa, does 'not'have to shift his seated position. Since a flat seat would be preferable if the passenger desires to nap in the reclined position, the seat cushion pins 29 may be released from the bottom of the scroll-like slots in the guides 32 by suitable manipulation of the seat cushion and its frame 24. Ordinarily the arm rests carrying the guides 32 Will be removed at this point, and the seat and its frame 24 further manipulated to lower the pins 29 through the slots 33 into the guideways 28. However, since the bottom openings in the slots in the guides 32 line up with the slots 33 in the base, the seat can be lowered to the level position without removing the arm rests. The seat cushion frame 23 is then unlatched from the frame members 24 and drawn out to its extended position, the outward movement of the seat permitting lowering of the back cushion on its frame members, as shown by the dot and dash lines associated with the dotted line reclined position of Fig. 1.

When the back cushion and its frame members are being adjusted, the arm rest caps move and tilt therewith, being attached to the frame members at the pin 29. The adjustment of the back cushion and its frame members is under the control of the arm rest cap mechanism, the passenger lifting the finger lever to release the locking lever 5l'and leaning back to push the seat back against the force of the spring 54, or lean ing forward to allow the spring 54 to bring the back to the erect position.

When two seats are to be made up into a single flat berth, as shown in Figure 3, the seat cushion of the left chair is lowered and extended, thus disengaging its pins 29 from the arm rests and the head rest 2i from the back is applied thereto to form part of the berth. The right-hand chair can have either or both of its arm rests I! and I8 removed. To remove either arm rest the latch 64 (Figs. 3 and 10) is released. Each latch 64 is adapted to engage in a slot 6'! in the associated leg IE or IE, as the case may be. The latch is disengaged by pressing an associated thumb button 65, such as shown in Figure '7. The arms, after removal, may be stowed between the legs I5 and I5 of the base. Each r arm rest is properly located on the supporting leg structure by spaced pins 68 (Fig. which engage in holes 69 in the associated leg.

When it is desired to reverse the direction the seat faces, as shown in dotted lines in connection with the right-hand chair in Figure 1, both arm rests are removed, and. the seat and back cushions are moved simultaneously until they become the back and seat cushions respectively, each hinge roller 21 moving to the left end of its guide-way in the base. The arm rests are then both turned end-for-end and refastened to the base of the chair, being applied to the proper sides so that they face in the new direction. The head rest 2| is removed from the former back cushion and applied to the new one, preferably being removed before the cushions are shifted and being replaced thereafter.

It will be evident from the foregoing that my seat construction is readily reversible and convertible into either a flat or reclining chair, as may be desired, and that as a chair the arm rests are properly positioned for comfort regardless of the position of, or the direction the chair faces. Moreover, the various parts are completely interchangeable and reversible as to position and function.

Having described only typical forms of the invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A convertible and reclining chair comprising a base structure having guide-ways therein, cushions interchangeable etween the seat and back positions on said base structure, frame members supporting said cushions and hingedly connected together between said cushions, means carried by the hinged connection between said frame members adapted to movably secure said connection to said guideways, arm rests carried by said base structure. means carried by said arm rests engaging said frame members whereby to support said seat and back cushions at the desired angles to each other, means for adjusting the supporting means whereby to change the angle of the chair back, means releasably attaching said arm rests to said base structure a so arranged that the arm rests are interchangeable and reversible whereby the chair can be set to face in either direction with either cushion forming the seat and the other cushion forming the back according to which way the chair faces.

2. A convertible and reclining chair comprising a base structure having guide-ways therein, cushions interchangeable between the seat and back positions on said base structure, frame members supporting said cushions and hingedly connected together between said cushions, means carried by the hinged connection between said frame members adapted to movably secure said connection to said guideways, arm rests carried by said base structure, means carried by said arm rests engaging said frame members whereby to support said seat and back cushions at the desired angles to each other, means for adjusting the supporting means whereby to change the angle of the chair back, means releasably attaching said arm rests to said base structure so arranged that the arm rests are interchangeable and reversible whereby the chair can be set to face in either direction with either cushion forming the seat and the other cushion forming the back according to which way the chair faces, and sliding caps forming part of the means carried by the arm rests and arranged to follow the motion of the back cushion.

3. A convertible and reclining chair comprising a base structure having guide-ways therein, cushions interchangeable between the seat and back positions on said base structure, frame members slidably supporting said cushions thereon and hingedly connected together between said cushions to vary the angle between said cushions, strut means connecting said seat and back cushions and biasing the hinged connection between the frame members whereby angular changes at the hinged connection produce sliding movements of one cushion relative to its frame member, means carried by the hinged connection between said frame members adapted to movably secure said connection to said guideways, arm rests carried by said base structure, means carried by said arm rests engaging said frame members whereby to support said seat and back cushions at the desired angles to each other, means for adjusting the supporting means whereby to change the angle of the chair back, means releasably attaching said arm rests to said base structure so arranged that the arm rests are interchangeable and reversible whereby the chair can be set to face in either direction with either cushion forming the seat and the other cushion forming the back according to which way the chair faces.

4. In a chair of the character described a base structure, arm rests supported by said base structure, seat and back frame members hinged together intermediate the seat and back, means for supporting said frame members from the base structure at the hinge connection therebetween and from the arm rests at points spaced from the hinge connection, seat and back cushions slidable lengthwise upon said frame members, means for latching the seat cushion to its frame member, and strut means connecting said seat and back cushions in biasing relationship to the hinge connection between the frame members, whereby angular movements of the back cushion and its frame member relative to the seat cushion and its frame member move the back cushion along its frame member.

5. In a chair of the character described a base structure, arm rests supported by said base structure, seat and back frame members hinged together intermediate the seat and back, means for supporting said frame members from the base structure at the hinge connection therebetween and from the arm rests at points spaced from the hinge connection, seat and back cushions slidable lengthwise upon said frame members, means for latching the seat cushion to its frame member, and strut means connecting said seat and back cushions in biasing relationship to said hinge connection, whereby movement of the back cushion and its frame member relative to seat cushion and its frame member move the back cushion along its frame member, and means carried by said arm rests adapted to adjustably control the angular position of the cushion serving as a back rest.

6. In a chain of the character described a base structure, detachable and reversibly interchangeable arm rests removably supported by said base structure, seat and back frame members hinged together intermediate the seat and back, means for removably supporting said frame members from the base structure at the hinge connection therebetween and from the arm rests at points spaced from the hinge connection,,seat and back cushions slidable lengthwise upon said frame members, means for latching the seat cushion to its frame member, and strut means connecting said seat and back cushions in biasing relationship to the hinge connection between the frame members, whereby angular movements of the back cushion and its frame member relative to the seat cushion and its frame member move the back cushion along its frame member, whereby detaching, reversing and transposing said arm rests and transposing said cushions relative to said base structure effects reversing the direction in which said chair faces.

7. In a chair of the character described a base structure, arm rests supported by said base structure, seat and back frame members hinged together intermediate the seat and back, means for supporting said frame members from the base structure at the hinge connection therebetween and from the arm rests at points spaced from the hinge connection, said arm rests comprising a fixed support for the seat frame member and an adjustable support for the back frame member, each adjustable support including a movable cap for the arm rest, means carried by said cap in association with said arm rest for controlling the adjustment of said adjustable support whereby to vary the angle of the seat back, seat and back cushions slidable lengthwise upon said frame members, means for latching the seat cushion to its frame member, and strut means connecting said seat and back cushions in biasing relationship to the hinge connection between the frame members, whereby angular movements of the back cushion and its frame member relative to the seat cushion and its frame member move the back cushion along its frame member.

8. In a chair of the character described, a seat and a back, each having a frame member, hinge means connecting said frame members intermediate the seat and back and permitting angular adjustments between the seat and back including a level berthing position, a base, means on said base for providing a support for said frame members at the hinge means thereof, an arm rest carried by said base and including a stationary support, means for releasably securing said stationary support to said base, means connecting the seat frame member to said stationary support in spaced relation with respect to said hinge point, and an adjustable cap carried by said stationary support and connected to said back frame in spaced relation with respect to said hinge means for controlling the adjustment of the angle of said back frame member.

9. In a chair of the character described, a seat and a back, each having a frame member and a cushion and at least one of said cushions being longitudinally adjustable with respect to its frame member, hinge means connecting said frame members intermediate the seat and back and permitting angular adjustments between the seat and back including a level berthing position, a base, means on said base for providing a support for said frame members at the hinge means thereof, an arm rest carried by said base and including a stationary support, means for releasably securing said stationary support to said base, means connecting the seat frame member to said stationary support in spaced relation with respect to said hinge means, and an adjustable cap carried by said stationary support and connected to said back frame member in spaced relation with respect to said hinge means for controlling the adjustment of the angle of said back frame member.

10. A reversible, reclining, and berthable seating arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable on said seat and back frames respectively, arm rests removably secured to said base structure, and means carried by said arm rests engaging other means on each of the respective frames to support same with one frame and its cushion providing a back portion and the other frame and its cushion forming a seat portion, said frames being bodily shiftable along said guideways to a location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their positions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion.

11. A reversible, reclining, and berthable seat ing arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable on said seat and back frames respectively, arm rests removably secured to said base structure, and means carried by said arm rests engaging other means on each of the respective frames to support samewith one frame and its cushion providing a back portion and the other frame and its cushion forming a seat portion, said frames being bodily shiftable along said guideways to a location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their positions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion. V

12. A reversible, reclining, and berthable seating arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable on said seat and back frames respectively, arm rests removably secured to said base structure, and means carried by said arm rests engaging other means on each of the respective frames to support samewith one frame and its cushion providing a back portion and the other frame and its cushion forming a seat portion, said frames being bodily shiftable along said guideways to a location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their posi tions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion, the first-named means comprising movable caps carried by said arm rests and having pivotal connections to the frame carrying the back cushion whereby said caps move as 1 1 said back cushion and its frame is tilted to different angles, and means for locking said caps against movement to secure the respective back frames in the tilted positions to which they are adjusted.

13. A reversible, reclining, and berthable seating arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable, on said seat and back frames respectively, arm rests removably secured to said base structure, and means carried by said arm rests engaging other means on each of the respective frames to support same with one frame and its cushion providing a back portion and the other frame and its cushion forming a seat portion, said frames being bodily shiftable along said guideways to a location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their positions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion, the firstnamed means comprising movable longitudinally elongated caps carried by said arm rests and having pivotal connections to the frame carrying the back cushion whereby as said caps move along said arm rests, said back cushion and its frame is tilted to different angles, and locking means carried by said caps for adjustably controlling the angular position of the part of the frame carrying the back cushion.

14. A reversible, reclining and berthable seating arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable on said seat and back frames respectively, means for locking each cushion to its frame when said cushion is used as a seat cushion, said means being arranged for actuation to free said cushion for sliding motion relative to its frame when used as a back cushion, strut means bracingly connecting said cushions relative to the hinge means I 12 location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their positions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion.

15. A reversible, reclining, and berthable seating arrangement comprising a base structure having parallel spaced guideways, seat and back frames, hinge means connecting said frames, members aligned with the axis of rotation of said hinge means and movably and pivotally mounted in said guideways, identical seat and back cushions supported by and separately slidable on said seat and back frames respectively, means for looking each cushion to its frame when said cushion is used as a seat cushion, said means being arranged for actuation to free said cushion for sliding motion relative to its frame when used as a back cushion, strut means bracingly connecting said cushions relative to the hinge means Whereby to cause sliding motion of the back cushion relative to its frame as the angle of the back cushion in relation to the seat cushion is altered, arm rests removably secured to said base structure, and means including movable caps carried b said arm rests and having pivotal connection with one of said frames to support the same with its cushion providing a back portion and means carried by said arm rests engaging other means on the other frame to support the latter with its cushion forming a seat portion, said frames being bodily shiftable along said guideways to a location in which they may be rocked on said members to reverse their positions, whereby either one of said cushions may be supported at a suitable angle to form a seat cushion while the other of said cushions forms a back cushion, and whereby said caps move as said back cushion and its frame is tilted to different angles, and means carried by said caps for adjustably controlling the angular position of the frame carrying the back cushion.

BENJAMIN F. MONROE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 11,906 Harmon Apr. 16, 1901 251,737 Schmitz Jan. 3, 1882 1,789,337 Knabusch Jan. 20, 1931 2,011,870 Perlez et al Aug. 20, 1935 2,099,460 Bell Nov. 16, 1937 2,124,003 McDonnell et al. July 19, 1938 2,348,407 O'Neill May 9, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,956 Australia Jan. 16, 1935 23,499 Great Britain Dec. 20, 1892

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