US2823389A - Sofa bed construction - Google Patents

Abstract

779,421. Bed settees. COOPERSMITH, R. June 27, 1955 [Aug. 13, 1954], No. 18524/55. Class 52 (2). A bed-settee has a folding bed frame 9, 10, 11, 12 the section 9 having a head-board 19 which serves as a shelf to accommodate the bedding in the space behind the back cushion 5 which can be swung upwardly on links 28, 30 and held by a catch. The seat section 12 is held in folded position by a latch mechanism 40, Fig. 15, similar to that of Specification 753,986 which is unlatched by a linkage 81 actuated by relative movement of the sections 9, 10 on unfolding.

Description

Feb. 18, 1958 R. COOPERSMITH 2,823,389

SOFA BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 13, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 r "E 23 4 15 a J 25 f a 21 1704 PA I Paw/Wm 3/ wwaz wmmgqwgw 9 77-9 ,e/veys.

Feb. 18, 1958 R. COOPERSMITH SOFA BED CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 13, 1954 Mun/roe Fm; P// [MP/525mm Feb. 18, 1958 R. COOPERSMITH SOFA BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 13, 1954 AWE/Wale. @1101? [brawn/2W 4 Sheqts-Sheet 3 wwww w iiTafi/nsyi SOFA BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent SOFA BED CONSTRUCTION Rudolph Coopersmith, Clayton, Mo. Application August 13, 1954, Serial No. 449,569

1 Claim. (Cl. -13) This invention relates generally to combination sofa beds, and more particularly 'to a sofa bed construction having a storage space arrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sofa bed frame structure with headboard means which will obviate the necessity for using the back rest of the sofa as a support for pillows.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sofa bed construction having a back frame adapted to define an internal storage space, which is enclosed by a movable back rest.

Another object is to provide a sofa bed with a horizontally extending internal storage shelf for bedding articles when the bed is not in use.

It is also an object to construct a sofa bed with means on the foldable bed frame which selectively acts as a storage shelf and a headboard.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sofa bed construction which will permit ready access to the storage shelf for placing bedding articles thereon.

Still another object is to provide a sofa bed construction with a foldable bed frame having a locking means therefor when in folded position and a novel automatically operating unlatching mechanism for releasing the locking means, when the bed frame is being unfolded.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sofa bed construction having a foldable section bed frame which will support an internal storage shelf when the bed is not in use.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The invention is embodied in an improved sofa bed construction including a sofa frame having a movable back rest support which is adapted to conceal a storage space within the frame adjacent the head end portion of a foldable bed frame, the bed frame having headboard means thereon which becomes a shelf when positioned adjacent the storage space. The invention also is embodied in a foldable bed frame having automatically operating locking and unlocking means. I

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. Certain embodiments of the in vention are indicated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and wherein like numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sofa bed showing in phantom outline the back rest support when positioned to allow access to the storage space,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view'taken along line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevational view showing the invention in greater detail, the view being taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View, partly in section, showing the sofa bed in unfolded position for use as a bed,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bed frame as taken along line 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bed frame as taken along line 66 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view of the back rest support and' operating linkage in a posi- 7 tion differing from the shown in Fig. 3,

"ice

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view similarto Fig. 2 showing a modification of the present invention,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing a modified foldable bed frame in unfolded posi tion relative to the sofa frame,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bed frame taken along line 1010 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bed frame taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view or the locking mechanism for the foldable bed frame of Fig. 9, showing the relative position of the bed frame members in the first partly folded position of the bed,

Fig. 13 is a view similar to that of Fig. 12, but showing the relative position of the bed frame members in' a more advanced position of folding the bed into the sofa frame,

Fig. 14 is a view similar to that of Fig. 12, but showing the relative position of the bed frame members when the. bed is about fully folded and locked within the sofa frame, and

Fig. 15 is a view similar to that of Fig. 12, but showing the mechanism being unlocked during the unfolding operation of the bed frame members.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the present embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in connection with a sofa bed 1. The sofa bed includes end arm rest members 2 intercon nected by a back frame 3 and a seat frame 4. The back frame 3 is provided with a movableback rest support '5 (Figs. 2 and 3) having-back rest upholstery or cushions 6 suitably mounted thereon, and the support 5 cooperates with and is spaced from the rear wall 3' of the-back frame 3 so as to form a storage space 7 therebetw'een.

The back wall 3' may be of solid construction, or itm'ay consist of a pervious material suitably secured to a frame work. The seat frame 4 is adapted to house a foldable bed structure 8 on which a foldable mattress 8 is supported.

The foldable bed structure 8 (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5)'i ncludes a plurality of hingedly connected relatively mo'vable frame sections designated 9, 10, 11 and 12' and are hingedly connected by means of pins 13, 14 and 15 at their adjacent ends. The inner or first section 9 has its usual side pieces interconnected by a transverse-or cross frame member 16 rigidly secured thereto in order to maintain the side pieces in spaced relationship. The outer or second section 12 has its usual side pieces interconnected by a transverse or cross member 16' (Fig! 4).

A suitable mattress supporting fabric 17 is suspended from the several frame sections by a plurality of springs 18. Rigidly secured to the cross frame member 16 and extending outwardly therefrom in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bed structure is a combined headboard and shelf means 19, to be described in greater; detail hereinafter.

Supporting legs 20 are provided for the bed structure 8 at the outer end of the second section 12 and intermediate supporting legs 21 are provided at the thirdsection 10. These supporting legs are foldably attached to the respective sections of the bed structure 8 so that they will collapse into the sofa frame when the bed is not in use, as shown in-Fig. 3.

When the bed structure is folded within the seatframe 4, the second frame section 12 overlies the third frame section 10 and provides support for suitable seat cush-e ions 22, whereas the fourth frame section 11 is positioned vertically and provides a support for an upholstery board 23. The upholstery board 23 has an upholstered spring seat-edge assembly 23' mounted thereon which,.together. with the upholstery board 23, enclosesv the front of the seat frame 4 and the front of the sofa frame 1.

Secured in each ofthe end arm rest frame members 2 is a bracket 24 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) having one end of an L-shaped arm 26 pivotally connected thereto by means of pin 25. The other end of the arm 26 is attached to the first frame section 9 of the bed structure 8 (Fig. When this frame is folded into the sofa frame 1, the L shaped arm 26 pivots about pin 25 thereby turning cross frame 16 and frame section 9 from a horizontal position (Fig. 4) to a vertical position (Fig. 3) adjacent to theback wall 3' of the sofa and below the zone of the storage space 7. The headboard and shelf means 19 is positioned on the transverse member 16, as shown in Fig. 5 Therefore, when the frame section 9 pivots inwardly and downwardly to its vertical position, means 19 moves from its vertical position (Fig. 4) to a horizontal position (Figs. 2 and 3) extending outwardly from adjacent the back wall 3 of the sofa to adjacent the lower portion of the back rest support 5 so as to form the lower side or bottom shelf of the storage space 7 in said sofa frame 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the shelf means 19 is in overlapping relationship with the second frame sectiorr12, which now extends inwardly to form the support forthe seat cushions 22,

The back rest support 5 is pivotally secured in each of the end portions of the back frame 3 by a linkage arrangement which allows the back rest support 5, with the backrest cushions 6 mounted thereon, to be raised or swung outwardly and upwardly above the arm rest members 2, thereby permitting access to the storage space 7. This space is intended as a place for the storage of bedding articles, and the same are carried upon the shelf means 19 positioned therein.

The linkage arrangement for the back rest support 5 comprises support plates 27 secured one to the upper portion of each endmember of the back frame 3. Since each linkage assembly is alike, only one need be described in detail. In Fig. 7, an upper support arm 28 has its inner, end connected pivotally by means of pin 29 to the upper portion ofthe plate 27. A lower support arm 30 ispivotally attached inwardly of its end 31 to the central; portion of the plate 27 by means of a pin 32, and a lock; bar 33 is pivotally secured to the upper portion of the plate 27 by means of a pin 34. The upper and lower support arms 28 and 30 each have a bend or dog-leg form which is intended to coordinate the movements thereof so as to allow the back rest support 5, while being raised and lowered, to. remain in a plane generally parallel to the, plane established when the back rest support 5 is positioned against the backframe 3. A pin 35 positioned in the lower support-arm 30 near the bend therein protrudes inwardly therefrom away from the plate 27. The lower edge portion of the lock bar 33 engages the pin 35 in slidable contact therewith. The lock bar 33 has a locking recess or notch 36 formed in its lower edge in position to engage upon the pin 35 when the back rest support 5 is raised, thereby locking the back rest support 5 in its elevated-position In order to facilitate easy lifting of the back rest support 5, a counterbalancing spring 37 is secured between the lower portion of the plate 27 and an anchor tab 37' on the end 31 of the lower support arm 30 outwardly of its pivotal point- 32so as to exert a downward force thereon. Thus, when the back rest is raised the force of the spring 37 will give the outer end of the lower support arm 30 an upward lift. The outer ends of the upper and lower support arms 28 and 30 are secured to an angle bar 38 mounted on. the back side of the back rest support 5.

Since the backrest support 5 is connected at its ends to the above described linkage arrangement, it is necessary to provide a cross connection for coordinating movement, so that the back rest support 5 will raise smoothly and evenly from both ends at the same time. To this end,,a tie bar 39 (Figs, 2, 3 and 6 is riveted at its ends.

to an angle bracket and each angle bracke i tum, is

riveted to one of the upper support arms 28. When the back rest support 5 is raised, the tie bar coordinates the movement of both upper support arms 28 so that they work together, thereby coordinating the operation of the linkage arrangements in raising the back rest support 5.

It is within the scope of this invention to construct the means 19 or 19 of cross members or of expanded metal to form an open-work surface, or to utilize an impcrforate member to form a solid surface. In Fig. 8, the means 19' is an imperforate member or board. The shelf 19 (Fig. 8) is shortened or decreased in depth over that shown in Fig. 2, and positioned vertically on the first frame section 9 so that the outer edge of the shelf will be juxtaposed relative to the cross member 16 of the second frame section 12. Thus, the end portion of the bed frame section 12 functions as a part of the shelf means.

It is apparent that when the shorter headboard and shelf means 19 is being used as a shelf and bedding articles are placed thereon, the inner end of the mattress 8 will support the shelf means 19 subjacently so that it will remain in a substantially horizontal position. It is necessary also that the second frame section 12, which acts as a part of the shelf means in the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 8, be maintained in a horizontal position. There fore, locking means have been provided to space and rigid ly maintain the second frame section 12 relatively to the shelf means 19', as will be described more fully hereinafter. Further, when the longer shelf means 19 is used (Figs. 2 and 3), it is necessary to provide subjacent sup port outwardly of the support provided by the mattress 8'. Inasmuch as the shelf means overlies the frame section 12, it becomes apparent that the shelf means 19 will be properly supported by said frame section if locking means are provided for the stabilization thereof. Automatically operating unlatching means are also provided to release the locking means when the bed structure 8 is being unfolded, as will be described hereinafter.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 9, when the foldable bed structure 8 is in extended position for use as a bed, frame sec-- tions 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively are horizontally coplanar, and sections 10 and 12 are supported by legs 21 and 20 respectively.

In folding the bed structure 8 into the sofa frame 1, the cross member 16' which interconnects the side pieces of the second frame section 12, is grasped and lifted upwardly until the frame section 12 is perpendicular to the fourth frame section 11 pivotally connected thereto by pin 15. (The cross member 16 may be of rolled construction for easier handling.) The second frame section 12 is pushed inwardly and downwardly into a generally parallel relation with third frame section 10, fourth frame section 11 thereby turning into a vertical position perpendicular to both frame sections 10 and 12. When frame sec tion 12 assumes a nearly parallel position relative to frame section 10, it will become locked thereto, as Will now be described.

The foldable bed structure 8 of Fig. 4 is provided with an automatic locking arrangement 40, which is more fully described and shown in an application for patent of Rudolph Coopersmith, bearing Serial No. 354,687. filed May 13, 1953, and entitled Foldable Sofa Bed and Lock Therefor.

The locking arrangement 40 is carried by the support leg 20, which is pivotally connected to the second frame section 12. This arrangement comprises a support 41 rigidly secured to the leg 20 for spacing the frame sections 10 and 12 when the bed structure is in folded position, 'as shown in Fig. 3. Movably attached to the support 41 is a locking element 42 having a transverse latch actuating or cam element 43 pivotally secured thereto.

The means for controlling the folding and unfolding actuation of leg 20 comprises a lever 44 (Fig. 4) which is pivotally secured to the fourth frame section 11 and the support 41 or leg 20 so that when the outer end of the second frame section 12 is raised the lever 44 will cause pivotal movement of the leg 20 into adjacent relation with n the frame section '12, thereby causing the support 41 to move into a generally perpendicular relation with the frame sections 12 and 10. When the frame section 12 is pivoted into parallel relation with third frame section 10, the support 41 will engage an element or seat 58 positioned on section and the locking element 42 will slide into locked engagement therewith.

Means for folding the intermediate legs 21 include a leg folding link 45 having one end pivotally connectedto the leg 21 and which is pivotally secured inwardly-of its other end 46 to a levermember 50. The lever member 50 is pivotally mounted to an angle bracket 51 secured to the arm rest member 2. A counterbalancing and holding spring 52 has one end attached to the bracket 51 and its other end attached to the end 46 of the link 45. The other end of the lever member 50 is'pivotally secured to one end of a lever bar 53. The member 50 is pivotally connected at 50' to the third frame section 10. The other end of bar 53 is slidably positioned by a pin 54 adjacent its other end 55 in a slot 56 provided in a'plate 57, which is secured to the third frame section '10. Also secured to the frame section 10 is a seat plate 58 which exten'dsoutwardly therefrom and upon which the free end of the support 41 is positioned when the bed structure 8 is in folded position. The end 55 of the lever bar 53' is turned outwardly or away from the mattress and acts upon the cam element 43 to unlatch the locking element 42 when the bed structure is being unfolded. In this construction the movement of the end 55 of the lever bar 53in unlatching the locking mechanism 40 is controlled by the lever member 50 angularly moving relative to the third frame section 10. Another function of the lever 50 is to cooperatively position the folded bed structure 8 properly within the seat section 4 of the sofa bed 1 so that the frame sections 10 and 12 are in substantially horizontal position.

In the operation of unfolding the bed structure'8 from the position shown in Fig. 3 a handle (not shown) positioned on the fourth frame section 11 or the upholsteryboard 23 attached thereto is grasped and' lifted upwardly and outwardly away from the seat section 4.' The lever member 50 controls the unlatching mechanism and also actuates the leg 21 to pivot the latter into supporting position for the bed structure 8. It is apparent'that as the bed structure 8 is lifted outwardly it will be forced upwardly by the counterclockwise movement of the lever member 50, the outer end of which will define an are as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. Further, as the lever member 50 moves upwardly the lever bar-53 and the link 45 will move therewith. The lever bar 53 is positioned so that its end 55 will unlatch the locking mechanism 40 at a point when the cross member 16' is moved outwardly beyond the back rest cushions '6. When'the second frame section 12 is locked into position relative to the third frame section 10, the mattress 8' folded therebetween will be compressed slightly. Upon the unlocking of the frame section 12, the resiliency or the mattress 8 will cause it to spring upwardly and damage would be caused to the cushions 6 if the locking mechanism 40 was unlatched before the cross member 16' had moved outwardly relative to the cushions 6.

In Figs. 9, 12, 13, 14 and another form of a linkage arrangement for folding leg 21 and locking the frame is illustrated.

When the second frame section 12 has been folded over and locked into parallel position with the third frame section 10, the fourth frame section 11 or the upholstery board 23 attached thereto is grasped and lifted upwardly. The linkage between frame sections 9 and 10 and the sofa frame 1 will direct the folding of thebed structure 8 downwardly and inwardly into folded relation relative to'the sofa frame 1. The linkage arrangement between frame section 10 and the arm rest memr bers2 of the sofa frame 1, as shown in Fig. 9, comprises a lever 60 having an arcuate portion 61 pivotallycone.

nected to frame section 10 by pin 62. One end of the arcuate portion 61 is movably connected by pin 63 to a link 64, which is movably connected to leg 21. Lever 60 also has a straight portion 65 having its end pivotally connected to a link 66, which is secured in movable relation to a plate 67. The straight portion 65 of lever 60 is also pivotally connected inwardly of its end to a lever bar 68, which is movably connected to a poster other suitable means 69. Both the plate 67 and the post 69 are secured to the sofa frame 1.

When the frame section 11 or the upholstery board 23 positioned thereonis grasped and raised, so that the bed structure 8 will move inwardly and downwardly into the seat frame 4 of the sofa frame 1, the lever 60 will pivot clockwise about pin 62. When the lever 60 starts to rotate, the link 64 will move in a counterclockwise direction about pin 63 thereby collapsing the leg 21; When the bed structure is in folded position the leg 21 is adjacent to and substantially parallel with the third frame section 10, and the link 64 and the arcuate portion 61 of the lever 60 form an acute angle extending upwardly above the horizontal plane established by the frame section 10. While the bed structure 8 is being folded into the sofa frame 1, the straight portion 65 of the lever 60 is moving in a clockwise direction, as determined by the cooperating functions of the link 66 and the lever 68. The link 66 will pivot in a counterclockwise direction, whereas the lever bar 68 will turn in a clockwise direction until it has moved upwardly a sufficient distance for the link 66 to continue in its counterclockwise movement. Then the lever bar 68 will move downwardly in a counterclockwise direction until it is again at approximately the same position as shown in Fig. 9.

The linkage arrangement controlling the movement of first frame section 9 comprises an angle bar type standard secured to the sofa frame 1 and supported laterally by a brace 76. The frame section 9 is pivotally connected to the standard 75 by a lever 77. The lever 77 is movably connected to a plate 78, which is rigidly secured to the frame section 9. A tab 79 is pivoted to the lever 77 and has one end of springs 80 attached thereto. The other end of the springs 80 are secured to a tab 81, which is pivoted to the sofa frame 1. The springs 80 are expanded when the bed structure 8 is folded into the sofa frame 1, thereby exerting a downward force on the end of the first frame section 9 when it is vertically adjacent the back wall 3' of the sofa frame 1 in folded position. This downward force benefits the unfolding operation by making the initial lifting at the opposite end of the bed structure 8 an effortless action.

When the bed frame 8 is being folded into the sofa frame 1, the first frame section 9 will pivot on lever 77 thereby moving downwardly and then turning from a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 9, to a vertical position adjacent to the back wall 3' of the back frame 3.

A novel unlatching mechanism 81 has been provided to automatically release the locking mechanism 40'from engagement with the seat plate 58. Referring now to Figs. 12, l3, l4 and 15, the locking mechanism 40 is positioned on the second frame section 12 in pivotal relation therewith and is carried by the leg 20. When the second frame section 12 has been folded into parallel relation with the third frame section 10, the support 41 becomes perpendicular to both frame sections and maintains them in spaced relation by engaging the seat plate 58 on section 10. The locking element 42 of the locking mechanism 40 is pivotally connected by a pin 82 to the support 41, and is restricted in pivotal movement by an arcuate slot 83, which moves about a pin 84 secured to the support 41. The locking element 42 has a bevelled nose 85, which comes into slidable contact with the seat plate 58 during the folding operation and has been provided so that the locking element will be moved relative to the seat plate 58 so that a notch 86 formed .in the a locking element 42 will engage the lower edge of the i seat plate 58 in locked relation. A spring 87 has been provided to return the locking element 42 to normal, or locked position relative to the support 41 after the bevelled nose 85 has moved the locking element 42 outwardly therefrom during the locking operation. The cam element 43 is pivotally connected to the locking element 42 by a pin 88, and is restricted in pivotal movement by an arcuate slot 89, which is positioned to receive a pin 90 secured to the locking element 42. The cam element 43 has a shoe-like portion 43' to be described hereinafter.

The unlatching mechanism 81 comprises a plate 91 laterally movable in the direction of a slot 92 formed in the third frame section and engaged by a pin 93 secured to the plate 91. The plate has an outturned flange 94 at one end adjacent to the seat plate 58, to be described hereinafter. The other end of the plate 91 is pivotally connected by a pin 95 to one end of a link 96, which is pivoted inwardly of its ends by a pin 97 to the frame section 10. The other end of the link 96 is pivoted to one end of a lever bar 98 by a pin 99, the other end of the lever bar 98 being pivotally secured to a different one of the frame sections, as section 9, by a pin 100.

Fig. 12 of the drawings illustrates the respective positions of the elements of the locking and unlatching mechanisms 40 and 81, when the second frame section 12 has been folded into parallel relation with the third rame section 19. It will be noted therein that the notch 86 has engaged the seat plate 58 and that when the frame sections 9 and 10 are in extended position the plate 91 is forward adjacent to the seat plate 58. When in this position, the shoe-like portion 43' of the cam element 43 overrides the flange 94, as it can do by reason of spring 87, and therefore the unlatching mechanism 81 is inoperative to release the locking mechanism 40.

In Fig. 13 it will be seen that when the frame section 11 (not shown) is raised to fold the bed structure into the sofa frame, the third frame section 10 will move relative to the first frame section 9 about the pin 13. This pivoting or breaking movement will cause the lever bar98 and the link 96 to break or pivot in an opposite sense about their pins 190 and 97 on their respective frame sections, thereby retracting the plate 91 relative to the seat plate 58. The shoe-like portion 43' of the cam element 43 will cause the element to move upwardly on the flange 94 until the plate 91 has moved far enough for the flange 94 to clear cam element 43, after which the cam can be returned to normal operating position by spring 87.

Fig. 14 shows the frame sections 9 and It) in folded position within the sofa frame, as indicated by refer ence to Fig. 3. It will be seen that the plate 91 has been moved laterally to the extreme position in the slot 92 and that the lever bar 98 and link 96 have formed an acute angle. Further, the shoe-like portion 43 has dropped off the flange 94 and the cam element 43 has returned to normal operating position.

Fig. illustrates the unlatching mechanism 81 in engagement with the cam element 43 thereby releasing the locking element 42 from locking position. As the bed structure 8 is unfolded from the sofa frame 1, the plate 91 will be moved forward in the slot 92 by the linkage arrangement. As the flange 94 contacts the cam element 43 thereby depressing it, the locking element 42 will be moved away from the seat plate 58 so that when the plate 91 is adjacent thereto the notch 86 formed in the locking element 42 will be moved from locking engagement with the seat plate 58.

It is apparent that the unlatching mechanism 81 functions by the relative movement of the first and third frame sections 9 and 10, and constitutes a departure from the unlatching mechanism disclosed in the previously referred to application of Rudolph Coopersmith, Serial Number 354,687, filed May 13, 1953. In that construc- 8 tion the unlatching mechanism operated through a linkage arrangement between the sofa frame and the third frame section 10.

The use of the terms first, second, third, fourth or inner and outer with reference to the frame sections herein has been for the purpose of disclosure only, and should not constitute a limitation upon the use of such terms with reference to other frame sections or elements in this specification.

It is apparent that an added advantage of the present foldable section bed structure over the prior art, is the comparative lengths of the inner frame section. In the past the first or inner frame section of a four section foldable bed structure has been so secured to the sofa frame that when the bed is in folded position the inner frame section will extend vertically into an opening between the back frame and the back rest of the soda frame. Such a construction necessitated a right back rest and any excess space in the opening was useless. In the present construction, by shortening the length of the first frame section 9 and securing its pivotal connection at a lower point, the space otherwise needed for the folded inner frame section can be utilized as a storage space. Easy access to the storage space is permitted by providing a movable back rest, and a shelf for positioning bedding articles in the storage space has been mounted on the inner frame section.

It is within the scope of this invention to position the headboard and storage shelf means at either end of the foldable bed frame, whereby the means may function as a headboard for the bed and be foldable into the sofa frame to function as a shelf for a storage space positioned therein.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

In a sofa bed construction having a sofa frame including a storage compartment defined. by spaced end frame members, a back frame member and a back rest, and a bed frame for supporting a mattress and including an end frame section connected to the end frame members of the sofa frame for pivotal movement relative thereto between a vertical folded position adjacent to the back frame member and a horizontal bed forming position; the improvement which comprises a combination headboard and shelf member secured to said end frame section adjacent to the end of the bed frame and movable between a vertical headboard position When said end frame section is in horizontal bed forming position and a horizontal shelf position when said end frame section is pivoted to its vertical. position, said headboard and shelf member when in shelf position extending between said end frame members of said sofa frame and forwardly from said end frame section. to adjacent said backrest member and forming a bottom wall for supporting articles in the storage compartment, said headboard and shelf member also preventing said mattress from. extendnig upwardly into the storage compartment when in shelf position.

References Cited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,081,272 Klopping Dec. 9, 1913 1,115,316 Karpen Oct. 27, 1914 1,157,700 Knosher Oct. 26, 1915 1,381,843 Kelly June 14, 1921 1,397,963 Honsinger Nov. 22, 1921 1,856,449 Young May 3, 1932 1,907,177 Caldemeyer May 2, 1933 2 ,624,888 Bebry Jan. 13, 1953 2,729,829 Bebry Jan. 10, 1956

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