US2851698A

US2851698A - Sofa bed

Info

Publication number: US2851698A
Application number: US605812A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Barabas; Sumner C Willis
Original assignee: Castro Convertibles Corp
Current assignee: Castro Convertibles Corp
Priority date: 1956-08-23
Filing date: 1956-08-23
Publication date: 1958-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-16

Description

SePt- 16 1958 J. J. BARABAS ETAL 2,851,698

SOFA BED Filed Aug. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 *P* /d ze 634 l Ja INVENToRs J/,w 29e/M5195' Sept. 16,-1958 J J. BARABAs ETAL 2,351,698

son BED Filed Aug. 2s, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 2,851,698 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 SOFA BED .lohn J. Barabas, New Rochelle, and Sumner C. Willis, White Plains, N. Y., assignors to Castro Convertible Corporation, -a corporation of New York Application August 23, 1956, Serial No. 605,812 Claims. (Cl. 5-13) This invention relates to convertible beds which can fold into sofas and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved bed mechanism for a convertible sofa bed.

A further object is to provide such a sofa bed having greater seating comfort.

A more specific object is to provide a bed mechanism particularly suited for use with a permanently attached nnerspring cushion or unit positioned beneath the removable seat cushions of the sofa-bed.

These and other objects will in part be pointed out in and in. part be understood from the description given hereinafter.

In sofa-beds of the general kind shown in U. S. Patent 2,752,613, a bed'mechanism is adapted to fold Within a frame to be used as an ordinary sofa or alternately as a full-sized bed. For seating comfort, the mattresssupporting springs of the bed mechanism are covered by sofa cushions which are removed when the bed is to be unfolded. Some model sofa-beds, however, may be provided with relatively thin sofa `cushions and this, in turn, makes it desirable to provide additional padding or cushioning between the removable seat cushions and the mat- Hess-supporting springs of the bed mechanism. A thin nnerspring unit makes a particularly suitable pad `or cushion for this purpose. Such a unit may be permanently attached to that section of the bed mechanism which is uppermost when the bed is in folded position to provide a resilient support for the removable seat cushions.

One troublesome difficulty with usingy such an intermediate innerspring unit or cushion in the past has been that the added thickness of such a unit causes interference with the operation of the folding bed mechanism. This diiiiculty is compounded in four-section sofa-beds having movable frontboards because an nnerspring unit xed to that section of the bed which is on top when in folded position must move to inverted position when the bed is unfolded. During this movement it moves closely past and rubs against the frontboard which is also moving. The present invention is concerned "with eliminating this 'triible In accordance with the present invention a four-section sofa-bed mechanism, for example, of the type generally disclosed in the above-identified patent, is provided with an nnerspring cushion permanently fastened to the bottom side of the outer end section of the bed, i. e. the side which becomes the top portion covered by the seat cushions when the bed is in folded position. The bed is further provided with a movable front board connected to the mechanism by an improved linkage arrangement which causes the frontboard to move quickly out of the way of the nnerspring unit during the early stages of unfolding the mechanism from sofa to bed position. The frontboard, by virtue of this improved mechanism, cannot rub against the nnerspring cushion unit. At the same time, it is not moved out into a position where it interferes with the person operating the bed. Thus, folding and unfolding of the bed does not 2 result in undue wear of these parts, and superior comfort is provided when the unit is used as a sofa.

A better understanding of the invention together with a fuller appreciation of its many advantages` will best be gained from a study of vthe following ydescription given in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view, partly cut away, of a sofa-bed embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a View similarto Figure l but showing the bed in fully unfolded position; 4

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of a vportion of Jthe bed mechanism in partly unfolded position but with the frontboard and nnerspring cushion in the same relative position as shown in Figure l; and p n Figures 4, 5, and 6 are views similar'to Figure 3 but taken at progressively later times during the `unfolding of the bed mechanism. K

Referring `to Figure v1, the sofa-bed, generally indicated at 10 includes a stationary frame 11 and la foldable bed mechanism, generally indicated at 12, which is adapted to be folded within the Aframe 11 asrshown. When so folded, the top sectioniof the bed mechanism bears the weight of a removable seat cushion 14, .part of which is broken away. Positioned between Vthis cushion and the -bed mechanism is an nnerspring unit 16 which overlies the folded bed mechanism and which is permanently affixed thereto. Also affixed to thismechanism is a frontboard lSjWhich is adapted to -move -forward and swing down as Vthe bed'is unfolded.

Figure 2 shows the bed mechanism 12 in fully unfolded position ready for use as a bed. Positioned on top of the mechanism is a mattress Zlwhich .previously was folded within mechanism 12. The position of innerspring unit -16 is as shown beneath thefront or outer end section 22 of the bed mechanism 12. Outer end section 22 is connected at its inner end to a connecting section 24 which is pivoted to an intermediate section 26. This, in turn, is connected to a fourth section 28 pivoted to frame 11 of the bed. Mattress-supporting springs 29 are stretched between the side rails of these sections and act to support mattress 20 as shown in Figure 2. As can be seen here, frontboard 18 has moved out from frame `11 and now -liesalmost horizontal a short distance above the iioor. Section 22 is supported above lthe oor by the leg 30 and section 26 by the leg 32. In moving to the inverted position shown, nnerspring unit 16 is not obstructed bythe -frontboard by virtue of the linkage now to be described.

As seen in Figure 2, the nearend of frontboard -A1f8gis fastened to the curved bracket .34, `theother end of the frontboard being similarly mounted on au bracket vnot shown. Bracket 34 `is pivoted to the armn36 at 38. `Referring now to Figures 3, 4, 5 uand 6 which lshow the mounting linkage -of frontboard 18 iup-enlarged detail -at progressively later stages in the unfolding of bed mechanism 12, it is seen that the inner end of arm 36 is pivoted at 40 to the plate 42 which is permanently fastened to the side rail 44 of connecting section 24. Rail 44 is pivoted at 46 to the side rail 48 of connecting section 26 and pivoted at 50 to the side rail 52 of outer end section 22.

As seen in Figure 3,

side rails

44 and 52 are disposed at right angles to each other as are

rails

44 and 48,

rails

48 and 52 being parallel and held apart by the arm 54 which is pivoted at 56 to rail 48. Further unfolding of the bed mechanism from the position shown here to that shown in Figure 4 results in the swinging forward of arm 54, this being caused by the link 58 which is pivoted at 60 to the arm and pivoted at 62 to rail 44. The swinging of arm 54 is transmitted to arm 36 by the link 64 pivoted to these arms at 66 and 38, respectively. This causes bracket 34 and frontboard. 18 to quickly move outward from section 24 and away from innerspring unit 16. During this outward movement of bracket 34, it is kept generally parallel to section 24 by the pulling action of the link 68 pivoted to the lower end of bracket 34 at 70 and to link 58 at 72. Though frontboard 18 quickly moves outward from section 24, nonetheless it does not move out and down so quickly as to be likely to strike a leg of the person opening the bed.

Pivoted to rail 44 vof connection section 24 at 74 is a link 76 whose other end is slidably fastened in the slot 78 in rail 48. The function of link 76 is to limit the pivoting of rail 44 on the end of rail 48 between the positions shown in Figures 3 and 6, respectively.

When bed mechanism 12 has been unfolded to the position of Figure 6, frontboard 18 occupies the position shown here and in Figure 2. In this position, pivots 6i), 66 and 72 lie along au approximately straight line parallel to rail 48. Arm 36 is approximately perpendicular to rail 44 which is on a straight line with rail 48. The relative shape and dimensions of the elements shown in Figures 3-6 can be exactly as shown.

The above description of the invention is intended in illustration and not in limitation thereof. Various changes may occur to those skilled in the art and these may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth.

We claim:

l. In a convertible bed of the character described wherein an end section is adapted to be folded back generally horizontally over an intermediate section and t be spaced therefrom by a short vertical connecting section to which is affixed a movable frontboard, and wherein a seating cushion having some thickness is permanently fixed on top of said end section, a first side rail constituting part of said intermediate section, having an inner end movably fastened to a fixed frame, and having an outer end, a second side rail constituting part of said connecting section, having an inner end pivoted to the outer end of said first rail and having an outer end, a third side rail constituting part of said end section, having an inner end pivoted to the outer end of said secon rail and having an outer end, a first swingable arm pivoted at its upper end to said second rail adjacent its outer end and adapted to lie against said rail and extend toward its inner end with the lower end of said first arm being adjacent the inner end of said second rail when said bed is in folded position, a second arm pivoted at its lower end to said first rail a short distance inward from its outer end, the upper end of said second arm being adapted to swing forward, a first link pivoted bctween said second rail and said second arm and adapted to pull said second arm forward when said sections are unfolded, a second link pivoted between said first and second arms, a frontboard supporting bracket having an upper and lower end and at a point intermediate its ends pivoted near the lower end of said first arm and adapted to extend upward closely alongside said second arm and to support an end of a frontboard in vertical position 4 when said bed is in folded position, and a third link pivoted at one end adjacent the lower end of said bracket and at the other end to said first link at a point intermediate its ends.

2. The combination of elements as in claim l wherein said first link is pivoted to said second arm at a point roughly midway between its ends and is pivoted to said second rail at a point roughly midway between its ends, wherein said second link is pivoted to said second arm adjacent its upper end and is pivoted to said first arm adjacent the lower end thereof at the same point said bracket is pivoted thereto, and wherein said bracket is curved along its lower end inward toward the lower end of said second rail.

3. The combination of elements as in claim l wherein said second arm is adapted to hold said first and third rails spaced apart when said bed is in folded position.

4. An improved sofa-bed mechanism including an end section, a connecting section, and an intermediate section, respective sections being pivoted together and with said end section adapted to overlie said intermediate section in parallel generally horizontal relation when said bed is folded in sofa position, a raised cushion attached to the top side of said end section, a frontboard pivoted to said connecting section, and link means actuated by the unfolding of said sections to quickly movc said frontboard away from said connecting section at the beginning of unfolding of said bed so that said frontboard is moved clear of said cushion and does not rub against it, said link means including at each end of said frontboard a bracket attached to said frontboard, a first arm pivoted at one end at a first point to said bracket and at its other end to said connecting section and adapted to support said frontboard and bracket closely parallel in front of said connecting section when said bed is folded, a linkage connected between said intermediate section and said connecting section, and a first link pivoted at one end to said bracket at a second point substantially spaced from said first point and pivoted at its other end to said linkage, and means additional to said rst link, said means actuated by the unfolding of said connecting and intermediate sections to move said first pivot quickly outward, there being no direct connection between said end section and said bracket.

5. The structure as in claim 4 wherein said linkage includes a second arm pivoted at its lower end to said intermediate section and a second link pivoted between said connecting section and the upper end of said second arm, and said additional means includes a third link pivoted to said bracket and to said linkage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS 2,624,888 Bebry Jan. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 743,006 France Jan. 6, 1933