B. CASTRO SOFA BED March 15, l1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1957 R. m W W.

2.928.106. SOFA BED v Bernard Castro, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

` Application January 11', 19757, Serial No. `633,554

1 Claim- (Cl- 51-51),

This nvention relates to an improvement in convertible beds of the general kind illustrated and described invthe co-pending application |for-U.S. Letters Patent Serial No. 412,173, filed March 29, 195,4, now Patent No. 27,829,3 81. I Inn sofa beds Wherein a bed mechanism is adapted to be folded into and unfolded from a stationary frame, one froublesome problem has beenhow tol guard or cover cerrain parts of` the bed mechanism so that a person using the mechanism won't cut himself or his clothing or cut, tear or rip the bed mattress or-sofa cushions. Qne part of this problem has been successfully solved in a 'second copending application for U.S. Letters Patent Serial No. 562,148, filed January 30, 195,6, nowv Patent No. 2,818,- 584 in which a simple yet very efficient arrangement is illustrated'iand 'described for keeping the mattress and bed linens of a sofa-bed from being cut or torn when the bed is being folded and unfolded.

There remained, however, in sofa beds of this kind the danger and annoyance of sharp, pointed ends of the bed mechanism, particularly those ends which are in front and hence most prominent when the bed is unfolded and in sleeping position. In a bed mechanism using the improved lock shown in the first co-pending application Serial No. 419,173, now Patent No. 2,829,381, identified above, this problem is accentuated because the front end of the lock mechanism has thin narrow members which project outwardly therefrom. Since these projecting members are somewhat born-like, they sometimes unfortunately lead to a bruised shin for an unwary person who misjudges his distance. They also sometimes gore the back seat cushion of the sofa when the mechanism is being very carelessly folded to form a sofa. Furthermore, the projecting members are apt to score or other- Wise mar other pieces of furniture which they may strike accidentally When the bed is being opened. The present nvention seeks to overcome these diiculties.

In accordance With the present nvention the outermost corners of a bed mechanism when in unfolded position are provided with rotatable rubber guards, preferably in the form of small rubber Wheels, and so positioned that a person brushing against one of these corners is protected from hurting himself or tearing his clothing by the rounded shape of the guard and its ability to rotate. Thus, instead of being impaled by a sharp point the person is gently rolled past the corner of the bed. In conjunction with these rotating guard Wheels there is also provided, according to the nvention, a tube-like bar t which extends between the Wheels at approximately the same level. This bat' not only acts to brace the Wheels and the side members of the bed mechanism but also complements the guard members in preventng the front end of the bed from goring the back cushion of the sofa as may occasionally happen when the bed is folded in hasty'or careless manner.

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

United States Patent 2 Eigul'e. 1 is a perspective view of a sofa bed embodying Zthe featuresof the present nvention and showing the mechanism unfolded to form a bed; r

- lFigure lis a slightlyV enlarged'view of the bedV shown in Figure 1. and showing it-.in partly folded position;

Figure 3'` 'is an enlarged view of the front end of the bed taken as viewed from line 3-3 in vFigure 1 and showing the position of the guard Wheels;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view .ofy one ofthe Wheels as viewed from llinel 474' in Figure 3; and

Figure 5.. is a view of the Wheel as vwd from line S-S'in Figure 4.

Figure. 1V shw a, Sofa-bed 10, in vnfolded Position- The 'ifoldins mechanism for thisbed can be senerally like that shown n co-pending application Sferial No. 419,173, identified above. Bed 10 includes a stationary frame 11 and the folding mechanism, generally indicated at. 12.' Mechanism 12 includes an inner section 15 pivotedl to the frame `11,, an intermediate section 17 pivoted to section 15, a connecting, section 19 pivoted to section 21'7,V and an'end'section 21 pivoted to section 19. As will bev understoodfrorn Figure 2,l end section 21 is adapted to fold back over intermediate section 17v lto provide the, seat of a sofa` on which removable cushion's, not shown, may be placed. These cushions, in con- Jun'ciin with the' Permanent back cushion. 22 fixed to the Vertical portion of frame 11 comprise the seating and supperfilig ur-aqes iq? Safe 10, i A Sheft-like.` member 24,' las seen in Figure 2 overlies end section 21 and serves to protect the bed mattress26, folded double between lthe bed sections and seenlbest in Figure 1, from dirt and dust. Member 24 is resiliently fastened along its for- Ward end as viewed in Figure 2 closely adjacent the movable frontboard 28 in the manner described in U.S. Patent 2,752,613. The other end of member 24 is fastened to the free end of the bed in a manner to be described.

Referring to Figure 1, two lock members, generally indicated at 3d, are mounted on the respective front Corners of end section 21 and project forwardly therefrom. These projecting lock members 30 may present a hazard to the shins orl clothing of a person Who misjudges his positionand Will mar any other piece of furnitnre that they may accidentally strike when the bed is being unfolded.

In accordance with the present nvention a guard wheel 32 is rotatably mounted on each respective lock member 30 and overlies the member to minmize the danger of injury to. the person or articles of furniture. Thus, a person or an article of furniture brushing against the Wheels 32 at either front corner of the bedis protected from injury.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the free end of bed secton 21, when the bed is partly folded, is pointed toward back cushion 22. Lock members 30 at the free end of the bed section 21 are adapted to engage portions of the headboard member 33 and tosqueeze bed section 21 toward section 17 With mattress 26 folded between. When the bed is completely folded these members 30 and 33 Will hold the bed Sections folded until it is desired to unfold them.

As members 30 are horn-lik'e .extensions which project beyond section 21, they might gore back cushion 22 if the bed Were carelessly folded. Such damage is prevented by virtue of another feature of the nvention. This feature of the nvention comprises a bar 34 in the form of a round tube, see Figures 1 and 3, which is mounted on and extends between the lock members 30. Bar 34; is covered by the end of Sheet-like member 24 which is wrapped partly around it and is attached to the spring support for the mattress. This construction provides in effect a padded front bumper.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, each wheel 32 is Pafnted, Mar.V 15.,V 1 91.60,V

' asaanoe rotatably mounted at 36 on an angularly bent plate 38 which, in turn, is fastened to a respective side rail 40 of the end bed section 21. Each plate 38 has the bent down portions 42 which carry between them the rotatably mounted roller's 44- of the lock members 30. These rollers cooperate with headboard'member 33 in the general way described in application Serial No. 419,173, now Patent No. 2,829,381, identified above. Each end of tube 34 is fiattened at 46 and is fastened at 48 to a respective plate 38.

Wheels 3'2 can be made of soft rubber approximately two inches in diameter and one-half inch in thickness. The relative size and shape of the other elements show in Figures 4 and 5 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 d'zparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth.

I claim:- i

A convertible sofa-bed of the Character described comprising: inner, intermediate, connecting, and end bedsections serially pivoted to each other, a statonary furniture frame, said inner and intermediate Sections being pivoted thereto, a bed mattress adapted to lie horizontally upon said Sections when open and when said bed is closed to be folded double between said end and said intermediate sections with said end section horizontally above said intermediate section, a back cushion and two upholstered side arms fixed to said frame, a headboard member fixed to said inner section at right angles thereto, two roller-lock brackets'each fixed onV and projecting from respective front corners of said end section and adapted to bear upward against said headboard member to hold said Sections folded over when said bed is closed, and two guard members each fastened to respective ones of said brackets, each guard member comprising a small wheel rotatably mounted on a pin on its corresponding bracket with the rim of said wheel projecting slightly beyond the front and the side of said bracket, the end of said bracket when said bed is open being inclined slightly upward and forward with said wheel closely parailel and with said pin extending upward and back- Ward, Whereby when said bed is unfolded, a person is protected by said Wheels from hurting himself against said projecting brackets, and when said bed is being folded said back cushion and upholstered side arms are protected by said Wheels which are adapted to roll down- Ward and backward in contact with said arms and to bump against said back cushion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,040 Bostwick eteal. May 6, 1879 609,380 Yeager Aug. 16, 1898 1,669,165 Jarvis et al. May 8, 1928 2,352,989 Woller July 4, 1944 2,749,559 Petersen June 12, 1956 2,752,613 Castro et al. --.July 3, 1956 2,769,989 Woodford Nov. 13, 1,956 2,829,38l Lenart Apr. 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 231,404 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925