US3710402A

US3710402A - Sofa bed folding fixture

Info

Publication number: US3710402A
Application number: US00151758A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Eakins
Original assignee: Foster Brothers Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Leggett and Platt Inc
Priority date: 1971-06-10
Filing date: 1971-06-10
Publication date: 1973-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-16

Abstract

A folding fixture for a sofa bed having a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end with each section comprising a pair of bars at opposite sides of the fixture and with a bedspring for supporting a mattress extending between and connected to the side bars. The fixture is foldable so the sections along with the mattress and the bedspring may be disposed in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one of the sections constituting a body section extends generally horizontally bottomwise of the sofa. Means is provided extending between the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its stated retracted position. This bedspring support means is carried by linkage means operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture for moving the bedspring support means between a lowered retracted position permitting the bedspring to yield downward under the weight of a user when the fixture is unfolded for use as a bed and a raised position relative to the body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding when the fixture is retracted for use as a sofa.

Description

United States Patent 1 Eakins [4 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] SOFA BED FOLDING FIXTURE [57] ABSTRACT Inventor: Pall] Eakills, Saint Louis, MO. A folding fixture for a sofa bed having a plurality of [73] Assignee. Foster Browns Manufacturing sections pivotally connected together end-to-end with Com an St Louis Mo each section comprising a pair of bars at opposite p sides of the fixture and with a bedspring for supporting [22] Filed: June 10, 1971 a mattress extending between and connected to the side bars. The fixture is foldable so the sections along [211 App! 151758 with the mattress and the bedspring may be disposed v in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one of the [52] U.S. Cl ..5/l3, 5/29 ct n constituting a body section extends generally 51 Int. Cl ..A47c 17 14 horizontally bottomwise f the sofa- Means is Provided [58] Field of Search ..5/l3, 17, 29 extending between the Side bars of the body Section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring [56] References Cited when the fixture is in its stated retracted position. This bedspring support means is carried by linkage means UNITED STATES PATENTS operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture for moving the bedspring support means between a lS-lelton lowered retracted position permitting the p i g to 11/1966 1 g yield downward under the weight of a user when the 32O9378 10,1965 ggz i fixture is unfolded for use as a bed and a raised position relative to the body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding Primary Examm,er CaSlmr Nunberg when the fixture is retracted for use as a sofa. Attorney-Koemg, Senmger, Powers & Leavrtt 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures r O f o I 0 39 5 5| 131 3 fi Is; 7| m9 I23 '05 A07 4 I09 53 i 43'' 9 25 57 75 '2' 67 o l I27 9 '10 9 8| I 7a 7e 77 v l 59 63 B3 87 r 37 80 3 0 ll l l b I 2 s 33 l d M33 3| 3 45 l PATENTEDJM 16 I375 3710.402

SHEET 2 BF 2 a FIG.2

FIGB

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sofa beds, and more particularly to a folding fixture for a sofa bed.

The invention is especially concerned with a folding fixture for a sofa bed of the type referred to in the art as a four-section rise-over fixture, although its principles may be applicable to other types of fixtures, As will be understood by those familiar with the art, a four-section rise-over fixture comprises a head section, a body section,.an intermediate section and a foot section (the outer section) pivoted together end-to-end. When unfolded, the fixture extends horizontally forward from adjacent the back of the sofa over the front rail of the sofa, the foot, intermediate and body sections being supported on legs which unfold as the fixture is swung out of the sofa and unfolded. The fixture is adapted for folding over of the foot section on top of the body section and retraction of the entire fixture into the sofa with the head section extending upward within the back of the sofa, the body section extending generally horizOntally forward from the lower end of the head section, the intermediate section extending upward from the forward end of the body section immediately behind the front rail of the base of the sofa, and the foot section extending horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section. The foot section then constitutes a support for the seat cushion or cushions of the sofa. In extending the fixture for use as a bed, after removal of the seat cushion or cushions of the sofa, the intermediate section is pulled up from behind the front rail and the fixture is swung out over the front rail, rising over the front rail (hence the description of the fixture as a rise-over fixture) to extend the head section, and body section, after which the foot section and intermediate section are unfolded. It will be understood that the fixture comprises two suitable cross-connected opposite sideassemblies with a bedspring structure extending therebetween for supporting a mattress, and that, in folding up the fixture, the mattress is correspondingly folded, and is retracted, in is folded condition, into the sofa along with the fixture.

Reference may be made to such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 3,239,851, 3,380,083 and 3,284,814 for a showing of four-section rise-over sofa bed fixtures such as above described.

Fixtures of the type above described are well known in the art and have now been on the market for a number of years. Generally, they require that some type of support means be provided extending across the fixture between the two opposite side assemblies forward of and adjacent the forward (lower) end of the head section (the rearward end of the body section) for supporting the bedspring structure, which is typically a wire mesh spring, to keep the wire mesh and the mattress supported thereby from sagging at the rearward end of the body section under the weight of a person or persons seated on the sofa when the fixture is in its retracted, folded condition within the sofa. Such a support means in the form of a tubular bar fixed at its ends to the side bars of the body section of the frame is shown (unnumbered) in FIGS. 1 and 2 of said U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,083. However, this has presented the problem that, when the fixture is extended, the stated wire mesh supporting means undesirably keeps the wire mesh spring from yielding downwardly under the weight of a person lying on the mattress of the sofa bed, and this unyielding support of the mesh on the line of the supporting means across the: bed is unfortunately felt through the mattress by the person to his discomfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a folding fixture for a sofa bed of the class above described having means for supporting the bedspring ag'tinst sagging across the bottom rear region of the bedsr ring when the fixture is folded and disposed in retracted position in the sofa, with this means being retracted downward away from the bedspring when the fixture is unfolded and extended from the sofa for use as a bed to allow the bedspring to yield under the weight of the user; the provision of a folding fixture with such means which covers and protects the front rail of the sofa frame from damage by excessive downward yielding of the bedspring when the fixture is unfolded for use as a bed; and the provision of such a fixture provided with such means in a simple, economical manner.

In general, a folding fixture of this invention comprises a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end, each of the sections comprising a pair of bars at opposite sides of the fixture. A bedspring spans the side bars of the sections andv is connected at its sides to the side bars. The sections along with a mattress supported on the bedspring are adapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one section constituting, a body section extends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, another section constituting an intermediate section extends upward from the end of the body section at the front of the sofa, and a third section constituting a foot section extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section. Means is provided extending between the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its retracted position within the sofa. This bedspring support means is mounted for up and down movement relative to the body section between a lowered retracted position relative to the body section spaced from the bedspring permitting the bedspring to yield downward, and a raised position relative to the body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding. Linkage means is provided which is operable by the folding and unfolding of thefixture and connected to the bedspring support means for moving the latter to its raised position when the fixture is folded and disposed in its retracted position in the sofa and for moving the bedspring support means to its lowered retracted position when the fixture is unfolded out of the sofa.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a fixture of this invention in its completely unfolded position with the sofa frame omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, the sofa frame being shown in section, and the fixture being partially folded;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the fixture in an intermediate position; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the fixture in its fully folded retracted position within the sofa frame.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a four-section rise-over folding fixture of this invention for a sofa, the frame of which is indicated generally at 3. The fixture has a head section 5, an inner or body section 7, an intermediate section 9 and an outer or foot section 11 pivotally connected together end-to-end. Each section comprises a pair of side bars at opposite sides thereof, these bars being angle-section bars each arranged with one ofits legs extending vertically and its other extending inward from what amounts to the lower edge of the vertical leg. The side bars of the respective sections 5, 7, 9 and 11 are indicated at 13, 15, 17 and 19 in FIGS. 1-4. A bedspring 21 for supporting a mattress (not shown) spans the side bars of the four sections. This bedspring, as is conventional, consists of a wire mesh attached at its sides to the horizontal legs of the angle-iron side bars by coil tension springs as indicated at 23. The head section has a crossbar 25 at its rearward end and the foot section has a crossbar 27 at its forward end, and the bedspring 21 is also attached at its ends to these crossbars by coil tension springs as indicated at 29.

The sofa frame 3, as herein illustrated, comprises a base 31 on legs 33, a back frame structure 35, a front rail 37 and end frames 39. A member 43 extends horizontally between the end frames with its lower edge at an elevation somewhat above the elevation of the top edge of the front rail 37.

The fixture 1 has at each side thereof a support 45 constituted by an elongate flat metal bar which is mounted in position extending horizontally on the inside of the respective'end frame 39 of the sofa frame (it will be understood that there are two such bars 45, one at each side of the fixture). Extending up from each bar 45 adjacent one end constituting its rearward end is a post 47. An S-shaped arm 49 is pivoted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa at the upper end of the post.

The pivotal pin connection between the head section 5 and the body section 7 is indicated at 51. The pivotal pin connection between the body section and the intermediate section 9 is indicated at 53, and the pivotal pin connection between the intermediate section and the foot section 11 is indicated at 55. A head section support link 57 interconnects arm 49 and the pivotal interconnection 51 between the head section 5 and the body section 7. This link 57 is pin-connected to arm 49 at its free end as indicated at 59. The side bars 13 of the head section are connected intermediate their ends by a crossbar 61 and this assembly constitutes a so-called TV head rest section adapted to be supported from the support links 57 in any suitable known manner. A second arm 63 is pivoted for swinging movement on the bar 45 at 65 about a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the pivotal axis of the first arm 49, pivot 65 being located adjacent the front end of bar 45. A bell crank 67 is pivoted at 69 on the outside of bar 15 of the body section at about midway the length of the latter. A lever 71 is pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of arm 63 as indicated at 73. Lever 71 is pivotally interconnected to link 57 at 74 adjacent its rearward end 75 which is angled down toward a connecting link 76 and is pivotally interconnected with the latter by a pin 77. The rear end of link 76 is pivotally connected to arm 49 at 78. The front end of lever 71 is pivotally interconnected with the upper end of bell crank 67 by a pin at 79.

A folding leg 80 is pivoted at 81 on the side of body section 7 adjacent its front end and a folding leg 83 is pivoted on a pin at 85 on the outside of the side bar 19 of foot section 11 adjacent its front end for supporting the body section 7, the intermediate section 9 and the foot section 1 1 when unfolded. A link 87 interconnects the lower end of bell crank 67 and leg 80 for folding and unfolding the latter. A link 89 is interconnected between the outside of side bar 17 of intermediate section 9 at 91 and the upper end of leg 83 at 93 for folding and unfolding leg 83.

Means'is provided for locking the foot section 11 down against the expansionary tendency of the folded mattress (not shown) when the fixture 1 is folded into the sofa frame 3 (as shown in FIG. 4). This means comprises a bell crank 95 pivoted at 53 between the body and intermediate sections on the outside of side bar 17. A link 97 has a pin and slot connection 97a at one end with link 87, and a pin and slot connection 97b at the other end with bell crank 95. A link 99 interconnects the upper end of bell crank 95 and the foot section 11 at 101. The bell crank 95 has a lateral ear 103 at its lower end engageable with link 99 as appears in FIG. 4. The arrangement is such that when the fixture is folded into the sofa, the bell crank 95 acts via link 99 to pull the footsection toward the body section.

A link 105 has a pin connection 107 with the side bar 17 of the intermediate section 9 and a pin and slot connection at 109 with the side bar 15 of body section 7. A counterbalance spring 111 is connected between a lower end extension 113 of arm 63 and bar 45.

In accordance with this invention, means generally indicated at 115 extends between the side bars 15 of body section 7 adjacent the rearward end thereof for supporting bedspring 21 against downward yielding when the fixture l is in its fully retracted position within the sofa as appears in FIG. 4. This bedspring support means comprises a generally downwardly facing channel bar mounted for up and down movement relative to the body section 7 between a lowered retracted position (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) relative to the body section spaced from the bedspring 21 permitting the bedspring to yield downward under the weight of a person or persons reclining on the mattress when the fixture is unfolded, and a raised position (as shown in FIG. 4) relative to the body section 7 contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding under the weight of a person sitting on the sofa when the fixture is folded in the sofa frame. As generally indicated at 117, linkage means is provided operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture and connected to channel bar 115 for moving the latter to its raised position when the fixture is folded and disposed in its retracted position in the sofa and for moving the channel member to its lowered retracted position when the fixture is folded out of the sofa.

Linkage means 117 comprises a pair of pivot arms 119, one at each side of the fixture, carrying the channel member 115 at their free ends for swinging movement between its raised and lowered positions. Each arm 119 is pivoted at one end as indicated at 121 on a lug 123 secured to the outside of the respective side bar of the body section 7 forward of pivot 73, this lug extending down below the side bar 15. Arm 119 is formed from an angle iron, with one leg in a vertical plane, and with an extension 125 of its other leg at its end away from the pivot 121. The channel member 115 is secured at its ends as indicated at 127 to the bottom of the extensions 125 of arms 119, and is thus swingable up and down relative to the body section 7 about the axis of the pivot pins at 121. Linkage means 117 further comprises a pair of links 129, one at each side of the fixture, each linking the lever 71 and the arm 119 at its respective side of the fixture, the pin connections of the link 129 to the lever 71 and arm 119 being indicated at 131 and 133, respectively.

In the retracted position of the fixture l, as shown in FIG. 4, the body section 7 extends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, the intermediate section 9 extends upward from the forward end of the body section 7 at the front of the sofa immediately in back of the front rail 37, and the foot section 11 extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section. The head section 5 extends up from the rear end of the bottom section 7 in the back of the sofa. The two levers 71 at the opposite sides of the fixture occupy a raised position relative to the body section 7 (see FIG. 4) and thus hold the links 129 pulled up to hold up the channel member 115 in its raised position relative to the body section 7 extending across the body section 7 just below the bottom flanges of the angle-iron side bars 15 of the bottom section contiguous to the bedspring 21 holding up the bedspring against downward yielding. In this regard, it will be understood that when the fixture is folded into the sofa (along with the mattress supported on the bedspring), the sofa cushion or cushions are applied to the top of the foot section for seating on the sofa. The channel member 115, in its stated raised position, supports the bedspring against sagging across the bottom rear region of the bedspring under the weight of a person or persons seated on the sofa.

When the fixture is unfolded and extended from the sofa for use as a bed, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the levers 71 at opposite sides of the fixture act via the links 129 to swing the arms 119 downwardly with respect to the bottom section 7, thus swinging the channel member 115 downwardly away from the bottom section 7 and bedspring 21. This action of the levers 71 results from the unfolding of the head section 5 and the body section 7. The arrangement is made such that the channel member 115 swings downwardly to the lowered retracted position of FIG. 2 overlying the upper edge of the front rail 37 to protect it from sagging of the bedspring. It will be understood that in the fully extended position of the fixture, the sections 5, 7, 9 and 11 will be horizontally aligned, and that

legs

80 and 83 will be fully unfolded for supporting the sections. On refolding of the fixture and its retraction into the sofa, the channel member is automatically returned to its .F IG. 4 raised position relative to the bottom section 7 by the action of the levers 71.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claim is:

l. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-toend, each of said sections comprising a pair of bars at opposite sides thereof, a bedspring spanning the said side bars of said sections and connected at its sides to said side bars, said sections along with a mattress supported on the bedspring being adapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one section constituting a body section extends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, another section constituting an intermediate section extends upward from the forward end of the body section at the front of the sofa, and a third section constituting a foot section extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section, and means extending between the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its retracted position within the sofa, said means being mounted for up and down movement relative to said body section between a lowered retracted position relative to said body section spaced from the bedspring permitting the bedspring to yield downward, and a raised position :relative to said body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding, and linkage means operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture and connected to said bedspring support means for moving said support means to its raised position when the fixture is folded and disposed in its retracted position in the sofa and for moving said bedspring support means to its lowered retracted position when the fixture is unfolded out of the sofa.

3. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bedspring support means is a. downwardly facing channel member.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fixture has at each side thereof a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at a respective side of the base, a first arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-toend direction in respect to the sofa,

a head section support link interconnecting said first arm and the pivotal interconnection between the t head section and the body section,

a second arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of said first arm,

a bell crank pivoted on the side of the body section,

a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotally interconnected with said

Claims

1. A folding fixture for a sofa bed comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end, each of said sections comprising a pair of bars at opposite sides thereof, a bedspring spanning the said side bars of said sections and connected at its sides to said side bars, said sections along with a mattress supported on the bedspring being adapted to be folded and disposed in the sofa in a retracted position wherein one section constituting a body section extends generally horizontally bottomwise within the sofa, another section constituting an intermediate sEction extends upward from the forward end of the body section at the front of the sofa, and a third section constituting a foot section extends generally horizontally rearward from the upper end of the intermediate section, and means extending between the side bars of the body section adjacent its rearward end for supporting the bedspring when the fixture is in its retracted position within the sofa, said means being mounted for up and down movement relative to said body section between a lowered retracted position relative to said body section spaced from the bedspring permitting the bedspring to yield downward, and a raised position relative to said body section contiguous to the bedspring holding it up against downward yielding, and linkage means operable by the folding and unfolding of the fixture and connected to said bedspring support means for moving said support means to its raised position when the fixture is folded and disposed in its retracted position in the sofa and for moving said bedspring support means to its lowered retracted position when the fixture is unfolded out of the sofa.

2. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sofa comprises a frame having a front rail over which said fixture rises as it is unfolded from its retracted position within the sofa, and wherein said bedspring support means overlies said front rail when said fixture is unfolded and the bedspring support means is in its lowered retracted position.

3. A folding fixture as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bedspring support means is a downwardly facing channel member.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fixture has at each side thereof a support adapted to be mounted in the base of a sofa at a respective side of the base, a first arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis extending in end-to-end direction in respect to the sofa, a head section support link interconnecting said first arm and the pivotal interconnection between the head section and the body section, a second arm pivoted for swinging movement on the support on a horizontal axis parallel to and below and forward of the axis of said first arm, a bell crank pivoted on the side of the body section, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at the upper end of said second arm having one end constituting its rearward end pivotally interconnected with said head section support link and its other end constituting its front end pivotally interconnected with one end of the bell crank, and wherein said linkage means comprises a pivot arm pivotally connected to said body section side bar intermediate the ends of the latter and extending rearwardly therefrom carrying said bedspring support means, and a link interconnecting said lever and said pivot arm.