US3755832A - Self-enclosed folding bed - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding bed adapted to form a cabinet-like structure when folded and a bed when extended, including a pair of bedstead sections which are pivoted one to the other and which are arranged to form the cabinet-like structure, thereby using the same frame structure for both the extended bed configuration and the folded cabinet configuration. The bedstead sections constitute shallow box-like structures each supported by a leg structure pivoted thereto and both arranged to be displaced relative to each other and to the floor to facilitate handling of the bed.

Description

United States lpatent n 1 llitennett Sept. 4, 11973 SELF-ENCLOSED FOLDING BED [76] Inventor: Lawrence A. Bennett, 41 Vandry St.,

Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada [22] Filed: Apr. 3, i972 [2l] Appl. No.: 240,662

{52] US. Cl 5/2, 5/6, 5/149 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 17/40 {58] Field at Search 5/2, 3, 6, 149, I54

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,762 3/1951 Lachridge S/6 2,073,293 3/1937 Ybanez et al. 5/2 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,420,300 10/1965 France 5/3 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Pierre Lesperance [57] ABSTRACT A folding bed adapted to form a cabinet like structure when folded and a bed when extended, including a pair of bedstead sections which are pivoted one to the other and which are arranged to form the cabinet-like structure, thereby using the same frame structure for both the extended bed configuration and the folded cabinet configuration. The bedstead sections constitute shallow box-like structures each supported by a leg structure pivoted thereto and both arranged. to be displaced relative to each other and to the floor to facilitate handling of the bed.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SELF-ENCLOSED FOLlDllNG lllllllll) This invention relates to a bed and, more particularly, to a folding bed of the type which is fully enclosed when in the folded bed configuration.

The utility of folding beds has been recognized since long and it was found desirable to fully enclose the folded bed for nice appearance and to minimize soilage and dust accumulation thereon. A folding bed of the above type which has been proposed so far includes bedstead sections pivoted one to another and folding into a cabinet enclosure framed separately from the bedstead sections. Disadvantages result from such cabinet-bed, since separate frames for the cabinet and the bed are required and a relatively heavier assembly is produced, which makes it difficult to displace the folding bed for use at other locations.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a folding bed of the above type which forms its own enclosure or in other words, which is self-enclosed when folded.

It is another general object of the invention to provide a folding bed of the above type whichcan be converted from an extended bed configuration to a folded cabinet configuration with a single frame structure producing both configurations.

it is a more specific object of the invention to provide a folding bed of the above type, wherein the bedstead elements thereof form a cabinet-like enclosure when the bed is in folded configuration.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a folding bed of the above type, wherein one leg struc ture at the free end of one bedstead section is constructed and arranged to form a-displaceable support for that free end to facilitate opening of the bed.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self-enclosed folding bed according to the invention, shown in closed or folded position;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side and front elevation views re spectively of the folded bed shown in H6. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the folding bed illustrating the opening operation thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the folding bed shown in the bed forming position.

The illustrated foldingbed includes a first and a second shallow box-like bedsections l and 2 hinged one to the other at 3. The first box-like bedstead section 11 includes a front panel 4 of rectangular shape and board 15 fixed edgewise against the front panel 4 and extend ing lengthwise along the side edges and the outer edge thereof. A front panel section 6 is hinged at 7 to the inner end edge of the front panel 1 and is arranged to form a writing table upon pivoting the same downwardly where it is held in substantially horizontal position by a pair of chains 8 in any wellknown manner. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the panel section 6, in the inoperative position, abuts against boards 5 to form a continuous planar face with the front panel d to hide a mattress 9 folded in half inside the box-like bedstead sections when the latter are in folded position, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. The panel section 6 is retained in closed position by hooks 10 or any other suitable expedi'ent.

Similarly, the second box-like bedstead section 2 includes a rectangular rear panel and boards ll fixed edgewise against thereof and extending lengthwise along the side edges and the other end edge thereof. The boards H as well as the boards 5 form a threesided structure fixed to the corresponding panel to form a shallow box-like structure therewith. The panels of the bedstead sections 1 and 2 are arranged to stand upright endwise in spaced-apart relationship to enclose the mattress 9 folded in half between them and the boards 5 and 11. Reinforcing members 12 are fixed on the exterior face of the lateral boards 5 and ill and arranged to strengthen the hinge at 3 between the two ' bedstead sections 1 and 2. A plate 13 ,of appropriate size, is provided to close the upper end formed by the bedstead sections when in folded cabinet configuration, as in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. A flap M is pivoted to one long edge of the cover plate 13 and arranged to conceal the upper edge of the front panel section 6. The cover plate 13 is also arranged to form a headboard to reproduce a continental bed, as illustrated in FlG. 5.

A first leg structure, or assemby 15, is provided to support the free end of the first bedstead section 1. The first leg assembly includes a pair of spaced-apart upright members or legs 16, of generally triangular shape, arranged parallel to each other and joined to each other by a transverse brace 17. The upright members 16 are pivoted to the outside of the opposite lateral boards 5 respectively at points 18.

A second leg structure, or assembly 19, is provided to support the free end of the second bedstead section 2. The second leg assembly includes a pair of spacedapart upright members or legs 2tl,of generally rectangular shape, arranged parallel to each other, and joined to each other by a transverse brace, 'not' shown, and by a plate 21. The latter is elongated, extends lengthwise transversely relative to the bedstead sections and forms a lateral extension which projects laterally outwardly from the upright members 20 and away relative to the first leg assembly l5.

Castor wheels 22 are fixed underthe plate 2f adjacent the transversely extending edge thereof which is closer to the first leg assembly 15 and are arranged for tilting of the second leg assembly l9 relative thereto until the abovementioned lateral extension of the plate 21 engages the floor and thereby oppose further rolling of the second leg assembly towards the wall, as shown in FllG. 4.

The second leg assembly is hinged to the lateral edge of the boards 11 at a point 23 defining a pivot axis which is further away from said first leg assembly than the tilting axis defined by the castor wheels 22. The pivot axis of the second leg assembly 19 relative to the second bedstead section 2 is spaced from the outer end edge of the latter and is arranged such that the upper Castor wheels 25 are fixed to the exterior face of the board 11 which, as above mentioned, extends along the free end edge of the rear panel. The castor wheels 25 are arranged to roll against an adjacent wall when the folding bed is opened near thereto and is arranged to support the second bedstead section when the latter is in the upright position which corresponds to the cabinet configuration position.

To extend the bedstead sections into the bed configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, the cover plate 13 is first removed and the mattress 9 is pulled out from the enclosed space formed by the two bedstead sections. The hook 26 or the like is then released and the free end of the bedstead section 1 is then lifted up and pulled outwardly away from the second leg assembly 39. There results a tilting of the latter, as in FIG. 4, wherein the plate 21 engages the floor and restrains displacement of the same towards the adjacent wall. The same tilting action is produced upon folding the bed. lf'the free end of the second bedstead section 2 is too close to the wall, the castor wheels 25 will roll against the latter to prevent marring of the same. in the bed configuration, leg members 20 remain upright because the wheels 22, which are offset relative to pivot 23, tend to push the top edge of members 20 against the edge of board 11. in folded bed configuration, leg members 2% remain upright because the top edge of members 20 abut the outer lower edge of boards 5 of section ii.

The rectangular plates of the bedstead sections finally form a continuous flat surface onto which the mattress 9 is laid. Obviously, the latter must be sufficiently flexible to be bent transversely upon itself to be inserted into the structure formed by the sections 1 and 2 arranged in the cabinet-like configuration.

I claim:

1. A folding bed comprising a head bedstead section and a foot bedstead section, each of rectangular shape and pivotally interconnected at their inner ends about a transverse pivotal axis for pivotal movement between an extended bedstead configuration in which the two sections are substantially coplanar and horizontally disposed, and a folded storage configuration in which the two sections abut each other at their inner longitudinal edges and are upright, said foot bedstead section being shorter than said head bedstead section, whereby said head section has an outer end portion protruding downwardly from the outer end of said foot section in the folded storage cnfiguration, a first pair of leg members pivoted to the outer end of said foot bedstead section, a second pair of leg members of generally rectangular shape and each pivoted at one corner to the inner edge of said head bedstead section at a point close to the outer end of said foot bedstead section when the bed is in folded storage configuration for pivotal movement of said head bedstead section relative to said sec- 0nd pair of leg members about a transverse axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said two bedstead sections between a position of said head bedstead section in which its inner edge abuts the top edge of said second pair of leg members in the extended bedstead configuration and a position of said head bedstead section in which its inner edge abuts a longitudinal edge of said second pair of leg members and the top edge of said second pair of leg members abut the outer end of said foot bedstead section in the folded bed configuration.

2. A folding bed as claimed in claim 1, further including a first set of floor engaging wheels carried by and protruding from the underside of said second pair of leg members and offset relative to the axis of pivotal connection of said second pair of leg members to said head section in the direction of the non-pivoted top corner of said second pair of leg members, so that the weight of said head bedstead section on said second pair of leg members causes tilting of said second pair of leg members and a member projecting from said longitudinal edge of said second pair of leg members and engageable with a floor surface in the tilted position of said second pair of leg members, to thereby restrain outward displacement of said second pair of leg members on said fioor surface.

3. A folding bed as claimed in claim 2, wherein said projecting member is a plate member fixed to the lower edge of said second pair of leg members and substantially parallel to the top edge of said second pair of leg members and underlying the outer end of said head bedstead section in the folded bed configuration and a second set of floor engaging wheels carried by and protruding from the outer end of said head bedstead section and cooperating with said first set of floor engaging wheels in the folded bed configuration to support the folded bed in upright position, said first pair of leg members being wheeless to engage a floor surface without substantial slipping in the extended bedstead configuration and termianting above a floor surface in the folded bed configuration.

4. A folding bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein each bedstead section forms a shallow box structure including a panel of rectangular shape defining an inner end edge and an outer end edge and a pair of opposite side edges, boards extending along said opposite side edges and said outer end edge and arranged at right angle to said panel, each of said boards being of uniform width and forming a butt joint with the boards of the other section in the folded bed configuration to form a box opened at the top end and adapted to receive a folded mattress and a cover removably closing the top of said box, said cover forming a headboard when said sections are in extended bedstead configuration.

Claims (4)

1. A folding bed comprising a head bedstead section and a foot bedstead section, each of rectangular shape and pivotally interconnected at their inner ends about a transverse pivotal axis for pivotal movement between an extended bedstead configuration in which the two sections are substantially coplanar and horizontally disposed, and a folded storage configuration in which the two sections abut each other at their inner longitudinal edges and are upright, said foot bedstead section being shorter than said head bedstead section, whereby said head section has an outer end portion protruding downwardly from the outer end of said foot section in the folded storage cnfiguration, a first pair of leg members pivoted to the outer end of said foot bedstead section, a second pair of leg members of generally rectangular shape and each pivoted at one corner to the inner edge of said head bedstead section at a point close to the outer end of said foot bedstead section when the bed is in folded storage configuration for pivotal movement of said head bedstead section relative to said second pair of leg members about a transverse axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said two bedstead sections between a position of said head bedstead section in which its inner edge abuts the top edge of said second pair of leg members in the extended bedstead configuration and a position of said head bedstead section in which its inner edge abuts a longitudinal edge of said second pair of leg members and the top edge of said second pair of leg members abut the outer end of said foot bedstead section in the folded bed configuration.

2. A folding bed as claimed in claim 1, further including a first set of floor engaging wheels carried by and protruding from the underside of said second pair of leg members and offset relative to the axis of pivotal connection of said second pair of leg members to said head section in the direction of the non-pivoted top corner of said second pair of leg members, so that the weight of said head bedstead section on said second pair of leg members causes tilting of said second pair of leg members and a member projecting from said longitudinal edge of said second pair of leg members and engageable with a floor surface in the tilted position of said second pair of leg members, to thereby restrain outward displacement of said second pair of leg members on said floor surface.

3. A folding bed as claimed in claim 2, wherein said projecting member is a plate member fixed to the lower edge of said Second pair of leg members and substantially parallel to the top edge of said second pair of leg members and underlying the outer end of said head bedstead section in the folded bed configuration and a second set of floor engaging wheels carried by and protruding from the outer end of said head bedstead section and cooperating with said first set of floor engaging wheels in the folded bed configuration to support the folded bed in upright position, said first pair of leg members being wheeless to engage a floor surface without substantial slipping in the extended bedstead configuration and termianting above a floor surface in the folded bed configuration.

4. A folding bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein each bedstead section forms a shallow box structure including a panel of rectangular shape defining an inner end edge and an outer end edge and a pair of opposite side edges, boards extending along said opposite side edges and said outer end edge and arranged at right angle to said panel, each of said boards being of uniform width and forming a butt joint with the boards of the other section in the folded bed configuration to form a box opened at the top end and adapted to receive a folded mattress and a cover removably closing the top of said box, said cover forming a headboard when said sections are in extended bedstead configuration.

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