US3813709A

US3813709A - Sofa-bed

Info

Publication number: US3813709A
Application number: US00293369A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Friedman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-08-27
Filing date: 1972-09-29
Publication date: 1974-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-04

Abstract

An article of furniture comprising a sofa having two distinct cooperating structural elements by means of which the sofa can be converted into a bed. One element basically comprises a supporting frame, a pair of arms, and a back frame. The second element comprises a base frame which is guided in sliding movement relative to the first element so that, in a first location, the article of furniture comprises a sofa and, in a second location, the article of furniture comprises a lounge or bed.

Description

Elnite States Patent 1191 Friedman June 4, 1974 5 SOFA-BED 3284,813 11/1966 Sevcik ..5 17 [76] Inventor: David S Friedman, 5101 S. Coming 3.3411144 10/1967 Fasanella 5/17 Ave, Los Angeles, Calif. 90056 Filed: Sept. 29, 1972 Appl. No.: 293,369

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 168,135, Aug. 27, 1971. abandoned.

U.S. Cl. 5/12 R, 5/18 R Int. Cl A47C 17/40, A47C 17/14 Field of Search 5/8, 12, 17, 18,29

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1935 Fox et al. 5/18 R Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Almrney, Agent, or Firm-Smyth, Roston & Pavitt [57] ABSTRACT An article of furniture comprising a sofa having two distinct cooperating structural elements by means of which the sofa can be converted into a bed. One element basically comprises a supporting frame, a pair of arms, and a back frame. The second element comprises a base frame which is guided in sliding movement relative to the first element so that, in a first location, the article of furniture comprises a sofa and, in a second location, the article of furniture comprises a lounge or bed.

9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJUN 1974 33313709 sum u 0? 4 v SOFA-BED This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 168,135 filed Aug. 2, 1971, and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As a result of the desire or need of many consumers to live in small apartments, etc., with maximum utilization of the living area, and also as a result of the need of many people to have an emergency or guest bed, a wide variety of sofa-beds have been developed over the years. In most cases, the prior art sofa-beds have proven to be unsatisfactory. In some cases, they are uncomfortable as sofas and reasonably satisfactory as beds. In other cases, just the reverse is true. Many sofabeds have required the utilization of a large amount of hardware so that as a sofa-bed, the item has been too costly to manufacture and soon in need of expensive repair.

In almost all of the prior art, however, the commercial products resulting from individual sofa-bed developments have resulted in articles of furniture which look like sofa-beds rather than like sofas. Since the average consumer prefers to have a sofa in his living room, he usually also prefers that it appear to be only a sofa and not to be a sofa which can be converted into a bed.

Therefore, a need has existed to produce an article of furniture which is convertible from a sofa to a bed, is equally and exceptionally comfortable as a sofa and as a bed, is inexpensive to produce, and, when closed, appears to be only a sofa.

Most items of furniture which have been designed to meet the criteria of the market requirements utilize two major parts. One part is fixed, or relatively so, and is used as a bolster by being mounted on a wall or upon a set of legs which are not designed for movement without lifting the furniture from the floor.

The second portion of such furniture is usually provided to be movable relative to the fixed portion and is therefore provided with casters or rollers which allow movement without undue exertion.

Several attempts have been made to produce such furniture but, unfortunately, each has been unsuccessful in one way or another. For example, one inventor has designed a studio couch having two relatively movable sections upon each of which a mattress may be laid. One of the sections remains in a relatively fixed position since its legs rest directly on the floor. The other section is provided with casters or rollers on each leg and it is provided with a piece of hardward which is utilized to lock the two sections together when they are closed relative to one another.

Unfortunately, in order to lock the sections together, the front legs of the movable section must be elevated slightly when in the locked position in order to achieve the locking. The elevation weakens the rigidity of the movable section when the item of furniture is to be used as a sofa since the front legs are lifted off the floor. Further, in order to be used, the sections must be completely separated, creating difficulty in retelescoping them when no longer needed as a bed. Also, a separate mattress must be provided for the fixed section and that mattress must be either stored in a closet or must be positioned on top of the mattress on the movable section. In either case, some struggling with the second mattress must be undertaken. If the second mattress is normally stored on the movable section, the seating surface of the movable section is thereby elevated to an uncomfortable level when used as a sofa.

In another design, a large quantity of hardware is used to provide a guide structure which interacts between the fixed and movable sections and the movable section is provided only with front legs. The rear of the movable section is supported by the guide structure, thereby preventing the sections from being completely separated when, for example, it is desired to clean under the sofa. Further, the use of the large quantity of mating and guiding hardware increases the cost of the furniture to the consumer both in the initial purchase, the weight which must be transported, and the maintenance of the hardware which often includes a large number or rollers, tracks, etc.

Other articles of furniture of this type have also been devised comprising two pieces which are relatively movable. One of the pieces, the bolster, is either fixed to the wall or is mounted on legs and located, normally, against a wall. The bolster and the movable portion of the combination are provided with a relatively complex and expensive hardware system comprising fixed and movable tracks, rollers, etc., which add to the weight, cost, and maintenance problems of the article. Thus, the need to produce such furniture has not been satisfactorily met by the prior art devices.

Consequently, there still exists a requirement for a simple, lightweight, and inexpensive piece of furniture which will fulfill all of the market requirements but which may be upholstered by the manufacturer so that it has the appearance of being a sofa exclusively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an article of fumiture which fulfills the above-enumerated requirements.

More specifically, the present invention comprises a sofa having two individual structural elements which may be moved relative to one another. The first structural element basically comprises a supporting frame which may be used to properly locate the hold the sides or ends of the sofa, which may if desired, be integral with the arms, if any.

If the sofa is to be provided with a back, a back frame may be-attached to the side frame arms and supported thereby. Additionally, if desired, the back frame may also be supported by an upstanding member mounted on the support frame. The arms and the back frame may be suitably upholstered in any desired manner to achieve a decorative effect.

In general, the support frame comprises a front and rear cross piece or brace, each of which is provided with a tapped hole adjacent both ends thereof. Each tapped hole may be located over an aperture in one of the side frames and a leg, having a drop-bolt embedded therein, may be passed through the arm aperture and threaded into the tapped hole. Thus, the support frame and the side frames (and arms) may be quickly and simply attached to one another.

At least one set of guides, positioned perpendicular to the front and rear frame members, may be mounted on the frame members for guiding the sliding movement of the movable element of the sofa. Thus, if only one set of guides is used, the support frame assumes an H shape. I

The movable element of the sofa comprises a substantially rectangular frame supported on a set of rollers or casters. Each side of the frame is provided with a suitable notch intermediate the rollers so that the movable frame can be moved in and out relative to the immovable element of the sofa. The travel distance of the movable element will be limited by contact of the ends of the notch with the front member of the support frame.

A second notch is provided at the rear of the movable frame so that it may pass over the rear member of the support frame without impedance therefrom.

A large number of sinuous springs are stretched between the front and rear edges of the movable frame in order to firmly support a mattress which may be placed thereon. Suitable helical springs are stretched between adjacent sinuous springs to provide further support and ensure that the sinuous springs are maintained in proper spacing.

Sinuous springs of the size necessary to firmly support a mattress in accordance with the present invention embody substantial potential force which tends to collapse the movable frame by drawing the front and rear portions thereof toward one another. In order to utilize the force of the springs to firmly support the mattress, while preventing that force from destroying the movable frame, a plurality of stretcher bars are positioned between the front and rear members of the movable frame to ensure that they maintain a suitable parallel relationship. Alternatively, the movable frame may be manufactured to have a solid top surface of wood or other material which may be used to support a polyurethane or latex-type cushioning material. Still, to maintain frame strength and rigidity, stretcher bars would be used in essentially the positions.

One or more of the stretcher bars may be mounted in such a way as to cooperate with the guide mounted on the support frame of the immovable element so that the movable element can be moved in and out relative to the immovable element without binding thereagainst.

In order to facilitate the use of the guide structure, a notch may be formed in the rear of the movable frame to prevent binding of the movable frame and the guides.

lf more than one sliding guide system is desired, other stretchers used on the movable frame can be used to cooperate with similar guides on the support frame.

This invention can be utilized to provide a single or a double bed. For example, a double bed could be formed merely by enlarging the back on the immovable frame and if desired, allowing a portion or all of the back to be easily and quickly removed.

When people sit on the sofa and lean against the back, there is a tendency for the movable frame to begin to move out into the room and away from the fixed frame toward the bed" position. In order to prevent this occurrence, any suitable locking device may be provided.

According to the present invention, a ramp-like locking member may be suitably mounted on the bottom of one or more of the stretchers and located so that the blunt end of the ramp abuts the front member of the support frame when the movable frame is located in the sofa position.

When it is desired to convert the sofa into a bed, the front edge of the movable frame may be lifted very slightly and pulled forward. As soon as forward motion is begun, the front end of the moving frame can be returned to the floor since the locking member will then have passed over the support frame.

in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a relatively simplified structure may be produced to accomplish essentially the same function utilizing only a minimum amount of material which may be light in weight and require no maintenance. in such a device, the bolster or fixed member may be provided with a single, relatively thin bar extending across the front thereof. A pair of formed guide bars may be pivotally riveted to the front bar so that, when the furniture is being assembled, they may be pivoted to a position in which they are fixedly attached to the rear structural cross member.

Since the front support for the bolster merely serves to ensure the correct spacing of the arms and support the guides for the movable seat portion, it can be manufactured from a relatively thin piece of metal which in no way obstructs the movement of the seat portion. Consequently, the seat portion can be manufactured from a basic frame element which does not require any cutouts and thus simplifies the manufacture thereof.

Similarly, the guide members may be manufactured from relatively thin metal and pivotally attached to the front support. Suitable formation of the guide members will result in the production of abutment surfaces therein for abutment with the rear of the seat portion when it is pulled out, thereby automatically serving to restrict the distance which seat portion can be pulled when the furniture is being transformed from a sofa to a bed.

This construction of the front support bar significantly reduces the weight and overall cost of the completed item of furniture since the front bar and its associated guides can be made up and then stored in a relatively small space by the manufacturer.

As an added feature hereof as with the first-described embodiment, the completed article of furniture requires no additional tracks, guides, etc. on the movable section. Instead, the invention makes use of the stretcher bars to guide the latter.

Since furniture which is manufactured with rather high tension springs, upon which a mattress or cushion is placed, tends to bow inwardly or even collapse under the force of the springs, stretcher or strengthening bars are normally installed to resist the spring force. Thus, the present invention merely utilizes already-present structure of the movable section to perform an additional function which in no way diminishes that structures ability to fulfill its primary function. As a result, no increase in cost or weight is incurred in the construction of the movable section.

When the present invention is utilized with either of the above or any other embodiment, the result is a very useful piece of furniture which may be produced very quickly without requiring a large amount of handware which adds to the weight and expense of the furniture. For example, in the second embodiment, the guide members may be pivotally attached to the front support, perhaps by rivets, and little or no other hardward will be required. It will be realized immediately that this type of structure is greatly simplified over the prior art devices which required guide tracks, rollers, etc.

Further, since the structure of such hardware may now be quite simplified, not only will its weight be drastically reduced, but the ability of a manufacturer to produce such furniture which, at first glance, appears to be only a sofa, is vastly increased.

At the same time, when the consumer has the article of furniture in his home, he may use it as a sofa and, if properly upholstered by the manufacturer, it will be nearly impossible for a person standing in the room to tell that it is not simply a sofa. When the consumer wishes to utilize the furniture in a different manner, he may pull the movable section out from the bolster. This transforms it into either a lounger upon which he may sit with his feet up, for example to watch television or read, or as a bed for himself or a guest.

Thus, the applicant, by this invention, has provided an article of furniture which may be utilized as either a sofa or a bed. The article of furniture is exceptionally comfortable in either use in view of the cushionmattress support system used. Further, the article is exceptionally simple in construction, resulting in a commercial product which, in many instances, will be less costly than either a comparable sofa or a comparable bed.

Further, an article of furniture formed in accordance with the present invention may be suitably upholstered and covered with any desired material and it will be difficult for the average individual to determine, at a glance, whether or not the article of furniture is convertible from a sofa into a bed.

The present invention, together with further objects, advantages, modes and embodiments thereof, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art after perusal of the Detailed Description, taken together with the accompanying drawings. The description and drawings, taken together, illusyrate what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment of the best mode contemplated for utilizing the novel principles of the invention as set forth in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the immovable frame member of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the element shown in FIG. 1, showing a back frame attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the movable frame member formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention, illustrating the article of furniture in the sofa position;

FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the article of furniture in the bed position;

FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the invention, illustrating apparatus for preventing movement between the immovable and movable frames;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism mounted on a portion of the movable frame;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view, similar to FIG. 1, of an alternate embodiment of the immovable frame member of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the frame member shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 comprises an isometric view of a portion of the bolster frame, illustrating the novel simplicity thereof; and

FIG. 11 is an isometric view, similar to FIG. 3, of an alternate embodiment of a movable frame member formed in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an immovable frame element or bolster section 11 having a front support member or bar 13 and a rear support member or bar 15, each of which may be provided with tapped holes 17 at the ends thereof.

A pair of side frames 19, which may extend vertically to form arms as shown, may be located at each end of the

support members

13 and 15 and provided with apertures (not shown) which are slightly larger than, and positioned so as to be coaxial with, the holes 17. A leg 21, having a drop bolt 23 suitably embedded therein may be positioned beneath each of the apertures in the side frames 19. Each drop-bolt 23 may then be passed through a side frame aperture and threaded into the tapped hole 17 in the support member which is positioned in a coaxial relationship therewith. Thus, when the legs 21 are tightened, they serve to hold the arms to the support members, as well as to support the immovable element 11 relative to the floor.

Referring to FIG. 2, a back frame 25, comprising an upper member 27, a lower member 29, and end pieces 31, may be positioned between the side frames 19 and may be attached thereto by any suitable means (not shown). The back frame 25 acts as a brace between the upper ends of the arms 19 and strengthens the immovable frame. If desired, the back frame 25 can be supported by a vertical member 35 (FIG. 1) having suitable bracing structure 37 at the upper end thereof.

Mounted between the front frame member 13 and the rear frame member 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are a pair of guides 41 which are utilized in a manner to be described hereinafter and which serve to further brace the front and rear members 13 and l5.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a movable element or section 51 having front and

rear supports

53 and 55, respectively, and side members 57. Each of the side members 57 is provided with a rear notch 59 which is suitably located so as to be able to pass over the rear support 15 of the immovable frame 11. Also, each of the side members 57 is provided with a notch 61 intermediate the ends thereof, which is so located as to be movable over thefront member 13 of the immovable frame.

A set of four or more casters or other suitable means 63 may be positioned adjacent the corners of the movable element 51 to support it in sliding motion. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the notch 61 fits over the front support member 13 in such a position that when the movable element 51 is fully telescoped into the immovable element 11, and edge 65 of notch 61 abuts the front support member 13 and prevents further relative movement between the frames. On the other hand, when the movable element 51 is fully withdrawn from the immovable element 11, an end 67 of the notch 61 abuts the rear edge of the front support member 13 and again prevents further relative movement between the elements.

Referring once again to FIG. 2, it is seen that a plurality of sinuous springs 71 are extended between the front member 53 and the rear member 55 of the movable element 51. To ensure that the sinuous springs retain their proper positioning, a plurality of coil springs 73 are extended between adjacent sinuous springs and, at each end of the frame, a pair of coil springs 75 are extended between the first sinuous spring 71 and the side piece 57. These springs provide excellent support for a cushion 76 which may be used as a mattress.

Inherently, the sinuous springs 71 exert a substantial force which tends to draw the front and

rear pieces

53 and 55 toward one another. Obviously, if this were allowed to occur, the frame would be damaged and unusable.

In order to prevent such damage, a plurality of stretcher bars or stretchers 79 are mounted between the front and rear members 53 and S to prevent the springs 71 from drawing them toward one another. A suitable notch 81 may be formed on either side of one or more of the stretchers 79, allowing the movable element 51 to pass unimpeded over the guides 41. At the same time, the stretcher 79 positioned in the center of the notch 81 will pass between guides 41 and guide the movable section 51 relative to the immovable section 11, preventing twisting therebetween which could cause the elements to bind together and become immovable.

The article of furniture formed in accordance with the present invention can be manufactured as a single bed or as a double bed merely by adjusting the size of the notch 61 and the relative sizes of the frame members, as shown in FIG. 6.

In order to prevent the

sections

11 and 51 from moving relative to one another, it is necessary to provide a locking device which will prevent such relative movement when a person sits on the sofa and leans against the back frame 25.

Referring to FIGS. 4-7, a suitable wedge-like locking device 91 has been shown which may be attached to one or more of the stretchers 79 by suitable attachment means 93. The locking member may comprise a ramp surface 95 which ends abruptly at an abutment edge 97. At a narrow leading edge 99 of the locking member, a recessed portion 101 may be provided to allow the seating of an attachment member 93 beneath the ramp surface so that it will not bind upon or damage the immovable frame.

When the movable section 51 is pushed into the immovable section 11, and as the leading edge 99 contacts the from support 13, the ramp surface 95 will ride up onto the support 13 until it completely crosses the support. As this occurs, the front rollers 63 of the movable element will rise slightly off the floor. When the lock has completely crossed over the support 13, the outer end of the movable element will drop to the floor again. At that time, the abutment surface 97 will be in contact with the rear edge of the support 13 and the front edge 65 of notch 61 will be closely adjacent the support 13 to prevent further movement of the movable section into the telescoped position.

To convert the sofa into a bed, the front edge of the movable section is merely lifted slightly so that the abutment surface 97 will clear the support 13. The section 51 is then pulled out of the bolster section and the front end of the frame 51 is allowed to return to the floor as the pulling is continued. When the rear edge 67 of slot 61 contacts support 13, movement of the section 51 will be stopped and the cushion 76 supported by the sinuous springs 71 may then be used as a mattress.

It will now be realized by those skilled in the art, that a very simple and inexpensive piece of furniture can be manufactured utilizing the present invention and that that furniture can be used as a sofa or as a bed without requiring expensive and complex hardware systems for allowing one section to be movable relative to the other. Further, when the movable section 51 is completely telescoped into the fixed section 11, proper upholstering and selection of materials for the two sections will allow them to appear to blend into a single unit and the fact that the sofa can be converted into a lounger or bed will not be readily apparent.

A second embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in FIGS. 9-11 and comprises a fixed, immovable bolster or section 111 (FIG. 8) and a relatively movable section 113 (FIG. 11).

As illustrated, the fixed section 111 may be provided with a pair of side frames 119, each having an upright bracing member 121 suitably located therein, for a purpose to be described.

A rear frame member or bar 115 may be provided so as to preferably be oriented to provide a broad flat surface in the vertical plane, as illustrated particularly in FIGS. 8 and 10. For a reason to be described, it is preferred that member 115 be located as close to the rear of the frame as possible. Again, if desired, the frame member 115 may be used to support a back frame by the suitable arrangement of one or more vertical supports thereon in the manner shown in FIG. 8. Thus, if a back support is to be placed on the sofa, it can be attached to the arms 119 and the vertical support or supports 125 in order to produce strength and rigidity in the furniture.

It will, of course, be realized by those skilled in the art that in most instances it is necessary and desirable to increase the rigidity of the frame to prevent the arms 119 from becoming angularly related. In order to maintain the arms in a parallel relationship, or at least in some predetermined angular relationship, it is necessary to provide some form of structural support near the front of the frame which, for example, was provided in the first embodiment by the front support member 13. However, in many instances it will be desirable to reduce the quantity of material which must be utilized in the front support and at the same time provide for its manufacture in a relatively simplified or automated manner.

Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 8-10 a front support member may be formed of a substantially flat, straight strip of metal, such as steel, having an upright portion or flange 137 at each end thereof and a substantially horizontal section or shoulder 139 situated so as to extend from the flange 137. This configuration is particularly illustrated in FIG. 10 and a comparison of that figure with FIGS. 8 and 9 will clearly reveal that the flanges 137 may be solidly attached to vertical braces 121 by any suitable means such as lag screws 141. Similarly, the shoulders 139 may be fixed to the lower horizontal frame element of the arms 119, such as by means of lag screws 140 (FIG. 9). Each comer of the bolster is supported by a leg 142 and, if desired, lag screws (not shown) in the front legs may be passed through the shoulders 139, thus relocating the front legs and using them to aid in attaching bar 135.

As an added feature of the simplified construction of this embodiment, a pair of preformed guide members 143 may be pivotally fastened to the front support bar 135 by any suitable means such as rivets 145. By means of this type of construction, the front support element and the guides 143 can be manufactured as a single unit and be transported in a "folded condition as illustrated by the dashed lines in FIG. 10. When the fumiture is to be manufactured at a later time, the guides 143 can be pivoted to the full positions shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 and thereafter solidly fastened to the rear support element 115 by suitable means such as lag screws 147. Consequently, a relatively lightweight and easily manufactured support element can be produced for use with furniture of the type formed in accordance with this invention.

As shown in the drawings, the guide elements 143 may be manufactured so as to present a raised section 151 and a depressed section 153 which are joined by a substantially vertical section 155. As will be described, the vertical section 155 will serve to limit the travel of the movable section of the furniture in a manner somewhat similar to that accomplished by the cooperation of notches 61 and front support element 13 in the previous embodiment.

Referring now to FIG. 11, it is seen that the movable section of the furniture is substantially similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 and, consequently, like elements have been provided with identification numerals which are identical to those shown in FIG. 3, each preceded by the numeral 2. Thus, front and

rear supports

53 and 55 are now shown as 253 and 255, respectively, etc. Accordingly, only the differences between the two movable elements need be discussed.

In the embodiment of the movable element 251 illustrated in FIG. 11, a comparison of the drawings will quickly illustrate that the rear frame element 255 is not provided with a notch such as that shown at 81 in FIG. 3, and, similarly, neither of the side frame elements 57 are provided with notches such as those illustrated at 59 and 61 in FIG. 3. As a result, the movable frame section 251 may be manufactured in a much more simplified operation than can the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. This simplification of manufacture may be attributed to the simplification of the front support element 135 of the fixed or bolstered section of the sofa since the side frame elements 257 will easily slide over the relatively thin frame element 135. Further, location of the rear support 115 as far to the rear as possible, as previously described, will obviate the need for section 251 to pass over it. Instead, support 115 may serve as abutment to limit the telescoping of

sections

111 and 251.

At the same time, the central support 279 of the movable section 251 may be located between the guide brackets 143 in order to guide the relative movement of the furniture sections and limit the angular misalignment possible therebetween. However, the guide brackets 143 produce the additional advantage of limiting the withdrawal of the movable section 251 since the rear support 255 is limited in its travel by contact with the upright sections 155 on the brackets, even as the telescoping is limited by contact with the screwheads 147 or the vertical bracket sections which attach to the rear support 115.

Recalling that prior designs have often employed special guides, tracks, etc., on both the bolster and movable sections, it will now be realized that the present invention, however embodied or employed, basically utilizes only the guide members on the bolster section as additional equipment. In other words, no additional materials or hardware are required on the movable section, since the only cooperating structure located thereon, other than a locking device, is one, or more, stretchers which would otherwise be present anyway to resist the compressive force of the mattress support springs. On the other hand, the bolster merely has guide members added to the otherwise basic frame configuration.

Thus, the invention embodies a totally simplified structure which yields all of the advantages of prior art devices while being significantly less complex, heavy, and costly. Further, the movable section may be used as an individual unit by easily separating it from the bolster and transporting it on its casters and no attached hardware, etc., will be present thereon to reveal the separation.

It will now have become apparent that the structure of this alternate embodiment is quite simplified, not only relative to the first embodiment but also relative to the known prior art. This simplification will allow the furniture to be produced in a much simplified and less expensive procedure. The resultant product will require little or no maintenance and will be very easy to repair if such repairs should ever become necessary.

Of course, additional elements of such structure, when desired, may be incorporated into the furniture. For example, if the front support is manufactured thin enough to do little more than prevent relative angular motion between the arms of the sofa, a central support leg 161 may be provided to properly align and support the center of the member 135. Also, if desired, an upright stud 163, which may be formed as a part of the leg 161, may be formed so as to extend through the front support member 135. The stud may then be used to cooperate with any suitable locking means, such as the wedge 91 illustrated in FIG. 7, to prevent relative motion between the sections of the furniture unless such motion is positivelyintended.

Other embodiments of the invention will also be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without exceeding the scope of the invention. For example, in either of the above-described embodiments, additional guides such as 41 or 143 may be employed, or the guides may be positioned further apart so that each cooperates with a

distinct stretcher

79 or 279.

Thus, the applicant has provided two embodiments of a new and improved concept in the furniture art which yields a true advance in that art due to the strength and simplicity of construction and utility of the article created.

A variety of modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiment will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without exceeding the scope of the invention, wherefore what is claimed to be the invention is:

1. A convertible sofa-bed for use with a mattress as a part of the bed, and for disposition on a horizontal support surface comprising a first frame defined by a pair of side supports and front and rear supports and having thereon tension means for supporting the mattress, said tension means attached to and extending between said front and rear supports of said first frame and acting to collapse said frame by drawing the front and rear supports toward one another,

first guide means attached to and extending between the front and rear supports of said first frame at a position intermediate the side supports of the frame for rigidifying said first frame and offsetting the collapsing forces generated by said tension means, said first guide means being disposed near the lower portion of said first frame, and

means on the lower portion of said first frame for slidably supporting the latter on a horizontal surface,

a second frame defined by a pair of spaced side supports and front and rear supports and having thereon means for fixedly supporting said second frame on the horizontal surface for movement of the first frame relative to the horizontal support surface and second guide means attached to and extending between the front and rear supports of the second frame at an intermediate position between the side supports of the second frame to facilitate the disposition of the first and second supports in a particular spaced relationship and disposed in at least a portion of its length in directly engaged relationship with said first guide means to guide the movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface between a first position providing an operation of the first and second frames as a sofa and a second position providing an operation of the first and second frames as a bed, and

means on at least one of the first and second frames for limiting the movement of the second drame relative to the first frame along the horizontal support surface to the first and second positions as limit positions.

2. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 1 wherein said motion limiting means comprises an offset formed in said second guide means at an inative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface until an operator has caused displacement of the first frame relative to the second frame and wherein 5 said movement prohibiting means comprises the guide means on the other one of said first and second frames and a stop block mounted on the first one of said guide means in close vertical proximity to the guide means on said other frame member.

6. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 1 wherein the guide means on one of the first and second frames constitutes a pair of spaced members and the guide means on the other one of the first and second frames consti- 15 tutes a single member shaped to be disposed in snug relationship between the pair of spaced guide members.

7. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 4 wherein the guide means on one of the first and second frames constitutes a single member having a particular width and the guide means on the other one of the first and second frames constitutes a pair of guide members spaced from each other by a distance corresponding to the width of the single member on the one of the first and second frames to receive the single member in a snug relationship.

8. In a convertible sofa-bed for use with a mattress as a part of the bed and for disposition on a horizontal support surface, a pair of side frame members and first and second elongated members, each having means adjacent the ends thereof for attaching said elongated members to the pair of side frame members, and at least one guide means having first and second ends to cal direction at the intermediate position to a vertigated member an dlate posmon along cal level in which said first frame will enter into the length of sad elongated member and mcludmg abutment therewith at the intermediate position defining the second limit position and wherein the a first abutment surface formed at the other end first guide means on the first frame engages the secthereof and attached to st elmgated ond guide means on the second frame in the pop member at the intermediate position along the tion of the second guide means between the interlength therePf for hmtmg Y F of i mediate position and the rear Support ofthe Second section relative to the sofa section in a first direcframe tion between the first and second elongated mem- 3. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 2 including means mounted on at least one of aid first and ec a lowered Section formed intermediate first One ond frames to prohibit movement of the first frame and stud other ends of Said guide means Providing relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface until an operator has caused vertia gulde Surface extending along the P p y thereof cal displacement of the first frame relative to the and s d f a a second raised abutment surface at the end of said 4. The convertible sofa-bed set forth in claim 1, inlowered Section most dosely adjacent Said first el di g, abutment surface for limiting movement of the bed means provided in at least one of the side supports in section relative to the sofa section in a second dithe first frame and cooperative with the adjacent side support in the second frame for limiting the movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface to the first and second positions.

rection opposite to the first direction.

9. In the convertible sofa-bed as set forth in claim 8, the guide means comprising a pair of members spaced from each other by a particular distance to receive in a snug relationship a guide member forming a part of 5. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 4 wherein means a frame member constituting the bed portion of the are mounted on at least a first one of said first and secsofa-bed. ond frames to prohibit movement of the first frame rel-

Claims

1. A convertible sofa-bed for use with a mattress as a part of the bed, and for disposition on a horizontal support surface comprising a first frame defined by a pair of side supports and front and rear supports and having thereon tension means for supporting the mattress, said tension means attached to and extending between said front and rear supports of said first frame and acting to collapse said frame by drawing the front and rear supports toward one another, first guide means attached to and extending between the front and rear supports of said first frame at a position intermediate the side supports of the frame for rigidifying said first frame and offsetting the collapsing forces generated by said tension means, said first guide means being disposed near the lower portion of said first frame, and means on the lower portion of said first frame for slidably supporting the latter on a horizontal surface, a second frame defined by a pair of spaced side supports and front and rear supports and having thereon means for fixedly supporting said second frame on the horizontal surface for movement of the first frame relative to the horizontal support surface and second guide means attached to and extending between the front and rear supports of the second frame at an intermediate position between the side supports of the second frame to facilitate the disposition of the first and second supports in a particular spaced relationship and disposed in at least a portion of its length in directly engaged relationship with said first guide means to guide the movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface between a first position providing an operation of the first and second frames as a sofa and a second position providing an operation of the first and second frames as a bed, and means on at least one of the first and second frames for limiting the movement of the second drame relative to the first frame along the horizontal supPort surface to the first and second positions as limit positions.

2. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 1 wherein said motion limiting means comprises an offset formed in said second guide means at an intermediate position between the front and rear supports of the second frame and extending in a vertical direction at the intermediate position to a vertical level in which said first frame will enter into abutment therewith at the intermediate position defining the second limit position and wherein the first guide means on the first frame engages the second guide means on the second frame in the portion of the second guide means between the intermediate position and the rear support of the second frame.

3. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 2 including means mounted on at least one of said first and second frames to prohibit movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface until an operator has caused vertical displacement of the first frame relative to the second frame.

4. The convertible sofa-bed set forth in claim 1, including, means provided in at least one of the side supports in the first frame and cooperative with the adjacent side support in the second frame for limiting the movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface to the first and second positions.

5. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 4 wherein means are mounted on at least a first one of said first and second frames to prohibit movement of the first frame relative to the second frame along the horizontal support surface until an operator has caused displacement of the first frame relative to the second frame and wherein said movement prohibiting means comprises the guide means on the other one of said first and second frames and a stop block mounted on the first one of said guide means in close vertical proximity to the guide means on said other frame member.

6. The convertible sofa-bed of claim 1 wherein the guide means on one of the first and second frames constitutes a pair of spaced members and the guide means on the other one of the first and second frames constitutes a single member shaped to be disposed in snug relationship between the pair of spaced guide members.

8. In a convertible sofa-bed for use with a mattress as a part of the bed and for disposition on a horizontal support surface, a pair of side frame members and first and second elongated members, each having means adjacent the ends thereof for attaching said elongated members to the pair of side frame members, and at least one guide means having first and second ends and attached near the first end to said first elongated member at an intermediate position along the length of said elongated member and including a first abutment surface formed at the other end thereof and attached to said second elongated member at the intermediate position along the length thereof for limiting movement of the bed section relative to the sofa section in a first direction between the first and second elongated members, a lowered section formed intermediate said first one and said other ends of said guide means providing a guide surface extending along the periphery thereof and a second raised abutment surface at the end of said lowered section most closely adjacent said first abutment surface for limiting movement of the bed section relative to the sofa section in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

9. In the convertible sofa-bed aS set forth in claim 8, the guide means comprising a pair of members spaced from each other by a particular distance to receive in a snug relationship a guide member forming a part of a frame member constituting the bed portion of the sofa-bed.