US734363A - Folding bed. - Google Patents

Description

No. 734,363. PATBNTED JULY 21, 1903,

A. w. PYLE. FOLDING BED.

APPLIUATION FILED JANNRQ, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VE N 70/? 20 9752267" Pyle.

ATTOHN 8 No. 734,363. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903. A. w. PYLE.

. FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION-FILED JAN. 29, 1902;

PATIJII'I'IEII) JULY 21, 1903.

A. W. PYLE.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1902.

INVENTOR- 2752267 @le *3 Q B'/ WITNESSES:

A TTOHNEYS Prrns cu. wvraum o" wunmsTo PATENTED JULY 2-1, 1903.

A. W. PYLE.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES A TTOHNE YS "Patented July 21, 1903;

PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER W.-PYLi1, or HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,363, dated July 21, 1903. Application filed January 1902. Serial No. 91,772. (No modeLl v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LABNER W. PYLE, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopkinsville, in the county of Christian and State of Kentucky, have invented an Improvement in Folding Beds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to impr'ovementsin folding beds of that class, wherein a noncollapsible bed-frame is pivotally supported in a cabinet; and the primary object that I have in view is the provision of a portable structure which may be easily taken apart to facilitate storage and transportation and which may be assembled together for the several parts to occupy a solid firm relation to each other. I

A further object of the invention is to combine with the pivoted bed-frame a counterpoise mechanism which occupies such a pe- .culiar relation thereto as to subserve a twofold purpose-i. e., as a means to balance the bed-frame when it is being raised and when in its closed position and as'ameans for positively forcing the bed-frame to its fully-lowered position during the operationof opening the bed and also of positively locking the frame in its lowered position, thus effectuallyov-ercoming any tendencyof the bedframe to rise or fold accidentally.

A further object is to fold the doors'of the cabinet entirely out of the way when the bed is in use; further, to secure ventilation of the cabinet, which is particularly desirable in warm weather, and to simplify the construction and to promote efficiency in the service of the structure.

' With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawings,forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding partsin all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a folding bed in its open condition and constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the folding bed in its closed-up condition. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the horizontal plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective.

order that they may be compactly arranged for storage or transportation. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional perspective view showing one means for detachably interlocking the capsection and a side section of the-knockdown;

cabinet which forms one part of theimproved folding bed. Fig. 6 'is'a similar perspective view, partly in section, illustrating the means for interlocking the back frame orsection and a side member or section to the base-section of the knockdown cabinet. Fig. 7 is a side' elevation, on a small scale, of a modified construction of the front portion "of the cabinet.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view illustrating a part of the back member of the cabinet and the slidable headboard to showone keeper and the notch through which the keeper may'pass'in removingthe headboard. Fig. 9 is a detailview showing the pivotal and detachable connection between a portion of the pivoted bed-frame and the intermedi ate headboard-section. Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the improved folding bed, showing an arrangement of the counterpoise-weights by which the inertia of different weights may be successively taken up or imposed on the bed-frame. Fig.'1l.is a detail cross-section showing the headboard partly raised to take up one of the weights or one weight of'each of two groups of corresponding form, thebedframe being supposed to be nearly raised."

F' g. 12 is another cross-section with the headboard in its raised position, assuming that view through a portion of one side member is the rails b, a foot-piece b, and a head-piece b and within this open skeleton frame is stretched the wire mattress D, or, if desired,

any other suitable form of bed-bottom may be employed. This bed-frame is pivotally supported at a point intermediate of its length in the lower part of the casing or cabinet A, and as one means of supporting the inner or lower end of said bed-frame I have provided the hinge-rod 5, the same extending transversely across the lower front part of the cabinet A and fitting in the inclined notches 6, the latter being provided in the side rails b of the bed-frame B. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The hinge-rod 5 is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 as extending transversely of the cabinet A, and this rod should have its end portions loosely received in suitable openings or other supports, which are provided in the side members of the cabinet, whereby the rod may be withdrawn from the cabinet and from engagement with the notches 6 of the bed-frame, thus making provision for dismounting or removing the bed-frame from the cabinet when it is desired to dis mantle the folding bed for storage or transportation purposes.

The outer end portion of the bed-frame B is equipped with the foldable legs 7, the same being pivotally attached to the bed-frame, as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2, and said legs being united or tied together by the cross-bar 9. (Also shown in Fig. 2.)

To prevent the notched bed-frame from slipping out of engagement with the hingerod 5 during the operation of raising or lowering said bed-frame, I have provided the keepers or retaining-springs 10. The said springs are fastened to the inner opposing faces of the side rails 19 of the bed-frame, and the free ends of said springs are bent or arranged to extend across the notches 6, whereby said ends of the springs may engage with the hingerod 5, as shown by Fig. 2.

I will now proceed to describe the construction of the cabinet or casing A, which, it is de sired to remark, has its several parts connected detachably together in a manner to facilitate assemblage or dismantling of the cabinet. This cabinet consists of the base-section at, the cap or top section or member a, the two side members or sections a a (see Fig. 3,) and the back section or frame Q The side members a a have their lower ends fitted within the side portions of the basesection a, said side members a at having their lower extremities a seated upon the bottom portion of the base-section a. (See Fig. 2.) These side sections a a are provided with the fastening-plates 11, which are provided with the notches 12, and in assembling the side sections within the base-section these notched plates 11 are arranged to engage with the studs 13, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby the lower end portions of the side members have interlocking engagement with the base-section a. An upstanding front piece 14 is provided on the base-section a, to sustain the shelf 15, the latter resting upon said front piece, as shown by Fig. 2.

This shelf 15 is provided on its under face with the fasteners 16, that are formed with beveled front ends adapted to be received in recesses, which are formed in said upstanding front piece 14, as shown by said Fig. 2'. The shelf 15 is placed in position by turning it at an angle to the front piece 14 in order that the beveled ends of the fasteners 16 may enter the notches of said front piece, and the side members a at having been previously placed on the base-section this shelf is pressed downwardly, so that the rear edge of the shelf binds against the front edges of the side members, whereby the shelf is held by the fasteners 16 against forward displacement relative to the front piece 14, and the shelf is thus adapted to similarly hold the side members a a against displacement in a like direction.

The back frame or section a is skeletonized, as indicated more clearly by Fig. 4, and this frame is so proportioned that it will fit snugly to the side members a? a ,as shown by Fig. 3, and within the base a. This back frame or section is designed to have interlocking engagement with the side members a a and the base-section a, and as one means for accomplishing this end I have shown said back frame or section a as having the notched or slotted plates 17, which are fastened to the side portions of the frame, so as to fit within the side members a a and to have engagement with the studs 18, the latter being fastened to the side members. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 6.) Any suitable form of latch may be employed to fasten the back frame or section a to the base member a, but, as shown by Figs. 2 and 6, pivoted hooks 19 on the back frame a are arranged to engage with eyes 20, that are attached to the basesection a.

The top member a may be of any fanciful or suitable construction, and it is provided with the slots 21, (see Fig. 4,) adapted to receive the upstanding hook-shaped catches 22, as also shown by Fig. 5. After the side mem bers a 0. and the back member a shall have been assembled and inteterlocked the capsection a is fitted upon the other members of the cabinet, so that the catches 22 will fit in the slots 21, and these catches are then turned crosswise of the slots in a manner to securely hold the cap-section upon the cabinet. Of course it is obvious that other forms of locking devices may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The side members a a of the cabinet are provided with the doors 23, the same being hinged thereto, as at 24. In warm weather the doors may be opened to the position indicated partly by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus allowing a circulation of air around the head of the occupant of the bed.

The cabinet which I propose to employ somewhat resembles the structure known in this art as a wardrobe, although the finish and ornamentation of the cabinet may be varied within the skill of the constructor.

In orderto employ a simpleand comparatively cheap construction of the bed-frame and to secure amore ornate finish of the cabinet, I prefer to construct the cabinet with the sectional and foldable front, one form of which is shown by Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and

another form is represented, on a reduced the wings 27 made fast therewith, so as to extend laterally therefrom, and to the wing of each post or column is hinged, as'at 29, one of the doors 28. The two columns 26 of the front are mounted to turn on vertical axes, which are afiorded by the pintles 30,

(indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3,) and these posts or columns are arranged just in front of the side members a a of the cabinet A. In the folded position of the parts (shown by Figs. 2 and 3) the columns 25 26 are turned for the wings 27. to extend inwardly toward each other, and the doors 28are disposed in the alined relation to one another and to the wings, as shown by Fig. 3. Any

. suitable catch may be employed to hold the doors in their. closed positions. In order .to use the bed, the doors are released and swung open. Thedoors may open as far as the position shown by Fig. 1, orthe posts 25 26 may be turned around on their vertical axes to make the wings 27 occupy the rearwardlyprojecting positions alongside of the cabinet shown by the dotted linesin Fig. 3, whereby the doors 28 may be opened to extend rearwardly of the cabinet,- as indicated partly by dotted lines.in-Fig. 3, thus entirely opening the front of the cabinet and disposing the doors wholly out of the way.

In the modified construction shown by Fig. 7 I employ the two rocking posts 25 26, each of which is equipped with a wing 27; but in lieu of the two-doors which are hinged individually to the wings of-the two posts I employ a single door 31, that is hinged at 31 to the wing of the post 25, the said door adapted to occupy an alined or abutting relation with the wing 27 of the post 26*.

I will now proceed to describe the slidable I headboard O, which is. mounted to move in a vertical path upon the back frame or section a of the cabinet. Any suitable means may be adoptedv for slidably confining the headboard in place; but in'the knockdown portable construction of the folding bed con,- templated by this invention I prefer to form notches 32 in-the back framed, said notches providing for-the passage of the keepers 33.

These keepers are fastened to the slidableheadboard O in positions to ride against the back frame a, while the headboard itself travels against the front side of the backframe, as shown by Fig. 3; but when it is'desired to remove theheadboard C from the cabinet it is adjusted to a raised position 'in order to bring the keepers 33 opposite to the notches 32,Ithus permitting the headboard to be moved laterally in order to withdraw the keepers through'the notches. This headboard is provided in its back with a chamber or recess 0, across which extends the confining-bar c. The recess or chamber of the headboard is adapted to receive one or a series of counterweights, the same being indicated by the reference-letter D. These counterweights are fitted in the chamber so as to be held in place by the bar c, and, if desired, any one or more of the counterweights may be-removed or placed in position, according to the load on the pivoted bed-frame B.

I employ an intermediate hinged connection between the weighted headboard and the pivoted bed-frame By reference to Fig: 2 it will be seen that the bed-frame B is hinged by the rod 5 at a point intermediate of its length, so as to form a short section at the inner lower end of the bed-frame, which short section corresponds to the short arm'of a lever. In opening or'closing the bed the short section describes an arc of a circle the axis of which is the rod 5. The headboard C'is limited to travel in a vertical path on the back frame or section of the cabinet, and the distance between the rod 5 and the headboard C is greater than the short arm or section at the inner lower end of the pivoted bed-frame. The intermediate hinged connection between the'bed-frame and the headboard 'is'representedby Fig. 2in the form of a supplemental headboard E, the latter having a hinged'connection, as at e, to the lower edge of the headboard and a pivotal and detachable connection with the head-section b of the pivoted bed frame. This detachable and pivotal connection is formed by notched plates 35, which are fastened to the end portions of the section E and are adapted to engage suitable studs 35 provided on the head-section b. The'inter mediate section E is adapted to assumedifferent positions withrelation to the slidable frame lies in a horizontal position, while the intermediate section E occupies an inclined position between the vertically-slidable head-.

board 0 and said head-section b thus'impos ing the weight of the weighted head-section 0 upon the bed-frame to keep the latter in its closed position. In lowering the bed-frame B sufficient force must be exerted thereon to overcome the inertia of the weighted headboard O, and during the first half of the movement in lowering the bed-frame the head section b approaches the pathof the head board 0, thus making the intermediate sec tion E assume a-position in line with the head-section b of the bed-frame. ering movement of the bed-frame continues, however, the head-section 12 thereof is carried away from the path of the'slidable head- As the low board, and during the last portion of the lowering movement of the bed-frame the intermediate section E assumes an abrupt angular relation to the head-section b of the bedframe and the headboard 0, whereby the weight of the headboard is applied to the hinged bed-frame in a manner to positively force the latter to its lowered position and to lock said bed-frame in said lowered position, thus overcoming any tendency of the bedframe to tilt in an upward direction. The detachable connection between the intermediate section E and the bed-frame, which is afiorded by the plates 35, allows the bedframe to be readily disconnected from the headboard when it is desired to dismantle the folding bed for storage or transportation.

Although'I have shown and described the intermediate section E between the headboard and the bed-frame, I do not desire to limit myself to this particular construction, because I am aware that the solid piece may be omitted and suitable links or rods may be employed at the side portions of the headboard and the bed-frame. I have not considered it necessary to illustrate these links or rods, because the construction thereof will be evident to a skilled mechanic.

In Figs. 10 to 12, inclusive, I have represented a preferred embodiment of means whereby the inertia of the counterpoise may be imposed gradually upon the bed-frame in the operation of lowering the latter. The devices in this form of the invention are generically the same as heretofore described and include the cabinet A, the slidable headboard C, having the keeper-bar a, the bedframe, and the intermediate connection E. The weights D, however, are of different lengths, and they are preferably disposed in two groups-one on each side of the middle of the headboardso as better to distribute the weight. The back frame a of the cabinet is provided with a rest or cross bar 37, which is so placed that the weights D will rest thereon and be sustained thereby when the bed-frame is raised. (See Fig. 10.) The weights D are provided with shoulders D and the weights are of difierent lengths, (see Figs. 10 to 12,) so that the shoulders lie at difierent distances from the rest-bar 37. The headboard O is provided with a cross-bar 38 at or near the lower end,and the shoulders D of the weights lie in the path of the cross-bar when the bedthe bed-frame the weights are gradually taken 0% the headboard because they will rest successively on the bar 37. I also contemplate the provision of rollers, as at 39, (see Figs. 2, 11, and 12,) whichare mounted on the headboard O and are arranged to travel against the back frame a of the cabinet, thus decreasing the friction and insuring easy movement of the parts.

Instead of arranging the fasteners 17 for the back frame and the sides in positions where they are visible on the inside of the cabinet, as in Fig. 2, I may place said fasteners 1'7 and their studs 18 on the back or rear wall of the cabinet (see Fig. 10) or in any other convenient position where they will not be exposed to View.

I may provide a single notch 32 in the back frame of the cabinet to facilitate the removal of the headboard when desired.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a folding bedstead,the combination of a cabinet having a weight-supporting bar, a headboard slidable in said cabinet, a weight pick-up rail movable with the headboard, a series of graduated weights resting on said bar and provided with shoulders which lie in the path of the pick-up rail, for successively imposing said weights on the headboard during the upward movement of the latter, and a bed-frame connected with said headboard.

2. In a folding bedstead, the combination of a cabinet, a headboard slidable therein, a weight-pick-u p railattached to the headboard for movement therewith, a bed-frame connected with the headboard, and two series of graduated weights supported in vertical positions within the cabinet near the respective sides thereof, each series of weights having shoulders disposed at different heights and all the shoulders lying in the path of the pick-up rail for successively imposing like weights of each series on the headboard in the upward movement thereof.

3. In a folding bedstead, the combination of an open front cabinet provided with vertical guides at its rear portion, a non-collapsible bed-frame within the open front thereof, a headboard slidable in the guides of the cabinet, a leaf connected pivotally to the headboard and the bed-frame, the rocking posts pivoted in the top and bottom portions of the cabinet on opposite sides of the path of the bed-frame, and each having a narrow rigid wing adapted to be folded backwardly against the sides of the cabinet, and doors hinged to said wings of the rocking posts.

4. In a folding bed, a knockdown cabinet having the side members fitted removably in the base-section, and a locking-shelf having interlocking engagement with the base-section and wedged between the latter and the side members for holding said side members firmly in place on said base-section, combined with a bed-frame, and means for detachably connecting said bed-frame to the cabinet.

5. In a folding bed, a knockdown cabinet comprising a base, top and side members, a skeletonized back having vertical guides, a locking-rail wedged between the base and the side members, and fasteners connecting the several parts firmly and detachably together, the whole forming a closed structure which is open at the front side thereof, combined with a non-collapsible bed-frame pivotally and detachably connected to the cabinet at a point in rear of the open front side thereof, said bed-frame being adjustable through the open front of the cabinet to horizontal and vertical positions, and a counterpoised headboard slidably fitted in the back member and connected operativel y with the inner end of said bed-frame.

6. A folding bed having a cabinet, a bedframe pivotally and removably supported therein, a headboard slidably and removably mounted in said oabinet,an intermediateleaf permanently hinged to the headboard,'studs or pins fixed to the sides of the bed-frame at the inner end thereof, and plates attached to front rail having a detachable interlocking engagement with the base and engaging frictionally with the side members for holding them firmly in place, and a post mounted in the front rail and the top and carrying a door,

combined with a bed-frame, and a counter-- poised headboard.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence-of two subscribing Witnesses.

v ABNER W. PYLE. Witnesses:

W. S. DAVISON,

W. O; HALL.

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