US3321778A

US3321778A - Pull-out bed mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3321778A
Application number: US260697A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold A Vogel
Original assignee: Lear Siegler Inc
Current assignee: Lear Siegler Inc
Priority date: 1963-02-25
Filing date: 1963-02-25
Publication date: 1967-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-30

Description

May 3o, 1967 H. A. VOGEL 3,321,778

PULL-OUT BED MECHANISM Filled Feb. 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l bw @d rmx@ May 3o, 1967 H A, VOGEL 3,321,778

PULL-OUT BED MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTDR, y /7//729/47 /7 l/ayef United States Patent O l 3,321,778 PULL-BUT RED MECHANlSM Harold A. Vogel, Seattle, Wash., assigner, by mesne assignrnents, to Lear Sicgler, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No., 260,697 Claims. (Cl. 5--17) This vinvention relates to a pull-out bed mechanism used in connection with a 'back to form a sofa or davenport type of furniture and which may be quickly and easily converted into a bed.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of this type in which a pitched or inclined sofa seat may be converted into a bed having a level sleeping surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of furniture of this type in which the conversion of the pitched sofa seat to a level sleeping surface is accomplished quickly and easily with a mechanism which is simple, and which may be economically manufactured and assembled with facility.

Still another object is to provide a device of this type in which the converted bed may be moved to a position adjacent the back, which is the preferred sleeping position, or moved to a position spaced therefrom whereby it is more convenient to make up the bed or to clean around the same.

The objects of this invention are attained by a construction which is so reduced in the number and character of its component parts as to approach the ultimate in structural simplicity, thereby creating an economy in its manufacture, operation, installation and maintenance.

The various objects and advantages, and the novel details of construction of one commercially practical embodirnent of the invention, will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sofa bed constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 2-2 in FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the sofa seat in partially extended position;

FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing the sofa seat in fully extended position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view showing the latch mechanism;

FIGURE 6 is a detail perspective view of the latch mechanism;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of the dolly mechanism in the position it assumes when the parts are in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a similar view of the dolly mechanism in the position it assumes when the parts are in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the reference character 10 indicates a cabinet or wall to which a sofa seat back cushion 11 is attached. The sofa seat back cushion 11 cooperates with a sofa seat cushion 12 to form a sofa or davenport.

It will be noted that the sofa seat cushion 12 is pitched or inclined rearwardly, as is customary in articles of furniture of this character, and it is one of the objects of this invention to convert the pitched sofa seat into a level bed sleeping surface and to do so in a simple, elfective and etlicient manner.

The sofa seat frame 13, which constitutes the bed frame, is shown as being substantially rectangular in plan view and may be, and preferably is, formed of longitu- E'Zlllh Patented May 3), 1967 dinal angle iron members 14 connected at their ends by cross bar angle iron members 15. The frame 13 is provided with a plurality of ilat spring members 16 preferably of zig-zag configuration. The sofa seat cushion 12 is supported on the frame 13 and the necessary resilience thereto is provided by the flat spring members 16. However, it will be obvious that other types of springs 16 may be employed, if desired. An edging strip 13a may be secured to the rear frame member 14, as shown.

The front edge of the frame 13 is provided with a pair of legs 17 provided with casters or wheels 18 adapted to rest upon the floor or other support, and the rear edge of the frame 13 is provided with shorter legs 19 provided with casters or wheels 20. An underframe may be provided consisting of a plurality of cross braces 21, the crossbraces being located at the ends of the frame and at least centrally thereof. The legs 17 and 19 are attached to and depend from the end cross-'braces 21. The front casters 18 are preferably of the well known self-locking type to prevent the sofa seat 12 and frame 13 from rolling when in either the sleeping or sitting positions.

The reference character 25 indicates a dolly which comprises a pair of upwardly opening, channel-shaped end members 26 constituting tracks connected in spaced relation by a rear frame member 27 which may be, and preferably is, formed of an angle iron member, and at the front end by means of a cross frame member 28, here shown in the form of a rod.

As illustrated best in FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, each track member 26 is generally inclined longitudinally and consists of a lower end portion 26a and an upper, substantially horizontal portion 26h.

The rear ends of the track members 26 are connected to the transverse frame member 27 by means of legs 29 which constitute abutments or stops at the lower ends of the tracks 26. The forward end of each track member 26 is provided with an upstanding portion 3l) constituting a stop. These stops limit movement ofthe casters 20 in the tracks 26.

The front end of the dolly is provided with a pair of legs 31 provided with casters or wheels 32 adapted to ride on the licor or other support, and the rear side of the dolly 25 is provided with rollers or casters 33.

The dolly 25 is attached to the wall or cabinet 10 for limited movement relative thereto. This connection cousists of an angle iron member 35 secured to the wall or cabinet 10 and a pair of arms or levers 36 having their intermediate portions pivotally connected as at 37 and one corresponding pair of ends pivotally connected as at 38 and 39 to the members 27 and 35, respectively. The other ends of the levers 36 are provided with pins 40 and 41 operating in slots 42 and 43 formed in the members 27 and 35. This lever arrangement constitutes a scissor mechanism or lazy tong device which permits rectilinear movement of the dolly away from and toward the wall or cabinet 1t). Obviously, the amount the dolly 25 may be moved away from the wall 10 depends upon the length of the slots 42 and 43.

The sofa seat cushion 12 with its frame 13 is mounted on the dolly 25 with the casters 20 thereof located in the tracks 26. Thus, the sofa seat cushion 12 and frame 13 are capable of movement either as a unit with the dolly 25 or relative thereto, as seen by a comparison of FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4. When the sofa seat cushion 12 and frame 13 are in the position shown in FIGURE 2, the casters 2t? are in the lower ends 26a of the tracks 26 so that the sofa seat cushion 12 is in a pitched or inclined position, which is the normal position of a seat for sofas or davenports. When, however, the casters 20 are in the upper or horizontal portion 26!) of the tracks 26, as shown in FIGURE 3, the sofa seat cushion 12 is moved to a horizontal position parallel with the oor so as to provide a level bed sleeping surface. The movement of the sofa seat cushion 12 and frame 13, with reference to the dolly 25, is limited in one direction by the engagement of the casters 20 with the abutments or stops 29 and is limited in the other direction by the engagement of these casters 20 with the stops 30.

In order to lock the sofa seat cushion 12 and frame 13 to the dolly 25, a latch mechanism 54 is provided. This is best shown in FIGURES and 6. The latch mechanism comprises a latch member 55 pivoted as at 56 to a platelike supporting member 57 depending from one of the underframe members 21. The free end of the latch member 55 is provided with a notch 44 adapted to engage a latch part or shoulder 45 on the cross member 28 of the dolly. The latch member 55 is normally urged into latching position by means of a spring member 46 having one end secured to the underframe member 21 and the other end 47 surrounding the pivot 42 and engaging the end 48 of the latch member. This will normally urge the latch member 55 into the position in which the notch 44 thereof engages the latch part or shoulder 45. A stop pin 49 projecting from the plate 57 limits the upward movement of the latch member. Obviously, a coil spring or other type of spring may be substituted for the spring 46.

When the frame 13 and sofa seat cushion 12 have been moved from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the latch member 55 will engage the latch part 45 and lock the frame 13 and dolly 25 together for movement as a unit in one direction; that is, towards the cabinet or wall 10. Normally, the frame 13 and sofa seat cushion 12 are in the position shown in FIGURE 3, when the device is to be used as a bed. In this position, the scissor or lazy tong mechanism is in collapsed position. When, however, it is desired to make up the bed, or to clean around the same, the device is moved to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 so that a person may walk entirely around the unit. With the latch member 55 engaged with the latch part 45, the frame 13 and sofa seat cushion 12 may be moved as a unit with the dolly 25 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 to that illustrated in FIGURE 3 which, as stated above, is the normal sleeping position of the device.

In order to release the latch 55, to permit the sofa seat cushion and frame to be moved from the position shown in FIGURE 3 t0 that shown in FIGURE 2, there is provided a pull strap 50 which extends from a position of accessibility on the top of the sofa seat cushion 12 down behind the rear edge of the sofa seat cushion. The end of the pull strap 50 is preferably, although not necessarily, connected to the latch member by a rubber cord 51 which may conveniently Ibe connected to the latch member 55 by extending through an opening 52 therein. An enlargement or head 53 on the end of the rubber cord prevents disengagement of the cord 51 `from the latch member 55.

In moving the sofa seat cushion 12 and frame 13 from the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 to either of the positions illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the pull strap 50 is pulled. This will move the frame and casters 20 along the tracks 26 until the casters engage the limit stops 30. The parts are then in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, and upon releasing the pull on the pull strap 50, the latch 55 will engage the latch part 45 to lock the frame 13 to the dolly 25. A continued pull on the pull strap will extend the scissor or lazy tong mechanism to move the device to the position shown in FIGURE 4. Thereupon, the sofa seat cushion 12 may be made up into a bed and the dolly 25, frame 13 and sofa seat cushion 12 may be moved as a unit toward the wall from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to that shown in FIGURE 3, which is the preferred sleeping position. When it is desired to return the parts to the regular sofa position, the pull strap 50 is pulled to release the latch 55, whereupon the frame 13 and cushion 12 may be moved from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to that shown in FIGURE 2.

As pointed out earlier in this description, it is an important feature of this invention to provide simple but efficient means for converting a pitched sofa seat into a level bed sleeping surface, and, as will be apparent, this is quickly and easily accomplished by the use of the inclined tracks 26 and the associated mechanism. Obviously, when the casters 21B of the frame 13 are in engagement with the lower inclined ends 26a of the tracks 26, the sofa seat cushion and frame will be in a rearwardly inclined position, and when the casters 20 are in engagement with the horizontal portion 26h of the tracks, the frame 13 and sofa seat cushion 12 are in a horizontal position parallel with the door.

From the foregoing, 'it will be obvious that there is provided a convertible sofa bed or pull-out bed mechanism which lapproaches the ultimate in structural simplicity, which may be quickly and easily operated, and which may be manufactured and assembled at a very nominal cost.

While a commercially practical embodiment of the invention has been described Iand illustrated herein somewhat in detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of convertible furniture comprising:

a dolly having legs movable on a floor and having spaced tracks mounted thereon, said tracks having lower rearward end portions than the forward portions thereof, said rearward and forward portions being connected by smoothly arcuate portions, and said dolly having stop anges at the forward ends of said forward portions of said tracks;

a seat frame movable `relative to said dolly from a rearward position to a forward position and having forward legs engaging said floor in both of said positions and during movement therebetween, said seat frame having rearward legs received in and movable along said tracks, said rearward legs being of such length as to pitch said seat frame downwardly and rearwardly when said seat frame is in said rearward position and to raise said seat frame to a horizontal position when in said forward position;

and a lever mechanism connecting said dolly to a support and permitting limited movement of said dolly away from said support;

said seat frame being movable by a horizontally applied force thereto to move said seat frame relative to said dolly from said rearward position to said forward position.

2. The article of convertible furniture set forth in claim 1 and further including a latch mechanism for locking said seat frame relative to said dolly when said seat frame is in said forward position.

3. T he article of convertible furniture set forth in claim 2 wherein said latch mechanism includes a member pivotally mounted on said seat frame and engageable with said dolly to prevent movement of said seat frame from the forward position to the rearward position.

4. The article of convertible furniture set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever mechanism is of lazy tong construction.

5. An article of convertible furniture comprising:

a back adapted to be secured to a support;

a dolly disposed adjacent said back and having legs movable on a iloor and having spaced tracks mounted thereon, said tracks having lower rearward end portions than the forward portions thereof, said rearward and forward portions being connected by smoothly arcuate portions, said forward portions terminating in stop flanges;

a seat frame movable relative to said dolly -frorn a rearward position to .a forward position and having forward legs engaging said iloor in both of said positions and during movement therebetween, said seat frame having rearward legs received in and movable along said tracks, said rearward legs being of such length as to pitch said seat frame downwardly and force thereon to move said seat frame relative to said rearwardly when said seat frame is in said rearward dolly and to move said dolly relative to said support.

position and to raise said seat frame to a horizontal position when in said forward position, said rearward References Cited legs engaging said stop ilanges when said seat frame UNITED STATES PATENTS is in said forward position to limit further relative 5 movement thereof; 777,965 12/1904 Llnsmayer 5-21 a lever mechanism connecting said dolly to said support 219 (w19 2/1940 Andrews 5 18 2,652,573 9/1953 Clerc.

2,786,212 3/1957 Entwistle 5-21 X 2,834,969 3/1958 Wachsman 5-21 2,942,698 6/ 1960 Bolinger.

beneath said back, said lever mechanism permitting movement of said dolly a limited distance away from said support with said seat frame in said rearward 10 position or said forward position relative to said from Sai fofwad POSIIOH to sind rearward Pos1" CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primi-y Examiner. tion relative to said dolly,

said seat frame being movable by a horizontally applied 20 FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner'.

Claims

1. AN ARTICLE OF CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE COMPRISING: A DOLLY HAVING LEGS MOVABLE ON A FLOOR AND HAVING SPACED TRACKS MOUNTED THEREON, SAID TRACKS HAVING LOWER REARWARD END PORTIONS THAN THE FORWARD PORTIONS THEREOF, SAID REARWARD AND FORWARD PORTIONS BEING CONNECTED BY SMOOTHLY ARCUATE PORTIONS, AND SAID DOLLY HAVING STOP FLANGES AT THE FORWARD ENDS OF SAID FORWARD PORTIONS OF SAID TRACKS; A SEAT FRAME MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID DOLLY FROM A REARWARD POSITION TO A FORWARD POSITION AND HAVING FORWARD LEGS ENGAGING SAID FLOOR IN BOTH OF SAID POSITIONS AND DURING MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SAID SEAT FRAME HAVING REARWARD LEGS RECEIVED IN AND MOVABLE ALONG SAID TRACKS, SAID REARWARD LEGS BEING OF SUCH LENGTH AS TO PITCH SAID SEAT FRAME DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY WHEN SAID SEAT FRAME IS IN SAID REARWARD POSITION AND TO RAISE SAID SEAT FRAME TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION WHEN IN SAID FORWARD POSITION;