US2648071A - Sofa bed - Google Patents

Description

F. J. REILLY Aug. 11, 1953 .SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1949 mmvrm F. J. REILLY Aug. 11, 1953 SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1949 IN V ENTOR. 7 262722 Jfi'ezg N BY 7 i may Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOFA BED Frank .1. Reilly, Winter Park, Fla.

Application J ulyZ, 1949, Serial No. 102,837

4 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to a sofa bed adapted for use either as a full size bed or as a sofa. It is the general aim of this invention to provide a soft of generally conventional appearance, yet having its parts so arranged and correlated with each other that it may be converted into a bed quickly and easily, yet at the same time of relatively simple mechanical construction so that it is not expensive to make or complex to operate.

In the pursuance of this general aim it is a specific object of the invention to provide a sofa bed wherein the same cushions utilized as the mattress of the bed are employed as the seat and back when the device is used as a sofa. This is a departure from the teachings of many conventional folding beds or sofa bed developments in which the back or cushions of the sofa are discarded and a separate mattress employed, and it is one of the objects of this invention to avoid duplication of the cushion structures and the consequent cost thereof by employing the same upholstery, cushions and springs for both of the dual uses of the device, yet to do so without sacrifice of comfort or convenience of operation.

A further specific object is the provision of a folding sofa bed characterized by a neat, trim and attractive appearance, either when opened or closed, and having all of the several parts of the structure permanently connected together so that they cannot come apart and become sepae rated, as often occurs with previously designed expedients.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a sofa bed wherein the several cushions forming the bed can be quickly, easily and conveniently moved from extended position in horizontal relationship to each other to an upright position to serve as a sofa, yet wherein the cushions are united in a manner whereby the upright cushions cannot be accidentally released during use.

The foregoing objects are accomplished according to the present teachings for the provision of a sofa frame having a seat cushion permanently mounted thereon, together with a back frame comprising two oppositely disposed cushions hinged together at their upper edges and mounted on a shiftable carriage on the sofa frame, so that they normally stand in upright position along the back of the sofa seat, but can be shifted forwardly across the seat and then opened outwardly into side-by-side horizontal positions directly in front of the seat of the sofa.

The preferred form of the invention is illusa 2 Y tratedin the drawings of this specification wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sofa bed according to these teachings in upright position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 with the parts shown in extended position to serve as full size bed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken between the end panel .and cushions of the bed shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on a plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3 with the structure in the position shown in dotted lines.

The device comprises, in general, a main frame shown as consisting of a longitudinal rail 10 and a pair of end panels H and I2 provided with a sofa seat 13. The end panels may be of conventional construction or may even be omitted if desired. The seat is permanently mounted on the main frame and preferably provided with internal springs and padding so that it is resilient and comfortable.

The back frame consists of two separate cushions I4 and I5. These are hinged together at their upperedge by the hinges l6 and the cush ion I5 is provided with a pair of pivotbrackets I! at its lower corners so that both cushions I4 and I5 may be supported on the pivot studs l8 mounted on a pair of shiftable carriages 2|. These carriages each comprise a flat plate on which a plurality of grooved wheels 22 are mounted to engage a carriage rail 23. The carriage rails are secured to the main frame in any convenient manner, as by the screws 20 extending into the end panels. The rails 23 extend from the back of the seat'to the front thereof (Figure 3) and are preferably arched or curved with their center portion higher than their ends so that they follow the general curvature of the convex upper surface of the sofa cushion 13. Each of the rails has a carriage limiting stop or abutment 25 at the rearward end, and a similar abutment 26 at its forward end to limit the travel of the carriage.

Each of the carriages 2| also has a limiting stop 24 against which the brackets I! come to bear when the cushions I 4 and I5 are in their upright position. These stops prevent the cushions [4 and I5 from tilting rearwardly beyond the position shown.

Examination of the dotted line showing of Figure 3 will show that when the carriages are at the back of the sofa seat they are at rest at the lowermost point in the rail, so that they will;

maintain themselves in position by gravity. The tilting brackets I1 and stops 24 are also so related that they allow the back cushions I4 and I to tilt backwardly at any desired angle. A spring detent 21 may be provided between the cushions I4 and I5, although this is ordinarily entirely unnecessary since the forces of gravity will hold the cushions in the position shown. The cushions I4 and I5 may be shifted into horizontal position by d'rawing' 'thein" forwardly, causing the carriages 2 I to roll forward along the rails 23 and stop against the abutment 26, as shown in the full line position of Figure 3. The' cushion I5 swings downwardly and the lower end-- of the cushion I4 is drawn outwardly to bring these both into horizontal position-on the saine level as the cushion I3. Cushions I4 and- I5 are each provided with pivoted legs 28"w'h'ich, as shown, are urged outwardly to extended position by springs 29. Thus as the cushions are separated and move through the broken line position illustrated in Figure 3, the legs spring downwardly" in position to cometo rest 'on the floor.

The opera-tionofmovingthe parts from ex-' tended; position to upright position is accomplished with' equal ease; merely by lifting the cushions I4 and I5 at-apoint near the hinge I6; placing-them in back-to-back relation with each other; and slid-ingtheentire carriage re'arwardly across the sofa seat. The closing movement of the-- hinged cushions I4" and I5 overcome the springs 29 on the-legs 28, so that these are'folded into retractedposition as the parts are returned to upright relationship.

From=the foregoing it willbe seen that the novel combination of cushion structures here employed=makes possible the provision of a con-' vertible sofa bed in a much moresirnple, straight forward and conveniently used manner than accomplished by. prior teachings. The same cushions are used in all caseswhether the device is in upright position foruse as a sofa or whether in extended position to serve as a fulrsize bedl- Only: three cushions I are employed for the purpose; and theseare at all times permanently connected to each other, so that no difliculty is'en countered in fitting them together or takingthem apart. The employment of 1 each of i the'-' cushions in'a dual function makes it unnecessary to' provide-separate mattress structures or sepa rate sofa cushions, and thus reduces' the cost ofmanufactureaccordingly.

The-form of the invention illustrated and described; herein is the presentpreferred er'nbodF ment of this teaching, andis chosenas being-'particularlyvwel'l suited toa description of -the' prin' ciples involved, but it is to'be' understood 'thattlie specific form'shown is capable of some modification andavariation andthat the scope or the in ventiveconcept is not'limited to the precisestruc- '6 ture' shown, 1 but extends toany modificationor variation thereof within the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention 'what-I claim as new and 'desire to proteet by' United States Letters Patent is:

1. A sofa of thecharacter havinga -seat and back rest portion, comprising in combination, end frame members extending substantially acrosseach end of theseat, a=curved track-ineach end member, a carriage having rollers-engaging opposite faces of said track to prevent binding of 4 the carriage on the track, a back rriember'consisting of forward and rear ward corhplementary sections 'hingedly connected-at their- -upper ends when in theverticalnormal position; the lower end of the rearward portion only being pivotally mounted on said carriage, legs pivotally mounted near the opposite longitudinal edges of the forward back portion and the forward longitudinal edge of the rear portion of the back member when said members are extended in a horizontal position, and means for moving said legs outwardly to an extended position during the conversion of said sofa into asofa bed. I g I n 2. A sofa" of the character having a' seat and back rest portion, comprising in combination, end frame members extending substantially across each end of the seat, a curved track in each end member, a carriage having rollers engaging opposite faces of said track to prevent binding of the carriage'on the track, a back member consisting of forward and rearward complementary sections hingedly connected at their upper ends when -in-the vertical normal position, the lower end of the rearward portion only being pivotally mountedon said carriage, legs pivotally mounted near theopposite"longitudinal edges of'the for wardb'ack' portion and the forward longitudinal edge'of "the rear portion of the back member when' said members are extended in a horizontal posi-- tion', m'eans'for moving said legs outwardly 'toan extended position during the conversion of 'sairl sofaiinto a sofa bed, and-'springpies'sure means for retaining the frontpo'rtionofthe'ba'ck meni ber against the rear portion of the back rfier'nber when in normal vertical position'. v V

3. Ina sofa of a characterhaving a seat and back member adapted to "b'eear'i dl y converted into asofa' bed by the mere application of 'sl'ightp'res: sure'to the back member, in combination, a frame, abackniernber consisting 'of a rearward section and" a complementary forwardsection hi'ngedly connected to the' rearward section at their upper" ends and standing in opposed back to back relationship to said rearward section when in'normal vertical position, a'pair of sup porting bracketsmountedbn the rearward sec-i tion on the opp'o'sitesidesand at the lower' en ds of said rearward section; with each of; said bracketsinicluding pivotal means; a pair of shift able carrierssecure'd to" and supporting" said brackets by sai'd'lpivotal meansan'd'guide mean secured to and" supporting said" carriers, with means for securin'gsai'd guide'means tothfram'e" whereby the forward and;rearward sections of the, back member are shif-tably supported on" said" frame by the carriers an'd guide means; said carriers having a normal position wherein said brackets'are positioned adjacent the rear corners of'the seat at theopposite sides'thereof, the brackets and carriers being shiftablethrough curvilinear paths of motion upwardly, forwardly and downwardly topositionsadjacent the for ward edge of the'seat at the opposite sides thereof; a" pair 'of legs pivotally mounted'on the under side ofthe forward sectio'no'f" the"b'a'ck member near the forward longitudinal edge thereof, with means for autornaticalljmoving said legs outwardly todow'nw'ar-dly extending" positions during the conversion of said sofa into a-sofa bed, and'reces'ses'inthe section s'of the bac member 'receivingand' concealing'said legs between the sectionsof the backrneinber whe'n in normal verticalpositionl 4? In: 'asofa"ofa"character 'havinga seat and" back memberadapt'edto be readily-convertedinto a-sofa bed by the mere application ofshght pres sure tojthe 'backmeniberjin combination, a frame. a back meniberconsistin g "of a rearward section and a complementary forward -section hinged'ly connected to the rearward section at their upper ends and standing in opposed back to back relationship to said rearward section when in normal vertical position, a pair of supporting brackets mounted on the rearward section on the opposite sides and at the lower ends of said rearward section, with each of said brackets including pivotal means, a pair of shiftable carriers secured to and supporting said brackets by said pivotal means and guide means secured to and supporting said carriers, with means for securing said guide means to the frame whereby the forward and rearward sections of the back member are shiftably supported on said frame by the carriers and guide means, said carriers having a normal position wherein said brackets are positioned adjacent the rear corners of the seat at the opposite sides thereof, the brackets and carriers being shiftable to positions adjacent the forward edge of the seat at the opposite sides thereof, a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the under side of the forward section of the back member near the forward longitudinal edge thereof, with means concealing said legs between the sections of the back member when in normal vertical position.

FRANK J. REILLY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 857,315 Starkwather June 18, 1907 1,287,789 Strand Dec. 17, 1918 1,457,984 Mandel June '5, 1923

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