US3253285A

US3253285A - Bed lounge mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3253285A
Application number: US423230A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fox Martin
Original assignee: Seng Co
Current assignee: Seng Co
Priority date: 1965-01-04
Filing date: 1965-01-04
Publication date: 1966-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-31
Also published as: FR1469152A; NL6517245A; BE674666A; GB1104319A; AT254443B; CH439625A

Description

May 31, 1966 M. Fox

BED LOUNGE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l n, #DE

May 3l, 1966 M. Fox

BED LOUNGE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1965 May 31, 1966 M. Fox 3,253,285

BED LOUNGE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FILE May 31, 1966 M. Fox

BED LOUNGE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 4, 1965 www;

May 3l, 1966 M. FOX

BED LOUNGE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 4, 1965 United States Patent() 3,253,285 BED LUUNGE MECHANISM Martin Fox, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Seng Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed lian. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 423,230 18 Claims. (Cl. 5-67) provide an improved convertible furniture mechanism in which a plurality of bed sections are convertible between a coplanar bed position and a lounge position in which adjacent sections are at obtuse angles with respect to one another.

Another object of the invention is to provide suc-h a mechanism in which a simple, manual friction lock is provided for fixing the pivotally connected bed sections in any position between bed position and lounge position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a convertible furniture mechanism in which the bed sections are positively locked in their coplanar bed position, and in which the positive lock is automatically released by movement of a friction brake operating lever.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a oonvertible bed lounge in which the pivotally connected bed sections are so mounted in a base frame that they are` normally moved from coplanar bed position to lounge position by the normal distribution of weight of a person reclining upon the bed lounge with his head near the head bar of the bed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a convertible bed lounge having a friction vlock mechanism which is very compact and entirely concealed behind the,

side rail of the base frame.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide al convertible lounge having a friction lounge mechanism which is readily adjusted to compensate for wear in the frictional parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible bed lounge mechanism in which the entire pivoted bed structure and brake structure are carried upon two mounting plates which need only to be fastened to the inner surfaces of the side rails of a base frame.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a structure embodying the invention with the bed sections in their coplanar bed positions, taken substantially along t-he line 1--1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure in the bed position;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus with the bed sections in lounge position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as illustrated along the line 5 5 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the friction lock mechanism in the position which it occupies when the bed sections are in their coplanar bed positions;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as illustrated along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and shows the friction locking mechanism with its parts in the positions they occupy when the bed sections are in lounge positions;

3,253,285 Patented May 31, 1966 ICC FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale illustrating the friction lock mechanism in vits released position;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as illustrated along the line 8 8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section taken substantially as illustrated along the line 9 9 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as illustrated along the line 10-10 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to FIGS. 1 to 4, the present bed lounge mechanism includes a simple rectangular base frame, indicated generally at 20, which has

side rails

21 and 22, a head rail 23, a foot rail 24, and supporting legs 25. Cross-members 26 connect the side rails above the legs.

Mounted in the base frame is a convertible lounge mechanism, indicated generally at 27, which is the subject of the present invention. The bed lounge mechanism 27 includes a pair of

mounting plates

28 and 29 which are secured, respectively to the inner faces of the base

frame side rails

21 and 22, an articulated bed structure, indicated generally at 30, a frictional lock mechanism indicated generally at 31, which is best seen in FIGS. 5 to 9, and an auxiliary plunger lock, indicated generally at 32 (seeFIG. l0), together with a plunger release mechanism, indicated generally at 32a which is best seen in FIGS. 6 and 9.

Referring further-to FIGS. 1 to 4, the articulated bed mechanism 30 inclu-des a back section indicated generally at 33, an intermediate-section indicated generally at 34, a seat section indicated generally at 35, and a leg section indicated generally at 36. The head section includes a transverse head bar 37 which is parallel to the head rail 23,

side bars

38 and 39 lwhich are connected to opposite endsof'the head bar 37 and are parallel tothe mounting plates 28l and 29, and a drop center cross-bar 40. The intermediate section 34 includes only a side bar 41 which is connected by a pivot 42 to the end portion of the back section side bar 38 that is remote from the head bar 37, andy a second intermediate side bar 43 which is identical to the bar 41 and connected to the back section side bar 3.9 by a Vpivot 44. The seat section includes side bars 45 and .46 which are cross connected by

drop center crossbars

47 and 48, and

pivots

49 and 50 connect the seat section side bars 45 and 46, respectively, with the intermediate

section side bars

41 and 43. The leg section 36 consists of Vsidebars 51 and 52 which are pivotally connected at 53 and 54 to the seat section sidev bars 45 and 46, respectively, and which are connected by a transverse foot bar 55 that is parallel to the base frame foot rail 24. The articulated bed structure 30 is completed by a conventional wire mesh mattress supporting spring, indicated generally at 56 in FIGS-2 and 4; and a foam rubber mattress or pad P, shown in broken lines in FIGS. l and 3, is carried loosely upon the wire mesh spring fabric 56.l

. n the back section `

side bars

38 and 39 are pivot brackets Pivots i65 and '66 mount the respective links 6=1 and 62 on the moun-t-

ing plates

28 and 29, respectively. Parallel to the

links

61 and 62 for the seat section are links 67 'and 68 which are pivotally connected, respectively, to the leg

section side bars

51 and 52 by

pivots

69 and 70, and to the

mounting plates

28 and 29 lby pivots 7-1 and 72. The -back section pivots l'59 and 60 are so positioned with respect to the head bar 37 and the seat section 35 that, when a person is reclining upon the articulated bed structure in a normal position with his head near the head bar l37, the distribution of the persons body weight, and praticular'ly the concentration of. body weight upon the Alower torso, automatically causes the articulated bed sections to assume the lounge position of FIGS. 3 and 4. In that position the back section 33 is inclined, the intermediate section 34 remains substantially horizontal and is atan obtuse angle with respect to the back section 33, while the seat section 35 and leg section 36 are caused to swing upwardly and toward the head rail 23 upon their respective links `61-62 and 67-68 so that the seat section 35 forms an obtuse angle with respect to the intermediate section 34, and the seat section and the le-g section 36 form an obtuse angle with respect to each other. In the lounge position of FIG. 3 it is seen that the

seat supporting links

61 and 62 bear against

stop studs

73 and 74, respectively, which limit the swinging movement of the parallel links as the articulated sections move toward lounge position.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. to 9, the articulated 'bed sections may be retained in their coplanar bed position iby means of the friction lock mechanism 3:1 which also may be used to lock the bed sections in any position between the coplanar bed position and the lounge position illustrated in FIG. 3. IReferring first to FIGS.

5 and 7, the lock mechanism has a large headed stud 75 which extends through a hole in the mounting plate 28 and has its head 76 extending into a recess in the side rail 21. An adjusting disc 77 is formed integrally with the stud 75 and is positioned in rface abutting relationship with the mounting plate 28. A plurality of screw holes 78 are arranged in a circle around the adjusting disc 77 so that any two of the holes may be aligned with a pair of holes in the mounting plate to receive wood screws 79 which 'are screwed into the side rail 21 to anchor the disc 77 and thus the stud 75. As best seen in FIG. 9, the stud 75 is provided with a thread 80.

A locking lever 81 has a boss 82 provided with a screw thread 83 by means of which the lever is sc-rewed onto the thread 80 of the stud 75 so that the interengaging threads 80 and 83 provide cam means for moving the lever 81 ltoward or away from the mounting plate 28. A sleeve 8'4 welded adjacent the outer end of the lever 81 slidably receives an operating arm 8S for the lever so that the outer extremity of the arm 8'5 need not project above the base frame side rail 21, but may be slid outwardly through the sleeve 84 if a person reclining upon the bed desires to rotate the locking lever 81.

As best seen in FIG. 9,`on the lback section side rail 38 close to the pivot `59 is a depending mounting bracket 86 at the lower end of which is a pivot 87 for an arm 88 `that has a slot 89 impaled bythe stud 75. The slotted arm 88 is between the stud adjusting plate 77 and the lever 81, and the outer face of the slotted arm is in face abutting relationship with a lange washer 90 which surrounds the stud 75 beneath the lever 81 so as to provide a friction shoe. Thus, when the lever 81 is moved clockwise as viewed in FIG. 6, it clamps the slotted arm 88 firmly between the adjusting disc 77 `and the friction shoe 90, and frictionally locks the back section 33 against pivotal movement on the

pivots

59 and 60. Conversely, when the lever 81 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 6, the slotted aum 88 is released and the articulated bed sections are free to move in either direction.

lIn order that the bed sections may be posi-tively .secured in bed position the end of the slot 89 which is l to the slotted arm 88 and to `the pivot bracket 57 so as to norm-ally urge the slotted larm in a direction to cause the recess 89a to engage the stud 75 when the structure is in bed position. By reason of lthe positive engagement of the recess 89a with the rstud 75, combined with the frictional gripping of the arm 88, several people may sit upon the -bed structure when it is in bed position without ytending to cause any slippage of the lock parts which would permit the bed sections to move slightly toward lounge position. The shape of the recess 89a is such that when the friction lock lever y81 is moved counterclockwise to release the clamping pressure upon the slotted arm 88, the stud 74 may move along the upper face of the recess, which acts as a cam face, so as to rock the arm against the bias of the spring 91 and thus release the recess 79a from the pin 75.

Although the interengagement of the recess 79a and the pin 75 of the 'friction locking mechanism is suliicient yto positively eliminate slipping of the friction lock under the pressure of several persons seated upon the bed, the fact that the lock -is on one side only of the bed trame permits the opposite head corner at the back side bar 39 to raise up, due to twisting of the back section. To prevent this undesirable action, the auxiliary plunger lock 32 is provided. As #best seen in FIG. l0, the head bar 37 of the back section 33 is tubular and is provided with aligned

holes

92 and 93 which are half way between

lthe side bars

38 and 39. A plunger, indicated generally at 94, has a shaft 95 which extends through the hole 93, and an enlarged shoulder portion 96 of the plunger is received in fthe hole 92. A compression spring 97 surrounds the shaft 95 within the tubular head bar 37 and bears upon the enlarged shoulder portion 96 so as to urge .the plunger 94 toward the head rail 23 of the ibase frame. Secured to the inner surface of said hea'd rail 23 is yalatch plate 98 that has a Igenerally horizontal latch surface 99 and a cam face `100 Aso that, as the bed structure is moved toward ibed position, ya plunger head '101 may ride over the cam surface 100 to compress the spring 97 and permit the plunger head 101 to snap back beneath the latch surface 99.

Automatic release of the plunger lock 32 upon releasing movement of the lever 81 is effected by the plunger lock release mechanism 32a that includes a lever 102 that is pivoted at 103 upon the bracket 86, and a fixed pin 104 on the upper end of the lever 102 which extends through registering

slots

105 and 106 in the bracket 86 and the bed rail 38, respectively, and is engaged by one side of the lock lever 81 so that when the lock lever is moved counterclockwise it acts through the pin 104 to pivot the lever 102 on its pivot 103. A flange 107 at the end of the lever 102 opposite to the pin 104 receives a wire 108 which is also connected to the plunger shaft 95 so that counterclockwise rotation of the lever 102 retracts the plunger 94 to release it from the latch member 98.

The purpose of the adjusting plate 77, heretofore described, is to permit the position of the stud 75 to be rotated so as to change the location of the thread 80 `and thus serve to compensate for wear in the screw ,threads or in the friction shoe 90.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a convertible lounge bed, in combination: a rectangular base frame having side rails. a head rail and a foot rail; a plurality of bed sections including a back section having a transverse head bar parallel to the head rail and two side bars parallel to the side rails, a seat section having side bars, and a leg section having side bars connected by a foot bar; means connecting the side bars of said sections end to end for pivotal movement of the portions between a bed poistion in which the sections are coplanar and a lounge position -in which adjacent sections are disposed at obtuse angles with respect to one another; pivot means mounting the back section on the side rails of the base frame; leg section link means mounting the leg section on said side rails, said pivot means being so located with respect to the connection between the back section and the seat section that the normal disposition of body weight. of a person reclining on said sections with his head near the head bar uses the sections to assume the lounge position; and friction locking means between the back section and one side rail of the base frame, said locking means including a slotted arm pivoted on a back section side bar, a stud supported on said one side rail and -impaling the slot in the arm, clamping lever means rotatable on said stud between the arm and the back section, said lever means including .a friction shoe facing the arm, and interengaging cam means on the stud and the lever so that rotation of the lever in one direction forces the friction shoe against the arm to clamp the arm against the one side rail and rotation of the lever in the opposite direction releases the arm, said stud in bed position of the bed sections abutting a first end of the slot and in lounge position abutting a second end of the slot.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the cam means comprises a thread on the stud and a cooperating thread on the lever. y

3. The combination of claim 1 in which there is a lateral recess in the rst end of the slot, and in which tension spring means connects the arm to the side rail to bias the arm in a direction causing the recess to engage the stud in bed position.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which the head bar has a hole generally midway between the side bars, a headed pin is slidably mounted in said hole, a spring biases said pin toward the head rail, a latch plate is mounted on the head rail for engagement by said pin in the bed position of the bed sections, and release means are provided for retracting said pin, said release means including an actuating lever pivoted on the back section side bar, a stud on said actuating lever engageable by the clamping lever means so that rotation of the lever to release the 4arm moves a part of the actuating lever away from the head bar, and a cable connecting the pin to said part of the actuating lever.

S. The combination of claim 1 in which the bed sections include a short intermediate section which has side bars pivotably connected to the back section side bars and to the seat section side bars, and in which there are seat section link means mounting the seat section on the side rails, said seat section link means being parallel to the leg section link means.

6. The combination of claim 5 which includes stop studs supported on the side rails of the base, said stop studs being engaged by the seat section links in the lounge position of the bed sections.

7. In a convertible lounge bed, in combination: a rectangular base frame hav-ing side rails, a head rail and a foot rail; four bed sections including a back section having `a head bar parallel to the head rail and two side bars connected to the head rail and parallel to the side rails, an intermediate section having side bars pivotably connected to the back section side bars adjacent .the ends of the latter remote from the head bar, .a seat section having side bars pivotably connected to the intermediate section side bars adjacent the ends of .the latter remote from the backsection, and a leg section having side bars pivotably connected to the seat section side bars adjacent the ends ofthe latter remote from the intermediate section, said leg section having a foot bar connecting its side bars, said pivotal connections permitting movement of said sections between a bed position in which the sections are coplanar and a lounge position in which adjacent sections are disposed at obtuse angles with respect to one another; pivot means mounting the back section on the side rails of the base frame; leg section link means mounting the leg section on said side rails; seat section link means parallel to the leg section link means and mounting the seat section on said side rails, said pivot means being so located with respect to the connection between the back section and the intermediate section that the normal disposition of body weight of a person reclining on said sections with his head near the head bar causes the sections to assume the lounge position; and friction locking means between the back section and one side rail of the base frame, said locking means including a slotted arm pivoted on a back section side bar, a stud supported on said one side rail and impaling the slot in the arm, clamping lever means rotatable on said stud between the arm and the back section, said lever means including a friction shoe facing the arm, and interengaging cam means on the stud and the lever so that rotation of the lever in one direction forces the friction shoe against the arm to clamp the arm against the one side rail yand rotation of the lever in the opposite direction releases the arm, said stud in bed position of the bed sections abutting a first end of the slot and in lounge position abutting a second end of the slot.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which the ends of the intermediate section side bars overlie the ends of the back and seat section side bars.

9. The combination of claim 7 which includes studs in the side rails of the base, said studs being engaged by the seat section links in the lounge position of the bed sections.

10. The combination of claim 7 in which the cam means comprises a thread on the stud and a `cooperating thread on the lever.

11. The combination of claim 7 in which there is a lateral recess'in the iirst end of the slot, in which tension and spring means connects the arm to the side rail to bias the arm in a direction causing the recess to engage the stud in bed position.

V12. The combination of claim 7 in which the head bar has a hole generally midway between the side bars, a headed pin is slidably mounted in said hole, a spring biases said pin toward the head rail, a latch plate is mounted on the head railfor engagement by said pin in the bed position of the bed sections, and release means are provided for retracting said pin, said release means including an. actuating lever pivoted on the back section side bar, a stud on said actuating lever engageable by the clamping lever means so that rotation of the lever to release the arm moves a part of the actuating lever away from the head bar, and a cable connecting the pin to said part of the actuating lever.

13. A convertible bed lounge mechanism for mounting in a rectangular base frame that has side rails, said mechanism comprising, in combination: a pair of mounting plates adapted to be secured to the side rails of a base frame; a'plurality of bed sections including a back section having a pair of side bars parallel to the mounting plates and a head bar connecting said side bars, a seat section having side bars parallel to said plates, and a leg section having side bars parallel to the plates and a foot bar connecting said leg section side bars; means connecting the side bars of said sections end to end for pivotal movement of the sections between a bed position in which the sections are coplanar and a lounge position in which adjacent sections are disposed at obtuse angles with respect to one another; pivot means mounting the back section on said mounting plates; leg section link means mounting the leg section on said mounting plates, said pivot means being so located with respect to the connection between the back section and the seat section that the normal disposition of body weight of a person reclining on said sections with his head near the head bar causes the sections to assume the lounge position; and

friction locking means between the back section and one of the mounting plates, said locking means including a slotted arm pivoted on a back section side bar, a stud mounted in said one of the mounting plates and impaling the slot in the arm, clamping lever means rotatable on said stud between the arm and the back section, said lever means including a friction shoe facing the arm, and interengaging cam means on the stud and the lever so that rotation of the lever in one direction forces the friction shoe against the arm to clamp the arm against the one mounting plate and rotation of the lever in the opposite direction releases the arm, said stud in bed position of the bed sections abutting a first end of the slot and in the lounge position abutting a second end of the slot.

14. The combination of claim 13 in which the cam means comprises a thread on the stud and a cooperating thread on the lever.

1S. The combination of claim 13 in which there is a lateral recess in the first end of the slot, and in which tension spring means connects the arm to said one mounting plate to bias the arm in a direction causing said recess to engage the stud in bed position.

16. The combination of claim 13 is which the bed sections include a short intermediate section which has side bars pivotally connected to the back section side bars and to the seat section side bars, and in which there are seat section link means mounting the seat section on the mounting plates, said seat section link means being parallel to the leg section link means.

17. The combination of claim 16 which includes stop studs integral with the mounting plates, said stop studs being engaged by the seat section links in the lounge position of the bed sections. i

18. The combination-of claim 13 in which the stud is rotatable in the one mounting plate, and an integral adjusting plate surrounds the stud between the mounting plate and the slotted arm, said adjusting plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a circle around the stud to receive fastening means which impale holes in said one mounting plate, whereby the stud may be rotated to compensate for wear in the cam means and the friction shoe and may be fixed with respect to the one mounting plate by means of said fastening means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 776,528 12/1904 Michand 5-78 1,296,451 3/1919 Arrigoni 5-78 1,862,820 6/1932 Duvall 5-78 2,124,602 7/ 1938 Bardaji 5-78 2,658,209 11/1953 Travis 5-78 3,105,247 10/1963 Katz 5-67 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

C. A. NUNBERG, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN CONVERTIBLE LOUNGE BED, IN COMBINATION: A RECTANGULAR BASE FRAME HAVING SIDE RAILS. A HEAD RAIL AND A FOOT RAIL; A PLURALITY OF BED SECTIONS INCLUDING A BACK SECTION HAVING A TRANSVERSE HEAD BAR PARALLEL TO THE HEAD RAIL AND TWO SIDE BARS PARALLEL TO THE SIDE RAILS, A SEAT SECTION HAVING SIDE BARS, AND A LEG SECTION HAVING SIDE BARS CONNECTED BY A FOOT BAR; MEANS CONNECTING THE SIDE BARS OF SAID SECTIONS END TO END FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE PORTIONS BETWEEN A BED POSITION IN WHICH THE SECTIONS ARE COPLANAR AND A LOUNGE POSITION IN WHICH ADJACENT SECTIONS ARE DISPOSED AT OBTUSE ANGLEW WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER; PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING THE BACK SECTION ON THE SIDE RAILS OF THE BASE FRAME; LEG SECTION LINK MEANS MOUNTING THE LEG SECTION ON SAID SIDE RAILS, SAID PIVOT MEANS BEING SO LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BACK SECTION AND THE SEAT SECTION THAT THE NORMAL DISPOSITION OF BODY WEIGHT OF A PERSON RECLINING ON SAID SECTIONS WITH HIS HEAD NEAR THE HEAD BAR USES THE SECTIONS TO ASSUME THE LOUNGE POSITION; AND FRICTION LOCKING MEANS BETWEEN THE BACK SECTION AND ONE SIDE RAIL OF THE BASE FRAME, SAID LOCKING MEANS INCLUDNG A SLOTTED ARM PIVOTED ON A BACK SECTION SIDE BAR, A STUD SUPPORTED ON SAID ONE SIDE RAIL AND IMPALING THE SLOT IN THE ARM, CLAMPING LEVER MEANS ROTATABLE ON SAID STUD BETWEEN THE ARM AND THE BACK SECTION, SAID LEVER MEANS INCLUDING A FRICTION SHOE FACING THE ARM, AN INTERENGAGING CAM MEANS ON THE STUD AND THE LEVER SO THAT THE ROTATION OF THE LEVER IN ONE DIRECTION FORES THE FRICTION SHOE AGAINST THE ARM TO CLAMP THE ARM AGAINST THE ONE SIDE RAIL AND ROTATION OF THE LEVER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION RELEASES THE ARM, SAID STUD IN BED POSITION OF THE BED SECTIONS ABUTTING THE FIRST END OF THE SLOT AND IN LOUNGE POSITION ABUTTING A SECOND END OF THE SLOT.