Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3~2~V~
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a recreational vehicle
or motor van, and more particular~y, to a recreational vehicle
having an area convertible from a travelling-sightseeing mode
5 to a sleeping mode.
Although large motor homes and trailers have been
in use for a number of years, recent increases in fuel costs have
created a need for more compact motor homes capable of providing
all of ~he amenities of the larger motor homes but at-a saving
in fuel cost ~nd space. Other c~nsiderations are greater
flexibility and greater ease of handling. The ideal motor home
would represent a compromise of these features and contain an
interior allowing for both a single living space during the
major part of the travelling day and division of ~hat living
space during the remainder of the day into separated compartments
for specialized activities such as sleeping, cooking and personal
hygiene.
Certain features are essential in a motor van being
utilized as a motor home. It must contain comfortable seating
for travelling, suitable kitchen facili~ies such as a stove and
fridge, a toilet, a shower or similar wash facility, and sleeping
quarters. Depending upon the space available in the motor van,
one or more of these features may be placed in the same section
of the van.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to recreational
vehicle or a motor van having an interior arranged to form a motor
~2~0g8~
home that takes optimum advantage of the available space.
Such vans may be provided in various lengths, their interior
being separable into either two or three compartments depending
upon available space. The forward compartment, in accordance
with the invention, contains a seating arrangement convertible
into several beds in the fashion described and claimed hereafter.
In that same compartment, a stowable, overhead bed may be
provided, that bed in its extended position resting on support
means above the seating arrangement. If the length of the van
allows, a fixed bed may also be installed in the separab~e
rear compartment.
In 'he longest version of the motor van to be
described hereafter (and de~cribed and claimed in U.S. Pat.4,685,719,
both central and rear separable compartments are
provided. In the shortest version of the motor van only
forward and rear separable compartments are provided. Intermediate
size versions of the motor van are also availa~le. A kitchen
facility, toilet, and ~hower fitall occupy the central ~eparable
compartment in the longest version of the motor home, ~uch
facilities being in the rear compartment in the shortest version
of the motor van. The kitchen facility has fi balanced weight
distribution and a preferred embodiment of the invention
comprises a cink, a grill ~rea, a fridge, kitchen cabinets
and overhead~cupboards. The toilet is prefer~bly of the
conventional type for motor homes ~nd connects to a waste
~torage tank mounted under the floor of the van. The shower
stall is of a unique construction and has a fold-out coat rack
t~8~
assembly pivotally connected to its frame ~o ~s ~o d~uble ~s
a ~torage closet. The toilet and shower ~all are loca~ed in
what is broadly termed a ~ilet r~gion and are associated with
attractive cabinet coverings which d~uble as foldable partitions
to isolate those facili~i~s in use from the remaining space
in the van.
The present invention is particularly directed to
a recreational vehicle having in a forward section thereof a
convertible sitting-sleeping area comprising a front seat and a
rear seat, each of the seats having a seating portion, and said
rear seat being adapted to assume either a sitting mode or a
sleeping mode and including: means for supporting the front seat
for rotation about a vertical axis; means for supporting the rear
seat so that its seating portion is movable in a front-to-back
direction; means for releasably retaining the backrest of the rear
seat in an upright position; when in the sitting mode the front
seat having a rotational position facing forwardly of the vehicle
body with the rear seat being situated behind and suitably spaced
from the front seat and, when in the sleeping position, the front
seat having been rotated about said axis so as to face the adjacent
side of the vehicle with the rear seat having been moved forward
on its supporting means so that the seating portion thereof is
adjacent the seating portion of the front seat, and said movable
backrest having been released from the upright position and
located horizontally immediately behind the seating portion of
the rear seat so that the seating portion of the rear seat is
located intermediate said movable backrest and the seating
¢~
portion of thP front seat a~d all being arranged such
that their upper suriaces li~ in ~ener~l]y co-planar relation
to one another to form a bed exter~ding from front to back of
the sitting sleeping area, and wherein a spacer-support means
is associated with said backrest, said spacer-support being
movable from a first position in the sitting mode wherein it
engages a lower portion of the backrest to maintain it at a
selected angle of incline to a second position in the sleeping
mode wherein it serves to support that end of the backrest
which is remote from the-seating portion of the rear seat
when in said generally horizontal position.
In a further aspect said spacer-support
is pivotally mounted for movement from the first position
to said second position and is arranged to rest on a rearward
part of the seating portion of the rear seat to maintain same
in said first position, and to hang downwardly from its mount-
ing when in the second position such that its upper edge
provides said support for the end of the backrest.
In a still further aspect said backrest is
provided with loop means and a hook means engaged with said
loop means and secured to a fixed structure of said vehicle
and together providing said means for releasably retaining the
backrest in the upright position, said hook and loop means co-
operating with one another to prevent their disengagement
except when said backrest has ~een swung outwardly toward a
generally horizontal position.
-- 5 --
~urther ~Epec~3 ~f the ~nVentiGn Will ~e npparent
from the f ollowing description ~nd the appended claims.
RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The ~ubject invention will now be described in
~reater detail by way of example. ~n the drawings:
Figure 1 ic a perspective cutaway view of the right
side of the longest version of the motor van;
Figure 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the left
side of the motor van ~f Figure l;
Figure 3 is a plan vi~w of the motor van interior
illustrating a ~eating arrangement convertible to a pair of beds
and also illustrating the toilst and ~hower stall covering pivoted
to form a privacy compartment;
Figure 4 is a plan ~iew of a motor van interior
as in Figure 3, and additionally illustrating a rear dining
compartment which is convertible to a double bed as shown
in Figure 5;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the motor van
interior of Figure 4 illustrating a pair of beds formed by the
convertible
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seating an~gement in the frGnt a~ea an~ ei~ a ~ double bed in the
rear ~ or a bed which is oo~#t~ble bD a dinette as ~x~ in Figure 4;
Figure 6 i5 a cutaway view through the right side
of the motor van illustrating the convertible seating arrangement
ànd also illustrating the ~tow2ble, overhead bed;
Figure 7 is a perspective forward view of the forward
compartment illustrating the stowable, overhead bed in the
retracted position;
Figure 8 is a perspective forward vie~ of the
forward compartment illustrating the stowable, overhead bed in the
10 extended position;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the covered
toilet and shower stall facility of the motor van, illustrating
in outline a partial fold-out position for the covering;
Figure 10 is a perspective view sf the toilet and
15 shower stall facility after movement of the coverin~ to a
position to form a separated privacy compartment.
Figure 11 is a side elevation view of a modified
form of front seating arrangement convertible into a pair of beds,
and illustrating the "sitting" mode;
Figures 12 and 13 are vertical section views of the
rear backrest hook support and multi-function hinged board arrange-
ment in the "seating" mode;
Figures 14 and 15 are frontal views further illustrating
the rear backrest hook support;
Figure 16 is a view similar to that of Fig. 11 but
illustrating the "sleeping" mode;
Figures 17 and 18 are views similar to those of
Figs. 12 and 13 but illustrating the arrangement in the
"sleeping" mode.
DE~AILED DESCRIPT:LON
A preferred embodiment of the motor van of ~he
subject invention will nex~ be described utilizing the accompany-
ing dr~ings.
Motor van 11 has the chassis and body of one of
the vans commercially available in the marketplace. The van
interior fixtures of the subject inventlon are adopted to be
placed in a Dodge "Ram Series 250" van, although other vans
available in the marketplace could be utilized to house the same
or similar fixtures. Preferably, the chosçn van will have an
engine economic on gas, power ~teering, power brakes, ~nd
other features that contribute to a fimooth comfortable ride, such
as cruise control, steel belted tires, and a ~tabilizer bar.
The van of the preferred embodiment has side doors
12 and a rear door 13 to allow passenyers rapid access to the van
interior. Three separable ~ections or compartments are created
in the motor van of ~igures 1 and 2: a forward compartment 14/ a
central compartment 15, and a rear compartment 16, such ~ections
or compartments being serially arranged in the lengthwise
direction of the van body and being in close juxtaposition to one
another. In a 6horter version of the motor van of ~he subject
invention there are only two compar~ments: a forward 6eating
compartment and a rear compartment, the rear compartment containing
fixtures similar to those thak will subsequently be described in
central compartment 15.
- 8 ~ 13~
Forward compar~men~ 14 Iepresents ~ppxoximakely
half of the interior ~pace o~ the van ~nd has ~e windows ~7 ~nd
18 in addition ~o the ~tandard window~ ko allow passengers
eea~ed in the forward compartment B panoramic view out~ide.
5 Figures 1 and 2 illustrate four gwivel ~eats 19 mounted in the
forward compartment; however, as illu~trated in Figures 5 to 8
inclusive, the two rear swivel geats may each ~e replaced by a
fixed seat 20 which, in s:oniunc~ion with the 8wive~1 seat forward
thereof, may be conver~ed into a bed as will ~ubsequently be
more fully explained. A table 25 is removably mounted in the
forward c~mpartment 14 ~uch that it i~ central to either of the
four swivel seats 19 or of the pair of front ~wivel seats 19
and the pair of fixed rear seats 20. ~he table may be
eccentrically mounted to itB ~upport post and off centered
relative to the floor to provide ~xtra room when rota~ed out
of its normal position. ~or driving all ~wivel ~eats are in
the forward position and table 25 could be detached from the
floor and ~tored if desired.
Figures 3 to 6 illustrate a ~eating arrangement
convertible to a pair of beds. Each bed 19' i5 for~ed by a
forward swivel ~eat l9 and the associated fixed seat 20 located
at the rear thereof. To form a bed, the swivel seat is rotated
such that its back portion is proximate of the other ~wivel ~eat
~ and its arms, whizh ars .pivotally connected to the back portion'.
are in the raised position (~ee Figure 6). The fixed ~eat 20
which is behind the particular swivel seat 19 is modi~i~d to
form an extended horizontal platform for the bed, as shown in
_ 9 ~
outline in ~igure 6. Seat 20 has a seating portioJa 23 to which
is rigidly ~ecured at the ~orward end ~ v~r~ical front plate 24.
The side edges o~ seating portion 23 rest sn ~ pa.ir of
forwardly extending vertical frame walls 31. A back re~t
27 is provided with loops on its upper edge which fasten to
hooks mounted on parti~ion 26. Back rest 27 ~lopes downwardly
~way from partition ~6 r it~ lower portion being spaced from
partition 26 by a cushion 28. A~ ~hown in Figure 6, sea~ing
portion 23. of each rear ~eat 20 mhy be moved forward 6u~h that
its front edge is adjacent to a side ed~e of the rotated ~wivel
seat forwardly thereof. The rear edge of ~ea~ing portion 23 in
such forward position is ~uppor~ed by vertical frame ~upport 30,
~hat support ~itting proximate of vertical front plate 24 when
seating portion 23 is in the retracted position. With ~eating
portion 23 in the forward position, back rest 27 is dislodged
from the hooks that hold it to partition 26 ~nd laid on a
horizontal strip 25 rigidly ~ecured to ~he partition 26 which
separates the forward compartment from the adjoining compartment.
~he top edges of the pair of forwardly extended vertical frame
walls 31 are covered ~y seating portion 23 and ~upport the
latter when in the retracted position. On the driver' 8 side of
the van, the two cushions 28 are placed on a support bridging
the ~pan between side walls 31 between seating portion 23 in
its forward po~ition and back rest 27 to form the bed; the
driver's swivel seat is positioned slightly forwardly of the
other swivel seat and the other bed does not require 6imilar
- ]-o
cushions. Figure 6 illustxates in outline the bed formed on the
driver'~ side by the rear sea~ in the extended position and by
the rotated swivel seat forward thereof, that 8wiv21 seat having
been rotated counterclockwise one-~uarter ~urn and it~ arms
pivoted to the raised position. Figure S lllustrates the two
beds 13' that are thus formed in the forward compartment, the
bed on the driver'~ side being of slightly greater length. The
relatively wide seating portion 23 which forms the central
portion of the bed provides extra room for the ~leeper where it
is most needed. Suitable means, not fihown, are provided to
lock the swivel seats 19 in their forward, driving positions
whereby to prevent unwanted turning of same about their vertical
swivel axes. The space between vertical walls 31 under seating
portion 23 in ~he retracted position i normally used to tore
bedding and similar items.
An alternate bed arrangement for the forward
compartment of the van i illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
The alternate arrangement, which finds greater application to
a van housing four ~wivel ~eats in the forward compartment, is a
20 stowable overhead bed c~mprising three boards 35, 36, and 37,
each of similar length but of different width, board 37 being
wider than board 36 which is wider than board 35. Th~ three
boards together form the base of the stowable bed, the boards
being supported by three fold-down ~upport members, two of
25 which are each pivotally ~ecured to a respective ~ide of the van
above the windows and ~he third of which is pivotally secured to
a horizontal fihel~ at the forward end of the van. The support
members pi~otally ~ecured ~ ~he ~ide w~lis o~ ~he van ~re boards
41 and 42 which are hinged to ~oaras 43 ~nd 44, respectively,
the latter pair of boards being per~anen~ly mounted to a re~pective
one of the 6ide walls of the van. ~he ~upport member at the
forward end of the van is pivotably mounted to he rearward edge
of horizontal ~helf member 45 which extends laterally across
the van proximate of the ~op of the windshield. ~he forward
support member consist~ of ~wo boards hinged together such that
in their retracted position a first one of ~he boards 47 extends
~10 senerally vertically and the other board 48 extends generally
horizontally. The hinges on boards 47 and 48 are positioned
such that with boards 35, 36, and 37 unstowed, boards 47 and 48
may be pivot0d zs a unit on the hinge connecting board 47 to
the rearward edge of horizontal ledge 45. That hinge, which in
the stowed bed position i8 on ~he lower edge of board 47, ic
on the upper edge of board 47 after zuch rotation. Board 47
is then rotated relative to board 48 until the two boards hang
in vertical planar alignment (as shown in dashed lines in
Fig. 6). Boards 41 and 42 may assume either a raised position,
as shown in Figure 7, or a lowered position, as shown in
Figure 8; the two boards have angle iron members 51 and 52,
respectively, secured to their lower edges as those edges are
defined in the lowered position. This arrangement is illustrated
in Figures 7 and 8. Board 48 also has a length of angle iron
25 48a extending along its lower edge and best seen in the lowered
position (shown in dashed lines in ~ig.6). The boards 35, 36
and 37 rest upon the three sections of angle iron 48a, 51 and 52,
- 12 - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
as illustrated in outline in Fig~re 6. of boards 3~, 36 and 37,
the board placed in the forward position has holes extending
through its thickness on one of its longer edyes and on the two
corners facing that edge. Pins 39 located to correspond to the
holes in the forwardly positioned board extend from the three
sections of angle iron such that placement of the pins 39 into the
holes on the forwardly positioned board locks the forward and
side support members in a defined spatial relationship. Boards
41 and 42 are thus prevented fr~m moving laterally outward and
board 48 is prevented from moving forwardly. The position of
pins 39 and the corresponding holes in the forwardly positioned
board are illustrated in Figure 6. Stops 55 and 56 are each
fastened to partitions 29 and 26 respectively at the rear edges
of boards 41 and 42, respec~ively, to further prevent those
boards ~rom moving outwardly.
Boards 41 and 42 erve a double purpose for the
storable bed. Not only do they support boards 35, 36 and 37
when those three boards are in ~heir lowered position, but
they also prevent those three boards from sliding back when
in their raised position. As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8,
boards 41 and 42 are cut such that their forward ends are of
decreased depth to match with a ledge defined by strips 38;
boards 35, 36 and 37 rest upon these strips 38 which are
~'~6(~91~
permanently mounted to the foxward ends of permanently mounted
boards 43 and 44. All of the hinges used in the stowable bed
assembly are preferably of the piano hinge variety and extend
the length o the hinged surfaces thus providing ample support
when the bed is in use.
The separablP privacy compartment behind the forward
compartment, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10, will
now be described in detail. ~or better clhrification, the
separable privacy compartment is designated as region 15 of the
- 10 van of Figure 1. That compartment defines on one side a toilet
region which contains a flush toilet and an adjoining shower
stall and coat rack facility, as w~ll as an oppositely disposed
kitchen facility all of which are mounted either to or alongside
the side walls of the van body. A longitudinally extending
passageway 15a(Fig.5) extends through such compartment and
provides communication between the main compartments or sections
14, 15 and 16 of the van. The toilet region may be considered
as extending the full length of the central compartment 15
adjacent an associated sidewall of the van. The folding doors
which define partitions movable from positions covering and
concealing this toilet region (and the facilities therein)
from view, to other positions wherein such toilet region, and
.
1~098~
- 14
its facilities, are opened and exposed for use, will now be
described. The upper portion of the toilet is covered by a
folding door 60 having a pair of panels of substantially similar
size hinged together along their long edges by hinge 60a and
which can be unfolded, as shown in Figures 3 and 10 to extend
from partition 26 (to which door 60 is hinged as seen in Figs.
3, 9 and 10) by hinge 60b to partition 29 which abuts the
forward end of the kitchen facility. With folding door 60 in
the folded condition its two panels overlie one another
in a plane recessed from the front of the toilet,
and blocking use of the toilet, with the hinges
which support the two panels being located at opposite sides of
the toilet region as seen in Figs. 3 and 9. With folding door
60 in the extended position, front cabinet panel 61 may be
pivoted on the hinge extending vertically on its edge to assume
a position in coplanar alignment with the extended folding door
60. This is illustrated in Figure 10. A sliding panel (not
shown) can be slidably secured to the front cabinet panel 61
such that extended folding door 60 and front cabinet panel 61
essentially present a uniform wall to the forward compartment
of the van. As mentioned, this wall extends laterally in the van
such that its outer edge is proximate the edge of the fixed
partition 29 (see Fig.3). Flush toilet 62 is of a conventional
design for motor homes and is connected to a waste storage tank
located under the floor of the motor van. Top cabinet panel 63
of the toilet is rigidly secured to the toilet seat and can be
pivoted to an open position when folding door 60 is in the
extended position. As shown in Figure 10, the toilet has shelves
- 15
64 mounted thereabove, those shelves being utilized for
storing toiletries and similar materials.
When the folding doors 60, 67, are in their
extended positions to form the c~ntral privacy compar~ment, the
space in front of *he toilet region, including the passageway
15a and the kitchen facility, is effectively converted into
useable space, providing extra room for personts) using the
privacy compartment.
The central compartment 15 is also separable from
the rear compartment 16 of the van by means of a foldable door
67 as shown in Figures 3, 9 and 10 and comprising a large door
panel 66 and a small panel or leaf 73. Foldable door 67 is
pivotally connected to fold-out coat rack assembly 68 by
vertically extending piano hinge 69 which extends parallel to the
hinge 60b of folding door 60. Coat rack assembly 68 is in turn
pivotally connected to the frame of shower stall 70 by vertically
extending piano hinge 71 which extends parallel to and slightly
rearwardly on the van from hinge 69. Foldable door panel 66
has the leaf 73 pivotally connected thereto by a piano hinge 73a,
leaf 73 extending vertically along the outer edge of foldable
door panel 66 and a wedge shaped panel 73b is fixed to the same
edge as hinge 73a is fixed but it is on the outside. Panel 66
is sufficiently wide as to cover the entire front face of the
shower stall. Leaf 74 extends horizontally along the upper edge
of the foldable base portion 78 of the shower stall and is
connected thereto by a piano-type hinge. When foldable door 67
- 16
is in its closed position, its lea 73 folds in behind the door
panel 66,as shown in Figure 9, and wedge-shaped panel 73b butts up
to the sloping partition 75 which 8eparates the toilet from the
shower stall. A deep tray 76 is secured to the back surface of
folding door 67.
Fold-out coat rack assembly 68 consists of a shelf
surrounded by a pair of side panels 68a, 68b and a rear panel 68c,
as shown in Figure 10. The side panel 68b to which piano hinge
69 is ~astened extends approximately two-thirds the height of
the shower stall, the other side panel 68a extending only up-
wardly from the shelf to the top of the shower stall. The back
panel extends downwardly behind the shelf at an angle, as
shown in Figure lO, all of the panels of the coat rack assembly
being so positioned to fit into the shower stall, which is shaped
to conform to the side of the van. A coat rack 68d (shown in
dashed lines in Fig.lO~ is secured to the underside of the shelf
of the coat rack assembly.
Shower stall 70, as shown in Figure lO,may be of
a moulded rigid plastic construction or of a plastic-ply-wood
laminate. The shower stall has an integral foldable base portion
78 connected to its main portion by a flexible piece of vinyl 79.
The flexible vinyl piece extends across a V-shaped cut in each
side of the lower part of the shower ~tall. The front base
portion of the showex stall is rotatable between an upper
retracted position (wherein it is located generally below the
foldable door 67 to form a lower cover for the shower stall)
- 17
along a fold line connecting ~he apices of the V-shaped cuts,
to an extended horizontal position for use closely adjacent
to or on the floor of the motor van. The fold line is defined by
a hinge and the vinyl 79 is of one piece and extends completely
across the assembly to cover the hinge and prevent leakage of
water. The lower main portion of the shower stall has a seat 81
integrally formed therein, shower head 82 being moun~ed on a
flexible shower hose for ease of handling by a pers~n seated on
seat 81. A ~hower curtain (not shown) is detachably secured to
a plurality of clips (which may be Velcro*covered knobs) on the
ceiling of ~he van and hangs ~uch that its lower end is inside
of the base portion of the shower ~tall. When the shower ~tall
is no longer re~uixed, coat rack ~ssembly 68 is rota~ed back into
its position in the ~hower stall and the shower curtain (not
shown) rests against the back panel of the coat rack assembly.
~asteners are employed to hold folding door 60, foldable door
67 and fold-out coat rack assembly 68 in either their clo~ed Or
extended positions.
The rear compartment of the van may be utilized
for several different functions. Firstly, it may house a fixed
bed as ~hown in Figures 1 ~nd 2. Alternatively, it may house a
bed convertible into a central table with a bench along each side
of`the van (sse Figs. 5 and 4). It ic al~o pocsible to have a
permanent dinette arrangement in the rear portion of the van.
In that compartment, overhead cabinets are pro~ided for storing
bedding, table linen and ~imilar items.
*Trademark
- 18
The foregoing description ha~ rel~ted to the longest
versi~n of the van to which the featu~e6 of the ~ubject inven~ion
are applicable. However, it ~hould bP obvi~us ~hat the features
of the invention could also be repositioned ~o ~s to be
accommodated in a van of shorter length. For instance, a shorter
van might have only the content~ of the forward and ce~tral
` compartments of ~he described embodiment. Or a Qhorter version
of the van might not have a shower stall in the toilet region,
~ instead having a regular clothes closet or other ~eature. It
should be noted that when no shower is installed, door 67 and
leaf 73 extend all the way to the floor. In that situation,
door 60 is brought forward several inches into line with door
67 and wedge panel on leaf 73 omit~ed as the sloping partition
73 is not there. The toilet is then moved back the same distance;
lS the shelves behind it and the partition separating the toilet
and shower stall are eliminated and door 60 brought down to the
floor all the way as well so that lower door 61 can be eliminated
also. In other words, the toilet and clothes closet are both
placed in the same enclosure or toilet region with the two sets
of folding doors being used to create the partitions. It is
also possible for a dinette to be placed along one of the side
walls of the van, replacing one of the rear seats in the forward
compartment and also a portion of the central compartment.
8~
-- 19
A modified form of seatiny arrangement convertible
to a pair of beds will now be described. The overall arrange-
ment is similar to that described above with reference -to Figs.3
to 6. Accordingly, components similar to those described
previously will be identified with the same reference characters
preceded by the digit "1". For example, character "19" becomes
" 119 " .
With reference to Fig. 11, the seating mode is
illustrated. Seating portion 123 is shown as resting on the
vertical frame walls 131, the upper edges of which slope slightly
rearwardly and downwardly such that the seating portion top
surface is at a comfortable seating angle. The backrest 127 (of
a somewhat wedge-shaped profile) is secured at its upper edge
to partition 126 by way of loop 136 secured to the edge of back
rest 127, which loop engages with hook 138 firmly secured to
partition 126. As seen in Fig. 12 the hook and loop structures
co-operate with one another to prevent the backrest from moving
upwardly and unhooking when in the sitting position. The lower
edge of the backrest 127 is spaced from the partition 126 by a
selected amount to maintain the backrest at a comfortable seating
angle. This spacing is maintained by way of a spacer-support
board 140 which is pivotally secured to partition 126 by way of
a piano-type hinge 142. The spacer~support 1~0 is of a length
as to span a substantial part of the backrest width. The spacer-
support is sufficiently wide as to maintain the desired backrestangle as shown in Fig. 11. The spacer-support thickness is also
a factor, since, as shown in Figs. 16 and 18, the spacer-support
140 serves as a support for the backrest 127 when in the
- 20
horizontal bed position or sleeping mode; it must therefore
be thick enough so that its upper edges provide~ a su~iciently
broad support ledge.
The manner of use of the overall convertible
seating-sleeping arrangement is similar to that described
previously with important exceptions to be noted below. To
convert to the sleeping mode the front swivel seats 119 are
rotated about their vertical support axes and their arm rests
raised.
The backrests 127 are then swung upwardly to the
dashed line positions of Fig. 11 thus allowing them to be unhooked
from hooks 138, it being noted here that loops 136 and hooks
138 are arranged to prohibit such unhooking except when in the
dashed line position of Fig. 11. Then, the seating portions
123 are moved forwardly into abutting relation with swivel seats
119, this action bringing such seating portions 123 into
horizontal positions by virtue of the fact that the front portions
of vertical walls 131 are of height equal to the height of the
vertical front member 124. The spacer-support 140, which up to
this time had been resting on the upper rear surface of seating
portion 123, is then swung downwardly via its hinge 142 into
parallelism with partition 126. The backrest 127 is then
placed in a horizontal position with its frontal thi.ck-end
abutting seating portion 123 and supported by walls 131 and its
thinner end being supported on the spacer-support 140. The
spacer-support 140 is located on partition 126 at a height such
that in the last-noted position, the upper surface of the back-
- 21 - ~ ~
rest is substantially co-planar wi~h the top of seating
portion 123 thus helping to provide a com~ortable sleeping
arrangement.
The above-described arrangement is convenient
and easy to use in converting from the sleeping mode to the
sitting mode and vice versa. The need for the extra cushion
28 in the previously described arrangement is eliminated.
Multiple functions are accomplished with a minimum of structure,
thus keeping initial costs low and maintenance problems to a
minimum.
