Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Chesterfield convertible into
a centre-fold bed.
Field of Invention:
The present invention relates to a chesterEield having
a pull-out bed and mattress beneath its seat cushions. The
mechanism for converting the chesterfield or sofa into a
proper bed can be stored beneath the cushions of the chesterfield
to allow it to function as a proper chesterfield without
moveable arms or back. In particular, the invention herein
provides a nor~al low profile sofaframewith the modern low
front height and the proper seat depth suited for normal North
American adults sitting in comfort while concealing a full
adult size bed frame within it. The bed can be pulled out to
form a centre-folding mattress and spring bed after the removal
only of the sofa-chesterfield cushions.
The following disclosure contains a full description of the
invention and of the best mode known to the inventor of taking
advantage of and constructing the same.
Prior Art
It is known to make sofa type furniture convertible into beds
by utilizing the sofa seat spring member for the bed and to
provide the spring with frame, legs and linkage members that can
allow the seat to be pulled out and used for the bed spring.
It is also known that a normal North American adult requires
less depth of seat to rest in comfort that he requires width of
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bed to lie in comfort. To be functional both as a perfect bed
and as a perfect sofa the prior art has devlsed sofa back-rests
which are moveable to allow for a full width of bed along the
length of the sofa with a second length being trundled out from
beneath it or alternatively to store a bed foldable across lts
middle --i.e. from side to side, and partially stored beneath
the back rest which is fixed. The disadvantage of the latter
type of bed is that when it is in e~tended double-bed position
a permanent fold or crease develops across the bed that will be sensed
e asily by both persons using the structure as a bed, disturbing
their comfort and resulting in an unsatisfactory product.
The object of the present invention is to return to the former
system of storing a double bed spring and mattress beneath and
within a chesterfield sofa structure of furnitu~e by folding the
spring and mattress lengthwise to ensure that the fold will locate
between the sleeping partners of the bed thereby disturbing neither.
It is further an object of the present in~ention to provide
linkages to the folded-out structure when used as a bed which impart
an upward stress to the 7top' and Ibottom' ends of the bed
thereby preventing sag to the middle ~f the frame when centre legs
are not employed.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide
a structure to a pull-out bed spring that can be downwardly stored
into the bottom of a sofa frame thereby allowing the mattress held
between the folded spring to be the seat of the sofa after only
cushions are disposed above the folded structure slnce a low
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deck had been achieved by the spring.
To ensure that a proper edge is provided the sofa to allow
the cushions to rest squarely on the deck provided by the folded
springt tension cushion supports are spaced apart between a
pair of centre bottom members traversing the frame structure
lengthwise of its mid-section.
A known disadvantage of convertible bed-sofa furniture that
has one side of a double bed fold out from the other side which
remains part of the length of the sofa, is that leg means must
be provided at the mid or joint section, thereby creating a
structure difficult to balance and creating a 9torage problem
for the legs when in the fold-away posture within the sofa frame.
It is the principal ob;ect of the present invention to provide
a main centre action member to give upward thrust to the structure
when in the fold-out position and to unite the folding mechanism
to it to allow smooth action to the folding operation when being
moved into or out of bed position from within the sofa frame.
The main centre action member locates itself forward adjacent to
the front edge of the sofa frame when the structure is in the
open posture thereby, when combined with the linkage hereinafter
disclosed, eliminating the necessity of providing mid-section
support legs.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a convertible
bed-sofa wherein the sofa frame can be fully and permanently
uphoastered and only its cushions being removed to convert it to
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a bed thereby giving the structure of a normal sofa when in use
as such.
With the considerations and inventive objects herein set
forth in view, and such others as may become apparent from
consideration of this dlsclosure and specification, the present
invention consists of and is hereby claimed to reside in the
inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced or
included in any method, process, construction, composition,
arrangement or combination or parts, or new use of any of the
foregoing which may herein be exemplified in one or more
specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chesterfield frameviewed from one end and partially cut away at the mid-sectlon
to show the bed spring and pull-out mechanism stored within -
the frame. :
Figure 2 shows a folded bed spring and frame with the
. associated linkages of the invention in the pulled-up position
where the combination has cleared the back rest and bottom rail
deck of the chesterfield frame prior to the one side of the
bed spring being pulled out.
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Figure 3 shows the completion of the first stage of conversion
of the mechanism to a bed--namely the extension upward of the
mechanism and the locking of the back legs into bearing position.
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~ igure 4 is a comprehensive detail of the bed mechanlsm llnkages
when the inward side of the bed is set in the 'bed' position and
the outward side is part-way through its path of travel towards
becoming the outward side of the bed.
Flgure 5 ls a perspective view of the bed spring and frame
partlally cut-away and showlng the converting mechanism on one
side as connected to the frame when the outward side has been
completely folded out to be held by the leg support shown.
Figure 6 is a complete perspective view of the convertible bed
mechanism with a mattress in place and connected to an unupholstered
bed frame with the outward side being in the half-way position of
the folding stage and showing the two folding legs being folded
by their particular linkages.
In The Preferred Embodiment as
Depicted in The Drawings
A chesterfield having a pull-out spring and mattress convertible
into a bed is enu~erated 10 in Figure 1 of the drawings and is
shown unupholstered to indicate how the folded spring and mattress
stores below the back rail or deck 52 of the chesterfield frame.
.
The chesterfield is shown having a back member 12, a bottom
front frame 50 and side member 51 and back frame 55.
A base plate 18 is connected to one side of the bed mechanism
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and fixed to the side of the chesterfield frame. A second base
plate is fixed to the other side of the chesterfield frame and
attached to the bed mechanism. The base plate 18 bears the weight
of the bed movement through pivot points 70, 71 and 72 (Figure 2)
and also through the point of attachment of the main spring ~
which is attached between the frame and the spring plate 26 carried
by the main torsion tube 22.
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It will be understood in the following discussion that both
ends of the bed mechanism are similar in structure and attached
to the chesterfield frame by a base plate. The drawings only
show, however, the structure for one end. The discussion wlll
be directed to the interaction of the linkages for one end of
the mechanism.
The bed itself is formed of a pair of tube members 14 and 13
and upper and lower centre tubes 40, 20.
The usual link mesh 35 for holding a mattress 62 is attached
in the usual manner as shown, to the surrounding tubes 13, 14.
In ~igure 1 it will be seen how a chesterfield back cushion
64 rests against the frame and the back deck rail 52 while being
supported by the link mesh of the spring 35 of the stored bed.
The seat cushion 61 is also supported by the linkage 35 and the
upper edge of the front 50 of the chesterfield frame. It is
known in the lengthwise folding of a convertible bed that the
spring mesh must be allowed to curve at the areas where the
combination spring and mattress is folded resulting in a gap
between it and the front of the chesterfield at the position
where the upper chesterfield cushions are to be supported. The
result is that an uncomfortable sag is imparted to the cushions
by a seated person at the forwa_d part of the seat giving a most
unsatisfactory product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a support
for the sofa cushions that is uniform across its width, without
sagging portions anywhere. The above object is achieved by
spacing a plurality of spring members 38 to the mattress spring
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linka~e 35 and stretching it over an edge tube 40 and downwardly
sprung into attachment to a lengthwise running lower centre tube
20 fixed to the side channels 60. ~hen the bed is in the stored
position of Figure 1, the spring edges 38 and tube 40 maintain
the proper uniform support for the cushions to prevent sag.
When the bed is opened as in Figure 5 to provide mattress and
bed support, the spring edge members 38 lie downwardly from the
spring with no interference to the bed.
The linkage mechanism operates in two main stages from its
storage position of Figure 1 to its completed bed position of
Figure 5. The lock plate member 27 operates for both stages.
In Figure 2 the bed mechanism is shown being pulled forward
in the frame to allow the tubes 14 and 13 with a mattress
sandwiched between them to clear the back rail 52. The first
movement of the mechanism is to impart a downward and forward
pull to the closed and meeting edges of tubes 14 and 13. A person
performs the movement of the first stage by pulling upwards on
tube 40 until the main load bearing tube 22 locks in the upright
position shown in Figure 3 by the locking of members 15, 16, 17,
and 19 in the extended position of Figure 3, and with the swing
lever plate 28 having one side where pivoted at 78 to main link
15 directly above the pivot point 79 between swing lever 28 and
the bearîng tube 22. The scissor action of the folded linkages
of Figure 2 open out into the box frame shown in Figures 3 and 4
to provide a rigid load bearing structure capable of transferring
the weight of a body lying on the bed, directly through main
bearing member 22, to plate 18.
Rear swing lever 16 is pivotable about Rear link 17 at pivot 82,
pivotable with main link 15 at pivot 80, pivotable with link 19
and pivot 81, and pivotable on the tube 14 at pivot 77. Link 17
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is pivotable on base plate 18 at pivot 70 and link 19 ls pivotable
on the base plate at 71. Link 16 is "W" shaped to carry the
other links with it in unison when the mechanism is being
carried forward and upward and provides the means for pulling
attached links in foldable position $.n the one motion and into
the box-like frame and load bearing posture in the outward
stage. When the main tube is vertical with main link 15
thrusting upward and forward on the swing lever plate 28 at pivot
point 78, the bed half formed within clam-shell shaped tube 14
is rigid and fixed against any further outward movement and
capable of holding against downward pressure. Only a lift
upward, as when refolding to store beneath the back rail, will
break the interlock of link 16 with main link 15. Link 19 being
slightly backwardly locking during the setting of the first stage
assists in the interlock of the main link and further provides
the means of carrying the bearing load from the bed from pivot
point 17 through link 16 to the base plate 18 without creating
any forward thrust. Springs 24 and 25 are attached to a spring
plate 26 which is fixed to the bearing tube 22 to maintain a
backward force on the bottom of the tube 22 to prevent any movement
on the bed during usage from lifting the outer side of the bed
and flipping it closed, such as when one person rolls inward
toward the sofa frame. The primary purpose of the springs is to
assist the person pulling the bed from beneath the frame, to
lift the mass of mattress and mechanism. The weight of the
mattress will hold the bed folded under the sofa but a small
woman or child can easily lift the mechanism to the first locking
stage because the springs are in their stretched tensed position
when in the folded down posture and react with the upward pull
of a user on tube 40, to spring back to an untensed state, by
pulling backward on th~ bottom oE tube 22.
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A Stop 90 is provlded in base plate 18 to prevent the rear
link 17 from carrying the attached mechanism downward and backward
further than a set point thereby preventing the folded bed from
striking the end of the sofa frame or the floor.
The second stage of forming a double bed as shown in Figure 5
is for the user to pull tube 13 upward and outward from the
position of Figure 3. Figures 4 and 6 show the movement of the
mechanism outward with leg 30 and associated linkage 31 and 32
being carried and moved to rest in a floor engaging posture as
in Figure 5.
The upper or front tube 13 and lower or rear tube 14 each
provide a rectangular shaped frame member to the bed and are
spaced apart by channel members 60 which have flanged outward
edges as shown. The other sides of the tubes where they fold
toward one another are inwardly curved to give the appearance
of a pair of clam shells, which shape prevents the mattress
from shifting or sliding out when the mechanism is moved into
or out of the folded position. The edge shape of tubing also
; assists the bed to clear the back rail of the sofa and to clear
the floor when moved. Frame tubes 13 and 14 are pivotably
attached to the channel member 60. The channel 60 of one end
is attached to the channel of the other end of the bed by tube
members 20 and 40 which between the provide rigidity to the centre
section of the bed and provide stability to the structure as a
whole. When the bed is in the outstretched position,part of the
load is carried by the pair of legs 30 and the remainder is carried
to swing lever plate 28 as attached to tube 14 at rivet 73 where
it is transmitted to base plate 18 by main torsion bar tube 22.
Tube 22 is 'U' shaped and connected to both end base plates and --
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to either end of tube 1~ through plate 28, thereby glving
unusually good stability to the bed and providing union of
movement of the pairs of linkages on the sldes of the bed,
thereby creating a smooth operation to the whole.
Lock plate 27 is pi-votably attached at 83 to swing lever 28
and also attached to swlng lever 28 by pin 84 fixed in the lever
28 to allow plate 27, limited movement in an arc as indicated
by the shape of the slot guide. When the bed is in the sprung-
up position after the completion of stage 1, the lock plate is
back toward the ~rsion tube 22, (Figure 3), but as the outer
side of the bedis folded out, the lock plate 27 moves forward
over guide pin 84 until stopped by the end of the slot. In
this forward position, the lock plate 27 combines with lock
lever 21 to lock the outer side downward toward the floor and
to resist a weight on the inner side of the bed from causing
the outer side to flip up and fold in. The lock lever 21 i6
pivoted to the outer end of side channel 60 at 75 and pivotted
to lock plate 27 at 85 and will brace the mid-portion of the
outer side to the swing lever 28 and torsion tube 22, thereby
adding strength to the mid-section of the bed and eliminating
the need for a middle leg. Lock lever is partially supported
and stopped by a flange on channel 60 as seen in Figure 5.
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Link 32 is pivotted on link 31 at 88 and attached and pivotted
on link 21 at pivot 87. It provides an upward bracing between
lock lever 21 and leg link 31 when they are both aligned along
and between the outfolded sides of the bed.
Brace or Bridge link 32, completes the chain of linkages
between the leg 30 across the end of the bed and down to the base
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plate 18. The chain of linkages provides the tensed upward
thrusting rigid:Lty to prevent the bed from collapsing when in
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the loa~ed and outstretclled positlon. From ~Lgure 5 the 11nk 32
is connected to link 21 at a polnt 87 below the stress point 86
of leg link 31, thereby concentrating the upward thrust at the
point of greatest strain in the bed midway between leg 30 and
base 18, since its pivot at 88 produces the brldging upthrust.
The lock provided by link 32 as above discussed is broken at
a position of folding shown in Figure 4 where link 32 converts
into a compression link to draw link 31 downward and to thrust
link 21 inward and downward to counter the reaction of the
mattress to being folded. It is known that inner spring and
foam mattresses resist 180 folding and an operator will therefore
require pressure assistance from the linkage to force the
mattress to fold. Link 32 will therefore cause link 21 to push
plate 27 backwards and align rivets 83, 84 and 85, which will
in the folding operation assist the operator to break the lock
of links 15 and 16, resulting in a smooth easy folding operation
for a person of moderate strength such as a housewife.
It will be apparent from the above that the preferred
embodiment of the invention contemplates the chesterfield bed
disclosed to be frequently folded and unfolded and therefore
has as its principle object space saving and ease of operation.
The invention herein departs from the usual pull-out type bed
that has the head in the sofa seat and foot pulled into the room.
I have returned to the older practice of having the bed a double
one side by side with the chesterfield with one side using the
space occupied by the chesterfleld. By so doing, a great deal
of room space can be saved and my sofa bed can be used in
smaller areas that heretofore required much floor space in front
of the chesterfield to accomodate a pull-out double bed.
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