GB2091092A

GB2091092A - Convertible bed-settee

Info

Publication number: GB2091092A
Application number: GB8139092A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Current assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Priority date: 1981-01-06
Filing date: 1981-12-30
Publication date: 1982-07-28
Also published as: FR2497449A1

Abstract

A convertible bed-settee consists of an upright back-member and a sitting/lying member perpendicular thereto. The sitting/lying member comprises a fixed portion (1) and a movable portion (11) which engages therein in the manner of a drawer. The movable portion (11) has an upper platform (13) connected thereto by a plurality of pivotable links (15) which enable the upper surfaces of the fixed portion (1) and the platform (13) to be made coplanar with each other so as to form a horizontal bed-surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Convertible bed-setee The present invention relates to a convertible bed-settee having a bed-surface perpendicular to the back of the settee.

The principle is that of a drawer which, in the "settee" position, i.e. closed, is located in a housing beneath the seat of the settee and which, in the "bed" position, i.e. open, is pulled out from its housing.

With bed-settees of this type, once the drawer has been pulled out from its housing, there is the problem of ensuring that the two elements on which the mattress will be placed are substantially coplanar.

A bed-settee is known wherein the moving part, i.e. the drawer, comprises an assembly of two parts which move in relation to each other. When the assembly is removed from the fixed part of the bedsettee, the upper part of the drawer can be raised by the pivot action of a system of links connecting the two parts of the drawer. But, since the pivot action of the links brings the upper moving part of the drawer close to the fixed part of the bed-settee, levelling of the moving part results in an undesirable shortening of the bed-surface. Thus, such a bed-settee must have, in the "settee" position, sufficient depth so that, in the "bed" position, the bed surface will attain the normal length of 1.90 m.In other words, the depth of the closed piece of furniture should, broadly speaking, be greater than half the length of the bed surface of the opened piece of furniture and the assembly would then be of a size which is incompatible with the dimensions of modern apartments.

In an attempt to avoid this disadvantage, such known bed-settees are generally provided with a drawer which is telescopic, i.e. there is a second drawer inside it. Since each of the two drawers supports an upper moving part, intended to be levelled with the fixed part, such an assembly requires a complicated mechanism.

The present invention aims to provide a convertible bed-settee with a single drawer, the moving part of which can be made coplanar with the fixed part, and the depth of which, in the settee position, does not significantly exceed one half of the bed length.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a convertible bed-settee having a bed portion perpendicular with the back of the settee and comprising a fixed portion, a movable drawer portion engaging said fixed portion and being adapted to be withdrawn from said engagement and to be made coplanay with the fixed portion to provide a horizontal bed-surface, in which the movable drawer portion comprises two frames connected together by one or more pivotable links, the action of which permits the movable portion to be made coplanar with the fixed portion, the pivot action of said links traversing from a lower position, through an upper neutral point, to a higher position in the direction of extension of the bed-surface.

The present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, in the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a bed-settee in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a side view of the bed-settee of Figure 1 in the open position.

Figures 3,4 and 5 are side views of the seat portion of a bed-settee: Figure 3 shows the closed position, Figure 4 shows the open position before the moving part and the fixed part are levelled, and Figure 5 shows the open position with both parts levelled.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a base for a bedsettee the base having wooden slats as a support surface.

Figure 7 is a variation of the base of Figure 6, having two separate sets of slats.

Figures 8,9 and 10 are similar two Figures 3,4 and 5, the base having two separate sets of slats as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a bed-settee base frame such as the one shown in Figure 7; it corresponds to Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternative base frame such as the one shown in Figure 7, this base being in the half-open position.

In accordance with Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the bed-settee is made up of a frame 1, 11 on which a mattress in two parts 2,3 is supported, the said parts being contained in two loose covers sewn together. A head board 4 is integral with the frame 1, and extends partially along the sides of the bedsettee by means of two panels 4' (Figure 2) ensuring strength of the assembly. In the settee position, the back is provided with a removable cushion 6 (which, in principle, is not used for the sleeping position) and a prism-shaped bolster 5 which can occupy two positions, shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively. The whole is covered with a cover 7 (for example a quilt; which is used in both functions of the bed-settee: as a covering inthe "settee" position, and as bedclothes in the "bed" position.The cover 7 can be attached to the mattress 2 and the head-board 4 by suitable means, such as rows of buttons or slide fasteners 8 and 9. Athird row of buttons or a slidefastener 10 connects the cover 7 to the cushion 6 or the mattress 3, so that the cover can be secured when the item of furniture is used as a seat.

Figure 2 shows the bed-settee in the open position, with cover7 removed. With the moving drawer 11 removed from the fixed part, levelling carried out, and cushions 5 and 6 removed, the mattress 3 can pivot around the seam 12 joining the two loose covers, (the seam acting as a hinge) and, passing through position 3', shown in the drawing by chaindotted lines is placed alongside the mattress 2. The bolster 5, when turned over, can occupy the position shown in Figure 2, possibly with cushion 6 on top.

The bolster and the cushion can, if desired, be placed on mattress 2 in the position shown in Figure 1, depending on the user's requirements.

The levelling mechanism forthe moving part of the bed-settee is shown in Figures 3 to 12, which show the bed frame, with the cushions, mattress, cover and headboard removed. For greater clarity, Figures 11 and 12 are also shown without the slats 14 which act as a support for the mattress.

The fixed part 1 is made up essentially of a rectangular frame having two wooden side members 1', a wooden cross piece at the head-board end, and the fourth side of the frame is formed by a metal tube or bar 15, joined at each end to the side members 1'.

Two battens 16, integral with the side members 1', act as supports and slide tracks for the mobile drawer. The whole of the fixed part rests on four feet.

The drawer, or moving part, is.made up of a rectangular wooden frame 11 which, in the closed position, rests on the battens 16 of the fixed part, and of a second rectangular wooden frame 13 placed on frame 11 and strengthened by a transverse metal bar ortube 17. The two frames 11 and 13 are joined by the ends of links 18, (two pairs shown), the travel of which is restricted, in the direction of the closing position, by frame 13 resting on frame 11.

In the open and level position of the moving part, the travel of each link 18 is restricted by a stop provided on frame 11 or 13, or on both, or else, as shown in the drawings, each link is located in a groove provided in the side members 11'offrame 11, which thus restricts its movement.

Movement from the "settee" position to the "bed" position is shown in Figures 3 to 5. In Figure 3, frame 11, on which frame 13 rests, is completely engaged in fixed part 1. By pulling the frame 11 in the direction of the arrow (Figure 3), the frame is made to slide on the battens 16 of the fixed part. Forthis purpose the bottom of the side members 11' can advantageously be fitted with lubricating means, for example plastics runners. When frame 11 is wholly withdrawn from its housing, its inner transverse side 23 comes to a stop against the metal bar 15 of the fixed part. It is then supported at one end of its side members 11' by the rails 16, and at the other end by means of feet fitted with casters 19.

By pulling upwards on the moving frame 13, this is then moved in a direction parallel to itself, with a circular motion, due to the presence of the links 18 which connect it to frame 11. These links pass through the vertical position, (where frame 13 is in unstable equilibrium and at its maximum height above the ground) then they traverse this position and abut the stops provided in frame 11. The distance between centres of links 18 and their angles of rotation are chosen so that: in the low position of frame 13, this rests on frame 11; in the high position of frame 13, this is level with the top of the fixed part; when moving from one position to another, the moving frame 13 does not come to a stop against the element forming the mattress support on the fixed part; for example slats 14.

The use of wooden slats as a mattress support, instead of, for example, wire or other mesh, is particularly advantageous due to the fact that the slats can be arranged in such away thatthey do not have any discontinuity in the gaps which separate one from the other, especially in the middle area where the upper frame 13 is inserted into the extension of the top of fixed part 1.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the bedsettee frame, open, fitted with a system of slats 14.

Such an arrangement, comprising slats which extend over the whole width of the frame, is conceivable when the said width is not too great; in practice a width of 1.40 m is hardly ever exceeded with a single slat.

For greater widths, and also for reasons of comfort in double beds, it is preferable to have a double slat system, as shown in Figure 7.

In this case the ends of the slats at the centre of the bed rest on additional longitudinal supports 20 and 21, the adjacent ends of which, in the open position of the bed-settee, must be supported in relation to the floor.

Figures 8 and 10 show a device intended to support the additional frame 20 and 21. Thus the metal cross-piece 15 on the fixed part 1 has a horizontal seat 24 in the middle, which can be supported from the ground by means of a fifth leg (not shown). In the open position the inner cross-member 23 of the frame 11 comes to a stop against bar 15, and is therefore perpendicularto seat 24. As soon as weight is put on the corresponding end of the middle frame piece 21, which is supported by cross-member 23, the latter, due to a certain flexibility of the whole, comes into contact with seat 24, by which it is supported.

To support the middle frame piece 20, integral with the fixed part, there is a prop 22 which also rests on seat 24.

As a variation, several seats may be provided on the cross-piece 15, for example, two spaced seats intended solely to support the cross-member 23, and a central seat intended to support the prop 22.

In order to allow the moving part 11, 14to engage in the fixed part 1, prop 22 is retractable, and can be placed alongside frame piece 20. Thus prop 22 can be made, for example, of two flat iron bars, each of which is pivot-mounted at one end on opposite side members of frame-piece 20, and the other ends are joined together with a brace, such as a third flat iron bar forming the horizontal bar of a U or an H and which, in the retracted position, comes up flat beneath frame-piece 20. The said frame-piece may have a groove 25 to house the brace.

Movement of the prop into the support position for the frame-piece 20 can be carried out automatically when the moving part 11 abuts the cross-piece 15, by means, for example, of a tension spring passing through a neutral position of maximum tension.

Figure 10 shows a variation in accordance with which the fixed part 1 itself has at the head-board end, a moving part 27, pivot-mounted on it, which can be raised and maintained in the raised position by a scissor-stay 26.

Another variation of a frame intended to support a double slatting system (such as the one shown in Figure 7) is shown in Figure 12. Such a frame, shown in a position where the moving part 11, 13 is half withdrawn from its housing in the fixed frame part 1, is made up simply by juxtaposing two half-frames, which are symmetrical with one another in relation to the longitudinal mid-plane of the bed-settee, and half its width, each of these half-frames being similar in principle to the one shown in Figures 3 to 6.

The frame in Figure 12 is distinguished by the fact that the middle frame member is carried by a second frame member 28 placed on edge on the ground, by means of two legs, and having a batten 31 on each face. Each of these battens, joined with the batten 16 on the corresponding outside frame member 1', acts as a slide and support for the moving part of the frame.

This moving part, still formed by a lower frame 11 and an upper frame 13 which rests on the former, differs from the moving part in Figures 3 to 6 in that each of the frames is itself made up of two frames side by side, the width of which is more or less half the total width of the bed-settee. Thus each of the two frames of the lower moving part 11 engages in each of the halves of the fixed part 1 separated by frame piece 28, and the two upper frames 13 are positioned on each of the corresponding two lower frames, being connected to them by links 18. For proper stability of the assembly, therefore, at least four pairs of links 18 are required. Finally, for comfortable handling of the moving part, it is advantageous for the two lower frames of the moving part 11 on the one hand, and the two upper frames of the moving part 13 on the other hand, to be joined together.This is achieved simply by ensuring that the outside cross-piece of parts 11 and 13 are common to the two lower moving frames and to the two upper moving frames, respectively, as shown in Figure 12. In other words, the moving part of the bedsettee is made up of two drawers side by side, connected by a common front face, but separated by the middle frame member 28. It should be noted that the frame member 28 must be shorter than the two outside frame members, or must have a clearance at the upper front part, to leave room for the two outside cross-pieces of the two pairs of frames 11 and 13 of the moving part when this is fully engaged in the fixed part. The metal bar 15 may be continuous, occupying the entire width of the fixed part, or else it may be made up of two halves, separated by the frame member 28.

The method of operating the bed-settee in accordance with the invention, whatever the slatting system, is as follows: to change from the settee position to the bed position, begin by removing the cover 7 and the cushions 5 and 6. Pull the moving part 11, 13 right out from its housing, then make the frame (or frames) 13 level with the fixed part by pulling the outside cross-piece to make the links 18 rotate beyond their upper neutral position. Finally, rotate the mattress 3 about its seam 12, placing it in the mattress extension 2. The bed can then be made up with the cushions 5 and/or 6 and the cover 7, as required.

To revert to the "settee" position, the operations described in the immediately-preceding paragraph are carried out in reverse order.

Claims

1. Aconvertibie bed-settee having a bed portion perpendicular with the back of the settee and comprising a fixed portion, a movable drawer portion engaging said fixed portion and being adapted to be withdrawn from said engagement and to be made coplanar with the fixed portion to provide a horizontal bed-surface, in which the movable drawer portion comprises two frames connected together by one or more pivotable links, the action of which permits the movable portion to be made coplanar with the fixed portion, the pivot action of said links traversing from a lower position, through an upper neutral point, to a higher position in the direction of extension of the bed-surface.

2. A bed-settee according to Claim 1, in which the travel of links is limited, in the lower position, by one of the frames resting on the other and, in the higher position, by one or more stops provided on the said frames.

3. A bed-settee according to Claim 1 or 2, having a mattress comprising two identical portions, each portion being contained in a loose cover and the loose covers being joined by a seam acting as a hinge between said portions.

4. A bed-settee according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, having a cover removably attached thereto.

5. A bed-settee according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the bed-surface comprises a plurality of slats carried on the said fixed and movable portions.

6. A bed-settee according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the slats extend over the entire width of the bed-surface.

7. A bed-settee according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the bed-surface comprises two sets of slats, each set extending over half the width of the bed-surface.

8. A bed-settee according to Claim 7, in which the slats rest on two additional frame members, one fixed and one movable.

9. A bed-settee according to Claim 8, in which the fixed frame member is supported at one end by the frame of the fixed portion of the bed-surface, and at the other end by a retractable prop.

10. A bed-settee according to Claim 8, in which the moving frame member 21 is supported at one end by an external cross-piece on the movable member and at the other end by an internal crosspiece on the movable member, said cross-piece resting against a seat member.

11. A bed-settee according to Claim 8, in which each frame member comprises two half-frames, the half-frames being placed symmetrically about the longitudinal mid-plane of the bed-surface, the fixed portion of the bed-surface being divided into two halves by a frame member which is supported on the ground, and the movable portion of the bedsurface being made up of two lower frame members, which engage by sliding into the two halves of the fixed portion and on which two upper frames are positioned, said upper frames being connected to the lower frames by a system of links.

12. A bed-settee according to Claim 11, in which the two lower movable frame members are connected to each other by means of a common external cross-piece.

13. A bed-settee according to Claim 11 or 12, in which the two upper movable frame members are connected to each other by means of a common external cross-piece.

14. A convertible bed-settee, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.