US2899691A - Dual sofa-bed assembly - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1 8, 1959 H. DAVIS AL DUAL SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY 2 'sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 19,58

All@ 18, 1959 H. DAVIS vrl. 2,899,691

` DUAL SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 8, 1958V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .846- 3g 58 v INVENToRs HYMAN DA V/s,

JA J. HARTMAN ATTaR/l/EY United States Patent C) DUAL SOFA-BED ASSEMBLY Hyman Davis and Jacob J. Hartman, Denver, Colo., as-

signors to Paramount Products, Inc., Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Application September 8, 1958, Serial No. 759,679

Claims. (Cl. 5 2) This invention relates to dual couch structures and, more particularly, to a furniture assembly of a type which includes two sofa-bed units and a corner table operatively interconnected with one another for movement between an open position fin substantially perpendicular relation to one another and a closed position in sideby-side parallel relation.

In recent years a need has arisen for compact, multipurpose furniture assemblies to be used in small homes, efficiency apartments, hotels and motels. Space is at a premium in living quarters of this type and the furniture used therein must, therefore, be extremely functional. Beds and sofas are, of course, two of the largest units of ordinary household furniture and their assembly into a combination piece effects a considerable saving in floor space.

Combination bed and sofa units have been in common use for some time and have been widely accepted by the public; however, they have certain disadvantages which limit their usefulness in living quar-ters of the type already mentioned. First of all, they are usually quite large and bulky-looking so that they often give an unbalanced appearance to a small room. Secondly, they include no storage space for bed clothing and the like. Also, their overall length is frequently so great that an unobstructed wall space against which they can be placed is not available.

Further attempts to solve this problem have taken the form of dual sofa-bed assemblies associated with a corner of a room. Wall-mounted storage cabinets having hinged holsters as closures therefor are also sometimes used. In open position the two couch units lie along adjoining walls of a room with the table in the corner therebetween. For nighttime use, the couches are pivoted into side-by-side parallel relation at about a 45 angle to the adjoining room walls. Unfortunately, however, even these compact assemblies include one or more undesirable features which limit their utility. In some assemblies both couches extend full length from the corner table along their respective walls thus using up more wall area than even the sofa-bed combination units. In others, this problem is partially overcome by moving the head of one couch into the corner of the room underneath the table; however, only one couch is thus movable necessitating separate right and left-hand assemblies.

Perhaps the most serious difficulty is in the design of the track or other assembly that enables the couch or sofa units to be moved between their several positions. Nearly all of the prior art assemblies of this type require that at least the corner table be bolted or otherwise fastened to the oor. Obviously, many property owners are very reluctant to damage their floors inthis manner and the housewives or maids find them extremely difficult to clean under. In addition, the frames are usually heavy, complex and quite expensive to manufacture. Finally, it has been found that move- Patented Aug. 18, 1959 ment of the prior art sofa units is a laborious and timeconsuming task which is hard for a woman to perform.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved dual sofabed and corner table assembly.

A second object is the provision of a dual-couch and table combination wherein the head of either couch is movable into position underneath the table.

A third object of the invention is to provide a corner furniture assembly that does not have to be fastened to the floor.

Another objective is to provide a dual sofa-bed assembly that includes a pair of novel pivoted frame structures which are considerably simplified over the prior art construction for this purpose.

Still another object of the furniture assembly of the type described herein is the provision of a novel and improved rail and roller arrangement that facilitates shifting the sofa units between their several positions.

An additional object of the invention 4is to provide a dual-couch assembly that requires little wall space and fits easily into a small room without dominating its decor. Further objects are to provide a dual sofa bed and `corner table combination which is easy to operate, relatively lightweight, compact, versatile, sturdy, inexpensive and decorative in appearance.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawing that follows, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the dual sofa-bed and corner table assembly of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along the top of the dual couch or sofa units, portions of one couch having been broken away to expose the guide rails and associated pivot frame;

Figure 3 is a top plan view to a reduced scale showing somewhat diagrammatically the dual couch units closed into side-by-side parallel relation;

Figure 4 is a transverse section to an enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4, portions thereof having been broken away to conserve space; and,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section showing the manner 'in which the rollers are mounted for rotation in the pivot frames.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to Figure 1 thereof, it will be seen that the dual sofa-bed and corner table assembly of the present invention includes a pair of identical `overstuffed couch units 1t) and 12 operatively associated for pivotal movement with the pivot leg 14 of a corner table unit 16. A pair of wall cabinets 18 and 2t) have their inner ends attached to the adjoining sides 22 and 24, respectively, of table 16 and their outer ends suppolted on cabinet legs 26 and 28 shown in Figure 2. O'verstuffed holsters 30 and 32 are hingedly attached to the open front of cabinets 18 and 20 to provide a convenient storage compartment for bed clothing and the like. These cabinets and bolsters are arranged to overlie the couch units along the edges thereof positioned against the walls when the alssembly is in open or spread position thereby providing back rests that are preferably inclined rearwardly as shown.

Each couch unit has an overstuffed seat cushion 34 that performs the combined function of a mattress when the assembly is arrnaged as shown in Figure 3. The side and end panels of the couches are preferably fabriccovered, the adjacent sides having been identified by numeral 36, the foot ends by numeral 38, the head ends by 40, and the opposite sides by `42, Vthe latter being shown in Figures 2 and 3. The side panels 22 and 24 of the table 16 extend only part way down from table top 44 to seat cushions 34, the couch units having no headboards attached thereto.

:In Figure 2 it can be seen `that the corner table 16, in addition to pivot leg 14, includes a corner leg 46 and side legs 4S to be positioned against adjacent walls forming the corner of a room. A pair of generally rectangular frame structures S and 52 supported upon casters 54vk are pivotally connected to leg 14 of the table by arms 56 for swinging movement along the floor between the open position of Figures 1 and 2 and the closed position of Figure 3. The side elements 58 of the frames 50 each 'contain spaced side rollers 6@ and spaced top rollers 62. Spaced parallel side panels 36 and 42 of the couch units 1t) and 12 roll along side rollers 60; whereas, spaced parallel side rails 64 on the underside of the bedframe 66 roll along top rollers 62. Stops 68 project outwardly from pivoted frames 54) and 52 in position to engage side legs48 of the table 16 when the couch units are located in the open position of Figure 2.

When in open or spread position, the couch units lie against the adjacent wall surfaces of a room corner and occupy a substantially perpendicular relation to one another. When in perpendicular relation either couch or l2 may be rolled on frame 50 into position underneath table '16 which is the position shown occupied in Figure 2 'by couch 12. With couch 12 thus retracted, the frame 52 upon which it rides moves toward the center thereof which is the dotted line position in Figure 2; whereas, with the couch extended, the frame 50 upon which it is supported underlies its head end as indicated in full lines beneath couch 1G. Obviously, the positions of couches 10 and 12 relative to table 16 may be interchanged. The bedframes 66 include a transverse element 70 across the foot end which receives casters 72 to support said end. Also, spring stops 74 are located on the outboard corners of `the couch units to maintain them in the closed parallel relation of Figure 3.

With reference to Figure 3 it will be apparent that the couch units 1G and 12 are movable into the side-byside parallel relation shown therein only from the extended position of couch 10 in Figures l and 2. The couches are merely rolled together on casters 54 and 72 as the frames 5t) pivot about table leg 14. Once in closed position, spring stops 74 are set against the floor to maintain this relation.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, each couch unit includes a stop 76 positioned and adapted to engage frame 50 when said couch reaches its extended position. Figure 4 shows the details of the couch construction including the seat cushion spring 78. The framing and reinforcing elements of the couch tstructure are largely conventional except for the points already mentioned.

The pivot leg 14- includes a pin 80 on the lower end thereof passing through openings in the ends of arms 56 attached to the underside of frames 50. The rubbertipped cap or head 82 on the extremity of pin Si) is suicient to hold the table and couch units in fixed position without the necessity of bolting or otherwise fastening the table to the iloor. Rails 64 are preferably metal and have been illustrated in the form of angle irons. Casters 54 and 72 are of a well known type preferably having rubber wheels and ball bearing mounted spindles.

In Figure 6 it can be seen that the side elements 58 of frames 50 are provided with recesses 84 covered by a plate 86 having a'roller-receiving aperture therein and a pair of spaced inwardly extending lugs 88 between which the roller 62 is journalled on axle 90. A small portion of `the roller projects `above plate 86 in position to roll along the underside of rails 64 or the inside surfaces of side panels 36 and 42 of the couch units.

Having thus described the several usefulV and novel features of the dual sofa-bed and table assembly of the objects for which it was designed have been achieved. Although but a fsingle specific form of the dual sofa-bed and corner table assembly of the present invention has been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawing, we realize that certain changes and modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching found herein; hence, it is our intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations ar expressly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a dual couch assembly of a type designed for use in a corner of a room, an upright pivot member, a pair of caster-supported frames each having spaced substantially parallel side frame elements, means operatively interconnecting the rear inside corner of each frame with the pivot member for arcuate swinging movement between an open position wherein said frames yoccupy a substantiallyV perpendicular relation to one another and a closed position in which they .lie in side-by-side substantially parallel relation, at least one top roller mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis in the upper surface of each side frame element, at least one side roller mounted for rotation about a vertical axis in the outside surface of each side frame element, a pair of couch units each having ahead end and a foot end, a pair of spacedv substantially parallel side rails located on the underside thereof and positioned to roll along the top rollers of the swinging Yframes, a pair of spaced substantially parallel side panels extending downwardly beyond the side rails and positioned to roll along the outside of the side rollers of the swinging frames, and at least one caster supporting the foot end of each couch unit, the head ends thereof being supported for longitudinal rolling movement by the swinging frames so that the head end of either of said couch units may be moved into a retracted position behind the head end of the other from the open position and yboth of said couch units may be Vswung into closed position from their extended positions.

2. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the side frame elements include at least two side rollers arranged in longitudinally spaced relation.

Y 3. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which a stop element is located on the head end of each couch unit positioned to engage the associated swinging frame upon relative longitudinal movement therebetween, saidstop and frame cooperating to determine the extended position of said couch units.

4. The couch assembly as set forth in claim l in which fixed upright means are located to engage each swinging frame upon movement thereof from closed to open position, Ysaid upright means and frame cooperating to determine the open position thereof.

5. VThe couch assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which retractable floor-engaging stop means arelocated on the foot'end of each couch unit, said stop means when extended operating to maintain the couch unit associated therewith in xed position. Y, Y 6,.Y The couch assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the .uprightrpivot member and the fixed uprightV means comprise three legs of a corner table unit located between the couch units.

7. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which the side frame elements include at least two top rollers arranged in longitudinally spaced relation.

8. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which a stop element is located on the head end of each couch .unit positioned to engage the associated swinging frame upon relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said stop and frame cooperating to determine theextended position of said couch units.

9. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which xed upright means are located to engage each swinging frame upon movement thereof from closed to open position, said upright means and frame cooperating to determine the open position thereof.

10. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which a stop element is located on the head end of each couch unit positioned to engage the associated swinging frame upon relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said stop and frame cooperating to determine the extended position of said couch units.

11. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which at least a pair yof side and top rollers are arranged in longitudinally spaced relation on the side frame members.

12. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which the upright pivot member and fixed upright means comprise three legs of a corner table unit located between the couch units.

13. T he couch assembly as set forth in claim 8 in which xed upright means are located to engage each swinging frame upon movement thereof from closed to open position, said upright means and frame cooperating to determine the open position thereof.

14. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 13 in which the upright pivot member and xed upright means comprise three legs of a corner table unit located between the couch units.

15. The couch assembly as set forth in claim 13 in which retractable floor-engaging stop means are located on the foot end of each couch unit, said stop means when extended operating to maintain the couch unit associated therewith in fixed position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 181,844 Frey Jan. 7, 1958 1,402,432 Monger Jan. 3, 1922 1,413,593 K ruezkamp Apr. 25, 1922 1,689,737 Matheson Oct. 30, 1928 1,967,343 Wesley July 24, 1934 2,602,937 Frey July 15, 1952 2,691,174 Harrison Oct. 12, 1954 2,783,480 Shankman Mar. 5, 1957 2,806,228 Ziegenfuss Sept. 17, 1957

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