US2976546A - Bed rack - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1961 R. OWENS BED RACK Filed Jan. 16, 1959 INVENTOR LOU/8E R. OWENS ATTORNEY BED RACK Louise R. Owens, 5451 Newton St, Hyattsville, Md.

Filed Jan. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 787,219

1 Claim. (Cl. -318) This invention relates to a novel rack for attachment to the foot of a bed.

Most modern beds consist of a box spring supported by legs with a mattress thereover, and lack footboards, others have low footboards. Such beds provide no means or space for holding articles the occupant might require such as a bed spread when not in use, extra blankets, clothing, or personal small articles.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive and unobtrusive rack which may be readily attached to the foot of a bed or removed therefrom. A further feature of the invention is that it may be folded or collapsed against the foot of the bed when not in use, and will offer no obstruction, nevertheless remaining in place for ready use. Additionally, the device is so constructed that, when folding it, there is no need to force any part of it into the internal parts of the bed, for example, between the mattress and the spring. Hence no effort is required to place it in folded or collapsed condition, or to render it operational, and no damage results to the bed, bed sheets or blankets, due to its attachment or use. Furthermore, the device is so designed that it does not interfere in any way with the functioning of the bed springs or offer interference to the making or changing of the bed.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bed rack;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the invention applied to the foot of a bed and in operative or extended condition;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the invention in folded or inoperative condition; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention.

In these figures, the invention is seen to consist of a main supporting frame or bar member 10, shaped with an upstanding straight portion 11. The ends of member are each bent downwardly to form the portions 12 and 13, then inwardly to form the end portions 14 and 15, the latter thus being parallel to each other.

Member 10 may be formed in one piece, preferably from light metal such as aluminum. As illustrated, in order to allow for adjustment to beds of various widths, the portion 11 of member 10 may be interrupted to carry a cylindrical adjustment sleeve 16 aflixed to one segment of portion 11 by a locking screw and to the other segment by an adjusting set screw 17. The segments of portion 11 of the member 10 may thus be spaced apart varying distances by telescopic movement thereof with in sleeve 16, thereby adjusting the spacing of end portions 14 and to the width of a particular bed.

A flexible webbing, generally indicated at '20, in the case of Figs. l-3 is shown to be formed of fabric tape about two inches in width. The web shown is composed of a longitudinal or base strap 21 extending the length of the rack (and hence the width of a bed to which the rack is attached). The ends of strap 21 are formed with loops such as loop 22 enclosing the end portions.

14 and 15 of member 10 with a slidable fit, so that strap 21 can he slid along member 10 to occupy the tates atent i ice I position shown in Fig. 3, as will be further explained.

A plurality of spaced cross straps 23 are formed with looped ends carried by portion 11 of member 10 and are stitched at their other ends to the base strap 21. Cross straps 23 are draped to depend loosely from portion 11, as seen in Fig. 1.

In order to provide for adjustability to various widths of beds, strap 21 may be formed of elastic fabric or may be inelastic for most of its length, and be interrupted by an elastic segment 24, Fig. l.

The means for attaching the above-described assembly to the base or box spring of a bed consists preferably of two clamping members, generally indicated at 30 and 31. These each consist of a U-shaped metallic part formed of light, fiat, semi-resilient metal strip having welded to it an extension arm, roughly L-shaped and indicated at 32 and 33. In other words, clamps 30 and 31 in profile have the U-shape, but with two spaced upper arms and one lower arm. Clamps 30-31 are adjustable in the sense that their arms may be bent out of parallel, as shown, to conform to various thicknesses of bed base or box springs.

At the points where each upper arm of the members 30-31 are bent inwardly, are affixed metallic ring guides or eyes 35 of a diameter suflicient to receive the ends 14-15 of member 10. Guides 35 thus act as tracks in which are slidably supported the ends 14-15.

In assembled condition on a bed, the clamps 30-31, being of complementary shape, are placed on the sides of the box spring adjacent the bed foot, in each case the arm 32 and 33 extending at an angle toward the foot. In Fig. 2, the left foot of a bed having a base or box spring 46 and mattress 41 is shown with the device of the invention in operative position with clamp 30 in the position described. Member 10 has been partly withdrawn from the bed, ends 14-15 thereof being partly retracted through guides 35. It will thus be appreciated that the rack in this condition is prepared to receive extra blankets, articles of clothing, etc., and that the clamps 30, providing good purchase on the base 40, also offer a four-point slidable mounting consisting of the four guides 35, so that the member 10 is firmly but slidably attached to the bed.

In Fig. 3, the rack of the invention is shown in outof-use position, member 10 having been pushed toward the bed to the extent of its movement. Prior to this movement, loops 22 and hence base strap 21 may be relocated on portions 12-13 of member 10, so that even the strap 21 of web 20 will not interfere with the movement of member 10 into close abutment with mattress -41. This condition is also shown in Fig. 3.

In the device described, it is desirable to provide detachable means to prevent accidental withdrawal of bar member 10 from the guides 35 of clamps 30-31. These may consist of the caps 45 attached to the tips of end portions 14-15 of member 10. Caps 45 may be formed simply of hollow rubber nipples having a frictional grip, and be of sufiicient larger diameter than the holes in guides 35. Accordingly, if it is desired to remove the device of the invention from the bed either partially or entirely, removal of caps 45 permits removal of member 10 and its associated webbing. Member 10 may then be stored elsewhere while the clamps 30-31 remain on the base 40. Or, straps lid-31 may in turn be simply removed from base 40 of the bed.

In the modified form of the invention shown inFig. 4, all parts are the same as above described except'that in place of the webbing 20, consisting of straps 21 and 23, there is provided a webbing of much finer mesh, sufiicient not only to contain large articles such as clothing or blankets, but also smaller articles such as watches, wallets or toilet articles.

In the Fig. 4 modification, a web or net 50, having marginal loops 51, is threaded on the bar member 10. Web 50 may be of such material, and woven or braided in such manner, that sufiicient elasticity is present to allow for adjustment of the length of member 10 by means of the sleeve 16, as above described. Likewise, loops 5 1 are made sufi'iciently loose to permit the web 59 to be transferred to the portions 12-13 of member 10, when it is desired to place the device in out-of-use condition, as described for Fig. 3. Thus web 56 can be put in a condition similar to web 2! avoiding interference with the folding of member 10 flat against the mattress 41.

The foregoing description, by way of illustration, relates to applying the invention to a bed having no footboard. The invention is equally applicable to any bed having a low or narrow footboard which does not protrude laterally beyond the sides of the box spring. To apply the invention to a bed where the footboard exceeds the width of the box spring, as in the case of a four-poster type bed, the box spring is lifted from its surrounding frame and the clamping members applied as above described. Then two small holes-may be drilled in the footboard in alignment with the ring guides, The ends of the frame member may then be passed through these holes into engagement with the ring guides. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention has more usefulness where no footboard is present.

What is claimed is: s

A bed rack applicable to the foot of a bed of the kind which includes a box spring and a superposed mattress, the rack consisting of a pair of clamping members proportioned to fit over and frictionally engage the sides of the box spring adjacent the foot thereof, each of said clamping members carrying spaced track means at the points where said members pass over the top of said box spring, a frame member consisting of a rod having a pair of ends bent into spaced parallel relationship and a central upstanding portion approximately the Width of the said mattress, said rod ends being slidably carried by said track means, means carried by said rod ends to deter removal from said track means, and a flexible web having marginal loops carried by said frame member, said loops and said web being transferable to said upstanding portion of said frame member when the latter is moved into out-of-use position against said mattress.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 198,301 Jensen Dec. 18, 1877 1,036,653 Leek Aug. 27, 1912 1,359,430 Richards Nov. 16, 1920 1,563,428 Melton Dec. 1, 1925

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