Bedstead for single beds, which can be assembled pairwise, adjacent to one another, into a double bed

A bedstead for single beds, which can be assembled pairwise, adjacent to one another, into a double bed, particularly hotel beds, with a peripheral bed frame, which surrounds the region for accommodating at least one mattress and encircles the mattress in a lower part, is configured in such a way that the bed frame consists of least one narrow-walled metal plate which, at least at the longitudinal sides of the bedstead, is set so far to the inside with respect to the outline of the mattress(es), that its external surfaces do not protrude beyond the outline of the mattress, in order to make it possible that the mattress is held securely and stably on the bedstead and that the transition between the two mattresses is almost gapless in the assembled position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a bedstead for single beds, which can be assembled 
pairwise, adjacent to one another, into a double bed. 
In the hotel trade, it is desirable to fit out rooms with two beds, which 
stand next to one another and thus form a double bed or stand apart and 
form two single beds, in order to obtain a high occupancy rate for the 
room. The problem here is to bring the two beds into the position of a 
double bed, in which they are next to one another, so close to one 
another, that the two mattresses go over into one another almost without a 
gap. In this connection, it is known that a bed frame may be omitted, so 
that the mattress lies loosely on the lath grid. However, it is a 
disadvantage here that the mattress "wanders" on the bedstead. 
Furthermore, single beds with wooden frames for surrounding mattresses at 
the sides are known, which stand next to one another as a double bed and 
leave a space between the mattresses. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to create a bedstead, which enables the 
mattress to be held securely and stably on the bedstead as well as the 
transition between the two mattresses to be almost without a gap, when the 
two beds are placed next to one another. 
According to the invention, a narrow-walled metal plate is used for the bed 
frame which, at least at the longitudinal side of the bedstead, is set so 
far towards the inside with respect to the outline of the mattress that 
its outer surfaces do not protrude beyond the outline of the mattress. In 
this way, the mattress is fixed securely by simple means in the bedstead, 
since it is held with accurate fit by the metal plate. Since the metal 
plate has a narrow wall and its outer surfaces do not protrude beyond the 
outline of the mattress, the outer sides of the mattress come together 
when the two beds are moved together into a double bed, so that a 
continuous lying surface results on the upper side. 
Further details and advantages of the invention arise out of the following 
description and the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The bedstead, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, comprises a bed frame 1, 
which consists of two narrow-walled metal plates 2, which are bent over at 
the corners and, together, form two side frame parts 3, a foot frame part 
4 and a head frame part 5. By bending, sharp edges are avoided in the 
corner regions, which could represent a source of danger, particularly 
when the beds are shifted. The metal plates 2 consist preferably of 
aluminum, since by these means a bedstead of low weight can be attained. 
Moreover, they have a reinforcing corrugation or the like, in order to 
attain the necessary strength. The frame parts 3, 4, 5 border an 
accommodating region 6 for accommodating a mattress 7 shown in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 2 shows that the frame 1 encloses approximately one-third the height 
of the mattress, so that its lower region is clamped between the metal 
plates 2 and its upper region protrudes above the width of the metal 
plates 2. When these two beds are placed together to form a double bed, 
the mattresses are in contact and a gapless transition region is created. 
As is evident from FIG. 4, the bedstead comprises two transverse bars 8, to 
which the metal plates 2 can be fixed detachably. By these means, a 
central structural element is created, at which the remaining elements of 
the bedstead are held. To the underside of each of the transverse bars 8, 
two setting-up feet 9 are bolted or similarly mounted in order to keep the 
mattress 7 at some distance from the floor. Furthermore, the setting-up 
feet 9 are provided at their underside with rollers 10, which facilitate 
shifting the bedstead. 
For shifting the bedstead, the transverse bars 8 are connected with a 
shifting mechanism 11, which enables the two beds to be moved together or 
moved apart quickly. Particularly in the hotel trade, it is important to 
have a mechanism available, which enables the two beds to be put together 
or moved apart within a short time, because this has to be done by a 
chambermaid so that, for economic reasons, the time and effort involved 
for this should be a minimum. Furthermore, any traces on the carpet due to 
shifting the beds should be minimized. A representation of the different 
positions while moving apart or putting together the two beds by means of 
the shifting mechanism 11 is illustrated in FIG. 3. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the shifting mechanism 11 consists of a base 12, which 
is fixed to the floor, and a support 13 which, on the one hand, is mounted 
vertically movably relative to the base 12 from a setting-up position into 
a shifting position of the bed and, on the other, is connected 
horizontally movably with the transverse bar 8. By shifting the height of 
the bed, the force expended for shifting the bedstead is decreased 
appreciably. The change in height of the support 13 is made possible by 
means of an eccentric disk 14, which is shown in FIG. 6 and presses 
against the underside of the support 13 and, as it rotates, shifts the 
support 13 vertically. The eccentric disk 14 is mounted in the base 12. As 
shown in greater detail in FIG. 5, the base 12 consists of two half shells 
15, which are bolted together. On the inside, they form the boundary of an 
accommodating space 16, which serves for mounting the eccentric disk 14 as 
well as for vertically guiding the support 13. 
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the eccentric disk 14 is caused to rotate by 
means of a driving mechanism 17, which consists of a smaller 19 and a 
larger 20 gear wheel, which mesh with one another, the smaller gear wheel 
19 driving the larger one 20, which in turn drives the eccentric disk 14. 
As is evident from FIGS. 10 and 11, the small gear wheels 19 of the two 
shifting mechanisms 11 of the two transverse bars 8 are connected together 
by a shaft 21, so that the motion of the two shifting mechanisms 11 is 
coupled. FIG. 12 shows that a crank handle 22, with which the two small 
gear wheels 19 can be driven mechanically, can be slipped onto the shaft 
21. It is, however, also conceivable to drive the two small gear wheels 19 
electrically. 
Furthermore, FIGS. 7 and 8 show that the support 13 is provided with a 
continuous inserted guiding slide pin 23, which at either end engages a 
vertically aligned elongated hole 24 in the half shells 15 of the base 12. 
In order to prevent wear of the elongated holes 24 in the half shell 15 
and to improve the guidance of the guiding slide pin 23, the edges of the 
elongated holes 24 are reinforced with guiding flanges 24a, which are 
pressed into the elongated holes 24. At each end, the support 13 can take 
up a roller 25 for connection to the transverse bar 8. As is evident from 
FIG. 9, the transverse bar 8 is constructed at a longitudinal side as a 
sliding rail 26, so that the rollers 25 of the support 13 can take up the 
sliding rail 26. In order to ensure secure guidance of the rollers 25 of 
the support 13 on the sliding rail 26, a securing element 27, which 
overlaps the sliding rail 26 of the transverse bar 8, is provided in each 
case at the support 13. 
In order to change the bedstead from the double bed position, shown in FIG. 
3, into single bed positions, the small gear wheels 19 are first of all 
turned by means of the crank handle 22 and, in turn, cause the eccentric 
disk 14 to be rotated through the action of the large gear wheels 20. The 
eccentric disk 14 presses against the underside of the support 13 and 
shifts this vertically in the upwards direction. By means of its guiding 
slide pin 23, which slides in the elongated holes 24, the support 13 is 
guided securely in the accommodating space 16 of the base 12. As a result 
of the upwards motion of the support 13, the bedstead is brought into an 
inclined position. The bedstead is now raised at the side opposite the 
support 13 and brought into a suspended position and the transverse bars 8 
are shifted in a sliding manner over the support 13. After a desired 
distance from the other bed has been attained, the bed is placed on the 
floor once again on the other side. The support 13 is then moved downwards 
once again by means of the driving mechanism 17, so that all four 
setting-up feet 9 of the two transverse bars 8 once again have contact 
with the floor. The rollers 10 of the setting-up feet 9 enable the bed to 
be set up on the floor softly and in a sliding manner, so that any traces 
of abrasion on the carpet are minimized. The ends of the transverse bars 8 
are each provided with a stop 28 for the support 13 in the form of a 
one-piece downwards projecting lug, which is connected with the transverse 
bar 8, so that a defined end position is specified. Overall, only a slight 
force need be employed to shift the bedstead by means of this shifting 
mechanism 11, so that particularly a chambermaid can shift the beds 
independently. 
As shown in FIG. 13, the metal plates 2, for bordering the region 6 for 
accommodating the mattress 7, are fastened to the transverse bars 8. In 
order to make a linear configuration of the outside of the frame 1 
possible, the transverse bars 8 have recesses 29, while both side frame 
parts 3 are provided with inwardly protruding tabs 30, which can be hung 
in the recesses 29 of the transverse bars 8. The tabs 30 can be bolted to 
the inside of the transverse bars 8, so that a firm connection to the 
transverse bars 8 is ensured. By means of this type of fastening, no 
outwardly protruding screw or bolt parts or the like are visible, which is 
particularly important when the frame 1 is lined with a material. 
In FIG. 14, the frame 1 is covered with material 31. For this purpose, the 
lower edge of the frame parts 3, 4, 5 is in each case provided on the 
inside with hooks and loops tape 32 such as VELCRO (Trademark). Moreover, 
a felt or nonwoven material 33 can be glued to the frame parts 3, 4, 5 
before a material 34 is fixed to the frame, so that an underlining is 
provided. The material 34 of the covering 31 is cut in such a manner, that 
it encloses and is tucked around the frame parts 3, 4, 5. At its lower 
edge, the material 34 likewise has a peripheral tape 35, which is 
connected with the Velcro tape 32 at the frame parts 3, 4, 5. 
After the tapes 32, 35 are fastened, the material 34 is wrapped around the 
frame 1 and hooked into profiled legs 36 extending along the frame parts 
3, 4, 5. For this purpose, a fastening welt 37, which endows the material 
34 with sufficient final strength, is sewn to the upper edge of the 
material 34. The profiled leg 36 is provided with a recess 38 in such a 
manner that it can accommodate the welt 37. Furthermore, the profiled leg 
36 has a further recess 39, which is constructed complementarily to the 
locking catches 40 at the transverse bars 8 and the frame parts 3, 4, 5 
and is intended to hold the profiled leg 36 at the transverse bar 8 and 
the frame parts 3, 4, 5. In order to prevent the profiled leg 36 slipping 
to one side, it is furthermore fastened with a stopper 41 at the 
transverse bar 8. As is evident from FIG. 16, the transverse bar 8 has 
several boreholes 42, which are at different distances from the edge of 
the transverse bar. Since the distance of the profiled leg 36 from the 
side frame part 3 varies depending on the thickness of the material 34 
selected, the optimum holding position can thus be fixed in each case. 
These different distances of the profiled leg 36 from the side frame part 
3 are shown in FIG. 15. 
In order to cover the whole of the frame 1 with material 31, provisions are 
made to start at one corner of the frame 1, for example, in the region of 
the head frame part 5 and then to wrap the sheet-shaped material 34 around 
the frame 1 and fix it by means of the interlocking tapes 32, 35, until 
the second corner of the head frame 5 is reached. The material 34 is then 
wrapped around the frame 1 and the profiled legs 36 are placed on the welt 
37 of the material sheet 34. The profiled legs 36 of the side frames 3 are 
fixed by means of the aforementioned stopper 34. For fastening the 
profiled leg 36 in the foot or head regions respectively, in each case a 
U-shaped clamping wire 43 is provided, which presses the profiled leg 36 
against the foot frame part 4 or the head frame part 5. FIG. 17 shows that 
the clamping wire 43 is fastened, in turn, to the transverse bar 8. 
Overall, the material 34 can be connected to the metal plates 2 reliably 
and simply by these means. 
Provisions can be made to cover the bed frame 1, including the head frame 
part 5, with material 31. It is, however, also conceivable not to cover 
the frame 1 in the region of the head frame part 5 with material, since 
the latter normally stands against the wall and, instead, to provide a 
separate head part (not shown here) with, for example, an ornamental 
design. This head part can be suspended in corresponding recesses in the 
head frame part 5 of the bedstead. Aside from the material covering 
described, it is also conceivable to distinguish the metal plates 2, which 
are made from aluminum, by means of a special design, so that it is 
possible to do without the material covering. 
In order to make it possible to lock the two beds in the double bed 
position, locking means 44 are provided at each end of the transverse bar 
8. Advantageously, these locking means 44 consist of a locking profile 45, 
which the downwardly directed locking pin 46 can engage. The locking 
profile 45 is mounted on the stationary bed, while the locking pin 46 is 
connected to the movable bed. The locking profile 45 is constructed in 
such a manner, that it makes possible different locking end positions, 
which depend on the thickness of the material 31 selected for the 
covering. As the height of the bed is being moved by the support 13, the 
locking pin 46 is easily pulled out of the locking profile 45, so that the 
lock is released. Moreover, the height, at which the locking means 44 are 
mounted, can be varied in order to be able to use variously designed metal 
plates 2. As the beds are being pushed apart into the single bed position, 
the locking profile 45 can be swiveled out of sight to the rear. 
Overall, a bedstead is thus created, for which the mattress is held 
securely and, at the same time, when the two single beds are assembled 
into a double bed, there is a gapless transition between the two 
mattresses. Furthermore, the shifting mechanism makes it possible to move 
the two beds together or apart rapidly and with little effort, which is of 
great importance particularly in the hotel area, since the occupancy rate 
of a hotel room can be increased considerably by being able to use a room 
as a double bed room and as a room, which has two single beds. By 
selecting different materials to cover the metal plates, the bedstead can 
be adapted, for example to the decoration of the rest of the room.