Patent Publication Number: US-4058861-A

Title: Cabinet

Description:
This invention relates to a cabinet having a door hinged at the bottom and an inside part, such as a bed or bath, that can be lowered against the force of springs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cabinet according to the invention differs from those of the type known heretofore in that provision is made of a plurality of springs joined to the inside part at one end and a fixed part of the cabinet at the other, and so constructed and arranged as to be placed under tension in stages as the inside part is lowered. Some of the springs are tensioned only when the inside part is swung out so far that the action of the springs already under tension is no longer sufficient to hold the inside part in equilibrium. 
     The invention has the advantage that the inside part retains its position in any degree of inclination, and can be lowered out of the cabinet into the position for use or raised back into the cabinet when no longer needed with a minimum of physical effort. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawing shows by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section through part of a cabinet accommodating a bed; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section through part of a cabinet bed with the bed hinged out into the position for use; 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section of part of one side of the bed taken on the line III--III of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale; and 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V--V of FIG. 4. 
    
    
     SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION 
     In said drawing the cabinet has a bottom 1 a back 2 and a side 3. The inside of each side wall of the cabinet has fixed thereto a substantially U-shaped support 4 (only one shown) which is open at the top. In each support 4 a horizontal hinge pin 6 is carried, secured against turning by its square ends 5. The hinge pin 6 shown acts as one of the two pivots for the bed and passes through the longitudinal frame member 7 of the bed in a bearing bush 8. This bearing bush 8 is fixed to a housing 9 which is screwed to the inside of the adjacent longitudinal frame member 7 of the bed. Fixed on the inner end of the hinge pin 6 is a segment 10 having one end of a roller draw chain 11 fastened to an end of its curved edge so that the length 11&#34; of the chain can be unrolled or taken up. The chain 11 runs over a return pulley 12 to a holder 13 having the other end of the chain fastened thereto. Return pulley 12 turns on a journal 14 arranged inside the housing 9 within the bed frame 7. Springs 15 are fastened at one end to holder 13, while at the other end they engage -- via a connecting piece 16 -- a threaded spindle 17. The latter threadedly receives a nut 18 in the form of a hand grip 18, braced against the abutment 9&#39; of housing 9. Further (second) springs 19 are likewise attached to the connecting piece 16 at one end, but their other ends are fastened to links 20 each having a slot 21 in which the pins 22 of the holder 13 fit with clearance. 
     The square end 5 of the hinge pin 6 has a screw 23 (FIG. 5) passsing vertically therethrough, its threaded shank resting on the web of support 4. FIG. 3 shows part of a longitudinal bed frame member 7 with the bed swivelling and supporting mechanism fixed thereto. The bed frame member opposite longitudinal member 7 is fitted with a similar swivelling and supporting mechanism, though in mirror-image layout. This is not shown in the drawing. By turning the screws 23 the hinge pins 6 can be adjusted into a common horizontal plane. To keep the bed in the horizontal position after lowering it, at the front end of the bed (not shown) there is a support extending down to the floor and hinging away into the bed when this is raised. The front and underside of the bed are enclosed in familiar fashion, so that they are flush with the rest of the cabinet when the bed is raised. 
     By turning the hand grip 18 the springs 15 can be adjusted so as to exert a small pressure on the raised bed, retaining same in the raised position. In this state the roller chain forms a straight line between its attachment point on segment 10 and return pulley 12. When the bed is swung out, the chain is progressively taken up onto segment 10, with the result that the chain length 11 between return pulley 12 and fixing point on segment 10 becomes longer, while at the same time the chain center 11&#39; becomes shorter, so that the first springs 15 are subject to additional tension. The second springs 19 are not tensioned at first, because the pins 22 are able to move in the slots 21 of the links 20 for a time. Only when the bed has been tilted so far that the pins 22 come up against the ends of the slots 21 will the springs 19 be subject to tension also. The springs are thus tensioned in stages: two stages in the example described. It is of course possible however to make the springs come into action in more than two stages, if necessary.