A NEW OR IMPROVED SOFA BED
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Ellery Parr, of 24, Trafalgar Road; Greenwich,
in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED SOFA
BED." A communication from abroad by Frank Laeremans, of San Francisco,
California, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Ellery Parr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1880.
RICHARD ELLERY PARR, of 24, Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, in the County of
Kent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SOFA BED." A communication from abroad by
Frank Laeremans, of San Francisco, California, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of furniture which combines a sofa or lounge
with a bed, and consists mainly in an improvement in such sofa beds by which, in
connection with an ordinary sofa frame, a movable back is employed, which acts
both as a back to the sofa, and as a bed by means of sliding bearings attached to
the ends of the back, or of stationary bearings attached to the inside rear ends of
the arms, and working in grooves on the inside of the arms of the sofa frame
extending from the rear ends to the centre of the arms, or in grooves made in the
ends of the back, extending from about the middle to the bottom, and allowing
the back when in its normal position to act as the back of the sofa, and when placed
in a horizontal position and slide along the centre of the arms to act as a bed bottom.
The object of my Invention is to provide a suitable article of furniture which
combines the uses of a bed with a sofa, and to make it useful for offices, sitting and
other rooms, which it is not customary to furnish with a bed.
The construction is as follows:-The seat frame set at the ordinary height
furnished with side arms, which extend backward a little beyond the vertical plane
of the seat. On the inside of the arms, and commencing at the rear ends, are
provided grooves extending to the middle of the arms, and the movable back board
is furnished at each end and at a point nearly midway with ball, roller, or swivel
bearings fitting loosely and working in the grooves, serving both as roller and
hinge.

page_text: When the back board is doing service as a sofa-back it rests on the bearings in a
plane slightly inclined from the vertical because of the projecting rear ends of the
arms to which it is attached at its centre. This gives the back the easy slant
required for comfort when bearing against it.
The back board is provided on its rear side at the ends with projecting ledges
or rests, fitting upon the arms when the back board is in a horizontal position, so
that its weight is sustained when in such position by these side rests, the bed is
also kept in position, and is prevented from tipping because they extend the whole
length of the arms and form a stable rest.
When the back board serves as a bed it is prevented from sliding on its bearings
by having a socket at the forward end of the groove, into which bearing slips,
throwing the weight of the bed upon the side rests, and being held firmly in the
Bocket.
On the top of the back, when acting as a bed, and lying in a horizontal plane, is
provided a head board, hinged to the side rests, and fastened to the back by braces
so linked as to allow the head board to fold upon the back.
Under the sofa frame, and between the legs, is the drawer working in the ordinary
way, and designed to contain the bed clothing.
According to a modification the grooves may be made in the ends of the back
board instead of in the arms, while on the inside rear ends of the arms may be
The
placed stationary bearings or studs fitting in the groove of the back board.
back when turned into a horizontal position will then slide along on its own
grooves upon the stationary bearings, but in both cases like result is secured.
These sofa beds are made of any wood; and upholstered on those parts
forming the sofa, as a sofa is usually upholstered, and the underside of the back
board which serves as sofa back is puffed to match the rest; part of the sofa and
on the top of the back when acting as a bed it is upholstered in the most convenient
manner for the purpose.
The use is as follows:- When in its normal or primary condition as a sofa the
movable back stands in a position at back of the sofa frame, inclined slightly from
the vertical, and supported in that position by resting against the seat and exposing
the upholstered underside of the back board.
To put it in its secondary condition as a bed the position of the movable back is
changed from a nearly vertical to a horizontal plane, turning it on its bearings
until it bears upon the arms with its side rests, it is then slidden forward on its
bearings working in the grooves on the inside of the arms, or the grooves in the
end of the back itself, until they reach their limit, when they fall into the depressed
socket, relieving themselves of the weight of the top, throwing it upon the side
rests, and fastening it firmly in place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Ellery Parr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th June 1881...
RICHARD ELLERY PARR, of 24, Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, in the County of
Kent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SOFA BED." A communication from abroad by
Frank Laeremans, of San Francisco, California, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of furniture which combines a sofa or lounge
with a bed, and consists mainly in an improvement in such sofa beds by which
in connection with an ordinary sofa frame a movable back is employed, which acts
both as a back to the sofa and as a bed by means of sliding bearings attached to
the ends of the back, or of stationary bearings attached to the inside rear ends of
the arms, and working in grooves on the inside of the side arms of the sofa frame
extending from the rear ends to the centre of the arms, or in grooves made in the
ends of the back, extending from about the middle to the bottom, and allowing the
back when in its normal position to act as the back of the sofa, and when placed
in a horizontal position and slid along the centre of the arms to act as a bed
bottom.
The object of my Invention is to provide a suitable article of furniture which
combines the uses of a bed with a sofa, and to make it useful for offices, sitting
and other rooms, which it is not customary to furnish with a bed.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents in perspective view the frame
of the improved sofa bed with the back in vertical position to serve for the purpose
of a sofa back.
Fig. 2 is a view of the sofa bed with the back in a horizontal position resting on
the arms for serving as a bed.
Fig. 3 shows the roller bearings in the ends of the back and the manner of their
working in the grooves in the arms.
Fig. 4 shows the stationary bearings at the ends of the arms with the grooves in
the side edges of the back.
1
Fig. 5 represents in side view an easy chair constructed according to this
Invention, with addition of child's crib fitted on reverse side of the movable back.
Fig. 6 represents side view of child's crib and chair, with crib in position for use.
Fig. 7, front view of the chair.
Fig. 8 represents in front view a sofą, with bed operating table and a speculum
chair attached; and
Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8.
The construction is as follows:-
A is the sofa bed; B is the seat frame, set at the ordinary height, furnished
with side arms C, which extend backward a little beyond the vertical plane
of the seat. On the inside of these arms C, and commencing at the rear
ends, are provided grooves a, extending to the middle of the arms, and the movable
back board is furnished at each end, and at a point nearly midway, with ball,
roller, or swivel bearings b, fitting loosely and working in the grooves a, serving
both as roller and hinge.
When the back board is doing service as a sofa back it rests on the bearings b
in a plane slightly inclined from the vertical because of the projecting rear ends of
the arms c, to which it is attached at its centre. This gives the back the easy slant
required for comfort when bearing against it.
The back board is provided on its rear side at the ends with projecting ledges or
rests c, fitting upon the arms C when the back board is in a horizontal position, so
that its weight is sustained when in such position by these side rests c. The bed

page_text: •
is also kept in position, and is prevented from tipping, because they extend the
whole length of the arms and form a stable rest.
When the back-board serves as a bed it is prevented from sliding on its bearings
by having a socket at the forward end at the groove a, into which the bearing slips,
throwing the weight of the bed upon the side rests c, and being held firmly in the
socket.
On the top of the back D when acting as a bed and lying in a horizontal plane,
is provided a head board M, hinged at f to the side rests c, and fastened at H to
the back D by the braces d, so linked as to allow the head board to fold down upon
the back.
Under the sofa frame, and between the legs, is provided a drawer (not shown)
working in the ordinary way, and designed to contain the bed clothing.
According to a modification, shown in Fig. 4, the grooves may be made in the
ends of the back board, as at P, instead of in the arms, while on the inside rear
ends of the arms may be placed stationary bearings or studs K fitting in the groove
of the backboard P. The back when turned into a horizontal position will then
slide along on its own grooves upon the stationary bearings, but in both cases like
result is secured.
These sofa beds are made of any wood, and upholstered on those parts forming
the sofa, as a sofa is usually upholstered, and the under-side of the backboard
which serves as sofa back is puffed to match the rest, and on the top of the back
when acting as a bed, it is upholstered in the most convenient manner for the
purpose.
The use is as follows:-When in its normal or primary condition as a sofa
frame, inclined slightly from the vertical, and supported in that position by
resting against the seat and exposing the upholstered underside of the back board,
as in Fig. 4.
To put it in its secondary condition as a bed, the position of the movable back is
changed from a nearly vertical to a horizontal plane, turning it on its bearings
until it bears upon the arms with its side rests, it is then slid forward on its
bearings working in the grooves on the inside of the arms, or the grooves in the
ends of the back itself until they reach their limit, when they fall into the
depressed socket e, relieving themselves of the weight of the top, throwing it upon
the side rests c, and fastening it firmly in place. It now rests upon the arms, and
on account of its greater width it extends beyond the arms at either end, the head
board and the foot can then be raised, as in Fig. 2, and the bed is ready for the bed
clothes.
In Figs. 5, 6, 7, the chair E is shown made with arms grooved at a to receive
the roller or swivel bearings of the chair back F, and the said back turns and
slides as before described for the back of the sofa, and at the back front of the chair
back is provided the hinged crib framing G.
In Figs. 8 & 9 the frame A is fitted with a hinged and folding board or seat I
for use as an operating table, the Drawings at x showing the same in horizontal
position. The pieces or arms K are feet pieces to which the patients' feet may be
strapped, and from the foregoing description the operation of the change of position
of the back and the supports will be readily understood.
I am aware that sofa beds have been for some time in use, but they all differ
from this Invention in that their back falls backward to the level of the seat and
serves as an extension seat forming the bed.
Having thus described the said Invention, I claim,―
First. In the sofa bed or chair, the movable back D acting primarily as the back
of a sofa or chair so hung that it may stand in a nearly vertical plane from the rear
of the sofa or chair arms, and provided with ball, roller, or swivel block bearings b,
or the stationary bearings K provided with ball, roller, or swivel block, said bearings
travelling in grooves in the inside of the arms C of the sofa or F of the chair, or in
the ends of the back D, substantially as described and shown by the respective
Figures of the Drawings.

page_text: Second. In the sofa bed or chair, the movable back D acting as a bed or chair
back lying and resting in a horizontal plane supported by the side rests c upon the
arms C of the sofa or E of the chair, and as shown in Fig. 2, provided with the
head board M and foot board, substantially as described.
Third. In combination with the frame, the movable back D serving the purpose
of a sofa or chair back, and a bed or table hung by ball, roller, or swivel block
bearings to the rear ends of the arms of the sofa frames, and swinging upon its
bearings from a vertical to a horizontal plane, and sliding on its bearings in grooves
on the inside of the arms, or in grooves in the ends of the back D to a point in the
centre, there falling into a depressed socket, whereby the weight of the back is
transferred to the side rests c, and supported by the arms, and is locked in position,
substantially as herein described and shown by the respective Figures of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Ellery Parr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of Junė, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
In the presence of
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent & Engineer,
6, St. Paul's Chyd.,.
London, E.C.
RICHARD E. PARR. (L.S.)