IMPROVEMENTS IN SOFA BEDS OR COUCHES
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS MOILROY of 7 Grafton Street in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN SOFA BEDS OR COUCHES to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a novel construction of parts whereby a couch or sofa is
readily transformable when desired into a double bed and as readily re-transformed
into the appearance of an ordinary couch or sofa.
For this purpose I employ a frame of a similar character to that of an ordinary
sofa or couch and provided with four legs and a back. Within and occupying
the space enclosed by the sides and ends of the above frame I mount on suitable
axes a semi-rotating frame which is suitably stuffed and covered to form a portion
of the bed bottom when the stuffed side is turned upward.
To one edge of the semi-rotating frame I hinge another frame of a somewhat
similar character and stuffed and covered in a similar manner to that of a couch or
Bofa.
This frame is provided with two front legs, fitted with wheels or castors and the
front of a sofa or couch but it has no back nor legs at the back where it is
supported by resting on the first mentioned frame. The semi-rotating frame is
provided with a crank which acts upon a head pillow or cushion which is.hinged
to the first mentioned frame and is so arranged as to be raised into position for use
when the sofa bed or couch is extended for use as a bed and is lowered out of the
way when the latter is in its contracted position.
Thus supposing the sofa bed or couch is in its contracted position, that is, as it
would appear when in use as a sofa or couch, the semi-rotating frame will have its
stuffed side downwards and the cushion or pillow of the first mentioned frame will
be in its lowerered position, whilst the frame which is hinged to the rotating
frame will rest upon and entirely cover the semi-rotating frame and the rising and
falling cushion or pillow; then when it is desired to extend the sofa bed or couch
to enable it to be used as a bed the hinged side of the upper frame is raised and
said frame is then run out on its two legs, which are provided with wheels or

page_text: castors, and in such action in consequence of its being hinged to the semi-rotating
frame, the latter will be turned on its axes until the stuffed side thereof is upper-
most and in such action the moveable cushion or pillow is also raised into position
for use.
In some cases I dispense with the hinged cushion or pillow and crank operated
by the semi-revolving frame and employ fixed cushions or pillows both on the sofa
proper and on the extension.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I THOMAS MILROY of 7 Grafton Street in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet
Maker do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
SOFA BEDS OR COUCHES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of a novel construction of parts whereby a couch or
sofa is readily transformable when desired into a double bed and as readily
re-transformed into the appearance of an ordinary couch or sofa.
For this purpose I employ a frame of a similar character to that of an ordinary
sofa or couch and provided with four legs and a back. Within and occupying the
space enclosed by the sides and ends of the above frame I mount on suitable axes
a semi-rotating frame which is suitably stuffed and covered to form a portion of
the bed bottom when the stuffed side is turned upward.
To one edge of the semi-rotating frame I hinge another frame of a somewhat
similar character and stuffed and covered in a similar manner to that of a couch
or sofa.
This frame is provided with two front legs fitted with wheels or castors and the
front of a sofa or couch but it has no back nor legs at the back where it is
supported by resting on the first mentioned frame. The semi-rotating frame is
provided with a crank which acts upon a head pillow or cushion which is hinged
to the first mentioned frame and is so arranged as to be raised into position for use
when the sofa, bed or couch is extended for use as a bed and is lowered out' of the
way when the latter is in its contracted position.
Thus supposing the sofa bed or couch is in its contracted position; that is, as it
would appear when in use as a sofa or couch, the semi-rotating frame will have its
stuffed side downwards and the cushion or pillow of the first mentioned frame will
be in its lowered position whilst the frame which is hinged to the rotating frame.
will rest upon and entirely cover the semi-rotating frame and the rising and falling
cushion or pillow; then when it is desired to extend the sofa bed or couch to
enable it to be used as a bed, the hinged side of the upper frame is raised and said
frame is then run out on its two legs which are provided with wheels or castors
and in such action, in consequence of its being hinged to the semi-rotating frame,
the latter will be turned on its axes until the stuffed side thereof is uppermost and
in such action the moveable cushion or pillow is also raised into position for use.
In some cases I dispense with the hinged cushion or pillow and crank operated
by the semi-revolving frame and employ fixed cushions or pillows both on the sofa
proper and on the extension.*
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 is a cross section and Figure 3
is a front view of a sofa bed or couch constructed according to my invention and
representing the same folded up so as to form a couch and Figure 4 is a cross
section showing the parts opened out so as to form a double bed,
Figure 5 is a partial front view and partial longitudinal section and Figure 6 is
a transverse section of a sofa bed or couch constructed according to my invention

page_text: and provided with fixed ends, Figure 6 showing the same opened out for use as a
double bed.
In all the views like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ a frame a of a similar character
to that of an ordinary sofa or couch and provided with four legs a¹ and a back a².
Within and occupying the space enclosed by the sides and ends of the frame a
I mount on suitable axes b' a semi-rotating frame b which is suitably stuffed and
covered to form a portion of the bed bottom when the stuffed side is turned upward
as represented at Figures 4 and 6.
To one edge of the semi-rotating frame I hinge at 6 another frame d of a
somewhat similar character and stuffed and covered in a similar manner to that of
a couch or sofa.
:
This frame c is provided with two front legs c fitted with wheels or castors and
with the front c³ of a couch or sofa but it has no back nor legs at the back where it
is supported by resting on the frame a. The semi-rotating frame b is in the
arrangement shown at Figures 1 to 4 provided with a crank which acts upon
a head pillow or cushion d'which is hinged at d¹ to the frame & and is so. arranged
as to be raised into position for use (as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1) when
the sofa bed or couch is extended for use as a bed and is lowered out of the way as
shown by the full lines in Figure 1. when the latter is in its contracted position.
Thus supposing the sofa bed or couch is in its contracted position, that is, as it
would appear when in use as a sofa or couch, the semi-rotating frame b will have
its stuffed side downwards as shown at Figures 1 and 2 and the cushion or pillow d
will be in its lowered position whilst the frame c will rest upon and entirely cover
the semi-rotating frame band the rising and falling, or, cushion pillow d; then
when it is desired to extend the sofa bed or couch to enable it to be used as a bed,
the hinged side of the frame c'is raised and said frame is then run out on its two
legs which are provided with wheels or castors, and in such action, in consequence
of its being hinged to the semi-rotating frame b the latter will be turned on its
axes b until the stuffed side thereof is uppermost as shown at Figures 4 and 6
and in such action the moveable cushion or pillow d is also raised into position
for use.
'
In some cases I dispense with the hinged cushion or pillow & and crank b³ and
employ fixed cushions or pillows both on the sofa proper and on the extension cas
shown at Figure 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A sofa bed or couch consisting of a frame a, semi-rotating frame b and frame o
connected. together and operating in manner substantially as herein shown and
described, and
2. The combination of frame a semi-rotating frame b, frame c crank b³ and
hinged head cushion or pillow d all constructed, connected together and operating
in manner substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.