Improvements in Sofa Beds.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sofa Beds.
I ALBERT LESLIE GILLEN of 5 Oak Street Haverhill, Massachusetts, United
States of America, Furniture Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of my invention are, first, to dispense with intermediate rails of the
mattress frame, of a bed lounge, or sofa bed; second, to construct the framework,
that the intermediate framing rail can be raised and lowered automatically, when
the lounge is opened or closed; third, the means to be applied to ordinary lounge
construction.
Thus my invention consists essentially in sustaining a mattress for a bed-lounge,
upon a right angled mattress frame having its intermediate framing-rail, or rails,
designed to vertically move from their primary position when the lounge is being
unfolded, to permit of the mattress extending from side to side, and end to end of
the entire mattress frame, without having any mechanism in contact therewith,
other, than what is required to support the mattress as with ordinary beds.
In the drawings forming a part of this Specification,-
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a bed lounge having the upholstery
partially broken away and drawn in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 denotes a transverse section on line x, x, Figure 1, showing the seat
partially raised in full lines, and fully unfolded in dotted lines.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective drawing of the construction of my invention.
(C) represents the entire mattress frame, that consists of two hinged sections
jointed by the hinges (c), a stationary section (C) provided with a suitable back
and head-rest, and upholstery (A2) and (A³), and legs (A'), and the travelling
rail (A); and an opening or swinging section (C) carrying ordinary swinging
legs (H), and connected by hinges (d) to the rectangular or seat frame (D).
Webbing is secured to the rail (c) of the section (C) and to the rail (c³) of the
other section (C) of the entire mattress frame (C") also to the respective cross
rails (c) longitudinally; at the intersections of the webbing, suitable springs are
secured to make an efficient mattress (3).
The section (C) of the rightangled inattress frame (C") has two projections (A'),
to which are secured the legs (A'), the chalks or stops (G), and the respective
ends of the toggle-joints (B),--and is beveled as shown at (1) and (2) in Figure 1
to prevent the travelling rail (A) going further than required, which has similar
walls (a) and (a) at its extremities (a) and (a¹) to engage with the other walls (a²)
and (a) on the projections (A').
This travelling rail makes complete the folding action of the mattress, for as the
mattress-frame is being folded, the travelling rail is also rising, which comes in
contact with the folded end of the mattress and causes the same to glide into the
space of the frame section (C¹).
When the travelling rail has been brought into its primary position by the
links (E) loosely connected to the said rail and to the rail (d) of the seat frame (D)
which carries seat upholstery thereon-it is brought to bear against the inclined
walls on the projections (A1) vertically, also against the chalks or stops (G)
laterally through the flexible straps (F), which are connected to the rail (c²) of
the section (C) and to the side of the travelling rail, thus causing the said rail to
be rigidly held in position, and to finish the outer appearance of the lounge, for it
can carry suitable decoration thereon.
The links (E) are designed to admit of free action of the travelling rail and of
the seat frame (D) in their peculiar movements when brought into action through

page_text: the manipulator, they have an elliptic loop (e) loosely engaging with the staple (2)
secured to the rail (d) of the seat frame and an ordinary round eye (el) loosely
encircling the periphery of the staple (a) secured to the travelling rail, thus
readily permitting the rail and frame working free with each other, yet the links
are prevented from prying up the staples secured to the travelling rail.
These links (E) transmit the movement of the section (C) and of the seat
frame (D), to the travelling rail, which is connected to the projections (A') by the
jointed means (B) that permits the said rail being vertically raised and lowered in
coincidence with the respective frames.
The straps (F) prevent the rail going outward from the side of the lounge, thus
they govern the action of the means used to vertically raise or lower the said
rail (A) they can be designed in various ways to perform their function, in the
drawings they consist of a strap of leather or any other suitable strap, having a
spring connected thereto to admit of it being flexible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
First. A sofa bed consisting of a stationary frame and a folding section hinged
together to sustain a suitable mattress, the stationary frame provided with a
suitable head-rest, back-rest, and vertical sustaining legs, and with suitable stops,
guide pieces on said stops a vertically movable travelling rail connected by toggle-
joints with said stops, straps connecting said travelling rail with the stationary
frame, and the folding section provided with swinging legs, a rectangular seat
frame hinged to said folding section, links connecting said seat frame to the
travelling rail, whereby said travelling rail is vertically raised and lowered by the
movement of the folding section substantially as set forth.
Second. In a sofa bed the combination of a stationary and of a folding section
hinged together, the front rail of the stationary section being suitably severed and
engaged with the same by toggle-joints as described and laterally governed by
suitable chalks and straps, links connecting the folding section with the front rail
whereby said rail is vertically raised or lowered through the movement of the
folding section substantially as described.
Third. In a sofa bed a stationary section having its front rail designed to be
vertically raised and lowered, a folding section hinged to the stationary section,
links connecting the folding section with the front rail of the stationary section
whereby the said front rail is vertically raised and lowered by the movement of the
folding section substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.