US3922734A

US3922734A - New sliding system applied to foldaway furniture

Info

Publication number: US3922734A
Application number: US439587A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jose Pardo Herrera
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-02-03
Filing date: 1974-02-04
Publication date: 1975-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-02
Also published as: ES411250A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to the provision of an entirely original new mechanical system, specifically designed to provide a sliding means by which a folding spring mattress, hinged to a covering panel which in turn is hinged to a cabinet can slide toward the back of this cabinet, thereby enabling the folded spring mattress to descend when it is placed in a vertical position, with the new effect of being able to build the aforementioned cabinet with a lower height and better proportions and, therefore, a better appearance, which is especially important in the aforementioned type of product.

Description

Herrera Dec. 2, 1975 NEW SLIDING SYSTEM APPLIED TO FOLDAWAY FURNITURE Inventor: Jose Pardo Herrera, Carretera de Logrono, Km. 1,7, Zaragoza, Spain Filed: Feb. 4, 1974 Appl. No.: 439,587

Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 3, 1973 Spain 411250 U.S. Cl. 5/2 B; 5/159 R; 312/237 Int. Cl. A47C 13/38 Field of Search 5/2 R, 8, 6, 20, 149, 150,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 641,120 6/1962 Italy ..5/6 1,336,806 7/1962 France ..5/6

Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward F. Connors ABSTRACT The present invention relates to the provision of an entirely original new mechanical system. specifically designed to provide a sliding means by which a folding spring mattress, hinged to a covering panel which in turn is hinged to a cabinet can slide toward the back of this cabinet, thereby enabling the folded spring mattress to descend when it is placed in a vertical position, with the new effect of being able to build the aforementioned cabinet with a lower height and better proportions and, therefore, a better appearance, which is especially important in the aforementioned type of product.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,922,734

Sheet 2 of 2 3,922,734

U.S. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 llll 1 Fig.5

NEW SLIDING SYSTEM APPLIED TO FOLDAWAY FURNITURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of The Invention:

The present invention generally pertains to new and novel improvements of cabinets in which a spring mattress can be moved into and out of the cabinet so that the cabinet can be of relatively small proportions for use in small rooms.

2. State of The Art:

Prime devices of this kind show that a mattress can be folded into and out of a cabinet but do not teach that the mattress when extended can be rotated in a horizontal plane to move the mattress in any direction which best suits the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet which occupies a small space "and in which the spring mattress may be swung into the cabinet for storage when not in use and may be withdrawn from the cabinet for use.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the mattress when withdrawn from the cabinet can be rotated in a horizontal plane to adjust the mattress to any position suitable to the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for keeping the mattress raised so that no contact exists between the mattress and its supporting panel when the mattress is being rotated to the desired position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet with the covering panel extended out of the cabinet.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which a folding spring mattress is shown fastened to the covering panel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the female guide plate.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the guide plate.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the same plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character A generally designates a cabinet to which is hingedly connected a covering panel 3 to which is affixed a guide plate 1. The plate 1 is provided with a plurality of openings or holes 2 as can be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawing for the reception of fastening means, such as screws 2a shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings for securing the guide plate 1 to the covering panel 3. The plate 1 may be made of metal or any other suitable material and as shown more par ticularly in FIG. 5 of the drawings is provided with guide ways or channels 1a formed by bending the opposite lengthwise edges upwardly and inwardly in overlying relation to the main body of the plate 1 as indicated at lb in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

A male sliding member 4 is received by the channels 1a of the plate 1. The member 4 carries at a central portion a shaft 5 on which a strip 6 of metal or other suitable material is adapted to rotate. The strip 6 is 5 covering panel 3 when the mattress is rotated about the shaft 5, a coil spring 7 is provided which surrounds the shaft 5 and is compressed between the sliding member 4 and the strip 6 so that it keeps the spring mattress B raised and no contact takes place between the mattress and the covering panel 3 when the mattress is being rotated on the shaft 5 to the desired position.

In the use of the device, the covering panel 3 will be withdrawn from the cabinet A by pulling the panel 3 downwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The spring mattress B will then be rotated on the shaft 5 in a horizontal plane to move the mattress to the desired position. The mattress can also be moved in the horizontal plane by sliding the sliding member 4 in the guide plate 1. When the user no longer wishes to use the mattress it will be rotated on the shaft 5 to its original position and the covering panel 3 will be raised until the mattress is again housed in the cabinet A.

Of course, while the best known form of the present invention has been described herein and shown in the drawings, it is obvious that changes can be made therein so that the inventive concept is only restricted by the spirit and terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of furniture in the form of a combination cabinet and folding bed comprising a cabinet having a bottom wall, spaced apart vertical side walls, a top wall, a vertical rear wall and an open front, a front panel having a lower end portion hingedly attached to the cabinet so as to be movable from a closed vertical position wherein it closes off the open front and forms a front wall for the cabinet into an open horizontal position, a channel strip fixedly superimposed on the inside face of the front panel and disposed at right angles to the hinged horizontal axis of the front panel, an articulated mattress bed unit composed of hingedly attached sections and adapted to be folded into a collapsed condition with the sections vesting on one another and to be stored in such collapsed condition within the cabinet, a strip member slidable in said channel strip for longitudinal movement normal to the hinged axis of the open front panel, a pivot member carried by the slidable strip member and arranged perpendicular thereto, a guide strip affixed to one of the bed unit sections and rotatably mounted on the pivot member whereby the bed unit can be slid out from the cabinet and the sections opened and then the open bed unit can be rotated about the pivot member to place the open bed in selected angular positions on the open front panel relative to the cabinet.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said pivot member is a shaft fixedly projecting perpendicular from the slidable strip member.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein a coil spring encircles said shaft and has one end abutting the slidable strip member and the other end abutting the guide strip on the mattress bed unit section so that the strip and mattress bed are held in spaced relation to the front panel when the mattress bed unit is slid and rotated relative to the front panel.