Untitled record

Application filed February 18, 1920. Serial No. 359,745.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Chester R. Cox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and 5 State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Built-In Disappearing Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' folding struc10 tures and especially to built in disappearing furniture and the like.

The present invention contemplates the use of obtainable wall or partition space where saving of room is desirable as in flats, 15 apartments, dwellings and the like, and has for its object the building in of foldable disappearing furniture such as wall seats, tables, cabinet attachments, ironing boards, etc.

so Another object of the invention is to provide a novel structure which permits ready extension or folding of furniture of this character and which forms a support for the same, both in folded and in extended 25 position.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully de30 scribed and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which—

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination cabinet and seat.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the 35 seat in folded position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section of the seat.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the flexible connection formed between the seat 40 and one of its supporting members.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the inner seat connection.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a foldable disappearing shelf.

Fig. 7 i_s a central vertical section showing the shelf in folded position.

Fig. 8 is a similar section showing the shelf extended.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of the in50 ner encl of the shelf.

The present invention is adaptable for various uses and is in the present instance illustrated as applied to a folding disappearing Avail seat. The seat here illustrated may be 55 built in cabinet form, such as illustrated in

Figs. 1 and 2, or it may be built in to a wall or partition where space permits.

Fig. 3 illustrates a Avail section in Avhich is formed a recess oi· chamber A. This chamber is enclosed by a casing, consisting of side 60 sections 2 and top and bottom sections 3. The recess is adapted to be closed by a pair of panel sections 4 and 5, Avhich are superposed with relation to each 'other, and supported one above the other. Tlie upper 65 panel 5 carries a seat section C, and the loAver panel 4 forms a support therefor Avhen the seat is extended as shown. The panels 4 and 5 are connected by a pair of coil springs 7. These springs permit movement of one panel 70 with relation to the other and prevent separation of the same, and to that extent serve the function of a hinge connection.

One of the features of the present invention is to eliminate hardware to as large an 75 extent as possible, hence the reason for the coil spring connection shoAvn at 7. The abutting edges of the panel are grooved as at 8 for the reception of the coil springs 7 and these grooves are sufficiently deep to receive 80 the springs and thereby permits the. panels to assume a vertical position Avhen the seat is folded; the ends of the springs being secured to the respective panel sections by screAvs 9, or other suitable means. 85

The loAver panel 4 is rockably mounted on .

a cross sill 10, and alignment of the loAver end of the panel Avith relation to the sill is maintained by means of a pair of downAvardly extending anchor arms 11, and a facing strip 90 on the front side of the panel as shoAvn in Fig. 3. These arms are secured to opposite sicles of the lower panel and project downwardly therefrom. The bottom section 3 of the casing, Avhich is provided for the recep- 95 tion of the seat A\^Then folded, is slotted as at 12 to permit the arms 11 to project therethrough, and the loAver ends of the arms are notched as at 13 to engage the bottom section 3 which serves as a stop, thereby preventing 100 upAvarcl movement of the panel 4 with relation to the cross sill 10 when the lower panel is extended as in Fig. 3.

The panel 4 serves tAVO functions. First that of a closure for the chamber A, and 105 secondly that of a support for the upper panel when in closed position, and for the seat 6 when extended. The rear encl of the seat extends into the chamber A and has secured thereto a rounded cross bar 14. no

1,464,352 (See Figs. 3 and 5.) This cross bar is secured by screws 15, or other suitable means, . and it is extended at each end as at 16 to enter a slot 17 formed in each side sec> tion 2. These slots serve as a guide for the inner end of the seat and as a support for the inner end of the seat when this is extended, this being accomplished by forming a right angular extension 18 in the ^1:1 slot into.which the projecting sections 16 of the cross bar 14 extend when the: seat assumes a horizontal position.

The seat is also provided with a back rest 19, which is secured thereto by a pair '·> of bracket members. 20. These brackets are disposed one on each side of the seat, and the back section is pivotally attached thereto as at 21. The upper end of the back rest is pivotally connected with a pair of links 22,. and these are in turn pivotally attached to the side sections 2 of the chamber as at 23.

With the seat extended as shown in. Fig,.

3, and if it is desired to fold the same, it '·' is only necessary to grasp the. seat of the upper panel 5 at the outer end and to push it inwardly until the projecting sections 16 on the cross bar enter the upper end of the slots 17, The. seat is,then lifted in anupF^!! ward direction and its inner end will then be'guided,by the slots 17 as the cross bar passes downwardly between the same. The panel 4 will at the_: same time swing inwardly and the back rest 19 downwardly ·'’ and· inwardly, the panels 4 and 5 finally assuming a vertical position and forming a closure for the, chamber or recess A, while the seat 6 and the back rest assumes the dotted line positions shown. If it is de⁴⁰ sired to extend the seat, it is only necessary to grasp the panel by its upper edge and to swing- it' outwardly. This movement causes forward rocking movement of the panel 4, which is limited when the notched ^4:j ends of the anchor arms 11 engage, the stop member 3. Angular movement of the two panels with relation to each other takes place simultaneously, . due to the flexible connection formed by the coil springs 7, ⁵⁰ and. the cross bar will consequently travel upwardly in the slots 17 and will finally pass into the right .angular extensions 18 ' when a slight forward pull.is exerted, the back rest .of course being guided during ⁵⁵ this movement by the seat, and secondly by the links 22, and it is. therefore automatically positioned whether the seat is extended or folded.

The present structure is adapted - for ⁶⁰ various purposes, for instance, by eliminating the backrest 19,,the brackets 20 and the links 22,-it.'becomes possible to employ the seat sections, 6 as a table, top, or a shelf, or, by extending it. to employ it as an ironing ⁰⁵ board. The structure, may of course be adapted for other uses not necessarily, specified, the important feature of the invention being the structure employed which is exceedingly simple and substantial, due to the fact that hardware and fittings of a similar <0 character are -entirely eliminated. The cost of manufacture is also reduced, and the exterior finishing is in no way marred by projecting knobs, handles or hinges.' •I slight modification of the invention is V) shown in Figs.-6..7, 8 and 9. These views ' · - illustrate a shelf which is adapted to be folded or extended The ‘helf proper is indicated at 25, and it uai sm ve as a closure for a shaving cabinet, m * 1h m,e chest or the 3υ :· like. When folded into the position shown in Fig. 7, or it may be swung outward and extended as shown in Figs. 6' and 8 to form a shelf whenever desired. The shelf 25 has

.....a rounded cross bar secured near its inner 85 . end as indicated at 2.6, this, cross bar being . secured by screws or similar means 2Ϋ which extend through the cross bar and enter the shelf 25 on an angle. This is of importance as will hereinafter be described: The cross uo bar 26 is extended beyond the ends of the •shelf.-and is pivotally mounted in the oppo- --.site sides, of the cabinet as indicated at 28. The cross bar is at all times partly covered by a false bottom section 29, which first 05 forms a pari ia,I, covering for the-cross bar, : and second'y > lock which: limits the swing- ; ing movement of the .-shelf when extended, that is by swinging the shelf 25 m a downward direction its inner end, which is ex- W /tended beyond the cross bar 26, p:mse<- under the fi'lse bottom section ° ) and on<_ << o<. the, same, thereby supporting the shelf in a hoi izontal position and. securing it H’-iost

,.furtiu I· movement as shown in Fig. 8 : .. .: -11)5

Bv referring to Figs.-7 and 8, it w^:V be seen, that the forward edge of the false hot- - tom section 29 is rounded to fit the Tomiled surface of. the cross.bar. This is 'important as it forms a snug dust-proof joint between .^{4 4!}> the cross bar and the bottom section 29, and it also serves as -means for concealing the screws 27, .by which-the ,cross bar is attached to the shell:. This is the reason for inserting the screws bn an angle. They are hidden in the position.shown in Fig. 7., and they are also hidden, by the bottom section 29 when, the shelf -is extended as in Fi<r.; 8.,fhereby concealing the screw heads or.other fastening means /which might /½ employed. F-u

While certain features are more or 'less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be '.resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, similarly - that the mate- W⁴rials and finish .of the several parts.-employed may be such as. the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate ' or varying; uses may demand.

An important feature of the present in- foi)

1,464,352 vention which might be mentioned is the fact that the outer ends of the links 22 are hookshaped as shown and this permits the links to be disconnected with relation to the back i' rest 19 and thereby permits the whole structure to be removed with relation to the casing’whenever desired. For instance when repairing, inspecting or cleaning the device it is desirable to permit easy removal of lo the same. This is possible by first unhooking the links, and secondly, swinging the panels into almost vertical position. The projections 11 may then be lifted out of the slots and both panels twisted sideways. This 15 permits the cross bar to be disengaged with relation to the slots and the whole structure to be removed.