Convertible seat

March 31, 1953

2,632,897

J. R. THOMAS

CONVERTIBLE SEAT

Filed April 1, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet .1

<img file="US2632897A_D0001.tif" />

2,632,897

March 31, 1953

J. R. THOMAS

CONVERTIBLE SEAT ^filed April 1, 1946

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2632897A_D0002.tif" />

March 31, 1953

2,632,897

J. R. THOMAS

CONVERTIBLE SEAT

Filed April 1, 1946

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2632897A_D0003.tif" />

Patented Mar. 31, 19S3

2,632,897

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,632,897 CONVERTIBLE SEAT Joseph R. Thomas, Chicago, Ill. Application April 1, 1946, Serial No. 658,653

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one end of the structure in open or extended position as shown in Fig, 1;

Rg. 8 is a detail sectional view illustrating the attachment of the cushions to the metal supporting frames;

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail taken on the line 9—9 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken On the line 10—10 of Fig. 7.

The present invention relates to a folding structure for chairs and davenports in which metal frames are hinged directly together at the front of a seat section, the extension frame fold¹⁵ ing directly below the seat section and carrying with it a resilient support similar to that on top of the seat frame so that when the two are extended into. alignment, they will form a level substantially continuous and resilient sleeping ²⁰ or lounging surface. This may be possible by providing the metal frames with a resilient metal fabric upon which is mounted an upholstered cushion of any suitable construction, but preferably of the multiple spring filled type or the ²⁵ continuous air rubber type. To this structure is applied a simple linkage which folds and unfolds the extensible section as the seat section is raised andTowered. To free the folding structure from an upholstered back as in making up 30 a bed in the davenport type, an improved mounting is provided in which the entire folding structure is swung forwardly within the end frames upon a limited arc providing sufficient space at the rear into which bed clothes may be inserted 35 or tucked for more easily making the bed and for preventing damage by contact with the back upholstery.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the present structure is shown to be mounted 40 in a pair of opposite end frames 12 which are commonly the arm rests of a chair or a davenport, to which the invention is applied. These end frames are connected in any suitable way to hold them rigidly upright, as for example, by 45 means of a rear cross connection 13 at the bottom, an angle bar 14 at the front with the ends f 5 of the angle bar turned upwardly and secured to the inner sides of the end frames just within the front legs of the frame, and by upper and 50 lower cross pieces 16 which may also serve to support an upholstered back IT. The structure of this invention comprises two main sections, a seat section and a section hinged to fold under the seat, these seat sections being collapsed to 55 form a chair or davenport seat, and the sections

This invention relates in general to a folding seat structure in which a chair may have a foot rest or support extended in front of the seat to provide a comfortable chair or chaise-longue type, and if applied to a settee or davenport, may ® form a full length bed of narrow or full width disposed between the end frames or arm rests of the davenport.

An important object of the invention is to provide a folding metal construction mounted ¹⁰only in the end frames, extensible and foldable in a predetermined manner without the necessity of guides, rollers, or other contacts with the frame or floor in changing the construction from a seat to a reclining type of furniture, or in returning from the latter condition to a collapsed or folded form within the end frames and below the seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide convertible furniture of the class described in which the mounting of the foldable sections is entirely in the end frames of the structure.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a folding seat structure in which a seat section has another section hinged directly to the front thereof, foldable closely under the seat section, the sections being automatically folded and unfolded in a predetermined manner in extending and collapsing the sections.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide improved mounting means for connected sections of an extensible seat structure by which the entire folding structure has a limited forward movement relative to the frame for swinging the folding structure forwardly with respect to an upholstered back mounted in the frameOther objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a convertible seat structure in accordance with this invention in forward or extended position;

Fig. 2 illustrates an improved mounting attachment for a folding structure as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mounting attachment shown in Fig. 2 as applied to one of the end frames;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in an intermediate position;

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the coordinating means connecting the folding sections;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in a closed or seat position;

2,632,897 being extended or placed in alignment to form a chaise-longue type in a chair and a bed if mounted in the davenport.

The chair section comprises a frame 20 preferably of metal angle bars suitably joined and connected to provide a marginal frame in which a flat metal spring fabric 2! is tightly and resiliently supported by means of helical springs 22, in any well known manner. At the rear of this frame, an angular yoke 23 extends downwardly to connect and strengthen the ends of the side frames.

The under the seat section comprises a marginal angle bar frame 24 in which a similar flat metal spring fabric 25 is suitably mounted and is resiliently held by helical springs 26.

The two frame sections are pivoted together by hinges 27 at the front edge of the seat frame connected so that the frame 24 will swing closely below the seat section as shown in Fig. 6 or may be extended in alignment therewith as shown in Fig. 7.

To mount the folding sections in the end frames, a single mounting plate 28 is suitably secured to the end frame by bolts 2.3, or other fastening devices, to support the plate in a fixed inclined position, inclined downwardly toward the front. The upper rear end of the plate 28 is offset inwardly to afford a support for the rear end of the seat frame 20 which has an offset bracket 30 at each end with a pivot .31 connecting it with the upper end of the mounting plate 28.

Extending downwardly at each side of the seat frame 20 near the front thereof, is a projection 32 preferably a metal plate in which is pivoted one end of a link S3 for operating a supporting leg 34. This supporting leg 3.4 is located near the front of the connected frame 24 by means of a pivot 35 carried by a downward projection 36 in the form of a thin metal plate, the con·: struction and arrangement being such that when the frames 20 and 24 are folded together, the legs (one at each side) will be automatically folded between them, and as the frames are extended, the legs will be swung to open or supporting position as shown in Fig. 1.

Extending downwardly near the rear or hinged end of frame 24 at each side thereof, is another projecting plate 37 carrying a pivot 38 for supporting one end of a link 39. The other end of this link is connected to the extremity of a lever 48 by a pivot 40b, and the opposite end of the lever is connected by a pivot 28b with the lower end of mounting plate 28. One end of a link 4! is connected by a pivot 42 to the lever 48 adjacent its outer or free end and the other end of the link is connected by a pivot 43 with the upper and adjacent side of the frame 20 intermediate the front and rear thereof but somewhat nearer the front of the frame.

Downward movement of the lever 40 is limited by a stop 44 secured to the adjacent end frame 12. This stop engages the lever for holding the seat frame 20 in horizontal position by means of the link 4 ί when the frame 24 is in extended position as shown in Fig. 1, and it also holds both of the frames 20 and 24 in their folded or seat position as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to counterbalance and assist the movement of the frame sections in their folding and extending movements, a coil spring 45 is provided for each linkage, the spring being partially extended and one end 46 being connected to a fixed projection 47 on the corresponding lever 40, the other end 48 of the spring having a hook inserted through an opening 49 at the upper end of the attachment plate 28. The attachment plate 28, the lever 48, and the links 33 and 4! are commonly formed with offsets as shown more clearly in Fig. 7 which facilitate their mounting and movement in the narrow space between the sides of the folding sections and the adjacent inner sides of the supporting end frames. Instead of connecting the link 39 to the extremity of the lever 40, a level· 48α may be provided as shown in Fig. 5 which is cut off just beyond the pivot 42, and a corresponding link 39α is connected to the frame projection 37 by the pivot 38, but the link is connected at its other end by means of a pivot 4ία to the link 4! intermediate the ends of this link.

Instead of mounting the folding and extending sections upon a fixed plate 28 at each end of the frames, an additional mounting structure may be provided as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which comprises an intermediate mounting· plate 50 having an offset 51 at its upper· rear end with an opening 52 fox- receiving the pivot 31 by which the seat section is supported and pivoted at the rear and haying an opening 53 at its lower inclined edge to receive the pivot 28b of the lever 40. The lower edge of this plate 50 extends downwardly and carries the fixed stop 44α attached to its lower edge and projecting inwardly from the end frame (2 so that the action of the folding sections mounted upon and with respect to the plates 50 is the same as if the folding structure were mounted directly upon the end frame 12. Two holes 49α may be provided in the offset 51 of the plate for engaging the upper end 48 of the spring 45 when thus installed.

A further, advantage and difference is provided, however, by supporting each of the angular plates 58 upon the end frames by means of a pair of parallel links 54 and 55. The upper ends of these links are connected by pivots 56 with the upper portion of the plate, and the lower ends of the links are. connected by pivots 57 with a mounting strip 58 which is connected directly and perrrianently to the inner side of the adjacent end frame ί 2 by means of fastening screws 50. Also secured to the inner face of the end frame at opposite sides of each of the links 54 and 55 are stops 68 and 6 f which limit the angular movement of the links to swing the plates, and also the folding frames attached thereto in a limited arc from a rear position close to or against the upholstered back !7 to a forward position free from 'contact 'with the back. The stops are located at opposite sides of a central or vertical position of the links 54 so that the folding sections and the plates 50 will remain in either position in which they are placed in contact and limited by the stops 60 or 61. An advantage of this structure is. that the folding sections may be moved forwardly to free the back and to provide a space between the rear edge of the seat section and the uptxolstered back, particularly when the sections are extended in alignment to form a bed, and also to provide fox· some access to the rear of the sections at any time.

Any type of cushions or upholstery may be applied to the folding sections, such as a multispring or an air-rubber cushion 62 as shown in Fig. 8 which may be secured to the metal frame by means of a fabric cover 63 extending ovex· it and around the edge of the metal frame to the inside thereof where a nailing strip 64 is attached to the inside of the frame, the' upholstery or cover

2,032,897 .3

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being attached to the strip by upholstering tacks 65 or other suitable means,

With this construction, the folding sections are completely, constructed separately from the chair or davenport frames and may be connected to the mounting plates at the factory and applied to the end¹ frames in a variety of different locations. When the folding sections are mounted in the end frames, the sections are rigidly supported at all times by the metal linkage of levers ! and connecting links, and in order to unfold or extend the sections, it is necessary only to raise the front of the seat manually from the position shown in Fig. 6 to such a height as permitted by the linkage, as shown in Fig. 4 whereupon the 15 outer Or extended section may be engaged by hand and moved outwardly into the extended position as shown in Fig. 1. To reverse the movement or to fold the sections, the outermost section is simply engaged and raised manually whereupon the linkage comprising the links 39 and levers 40 as well as the links 41 will cause the outer section to swing downwardly at the free end away from the joint with the seat section, and pressing the outer section manually inward will draw the supporting legs 34 inwardly and will incline the two sections with respect to each other in such a manner that the continued movement inwardly of the extended section will cause it to fold from the intermediate position as shown 30 in Fig. 4 to an inner folded position as shown in Fig.6.

At no time is it necessary to support any portion of any of the folding sections with the floor or with any portion of the frame itself. There is no movable roller, slide support or other contact with the frame which is likely to bind the sections in their movement, and the entire action and movement of the folding section is effected by the. automatic action of the linkage as thus shown and described.

While a particular construction and arrangement has thus been definitely disclosed, it is by way of illustration and not of limitation, as many changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.