Frame For Box Spring Assembly

Abstract

A frame formed at least in part of metal and adapted to be combined with a box spring assembly to provide a support for the spring assembly. The frame is generally rectangular and consists of side and end frame rails and a plurality of spaced cross rails connected to and extended between the side rails, the majority of the springs being mounted in pairs of aligned slots formed in the cross rails. Two forms of the invention are disclosed, an all metal form and a combination wood and metal form in which the side and end rails are made of wood. In the all metal form, wood strips and plastic strips are assembled with the side and end rails so as to provide tacking surfaces on which the conventional cloth cover for the box spring assembly can be mounted.

Description

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved frame support for box spring assemblies and more particularly to provide an improved frame for supporting box spring assemblies of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,281 owned by the assignee of this application, in which the springs are not of the conventional coil type but are of the formed wire type.

Box spring frames are conventionally formed of wood. A number of wood rails are nailed together so as to form a generally rectangular frame having wood cross rails or slats. Coil springs are supported on the slats and the frame, a pad is applied over the coil springs, and a fabric cover is placed over the padding and tacked to the frame. The box spring is then supported in a bed either on the conventional bed frame or on a metal angle iron frame to which a headboard can be attached. It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain low cost lumber of sufficiently high quality to form wooden box spring frames which will not either split during fabrication or fail in use. In any case, wooden frames are seldom of sufficient strength to provide the primary bed support enabling direct attachment of legs to the box spring frame. A metal box spring frame, or a combination wood and metal frame, which can be economically manufactured from readily obtainable structural materials and which will be light enough in weight to be readily handled and still be of sufficient strength to enable the frame to be used as the primary bed support is thus highly desirable in the bedding industry.

The present invention provides, in a preferred form, a box spring frame in which the principal frame components, namely, the side and end rails and the cross rails are formed of a light gauge metal shaped to provide upright webs or leg sections having primary strength in resisting bending in vertical planes. Thus, the metal in the frame components is used efficiently to resist the primary loads to which the frame will be subjected. In addition, slots are formed in the upright legs in the cross rails, and the end portions of the majority of the springs in the spring assembly are shaped so that they can be snapped into the slots in the cross rails. The result is that the cross rails function to support the springs. Similar slots are formed in tabs on the end rails for supporting the remainder of the springs. Thus, the frame of this invention can be used as the fixture on which the springs are assembled, thereby eliminating the need for a sub-assembly of the springs prior to assembly with the frame of this invention. In addition, wood strips are assembled with the side and end rails to provide the necessary tacking surfaces on which the box spring cover can be mounted. The end rails have curved end sections and flexible plastic strips are frictionally retained on these end sections to provide similar tacking surfaces for the cover at the corners of the frame.

In another embodiment of the invention, the side and end rails are made of wood, instead of metal, to reduce the cost of the frame relative to an all metal frame while retaining the principal advantages relative to an all wood frame, such as reduced weight, improved strength and noise free characteristics and ease of assembly of frame and springs.

This invention thus provides a lightweight metal frame which can be economically manufactured and assembled with a box spring assembly so as to provide a support for the spring assembly which is of sufficient strength and reliability to enable its use as the primary bed support, and a combination wood and metal frame which has many of these advantages.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a foreshortened plan view of one form of the box spring and frame assembly of this invention in which the principal frame components are all formed of metal;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the spring and frame assembly of this invention as seen from substantially the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a portion of the end frame rail in the box spring frame of this invention as seen from substantially the line 3--3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of another portion of the end rail in the box spring frame of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view like FIG. 3 of a modified form of end rail construction in the box spring frame of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a portion of the frame of this invention as seen from substantially the line 6--6 in FIG. 1 showing the assembly of a side rail and a cross rail with a leg supporting bracket;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view like FIG. 4 illustrating the assembly with a portion of the end rail of a modified form of plastic tacking strip and rail assembly;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a cross rail in the frame of this invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion of the frame of this invention shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view of the structure shown in FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are fragmentary detail sectional views, as seen from the lines 11--11 and 12--12, respectively, in FIG. 13, of a modified form of the frame of this invention; and

FIG. 13 is a foreshortened plan view of the modified form which uses wood side and end rails.

With reference to the drawing, one form of the box spring frame of this invention, indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1 in assembly relation with a box spring assembly 12a of the general type shown in the aforementioned U.S. patent. The frame 10 consists of a pair of parallel side rails 12, a pair of end rails 14 and a plurality of cross frame rails 16. The side rails 12 are straight, and the end rails 14 are likewise straight over the major portions of their lengths. At each of its ends, each end rail 14 is cut and bent ninety degrees upon itself so as to form a curved section 18 which is welded to the adjacent end of the adjacent side rail 12 so as to form the frame 10 of a generally rectangular shape having curved corners, this being the conventional shape of a box spring frame.

The cross rails 16 are welded at their ends at the side rails 12 so that the cross rails 16 are arranged in a substantially uniform spaced relation between the end rails 14. Substantially midway between its ends, each of the cross rails 16 is supported on a longitudinally extending center support bar 20 which is welded at its ends to the end rails 14. Each cross rail 16 (FIG. 8) is of a channel or U-shape in cross section, having a base portion 22 and leg portions 24 which extend upwardly from the base portion 22. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, each cross rail 16 is formed with a plurality of slots 26 arranged in aligned pairs at predetermined positions along the length of the rail 16. Each rail 16 has the slots 26 formed in the upright legs 24 at positions adjacent the base 22. As shown in FIG. 2, each rail 16 has a pair of slots 26 at each end for a purpose to appear presently.

Each of the end rails 14 is provided with upstruck tabs 28 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which are arranged in pairs with the spacing between the tabs 28 in each pair being substantially the same as the spacing between the legs 24 in a cross rail 16. Each of the tabs 28 is formed with a slot 30 like the slots 26 in the cross rails 16.

The side rails 12 are identical, and as shown in FIG. 6, each side rail 12 is shaped so that it includes a substantially horizontal support portion 32 and a depending web portion 34 which terminates at its lower edge in an inwardly curved lip 36. A wood tacking strip 38 is combined with each of the side rails 14 by positioning the strip 38 so that it is engaged with the web 34 on one side as shown in FIG. 6. The strip 38 can be retained in the position shown in FIG. 6 in which the lip 36 on the web 34 bites into the strip 38 in a number of ways, the preferred method of assembly being illustrated in FIG. 6. Each of the cross rails 16 which is positioned adjacent an end rail 14 is provided at its ends with a leg bracket 40 which is secured, as by welding, at one end 41 to the rail 16 and at the opposite end 43 to the support portion 32 of the side rail 12. The bracket 40 includes a horizontal wall portion 42 on which a mounting nut 44 for attaching a supporting leg 46 to the frame 10 is mounted. The bracket 40 also includes a vertical wall 48 which is parallel to and spaced from the side rail web 34 a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the wood tacking strip 38. This enables an upwardly inclined tab 50 to be struck out of the wall 48 into engaging and retaining relation with the wood strip 38 as shown in FIG. 6. The purpose of the wood strip 38 is to provide a tacking surface 52 below the frame rail 12 to which the conventional fabric cover, indicated at 54 in FIG. 6, can be secured as by tacks 56. The inwardly curved lip 36 on the lower end of the web 34 prevents the fabric cover 54 from being cut by the web 34.

It can thus be seen that the brackets 40 perform a dual function, namely, the function of providing a mounting for the support legs 46 for the frame 10 and the function of retaining the wood strips 38 in the side rails 12. Similar tacking strips 58 are provided on the end rails 14 and are assembled therewith, preferably as shown in FIG. 3. A plurality of brackets 60, of generally U-shape are attached, as by welding, at their upper ends to the horizontal support portion 62 of the end frame rail 14. Each bracket 60 includes an upright wall 64 which is parallel to and spaced from the upright web 66 on the end rail 14 a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the tacking strip 58. A tab 68 is then bent out of the bracket 60 and positioned so that a portion 70 of the tab 68 is below and in a supporting relation with the wood strip 58. Alternatively, a tab 72 can be bent out of the support portion 62 so that it extends downwardly at a position parallel to the web 66 as shown in FIG. 5. An upwardly inclined portion 74 of the tab 72 is then deformed into frictional and retaining engagement with the tacking strip 58 so that the lower surface 76 thereof can be used as a tacking surface for retaining the box spring cover 54 in position.

Since the curved sections 18 at the ends of the end rails 14 do not include wood tacking strips, a plastic strip 75, formed of a suitable flexible material such as polyethylene and having a slot 81, is frictionally retained on the lower edge of the depending section web 77, as shown in FIG. 4. This arrangement provides a horizontal tacking surface 79 below the web 77, like the surfaces 52 and 76 heretofore explained. To improve the retention capabilities of the web 77, it can be provided with an offset portion 83 as shown in FIG. 7, and the slot 85 in the strip 75 can be irregularly shaped as shown. If desired, the strip 75 can also be used on the side and end rail webs 34 and 66, respectively, to eliminate the need for the wood strips 38 and 58.

The spring assembly 12a consists of a plurality of main springs 78 which extend generally transversely of the frame 10, similar main springs 80 which extend longitudinally of the frame 10 and intermediate support springs 82 which are located within the boundary defined by the side and end rails 12 and 14, respectively. Only fragmentary portions of some of the support springs 82 appear in FIG. 1 because of the foreshortened nature of FIG. 1, it being understood that the springs 82 are preferably located as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,281 but can be arranged in any locations desired for achieving the required spring support. Each of the springs 78, 80 and 82 includes a substantially horizontal body portion 84 which is straight and is located a predetermined distance above the frame 10 so as to provide a spring assembly 12a of a thickness corresponding to the desired thickness of the box spring to be supported by the frame 10. The body portion 84 of each of the springs is maintained in this spaced position by depending mounting portions 86 which extend downwardly from opposite ends of the body portion 84. Each of the mounting portions 86 consists of a plurality of torsion bars and connecting bars arranged so as to provide for yieldable deflection of the spring under load, the exact configuration of each mounting portion 86 not forming a part of the present invention.

Each of the springs 78, 80 and 82 has its mounting portion 86 shaped so that it terminates in a generally U-shape foot or attaching portion 88 (FIG. 9). The foot 88 is substantially horizontal when the spring assembly 12 is mounted on the frame 10 and includes a pair of spaced legs 90 and 92 which are spring stressed so that they tend to spring apart. The leg 90 is formed adjacent its terminal end with a curved hook-shaped portion 94 and the legs 90 and 92 are connected by a bar 96. This construction of a foot 88 enables the quick assembly of each of the springs 78, 80 and 82 with the frame 10 by manually moving the legs 90 and 92 toward each other and inserting the foot 88 through a pair of aligned slots 26 or 30 to a position in which the spring legs 90 and 92 can be released, and the hook-shaped portion 94 will be at one end of one of the slots. The spring tension in the legs 90 and 92 tending to urge them apart then prevents accidental removal of a spring from the frame 10.

Thus, in the case of the main springs 78, the attaching portions 88 at the ends thereof are inserted in the slots 26 at the ends of the cross rails 16, as shown in FIG. 2. The attaching portions 88 at the ends of the main springs 80 are positioned in the slots 30 in the tabs 28 formed on the end rails 14. The attaching portions 88 on the intermediate springs 82 are inserted in the slots 26 disposed in the cross rails 16 intermediate the ends of the rail 16. Thus, the frame 10 can function as the fixture during assembly of the springs 78, 80 and 82 to form the spring assembly 12, thereby eliminating the need for a separate fixture and sub-assembly of the springs 78, 80 and 82. Conventional clips 98 are employed to connect the intermediate support springs 82 to the main springs 78 and 80 and to connect the ends of the main springs 78 and 80 to a conventional border wire 100.

It can thus be seen that the frame 10 consists essentially of side rails 12, end rails 14, and cross rails 16, each of which includes an upright web. This enables the frame 10 to be of the requisite strength in bending for resisting vertical loads while still being lighter than the conventional wood frame. It should be noted also that the center support bar 20 consists essentially of side-by-side upright webs (FIG. 2). The metal construction of the cross rails 16 on which the majority of springs are mounted assures a noise free spring and frame assembly.

The modified frame 10a shown in FIG. 13 includes cross rails 16 and therefore has many of the advantages heretofore described in connection with frame 10. The frame 10a differs essentially from frame 10 in that it employs wood side and end rails 12a and 14a in place of the metal side and end rails 12 and 14 used in the frame 10.

In the frame 10a, each side rail 12a (FIG. 11) consists of a main board member 102 having an edge board member 104 nailed to the top side thereof. Each end rail 14a (FIG. 12) includes a main board member 106 and an edge board member 108 nailed to the bottom side thereof. The ends of the side rails 12a and the end rails 14a are nailed together to form the generally rectangular frame 10a shown in FIG. 13. The cross rails 16 are supported on the top sides of the main boards 102 in the side rails 12a and are secured thereto by staples 110. The main springs 78 and the intermediate support springs 82 are then supported on the cross rails 16, the same as in the frame 10. The feet 88 on the main springs 80 are secured to the main boards 106 in the end rails 14a by staples 112. Intermediate their ends, the cross rails 16 are supported on a T-shape support bar 114 which is secured at its ends by staples 116 to the top side of the main board 106 in each of the end rails 14a.

It can thus be seen that the modified frame 10a retains many of the advantages of the metal frame 10, and in addition is more economical to construct by virtue of the use of wood side and end rails.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A generally rectangular frame for a box spring assembly which includes a plurality of connected wire springs, each of said springs having a body portion located a predetermined distance above said frame and depending mounting portions having ends which terminate in substantially horizontal attaching portions, said frame comprising side and end frame rails and spaced cross rails extending between said side rails, each of said cross rails being formed of a rigid material and having upright leg sections which are horizontally spaced, said leg sections being connected together at one of their ends and the space between said legs being open at their other ends, said leg sections being formed with a plurality of slots arranged in horizontally aligned pairs, and said spring attaching portions on at least some of said springs being extended horizontally through pairs of said slots and being spring biased into frictional engagement with said leg sections at the ends of said slots as to mount said springs on said cross rails.

2. A frame according to claim 1 wherein said side and end rails are formed of wood and said cross rails are secured at the ends thereof to said side rails, and further including a support bar secured at the ends thereof to said end rails and disposed in a supporting relation with said cross rails intermediate the ends thereof.

3. A frame according to claim 1 wherein each of said spring attaching portions is of generally U-shape having a pair of leg portions which are spring biased so that they tend to spring away from each other and frictionally engage said cross rail leg sections at the ends of said slots.

4. A frame according to claim 3 wherein one of said attaching leg portions is formed adjacent one end with a curved substantially hook shape section positioned in one of said slots so as to engage a cross rail at the end of said one slot and prevent movement of said attaching portion out of said slot.