Folding Bed Unit

Abstract

An upright box has an open side and a bed is connected with the box so it can be folded in and out of the same through the open side. At least one shelf or similar piece of furniture is located laterally adjacent the open side of the box and an additional piece of furniture is located in front of the box and can be shifted laterally so that it will either conceal the open side of the box or will expose the open side, being located in front of the additional piece of the piece of furniture. Guide means connects the additional piece of furniture with both the upper and lower ends of the box and with the piece of furniture in order to support the additional piece of furniture when it is shifted.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a piece of furniture, and more particularly to a folding bed unit.

Folding bed units are already known in various constructions. The invention is concerned with the type in which a bed folds into and out of a box which is usually configurated as a piece of furniture, that is provided with certain decorative aspects such as the use of furniture-grade lumber or the like. In this type of unit it is already known to provide a cabinet having upper cupboards and relatively tall lower cupboards. Such a cabinet is located in front of a nitch in a wall and folding beds are provided which can be folded into the respective lower cupboards and, when folded in, are closed off from view by suitable elements which are mounted at their upper ends at the upper cupboards and at their lower ends by a rail arrangement. Of course, in order to expose the opening or openings through which the beds may be folded out it is necessary to be able to laterally displace the concealing components, and in order to make this possible within the cupboard arrangement the components of the cupboard which are located laterally of the concealing components must be capable of being shifted from their planar-parallel position relative to the concealing components, which is accomplished by shifting them rearwardly. Thereupon the concealing components can be shifted sideways to expose the opening through which the bed can be folded out.

However, this type of construction has the disadvantage that it requires relatively much space and is therefore frequently not suitable in small rooms, such as in rooms of apartments. In paticular, behind the component which must be shifted rearwardly to permit lateral displacement of the concealing component, there is of course during the day (when the bed is normally not in use) lost space corresponding to a volume equal to that of the component which must be shifted rearwardly into this space to permit lateral displacement of the concealing component. Such space is of course entirely lost, a factor which is often found objectionable, particularly in situations where the available space is small to begin with.

Another construction known from the art utilizes only a box-shaped enclosure into which the bed can be folded and out of which it can be folded. The concealing component is located in front of the open side of this enclosure and can be shifted laterally, being connected with the enclosure to be retained in upright position. However when the component is shifted laterally in order to expose the opening through which the bed can be folded out or in, then it is no longer properly guided unless there is always at least some overlap between the component and the box. This, of course, results in a reduction of the opening or cross-section, aside from the fact that when the component is shifted laterally there is again lost space behind it which cannot be used. Also, the movable component cannot be self-constructed as a shelf or cupboard in order to form a useful function, because this would make it so heavy that it would be difficult to retain it in upright position when it is shifted laterally to expose the opening, at least without significant expenses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved folding bed unit.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide an improved folding bed unit which is not possessed of the disadvantages of the prior art.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an improved folding bed unit which requires a minimum of space and wherein a minimum of available space will be lost irrespective of the operative condition of the unit, that is regardless of whether the folding bed is in open or closed position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a folding bed unit in which it is also possible to displace the concealing component to and from its position concealing the opening through which the bed is folded into or out of its enclosure, without having to fear damage to the surface on which the unit is resting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a folding bed unit which in addition will act as a piece of furniture, that is which performs other functions than to merely mount and conceal (in the closed position) the bed.

In pursuance of these objects, and of others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a folding bed unit which, briefly stated, comprises an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side and upper and lower ends. A bed is connected with the box and is foldable into and out of the same through the open side. At least one piece of furniture is located laterally adjacent the open side of the box and an additional piece of furniture is shiftable in a plane forwardly of the box and the one piece of furniture between a position concealing the open side and a position in which it exposes the open side and is located in front of the one piece of furniture. Guide means connects the additional piece of furniture with the upper and lower ends of the box as well as with the one piece of furniture to permit shifting of the additional piece of furniture between the aforementioned positions thereof.

With such a construction the folding bed unit will require a minimum of space, and the additional piece of furniture will be properly guided and supported at all times, irrespective of its position with reference to the box.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the bed in open position with the bed still folded into its box;

FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3 with the bed illustrated in folded out position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic horizontal section through a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a partly sectioned fragmentary side-elevational detail view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top-plan view of the embodiment shown in section in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a partly sectioned fragmentary view of a detail of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a top-plan view of a detail of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a side-elevational view of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic side-elevational view of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary perspective detail view analogous to FIG. 15 but illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, it will be seen that the bed itself is identified with reference numeral 5, being pivotable about its lower end (the end which is the lower end when the bed is in upright folded-in position) into and out of a box portion 4 through the open side thereof. Immediately adjacent the portion 4 is provided one piece of furniture, the front edges of which are located in a plane with the front edges of the open side of the box 4, and an additional piece of furniture (a concealing component) 3 is shiftable from the position shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrow S to the position shown in FIG. 4 in order to thereby expose or conceal (depending upon the direction of shifting) the open side of the box 4 and the bed folded into it.

In the illustrated embodiment the additional piece of furniture 3 is configurated in effect as a shelf unit having interalia a writing surface so that it can be used as a desk. This means that the piece of furniture 3 constitutes a fully utilizable piece of furniture and does not merely serve a concealing function but does in fact serve a decorative as well as a useful function, for instance for writing purposes. However, the piece of furniture 3 could simply be a panel, for instance for decorative purposes of furniture-grade lumber. When the bed 5 is to be folded out to position of use the piece of furniture 3 is shifted towards the right or towards the left in the direction of the arrow S so as to be located in front of the piece of furniture 2. In the illustrated embodiment the displacement of the piece of furniture, hereafter identified as "the component" 3, takes place toward the right but there is no reason why it could not take place towards the left if the same or an additional piece of furniture 2 were located at the left-hand side of the box 4, or why it could not be shifted to either side if such a piece of furniture 2 were located at both sides of the box 4.

In accordance with the present invention the component 3 is guided on and connected with not only the box 4, but also the piece of furniture 2. There may for instance be provided two rollers 20 which support the component 3 for movement, and the upper and lower ends of the component 3 are provided with rollers 9 and 10 which are engaged in guide rails 6 and 60, respectively. Guide rail 6 is mounted at the upper wall 11 of the box 4, the rear wall of which is identified with reference numeral 13; the rail 6 is constructed as a profiled rail of substantially U-shaped cross-section whose arms have free margins which are anchored towards one another across the open side of the U. The rail also extends onto the piece of furniture 2 in order to provide for appropriate guidance of the component 3, and the latter is provided at its upper wall 12 with two arms 7 and 8 the free ends of which are provided with rollers 9 which are received in the rail 6.

The lower end of the component 3 is similarly guided, for which purpose a guide rail 60 is mounted on the bottom wall 14 or the supporting wall 15 of the box 4, as well as at the laterally adjacent piece of furniture 2, in such a manner as to be invisible to a person viewing the unit from the front. A horizontally extending supporting wall 18 is connected with the bottom wall 16 by a vertical wall 17 and mounts two brackets 19 which serve two journal rollers 20. Arms 70 are connected with the wall 18, oppositely to the brackets 19, and have free ends in which rollers 10 are turnably journalled which are received in the guide rail 60 which is constructed in cross-section similar to the guide rail 6. The angled margins of the legs of the guide rail profiles are identified with reference numeral 1, being angled towards one another across the open side of the respective U-shaped cross-section in order to retain the rollers 9 and 10 and prevent their inadvertent removal from the rails.

However, in certain circumstances the provision of the rollers 20 is undesirable because they must rest either on rails provided for them or directly on the surface on which the unit is supported. Such rolls must of course support the weight of at least the component 3 and tend to wear the surface on which they roll. Particularly if the surface is for instance linoleum or the like they will form a ground-in dirt track which is difficult to remove, and it is even less desirable if the surface is provided with carpeting or the like, because the nap of such carpeting is rolled down and over a brief period of time the carpeting becomes damaged to such an extent that it can no longer be repaired along the track of the rollers. As a consequence this type of folding bed unit is frequently not used by those who have carpeting in the area where it would normally be intended to place the unit, or else it is necessary to remove the carpeting to such an extent that it would terminate outside the range of contact of the rollers with the floor.

According to a further embodiment of the invention this can be avoided by having the component 3 suspended from the additional piece of furniture as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 8-13.

In these FIGS. 8-13 it will be seen that like elements as in the preceding embodiment are again identified with the same reference numerals. As before, the piece of furniture 2 may of course either be separate from or be of one piece or connected with the box 4, as desired and as the case may be.

The box 4 has a base socket portion 4a and mounted on the same, preferably extended in one piece over the entire width of the box 4 as well as of the piece of furniture 2, is an upwardly open U-profiled guide rail 6 in which the rolls 9 are received. The arms 7, which correspond to those previously mentioned, extend out of the plane of the rear wall 22 of the component 3 and are guided and supported on a free leg of the upwardly open U-profiled rail 6, as illustrated. To provide a proper guidance the rollers 9 are provided with circumferential grooves 23 each of which embraces one arm of the leg of the rail 6. The supporting rollers 9 are not located beneath the component 3 in this case, but are rearwardly offset relative thereto, so that the component 3 is completely out of the contact with the floor beneath and is freely suspended on the box 4 and the piece of furniture 2, being laterally movable on the two.

Of course, being suspended in this manner, the component 3 will have a moment of tilting in the direction of the arrow B, that is it will attempt to tilt forwardly and downwardly, especially in view of the fact that it is journalled at points located outside its center of gravity. In order to counteract this tilting moment the upper surface 11 of the box 4 and the piece of furniture 2, rearwardly offset from the front edge thereof, is provided with the rail 60 which is also a U-profiled rail and the margins 1 of whose legs are inclined towards one another across the open side of the U, to define between themselves a slit 24 through which an arm 70 extends. The slightly offset end portion of the arm 70 carries a similarly offset pivotable bracket 25 the free ends of which are provided with double rollers 26. The latter operate in horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 11 and always follow precisely the position of the rail 60, even if the material of the components 2 and 4 is of wood and should have become warped or the like or if the rail 60 is not mounted completely straight. Brackets 25 are pivotable about pivots 27 which are located at the end portion of the arms 70 approximately midway thereof. Screws 28 are provided for mounting the arms 70 to a supporting member 29 which in turn is made fast on the surface 30 of the component 3. Two of these supporting members 29 are provided carrying the arms 70 with the respective brackets 25 and the associated double rollers 26, thus providing for a proper and even guide of the component 3. This construction of the upper guidance for the component 3 overcomes the slight tilting moment B of the component 3 so that the lower rail 6 supports the weight of the component 3 whereas the upper rail 60 only has a guiding function and has to withstand the relatively small tensile forces resulting from the tilting moment B.

Of course, it is possible to depart from the illustrated exemplary embodiment, for instance to have the rollers 9 roll on the bight-wall of the U-shaped profile of the rail 6, instead of on a leg thereof, and it is also possible to construct the rail 60 as an angular-profiled rail rather than a U-shaped profiled rail, with roller 26 engaging behind the up-standing leg of the angular profile. However, I currently prefer the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-13 because it is simple in its construction and has been found to operate perfectly and without any difficulties.

In the previously described embodiments the component 3 can be used only for concealing purposes (if for instance it is simply a panel) or as a shelf or the like if it is so constructed. The same is true of the piece of furniture 2. However, it is desirable to make such a folding bed unit still more versatile, especially in view of the fact that it is primarily intended for use in circumstances where only limited space is available which should be made to yield the maximum benefit.

In other words, it is desirable that such a unit be capable of affording other functions of a piece of furniture, beyond those of merely serving as a repository for the foldable bed when not in use. In fact, the bed itself should be capable of a wider range of utilization than merely for night-time sleeping purposes.

This is accomplished, as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 14-16, by providing the bed itself in such a manner that it can be converted into a couch, and advantageously also providing the component 3 with a foldable table so that when located in appropriate relationship, that is with the component 3 displaced to permit the bed to be folded out of the box 4, the bed converted into a couch and the table and the component 3 together will constitute a usable seating arrangement.

It is advantageous to so-construct the bed in this case that a portion of the mattress thereof can be folded upwardly in order to provide a backrest which is a component part of normal couches. However, another part of the bed other than the mattress may similarly be used for this purpose. The component 3 may be provided with a recess in its outwardly directed surface, the recess being so dimensioned that the table can be folded in its entirety into this recess and be flush with the outwardly directed surface of the component 3, thus avoiding the projection of parts of the table beyond this surface. The plate of the table, that is the top thereof, can be made of two or more parts which can be hinged to one another, thus making it possible to provide a rather large table top which can be stored in a rather small volume of space. The legs for supporting such a table top can also be hinged to the table top and can similarly be folded into a recess provided for the reception of the table top. Thus, the table will not only require no space outside the confines of the component 3, but will when received in the recess provided in the component 3 for its reception, be scarcely able to provide a visual intrusion.

In FIGS. 14-16 like reference numerals identify the same components as in the preceding embodiments. The unit in toto is designated in these Figures with reference characters FB for "folding bed," and the bed can of course be provided with pivotable supporting legs, with mattresses and the like as in the preceding embodiments also.

As indicated in FIGS. 14-15 not only a single piece of furniture 2 may be provided at one lateral side of the box 4, but such pieces of furniture 2 may be provided at both lateral sides of the box, a possibility which has already been mentioned earlier. In such a case the component 3 can then of course be either shifted towards the left or towards the right to be located as desired before the piece of furniture at the left-hand side of the box 4 or before the piece of furniture at the right-hand side of the box 4.

In accordance with the above possibility it is of course necessary for the guide means for the component 3 to extend to both of the pieces of furniture 2 if two of them are provided.

The bed 5 is provided with a backrest portion 31 which can be folded up in the direction of the arrow C as shown in FIG. 15 and also in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16. Normally it will be located in the general plane of the bed and in order to permit such folding the portion 31 is provided with a hinge 32 which can be constructed as an arrangement of the type used in beach chairs or the like where the portion 31 can be raised or lowered to various different positions and can be arrested at these different positions, for instance by providing on the bed 5 a toothed rack and by providing pins on the portion 31 which are engageable with the teeth of the rack. Evidently, however, other types of hinges can also be utilized, that is hinges which are not self-locking. In the illustrated embodiment the hinge 32 is located at the end of inwardly drawn brackets of the frame of the bed at the inner pivot point.

Needless to say, other types of hinges include the possibility of utilizing a simple hinge and a strap 33 which connects the portion 31 with the frame 34 of the bed 5. Such strap, which could be in form of a rigid strip of metallic material or could be flexible, can be connected with the portion 31 in suitable manner.

Bed 5 may also be provided with loose bolsters 35, and instead of providing the backrest portion 31 a portion of the frame of the bed may be pivotably arranged. What is essential is that the possibility of folding up a backrest portion exists over the entire length of the bed 5 so that the latter can be readily converted into a couch which can also be used during the day rather than being restricted to use only for sleeping purposes. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 16 the upper edge 36 of the backrest portion 31 may be downwardly and rearwardly inclined to facilitate a folding of the backrest portion 31 into the frame 34.

In accordance with the invention the component 3 is provided on its forwardly or outwardly directed side with an open recess 37 in the interior of which, at the lower end thereof, there is pivotably mounted a table top 38 which can be pivoted about pivots 39 in the direction of the arrow D into the recess 37. If the table top is to be larger than the simple outlines of the recess 37, then the top may be provided in two portions 38 and 38' which can be connected with one another by a hinge 40.

In this case the portion 38 is provided at its end which is the lower end when folded into the recess 37, with legs 41 which can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow E but which can also be completely removable if desired. The portion 38' is of box-shaped configuration on its side which faces downwardly when the table is folded out of the component 3, so that the legs 41 can be folded into the interior of the portion 38' when the table is to be folded up. Of course, the legs 41 may also be of a telescopic type.

When the table is to be folded up out of the position shown in FIG. 14, the legs 41 are first folded in the direction of the arrow E whereupon the portion 38' is folded in the direction of the arrow F onto the portion 38, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 14, and the two portions 38 and 38' are then folded in the direction of the arrow D into the recess 38 where they may be retained by suitable retaining arrangements forming no part of the invention.

Here again variations are possible without departing from the intent and scope of the invention. It is advantageous, from a point of view of making seating on the bed converted into a couch, more comfortable, to construct the frame of the bed in such a manner that the edge portion 34' located opposite the backrest portion will be lower than the remaining portions of the frame. Quite evidently, however, it is possible to dispense with this feature and to make various other modifications.

The embodiments in FIGS. 14-16 make the folding bed unit in accordance with the present invention vastly more versatile then anything that is known to me in this art, because the unit in effect provides for most if not all of the furniture which is required in a small room, and that it provides a table, a seating arrangement, storage shelves if desired (for instance in the furniture pieces 2), a day-use couch and a night-use bed. All of this can of course be accomplished by simple and rapid conversion of the unit between its various operational states.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a folding bed unit, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A folding bed unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture laterally adjacent one of said lateral walls; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box as well as with said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said guide means comprising at least one guide rail mounted on said upright box at one of said ends thereof and extending laterally beyond said one lateral wall and along said one piece of furniture, and engaging portions on said additional piece of furniture in engagement with said guide rail.

2. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 35, said one piece of furniture having upper and lower end regions; and wherein said guide means connects said additional piece of furniture to said upper and lower end regions.

3. A folding bed unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture, having upper and lower end regions, laterally adjacent one of said lateral wall; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box as well as with said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said guide means comprising a continuous rail extending along said upper and said lower end regions, and a plurality of guide arms on said additional piece of furniture and rollers on said guide arms and received in said guide rail.

4. A folding bet unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture, having upper and lower end regions, laterally adjacent one of said lateral walls; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box and with upper and lower end regions of said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said guide means comprising guide rails at said lower end and said lower end region, and guide arms on said additional piece of furniture with rollers provided on said guide arms and received in said guide rails.

5. A folding bed unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture, having upper and lower end regions, laterally adjacent one of said lateral walls; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box and with upper and lower end regions of said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said guide means comprising guide rails and cooperating guide arms having rollers received in said rails.

6. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 5, said guide rails being of substantially U-shaped cross-section having leg portions provided with free margins which are inclined towards one another across the open side of the U.

7. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 5, said guide means further comprising at least two supporting rolls movable with said arms.

8. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said additional piece of furniture is a panel.

9. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 1, said guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said one piece of furniture so as to be suspended from the latter.

10. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 1, said guide means comprising a horizontal guide rail provided at said lower end of said box, and at least two guide arms extending outwardly from said additional piece of furniture at a lower end portion thereof and having free ends provided with rollers which are received in said guide rail.

11. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 10, said guide rail being of U-shaped cross-section with the open side of the U facing upwardly and wherein said rollers each have at least one circumferential groove into which one leg of the U extends.

12. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 10, said additional piece of furniture having a bottom plate portion extending at least substantially horizontally; and wherein said guide arms are connected with said bottom plate portion.

13. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 12, said guide arms being mounted atop said bottom plate portion.

14. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 12, said guide arms being mounted beneath said bottom plate portion.

15. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 10, said guide means comprising a guide rail extending along the upper end of said box and the upper end region of said one piece of furniture, and roller means connected with said additional piece of furniture and received in said guide rail.

16. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 15, said guide rail being of U-shaped cross-section and having lateral legs free margins of which are inclined towards one another across the open side of the U; and said roller means including mounting arms on said additional piece of furniture, and rollers on said mounting arms and received for horizontal rolling movement in said guide rail.

17. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 15, said mounting arms having free endportions, and said guide means further including pivotal carriers on said free endportions and provided with said rollers.

18. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 16, said margins defining between one another a slot extending longitudinally of said rail; and wherein portions of said mounting arms extend through said slot into the interior of said rail.

19. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 10, said guide arms and rollers being configurated as suporting rollers; and said guide means further comprising an upper guide rail, and associated upper guide arms and roller configurated for withstanding tensile forces resulting from the tendency of said additional piece of furniture to tilt downwardly and away from said box and one piece of furniture.

20. A folding bed unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture laterally adjacent one of said lateral walls; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box as well as with said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said bed having two transversely spaced longitudinal sides; and further comprising a backrest portion of said bed, extending along one of said sides and movable to and from a position extending upwardly on said bed so as to convert the latter into a couch.

21. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20; further comprising a folding table pivotably connected to an outwardly directed side of said additional piece of furniture and being foldable to and from an operative position extending along and laterally adjacent to the other of said longitudinal sides.

22. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 21, said additional piece of furniture having a recess in said outwardly directed side and said folding table being dimensioned to be received in said recess in response to being folded from said operative position to a storage position.

23. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 21, said table having a table top panel including two hingedly connected panel sections.

24. A folding be unit as defined in claim 23, one of said panel sections having a surface which is visually observable when said table is in said storage position, said surface having an appearance which at least resembles that of said outwardly directed side of said additional piece of furniture.

25. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 24, the other of said sections having one side which is juxtaposable with said one section when said table is in said storage position, and another side which faces downwardly when said table is in said operative position; and wherein said table further comprises foldable legs connected to at least said other section and being foldable against said other side.

26. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 25, said other side having a recess in direction toward said one side and said legs being receivable in said recess of said other side.

27. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 22, said folding table being pivotably connected with said additional piece of furniture so as to be flush with said outwardly directed side thereof when in said storage position.

28. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20, said bed having a frame and two longitudinally spaced transverse sides; and further comprising hinge means connecting said backrest portion hingedly with said frame at least in the region of said transverse sides.

29. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20, said bed having a frame, and including a wider first bolster and a discrete narrower second bolster which constitutes said backrest portion and is movable to said position forming a backrest, and also to a position flush with and adjacent said wider bolster so as to form therewith a mattress.

30. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20, said be including a bed frame and a mattress frame in said frame; said backrest portion being a portion of said mattress frame; and further comprising arresting means for arresting said backrest portion in said position against movement relative to said bed frame.

31. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 30, said arresting means comprising at least one strap member.

32. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20, said bed including a mattress frame, and a bed frame peripherally surrounding said mattress frame.

33. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 32, said bed frame having a first side wall and a second side wall which respectively extend along said one and said other longitudinal side; and wherein said first side wall has a lesser height in direction normal to the general plane of said bed than said second side wall.

34. A folding bed unit as defined in claim 20, said bed having a bed frame and said backrest portion being located within the confines of the same; said backrest portion having one edge face which faces upwardly when said backrest portion is in said position and is inclined downwardly in direction away from the other of said lingitudinal sides so as to facilitate movement of said backrest portion relative to said be frame to and from said position.

35. A folding bed unit, comprising an upright box dimensioned to receive a folding bed and having an open side bounded by lateral walls and upper and lower ends; a bed connected with said box and foldable into and out of the same through said open side; at least one piece of furniture laterally adjacent one of said lateral walls; an additional piece of furniture shiftable in a plane forwardly of said box and said one piece of furniture between a position concealing said open side and a position in which it exposes said open side and is located in front of said one piece of furniture; and guide means connecting said additional piece of furniture with said box and with said one piece of furniture for shifting between said positions, said additional piece of furniture being suspended from said one pice of furniture by said guide means.