U.S. patent number 3,780,386 [Application Number 05/140,149] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-25 for mechanical fastener for frame of bed.
Invention is credited to Philip F. Fouks, Donald H. Wriggins.
United States Patent |
3,780,386 |
Fouks , et al. |
December 25, 1973 |
MECHANICAL FASTENER FOR FRAME OF BED
Abstract
A great flexibility of use and reduction of inventory are made
possible by the convertible bed rail connector means of the
invention which allows connection of a bed rail means to a bed post
means alternately by hook means or bolted means while at the same
time allowing the bed rail means to either support the bed post
means as would be the case in a "Hollywood" bed arrangement or will
allow the bed rail means to be supported by the bed post means as
is the case in a conventional bed stead arrangement. An angular
bracket member is movably coupled to a bed rail means so that hook
means on the bed rail means may pass through a slot in the bracket
to effect hook coupling means and to be retracted to a position
where the bracket may be connected to the bed post means for either
supporting the bed rail means or being supported by the bed rail
means.
Inventors: |
Fouks; Philip F. (Evanston,
IL), Wriggins; Donald H. (Evanston, IL) |
Family
ID: |
22489965 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/140,149 |
Filed: |
May 4, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/296;
211/186 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
19/005 (20130101); F16B 12/54 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
19/00 (20060101); A47C 19/02 (20060101); F16B
12/54 (20060101); F16B 12/00 (20060101); A47c
019/00 (); A47f 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/224
;5/292,294,296,304 ;211/148,176,178 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Assistant Examiner: Calvert; Andrew M.
Claims
We claim as our invention:
1. A convertable bed rail connection means connecting a bed rail
means to a bed post means by either a hook means or bolted means,
said bolted means supporting said bed post means when said bed rail
means is independently supported.
2. A convertible bed rail connection means according to claim 1
wherein said construction comprises a bracket member and a bed rail
means, said bed rail means having a hook means thereon, said
bracket member having a slot therein in alignment with said hook
means so that said hook means may pass through said slot, said
bracket having mounting means for attaching said bracket to a bed
post means, said bed rail means and bracket members having coupling
means joining said members together yet allowing relative movement
therebetween.
3. A convertible bed rail connection means according to claim 2
wherein said bracket member mounting means includes at least one
hole whereby said bracket may be bolted to said bed post means.
4. A convertible bed rail connection means according to claim 2
wherein said coupling means include at least one opening in a
portion of said bracket member which is adjacent to said rail
member, said opening receiving therethrough a headed projection
which is secured to and projects from said rail member.
5. A convertible bed rail connection means according to claim 4
wherein said bracket member is of a generally right angular
configuration and has a first flange portion and a second flange
portion, said slot being in said first flange portion and said
opening being in said second flange portion.
6. A convertible bed rail connection means according to claim 5
wherein said opening has a horizontal portion with enlarged
portions, said horizontal portion being of a length to allow said
hook means to be retracted through and into said slot; said
enlarged portions including an upper portion above said horizontal
portion and a lower portion below said horizontal portion, said
upper and lower portions being positioned so that said bracket
member may either support said rail member or be supported by said
rail member.
7. In a bracket for a bed rail having a generally planar hook
member, the combination comprising; a connector member having a
relatively plane flange disposed adjacent to and parallel to said
hook member, said flange having a slot therein extending in a
direction generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of said
rail, a projection secured to said rail and extending generally
horizontally through said slot to limit relative motion between
said rail and said connector member in a vertical direction, said
slot being positioned on said connector member to permit said hook
member to be moved relative to said flange so that said hook member
extends beyond said flange when said projection is near one end of
said slot, and so that said hook member does not extend beyond said
flange when said projection is near the opposite end of said
slot.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said flange has two
slots spaced apart and generally parallel to each other, and said
rail has two projections, one for each of said slots.
9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said slot joins a second
slot at one end of the first slot, said second slot being disposed
at an angle to the first slot to limit relative motion between said
rail and said connector member in said longitudinal direction when
said projection is within said second slot.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second slot
extends downwardly from the end of the first slot.
11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said slot extends
upwardly from the end of the first slot.
12. Apparatus according to claim 7, including a second flange
secured to an end of the first flange and adapted to be removably
secured to a bed post means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bed element construction and
more particularly concerns a corner connection between a bed post
means and a bed rail means.
2. Prior Art
It is well known in the prior art that bed rails supporting a
mattress and/or box springs may be attached to a bed headboard ot
footboard by either a "hook" type fastener or a "bolt-on" type
fastener. In the case of "hook" type fasteners a pair of hooks at
each end of a bed rail are received in a slot in a bed post means
and slide down or are hooked over supporting pins. This latter
construction is used where the bed ends are made of wood. Where
metal construction is used, however, the bed rails are fastened to
the bed ends by the "bolt-on" connection.
Whereas in the past bed ends connected by a pair of rails have
supported the springs and mattress, it is not popular to provide a
wheeled frame to support the springs and mattress and to which
frame at least a headboard may be connected. It will be evident
from the above numerated different types of bed connections that
many different types of bed rails must be maintained in stock by
manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Not only does the
stocking of a large number of different types of bed rails to meet
these various requirements require greater space on the part of
those involved, but it also is expensive and greatly
inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by our invention
herein of a convertible bed rail connector means which allows
connection of a bed rail to a bed post means by either hook means
or bolted means and in the latter case allows the bed rail means to
either support the bed post means or be supported by the bed post
means.
In the preferred embodiment of our invention the connector means
includes a bracket member and a bed rail means with the bed rail
means having a hook means thereon. While the invention is described
in terms of only a single connection it will be understood that
this connection may be applied to both ends of the bed rail means.
The side of the bracket member which is adapted to abut the bed
post means has a slot therein in alignment with the hook means so
that the hook means may pass into and through and out of the slot
depending upon the position desired. The bracket has a mounting
means for attaching the bracket to a bed post means and the bed
rail means and the bracket member are held in movable relationship
to each other by a coupling means which allows relative movement
therebetween.
The bracket member mounting means may be of any conventional type
and as shown includes at least one hole through which the bracket
may be bolted or otherwise secured to the bed post means.
The coupling means which allows relative movement between the
bracket member and the bed rail means includes at least one opening
in a portion of the bracket member which is angularly related to
the portion which abuts the bed post means. At least one headed
projection which is secured to and projects from the bed rail
member is received through the opening and may move therein. As set
forth the bracket member may be of a generally right angular
configuration with a first flange portion having the slot therein
and a second flange portion having the openings therein. The
openings in the second flange portion may have a generally
horizontal portion with enlarged areas or portions at an inner end
thereof. The horizontal portion of the opening will be of a
position and of a length to allow the hook means to project through
the slot means to an operative position and also to allow the hook
means to be retracted to at least flush with the outer surface of
the first flange portion of the bracket means. The enlarged
portions may include an upper portion and a lower portion which
will serve to prevent movement of the projections on the bed rail
means when the bracket member is bolted to the bed end and either
supports the rail members or is supported by the rail members.
From the above summary of the invention it may be seen that we have
discovered a convertible bed corner connection means which will
serve its purpose in all types of bed construction and hence reduce
bed rail inventories. A further advantage of our invention is that
when the bed rails are being shipped the hook means may be
retracted and held in a retracted position by means of tape, etc.
so that they will not be damaged during shipment and so that less
room will be required during transit and storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be
readily apparent from the following description of certain
preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be
effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel
concepts of the disclosure, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector means according to
our invention illustrating the condition where the hook means is
retracted and the bed rail means is supporting the bracket and is
locked in place in an upper enlarged portion of the openings;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of our invention with the hook
means extended beyond the bracket member and is hooked in position
in a slot; and,
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of our invention with the hook
means retracted and the bracket bolted to the bed end to support
the side rail means.
FIG. 4 is a section along the line IV--IV of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 there may be seen a convertible bed rail
connector means generally indicated at 10 which includes a
generally right angular bracket member 12 and a bed rail means 14.
As may be best seen in FIG. 2 the bed rail means 14 includes a hook
means 16 attached to an end thereof. It will be understood that
while only a single bed connector construction is disclosed that
the same construction and the principles thereof may be used at two
or four corners of the bed. Thus, the bed rail means 14 may include
the connector means construction 10 at either end thereof.
Connection of the hook means 16 to the bed rail means 14 may be in
a conventional manner.
The bracket member 12 includes a first flange 18 and a second
flange 20 angularly related to each other. The first flange 18
includes a slot 22 therein through which the hook means 16 may
slide. In addition the first flange portion 18 of the bracket 12
may include at least over hole 24 by means of which the bracket 12
may be bolted or otherwise secured to a bed post means 28 as shown,
for example, in FIG. 3. We have found it advantageous to include a
second hole 26 to allow attachment of the bracket member 12 to the
bed post means 28. It will be understood that the attachment of the
bracket member 12 to the bed post 28 may be in any conventional
manner and is not limited to the particular means shown or
suggested in the drawing. The bed rail means 14 may include a lower
projecting flange 15 to provide strength and to provide a support
means for the springs or mattress.
The second flange 20 of the bracket member 12 includes one or more
openings 30, 32 which have elongated, generally horizontally
disposed portion 31, 33, respectively and which each include an
upper portion 34, 35 respectively extending above the upper edge of
the elongated portions 31, 33 and a lower portion 36, 37
respectively extending below the lower edge of the elongated
portions 31, 33.
A pair of studs 40, 45 are attached to and project from the bed
rail means 14 as shown in FIG. 4 and each have a shank portion 41,
46 respectively extending through the openings 30, 32 with an
enlarged headed portion 42, 47 at the end of the shank a distance
greater than the thickness of the flange 20 to allow relative
movement between the bracket member 12 and the bed rail means 14
and yet prevent their disengagement from each other.
By this means it may be seen that the hooked portion 16 may be
moved from a retracted position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 where the
hook 16 does not project through the slot 22 beyond the outer edge
of the flange 18 to an extended position as shown for example in
FIG. 2 where it is almost fully extended through the slot 22. The
openings 30, 32 will be so positioned and of such a length as to
allow the studs to move so that the hook means 16 may be fully
extended. In the position shown in FIG. 2 the hook means 16 engage
a pair of supporting pins, 17, 19 which extend through a slot 50 in
a post means 52. This represents a conventional construction
wherein the post means 52 on either end of the rail means 14
supports the rail 14 and the downward pressure exerted by the
weight thereon.
Where the hook means is retracted as shown, for example, in FIG. 3
the bracket member 12 may be bolted to or otherwise secured to the
bed post means 28 by suitable fastening means such as shown at 60.
Where the bed post means 28 engages a floor or supporting surface
and supports the rail means 14 it may be seen that the studs 40, 45
are seated in the lower portions 36, 37 to prevent relative
movement between the bracket member 12 and the bed rail means 14.
By means of this locking effect a rigid joint is obtained by the
weight of the bed springs, mattresses etc., on the bed rail means
14.
Where the bed rail means 14 is supported independently of the head
board or bed post means and the bed rail means in effect support
the bed post means secured to the bracket member 12 by suitable
means, the weight of the bed post means will move the bracket
member 12 downwardly to engage the studs 40, 45 in the upper
portions 34, 35 of the openings 30, 32 and thereby securely lock
the bracket 12 and attach the bed post in a supported position.
From the foregoing description of the invention it may be seen that
we have invented an efficient, greatly flexible convertible bed
rail connector means which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior
art and is economical and simple to construct and use.
Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in
the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the
scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as
reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution
to the art.
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