US2976545A - Folding camp cot - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1961 R, D. VANDERMINDEN FOLDING CAMP COT 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 Filed Aug. '7, 1959 ndllllfl lus INVENTOR ROBERT DNANDERMW DEN BY M gaat] March 28, 1961 R. D. VANDRMINDEN 2,976,545

FOLDING CAMP COT 2 Shee'cs-Sheei*I 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1959 lNvl-:NToR ROBERT D. VANDERWNDEN ATTORNE 5 "ucr- W FoLDrNG CAMP cor Robert D. Vanderminden, Granville, N.Y., assignor to The Telescope Folding Furniture Co., Inc., Granville, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 832,281

3 Claims. (Cl. 5111) This invention relates to folding camp cots and more particularly to improvements in the support and operation of their end legs.

It is a common objective of nearly all folding cots to provide rm and dependable leg support for the cot while it is being used, and at the same time easily operable means for collapsing the legs so that the cot may be compactly folded for transport or storage.

It is a principal object and feature of this invention to improve upon the present art by more completely achieving these goals to make a safe and convenient cot.

It is a further object and feature of this invention to provide for sturdy end rails and legs.

It is a further object and feature of this invention to provide for simple, inexpensive and commercially practicable means to accomplish these objectives.

Additional objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specitication and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a cot embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a partially folded cotembodying this invention;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the structure joining an end piece to the side rails, taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a similar partial sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4 in the partly folded position of the cot of Fig. 3; and j Fig. 6 is a side view of a fully folded cot embodying this invention.

The cot C to be described as one example of a cot embodying this invention comprises two parallel side rails 7 and 8, each divided into two half sections 7a, '7b and 8a, 8b. The two sections of each rail are joined by two pairs of T-shaped brackets 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b, a bracket of each pair on each side of the side rails proximate to their ends. Each wing of the top portion of the pair of T-shaped brackets contains a pivot rivet or pin, 11a, 11b (Fig. 6) and 12a and 12b (Fig. l), extending between them, and through an abutting end of one of the sections of each side rail so that each section can pivot around an axis transverse to and in the plane of Ithe cots bed or body rest.

The stem of each pair of T-shaped brackets is firmly fastened to center legs 13 and 14 (Fig. 2) and to a center U-shaped brace 15 (Fig. 2), which spaces the two side rails 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b.

The side rails are fastened at each end to the leg 2,976,545 Patented Mar. 28,1961

end piece which is proximate to the rail portion (e.g. 17b) of the same end piece. The two side plates extend upwardly and inwardly oneon each side of a side rail. A pivot pin or rivet e.g. 2lb (like 20a, Ztib and 21a) extends between the side plates and through the end of the side rail with an axis perpendicular to the plane of the side of the cot. The side plates of the end bracket continue upwardly and inwardly to bend toward each other and meetin an arch 26 (Figs. 4 and 5) over the top of the end of the side rails (when the legs are iu an extended position, as in Fig. 4), to limit the swing of the legs in their extended position by bearing against the tops of the side rail ends. y

A material 23 to form the bed or body rest of-the cot C is fastened to both side rails and the rail portion of the end pieces substantially as shown in Fig. l. The material may be fastened by rivets, screws or an extension of the bed material or a separate apy may be looped over the rails and sewed to the cot bed inside the rails. Suitable cutouts are provided at the joints for clearance purposes.

The side rails, end pieces, and center brace may be formed from any rigid material, for example, wood, plastic or metal; aluminum tubing is used in' one preferred form. The brackets may also be formed from any rigid material, for example, aluminum plate, galvanized steel or plastic. The pins and rivets may be formed conventionally, for example, from aluminum, steel or other suitable material. Any flexible and relatively inextensible material may be used to form the bed of the cot, for example, any canvas, cotton or plastic fabric.

The end legs of the cot gain their exceptional stability by the cooperating combination of several design features.

Referring to Fig. 4, the pivot pins or rivets e.g. 2lb around which the legs swing, must be located below the line of fabric tension represented by arrows 24.

By this structure, the legs, e.g. 17C can only be folded under the cot and against the side rails, eg. Sb, if the end rail, eg. 1712, to which the legs are integrally joined, is free to move out and away from the center of the cot.

By this invention, two forces act to prevent this movement and secure the cot legs against the possibility of collapse while the cot is in use. Yet, neitherinterferes with the easy and simple folding of the cot when that -is desired.

First, the weight of the user reclining in the cot, represented by arrow 25 in Fig. l, causes considerable tension, represented by arrows 24, in the bed material of the cot. This tension acts directly to resist the outward movement of the end rails and, therefore, to stabilize the extended legs. But when the user gets up, this first force is immediately released.

Second, the use of a bed material which is inextensible, relative to the outward movement that the end rail experiences when the legs of the cot are folded, also secures the end rails when the cot is erected, if, at the same time, the pivots around which the end pieces swing at each end of the cot, e.g. 2lb, are lzept at maximum separation from those at the other end of the cot, e.g. 20a, that is, if the side rails 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b are kept straight. This is accomplished in this invention by fastening the fabric 23 to the side rails substantially as shown in Fig. l, so that the weight of the user 2S will firmly press the side rails down upon their supports. Thus, when the cot is being used, the legs cannot be folded or collapsed, the bed material will hold them securely extended. Yet, when the user gets up from the cot, the side rails can be easily pivoted into a folded 3 position, and the legs can then be folded (since the pivot points, c g. Ztlb and 2lb and end rails 16h and 17b have been moved closer together and the bed material loosened by the folding of the side rails and the end rails have, therefore, been allowed to move outwardly around the -pivot points).

The combination of these two features gives the cot legs a stability and dependability coupled with complete ease of folding and simplicity of manufacture. The stability of the legs and the dependability of their being retained in an extended position is increased by the new one-piece construction of their end pieces which integrally joins the legs and rail at each end of the cot,

The cot legs cannot collapse while in use. But at the same time, the cot may be conveniently folded by the following steps.

The user must first yget oi the cot.

The side rails are then partially folded at the center, as shown in Fig. 3.

The tension on the end rails thus released, the legs are folded upward and inward to lie adjacent to the side rails.

The folding of the side rails is then continued, until the cot is substantially completely folded as shown in Fig. 6.

The invention is not limited or intended to be limited to the specific cot that has b-een described as an example of one embodiment of the invention. Many variations are possible and within the scope of the claims, as will -be obvious to men skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. In a folding cot, substantially parallel side rails of approximately equal length pivoted substantially half way along their lengths and terminating at each extremity in a pair of spaced apart outer ends, one piece substantially U-shaped end pieces each having a rail portion and leg portions, one of said end pieces being positioned proximate to one pair of said outer ends, the other of said end pieces being positioned proximate to the other pair of said outer ends, brackets comprising side plates joined across the top by an arched portion, a bracket having its said side plates rigidly secured to a leg portion proximate to said rail portion for each of saidend pieces with its arched portion extending inwardly and over-lying an outer end of a side rail and with said side plates pivotally secured to the side rail proximate to the end the arched portion overlies, one of said side plates being on each side of said side rail, the top of said rail portions of each end piece lying above the pivot axes of said side plates when the said leg portions are in a normally extended position for use, and a bed material, said bed material fastened to and between the rail portions of said end pieces and to said side rails.

2. In a folding cot, substantially parallel side rails of approximately equal length pivoted substantially half way along their lengths and terminating at least at one extremity, in a pair of spaced apart outer ends, a one piece substantially U-shaped end piece having a rail portion and leg portions positioned proximate to said pair of said outer ends, brackets comprising side plates joined across the top by an arched portion, each said bracket having its said side plates secured to a leg portion proximate to said rail portion of said end piece with its arched portion extending inwardly and overlying an outer end of a side rail and with said side plates pivotally secured to the side rail proximate to the end the arched portion overlies, one of said side plates being on each side of said last-named side rail, the top of the rail portion of said end piece lying above the pivot axes of said side plates when the said leg portions are in a normally extended position for use, a supporting end piece having a rail portion and leg portions secured to support the side rails adjacent the other end of said cot, and a bed material, said bed material being fastened to and between the rail portions of said end pieces and also to said side rails.

3. In a folding cot as per 2, legs supporting said pair of side rails substantially halfway along their lengths and a generally transverse bracing member spacing said last-named legs and side rails apart.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,574 Berg Dec. 22, 1925 2,809,383 Fenner et al. Oct. 15, 1957 2,866,208 Vanderminden Dec. 30, 1958 2,943,672 Hook et al. July 5, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics (Magazine), November 1957, page 102, item-Miniature Trampolin.

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