US2779951A - Adjustable bed - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1957 D. c. TRAVIS 2,779,951

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed July 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet l D. C. TRAVIS ADJUSTABLE BED 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 5, 1957 Filed July 1, 1950 D. C. TRAVIS ADJUSTABLE BED Feb. 5, 1957 Filed July 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 flu/6%: Dozwflzihs.7nadi5 W PM Feb. 5, 1957 D. c. TRAVIS 2,779,951

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed July 1,, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WP $14M 1 M 'Feb. 5, 1957 v D. c. TRAVIS I 2,779,951

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed July 1,1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q'Mey4 2,779,951 Patented Feb. 5, 1957 ADJUSTABLE BED Don Carlos Travis, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1950, Serial No. 171,654

8 Claims. (Cl. --69) This invention relates generally to adjustable beds and, more particularly, to the type of bed having an articulated bed-bottom frame suitable for hospital use.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a bed bottom of the inclinable type which is motor-actuated so as to be adjustable between a variety of positions with a minimum of effort; to provide an improved motoractuated adjusting means for a bed of this type; to provide a motor-actuated bed bottom which is movable out of horizontal position to an inclined position and vice versa by the action of an electric motor, the power connection to which is automatically interrupted at limit positions; to provide a bed of this type in which alternative limit positions of the head section of the bed bottom are selectible at and below the normal horizontal bed position; to provide an articulated bed bottom in which the foot section is indirectly actuated through its connection with an adjacent bed bottom section but which is separately manually adjustable to several alternative positions and returnable automatically to the horizontal from at least one of said alternative positions as the remaining bed bottom sections are being shifted from an inclined position to the horizontal bed position.

Other objects will appear and the invention will be better understood by referring to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the bed bottom of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bed-bottom illus trated in Figure 1, showing the bed bottom in horizontallyextended bed position;

Figure 3 is a similar side elevational view showing the bed bottom sections in an inclined position;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the foot section of the bed-bottom showing the lower limit of independent movement of the foot section;

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 and shows the foot section at its extreme upper position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the linkage which supports the foot section of the bed;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the motor-actuated adjusting means which has been partially cut away to show the inner construction;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a circuit arrangement which may be employed with the motor-actuated bed of the present invention;

Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views of the shiftable stop which determines the lower limit positions of the head section of the bed;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the stop shown in Figures l0 and 11, showing the operative engagement of a portion of the head section with the stop;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the foot section supporting linkage, taken' on the line 13-13 of Figure 6; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bed bottom adjusting mechanism, taken on the line 1414 of Figure 7.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention depicted in the drawings comprises an articulated or plural section bed bottom 15 which is pivotally mounted upon a subframe or underframe 16 for swinging and shifting movement between a horizontally-extended bed position (Figures 1 and 2), and an inclined position (Figure 3), with an infinite number of intermediate positions. To shift the bed bottom 15 between its several positions, motordriven adjusting means 17 are connected between the sub-frame l6 and one of the sections of the articulated bed bottom 15. The sub-frame is supported at either end upon a pair ofvertical end frames 18 in the usual manner to dispose the bed bottom at a convenient. level above the floor.

The sub-frame 16 includes a pair ofhorizontal side rails 19 which are desirably formed of angle iron and which are provided at their respective ends with a pair ofhooks 20 adapted to engage a pair of spacedpins 21 on amounting bracket 22 secured to theend frames 18. To complete the sub-frame and to provide convenient mountings for various parts of the structure, a number ofcross members 23, 24 and 25 are distributed at intervals along theside rails 19 and rigidly attached thereto. The cross members, like the side rails, are desirably fabricated from angle iron.

The articulated bed-bottom 15 comprises a generallyrectangular border frame 26, preferably also formed of angle iron, and a bed fabric 27, which is attached to theborder frame 26 by a plurality ofhelical tension springs 28 attached atsmall holes 29 spaced about the inner periphery of the frame. The fabric 27 may be of the wire-link type, as illustrated, or any other convenient form.

Theframe 26 is jointed along its sides to divide the bed bottom into hingedly connected sections including ahead section 30, anintermediate section 31 and afoot section 32. To prevent inbowing of the sides of the frame under the weight of the mattress and the occupant of the bed,spreader bars 33, 34, and 35, extending transversely of the frame beneath the fabric 27, are distributed along the bed bottom between its ends. These spreader bars are desirably formed of metal tubing and are U- shaped or downwardly bowed to provide clearance for the resilient downward deflection of the bed fabric 27. Thespreader bars 34 and 35, forming part of the head and foot sections, are desirably placed as close as practicable to the intermediate section of the bed so as to eliminate the need in that section for a similar spreader bar to thereby provide clearance space for the mounting of the motor-driven adjusting means on the sub-frame in a manner later to be more fully described.

The head section 39 is pivotally supported adjacent its hinged connection with the intermediate section upon a pair of opposed brackets 36 upstanding from thesubframe side rails 19, the larger, end portion of the head section overhanging the brackets 36 in cantilever fashion. Depending from the head section and fixedly attached thereto is avertical brace 37 and adiagonal brace 38, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the extensible motor-driven adjustingmember 17 with which the bed bottom 15 is shifted. The lower portion of thediagonal brace 38 is offset inwardly from the side of theframe 26, and thevertical brace 37 is attached to the spreader bar 34 rather than directly to the side of theframe 26 so as to dispose theextensible member 17 well between theside rails 19. As themember 17 is extended, the overhanging end portion of the head section 36 is swung upwardly about its pivotal connection with the brackets 36 and conversely, as theextensible member 17 is shortened, the end portion is swung downwardly. In

I? either case the shorter portion of the head section on the other side of the bracket 36 swings in the opposite direction, carrying with it theintermediate section 33 of the bed bot-tom.

The intermediate section 31' i supported at one end by its hinged connection to the head section and at a point adjacent its other end by shiftable links 39 pivotally connected at their upper ends to theintermediate section 31. and at their lower ends to thesub-frame side rails 19. It may thus be seen that the intermediate section moves in response to the head section through a definite path of movement determined by its connection to the head section and to the shifting links Thefoot section 32 is supported by its hinged connection to theintermediate section 31 and by a pair ofjointed links 49 one at either side of the bed he om.

Each supportinglink 49 comprises alower section 41 pivotally mounted on theside rail 19 and an upper section 42' pivoted to the lower section. The foot section of the bed bottom normally rests uponrollers 43 mounted at the upper end of the supporting links ill, which are prevented from collapsing by'the en agement of a pin 44- on the upper link section with anabutment 45 on the lower section, as i most clearly shown in Figure 6. This arrangement however also permits theupper link section 42 to be swung independently toward the foot end of the bed, out of supporting position, for a purpose which will subsequently appear. The upper and lower sections of the jointed link it) are normally moved in unison by adraw bar 45 pivotally connected at one of its ends to theintermediate section 31, and at its other end to the joint between the upper and lower sections of the link in. It is therefore apparent that the foot section of the bed is automatically shiftable in response to the movement of theintermediate section 31 through a path determined by its pivotal connection with the intermediate section and by the rise and fall of therollers 45 as :the jointed links 4!) are shifted by the draw bar as.

Thus, when the head section is horizontally disposed, the intermediate and foot sections are coplanarly aligned with the head section to form a bed, as illustrated in Pigures l and 2, and as the head section i raised, the intermediate and foot sections follow th movement of the head section until the bed bottom assumes a chair-like atttiude, shown in Figure 3, when the head section reaches its upper limit position. In this position of the bed bottom the intermediate section and the foot section both slope downwardly from their common hinge connection so that the knees of the bed occupant may be comfortably flexed. However, it will be apparent that because thefoot section 32 is attached at only one of its ends, it is independently swingable about its hinged connection with the intermediate section.

To permit the adjustment of the foot section independently to the head and intermediate sections, a pawl 47 i pivotally suspended fnom the foot section at a point between the intermediate section and thejointed link 40. This pawl comprises a pair of depending links 4%, one at either side of the foot section, connected by aU-shaped cross rod 49. To support the foot section above its normal position as determined by theroller 43, a number of notches or abutment dl and 52 are provided in the upper edge of thdraw bar 46 for selective engagement by thecross rod 49 of the pawl. These notches may be located so as to achieve any desired superelevation of the foot section in any practicable number of steps. However, at least two of the notches, 5t? and 52, are desirably located so that the foot section may in one instance be elevated to a position coplanar with the inter mediate section while the head section occupies its extreme elevated position, as illustrated in Figure 5 and, in another instance to a horizontal position while the head section remains so elevated, both attitudes being important in certain type of fracture cases. To raise the foot section to its super-elevated positions, as determined by the notches 50-52, ahandle 53 is provided at the extreme end of thefoot section 32 so as to be conveniently grasped by an attendant standing at the foot of the bed. This handle desirably extends across the end of the foot section of the bed as shown in Figure l and, furthermore, is oi such height as :to simultaneously serve as a retaining abutment for the mattress which would otherwise tend to creep longitudinally as the bed bottom i shifted from one position to another.

The horizontal attitude of the foot section, as determined by the engagement of thepawl rod 49 with the notch 52 when the head section occupies its upper limit position is, as mentioned above, extremely important in certain fracture cases. The amount of added elevation of the foot section thus produced, although critical, is not very great, but if the bed bottom were returned to bed position without disengaging the pawl from the notch 52, that added elevation of the foot section above its normally horizontal position atop therollers 43 might seriously affect the patient-occupant. To prevent the consequences of such oversight, automatic means is provided for the return of the foot section to its normallyhorizontal position on therollers 43 as the bed bottom is restored to bed position.

In the illustrated embodiment this automatic return feature takes the form of aplate 54 extending upwardly from theside rail 19 and having an inclined upper surface 55 disposed in the path of thepawl rod 49 as the bed bottom is shifted from its angular position to its bed position. As the pawl rod engages the cam surface 55, it is forced upwardly out of the notch 52, as shown in Figure 6, permitting the foot section to come to rest on therollers 43. As the bed bottom 15' is returned to its normal bed position, therollers 43 travel upwardly in an are about the pivotal connection of thelink 40 with the sub-frame, and engage the underside of the foot section frame practically simultaneously with the disengagement of the pawl rod and notch.

As stated above, the upper and lower section are normally moved as a unit by thedraw bar 46, but to permit thefoot section 32 to be depressed below its normal position as determined by its engagement with therollers 43 at theupper link section 42, the upper section is separately swingable about thelower section 41 in a direction to disengage the pin 44 andabutment 45 until theroller 43 rests on thesub-frame side rail 19, as shown in Figure 4. With the jointedlink 40 in this attitude, thefoot section 32 of the bed bottom may be lowered until it rests upon the lowersections, 41 of the links 4t). To provide for the simultaneous movement of theouter sections 42, these sections are desirably provided with a connectingrod 56 extending between the sections. An additional notch 57, not engageable with thepawl rod 49, is provided in thedraw bar 46 to provide cleanance space for thecross rod 56 as thelink 40 moves toward the head of the bed during movement of the bed bottom from its bed position to its inclined position, as shown in Figure 3.

The actuating means for effecting the movement of thehead section 30, and hence the entire bed bottom 15, comprises anextensible member 17 pivotally connected at one end to anangle bracket 53 mounted on the cross member 24. of the sub-frame, and at its other end to thebraces 37 and 38 depending from the head section 3%. Within the extensible member is anelongated screw 59 which is turned byamotor 60 through aspeed reduction unit 61 comprising a worm driven by the motor and a worm gear which is keyed or otherwise secured for rotation with thescrew 59.

Thescrew 59 is journalled within the worm gear housing which constitutes a part of themember 17 md which is preferably formed integrally with the motor frame. The other element of theextensible member 17 comprises anelongated tube 62 having at one end ashaft extension 63 which is secured to the tube by means of a plug 64 or other suitable means. Theshaft extension 63 is journalled within a fitting 65 with which themember 17 is pivotally secured to thebraces 37 and 38 depending from the head section of the bed bottom and through which the thrust exerted by theextensible member 17 is transmitted to the head section. Within thetube 62 adjacent its open end, there is secured anut 66 engaging the threaded portion of the screw and aguide bushing 67 which is of such inner diameter as to slip freely over the threaded and unthreaded portions of the screw. Thebushing 67 effectively journals thescrew 59, thereby stiffening theextensible member 17 to prevent any tendency to flex and bind thenut 66 as a result of the dimensional allowances essential to a running fit between the nut and screw. Anouter tube 68, fixedly mounted on the reduction gear housing, closely encompasses thenut tube 62 in telescope fashion and serves as a guard for the threaded portion of the screw which would otherwise be exposed when themember 17 is fully extended.

Keyed or otherwise fixed to theshaft extension 63 is abevel gear 69 which engages a similar gear 7t) fixed to ashaft 71 rotatably supported in the fitting 65 at right angles to the axis of theshaft extension 63. Pivotally connected to theshaft 71 by means of a suitable tongueand-fork connection 72 is a manually operable crank 73 which is extensible into operating position beneath the sub-frame for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane, and retractable upwardly toward the bed fabric to a nonrotatable position in engagement with a forked locking bracket '74 extending inwardly from the fitting 65. To retain the crank in retracted position within the locking bracket, aspring clip 75 is provided. Thegears 69 and 7h are normally covered by a box-like guard 90 which is fitted to the fitting 65 and secured in place thereon by a screw 91 (see particularly Fig. 14).

The operation of the actuating means is as follows: when the motor is energized and thescrew 59 is rotated, thenut tube 62, restrained against rotation by the engagement of the manually operated crank 73 with the lockingbracket 74, is advanced or retracted along the screw, thereby lengthening or shortening themember 17, to raise or lower thehead section 30.

In the event of power failure, or for some reason it should be desirable to operate the bed manually, the crank '73 may be extended to its operating position and turned to rotate the nut-tube through the bevel gears 69 and 70, thereby lengthening or shortening themember 17. In view of the irreversible nature of the reduction gear associated with the screw, it is unnecessary to provide additional means for restraining thescrew 59 against rotation since it is impossible for the worm gear to drive the worm. Furthermore, the lead of the screw is desirably such that the thrust on themember 17 due to the weight of the bed bottom and occupant will be ineffective to rotate the nut-tube 62, thereby eliminating the need for relocking the crank after each manual operation. It will be understood, however, that before motor-driven operation may be resumed, it will be necessary to again lock the crank in its retracted position in order to prevent rotation of the nut-tube.

To limit the upward swinging movement of the head section, irrespective of whether the bed is being manually or electrically operated, a short angle bracket 76 is mounted on the inside of the head-section supporting-bracket 36 in the path of the downwardly moving portion of the head section 3%. Alimit switch 77 mounted on the angle bracket 76 is suitably connected in the electrical circuit so as to interrupt power to the motor when the switch is operated. The switch housing is sufliciently sturdy mechanically so that the engagement of the head section with the switch housing is eifective to prevent further swinging movement of the head section, in the event of manual operation.

The lower limit of travel of the head section is determined by the engagement of thespreader bar 33 with resilient pads 78 carried by ashiftable frame 79 pivotally mounted on thesub-frame cross member 23. The shiftable frame carries a switch operator 80 (Figs. 10, 11, and 12) which is effective, upon engagement with thespreader bar 33 when the head section is in horizontal position, to operate alimit switch 81 carried by thecross member 23 to interrupt power to the motor. Theframe 79 may be shifted out of the path of the spreader bar in a manner more fully described hereinafter to permit the head section to be depressed to a lower-than-horizontal, or shock, position.

In Figure 9, there is shown a circuit arrangement which is illustrative of several which might be employed with the motor-actuated bed of the present invention. The particular circuit illustrated is a direct current system including aD. C. motor 60 connected through a normally open double-throw switch 82 and through theaforementioned limit switches 77 and 81 to a suitable source of power. When thedoublethrow switch 82 is urged in one direction, power is applied to both the armature and field of the motor so as to effect rotation of the shaft in one direction to raise or lower the bed. When the head section engages one or the other of the limit switches, power to field and armature is simultaneously interrupted and can be reestablished only by urging the double-throw switch 82 in the opposite direction, whereupon the rotation of thescrew 59 will be reversed and will continue until either the other limit switch is operated or the double-throw switch is released, the motion of the head section being stopped respectively at the opposite limit position or at some intermediate position. Other suitable circuit arrangements may be employed depending upon the nature of the power available and the particular type of motor desired. The double-throw switch 82 is preferably located within reach of the bed occupant, for example, at the side of the bed bottom 15 at the approximate location of the extended hand of the occupant, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The details of theshiftable frame 79 andlower limitswitch operator 80 are more fully shown in Figures l0, l1 and 12. Theframe 79 comprises an inverted U-shaped flat metal bar, the legs of which are pivotally supported uponbrackets 83 secured to thesub-frame cross member 23 so as to be shiftable between an upright position (Figure 10) and an inclined position (Figure 11) determined by its engagement with a suitable stop such, for example, as an angle clip 84 (Fig. 12) pivotally supported upon thebrackets 83 co-axially with theframe 79. Theframe 79 is manually shiftable from its upright to its inclined position and is maintained at either position by a tensionedcoil spring 85 connected at one end to the shiftable frame and at its other end to thecross member 23 so as to provide a resilient over-center action. Carried by theshiftable frame 79 and disposed in the downward path of thespreader bar 33 is aswitch operator 89 which, in the illustrated ebodiment, takes the form of a plunger which is downwardly depressable against the action of acompression spring 86 encompassing the plunger shaft. The compression spring is retained at its upper end by ahead 87 formed on the plunger shaft and at its lower end by its abutment with theshiftable frame 79 through which the plunger extends. Secured to the cross member immediately beneath the plunger isthelimit switch 81 and aU-shaped spring leaf 88, the free end of which is interposed between the plunger and the limit switch. It will be apparent that as thehead section 30 is lowered to the horizontal position, thespreader bar 33 engages the head of the plunger forcing it downwardly to actuate the limit switch thereby interrupting power to the motor. If it be desired to depress the head section below the horizontal, it is necessary only to shift theframe 79 toward the head end of the bed so as to carry the switch-operator 80 out of the downward path of the spreader bar. With the shiftable frame so displaced, the head section may be further depressed to the shock position which is deter 7 mined by the direct engagement of the spreader bar with the spring leaf (Fig. 12), whereupon the limit switch is again operated to open the power circuit to the motor.

Since the shock position of the bed bottom is seldom used, it is desirable to provide automatic means for returning the shiftable frame '79 to its upright position as the head section is raised out of the shock position, thereby restoring the limit switch operator St) to its normal position. This automatic means takes the form of aprojection 89 formed by cutting out a portion of the legs of theshiftable frame 79 and extending into the arcuate, downward path of thespreader bar 33 when theframe 79 is in its inclined position, as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 12. As thehead section 30 and, hence, thespreader bar 33 travel downwardly, and before the spreader bar engages thespring leaf 88 to interrupt power to the motor, the spreader bar engages theprojection 89, tipping theframe 79 upwardly over-the-center, thespring 35 bringing the cutout portion of theframe 79 to bear against thespreader bar 33. Then, as the head section is elevated, the shiftable frame is again forced away from its upright position by the upwardly moving spreader bar, the movement of the U-shaped frame during the upward travel of the head section, however, being insufiicient to advance the shiftable frame overcenter. Therefore, when thespreader bar 33 is raised clear of theshiftable frame 79, the frame rebounds to its upright position under the action of thespring 85 and is once more operable to limit the downward travel of the head section at the horizontal position.

Although the invention has been described by reference to the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary supporting frame and a bed bottom frame pivotally mounted on said supporting frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis; a stop member movably mounted on one of said frames and normally disposed to engage the other of said frames to restrain said bed-bottom frame in a horizontal position, said stop member being manually shiftable to a non-restraining position to permit said bed-bottom frame to be depressed below said horizontal position, and resilient means connected between said stop member and said one frame and ac tuated by movement of said bed bottom frame downwardly from said horizontal position to restore said stop member to its restraining position when said bed-bottom frame is subsequently raised.

2. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary sub-frame and a bed bottom including a section pivotally mounted on said sub-frame for swinging mot'ement about a horizontal axis; a shiftable stop member pivoted on said sub-frame and normally disposed to abut said section thereby to restrain said section in a horizontal position, said stop member being shiftable to a non-restraining position to permit said section to be depressed below said horizontal position, an over-center spring for urging said stop member toward either of its positions, said stop member, when disposed in said non-restraining position, having a portion engageable by said section when said section is moved below said horizontal position thereby to shift said spring over center to urge said stop member toward its restraining position, and said spring being effective to restore said stop member to its restraining position when said section is subsequently raised.

3. In a adjustable bed having a normally stationary supporting frame, a bed bottom frame pivotally mounted on said supporting frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, actuating means for shifting said section, an electric motor for driving said actuating means, and an electrical circuit for connecting said motor to a source of power including a disconnect switch on one of said frames and engageable by the other of said frames for interrupting said circuit when said bed bottom frame is inclined downwardly from the horizontal; a switch operator movably mounted on one of said frames and normally interposed between said switch and other of said frames and engageable by the latter to operate said switch when said bed bottom frame is in a horizontal position thereby to interrupt said circuit, said operator being manually shiftable to an inoperative position to permit said bed bottom frame to be depressed below said horizontal position, and resilient means actuated by movement of said bed bottom frame downwardly from said horizontal position to restore said operator to said normal position when said bed bottom frame is subsequently raised.

4. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary sub-frame, a bed bottom section pivotally mounted on said sub-frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, actuating means for shifting said section, an electric motor for driving said actuating means, and an electrical circuit for connecting said motor to a source of power including a disconnect switch on said sub-frame for interrupting said circuit; the combination of a shiftable switch operator pivotally mounted on said sub-frame and normally interposed between said section and said switch and adapted to be engaged by said section to operate said switch to interrupt said circuit when said section is horizontally disposed, said operator being shiftable to a non-operative position to permit said section to be depressed to a lower-than-horizontal, inclined position, said section being adapted to engage said switch to interrupt said circuit when said section reaches said lower position, and resilient means actuated by movement of said section downwardly from said horizontal position to restore said operator to its operative position when said section is subsequently raised.

5. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary sub-frame, a bed bottom section pivotally mounted on said sub-frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, actuating means for shifting said section, an electric motor for driving said actuating means, and an electrical circuit for connecting said motor to a source of power including a disconnect switch on said sub-frame for interrupting said circuit; the combination of a shiftable switch operator pivotally mounted on said sub-frame and normally interposed between said section and said switch and adapted to be engaged by said section to operate said switch to interrupt said circuit when said section is horizontally disposed, said operator being shiftable to a non-operative position to permit said section to be depressed to a lower-than-horizontal, inclined position, said section being adapted to engage said switch to interrupt said circuit when said section reaches said lower position, an over-center spring for urging said operator toward either of its positions, said operator in said nonoperative position having a portion engageable by said section when said section is moved below said horizontal position to shift said operator over-center toward its operative position whereby said operator is restored to said operative position when said section is subsequently raised.

6. An adjustable bed comprising a normally stationary sub-frame, a bed bottom including a foot section and an adjacent section hingedly connected to said foot section, means movably supporting said adjacent section upon said sub-frame for shifting movement longitudinally of said sub-frame, support means for said foot section including an upwardly-extending link pivotally connected at its lower end to said sub-frame and a draw bar connecting said adjacent section and said link, said foot section normally resting on the upper end of said link, said drawbar having formed thereon an abutment, a pawl pivotally suspended from said foot section and adapted to engage said abutment to support said foot section independently of said upper link-end, and a cam on said sub-frame engageable with said pawl for disengaging said pawl from said abutment when said adjacent section is shifted in one direction longitudinally of said sub-frame.

7. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary supporting frame and a bed bottom frame pivotally mounted on said supporting frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis; a stop member movably mounted on one of said frames and normally disposed to engage the other of said frames to restrain said bed bottom frame in a predetermined position relative to said supporting frame, said stop member being manually shiftable to a non-restraining position to permit said bed bottom frame to be depressed below said predetermined position, and resilient means actuated by movement of said bed bottom frame below said predetermined position for restoring said stop member to its restraining position when said bed bottom frame is subsequently raised.

8. In an adjustable bed having a normally stationary supporting frame and a bed bottom frame pivotally mounted on said supporting frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis; a stop member movably mounted on one of said frames and normally disposed to engage the other of said frames to restrain said bed bottom frame in a predetermined position relative to said supporting frame, said stop member being manually 10 shiftable to a non-restraining position to permit said bed bottom frame to be depressed below said predetermined position, and means actuated by movement of said bed bottom frame below said predetermined position for restoring said stop member to its restraining position when said bed bottom frame is subsequently raised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,658,777 Nixon Feb. 7, 1928 1,790,435 Muller Ian. 27, 1931 2,215,636 Comper Sept. 24, 1940 2,255,706 Height Sept. 9, 1941 2,284,404 Martin May 26, 1942 2,337,284 Urie Dec. 21, 1943 2,349,701 Buttikofer May 23, 1944 2,481,477 Peery Sept. 6, 1949 2,500,742 Taylor Mar. 14, 1950 2,560,465 McVicker et a1 July 10, 1951 2,617,117 Putterbaugh Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,576 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1939 444,451 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1936 456,052 Germany Feb. 16, 1928

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