Bed frame & method of assembly

Abstract

A support frame for a bed includes a pair of side rails having attached thereto a pair of cross bar segments each having an outer end including a wall portion comprising a malleable material. Upon assembly the outer ends of individual cross bar segments of one side rail are aligned with and connected to the outer ends of the individual cross bar segments of the other side rail by interlocking connector elements punch pressed in the malleable material of the wall portions. One connector element comprises a finger member projecting from the wall portion of one aligned and connected cross bar segment. The other connector element comprises a slot in the wall portion of the other aligned and connected cross bar segment that receives the finger member.

1 . A support frame for a bed, including
 a pair of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto a pair of cross bar segments, each cross bar segment having an inner end connected to the side rail to which it is attached and an outer end including a wall portion comprising a malleable material,   said cross bar segments on each side rail being spaced apart and the outer ends of individual cross bar segments of one side rail being aligned with the outer ends of the individual cross bar segments of the other side rail,   said aligned outer ends being interlocked together by connector elements punch pressed in the malleable material of their respective wall portions, each individual connector element being integral with the wall portion from which it is punch pressed, and where one connector element in one aligned outer end comprises an outwardly projecting finger member and the connector element in the other aligned outer end comprises an elongated slot in the wall portion of said other aligned outer end,   said finger member and slot each having predetermined configurations to enable the interlocking engagement thereof upon the finger member being inserted into the slot and the cross bar segments being moved away from each other and disengagement upon the cross bar segments being moved towards each other and separated.   
     
     
         2 . The support frame of  claim 1  where the wall portions of the cross bar segments each have predetermined thicknesses that are substantially equal, and the finger member comprises an elongated, planar element offset from and substantially parallel to the wall portion from which said finger member is formed, said planar element terminating at one end in a barrier wall section integral with the wall portion from which said finger member is formed and an opposed free end, said barrier wall section projecting outwardly from the wall portion from which said finger member is formed so the planar element is offset a predetermined, substantially uniform distance from the wall portion that is substantially equal to said predetermined thickness of said wall portion. 
     
     
         3 . The support frame of  claim 2  where the finger member is inserted into the slot and the cross bar segments are moved away from each other so the finger member and slot engage and interlock, said finger member and slot having predetermined dimensions so that upon interlocking engagement the finger member extends through the slot and said planar element overlaps an exterior surface of a portion of the cross bar segment adjacent the slot, said exterior surface sliding under said free end and the barrier wall section abutting an edge of the slot upon connection. 
     
     
         4 . The support frame of  claim 3  including a locking element in the wall portion of one aligned and connected cross bar segment and a receptacle in the wall portion of the other aligned and connected cross bar segment, said locking element and receptacle being formed by punch pressing the malleable material in the wall portions of their respective aligned and connected cross bar segments. 
     
     
         5 . The support frame of  claim 4  where the locking element and receptacle are at predetermined positions in the wall portions in the outer ends of their respective aligned and connected cross bar segments so that, upon connection with said exterior surface under said free end of the finger member and the barrier wall section abutting the edge of the slot, the locking element fits snug within the receptacle to prevent any substantial lateral movement between the aligned and connected cross bar segments, said locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received having substantially the same shape and size and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned, the locking element snaps into and fits snugly in the receptacle and is wedged in a locked position. 
     
     
         6 . The support frame of  claim 4  where the slot is substantially rectangular and has opposed edges and a predetermined length dimension and a predetermined width dimension, said planar element of the finger member having a length that is less than the length dimension of the slot and said barrier wall section having a width dimension substantially equal to said width dimension of the slot, said barrier wall section being nearby one opposed edge upon inserting the finger member in the slot and abutting the other opposed edge upon moving the cross bar segments away from each other, said locking element and receptacle in predetermined positions to engage upon said barrier wall section abutting said other opposed edge when the cross bar segments are moved away from each other. 
     
     
         7 . The support frame of  claim 4  where the wall portions of each aligned and connected cross bar segment include a top wall and a sidewall, with said locking element being in the top wall of one cross bar segment and receptacle being in the top wall of the other cross bar segment, whereby, upon placing a boxspring on the assembled support frame, said boxspring bears down on the locking element to tend to maintain said locking element in said receptacle, and with said finger member being in the sidewall of one cross bar segment and slot being in the sidewall of the other cross bar segment. 
     
     
         8 . The support frame of  claim 2  where the slot has a substantially rectangular configuration with a predetermined length and width and the planar element has a length less than the length of the slot and the barrier wall section has a width substantially the same as the width of the slot. 
     
     
         9 . The support frame of  claim 2  where each wall portion has a predetermined thicknesses and the free end of planar element is spaced outward from the wall portion from which said planar element is formed a distance substantially the same as the thickness of the wall portion of the slot in which said of planar element is received during interlocking engagement. 
     
     
         10 . A support frame for a bed, including
 a pair of substantially parallel side rails, each side rail having attached thereto substantially at a right angle to the side rail a pair of spaced apart, L-shaped, cross bar segments comprising a malleable material, each cross bar segment having a top wall, a sidewall substantially at a right angle to the top wall, an inner end connected to the side rail to which it is attached, and an outer end,   the outer ends of individual cross bar segments of one side rail being aligned with, overlapping, and nested in the outer ends of the individual cross bar segments of the other side rail, said aligned, overlapping, and nested outer ends being connected by interlocking connector elements integrally formed in the malleable material,   said connector elements of each aligned and connected cross bar segments comprising a substantially hook shaped finger member projecting from the sidewall of one connected cross bar segment and a slot in the sidewall of the other connected cross bar segment that receives the finger member, and   a locking element in the top wall of one aligned and connected cross bar segment and a receptacle in the top wall of the other aligned and connected cross bar segment, said locking element and receptacle being integrally formed in the malleable material.   
     
     
         11 . The support frame of  claim 10  where
 the connector elements are punched pressed in the malleable material and each comprises a pair of longitudinally aligned finger members and a pair of longitudinally aligned slots,   said pair of finger members and said pair of aligned slots respectively positioned so, upon connection, one individual finger member extends into one slot and the other individual finger member extends into the other slot,   said finger members and slots having predetermined dimensions so individual finger members extend through individual slots to (a) engage as the individual aligned and connected cross bar segments are moved into alignment with each other and the finger members are inserted into the slots and then the cross bar segments are moved away from each other so the slots and finger members interlock, and (b) disengage as the cross bar segments are moved towards each other and then separated to withdraw the finger members from the slots,   said individual finger members each including an elongated, planar element offset from the wall portion from which said planar element is formed, leaving an opening in said wall portion beneath said planar element,   said planar element terminating at one end in a barrier wall section integral with the wall portion from which said planar element is formed and an edge of said opening, and terminating at an opposed free end,   said planar elements oriented so their free ends each are substantially aligned and pointing in substantially the same direction and overlapping surfaces of the cross bar segments adjacent said individual slots receiving said individual finger members when the cross bar segments are moved away from each other, said surfaces sliding under the free ends of said individual planar elements.   
     
     
         12 . The support frame of  claim 11  where the locking element and receptacle are at predetermined positions in the top wall of their respective aligned and connected cross bar segments so that, upon connection with said exterior surfaces adjacent said slots under said free ends of the finger members and the stop sections abutting the edges of the individual slots in which they are received, the locking element fits within the receptacle to prevent any substantial lateral movement between the aligned and connected cross bar segments. 
     
     
         13 . The support frame of  claim 11  where the locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received have substantially the same shape and size, and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned and positioned to be coupled together, the locking element fitting snugly in the receptacle and is wedged in position. 
     
     
         14 . The support frame of  claim 11  where the receptacle comprises a hole in one the top wall of one of the aligned and connected cross bar segments. 
     
     
         15 . The support frame of  claim 11  where the locking element has spring action and goes into compression during connection of the cross bar segments when the segments are moved towards each other. 
     
     
         16 . The support frame of  claim 11  where the slots each have a substantially rectangular configuration with a predetermined length and width and the planar elements each have a length less than the length of the slot and the wall section has a width substantially the same as the width of the slot. 
     
     
         17 . A support frame for a bed, including
 first and second of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto spaced apart first and second L-shaped cross bar segments, with each cross bar segment having a top wall and a sidewall disposed at a right angle to the top wall, an inner end connected to the side rail to which it is attached and an outer end,   said side rails being adapted to be coupled together so that said rails are substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart by connecting their respective cross bar segments together by laterally moving the cross bar segments together with respect to each other, said cross bar segments extending outward from the side rails at substantially a right angle and positioned opposite each other and aligned and connected together at their respective outer ends to form the support frame, with the top wall of one cross bar overlying and abutting the top wall of the other cross bar and the sidewalls of each aligned and connected cross bars abutting each other,   each cross bar segment having in its top and sidewalls near its outer end a connection section comprising a malleable material, with one connection section in one top wall of one of the aligned opposed cross bars segments overlying the connection section of the other cross bar segment to which it is connected, and one connection section in one top wall of one cross bar segment having a locking element and the other connection section of the other cross bar segment having a receptacle into which is received the locking element,   said locking element and said receptacle being formed by punch pressing in the malleable material in their respective connection sections, the locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received having substantially the same shape and size and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned, the locking element fitting snugly in the receptacle and being wedged in position, and   one of the cross bar segments having a connector member in the connection section extending from its sidewall and the other cross bar to which said one cross bar segment is connected having a slot in its sidewall that receives the connector member of said one cross bar segment when the cross bar segments are connected, said connector member and slot being formed by punch pressing in the malleable material in their respective connection sections.   
     
     
         18 . A method of assembling a bed frame comprising
 (a) providing a pair of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto a pair of cross bar segments, each cross bar segment being substantially at a right angle to side rail to which it is attached and each cross bar segment having an outer end including a wall portion comprising a malleable material,   said individual outer ends of the cross bar segments attached to one side rail including one component of a two-part connector which is formed by punch pressing in the malleable material and said individual outer ends of the cross bar segments attached to the other side rail each including the other component of the two-part connector element which is formed by punch pressing in the malleable material, one component being a finger member projecting from the wall portion and the other component being a slot in the wall portion,   (b) aligning the outer ends of the pair of cross bar segments of one side rail with the outer ends of the pair of cross bar segments of the other side rail, and   (c) inserting the finger member in the slot and then moving the cross bar segments away from each other to lock together said two components of the two-part connector.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  where the finger member comprises an elongated member having a wall section integral with the wall portion from which said finger member is formed and an opposed free end spaced outward from said wall portion from which said finger member is formed, said finger member and slot having predetermined dimensions so the finger member extends through the slot and said elongated member overlaps an exterior surface of a portion of the cross bar segment adjacent the slot, said exterior surface sliding under said free end and the stop section abutting an edge of the slot upon connection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  including a locking element in the wall portion of one aligned and connected cross bar segment and a receptacle in the wall portion of the other aligned and connected cross bar segment, said locking element and receptacle being formed by punch pressing the malleable material in the wall portions of their respective aligned and connected cross bar segments, said locking element and receptacle engaging and locking together when the outer ends of the aligned pairs of cross bar segments of the side rails are connected.