Abstract: A comprehensive means of providing protection to a bed frame by covering various locations about the bed frame with plastic shields. The plastic shields are adapted to enclose the various locations about the bed frame including the ends of side rails, the junction of side rails and cross members, leg assemblies and the side rails themselves. The shields comprise a pair of housings joined together with a living hinge such that the free ends can be affixed together to surround and enclose the various locations where sharp edges are present. The use of the shields provides overall protection to all of the locations where there may be sharp edges that could harm a person striking the location and thus there is a comprehensive approach to full protection of the bed frame.

Abstract: A comprehensive means of providing protection to a bed frame by covering various locations about the bed frame with plastic shields. The plastic shields are adapted to enclose the various locations about the bed frame including the ends of side rails, the junction of side rails and cross members, leg assemblies and the side rails themselves. The shields comprise a pair of housings joined together with a living hinge such that the free ends can be affixed together to surround and enclose the various locations where sharp edges are present. The use of the shields provides overall protection to all of the locations where there may be sharp edges that could harm a person striking the location and thus there is a comprehensive approach to full protection of the bed frame.

Abstract: A bed frame comprising T shaped side rails provide support for a box spring and mattress. A leg assembly is affixed to the bed frame and is affixed to the side rail and to the cross rails for better strength of connection. The use of T-shaped side rails provides more resistance to twisting and bowing and thereby more resistant to damage a leg or other structural component of the bed frame from moving the bed frame across the floor. The use of the T-shape cross section side rails enables the overall bed frame to support more weight with less deflection than the convention L-shaped side rails. There are also headboard and footboard brackets that take advantage of the greater height of the vertical flange of the side rail to have affixation means, such as rivets, that are further spaced apart to provide a more rigid connection between the brackets and the side rails.

Abstract: A caster and leg assembly for supporting a piece of furniture on a floor. The assembly includes a caster affixed within a recessed area formed in the bottom of a wooden or plastic furniture leg to create a strong support for the furniture as well as create a good appearance. The caster has at least one spherical roller supported within the housing to allow the furniture to be readily movable omnidirectionally. With one spherical roller, the weight of the furniture acts at the center of the spherical roller. In one embodiment, there are three spherical rollers located equidistant from the vertical center line of the assembly to support the furniture weight equally by the spherical rollers. A glide can be readily attached and detached from the bottom of the caster and, when attached, the glide cup covers the spherical rollers and presents a flat, planar bottom surface.

Abstract: A cross member that can be used with a bed frame or bed rails to provide support for a box spring and mattress. The cross member is attachable to the side rail of the bed by a snap-in system where the ends of the cross member are comprised of slide ends that interfit into receptacles located along the side rails. A leg is used to support a bed frame member that is self adjusting by a mechanism that can be unlocked by a person to drop the leg downwardly by gravity to contact the floor and is then lockable in that extended length.

Abstract: A bracket system for attaching a headboard to a bed foundation. The bracket system includes a foundation bracket affixed to the bed foundation and a slide bracket affixed to the headboard. Each of the brackets is generally U-shaped having a pair of side plates extending outwardly therefrom. The dimensions and spacing of the side plates enables one bracket to interfit or nest within the other bracket. A securing device passes through both the foundation bracket and the slide bracket to secure the brackets together and affix the headboard to the bed foundation. In an alternate embodiment, the foundation brackets have a lower plate and side plates extending upwardly therefrom and are affixed to the head comers of the bed foundation. The slide bracket is affixed to the headboard and then to the directly to the bed foundation through the foundation bracket. In a further embodiment, the foundation bracket is eliminated.

Abstract: A bed frame or other structural construction having a locking mechanism to allow two structural members to be affixed and locked together. A first structural member sits atop of the second structural member and has a pair of posts that interfit into a pair of holes formed in the second structural member. The locking mechanism is located at an end of the first structural member and includes a slide that is movable along the longitudinal axis of the first structural member to slide between a retracted, unlocked position and an extended, locked position where the slide contacts the lower surface of the second structural member to sandwich the second structural member between the first structural member and the slide to block the structural members from moving with respect to each to withdraw the posts from the holes, thereby locking the first and second structural members together.

Abstract: A method for merchandising a premium bed support system. The method includes advising various parties in the distribution system for selling a bed support system to a retail consumer as to the benefit of a premium bed support system so that the retail consumer has the opportunity of purchasing the premium bed support system in place of the standard bed support normally sold along with a bed. In the method, there can be a written document, such as a hangtag or other means at the retail furniture store that advises the retail consumer as to the advantages and benefits of the premium bed support system over the minimum bed support that qualify under the warranty of the bedding manufacturer.

Abstract: A bed frame comprising T shaped side rails provide support for a box spring and mattress. A leg assembly is affixed to the bed frame and is affixed to the side rail and to the cross rails for better strength of connection. The use of T-shaped side rails provides more resistance to twisting and bowing and thereby more resistant to damage a leg or other structural component of the bed frame from moving the bed frame across the floor. The use of the T-shape cross section side rails enables the overall bed frame to support more weight with less deflection than the convention L-shaped side rails. There are also headboard and footboard brackets that take advantage of the greater height of the vertical flange of the side rail to have affixation means, such as rivets, that are further spaced apart to provide a more rigid connection between the brackets and the side rails.

Abstract: A bed frame having a bumper assembly that can be added to the foot end of the bed frame in order to extend the length of the bed frame fully support the box spring and mattress. The bumper assembly can be factory installed or provided as a kit to install on site and includes a rigid straight member and curved ends dimensioned and radiused to surround the box spring. An extender rail is also optionally added to the normal center beam and affixed to support the rigid straight member. The extender rail can have a leg that supports the extender rail from the floor and that support thereby includes a support for the bumper assembly. The completed bed frame with the extender assembly also can have various protective members affixed thereto in order to provide protection to a user as well as improve the overall appearance of the bed frame.

Abstract: A T-shaped support member that can be used with a bed frame or bed rails to provide support for a box spring and mattress. A leg assembly is affixed to the support member and is used to support the cross member. The leg assembly includes a housing having a leg that extends downwardly from the support member to contact the floor on which the bed frame or bed rails are located. The length the leg is extendable from the support member is self adjusting by a mechanism that can be twisted to an unlocked position to drop the leg downwardly quickly to contact the floor and then twisted back to lock the leg in that extended length.

Abstract: A system for connecting side rails of a bed frame with a headboard and/or footboard. A hook plate is affixed to the side rails and has a pair of hooks extending outwardly from the ends of the side rails. The hooks form slots in the hook plates and the slots have forward edges formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical. A receiver housing is affixed to the headboard and/or footboard and has a vertical opening with a pair of transverse pins that span that opening. The side rails are affixed to the headboard and/or footboard by inserting the hooks into the vertical opening to engage the pins. A lever arm, pivotally affixed to the receiver housing, can be pivoted to force the hook plate downwardly to forcefully engage and lock the forward edge of the slots with the pins.

Abstract: A comprehensive means of providing protection to a bed frame by covering various locations about the bed frame with plastic shields. The plastic shields are adapted to enclose the various locations about the bed frame including the ends of side rails, the junction of side rails and cross members, leg assemblies and the side rails themselves. The shields comprise a pair of housings joined together with a living hinge such that the free ends can be affixed together to surround and enclose the various locations where sharp edges are present. The use of the shields provides overall protection to all of the locations where there may be sharp edges that could harm a person striking the location and thus there is a comprehensive approach to full protection of the bed frame.

Abstract: A caster and leg assembly for supporting a piece of furniture on a floor. The assembly includes a caster affixed within a recessed area formed in the bottom of a wooden or plastic furniture leg to create a strong support for the furniture as well as create a good appearance. The caster has at least one spherical roller supported within the housing to allow the furniture to be readily movable omnidirectionally. With one spherical roller, the weight of the furniture acts at the center of the spherical roller. In one embodiment, there are three spherical rollers located equidistant from the vertical center line of the assembly to support the furniture weight equally by the spherical rollers. A glide can be readily attached and detached from the bottom of the caster and, when attached, the glide cup covers the spherical rollers and presents a flat, planar bottom surface.

Abstract: A caster assembly that can be used with furniture to support the furniture and to make the furniture mobile. The caster assembly has a housing with a stem that extends upwardly to be attached to the particular piece of furniture. Within the housing is a plurality of spherical rollers that are supported within the housing so as to be rotatable about their center points and therefore can rotate in any direction as the furniture is moved. In the preferred embodiment, there are three spherical rollers that are all equidistant from the center line or longitudinal axis of the stem so that the weight of the furniture that bears down upon the stem is supported equally by the spherical rollers contacting the floor. As a further feature, a glide cup is provided that can be readily attached and detached from the bottom of the housing and, whet attached, the glide cup covers the spherical rollers and presents a flat, planar surface that contacts the floor.

Abstract: A comprehensive means of providing protection to a bed frame by covering various locations about the bed frame with plastic shields. The plastic shields are adapted to enclose the various locations about the bed frame including the ends of side rails, the junction of side rails and cross members, leg assemblies and the side rails themselves. The shields comprise a pair of housings joined together with a living hinge such that the free ends can be affixed together to surround and enclose the various locations where sharp edges are present. The use of the shields provides overall protection to all of the locations where there may be sharp edges that could harm a person striking the location and thus there is a comprehensive approach to full protection of the bed frame.

Abstract: A universal cross member that can be used with a bed frame or bed rails to provide support for a box spring and mattress. The universal cross member has a straight bar with telescoping ends so that the universal cross member can be used even where there are variances in the distance between the side rails and still be fitted to those side rails. A tensioning system is provided to add strength to the universal cross member to eliminate, in almost all instances, the need for some further support of the universal cross member from the floor, such as a caster or a glide. In the system, a tensioning bar has its ends affixed at or near the ends of the straight member and its center contacts a block at a finite distance from the straight member at or about the center of the straight member. By placing the tension bar in a predetermined tension, a force is created that acts through the block against the approximate center of the straight member.

Abstract: A caster assembly that can be used with furniture to support the furniture and to make the furniture mobile. The caster assembly has a housing with a stem that extends upwardly to be attached to the particular piece of furniture. Within the housing is a plurality of spherical rollers that are supported within the housing so as to be rotatable about their center points and therefore can rotate in any direction as the furniture is moved. In the preferred embodiment, there are three spherical rollers that are all equidistant from the center line or longitudinal axis of the stem so that the weight of the furniture that bears down upon the stem is supported equally by the spherical rollers contacting the floor. As a further feature, a glide cup is provided that can be readily attached and detached from the bottom of the housing and, whet attached, the glide cup covers the spherical rollers and presents a flat, planar surface that contacts the floor.

Abstract: A caster assembly that can be used with furniture to support the furniture and to make the furniture mobile. The caster assembly has a housing with a stem that extends upwardly to be attached to the particular piece of furniture. Within the housing is a plurality of spherical rollers that are supported within the housing so as to be rotatable about their center points and therefore can rotate in any direction as the furniture is moved. In the preferred embodiment, there are three spherical rollers that are all equidistant from the center line or longitudinal axis of the stem so that the weight of the furniture that bears down upon the stem is supported equally by the spherical rollers contacting the floor. As a further feature, a glide cup is provided that can be readily attached and detached from the bottom of the housing and, whet attached, the glide cup covers the spherical rollers and presents a flat, planar surface that contacts the floor.

Abstract: A protective guard is disclosed that is particularly adapted for use with a bed frame. The guard is adapted to fit over an existing leg of the bed frame and has a specially shaped opening in the upper surface into which the leg of the bed frame can fit. A caster assembly has an upstanding stem that passes the existing leg in the leg structure and holds the protective guard in position affixed to the bed frame. The protective guard is shaped in a variety of configurations and surface markings so as to be adapted to fit the décor of the room in which it is used. In addition, the overall shape of the protective guard covers the leg of the bed frame to provide protection against injury from the inadvertent bumping of the bed frame leg by persons walking or standing near the bed frame. In one embodiment, the protective guard is an integrated shield and a caster assembly that is affixed to the leg of the bed frame and provides a protective plastic covering for the caster assembly as well as the leg.