CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEPS, WHICH ARE CONVERTIBLE INTO OTHER USEFUL FORMS OR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MACAULEY, of Curtain Road, in the County of Middlesex, Upholsterer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of November, in the fifth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas
Macauley, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Macauley, my exors,
admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Thomas Macauley, my
exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her said
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEPS, WHICH ARE CONVERTIBLE INTO OTHER USEFUL FORMS OR
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso that I, the said Thomas Macauley, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Macauley, do hereby declare that the nature of the said improvements,
and the manner in which the same are to be performed, are fully described and
set forth in the following Specification thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures thereon (that is
to say):-
b
Figure 1 represents a set of bedsteps of three tiers or steps, which includes
also a portable water closet or night commode, as' represented in Figure 2, and
is convertible into a chair as shewn at Figure 3.. A, A, is the external case of
the piece of furniture. The step a is hinged into the sides of the case A, A,
and when down rests on the top edges of two doors e, e, which are also hinged
to the sides of the case A, A, and projected for the purpose of giving support
to the step in manner to be herein-after explained. The second or middle step
b turns on hinges about three inches from the back of the case A, A, and rests
on the top of the enclosed water closet or night commode.. In a recess behind
the middle step 6 is placed a double folded cushion f. The top step c turns on
hinges in the back of the case A, A; at top it is stuffed, and covered under-
neath, and when down rests on the top of the sides of the case. When access
to the commode is required, the first and second steps are lifted up, which
discloses the seat of the commode. The interior of the commode may be fitted
up according to any of the most approved modes in use, only that instead of
having the cistern by the sides of the commode as usual, I appropriate to
that: purpose the space left round the pail, (protecting the pail from the
water by a double rim or case,) whereby a great saving of room is effected. To
convert the bedsteps into a chair, as represented in Figure 3, the bottom step
a is turned up, and the doors e, e, which supported it, closed, in which position
they are securely kept by spring catches h, h; the top step c is also turned
up so as to present its under and cushioned surface i in front to, form;
a back for the chair, and by the act of turning up the step c motion is
given to certain tooth sectors and cog wheels next herein-after described, by
which two arm rests or pads p, p, hinged to the sides of the case A, A, on the
inside, are turned over upon the tops of these sides, which now serve the.
purpose of arms to the chair, and are firmly retained in that position. The
cushion f is then unfolded and brought over upon the step b, when the chair is
complete; one set of the sectors and cog, wheels, and the manner in which they
act to raise the arm rests or pads, are separately shewn in Figure 4. In.
this Figure q represents the toothed sector (toothed on one side only), which-
is fixed by its broad end r to the inside of the top step c near to the bottom,
and passes out backwards through guides in the sides and back of the case; v.

page_text: is a three-leaved hinge, the inner leaf of which, v, is screwed to the side of the
case inside, about an inch from the top edge, while the other two leaves, v³ and
clasp the arm rests or pads p p. The axis common to the two leaves: and
vis prolonged towards the back to the extent of about two inches, and to
the outer end of it there is affixed a cog wheel of about half an inch in
diameter, but sunk so as to allow the teeth only to project, which teeth. take
into those of the sector q. As the sectors are drawn back by the turning up
of the step c, the cog wheels are turned round in the outward direction;
shewn by the arrows, which causes the arm rests with which they are
connected also to turn round in the same direction till they rest on the top of
the sides. When the step c is brought down to its original position a.reverse
motion is given to the cog wheels, which restores the arm rests to their original
position inside and below the tops of the sides of the case A, A. At the
outer or lower ends of the sectors there are two projecting pieces.t, t, which,
catching against the guides, not only prevent the sectors from being retracted
too far, but enable them to serve as supports to the back of the chair.
When it is desired to reconvert this piece of furniture from a chair into its
original form of a set of bedsteps, the top step c is turned down, the cushion f
refolded and placed in the recess allotted to it behind the step b, and a knob W,
Figure 2, is pressed down, which simultaneously liberates the bottom step and
throws open the two doors e, e, for that step to rest upon. The means by which
the depression of the knob W produces these effects are shewn separately in
Figure 5. Immediately under the hinge of each of the doors a vertical
brass barrel is let into the side edge of the door and side of the case, to
the extent of a quarter of its diameter on each side, and secured by means of
a projecting horizontal wing plate m to the bottom of the case, so that the
axis of the barrel and the axis of the hinge shall exactly coincide. Within
this barrel there is a spring coiled round an arbor n, which projects. outside
a little way below the bottom of the barrel, and in the part where it projects
it is first of a square form, and then round and threaded. On to the square
part of the arbor the shoulder piece of another wing plate o is passed, and
secured there by a nut a, which screws on to the threaded part. The
rectangular part of this wing plate is screwed into the bottom edge of the door
above it. The plate o is of course moveable on or with the arbor n, but is
limited in its range of action by a rim piece z, attached to the bottom of the
barrel for about one third of its circumference, which catches against the plate
prevents it, as well as the door to which it is affixed, from turning in
either direction to a greater extent than to a right angle with the plane of the
front of the box. The spring catches h, h; consist of two separate pieces of
and

page_text: steel about four inches long, which are secured by screws to the bottom of the
outer case, project about half an inch from the front, and are turned up to.
catch two plates affixed to the under edges of the doors e, e. A broad slip
of wood, of which the knob wis the head, runs in a groove down the.
inner part of the case A, A, and rests at bottom on the catches h, h, so
that on being pressed down by the knob, the doors are liberated and thrown
out by the force of the barrel spring 1, to the extent desired, as before
explained.. The doors are further provided at the points h', h', with castors,
the pivots of which are prolonged and pass upwards through convenient
channels in the doors to the top, where they terminate in buttons h³, h² so that
these castor pivots rise and fall with, any inequality in the floor on which the
piece of furniture rests; and the bottom step, which rests when down imme-
diately on the buttons h², h2, is never without the support it requires.
Figure 6 represents another set of bedsteps of three tiers or steps, which
include also a portable water closet or night commode, as represented in Figure 7;
a bidet, as shewn at g, Figure 8; and a wash-stand and dressing-table, as repre-
sented in Figure 8. A, A, is the external case.. The first and second steps; ❝
and: b, are hinged and supported in the same way as in the bedsteps first before.
described; and there are also the same contrivances, as. before described, for
opening and closing the doors e, e, by which the first step is supported when
down, but the doors are in this case attached to the front of the commode,
which forms a separate box, which can be drawn. out from the case A, A, to
any extent required. When the second step is turned up, only half of the seat
of the commode is disclosed, and it is necessary to draw the commode out half
way to disclose the whole. The bidet g occupies a small space in the upper
step or division of the piece of furniture, and can be drawn out and removed
when required; it is supported when in use by the following means:-At one
end it has on the outside a wedge-shaped groove or slot g', which slides upon;
an by which it is made fast to, a wedge-shaped knob g², on the under side of
the bottom step; and at the other or outside end it is upheld by two legs
which are hinged to it beneath, and fall down into a vertical position when the.
bidet is removed from its place in the case. The rest of the upper step or
division is occupied by the wash-stand and dressing-table, which are included.
in the drawer or box, the ends of which overlap the sides of the external case
a little to afford a hold by which to pull the drawer out. This drawer is lined
with zinc, and divided by a partition f, which runs from front to back into two
compartments of unequal areas. The cover of the larger compartment contains.
a, wash-hand basin and soap dish, and through the orifice, covered by the soap.
dish, clear water is supplied to the space round the. basin, which serves as a

page_text: cistern. In the cover of the smaller compartment there is a brush tray, on
lifting up which an oblong orifice is disclosed, through which the foul water is
emptied into an oblong can, which can may be removed when full. The small
door k, at the right-hand corner, covers a tap by which clean water may be
drawn off from the cistern as wanted. A lid, hinged to the back of the drawer,
comes down over the whole; and on the under side of this lid there is a looking-
glass m, attached to a back piece, which slides in a vertical groove r, so that
on the lid being thrown back the glass can be raised or depressed to any suit-
able degree of elevation. To afford a support to the lid when so thrown back,
and also to allow it to incline a little backwards; about one fourth of the top step:
is made to fall back on hinges, as represented at i, i, i, in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
A third set of bedsteps is represented in Figure 9, which is convertible
into a chair only, as represented in Figure 10. A, A, is the frame-work. The
middle step b, which forms also the seat of the chair, is fixed. The top step
turns on wooden pins or dowels, centred and framed into the back feet or up-
rights. The bottom step is secured in like manner to the front feet with iron
pins, one of which may be drawn in or out after the manner of a bolt, to enable;
the stop to be occasionally altogether removed. The bottom step is 'divided.
into two pieces of unequal breadths, connected together by hinges, which admit
of the lesser piece, which carries the feet. of the bottom step, being doubled
up when it is required to turn the step over and under the second step
in order to the conversion of the piece of furniture into a chair, as repre-
sented in Figure 10; and. to support the bottom. step when so turned over,:
and under the second step, in a horizontal position, there are two short stops or
stays, which project in an angular direction from the back of the front feet, as
shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 10. In the back part of the second step-
a cushion is doubled up, which being unfolded and brought over the front part,
forms the seat cushion of the chair. The back of the chair is formed by
turning up the third or top step, which is stuffed or covered on the under side,.
the curved supports on which that step previously rested forming now the arms:
of the chair; or the arms may be made straight instead of curved, and the top.
step be made of the whole breadth of the piece of furniture,, and hinged to the.
top of the back feet or uprights, as shewn separately in Figure. 10. Figure.
12. represents a two-tier set of bedsteps, which include a night commode;.
and may also be converted into a chair. A, A, is the outer case, which.
encloses in a separate case or box the commode. The bottom step a turns on.
hinges within the external case, and is supported when down by doors.
projected for the purpose, in the same way and by the same means as before
explained in the description of Figures 1 and 6. The top. step b. turns, on,

page_text: hinges in the back of the case at top, and on throwing it back the commode
is disclosed. Immediately behind the commode a vertical space is left between
it and the external case, for a doubled-up cushion, which on being lifted.up
and unfolded, serves for the seat and back cushions of the chair, as represented
in Figure 14. On the under side of the top step, two straps of list t, t, are
fastened, through which two wire loops are passed, which are attached to the
back of the cushion, and serve to keep it in its proper position. Vertical
recesses d, d, are also left at the sides of the commode, between it and the
external sides of the case, to hold e, e, the arms of the chair, which are attached
to the inside of the top step, and when that step is brought down fall into the
said recesses, as shewn at Figure 14. These arms are stuffed or padded on
the inside. The chair, into which the two-tier set of bedsteps has been
converted in manner before described, may have the back of it made to recline
at any desired angle, by substituting the additions represented in Figure 3ª.
A is a quadrant or sextant of brass, attached to a piece of wood of the same
size and shape, and firmly secured to the edge of the back of the chair, but so
as to fall inside of the outer case when that back is brought down and recon-
verted into its original form of a set of bedsteps. The face of the curved part
of the quadrant or sextant carries a rack n, n, the teeth of which are bevilled
outwards. B is a catch shewn separately in Figure 3b, which is made fast to
the inside of the case near the top, the tooth of which takes into the teeth of
the rack n, n. c is a strong spring on the under side of this catch, which on
being allowed its full play causes the catch to keep a firm hold of any tooth of
the rack to which it may be set. Attached to the tail of the catch there is a
button D, the knob of which projects on the outside of the case, by the pressing
which knob in with the thumb the pressure of the spring c is overcome and the
catch released from the rack, so that the chair may be fixed at any other angle
desired, or restored to a perpendicular position. Figure 15 represents a two-
tier set of bedsteps similar to those last described, with this exception, that,
instead of the doors to support the bottom step being hinged to the sides of the
case, they are hinged to the centre of the front of the case and open the reverse
way. For night commodes, such as the two last herein-before described, I
make use of a water scaled tin or zinc pail, such as is represented in Figure 16.
At about two inches from the top this pail has a second or double rim b, and
the space between the two rims is filled with water, into which the lid
(Figure 17) dips. The top edge of the pail is wired, and just under the wire
runs a piece of woollen or other elastic cord all round; a piece of list is also
fastened round the under edge of the wooden seat, so that when the lid is taken
off, any water which may adhere to it is wiped off either by the woollen 'cord

page_text: or the list. The metal lid of the pail has a small
handle, by means of which
a second cover of turned wood (Figure 18), of a size to fit the seat of the
commode, is very readily attached to or detached from it, the top or knob of
the handle, being passed through an oblong slit in the centre of the wooden
cover, and the wooden cover then turned round till the knob is at right angles
with the slit. When the pail is required to be removed, the wooden cover can
be thus instantly detached without uncovering the pail.
And having now described my said invented Improvements, and the manner
in which the same are to be performed, I declare what I claim as my said
Improvements is as follows:-
Firstly, I claim in respect of the three-tier bedsteps with a portable water
closet or night commode included, represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and
herein-before described, the making of the bottom step to turn up in front, and
the combination of means separately represented in Figure 5, by which the
doors are projected or withdrawn at pleasure, which serve as supports for the
bottom step when down. Also the combination of means separately repre-
sented in Figure 4, by which the arm rests or pads are turned on and off at.
pleasure, by which means, aided by the other arrangements before described,
but not separately claimed by me, the said three-tier bedsteps are convertible
into a chair, and that chair is reconvertible either into bedsteps or into a
portable water closet or night commode.
Secondly, I claim in respect of the three-tier bedsteps represented in
Figures 6, 7 and 8, the general combination and arrangement of the parts of.
which it consists, whereby there is included in one piece of furniture a set of
bedsteps, a portable water closet or night commode, a bidet, and a wash-stand
and dressing table; and I claim more particularly the making of the bottom
step to turn up in front, and the supporting of the same when down by means
of doors which may be projected or withdrawn at pleasure.
Thirdly, I claim in respect of the three-tier bedsteps represented in
Figures 9 and 10, the making of the bottom and top steps to turn on hinges
or centres, whether of the forms before described, or of any other suitable
forms, so that when it is desired to convert the piece of furniture into a chair,
the bottom step can be turned back out of the way, or altogether removed, and
the top step be made to serve the purpose of a back to the chair.
Fourthly, I claim in respect to the two-tier bedsteps, with night commode
included, represented in Figures 12, 13, and 14, the general combination and
arrangement of parts, by which the same is made convertible into a chair,
either reclining or not reclining; and I claim more particularly the making of
the bottom step to turn up in front, and the supporting of the same when
.

page_text: down by means of doors which may be projected or withdrawn at pleasure,
as also the use of the water sealed pail, separately represented in Figures 16,
17, and 18.
Fifthly, I claim generally the making of the bottom step of sets of bedsteps
to turn up in front, and the employment of doors capable of being projected
and withdrawn at pleasure, to serve as supports to such bottom step when down,
whether applied to bedsteps of the form herein-before described, or to bedsteps
of any other forms, and whether applied in manner herein-before directed, or
in any other manner equally efficient.
Sixthly, I claim generally the use, in bedsteps convertible into chairs, of
arm rests or pads made to turn on and off at pleasure by the means repre-
sented in Figure 4, and herein-before described, or by any other equivalent
means.
Seventhly, I claim in respect of all bedsteps with night commodes included,
whether of the forms herein-before described or any other form, the use of
water sealed pails, of the construction represented in Figures 16, 17, and 18,
so far as regards the piece of woollen or other elastic cord introduced under the
wire of the top edge of the pail and the fastening of the piece of list under
the edge of the wooden seat.
And lastly, I claim the modification of the means for throwing out and
withdrawing doors which serve as supports to the bottom step, represented
in Figure 15, to whatever description of bedsteps such modification may be
applied.
Inrolled the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-two.