IMPROVED BEDSTEAD OR COT FOR THE USE OF INFANTS AND OTHERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I HENRY WILLIAMS of the firm of Benjamin Edgington of Duke Street London
Bridge in the County of Surrey, Marquee and Tent Manufacturer do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVED BEDSTEAD OR COT FOR THE USE OF
INFANTS AND OTHERS to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to provide a comfortable safe and strong bedstead
or cot for use of invalids travellers infants and others readily capable of being
taken apart and packed in a small compass and yet capable of ready replacement
for use by inexperienced persons.
For this purpose I provido a rectangular framework which is composed of two
side bars or rods and two end rods or bars the joints being formed by metal sockets
which also serve to retain supporting legs two at each end those end supports being
inclined inwards so as to meet or nearly meet at a certain point above the platform
or level of the rectangular frame.
Stretched over this frame work is a cover or sheet of canvas or other suitablo
textile or other material formed with an open seam or tubular passage at each side
through which the side rods or bars are passed and flaps or side and end pieces are
turned up and secured the side pieces by passing around the ends and being laced
together by suitably protected holes or hooks and lacings or by straps and buckles
or otherwise drawn together and socured and the ends by other open scams or
tubular passages in the canvas or other sheet through which the inclined supports
or legs pass up aided as well by distending pieces contained in seams in those end
flaps.
The edges of the walls of the bedstead or cot thus formed may be strengthened
by the insertion of cords or the addition of webbing or otherwise.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I HENRY WILLIAMS of the firm of "Benjamin Edgington" of Duke Street
London Bridge in the County of Surrey Marquée and Tent Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED BEDSTEAD ON COT FOR
THE USE OF INFANTS AND OTHERS and in what manner the same is to .be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the invention is to provide a comfortable, safe and strong bedstead
or cot for the use of infants, invalids, travellers and other persons which shall be
capable of being readily taken apart and packed within a small compass for
stowage, storage or transport and yet be capable of ready replacement for use-by 1
inexperienced persons.
For this purpose I provide a rectangular framework, preferably of sound strong
light wood with metal joints; the framework is composed of two side bars or rods
and two end rods or bars the metal joints of which also serve as joints to retain the
two supporting legs provided at each end of the cot and these end supports being 1
held in position inclined inwards so that their upper ends meet or approximately
meet at a point above the platform or level of the rectangular frame.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig 1. shews by a side view in perspective, to a small scale a cot according to my
invention and Fig 2 shews a similar view but with the addition of a canopy or
curtain which may be provided to keep off from the occupant draughts or sunshine
or other glare.
Figure 3 shews by enlarged views to a scale approximately double that of the
preceding figures, the various parts of the cot that go to make up the finished
article for use shewn by Figure 1.
Figure 4 shews by end view one of the end bars or rods 6 with its sockets
or joints and portions of the legs or supports c and their sockets c¹ also the
Bockets a for the ends of the two side rods or bars of the cot a, a.
Figure 5 shews plan view of the end piece and parts shewn by Figure 4.
Throughout these Figures a, a indicate the side bars. b, b indicate the end
bars c, c, c, e indicate the inclined legs or supports. d indicates the fabric of the cot
bottom or platform a' indicate the sockets of metal into which are secured the ends
of the bars a by being slid therein 6' are other sockets formed on the same piece of
metal to receive the ends of the end bars b and these ends are most conveniently
fixed by screws 6 A third set of sockets, one to each corner piece c¹, c¹, cl, c¹ serve
to hold the inclined supports c, c, c, c and these are inclined accordingly d³d'are
the parts of the fabric which form the side walls of the cot d', d are the parts
which when turned up form the head and foot or ends, and behind these parts the
flaps d fold and are laced by the eyelet holes d', unless straps be substituted there-
for or other mode of security adopted and thereby secure the whole construction
together firmly and rigidly d' are stiffeners let into the ends & to distend those
ends. dº, d", do, do are open seams or tubular passages up which the upper ends of
the supports c are passed after they have been passed through the sockets c¹. d'are
tubes or open seams in the fabric & through which the side bars a, a. are passed and

page_text: in which they are held with only their thinner socket ends protruding, over which
the end pieces are brought and the sockets a' slid on to form the frame a, b, a, b.
dare strengthening pieces to the fabric adapted to meet and bear the wear of the
ends of the stiffeners d. d indicates a cord and curtain for use in screening
sunlight or draught from the occupant. The edges of the fabric of the cot may
be strengthened by cord inserted or secured to take the strain and webbings d³¹
may be applied there or in other parts.
The bedstead or cot may be taken to pieces and rolled up into a cylindrical
package similar to that indicated as being enclosed in a bag do
To erect the cot for use first spread out the canvas d then pass the side rods a
through the open seams d. Fix on the short ends by the sockets a¹ to the side
rods a inside the canvas d, keeping the metal angles or sockets c¹ that lean towards
one another; or inwards, upwards.
The leg rods pass through the sockets into the pockets or open seams d' at the
head and foot of the bed, and then lace up the ends d³ tightly together, thereby
lacing the canvas of the construction together with the whole framework into
a firm and rigid structure and fitting it to bear the strain of use, or transport,
erected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The arrangement or combination of parts forming a bedstead or cot adapted
to be readily erected or stowed in small compass, as set forth.
2. The sockets or connecting pieces for connecting the frame of a bedstead or cot
as set forth.