A BEDSTEAD WHICH IS OF A QUITE DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TO ANY THITHERTO MADE, AND WOULD BE OF GREAT USE AND CONVENIENCY TO SUCH OF HIS SAID MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS AS SHOULD BE SO UNFORTUNATE TO BE CONFINED TO THEIR BEDS BY SICKNESS
Year: 1766

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, ROBERT
DICKINSON, of the Parish of Saint Clement Danes, in the County of Middlesex,
Upholsterer, and HENRY SEDGIER, of Shire Lane, in the Liberty of the Rolls,
in the said County, Cabinet Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS we, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, did, by
our Petition, humbly represent unto His present most Excellent Majesty King
George the Third, that we had, by great pains and industry, found out and
invented "A BEDSTEAD WHICH IS OF A QUITE DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TO ANY
THITHERTO MADE, AND WOULD BE OF GREAT USE AND CONVENIENCY TO SUCH OF HIS
SAID MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS AS SHOULD BE SO UNFORTUNATE TO BE CONFINED TO THEIR
BEDS BY SICKNESS;" that we had, at a considerable expence, compleated our said
Invention in such a manner that a person unable to assist or turn himself
when lying on this bedstead be raised by the nurse into a sitting posture, by
the turning of a wynch (which requires very little strength), and let down
again in the same manner without the least shaking or inconvience or danger
of catching cold, to all which a sick person being moved in an ordinary bed is
liable; that, to render the said bedstead still more convenient, we had contrived
the same so that the sick person is set up in bed; by turning another wynch
the said bedstead will be converted into a convenient settee, and by the same
method restored again to a bed without any inconvenience to a person in bed,
who remain therein without the least danger of catching cold during the
change; that the said Invention was of our own contrivance, and that no other
person or persons had ever made the same, to the best of our knowledge
may

page_text: or belief: we therefore prayed His said Majesty to grant unto us His Royal
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, for the sole making
and selling our said new-invented bedstead within that part of His Kingdom
of Great Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen years, according to the Statute in that
case made and provided. His said Majesty, being willing to give encourage-
ment to all arts and Inventions which might be for the publick good, was
graciously pleased to condescend to our request, and therefore, by His Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of September,
in the sixth year of His reign, of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and
meer motion, for Himself, His heirs and successors, did give and grant unto
us, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that we, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, our
executors, adiñiors, and assigns, and every of us, by ourselves, or our deputy
or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as we, the said Robert Dickin-
son and Henry Sedgier, our executors, adññiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no other persons, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend our said Invention within that part of His said
Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to us, the said Robert
Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
any of us, should in our discretions seem meet, and that we, the said Robert
Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, com-
modity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accrewing, and
arising, by reason of the said Invention, for and during the term of years
therein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers,
priviledges, and advantages therein-before granted or mentioned to be granted
unto us, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, for and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen
years from the date of the said Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing,
and fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute in such case
made and provided. In which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that
if we, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, or one of us, should not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or the hand and seal of one of us, and cause

page_text: the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within four kalendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and
advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and
become void, anything therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in
anywise notwithstanding, as in and by the said Letters Patent (relation being
thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier, do hereby declare and ascertain the
nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, as follows (that is to say):
--
A fourpost, half-tester, or any other bedstead as they are commonly
made, with either a lath or sacking bottom, beginning at the head and
divided into three parts, which are as follows:-The first part, to which
is fixed a false headboard by two, three, or more hinges, that falls back
as it is forced or raised up to heighten the back of the settee, and again
into its place when it is let down to form the bedstead, is fastened by
two strong hinges to the second part (which is screwed down to the
sides of the bedstead, and is forced or raised up by two quadrangles with
teeth cut out of a solid bar of iron that runs across the bedstead and is
received into a box, consisting of two plates of iron screwed together,
seperated by two shoulders the thickness of the quadrangle, through which it
passes into the sides of the bedstead, where it dies and receives a winch on one
or either side, to force or wind it up and let it down by, with a stop on each
or either side, to fix it to the height the person in bed chuses to be raised.
The second part is entirely fixed to or upon the sides of the bed, as before
described, by four or any other proper number of screws, to which is added
and fastened by two, three, or more strong hinges, the other or third part
of the bottom, falling within the sides of the before-mentioned bedstead, in
order to form the seat (to which on each side is fastened a spring ketch that
lets into the sides of the bedstead by forcing it with your hand and fastens it
compleatly when raised up to form the bed), to which is nailed, screwed,
glued, or fastened a sacking, which goes or is received over a roler that is
fixed within the foot rail of the bedstead into feet-posts or pillars by two iron
gudgeons drove into the roller and fixed in by two ferols, which are received
through two plates of iron into the posts or pillars aforesaid, and is fixed
unto another roler on to which it is wound, that is fixed unto the sides of the
bedstead by two gudgeons fastened as per description of the first roler, only

page_text: the gudgeons which goes into the sides of the bed are longer than the
gudgeons of the first, and are square or of a triangle form, and go through
iron plates in order to receive the wynch which winds it up, to which is fastened
or fixed at either or each end a round plate of iron adjoining to the ferol
cut full of teeth, commonly called a burhead, which, when the lower part
comes to be wound up, fastens and stays it by a key or catch that is fastened
to the sides or side of the bed, and falling into the teeth. There is fixed to
the first part before described, to be raised by the quadrangle in or on each side
of it, two iron screws staples with eylot holes, that receives two hooks fastened
to a close elbow or elbows that has a tennant which is received into a mortass
in the second part which is stuff'd and covered; the furniture, bed, mattrass,
and bedding compleating the settee.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Dickinson and Henry Sedgier,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Tenth day of January,
the seventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third,
by the grace
of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith, &c., and in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and sixty-seven.
Inrolled the aforesaid Twelfth day of January, in the seventh year of
the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, 1767.