IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PORTABLE AND FOLDING BEDSTEADS, CHAIRS, SEATS, TABLES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Metcalfe, of 19, High Street, Camden Town,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PORTABLE AND FOLDING BEDSTEADS, CHAIRS, SEATS, TABLES,
Sealed the 5th May 1854, and dated the 1st March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Metcalfe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
March 1854.
I, THOMAS METCALFE, of 19, High Street, Camden Town, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PORTABLE AND FOLDING BEDSTEADS, CHAIRS, SEATS, TABLES,
AND COTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of peculiar combinations of parts of portable and
folding bedsteads, chairs, seats, tables, and cots. Each of these articles are
according to my improvements made with four cross legs or supports, the
parts of which are formed and put together in a peculiar manner. In applying
my improvements there are some differences in detail to make them appli-
cable in each case by reason of the difference in the articles themselves. In
constructing bedsteads, four rods or bars are used, two of them having folding
or hinged pieces at their ends to carry canvass or fabric to produce a head to
the bedstead. The four rods or bars are connected together at or about the
middle of their length by means of axes; the four bars are connected in pairs
by two axes, and the two pairs are connected together by a third axis in such

page_text: manner that all four bars will come together and be parallel to each other;
when folded and out of use, they will consequently take comparatively little
room or space in packing. The sacking fits at its four corners on to the four
upper ends of the bars or rods, which cross each other at the middle of their
length, and their lower ends come to the ground. These frames when for
military uses may be employed for defences in the field against cavalry, in
addition to their use as bedsteads. In the same manner may seats and chairs
be made; but for chairs, in place of having the folding ends for making the head
of a bedstead as before mentioned, the ends of two of the rods or bars may be
made to produce a back to a chair by being arranged to fold diagonally out-
wards, in which case the back will be retained from folding by means of a
canvass or other back placed on the folding parts. In constructing seats and
tables, in place of having the two pairs of legs hinged together the pairs may
be hinged at their upper parts to the under side of a seat or table, and come
together where the legs cross each other without a third axis. In arranging
the parts of a cot, the two side frames (consisting of four bars) are connected
by two axes, one on either side, so that the bars when opened out for use
cross each other; and in place of their being ends to the four bars to come
respectively to the floor and to the head and foot of the cot, the four bars are
continued or connected by curved portions which form rockers, and the frame
for the head of the cot is formed of a bent bar connected on either side of the
other frame by axes. The canvass or fabric constituting the cot is attached at
the ends to two of the parts which connect the two pairs of bars or rods.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Metcalfe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, THOMAS
METCALFE, of 19, High Street, Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Metcalfe, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Metcalfe,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Metcalfe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: with, and 'no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF PORTABLE AND FOLDING BEDSTEADS, CHAIRS, SEATS, TABLES, AND COTS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Metcalfe, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Metcalfe, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of peculiar combinations of parts of portable and
folding bedsteads, chairs, seats, tables, and cots. Each of these articles are
according to my improvements made with four cross legs or supports, the parts
of which are formed and put together in a peculiar manner. In applying my
improvements there are some differences in detail to make them applicable in
each case by reason of the difference in the articles themselves. In constructing
bedsteads, four rods or bars are used, two of them having folding or hinged pieces
at their ends to carry canvas or fabric to produce a head to the bedstead. The
four rods or bars are connected together at or about the middle of their length
by means of axes. The four bars are connected in pairs by two axes, and the
two pairs are connected together by a third axis in such manner that all four
bars will come together and lie parallel to each other. When folded and out
of use they will consequently take comparatively little room or space in
packing. The sacking fits at its four corners on to the four upper ends of the
bars or rods, which cross each other at the middle of their length, and the
lower ends come to the ground. These frames when for military uses may
be employed for defences in the field against cavalry, in addition to their use
as bedsteads. In the same manner may seats and chairs be made; but for
chairs, in place of having the folding ends for making the head of a bedstead
as before mentioned, the ends of two of the rods or bars may be made to pro-
duce a back to a chair by being arranged to fold diagonally outwards, in which
case the back will be retained from folding by means of a canvas or other
back placed on the folding parts. In constructing seats and tables, in place of
having the two pairs of legs hinged together, the pairs may be hinged at their

page_text: upper parts to the under side of a seat or table, and come together where the
legs cross each other without a third axis. In arranging the parts of a cot,
the two side frames (consisting of four bars) are connected by two axes, one
on either side, so that the bars when opened out for use cross each other, and
in place of there being ends to the four bars to come respectively to the floor
and to the head and foot of the cot, the four bars are continued or connected
by curved portions which form rockers, and the frame for the head of the cot is
formed of a bent bar connected on either side of the other frame by axes. The
canvass or fabric constituting the cot is attached at the ends to two of the
parts which connect the two pairs of bars or rods.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view of the frame for a bedstead, constructed and
combined according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan thereof; and Figure 3
is a side view when folded or shut together. a, b, c, d, are four bars which
are connected together in such manner that they will open out into a suitable
frame for a bedstead, and yet fold up parallel when out of use, and this is by
reason of the peculiar manner in which the joint or connection is formed.
The ends a, b, c, d, come to the floor, and the upper ends receive the corner
of the sacking, the pointed ends of the bars a, b, d, entering suitably formed
corners in the sacking. The bars are connected in pairs, each pair by an axis,
and the two pairs are connected by a third axis, and on examining the
Drawing it will be seen that the bars a and b constitute one pair, and they are
connected by their axis e.
The bars c and d constitute the second pair of bars, and they are connected
by the axis f, and the two pairs of bars are then connected by the axis g. It
is preferred that the bars should be made pointed, and that the points should
be of metal when the bars are of wood. By this construction, the frames will
readily be useable as military defences in the field against cavalry. Two of the
bars are formed with folding hinge pieces h, for the purpose of receiving a
piece of sacking or fabric to constitute a head rail to the bedstead.
Figure 4 shows a side view, and Figure 5 a plan of a similar frame to that
above described. The bars, however, in this frame have not pointed ends, and
support and receive the sacking in a somewhat different manner to the frame
above described, the jointing of the four bars a, b, c, d; this arrangement is,
however, the same. i is a strap for having the sacking or fabric of the bedstead
affixed to it, and it retains the frame in a proper form when opened out. j is

page_text: the strap at the head, and h, h, are the hinged pieces to receive a piece of
sacking or fabric for the head board.
Figure 6 shows a side view; Figure 7, a plan; Figure 8, a front view of
the frame of a chair; and Figure 9 shows the frame when folded. This frame
is composed of four bars a, b, c, d, jointed together in pairs, and the pairs to
each other, as before described.
Two of these bars are made with hinged parts at their upper ends to form a
back to the chair. k is a seat. 1, 1, are chains, or it may be straps or cords,
or other connections. m is a back of canvass or of leather, or other suitable
material, placed on the two hinged parts of the two bars.
The upper parts of
Figure 10 shows a
the bars which fold on hinges fold diagonally outwards.
side elevation of a seat, partly in section. Figure 11 shows a side view of the
parts when folded and out of use; and Figure 12 is an under side view of the
seat with the legs folded. The seat shown is a long one, and suitable for
several persons, it having two sets of legs; but it will be evident single seats
with only one set of legs, and seats having more than two sets of legs, may be
constructed according to my Invention. n is the seat, which, as shewn, is com-
posed simply of boards; but the same may be stuffed, and it may when desired
be made with a moveable or folding or fixed back. Each set of legs m, m, is
constructed of two pairs of cross legs, and pairs of crossed legs cross each other
when opened out, and they fold together when not in use, as shewn. Figures
13 and 14 shew two side views of a table having similar crossed legs crossing
each other applied and hinged thereto; and Figure 15 shows an under side plan
of the same. Figure 17 is a side view of a cot made according to my Inven-
tion; Figure 18 is a plan thereof. These two Figures shew the cot when
open for use. Figure 19 is an edge view; and Figure 20 a plan of the cot
when folded. n*, n*, are two frames which cross cach other, and are combined
by an axis o on each side of the cot. The cot is composed of canvass or
suitable fabric, as shewn, and it is fixed at the foot and head to the upper
parts of the frames n, n, which at their lower parts are rounded so as to
become rockers, and at the head of the cot there is a curved bar p, which is
hinged on either side to one of the frames n*, by which and by the aid of the
fabric q, a hood or cover is formed to the head of the cot. The pressure of
the cot when opened keeps the parts in the positions, and a strap or band at
the upper edge of the cot prevents the frame opening beyond the position
shown at Figures 17 and 18, but when the upper parts of the frames n are
raised and brought together, and the part p thrown back, the parts assume the
positions shown by Figures 19 and 20, and the same may be pushed away in
a comparatively small space.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately, nor. do I confine myself to the details so
long as the peculiar character of any part of my Invention be retained. But
what I claim is,―
First, the manufacture of portable and folding bedsteads by combining the
parts, as described in respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of portable and folding chairs by the
combination of parts, as described in respect to Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Thirdly, I claim the manufacture of portable and folding seats and tables
by combining the parts, as described in respect to Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,
and 15.
And, fourthly, I claim the manufacture of cots by the combination of the
parts as described in respect to Figures 17, 18, 19, and 20.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Metcalfe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
12, Cursitor Street,
Chancery Lane.
THOMAS METCALFE. (L.S.)