IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDS
Year: 1884

page_text: עגענV
I, DAVID JOHNSON POWERS, of the City of Chicago, in the County of Cook
and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby declare
the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
My Invention relates to improvements in folding beds and especially to that
class of folding beds in which there are end and foot sections independent of, and
separable from, each other, so that one may be moved out from the other to permit
the bed to be folded down for use, but which are adapted to form a case when the
two are brought together, within which the bed, when folded up, is enclosed, these
sections being provided with side rails, connected at their opposite ends, and
hinged so as to fold upward from their middle, and provided with an elastic
metallic fabric attached to suitable supports at each end.
The objects of my Invention are to provide head and foot sections constructed so
as to completely enclose the bed when folded up and the sections are brought
together, giving the appearance of a finished case; to arrange the head and foot
sections and the hinged side rails so that the elastic fabric attached thereto will be
stretched as the bed is folded down and relieved from the strain when folded up;
to provide means for stretching or holding the elastic metallic fabric out laterally
when the bed is folded down and pressure brought thereon; to provide means for
taking up and supporting the bed centrally when the bed is folded up; to provide
suitable supports for the end sections to prevent their easily tipping; and to secure
some other minor advantages which will be explained in the course of the
description which is to follow :-
I will now proceed to describe in detail the construction and operation of the
several parts of a folding bed constructed according to this Invention.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved folding bed in two positions, the
full lines showing the bed folded up and case closed, and the dotted lines showing
the foot section partly drawn out and the bed partly folded down.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same when folded down for use, taken on the
line ww Figure 4.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the same when the bed is folded up, taken on the
line Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 4 is a cross section of the same when the bed is folded down, taken on
the line y y Figure 2.
Figure 5 is an inside view of a portion of the side rails and head section,
showing the position of the side rails which permits it to be disconnected from the
head section.
Figure 6, is a similar view of the same parts turned down in position for use.
Figure 7, is a section drawn to an enlarged scale, on the line z z Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the disc member of the coupling hinge by which the
side rails are attached to the end sections.
Figure 9, is a similar view of the button or stud member of the same.
Figure 10, is a similar view of these two parts connected, these three last named
Figures being on the same scale as Figure 7.
Figure 11, is an inside view of two side rails detached showing a modification in
the attachment of the elastic fabric thereto.
Figure 12 is a section of the same on the line vv Figure 11, and
Figure 13 is a plan view of the same, these last three Figures being drawn to
the same scale as the first named Figures of the Drawing.
A indicates the head end or section of the bed and B the foot end or section.
These parts are intended to stand upright and form, when open, the head and foot
of the bed, being finished for this purpose, and when set up against each other
constitute a nearly closed case within which the folding portion of the bed is
enclosed. The side pieces of these sections are, however, cut away somewhat on
their inner edges so that when the sections are brought together the upper portion
at each side will not be closed by these pieces, while below they come together as
shown in Figure 1 of the Drawing. In use, the foot section will generally be
drawn out from the head section to fold down the bed, as shown in Figures 1 and 2
of the Drawing.
The side rails C C are pivotted at c to the head section and at c¹. to the foot
section, these rails being divided and hinged together at or near their middle so
that they will fold upward something like a rule, edgewise, but not downward
materially below a horizontal position. These rails are of such width and are so
arranged with reference to the head and foot sections, that, when they are folded
up and the said sections are brought together, they will entirely fill the open
spaces between the narrow portion of the sides of the end sections and will slightly
overlap or pass inside of these side pieces at their edges as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 1, of the Drawing thereby entirely closing the sides of the case, and making
it complete when the bed is folded up.
The side rails are hinged to the head and foot ends some distance above their
bases, and it is therefore obvious that when the bed is folded up the pull will tend
to tip these ends or sections. In order to prevent this, arms or bars D are
attached to the bases and extend inward, horizontally some distance beyond the
bases to which they are attached.
Caster wheels à are mounted in the outer ends of these respective supports
and similar wheels d in their inner ends, or some other suitable support
underneath the end sections. The extension of these caster supports some distance
inward beyond the bases of the end sections, will act to prevent any tipping of the
latter when the bed is being folded but their particular construction and arrange-
ment are immaterial, so long as they are carried in beyond the bases sufficiently
far to give the required leverage and support to the end sections. As shown in
the Drawing these bars are arranged so as to pass by each other and underneath
the bases of the respective end sections when the latter are brought together to
form the case.
At the outer ends of the side rails cross or end rails E E are secured to which are
attached the opposite ends of an elastic fabric F of woven wire coil or other
equivalent material. This fabric is of a proper length and so arranged as to
secure the proper tension for a bed bottom when the side rails are folded down and
fully extended. In order to accomplish this the fabric should be attached very

page_text: nearly in line with the hinges of the rails, but a little above them so as to give
the utmost purchase for the elbow joint of the rails for stretching the fabric, suitable
for use, and also so as to more easily admit of the unlocking of the rails upward
when the bed is to be folded up. Under this arrangement the strain is taken
off from the elastic fabric when the side rails are unlocked and folded up.
The side rails may be connected together at the point of the division by clasp
rails G arranged on the outside of the side rails and which are of about the
same width as the side rails and of a length to just fill the space between the
upright standards or sides of the head and foot sections at their upper ends when
closed together, against which they abut thus making a proper top rail when the
bed is down and a complete finish, like a panel, for the ends of the case when the
bed is folded up as shown in Figure 1 of the Drawing and a supporting clasp and
cover for the joints of said rails when the bed is unfolded the side rails being
pivotted to their clasps. The clasp rails may be wrought and finished in any style
preferred and they are secured in position parallel to the side rails when unfolded,
one screw or bolt in each section of the side rail being passed through both at an
equal distance from the joint the arrangement being so adapted as to cause the
clasp rails to, at all times, preserve a horizontal position. The end of the divisions
of the side rails may if preferred, be rounded and provided with teeth or cogs c³
engaging with each other, and for this purpose these ends may be tipped with
metal having the cog teeth thereon.
A T-shaped pendent H is arranged on the inside of the side rails and
concentrically pivotted to each section of the side rails at their central joint,
having its central lower portion bent inwardly at a right angle to the main body.
A cross bar h is secured to these lower bent ends of the pendants, being arranged
beneath the fabric and through the pendents connecting the side rails transversely
and centrally together. At each end of this cross bar is pivotted one end of a brace
rod or bar I. These bars are extended across the bed underneath the fabric
crossing each other, are bent upward at their other ends, and are secured at these
ends respectively to the opposite margins of the elastic fabric which constitutes
the bed bottom. It is obvious that these cross bars operate to, at all times, keep
the elastic bed bottom extended laterally and that, when the fabric is pressed or
borne down in use, the bent ends of the braces move downward and outward in
an extending arc and thus increase the lateral strain upon the fabric of the bed
bottom and so prevent it from sagging or assuming a trough shape under the
weight of the occupants of the bed. These braces also prevent the bottom from
contracting laterally beneath the bed when folded up or closed. It will be seen
that they are arranged underneath the bottom fabric and so they support and
strain the latter without interfering in the least with its downward spring when
the bed is in use, and they also keep it properly extended and in place when
folded up.
Instead of the cross bar and braces just described, in some instances a modification
of this attachment may be employed as illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 13 of the
Drawing. In this modification plates or brackets J are pivotted to the inner ends
of the respective sections of the side rails, so that the pendant portion ; will
always preserve a vertical position. These pendant portions are rods of suitable
size, and the margins of the bottom fabric are attached loosely thereto by means
of eyes attached to the margins and having the pendant rods passed down
through them. A button nut should be placed on the lower end of the pendants
to prevent the eyes from slipping off.
It is obvious that the eyes will slip freely up and down on the pendant rods so
as to permit the required yielding when the bed is in use and at the same time
the fabric will be held from contraction in wardly and also, with the bed, will be
carried up and supported when the bed is folded. This modified attaching device
will obviously keep the fabric extended laterally at all times, while, as it permits
the free elastic movement thereof vertically, its operation and effect are very

page_text: different from a construction wherein the fabric is attached at its margins directly
to the side rail.
I am aware that
In lieu of either of these devices just described above, in some styles of smaller
and cheaper beds, I propose to obtain a similar result by attaching the elastic
bottom fabric to the side rails at each margin for a short distance from each end;
this construction will operate to keep the fabric tolerably well extended at its
central portion when the bed is folded, or unfolded, or in use.
elastic bed bottoms have heretofore been attached to side rails along the entire
length of their margins, but such a construction causes the fabric to spring down
centrally, while the margins are kept up, and thus under pressure the bed bottom
assumes a trough like appearance. The attachment of the fabric to the side rails
for a few inches only at each end, however, serves to keep the fabric extended
laterally, but, at the same time permits the central portion to move downward
freely, and in nearly a level condition when having pressure from above, and so
the result obtained by this limited attachment is entirely different from that
produced by the continued attachment along the entire side margins of the bottom.
It is desirable to provide for the convenient and easy detachment of the head
and foot sections from the rail portions of the bed, or what may be called the bed
bottom, and also for readily connecting these parts together. To effect this result
I attach to the inside of the head and foot sections studs K which are provided
with elongated heads k, as shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the Drawing; and at or
near the ends of the side rails are discs L, which are provided with radial slots or
recesses sufficiently large to permit the passage in of studs K, but narrower than
the length of the elongated heads k. These discs are formed so that the central
portion will project or bulge out from the side rails, and are arranged on the latter
so as to require them to be turned up in a position something like that shown in
Figure 5 of the Drawing, to permit the heads of the studs to slip in through the
slots lengthwise until they reach the cup portion of the disc, when obviously the
rails may be turned down and will thereby become connected to the head and foot
sections, for the relative position of the stud heads and discs will be such as shown
in Figure 10 of the Drawing, and obviously in this position the discs and studs
cannot be separated; the same result will be effected if the side rails are folded
up into a perfectly vertical position. Obviously, however, the rails may be readily
connected to or disconnected from the end sections at any time by bringing them
into the relative position shown in Figure 5 of the Drawing or, in other words into
a position which brings the stud heads in line, lengthwise, with the slots in the
discs. This facility for connecting and disconnecting the main parts of the bed is
a great convenience when it is desired to move the bed from place to place, or to
take it apart for cleaning. The device mentioned as a disc may not be in this
particular form, but in the form of a forked piece, or any other form which will
give the desired result.
A cover or top M is hinged to the head section near its top and is adapted to
cover and completely close up the top of the case when the bed is folded and to
swing down against the inside of the head section out of the way when the bed is
unfolded. In the back of the head section of the bed, from about the middle
downward, I provide openings N for ventilation when the case is closed; this
I effect by cutting openings in the boards, or leaving the entire space open and
then applying thereto slats O, leaving the spaces mentioned between them. The
bottom of each section is also cut out centrally at its inner edge as shown at a in
Figures 2 and 4 of the Drawing, so that when the sections are closed up to form
the case there is also ventilation up through this opening at the bottom of the case.
It will thus be seen that in my Invention I provide separate and independent
head and foot sections for the bed which are upright, may stand by themselves,
and have no folding together upon the other, but are moved to and from each
other, or one to and from the other, to fold and unfold the bed and are constructed
so that when brought up against each other they constitute an inclosing case for

page_text: the bed proper. I thus provide a firm support for the hinged side rails at both
ends, and the proper stretching of the fabric is largely aided by this kind of
support, while the steadiness of the bed when unfolded for use is clearly obvious.
The central cross rail, or other device, by means of which the fabric and bedding is
supported centrally when the bed is folded up, is also and improved feature, as it
prevents the sagging of these parts which otherwise would occur and interfere
with the proper arrangement of the parts; and the devices whereby the bottom
fabric is kept stretched or strained laterally are also very important in the practical
use of beds of this kind for unless they can be maintained in a substantially level
position, they soon become objectionable. I regard the devices by means of which
the bottom structure and the end sections are connected together as of considerable
practical importance also, as they permit the ready connection and disconnection of
these parts.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in all details of construction
and arrangement to the construction described above and shown in the Drawing,
or to the embodiment of all of the devices mentioned in one and the same bed
structure always, for it is obvious that many changes may be made in details of
construction without departing from the nature of my Invention and that some of
the devices may be left out while others are used, and yet the good effect of those
remaining obtained as set forth above. Modifications of this nature I distinctly
claim as included in my present Invention.
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:
First. In a folding bed, independent upright head and foot sections one or both
of which are movable, in combination with folding side rails hinged at their
respective ends to the head and foot sections and an elastic bed bottom or fabric
attached at its respective ends to supports connected to the head and foot sections
respectively, all constructed and arranged to strain the fabric when the sections
are separated and the side rails brought into position for use as a bed, and to
release said strain when folded up and the sections moved together, substantially
as set forth.
Second. In a folding bed, independent upright head and foot sections one or
both of which are movable, in combination with jointed side rails hinged at their
ends respectively to the head and foot sections, an elastic metal fabric or bed
bottom fastened at its respective ends to supports connected to said sections
respectively, and a cross rail arranged underneath the bed bottom and near the
joint in the side rails, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The jointed folding side rails in combination with the cross rail arranged
underneath the bed bottom and connected to the side rails by pivotted clips,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. In a folding bed, independent upright head and foot sections one or
both of which are movable, in combination with jointed side rails and caster
supports attached to the respective sections and projecting inward some distance
beyond the bases of said sections, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. In a folding bed, independent head and foot sections one or both of which
are movable, and which when closed together form the main body of the case, in
combination with jointed side rails hinged to the respective sections and of a width
to fully close the openings between the head and foot sections when the bed is
folded up and said sections are brought together, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Sixth. In a folding bed, the independent upright head and foot sections A and B
one or both of which are movable, and which when closed together form the main
body of the case, in combination with the jointed side rails C C hinged to the
respective sections, and the hinged clasp rails C¹ C¹, all constructed and arranged
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth. .

page_text: Seventh. In a folding bed, independent upright head and foot sections, one or
both of which are movable, and which when closed together form the body of a
case. for the bed, in combination with folding side rails hinged at their ends to the
respective sections and an elastic bed bottom or fabric fastened at its respective
ends to supports connected to the said respective sections, substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. In a bed bottom, a continuous elastic fabric attached to suitable supports
at each end, but having its side edges free the whole length or nearly so of the
bed, in combination with the main supporting frame and a support connected to
Baid free edges of the fabric to hold them out when pressure is applied to the top
of the fabric, while at the same time said edges are free to yield downward
vertically, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Ninth. In a folding bed, a continuous elastic bottom fabric supported at each
end, in combination with the main supporting frame, and a fabric support applied
to the free side edges of the elastic fabric and constructed and arranged to
automatically exert a lateral strain upon the fabric when the bed is unfolded and
the fabric depressed, and to release this strain when the pressure is removed,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Tenth. In a bed bottom, a continuous elastic fabric attached at each end to a
suitable support but having its side edges free, the whole length, or nearly so, of
the bed, in combination with the main supporting frame, and cross braces or
levers, pivotted at one end to a support below the fabric and at their opposite ends
connected to the opposite side edges of the fabric, but otherwise free to vibrate on
their pivots, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eleventh. In a folding bed a continuous elastic bottom fabric attached at its
ends to suitable supports, in combination with folding side rails, a cross bar
arranged underneath the elastic fabric, and cross braces or levers pivotted at one
end to the cross bar, and connected at their other ends to the opposite side edges of
the fabric, but otherwise free to vibrate on their pivots, substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
Twelfth. In a bed bottom, a continuous elastic, metallic fabric, attached to
suitable supports at each end, in combination with the side rails, to which the
fabric is connected at each edge for a short distance from each end support,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Thirteenth. In a folding bed, the end sections, in combination with jointed side
rails connecting the end sections, the hinge plates provided with radial slots
and raised in the centre, and the hinge pivots provided with elongated heads,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourteenth. In a bed bottom, an elastic metallic fabric attached to and suspended
from suitable supports at each end, in combination with side rails jointed at or
near their middle so as to fold upward, a substantially straight rod attached to the
side rails and depending therefrom at or near their joints and arranged to pass
through eyes or other suitable openings in the respective side margins of the
bottom fabric, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
ALL
C T.11004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.