AN IMPROVED PORTABLE SPRING BOTTOM BEDSTEAD
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Offen Clark, of Clapham Common, in the
County of Surrey, Upholsterer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PORTABLE SPRING BOTTOM BEDSTEAD."-A communication. from abroad by
Joseph Moiroux of Rue St. Elizabeth Lyons France
Sealed the 24th April 1863, and dated the 3rd November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Offen Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd November 1862.
I, THOMAS OFFEN CLARK, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey,
Upholsterer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PORTABLE SPRING BOTTOM BEDSTEAD," to be as follows:-
I construct the framework of this improved portable spring bedstead, by
preference of iron (it may be cast iron), with the side rails hinge-jointed to
the ends of the bedstead, as also in the middle of their length, and so that
they fold inwards, that is to say, the side rails fold or double and may assume
a position in a direction across the bedstead, the ends of the bedstead at the
same time approach each other to within, say, about eight or ten inches of
each other in its collapsed form. The side rails are fitted with notches to
receive the laths or stretchers supporting the bed. These can be readily
placed or removed from position, when in position they keep the frame rigid..
From the laths or cross rails I support the mattress surface by a peculiar
arrangement of springs distributed throughout the area of the bedstead, the
lower parts being connected to the rails, and the upper parts to longitudinal

page_text: and cross webbing at the points of intersection thereof. I make the spring
frames of two loops or frames of wire, the lower one being united to the rails
and the other to the webbing, but free to move at their points of support as
on a hinge. The upper and lower loops or frames are connected midway
between the rails and webbing by a kind of joint or fulcrum formed on one
wire loop or frame, which encircles a wooden quill or tube placed on the
other; the part of the upper loop whose arms encircle a bar of the lower one
is extended in the form of a lever and carries a quill or tube on which are
placed the doubles of india-rubber rings used as springs; the other ends or
doubles encircle a suitable holder attached to the lath or rail. The tendency
of these springs is to bring the wire loops or frames in line with each other,
while pressure from above, on the other hand, tends to fold them together,
they being at all times kept in inclined positions (oppositely inclined) by the
tension on the webbing. The longitudinal webbings are fixed to each of the
end frames, and when the bedstead is expanded they are placed in tension.
Instead of webbing a sheet of canvas may be used, and instead of the india-
rubber springs metal springs may be adopted, and by employing two or more
springs in each wire spring frame or loop the tension may be diminished or
increased at pleasure by disconnecting some or applying additional springs.
I place the bedstead on four legs, binged to the end frames, which can be
folded up close to the bottom of the bedstead (within the plane of the end
frames) additional castors are provided, so that when the legs are folded up
the bedstead may be conveniently used at a lower elevation if desired, the
folding, however, being principally for packing. The webbing connects spring
frames and cross rails to the bedstead, and I further run longitudinal cords
through several cross rails or laths to draw them together when collapsing the
bedstead. The head and foot "boards" I make of light rails and wires, each
in two parts, and so as to slide down the end frames of the bedstead, and also
to fold inwards on the bedstead; suitable and convenient contrivances are
provided to keep the parts upright and in position when desired. In collapsing
this bedstead I lift all the laths or cross bottom rails out of their places to fold
the side rails inwards, and draw the ends of the bedstead together, and at same
time, by the cords mentioned, draw the laths together, the whole bedstead will
then collapse, and when the legs are folded up and the head and foot boards
partly dropped down on the end frames and partly folded in on the collapsed
bedstead, the whole occupies a very small compass and is very portable, for
which purpose it may be tied together or placed in a suitable box or other
enclosure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Offen Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
OFFEN CLARK, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey, Upholsterer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Offen Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Offen Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Offen Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree 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 "AN
IMPROVED PORTABLE SPRING BOTTOM BEDSTEAD," a communication to me from
abroad by Joseph Moiroux, of Rue St. Elizabeth, Lyons, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Offen Clark, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Offen Clark, 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 follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
I construct the framework of my improved portable spring bedstead, by
preference, of iron (it may be cast iron) with the side rails binge jointed to
the ends of the bedstead, as also in the middle of their length, and so that
they fold inwards, that is to say, the side rails fold or double, and may assume
a position in a direction across and parallel or nearly so to the ends of the
bedstead, which at the same time approach each other to within, say, about
eight or ten inches of each other in its collapsed form. The side rails are
fitted with notches to receive the laths or stretchers supporting the bed;

page_text: these can be readily placed or removed from position; when in position they
keep the frame rigid. From the laths or cross rails I support the mattrass
surface by a peculiar arrangement of springs distributed throughout the area
of the bedstead, the lower parts being connected to the rails, and the upper
parts to longitudinal and cross webbings; at the points of intersection thereof
I make the spring frames of two loops or frames of wire, the lower one being
united to the rails and the other to the webbing, but free to move at their
points of junction, as on a hinge. The upper and lower loops and frames are
connected midway between the rails and webbing by a kind of joint or fulcrum
formed on the one wire loop or frame which encircles a wooden quill or tube
placed on the other; the part of the upper loop whose arms encirclé a bar of
the lower one is extended in the form of a lever, and carries a quill or tube
at the extremity, on which are placed the doubles of india-rubber rings used
as springs; the other end or double encircles a suitable holder attached to
the lath or rail. The tendency of these springs is to bring the wire loops or
frames in line with each other, while pressure from above, on the other hand,
tends to fold them together, they being at all times in inclined positions
(oppositely inclined) by the tension on the webbing. The longitudinal
webbings are fixed to each of the end frames, and when the bedstead is
expanded, they are placed in tension. Instead of webbing a sheet of canvas
may be used, and instead of the india-rubber springs metal springs may be
adopted, and by employing two or more springs in each wire, spring, frame,
or loop, the tension may be diminished or increased at pleasure, by discon-
necting or applying additional springs, and so increasing the hardness or softness
(so to speak) of the bearing surface of webbing or canvas, and its capability
of resisting greater or less weight. I place the bedstead on four legs hinged
to the end frames, which can be folded up close to the bottom of the bedstead.
Within the plane of the said frames additional castors are provided, so that
when the legs are folded up, the bedstead may be conveniently used at a lower
elevation, if desired, the folding, however, being principally for packing. The
webbing connects spring frames and cross rails to the bedstead, and I further
run longitudinal cords through the several cross rails or laths to draw them
together when collapsing. The head and feet boards I make of light rails
and wires, each in two parts, and so as to slide down the end frames of the
bedstead, or they may fold as on a hinge, and are provided with suitable and
convenient contrivances to keep the parts upright and in position, when
desired. In collapsing this bedstead, I lift all the laths or cross bottom rails
out of their places, then fold the side rails inwards, and draw the ends of the
bedstead together, and at same time by the cords mentioned. Drawing the

page_text: up, and the head and footboards partly folded on the collapsed bedstead, as
seen in the Drawings annexed, the whole occupies a very small compass, and
is very portable, for which purpose it may be tied together, or placed in a
suitable box or other inclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a bedstead constructed according to
my Invention, showing the whole of the framework, and as much of the
elastic parts and webbing as will serve to illustrate it, the other being mere
repetitions thereof; Fig. 2 represents a geometrical side view of the same. in
a collapsed state, but of the full size of the bedstead for an adult, while the
other Figures show some of the parts detached.
The side pieces A, A, of the ends are securely fixed together by cross rails
B, C, forming the ends of the bedstead which so far are rigid. To the side
plates A the side rails D are connected by bolts forming hinge joints a; these
side rails I prefer to make of cast iron comparatively thin, but of some three
or four inches in depth, cast open and bladed, or otherwise arranged to afford
strength and lightness, each side rail is in two pieces, with a hinge. joint in
the middle 6 formed by clipping-pieces c, c, embracing the rails above and
below, and united by two bolts f, f, as seen. In collapsing, both hinge joints b
approach each other, and the folded side rails lap the one on the other across
the bedstead. The joints a and b, are such that the rails cannot in expanding
the bedstead pass beyond their proper extended position and limits.
Between the side rails are fitted the laths e, e, in the manner of fitting laths
of ordinary bedsteads, but I prefer to make them deep and narrow, and fit the
ends into socket-pieces d formed by ribs or beads standing out from D as
seen, and resting on ledges below; the laths drop into and are easily removed
from their places. The middle lath is received in like sockets, but which are
cast on to the junction hinge-pieces c, c, each of which embrace the two ends
of the side rails D by their ears above and below, which receive the bolts
before mentioned. F, represents the webbing, of which there are a series, in
number according to the breadth of the bedstead, stretched between the two
ends, being attached to the two fixed rails B; these longitudinal webbings are
united by transverse webbings H, or instead of longitudinal and cross webbings,
canvas of the proper breadth may be used. These webbings are supported as
before mentioned by spring frames, each composed of two light wire frames
jointed together, and acting on springs to form a resilient support therefor.
A row of these spring frames is represented in Fig. 1, and as many as neces-

page_text: sary for two longitudinal webbings, but which are repeated in the breadth of
the bedstead as often as may be necessary. These spring frames are sepa-
rately represented of the full size at Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 3 being a side view of
same as seen in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a view as seen in the breadth of the bedstead.
e is the lath before mentioned, to this is jointed a rectangular frame of strong
wires or rod iron L, for this purpose a raised part is formed on the lath, and a
recess cut in it for the wire, and further enlarged in the middle by means of
cross recesses for the reception of the doubles of the india-rubber springs g, g.
The wire frame L is held in position by the heads of screws i bearing upon it,
but so as to permit its free hinge motion. A wooden quill or boss is placed
on the upper limb of frame L, which can be readily removed or replaced by
springing open the end of the wire L; K, represents the upper wire frame, which
is extended in breadth above to embrace two longitudinal webbings, and is other-
wise of the form shown in the edge and side views, Figs. 3 and 4. The loops
h, h, of K, are strongly sewn to the two adjoining longitudinal webbings, and this
frame is so formed as to encircle the quill at either end, which forms a fulcrum,
on which frame K moves, the lower limb of K carries a wooden quill or
tube m, on which the opposite end doubles of the india-rubber springs 9 are
placed, there may be one, two, three, or more of the springs g according to
the strain required, and they can be readily removed or replaced at pleasure,
and being in tension they tend to keep the frame L, and axis of quill m in
the same plane, but immediately on any pressure being applied above, the
axis of part m is immediately deflected out of such plane, and the springs 9, 9,
in consequence distended, which results in an equilibrium being established
between the downward pressure above, and the tension of the springs, the
parts assuming the position shown dotted in Figs. 1 and 3, in this way a very
easy and resilient surface is produced well adapted for a bed, which may or
may not have a thin mattress or other substance to separate it from the bed
clothing. Spiral metal springs may be substituted for the india-rubber springs g.
The raised ends P, P, of the bedstead I mount on fulcrum pins q, q, which
move in slots in the cheek pieces A, and are further furnished with upper
pins r, which when the end P is fitted upright, drops into recesses s, and keep
the end P in an upright position when raised. By lifting pins r out of slots s,
the end P can be folded down on the collapsed bedstead as seen in Fig. 2.
The ends P I make of light horizontal bars of wood, connected by small
upright rods of iron or stout wire t, and with suitable end pieces u of cast
iron. If the ends are required to be higher, double-folding parts, one above
the other, may be fitted and applied in a similar manner. 1 also mount the
legs a ou joints as seen at Fig. 5 to cross bars C, which legs may be folded

page_text: up parallel therewith when collapsed, and in order that the bedstead may be
used at a lower elevation, or for moving it about when collapsed, I fit addi-
tional castors immediately under pieces A, on which it will rest when the
legs are folded up. To facilitate collapsing this bedstead I run two cords S
through the laths e, one near each end of the laths. The cords are attached
to the extreme lath from that end of the bedstead to which they are led and
pulled upon; when the laths are all lifted from their sockets, I strain the
cords S, and at same time fold the sides D of the bedstead inwards, that is to
say, across the bedstead, the parts D coming nearly parallel to the parts B
and C, and the other parts being folded or collapsed, the whole will then
assume the position shown at Fig. 2, of full size. The size in the other direc-
tion will of course depend on the breadth of the bedstead. In expanding the
bedstead it is simply necessary to release the cords S, and draw the ends of
the bedstead in opposite directions, unfold the legs and upper end frames, and
dispose the laths e in their several positions when the bedstead is fit for use, as
will be seen at Fig. 2, it can be packed in a very small box or receptacle, and
occupies very little room.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the arrangement and combination of parts herein-before described
and represented in the Drawings annexed, constituting a collapsable portable
spring bottom bedstead as herein-before described.
Secondly, the arrangement and combination of parts applied for and
affording a resilient support to the webbing or canvas bottom of the bedstead.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Offen Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOMAS OFFEN CLARK. (L.S.)