Year: 1899

page_text: I, SAMUEL ILSLEY WHITFIELD, Managing Director of S. B. Whitfield and Co.
Ld., of Watery Lane, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Metallic Bedstead
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in metallic bedsteads and refers
more particularly to bedsteads for use in hospitals and such places where it is
necessary for doctors nurses and attendants to be frequently passing around the
bed as well as from bed to bed by which 1 obviate a considerable amount of the
liability of such persons to knock or kick against the corners or legs of the foot
ends of the bedsteads when so moving about while at the same time there is no
material addition to the cost of manufacture.
In carrying my invention into effect I form the foot end of the frame of the
bedstead with rounded instead of rectangular corners and with the legs set
slightly back from the said corners along the side towards the head. In some
cases I so bend the leg as to throw the lower extremities or feet further inwards
under the bed or further backwards towards the head or I may so turn them that
the feet are under the beds in a diagonal position, with regard to the junction of
the leg with the side I prefer to make the sides and curved foot bar at bottom
of one piece with the legs attached at the required points by chills or if required
by such other means as will enable the legs to be detached for carriage or trans-
port purposes while a head bar connects the other ends of the sides together with
dove-tail or other attachment to the head which I prefer to make separate in the
usual way.
In case of a foot rail being used I curve it to the same shape as the foot end bar
of the frame to the latter of which it is either attached permanently to the frame
or detachable therefrom.
The laths or spring mesh forming the bedstead bottom may be either attached
to the curved foot end bar of the bedstead or to a straight cross bar arranged
within it, the spring mesh in the former case being shaped to fit the end curved
bar in various ways as for instance in the case of a V shaped wire mesh formed
of links having coiled end springs I may graduate the length of the links to suit
the curve of the bar or by setting the springs in a straight line and connecting
their ends to the bar by wire links of suitable shape and length. In cases where
it is desirable for the mesh to have a curved surface in addition to curving the
foot end bar outwards as before described it may be also curved upwards sufficiently
to correspond with the curve provided in the head end bar or the outwardly curved
foot bar may be raised wholly or partially above the level of the bedstead sides
for the same purpose.

page_text: I, SAMUEL ILSLEY WHITFIELD, of Watery Lane, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Director, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
My invention has for its object improvements in metallic bedsteads and refers
more particularly to bedsteads for use in hospitals and such places where it is
necessary for doctors nurses and attendants to be frequently passing around the
bed as well as from bed to bed by which I obviate a considerable amount of the
liability of such persons to knock or kick against the corners or legs of the foot
ends of the bedsteads when so moving about while at the same time there is no
material addition to the cost of manufacture.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a large sized sheet of drawings upon which
I have fully illustrated the nature of my said invention together with several
modifications.
Figure 1 is a general view of a metallic bedstead suitable for hospital work
and shewing my improvements in connection therewith.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the foot of same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the foot of bedstead.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the foot of a bedstead shewing the legs made
detachable.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the foot shewing the end arranged to suit a curved
mesh bottom.
Figure 6 is a similar plan to Figure 3 but shewing a modification in the arrange-
ment of the legs.
Figure 7 is a similar end elevation to Figure 2 but showing a modification in
the shape of the legs.
In carrying my invention into effect I form the foot end a¹ of the frame A
of the bedstead with rounded instead of rectangular corners a² a and with the
legs B set slightly back from the said corners along the side towards the head D.
In some cases I so bend the leg B as to throw the lower extremities or feet b¹
further inwards under the bed as shewn by Figures 2 and 3 backwards towards the
head or I may so turn them that the feet are under the bed in a diagonal
position with regard to the junction of the leg with the side as shewn by Figure 6.
I prefer to make the sides A and curved foot bar al of one piece with the legs B
attached at the required points by chills or if required by such other means as
will enable the legs to be detached for carriage transport purposes as shewn in
Figure 4 where the legs B are connected together by the bar 63 and are provided
with the dovetail projections 6+ entering the dovetail recesses at which are pro-
vided to receive them or the legs may be bolted or otherwise secured thereto.
head bar connects the other ends of the sides together with dovetail or other
attachment to the head which I prefer to make separate in the usual way.
In case of a foot rail being used I curve it to the same shape as the foot end
bar a¹ of the frame A to the latter of which it is either attached permanently or
detachable therefrom.
A
The laths or spring mesh E forming the bedstead bottom may be either attached
to the curved foot end bar a¹ of the bedstead or to a straight cross bar arranged
within it, the spring mesh E in the former case being shaped to fit the end curved
bar in various ways as for instance in the case of a V shaped wire mesh formed

page_text: of links having coiled end springs I may graduate the length of the links or
springs el to suit the curve of the bar a or by setting the springs F in a straight
line and connecting their ends to the bar by wire links of variable shape and
length.
In cases where it is desirable for the mesh to have a curved surface in addition
to curving the foot and bar a outwards as before described it may be also curved
upwards as shewn by Figure 5 sufficiently to correspond with any curve which
may be provided in the head end bar H or the outwardly curved foot bar a¹ may
be raised wholly or partially above the level of the bedstead sides A for the same
purpose.
I may vary the shape and position of the legs in many ways as for instance
inclined legs such as shewn in Figure 7 may be used while possible variations in
the positions is illustrated by the legs B in Figure 6 which are arranged diagonally
to the corners of the frame A.
Having now, particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1st. In bedsteads for hospitals and the like the combination of a metallic frame
supported on legs which are curved or inclined inwards under the bedstead sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated.
2nd. In bedsteads for hospitals and the like the combination of a metallic frame
continued in one length to form the sides A and foot a and supported on legs
which are curved or inclined inwards under the bedstead substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated.
3rd. In bedsteads for hospitals and the like the combination of a frame sup-
ported on legs which are curved or inclined inwards under the bedstead and are
made detachable therefrom substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
and illustrated.
Dated this 13th day of September 1900.
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham.