IM- PROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS, AND PACKING CASES OR BOXES TO CONTAIN THE SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louisa Monzani, of Greyhound Place, Old Kent
Road, in the County of Surrey, Widow and Administratrix of Willoughby
Theobald Monzani, late of Saint James's Terrace, Bermondsey, in the
said County of Surrey, Gentleman, deceased, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS, AND PACKING CASES OR BOXES TO CONTAIN THE
SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES."-A communication.
Sealed the 4th May 1855, and dated the 14th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louisa Monzani at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the
14th October 1854.
I, LOUISA MONZANI, of Greyhound Place, Old Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey, Widow and Administratrix of Willoughby Theobald Monzani, late
of St. James' Terrace, Bermondsey, in the said County of Surrey, Gentleman,
deceased, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BEDSTEADS, AND PACKING CASES OR BOXES TO CONTAIN THE SAME AND OTHER
ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is so to arrange parts that a bedstead
shall be partly constructed of the box or case which, when the bedstead is
packed and out of use, contains it. For this purpose, a box or packing case

page_text: is constructed in two parts; one part is fitted up as a portmanteau or box, for
carrying garments and other articles; the other part of the box or case is
arranged for receiving the parts constituting the bedstead, which is formed in
the following manner :-The two parts of the box or case are connected at the
ends of a strong fabric or sacking, suitable when stretched out to receive
the bedding, and the two parts of the box or case are also connected by means
of straps or cords, which, when the bedstead is stretched out and formed, come
near the ground. And in order to keep the two parts of the box or case
separated, and the sacking or fabric distended for use as a bedstead, stretching
bars are used on either side, which enter grooves or sockets formed at either
end of the parts of the box or case, and by means of keys or wedges these
parts are more completely separated and held secure. It is not essential that
the two parts constituting the head and foot of the bedstead should be parts
of a box or case, as only one or neither may be so. There is provision made
for a head to the bedstead for preventing the pillow falling out. When the
whole is packed for carriage, the parts assume the exterior character of a
simple box or case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Louisa Monzani
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUISA
MONZANI, of Greyhound Place, Old Kent Road, in the County of Surrey,
Widow and Administratrix of Willoughby Theobald Monzani, late of Saint
James' Terrace, Bermondsey, in the said County of Surrey, Gentleman,
deceased, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Louisa Monzani, Her special licence that I, the said Louisa Monzani, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louisa
Monzani, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS, AND

page_text: PACKING CASES OR BOXES TO CONTAIN THE SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES," being a
communication from my late husband, Willoughby Theobald Monzani, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louisa Monzani, 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 Louisa Monzani, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
The chief object of this Invention is so to arrange parts that a bedstead
shall be partly constructed of the box or case which, when the bedstead is
packed and out of use, contains it. For this purpose, a box or packing case
is constructed in two parts; one part is fitted up as a portmanteau or box, for
carrying garments and other articles; the other part of the box or case is
arranged for receiving the parts constituting the bedstead, which is formed in
the following manner:-The two parts of the box or case are connected at the
ends of a strong fabric or sacking, suitable when stretched out to receive
the bedding, and the two parts of the box or case are also connected by means
of straps or cords, which, when the bedstead is stretched out and formed, come
near the ground. And in order to keep the two parts of the box or case
separated, and the sacking or fabric distended for use as a bedstead, stretching
bars are used on either side, which enter grooves or sockets formed at either
end of the parts of the box or case, and by means of keys or wedges these parts
are more completely separated and held secure. It is not essential that the
two parts constituting the head and foot of the bedstead should be parts of a
box or case, as only one or neither may be so. There is provision made for a
head to the bedstead for preventing the pillow falling out. When the whole
is packed for carriage, the parts assume the exterior character of a simple box
or case.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
The box or case is to be made in two parts, each part having connected
therewith, and by preference permanently fixed thereto, some of the parts
which go to form a bedstead. The two parts of which the box or case consists,
it is preferred, should be made alike in exterior form, but this is not essential;
and it is preferred that the opening into them should be on one side, and that

page_text: that side should be the one uppermost when made up into a bedstead; and
for facility of carriage, it is desirable that the two parts of the box or case may
go together and when out of use as a bedstead, and be made as one package,
or when to be carried by a mule or other animal, that they should be capable
of being so complete when severed as to present two separate yet complete
packages. The sacking or webbing, or other form of flexible surface which is
to form the upper surface of the bedstead, it is preferred, should be fixed
permanently to one of the two parts of the box or case, and to fold into it, and
be only connected to the other part of the box or case when made up into a
bedstead, and this may be done by straps and buckles, or by other convenient
attachments, which will facilitate the keeping of the sacking or other flexible
upper surface of the bedstead in a state of tension. The arrangement of side
stretchers which is preferred for keeping the two parts of the box or case
separate, and the sacking or upper surface stretched between them, are such
as are shewn by the Drawing, though others may be used. These stretchers
or bars are made into rectangular frames, which enter sockets or grooves made
to receive them at the ends of the boxes or cases, and they are keyed or wedged
so as to keep the parts separated and secure, and these frames or stretchers
pack within the box or case; or the stretchers may be hinged at the ends to
the boxes or cases, and fold and pack within the recesses formed to receive
them. And in order to keep the side stretchers separate and parallel, a central
cross stretcher is used, which at each of its ends has fixed buttons, which enter
slotted holes in the side stretcher bars, and retain all parts correct.
interior of the boxes or cases may be fitted up in any convenient manner for
receiving garments, bedding, and other articles. When the side stretcher bars
are separate from the two parts of the box or case, and are connected by
entering sockets, it is desirable to have a strap or straps at the bottom to
draw the two parts of the box or case towards each other, and thus to resist
the tension of the sacking or flexible top to the bedstead; but when the
side stretchers are binged to the parts of the box or case, these may be
dispensed with.
The
The Drawing annexed shows at Figure 1 a perspective view of a bedstead;
and at Figure 2 one of the parts is shewn separately. a, b, are the two parts
of a box or case; the sides which face each other when made into a bedstead
are recessed, to admit of the side stretchers c, c, being placed or folded therein,
and so as to admit of those two sides being brought together, and by straps or
other fastenings held as one package; or when to be carried on either side of
a mule or other animal, each part a or b is to form a separate package, by the
stretchers c being retained in the recess formed to receive them. The parts

page_text: a and b are made to open at d, d, and the flap or cover to each of such
openings is made capable of being retained in a slanting position, so as to
prevent the pillow falling off at the end of the bedstead.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
combination herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louisa Monzani, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEO. PITT,
4, Old Square.
LOUISA MONZANI. (L.S.)