IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, EDWARD FEWTRELL Powick Villa 25 Sampson Road Camp Hill Birmingham
Bedstead Foreman and JAMES ALFRED CRANE 151 Bordesley Birmingham Modeller
do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC
BEDSTEADS to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of an improvement in the construction and fitting of the
bedstead pillar, vase, and top rod; at their junction with each other.
The object of the Invention being 1 to abolish the vase screw 2nd the neccessity
of tapping or threading the neck of vase, 3rd a more secure method of uniting the
top rod, vase and pillar together and 4th a saving in cost (a) in the vase itself
(b) by doing away with the screw, and (c) with the cast iron mount in cases where.
the lower part of vase is sufficiently ornamental to do without one.
The following is a description of the Invention and the method of applying it.
Instead of the usual method of laying the top rod in a groove or down the
screw on the top of the pillar; we insert the said top rod into a hole of same size as
the top rod itself; the said hole being either drilled out of the tube of the pillar
itself, or cored out of the cast iron mount, when one is used; and the vase or top
cap is secured by the top rod passing through a hole pierced in the lower part of
the said vase, before it enters the hole made in the pillar or iron mount; the vase
being first fixed in its place on the top of the pillar; and where the top rod is
loose from the rail of the bedstead, the usual method would suffice to prevent it
slipping out again.
And in case the vase should on account of any shape to which it may be applied,
require further security than the top rod passing through it affords, we purpose
holding it down by a small projection upon the inside of the vase such projection
to be inserted into a hole of same size as projection made exactly opposite to the
larger hole for the insertion of top rod; it being in this case held down on both
sides; or we may secure it by a rivet or pin in lieu of said projection in cases
where such projection would be impracticable.
The several methods above named are required to suit our Invention to the
varied classes of bedsteads; but in each case the tube of pillar, or the iron mount of
the same, must cover the end of top rod; and the vase must come underneath
the said top rod and be pierced by the same.
The vase as required for the purpose of our Invention may consist of a simple
brass cap only or may if required assume the ordinary or more elaborate form.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1884.
EDWARD FEWTRELL
JAMES ALFRED CRANE. .

page_text: «
We EDWARD FEWTRELL of Powick, Villa 25 Sampson Road, Camp Hill,
Birmingham, Bedstead Foreman and JAMES ALFRED CRANE of 151 Bordesley,
Birmingham, Modeller do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
33
Our Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in affixing or
connecting the terminal mounts, ornaments or caps to the pillars of metallic
bedsteads, cots and other articles of metallic furniture; and the principal object of
our said Invention is to dispense with the usual axial screw in the mount, vase or
cap; and also the screw peg on the top of the pillar of a bedstead, and by our
method of affixing the said terminal ornaments, they are not liable to be
disconnected from their pillars or become loose in consequence of being turned
or rotated-There is also a considerable reduction incidental in their cost of
production.
The terminal or pillar head of the bedstead is cast of the same shape or
conformation as the cap to be fitted thereon that is, the body, crown and sides of
the pillar head is cast solid, or of the internal conformation of the sheet metal cap,
and on the inner side of the said head a hole is left for the insertion of the top rail
of the bedstead for the purpose as hereinafter described-The sheet metal cap is
also provided with a hole which coincides with the hole in the solid metal of the
pillar head so that, when the cap has been placed on the pillar-head, and the top
rail passed through the hole in the cap and terminating in the hole in the pillar-
head, the said cap becomes permanently affixed to the bedstead;-the horizontal rail
being affixed in this position by the usual knob screws passing into the vertical
rails upon which it is supported-When the cap does not require to be supported by
solid metal at its crown; an internal collar is made at the top of a tubular neck
which limits its position on the top of a pillar formed tubular at its upper end.
Or instead of attaching the sheet metal cap to the pillar head by the rail passing
into a hole, we make the head flat with a projecting plain peg upon its face, on to
which the tubular end of the foot rail takes, and is affixed as before described-Or
instead of a plain peg we employ a screw peg on to which the wormed internal end
of the top rail screws.
We also attach the sheet metal cap to the pillar bead by a peg on its inside
taking into a hole in the metal of the said bead; this renders it impossible for the
cap to rise on either side after the foot rail has been affixed-Or the cap may be
affixed to the head by leaving a short rib on the body, over which a slitted part of
the bead of the metal cap snaps or passes over.
The bead of the cap instead of being attached as before described it may be.
gathered or closed under a complete ring or annular collar on the pillar-head
without being slitted.
Having explained the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to describe
with reference the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, a metallic bedstead, constructed according
to our Invention-Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same-Figure 3
shews a section and elevation of a pillar head, and Figure 4 shows the sheet
metal cap partly in elevation and partly in section-Figure 5 shows the foot-rail
separately.

page_text: The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawing,
a, is the solid of the pillar head and a is the hole into which the end of the rail
takes c is the sheet metal cap of the exact conformation of the pillar-head, so
that by taking the cap c and placing it upon the head a, and then introducing the
rail b through the opening c³ and terminating in the hole a³ of the pillar head, the
cap is by the above means firmly and rigidly connected to the pillar as best seen
in. Figure 2 and that in consequence of the pillar head being of the exact
conformation of the internal surface of the cap, the whole of the thin sheet metal
forming the cap is internally supported at all points and especially at its summit
and therefore cannot be indented or injured at any point by impact or otherwise.
Figure 6 represents in section another form of cap attached to the termination
of a plain pillar-The hole d³ in the cylindrical body d² is for the passage of the
rod b as before described, so that when the cap d is placed upon the end of the
pillar, the holes and d³ come opposite each other which is effected by the
internal shoulder d forming a stop for the top of the pillar to abut against as
represented in Figure 6 where the parts are represented in their respective
positions when in use.
In Figure 8 a plain peg a³ is affixed in the pillar head a for the purpose of
taking the end of the rail b; that is where it is undesirable for the rail end to pass
into a plain hole in the pillar head-We cut away the side of the pillar head
marked at, and upon the face thereof, a plain peg a³ is situated-In order to affix
the sheet metal cap c, Figure 9 it is only necessary to place the said cap upon the
pillar head with the hole c² coming in front of the peg a³ when by the insertion of
the end of the rod b through the opening c² and taking upon the peg a³ the parts
are firmly and securely connected together as represented in Figure 10 of the
Drawing Figure 11 shows Figure 8 turned round in order to better exhibit the
flat side of the said head-Figure 12 shows a section of Figure 8 and, although we
have represented the stud a³ cast with the metal of the head; yet the said peg may
be made separate and laid-in during the process of casting the head.
Or instead of a plain peg, we employ a screw peg f, as represented at Figure 13,
a bush g, is inserted in the end of the said rod b, which is screwed upon the end of
the screw peg f, as represented in the said Figure 13.
Our Invention consits further in attaching caps or mounts as represented at
Figure 14, the cap h has a peg or teit h² on its inside edge as best seen in the
separate view Figure 15 the pillar head to which the cap is to be applied is
represented partly in section in Figure 16, i is the head and is a hole in which
the peg h² takes.
In attaching the cap to its head, it is only necessary to slightly tilt the cap as
represented at Figure 14, when the peg 2 is readily inserted into the hole by
pressing the cap square upon its mount and by the insertion of the rod b through
the hole in the cap and terminating in the hole is in the head; the sheet metal
cap is firmly and securely connected to the pillar head as represented in Figure 17,
and that in consequence of the under-bearing surface of the cap being perfectly
solid, there is no liability for the sheet metal cap to become injured.
Figure 17 is a modification of Figure 17-It consists of leaving upon the head
a segment of a bead corresponding to the bead of the cap to be applied thereto―
m, is the cast metal head and m³ is the bead, so that by slightly canting the k
cap
as represented in Figure 17ª the concave of the hollow bead comes under the
convex of the solid bead and when in this position the cap can be closed down into
position as with respect to Figure 14.
When it is not desirable that the rail marked b, as before described, should not
pass into the head of the pillar but only through the cap, we in this case attach the
cap to the pillar head by slitting the bead Figure 18 which is marked k which
takes under a short rib on both sides of the head 7, Figure 19 so that by pressing
vertically the shell or mount k upon the pillar head the slit or detached part k³
passes over the rib 12, thereby firmly holding the cap to the head, as represented
at Figure 20, after the terminal edge of the metal has been pressed under the rib.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is―
First. The improvements in caps or mounts for the pillars of metallic bedsteads
as described and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings that is to say-caps or mounts of metallic bedsteads, which are
internally supported at all points by the solid metal of the head, so that the crown
and body of the cap is unable to be injured by impact or otherwise; also the
method of affixing such caps to the pillars of metallic bedsteads by the rail passing
both through the cap and terminating into the solid head as described and set
forth.
Secondly Affixing or securing caps or ornaments as represented in Figures 6
and 7 of the accompanying Drawings by forming a cylindrical body marked d³
with an internal collar d the parts being arranged and combined for the purpose
as set forth.
Thirdly-Affixing or connecting mounts or caps to the pillars of metallic
bedsteads by the end of the rail marked b passing through a hole in the side of the
cap and taking on-to a plain or wormed peg on the face of a cut-away part
in the head as described and represented in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly Affixing caps to the heads or mounts of metallic bedsteads by a stud
on the inside of the cap taking into a hole in the head, which on the rail having
been passed through the cap and taking into the head as described and represented
in Figures 17 and 17ª prevents the cap from rising on the solid head as described
and represented.
.
Fifthly Affixing the caps or terminal ornaments to the pillars of metallic
bedsteads as described and set forth in Figures 18, 19 and 20 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Dated this Twentieth slave of To... 1001
EDWARD FEWTRELL.
JAMES ALFRED CRANE.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham,
Agent to the Applicants.