Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1899--Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
CUMILIE DI LUITIVATION.
Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
I, JAMES WELSH PEPPER, of Southwest Corner of Broad and Oxford Streets,
Philadelphia, County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America, Publisher, 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 relates to improvements in folding bedsteads, and comprises head
and foot members, each adapted to maintain the upright position independently
of the co-operation of the other; the bedbottom adapted when the bedstead is
folded to occupy approximately a vertical position without bending or folding
upon itself.
My invention also comprises improved adjustable spring means, operating
between the fixed and movable parts of the said bedstead, to assist in the folding
and unfolding of the same.
Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my bedstead being
in a partially open position. Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a detail showing
the position of the spring when the bedstead is closed. Figure 3 is a detail
showing the position of the spring when the bedstead is partially open. Figure 4
is a detail of the connecting bar which supports the spring. Similar letters refer
to similar parts throughout the several views.
The head member a and the foot member bare each provided with supplemental
feet c and d, which are adapted to maintain said member in the vertical position
independently of each other. These supplemental feet c and d are provided with
tapered extremities adapted to fit in similarly shaped apertures provided in the
lugs e on the head and foot members respectively, and are rigidly held in place
by the nuts f secured on the ends of said tapered extremities. These supple-
mental feet when in the operative position are further braced by the cross rods
and m, which are removably bolted thereto. When however, it is desired to take
the bedstead apart, after the bedbottom and the cross rod braces have been
detached, by loosening the nuts f the legs c and d may be rotated or folded upon
the head and foot members respectively, for convenient transportation.
To the supplemental foot members c of the head member a, is pivotally con-
nected the mattress frame or bedbottom h, which for the sake of brevity I
designate as bedbottom. The cross rod m connecting the supplemental foot
members of the head member a, serves both as a brace for said supplemental
foot members and also as the pivotal connection therewith of the bedbottom, so
that the latter may readily rotate from the vertical to the horizontal position and
vice versa.
Pivotally secured at to the bedbottom and at j to the foot member are the
links k, which are adapted to maintain the foot member in the required position
with respect to the bedbottom h, that is to say, when the bedbottom is in the
horizontal position the foot member will be maintained in such position that it
will support the foot or free end of said bedbottom, and when the bedbottom is
lifted into the vertical position it will draw after it the foot member b until the
same has assumed a position in which the lower extremities of the supplemental
Price &

page_text: fect have assumed a position in line with the head member a, while the foot
member has assumed a position in line with the extremities of the supplemental
feet c.
The horizontal cross bar m is rectangular in cross section at its juncture with
one or both of the side members q of the bedbottom, but circular in cross section
at its extreme ends to permit its freely rotating in the apertures in members o
of legs e so that said bar may rotate with the movemet of the bedbottom. The
said bar m is laterally movable in said side members of the bedbottom so that
said square portions may be disengaged from the co-operating square apertures
in the members to permit the rotation of the bar independently of the bed-
bottom for the purpose hereinafter specified.
Wound around the bar m at either end thereof but within the side members
of the bedbottom are the coiled spring or springs s. One end of the spring is
wound to conform to the square cross section of the bar as shown at r
and so becomes rotatably rigid therewith, and the other end is free and
adapted to encounter a pin or projection t on the member o. Another pin or pro-
jection is secured to the side member 7 and is adapted to encounter the free end
of the spring some little distance from its extremity. The spring may now be
adjusted to the required tension by removing the square portion of the bar m
from the corresponding square aperture in the side of member and rotating
said bar while the free portion of the spring still encounters the projection or
pinu, whereby the spring is wound or unwound at will. The square portion p
of bar m then being replaced in its co-operating square aperture of the member
the spring is securely locked into position with the required adjustment of tension.
Now the special purpose of pin which projects from member is to provide
an additional stop for the spring independent of the pin or stop t secured to the
stationary member o. This permits of the preliminary movement of the bed-
bottom from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3 in the act
of opening the bed, before the spring begins to exert its resistance to the further
opening movement of the bedbottom, thus diminishing the force which would
otherwise have to be exerted in starting the bed and yet affording efficient resist-
ance after the preliminary movement is accomplished to assist in checking its
downward movement. It will be noted by inspection of the drawings that in
opening the bed the rotation of the horizontal cross bar m serves to wind up the
springs upon the bar. It will be noted that the end of said springs as has been
stated is wound tightly about the square portion of the bar while the portions of
the bar between said square windings r and the square portion 2 is cut down and
rounded as shown at to permit the bar to freely turn within the spring and also
to afford room for the tightening of the spring as it is wound up. When the
bedstead is in the open position the spring will consequently be wound to its
maximum and will exert its maximum tension to assist in lifting the bedbottom in
the act of closing the bedstead.
When the springs are wound to the proper tension and the square portions
of the bar m are inserted in the square apertures of the members the round
portions which reside in the round apertures of the stationary members o have
threaded extremities, for nuts which are now secured thereto to hold the com-
bined parts in position.
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;-
1. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members, supple-
mental feet removably secured thereto, a bedbottom rotatably secured to the
supplemental feet of one member and pivotally linked to the supplemental feet
of the other member.
2. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members, supple-
mental feet, a lug and recess connection whereby the supplemental feet are detach-

page_text: ably secured to the head and foot members, a bedbottom rotatably secured to the
supplemental feet of one member and pivotally linked to the supplemental feet
of the other member, substantially as described.
3. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members provided
with apertures, supplemental feet with lugs adapted to fit in said apertures, and a
bedbottom rotatably secured to the supplemental feet of one member and pivotally
linked to the supplemental feet of the other member.
4. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members provided
with tapered apertures, supplemental feet with tapered lugs adapted to fit in
said apertures, and a bedbottom rotatably secured to the supplemental feet of one
member and pivotally linked to the supplemental feet of the other member.
5. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members provided
with tapered apertures, supplemental feet with tapered lugs adapted to fit in said
apertures, said tapered lugs having threaded ends and co-acting nuts thereon,
to secure the same in the said apertures, and a bedbottom rotatably secured to the
supplemental feet of one member and pivotally linked to the supplemental feet
of the other member.
6. In a folding bedstead the combination of head and foot members, supple-
mental feet removably secured thereto, with horizontal cross bars detachably con-
necting the supplemental feet of each member as a brace therefor, and a bed-
bottom rotatably secured to the supplemental feet of one member and pivotally
linked to the supplemental feet of the other member.
7. In a folding bedstead having stationary and movable members, a cross-bar
rotatably secured to the stationary member and normally rigid with the movable
member, a coiled spring upon said cross-bar stops upon said members whereby
the spring encounters with its free end the fixed member, after a required pre-
liminary movement of the movable member, in opening or unfolding the bed-
stead, substantially as described.
8. In a folding bedstead having stationary and movable members, a cross bar
rotatably securing the movable to the fixed member, a spring coiled upon said
cross-bar and secured at one end thereto, with its free end adapted to encounter
the fixed member and means for adjustably locking the cross-bar with the movable
member after it has been turned to secure the desired tension of the spring.
9. In a folding bedstead having stationary and movable members, a spring
having one end rigid with the movable member, a projection on said movable
member adapted to check the free end of the spring so that a certain preliminary
movement of the movable part from the closed towards the open position is
required before the free end of said spring encounters the fixed member.
10. In a folding bedstead having fixed and movable members, a spring having
one end rigid with the movable member, a projection on the movable member to
check the free end of the spring so that a certain preliminary movement of the
movable part from the closed towards the open position is required before the free
end of said spring encounters the fixed member of said bedstead, and means for
adjustably securing the tension of said spring means.
11. In a folding bedstead having stationary and movable members, a laterally
movable cross-bar rotatably securing said members, a spring coiled upon and
secured to the bar at one end and free at the other end to contact with the
stationary member and means for locking the bar rigid with the movable member
after it has been turned sufficient to secure the desired tension of the spring.
12. In a folding bedstead having stationary and movable members, a laterally
movable cross-bar rotatably securing said movable member, a spring coiled and
secured to the bar at one end and free at the other end to contact with the
stationary member, means for locking the bar rigid with the movable member
after it has been turned sufficient to secure the desired tension of the spring, and
a projection on the movable member adapted to engage with the spring near its
free end to prevent its engaging with the fixed member until after the required
preliminary movement of the movable member.

page_text: 13. In a folding bedstead having fixed and movable members, a spring balance
therefor and means for permitting the preliminary movement of the movable
member from the closed towards the open position before exerting its resistance
thereto.
14. In a folding bedstead having fixed and movable members, a spring balance
therefor and means for permitting the preliminary movement of the movable
member from the closed towards the open position before exerting its resistance
thereto, and means for winding up or unwinding said spring to secure the proper
adjustment thereof.
Dotad 1 0741 la
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.