IMPROVEMENTS IN COTS OR BEDSTEADS AND GUARDS TO BE ATTACHED THERETO, WHICH LATTER MAY ALSO BE USED IN OTHER POSITIONS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Hudson, of New York City, in
the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COTS OR BEDSTEADS AND GUARDS
TO BE ATTACHED THERETO, WHICH LATTER MAY ALSO BE USED IN OTHER
POSITIONS."
Sealed the 27th May 1870, and dated the 30th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Hudson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th November 1869.
I, CHARLES HENRY HUDSON, of New York City, in the State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COTS OR BEDSTEADS AND
GUARDS TO BE ATTACHED THERETO, WHICH LATTER MAY ALSO BE USED IN OTHER
POSITIONS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, first, to a child's cot or bedstead so constructed
as to be capable of being extended and enlarged longitudinally or

page_text: O for the use of one or more caren or adults, as
may be desired; and, second, to an adjustable revolving or sliding guard
attached to the said cot or bedstead in such a manner as to prevent a
child from climbing over the side or end of the bed, or from falling out
of bed.
The said guard may also be used as an attachment to doors or windows,
or in any other passage way or place where it is desired to prevent a
child from passing.
In the accompanying Drawings A, B, C, and D are the corner posts
of the bedstead, the sides being each formed of four rails E, F, and G, H,
and two auxilliary supporting posts I and J. The rails E, F, in the
front side of the bedstead are fixed at one end in the post D and at
the other in the auxilliary post I and slide freely through the auxilliary
post J. The rails G, H, are in like manner fixed at one end in the
post C and at the other in the auxilliary post J, sliding freely through
the auxilliary post I. The ends of the bedstead may be made solid like
those in common use, or they may be made as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4,
in which the rails K, K, and L, L, the side pieces M, M, and the auxilliary
posts N, N, are arranged and combined in the same manner as the
corresponding parts of the side already described. Tubes or cylinders
sliding in surrounding tubes may be used instead of the rails if preferred.
A head piece O may be adjusted upon the posts N, N, by inserting a pin
or dowel formed on the upper end of each of said posts into suitable holes
made in the under side or edge of the said head piece. Additional holes
are made in the head piece to permit the bedstead to be widened. To
the side pieces M, M, and the posts N, N, are secured the sills or
rails P, P, on which the ends of the slats Q which form the bed bottom
are placed and held in position by pins a, a, which project from the
lower sides of these slats and enter holes 6 in the said rails P. Each of
the rails P is divided longitudinally into two parts c and d (see Figs. 3
and 4), which permits the said rails to be lengthened when it is desired
to make the bed wider: They are when adjusted held in place by a pin e
which passes horizontally through both of them. About one half of the
slats are secured to each of the rails P at one end, and at the other
are supported on the extensible auxilliary rails R and S.
struction of the rails R and S is clearly shewn in Fig. 6;
slides freely in thé part g, and being larger at the bottom is prevented
The con-
the part f

page_text: from moving upward out of the slot. The rails R and S are hung in
links or loops a¹ of strong wire, one end of which passes through the
auxilliary post I or J, and the other receives the hooked end h of the
rail. The ends of the bedstead are secured to the posts by the hooks b',
which pass through and hook upon plates sunk in and secured to the
said posts in the ordinary manner.
The guards T and U being for the purpose of preventing young children
from falling out of bed will be employed principally when the bedstead
is contracted. The construction of the side guard T is clearly shewn in
Figure 5, in which V and W are the two slats or pieces of which it is
mainly formed. The piece V is forked nearly its entire length, while
the piece W is channeled out on its sides, as seen at j, to receive the
forks of the piece V which slide into these grooves j. A thumbscrew i
passes through the ends of the piece V, and one of the holes / in the
piece W, thus binding the two pieces together, but permitting by means
of the holes a longitudinal adjustment of the guard. The outer end
of each piece is provided with a pivot pin or journal m inserted through
a strap of metal which is rivetted to the said picce W or V. The
pivots m have bearings in the plate n which are fastened to the posts of
the bedstead. A metallic socket may be sunk into the post to form a.
bearing for the pivot similar to the sockets used for castor bearings, or
the guard may be hung in any convenient way. For the purpose of
inserting or adjusting the end guards in place without moving the bed
posts apart the pivot may be placed loosely in a round hole made in the
end of the guard and be thrust outward so as to hold it in its bearings
by a spiral spring placed behind it, or it may be adjusted and secured in
place by a pin passing through the guard and through one of a series of
holes made in the pivot pin.
The guards may be covered with cloth or other material, as seen in
Fig. 7, or they may be made in form somewhat similar to a lantern
wheel, as seen in Fig. 8.
A modification of the guard, shewn in Fig. 9, consists of an endless
band o mounted on two rollers p and q which are hung so as to turn
freely. Strips of wood or other suitable material r are fastened to the
outer surface of this band o to furnish a hold for the child's fingers.
Another modification is shewn in Fig. 10 consisting, of two panels or
frames of latticework hung on cords s which pass over rollers t in such

page_text: a manner that when one of these frames or panels is pulled down by a
child the other is drawn up.
The forms shewn in Figs. 9 and 10 are more especially adapted for
closing doors and windows, though they may be attached to a bedstead,
while the other forms shewn may also be applied to doors and windows.
As often as a child attempts to climb over one of these guards, properly
hung, the roller or moveable surface turns or slides so as to let the child
fall gently back to the bed or floor.
If desired a bell may be hung to the guard in any desired position so
as to ring whenever the guard is put in motion, and thus call attention
to the movements of the child.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Henry Hudson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
HENRY HUDSON, of New York City, in the State of New York, United
States of America, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Henry Hudson, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Henry Hudson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Henry Hudson, 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 COTS OR BEDSTEADS AND GUARDS TO BE ATTACHED THERETO, WHICH LATTER MAY
ALSO BE USED IN OTHER POSITIONS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Henry Hudson, 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

page_text: 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 Charles Henry Hudson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say:-
My Invention consists,-
First. Of a cot or bedstead so constructed as to be capable of being
extended or enlarged either laterally or longitudinally, or both, to fit it
for the use of one or more children or adults as may be desired.
Second. Of an adjustable revolving or sliding guard attached to the
said cot or bedstead in such a manner as to prevent a child from climbing
over the side or end of the bed, and also from falling off of the bed, which
guard may also be used to prevent a child passing through a window,
door, or other passage.
Third. Of the bottom rail of the end of the cot or bedstead formed in
two parts, one of which slides within the other in a manner somewhat
similar to a telescopic tube, one end of each of these parts being
fastened to the corner posts of the bedstead. A groove is formed in the
upper surface of this end rail in which a small cleet, rib, or projection
on the bed slat is inserted for a purpose herein-after set forth.
Fourth. Of a telescopic cross rail for supporting the inner ends of the
bottom slats, which cross rail has hooks at its ends which are hooked
into staples or loops fitted to the auxilliary side posts of the bedstead, as
herein-after set forth.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side clevation of an
extensible cot or bedstead which embodies my Invention; Fig. 2 is an
end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section of the
end of the bedstead on the line a, x, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation,
and Fig. 5 an edge view in detail of the hooks whereby the side of the
bedstead is attached to the end posts; Figs. 6 and 7 arc detail views of a
slotted plate which is screwed to the end posts, and into which the hooks
shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are inserted; Fig. 8 is a cross section of the
guard; Figs. 9 and 10, 11 and 12 are side and edge views in detail of

page_text: the two pieces of which the guard is composed; Fig. 13 is a top view,
Fig. 14 a side view, and Fig. 15 a cross section all in detail of the
telescopic cross rail; Fig. 16 is a front view in detail of the socket into
which the piu at the end of the guard is inserted, and in which the said
pin revolves; Fig. 17 is a cross section in detail of the bottom rail of
the end of the bedstead; Figs. 18 and 19 are top and side views in detail
of the bed bottom slats; and Fig. 20 is a cross section of one of the
auxilliary side posts showing the staple or loop into which the hook on
the end of the extensible or telescopic side rail is inserted.
The side of the bedstead consists of four horizontal rails, two of which
A and B are secured at one end to the auxilliary side post C, and at the
other end to the piece D, and slide freely through the auxilliary post E.
The other two horizontal side rails F and G are secured to the auxilliary
post E at one end and to the piece I at the other end, and slide freely
through the auxilliary post C. The side thus formed is attached to the
corner posts K and L by means of the hooks a, a, and slotted plate b,
shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Two each of the auxilliary side posts are
attached loops or staples s, into which the hooks c, c, on the ends of
the extensible cross rails M, N, are inserted. The cross rails M, N, are
formed in two parts d and e, the part d being grooved out in the form
shown in Fig. 15 to receive the part e, which has wings or ribs formed
on its sides which fit into corresponding grooves in the part d, whereby
the said part e is allowed to slide freely in and out of the said grooves
and the rail always presents a straight and even surface on its top to
receive and support the bed bottom slats O (Figs. 18 and 19) on which
the mattress rests. The ends of the bedstead are formed in a similar
manner, but the horizontal rails P and Q are secured to the corner post K
at one end, and to the upright sliding piece, shown in dotted lines at R,
at the other end sliding freely through the auxilliary end post S. The
horizontal end rails T and U are secured at one end to the corner post H
and at the other end to the upright sliding piece, shown in dotted lines
at V, sliding freely through the auxilliary end post W. The upright
sliding pieces R and V slide in grooves formed in the bottom rail Y, and
the top piece Z of the end panel A². The top Z may be made of any
ornamental form desired. The bottom rail B₁ of the end of the bedstead
is made in three parts f, g, and h, the parts ƒ and g sliding within the
parth somewhat similar to the cross rails M, N. One end of the piece f

page_text: is secured to the corner post H, and one end of the piece g to the corner
post K. The middle part in which are the grooves for the parts f
and g is secured to the auxilliary post W and S. The top of the parts f
and g is grooved out as shown in Figs. 3 and 17 to admit the rib, hook,
or projection i on the slat O. The bed bottom on which the mattress
rests is formed by laying the slats O upon the rails B', M, and N. Each
alternate slat is so placed that the hook i rests in the groove in the
rail B', and the other slats O are so placed that the hooks i rest in a
similar groove in the end rail at the other end of the bedstead. The
inner ends of the slats rest upon the cross rails M and N. The bedstead
constructed as above described may be readily extended to fit any
ordinary mattress or be made of the proper size to fit it for the use of
one or more children or adults as may be desired. The guard C' is
formed of two principal parts m and n; the part m has a dovetail groove
formed in each of its sides, into which the forked ends of the part n are
inserted. This construction permits the said guard to be extended or
reduced in length to make it fit upon the bedstead or in any other
position in which it is desired to use it. The ends of the pieces m and n
have plates o and p fitted to them, as shown, to strengthen them and
prevent their splitting when the pins q are inserted. The pins q have
round heads formed upon them to keep them from slipping out of the
slots in the plates r. This guard turns freely upon the pins q, and when
a child attempts to climb upon it in order to get out of the bed it turns
towards him and throws him back upon the bed. A ratchet wheel and
pawl may be attached if desired to prevent the guard from turning the
wrong way.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner in
which it is carried out, I claim,-
First. The extensible cot or bedstead constructed substantially as
herein-before set forth.
Second. The guard herein-above described, whether made extensible
or not.
Third. The telescopic end rail constructed substantially as specified.
Fourth. The extensible cross rail constructed substantially as herein-
above set forth.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of the hook i and groove in the rail B', as set
forth.
Sixth. The combination of the hook c and loop or staple 8, as
specified.
And, seventh. The combination with the guard C¹ of the headed
pin q and slotted plate r, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
above specified.
9
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Henry Hudson, have here.
unto set my hand and affixed my seal, this 29th day of April,
in the year of our Lord 1870.
CHARLES HENRY HUDSON. (L.S.)