Improvements in Supplementary Tester or Canopy Head Parts for Metallic Bedsteads.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 1st Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 4th Oct., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supplementary Tester or Canopy Head Parts for
Metallic Bedsteads.
I, FREDERICK HOSKINS of the firm of Hoskins and Sewell of Bordesley Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the construction of supplementary tester, canopy or
other like head parts of metallic bedsteads which are made separate and independent
of a bedstead itself; and by which parts or means, bedsteads known as French
hedsteads, are converted into half tester or canopy headed or Italian bedsteads, by
adding thereto, the said supplementary parts, consisting essentially of two upright
pillars proceeding directly upwards from the angle iron framing of the bedstead at
the head end; and which uprights carry at their tops, fixed rails or hars, which
constitute the tester or canopy part; and over the rails thereof, drapery or other
hangings are hung or suspended.
These testers or canopies have heretofore been made of a determinate size, and are
non-adjustable, which is a considerable disadvantage, as such parts aforesaid, can only
be used or applied to bedsteads, of a certain size, from the fact of the bars and
connecting rails being made rigid or fixed.
My invention consists first in making the said supplementary tester or canopy
beads or paris adjustable or collapsable, so as to admit of them being applied to any
sized bedstead as may be desired; and further, by the said parts being collapsable,
they are rendered highly portable, on requiring to be stowed away, which is done
without a material sacrifice of room. Secondly, in cranking or diverting outwardly,
the lower end attachments of the pillars or uprights, so as to miss or be out of the
way of the corners of a mattress, when the said ends are attached to a bedstead
framing. Thirdly in connecting the top to the pillars at a lower level than the
ails.
The framing of the tester or canopy part consists essentially of a rectangular
arranged frame, or framing, composed or made up of two end parts, with extending

page_text: front and back rails, and with the front and side rails of the one, overlapping and
sliding upon the front and back rails of the other, to admit of adjustment or for
increasing or decreasing the distance between the ends, in applying the said tester
part to varying sized bedsteads; that is, each of the ends have sides of a length about
equal to the breadth of the smallest sized tester part to be made; and at the extreme
ends of each side, or side bar, guide clips or hook like rests are made, and wherein the
respective front and back rails are guided and slide. These loops are provided with
affixing screws, for securing the side bars when lying one upon another, in position.
Thus, after the tester part has been adjusted, by the front and back of the one sliding
within the guides of the other, the affixing screws, which have turning heads, are
screwed home, when the parts are firmly secured in position.
The bars may be plain, or have countersunk holes therein, wherein the ends of the
screws take.
Proceeding downwards from the inside corners of the framing, and connected to
the ends at a short distance from the sides, brackets are arranged, having at the lower
parts, chilled castings or heads, through which the screws at the tops of the pillars
pass, for securing the said frame to the pillars. By this means, the framing or
framings are elevated above their points of connections with the pillars, and which
said parts are affixed in position by ordinary internally screwed knobs or vases.
A square boss on the top of the pillar, takes within a like square socket or recess
formed in the underside of the chill or casting aforesaid, to keep the tester or other
parts square with the bedstead.
A secondary jointed rail also passes parallel to the end rails, upon which curtain
rings are strung.
The pillars or uprights are arranged parallel to, and at a short distance from the
pillars of the back rail of the bedstead, upon which the supplementary tester or canopy
head is applied, and instead of continuing the lower ends of the said pillars so as to
meet, or strike the angle iron framing, I make the said lower ends cranked to clear
the castings or pillars and sides, and with the end of the cranked part coming on the
outside of the angle framing, and to which angle framing it is attached by a hooked
ended screw, so formed, that the hooked part, clips the angle iron claw like," and is
affixed, by a screw nut, on the other end, which is screwed.
By changing the plane, or by diverting outwardly the lower ends of the pillars
as described, spring or other mattresses are capable of being used with bedsteads
provided with supplementary testers or canopy parts, which is unattainable with those
of the ordinary kind, where the supporting pillars proceed directly from the tops of
the angle bars or framings.
The aforesaid pillar parts are also secured in position by clips, which embrace and
connect the pillars of both bedstead and supplementary part.
Dated this Thirtieth day of November 1886.

page_text: 1, FREDERICK HOSKINS of the firm of Hoskins and Sewell of Bordesley, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, 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:
-
This invention has reference to the construction of supplementary tester, canopy or
other like head parts of metallic bedsteads, which are made separate and independent
of a bedstead itself; and by which said parts or means, bedsteads known as French
bedsteads, are converted into half tester or canopy headed or Italian bedsteads, by
adding thereto, the said supplementary parts, consisting essentially of two upright
pillars proceeding directly upwards from the angle iron framing of the bedstead at the
head end; and which uprights carry at their tops, fixed rails or bars, which constitute
the tester or canopy part; and over the rails thereof, drapery or other hangings are
hung or suspended.
These testers or canopies have heretofore been made of a determinate size, and are
non-adjustable, which is a considerable disadvantage, as such parts aforesaid, can only
be used or applied to bedsteads of a certain size, from the fact of the bars and
connecting rails being made rigid or fixed.
My invention consists first, in making the said supplementary tester or canopy heads
or parts adjustable or collapsable, so as to admit of them being applied to any sized
bedstead as may be desired; and further, by the said parts being collapsable, they are
rendered highly portable, on the same requiring to be stowed away, which is done
without a material sacrifice of room-Secondly, in cranking or diverting outwardly,
the lower end attachments of the pillars or uprights, so as to miss or be out of the
way of the corners of a mattress, when the said ends are attached to a bedstead
framing.
The framing of the tester or canopy part consists essentially of a rectangular
arranged frame, or framing, composed or made up of two end parts, with extending
front and back rails, and with the front and side rails of the one, overlapping and
sliding upon the front and back rails of the other, to admit of adjustment, or for
increasing, or decreasing the distance between the ends, in applying the said tester
part, to varying sized bedsteads; that is, each of the ends have sides of a length,

page_text: about equal to the breadth of the smallest sized tester part to be made; and at the
extreme ends of each side, or side bar, guide clips or hook like rests are made, and
wherein the respective front and back rails are guided and slide. These loops may be
provided with affixing screws, for securing the side bars when lying one upon another
in position. Thus, after the tester part has been adjusted, by the front and back of
the one sliding within the guides of the other, the affixing screws, which have turning
heads, are screwed home, when the parts are firmly secured in position.
The bars may be plain, or have countersunk holes made therein, and wherein, the
ends of the screws take.
At the inside corners of the framing, and connected to the front and back rails,
chilled castings or heads are situated, and through which, the screws at the tops of the
pillars pass, for securing the said frame to the pillars. By this means, the framing or
framings are elevated and connected with their pillars; and which said parts are
affixed in position by ordinary internally screwed knobs or vases.
A square boss on the top of each pillar, may take within a like square socket or
recess formed in the underside of the chill or casting aforesaid, to keep the tester or
other parts square with the bedstead.
A secondary jointed rail also passes parallel to the end rails, upon which curtain
rings are strung.
The pillars or uprights are arranged parallel to, and at a short distance from the
pillars of the back rail of the bedstead, upon which the supplementary tester or
canopy head is applied-Instead of continuing the lower ends of the said pillars,
so as to meet, or strike the angle iron framing, I make the said lower ends cranked, to
clear the castings or pillar sides, and with the end of the cranked part coming on the
outside of the angle framing, and to which angle framing it is attached by a hooked
end screw, so formed, that the hooked part, clips the angle iron "claw like," and is
affixed by a screw nut, on the other end, which is screwed.
By changing the plane, or by diverting outwardly the lower ends of the pillars as
described, spring or other mattresses are capable of being used with bedsteads provided
with supplementary testers or canopy parts, which is unattainable with those of the
ordinary kind, where the supporting pillars proceed directly from the tops of the angle
bars or framings.
The aforesaid pillar parts, are also secured in position by clamping clips, which
embrace, and connect the pillars of both bedstead and supplementary part.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a French end bedstead, converted into a
tester or canopy headed bedstead, by adding thereto, supplementary parts, constructed
and arranged according to my invention-Figure 2 represents an end elevation, (upon
an enlarged scale) the lower part of the supplementary tester, or pillar connection, with
the bedstead angle iron framing; and which said angle framing, and the claw like
connection securing device is shown in section; this view also shows the adjustable
clip, by means of which, the supplementary pillar parts are stayed or braced to the
frame or pillar of the French end-Figure 3 represents a back elevation of figure 2;
and figure 4 represents a horizontal section upon the dotted lines A B figure 2-
Figure 5 represents a section of the clip, on the dotted lines CD of the said last
named figure; while figure 6 shows a back view of the clip exhibiting the longitudinal
slot, which admits of its adjustment-Figure 7 represents an adjustable head or canopy
part of a supplementary tester end; and from which said head part, drapery is
suspended or hung. The said figure 7 shows the same, fully collapsed, while
figure 8 represents the same, fully expanded or drawn out-Figure 9 represents
the end rail of the canopy head in section, at the junction of the chilled corner
connections.
Figure 10 is a transverse section on the dotted lines E F figure 9, thus exhibiting
the secondary rail upon which the curtain or drapery rings are threaded. Figure 11
shows a transverse section upon the dotted lines G H figure 8, which shows clearly
how the clips embrace the adjustable and parallel bars.

page_text: The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
I will first describe my new or improved adjustable canopy top or tester head, which
consists of a rectangular arranged frame or framing, composed or made up of two end
parts a, b, with longitudinally extending front and back rails a², 2, overlapping and
sliding one upon the other, and connected together, guided and supported by clips a², b³,
which are made from turned up metal, of the rails; and by which means, the framing
admits of adjustability.
The end rails a, b, and the front and back rails a², b² of the respective parts, are
connected at their back corners, by chilled castings or heads c, which have holes in their
middles, and take upon screws e directed vertically upwards, from the tops of the
pillars d, and which said chilled castings c, and framings carried by them, are secured
in position, by terminal ornaments or knobs e³, screwing upon the tops of the screws
as aforesaid.
e is a secondary rail, parallel to the end rails, as best seen in figures 8 and 10, and
upon which, drapery or curtain rings are strung. This rail although parallel to the
end rails, passes from back to front, at a lower plane or level, than the said end rails,
and with the front upwardly directed ends, fixed to, or cast within chilled bosses e²,
while the back ends are made hook like, and embrace, and rest upon the back
bars a², 62, respectively.
On the rings e, requiring to be taken off, or threaded upon the secondary bar
or raile, the hooked parts e³, have only to be sprung from off the rails a², 62, respectively.
I will now describe the connections of the supplementary pillar parts.
dd, are the pillars of the supplementary tester end, running parallel to, and at the
back of the pillars of the framing of a French end bedstead. The lower ends of
these pillars are provided with cranked or oblique connections, or connection bars d²,
cast within, or secured to chilled castings d³, carried from the lower ends of the
pillars d, while the lower ends of the oblique bars or connections ², are removably
secured to the angle framings ", by a claw like embracing clip g, whose outer
screwed end g², passes through a hole in the connection d, and on a fly nut g³, being
fully screwed home, upon the end of the screwed part g² of the claw clip 9: the
connection is firmly secured in position.
h is a pillar embracing clamp or clip, consisting of a back part 1, with inwardly
return ends, and concaves h, front part ³, with pillar concaves or seats h; and which
said back part, has a slotted hole 15, and the front part ³, has a screw hole or
piercing, and through which said holes or piercings, a screw pin 7 passes, while
the front and back parts of the clamping device are drawn up to their bearings, and
clamped together, by a fly-nut 18.
Thus, the supplementary tester part, is secured at its lower end, to the framing of
the bedstead, to which it is applied, while the pillar parts are secured to the pillars, or
uprights of the bedstead framing, by clamping devices.
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 :--
First. Making the tops, or the canopy heads, of supplementary or added
tester parts of bedsteads, adjustable, whereby the said tops or heads, can be used with,
or applied to any sized bedstead, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. Connecting the removable or free ends of secondary or curtain
suspending rails e, to the framing bars, or to the back framing bar of a tester head, by
a hooked end, or hooked connection a³, substantially as described and set forth in
figures 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Thirdly. Connecting, or making the connections, of the lower ends of the pillars
of supplementary tester parts, of metallic badsteads, as herein described, by elevating
the said pillar lower ends, above the bedstead framing, and making the connection
thereof, by outwardly diverted connections, or connection bars d², or their equivalents,
substantially as described and set forth in figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: Fourthly Securing, and clamping the lower ends of the connection bars of
supplementary tester parts, of bedsteads, as described, by a claw like device g, g²; I³,
substantially as set forth.
Fifthly Securing the pillar parts of supplementary tester parts, to the framing
pillars of bedsteads, to which the said supplementary parts are applied by clamping
and affixing devices, as described and set forth in figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Lastly. Making supplementary or added tester parts of bedsteads, adjustable,
substantially as described and set forth.