IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS."
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Ferrer of Balsall Heath in the County of
Worcester Foreman to Messieurs John and Joseph Taunton of Balsall Heath
aforesaid Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ferrer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1883.
HENRY FERRER of Balsall Heath in the County of Worcester Foreman to
Messieurs John and Joseph Taunton of Balsall Heath aforesaid Metallic Bedstead
Manufacturers "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS
ܝ܂
My invention has reference to metallic bedsteads of the kind known as French
end bedsteads that is bedsteads in which the head and foot ends are each made in
one piece.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the packing for transit of the said
French end bedsteads and this I effect by constructing the parts of the head and
foot ends of the said bedsteads in the manner hereinafter described.
According to one of the arrangements constituting part of my invention I divide
each of the French ends of the bedstead into two parts by a horizontal division
situated by preference a short distance above the corner blocks.
The lower part of this divided French end carries the legs corner blocks and
angle bar together with short portions of the pillars above the corner blocks while
the upper part of the divided French end carries the remaining portions of the
pillars as well as the orn..mental parts cast upon or connected to the pillars
I fasten or connect the said divided parts of the bedstead end by means of
junction pieces constructed as follows:-On each of the short portions of the pillars
above the corner blocks I cast a junction piece having a cross perforation or
opening the configuration of the said perforated junction piece being made to
harmonize with the ornamental character of the French end. The top of this
junction piece is furnished with a taper seat or socket and in the axis of the top
part of the junction piece is a cylindrical hole passing into the cross opening or
[Price R71

page_text: perforation of the junction piece. At the bottom of each of the pillars on the
upper half of the divided French end a junction piece is cast consisting of a strong
screw for passing through the cylindrical hole in the lower junction piece and an
inclined block of a size and shape proper to take into the taper seat or socket in
the lower junction piece
In order to connect together or fasten the two parts of the French end the
screws on the upper junction pieces are passed through the cylindrical holes in the
lower junction pieces, and the inclined or taper blocks made to seat themselves in
the taper sockets or seats. When the parts have been thus arranged the screws
described project into the cross openings or perforations in the lower junction
pieces and by screwing screw nuts upon the said screws the two parts of the
French end are securely fastened or connected together.
By removing the screw nuts the upper part of the French end may be lifted
from the lower part and the two separated parts packed together side by side for
transit. The said separated parts can be packed in a packing case having about
one half of the width of a case required for packing ordinary French ends.
According to another of my arrangements I divide the French end into three
nearly equal parts by vertical divisions each of the end parts of this divided
French end being cast upon or connected to the pillar and leg of the French end.
The middle part of the divided French end is connected to the end parts by
junction pieces constructed substantially in the manner herein before described the
said junction pieces being arranged horizontally instead of vertically. The blocks
and sockets or seats of the junction pieces ensure the fixing together of the three
parts in the same line. Each of the parts of the divided French end has at its top
a curved arch shaped or other ornamental stay which stays are secured to a cross
rod connected to the terminal ornaments of the pillars. In this arrangement the
French end is provided with a separable or detachable angle bar which is lifted
from the corner blocks and the cross rod described removed before the three parts
of the French end can be detached for packing

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Ferrer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
1883.
HENRY FERRER of Balsall Heath in the County of Worcester, Foreman to
Messieurs John and Joseph Taunton of Balsall Heath aforesaid Metallic Bedstead
Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS
"
My invention has reference to metallic bedsteads of the kind known as French
end bedsteads, that is, bedsteads in which the head and foot ends are each made
in one piece.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the packing for transit of the said
French end bedsteads and this I effect by constructing the parts of the head and
foot ends of the said bedsteads in the manner hereinafter described.
According to one of the arrangements constituting part of my invention I
divide each of the French ends of the bedstead into two parts by a horizontal
division situated by preference a short distance above the corner blocks. The
lower part of this divided French end carries the legs, corner blocks and angle bar,
together with short portions of the pillars above the corner blocks, while the upper
part of the divided French end carries the remaining portions of the pillars as well
as the ornamental parts cast upon or connected to the pillars.
I fasten or connect the said divided parts of the bedstead end by means of
junction pieces constructed as follows:-On each of the short portions of the
pillars, above the corner blocks, I cast a junction piece having a cross or central
perforation or opening, the configuration of the said perforated junction piece
being made to harmonize with the ornamental character of the French end. The
top of this junction piece is furnished with a taper seat or socket and in the axis
of the top part of the junction piece is a cylindrical hole passing into the cross
opening or perforation of the junction piece. At the bottom of each of the pillars
on the upper half of the divided French end a junction piece is cast consisting of a
strong screw for passing through the cylindrical hole in the lower junction piece
and an inclined block of a size and shape proper to take into the taper seat or
socket in the lower junction piece
In order to connect together or fasten the two parts of the French end, the
screws on the upper junction pieces are passed through the cylindrical holes in the
lower junction pieces and the inclined or taper blocks made to seat themselves in
the taper sockets or seats. When the parts have been thus arranged the screws
described project into the cross openings or perforations in the lower junction
pieces and by screwing screw nuts upon the said screws the two parts of the
French end are securely fastened or connected together.
By removing the screw nuts, the upper part of the French end may be lifted
from the lower part and the two separated parts packed together side by side for
transit. The said separated parts can be packed in a packing case having about
one half of the width of a case required for packing ordinary French ends.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in front elevation a French
end of a bedstead constructed according to this part of my invention, the two
parts of the said French end being connected together and Figure 2 represents
the two parts of the said French end disconnected and arranged for packing or
transit.
Figure 3 represents in front elevation and Figure 4 partly in front elevation
and partly in section, drawn to a larger scale, the upper and lower portions of one
of the junction pieces of the French end, the two parts of the junction pieces being

page_text: connected together; Figure 5 represents the upper portion and Figure 6 the lower
portion disconnected. By reference to Figure 2. it will be seen that the French
end of the bedstead is divided into two parts by a horizontal division situated a
short distance above the corner blocks. The lower part of the divided French end
consists of the legs a, a, corner blocks b, b and angle bar c, together with the lower
portions d, d of the junction pieces cast on the pillars immediately above the
corner blocks; and the upper part of the divided French end consists of the
junction parts d, d² the remaining portions a², a² of the pillars and the top rail
and the ornamental parts cast upon or connected to the said pillars and top rail as
represented.
The construction of the junction pieces by which the divided parts of the French
end are connected together will be best understood by referring to the enlarged
views Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6. The lower part d of each junction piece cast upon
the pillar immediately above the corner block b has a ring like form or other form
to harmonize with the ornamental character of the French end. The said junction
part d has a central or cross opening e and at the summit of the part d is a taper
seat or socket f and below it is a cylindrical hole g passing into the perforation
or opening e (see Figure 6). The ring like half junction d may be strengthened
by means of a ring of wrought iron placed in the chill mould in which the said
half junction piece d is cast upon the pillar.
The top part 2 of the junction piece on the upper part of the divided French
end consists of an ornamental cast block to which the tie rod h is secured by the
casting process. The said top part d² of the junction piece has on its underside a
taper block i of a size and figure proper to fit into the taper seat or socket fin
the lower portion d of the junction piece and also a strong screw k for passing
through the cylindrical hole g in the said lower portion d (see Figures 4 and 5).
To connect or fasten together the two parts of the French end it is only
necessary to pass the screws k, k on the upper junction parts d², d² into the
cylindrical holes g, g in the lower junction parts d, d and cause the taper blocks
i, i to seat themselves in the taper sockets f, f as seen in Figure 4. By now
screwing the screw nuts l, upon the projecting ends of the screws k, k the two
junction pieces d, d² are securely fastened together and the French end is complete
as seen in Figure 1. When it is required to separate the two parts of the French
end for transit or carriage, the screw nuts 1, 1 are unscrewed from the screws k, k
when the upper part of the French end may be lifted from the lower part and the
two separated parts can be packed side by side as represented in Figure 2, the
packing case required for such separated parts being about one half the width of
that required for packing ordinary French ends as will be understood by comparing
the complete French end Figure 1 and the separated parts of the same represented
in Figure 2.
The parts d, d² of the junction piece may be inverted as represented in Figures 7
and 8 and in the separated parts Figures 9 and 10; Figure 7 representing in
elevation the junction piece at one side of the French end and Figure 8 repre-
senting, partly in elevation and partly in section, the junction piece at the other
side of the French end; Figure 9 represents an edge view of the upper half of the
junction piece and Figure 10 the lower half.
In this arrangement, the ring like junction pieces d forin portions of the upper
half of the divided French end, the rod h being secured to them by the casting
process, while the lower junction pieces d² carrying the plugs or blocks i and
screws form part of the lower half of the divided French end
The two parts of the French end of this modification are connected together
and disconnected from one another in the manner already explained with reference
to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and corresponding parts are marked with the same
letters of reference.
According to another of my arrangements I divide the French end into three
nearly equal parts by vertical divisions, each of the end parts of this divided
French end being cast upon or connected to the pillar and leg of the French end.

page_text: The middle part of the divided French end is connected to the end parts by
junction pieces constructed substantially in the manner herein before described, the
said junction pieces being arranged horizontally instead of vertically. The blocks
and sockets or seats of the junction pieces ensure the fixing together of the three
parts in the same line. Each of the parts of the divided French end has at its.
top a curved arch shaped or other ornamental stay, which stays are secured to a
cross rod connected to the terminal ornaments of the pillars. In this arrangement
the French end is provided with a separable or detachable angle bar which is
lifted from the corner blocks and the cross rod described removed before the three
parts of the French end can be detached for packing.
Figure 11 represents in front elevation a French end constructed according to
this part of my invention; Figure 12 represents the same with the middle
detachable part and cross top rod removed and Figure 13 represents the said
middle detachable part separately; Figure 14 represents the middle detachable
part drawn to a larger scale, and Figure 15 represents the junction pieces of one
of the end parts of the French end Figure 16 represents an end elevation of
one of the seat junction pieces on the bottom of the end part and Figure 17
represents one of the taper junction pieces at the bottom of the middle part of the
French end.
The
In this arrangement the French end is divided into three nearly equal parts_by
vertical divisions, the end parts being marked m. m and the middle part p.
top junctions of the three parts of the French end are marked q, q and the bottom
junctions are marked r. r in Figure 11. Each of the end parts m is cast upon
and connected to the pillar and leg as seen in Figure 12.
The half of the top
junction piece of each of the end parts m consists of the tubular socket q2 (see
Figure 15) and the half of the bottom junction piece of each of the end parts m
consists of a dovetail seat or socket 2 (see Figures 15 and 16) The top half
junction at opposite ends of the middle part p of the French end consists of a peg q
for taking into the tubular socket q² in the end part m and the bottom half
junction at opposite ends of the middle part p consists of a dovetail block r for
taking into the dovetail seat on the end part m of the French end.
By means of the junction pieces described and represented the three parts of the
French end are fixed together in the same line; 8 is the separable or detachable
angle bar of the French end and t (see Figure 11) is the top cross bar which is
seated in the trough parts u, u u at the summits of the detachable parts m, p, m
of the French end. The top bar t is fixed in its place by the screw heads wand
the terminal ornaments x, x of the pillars screwing upon the screws represented in
Figures 12 and 13.
.
In
When it is wished to separate the parts m, p, m of the French end Figure 11
for packing it, it is only necessary to remove the cross bar t (the terminal ornaments
xx and knobs ww having been unscrewed) and lift the removeable angle bar s
from the corner blocks when the pegs q, q on the middle part p may be withdrawn
from the tubular sockets 92, q² on the end parts m, m and the taper blocks or
junctions 1, r on the middle part p lifted from the taper seats on the end parts
m, m as represented in Figure 12, where the middle part is shown detached.
order to connect or fasten together the three parts m, p, m of the French end, the
joints of the separable angle bar s are only partially introduced into the corner
blocks. The taper blocks r, r on the middle part p are then dropped into the
seats on the end parts m, m. By now completely pressing home the joints
of the angle bar & into their corner blocks, the top junction pieces q2, q* on the end
parts m, m of the French end are made to approach each other and take upon
the pegs q, q on the middle part p as seen in Figure 11. The three parts m, p, m
thus arranged are finally fixed in the respective positions shown in Figure 11 by
means of the top bar t which is secured by the screw knobs or heads w, w, w and
terminal ornaments x, x of the pillars as before described.
Figure 18 represents in side elevation a French end constructed as last described,
but the arched shaped pieces at the summits of the end parts are dispensed with,

page_text: an ornamental piece only being employed at the summit of the middle part;
Figure 19 represents the middle part and portions of the end parts of the French
end drawn to a larger scale. The parts in the arrangement Figures 18 and 19
are marked with the same letters of reference as corresponding parts in
Figures 9 to 17.
Instead of forming the top junctions of the French end constructed as last
described, of a peg 9 on the middle part p taking into a tubular socket q2 in
the end part m, a screw may be made on the end part m and pass through a
socket in the middle part p and be fixed by an ornamental screw nut.
This modification is represented in Figure 20, where u is the screw on the end
part in and the socket on the middle part p and y is the screw nut for fixing the
two parts of the junction piece together.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention
of "Improvements in metallic bedsteads "
First. The improvements in constructing the head and foot ends of metallic
bedsteads of the kind known as French end bedsteads herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings; that
is to say, dividing each of the said French ends into two parts by a horizontal
division situated by preference a short distance above the corner blocks and
constructing the junction pieces of the said divided parts of the French end
substantially in the ways herein before described and illustrated.
Secondly The improvements in constructing the head and foot ends of metallic
bedsteads of the kind known as French end bedsteads hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 11 to 20 both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings; that
is to say, dividing each of the said French ends into three nearly equal parts by
vertical divisions and connecting the said parts of the French end together by
means of junction pieces and the other appliances described, constructed sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Ferrer have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Eighteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
Witness, RICHARD SKERRETT
37 Temple Street
Birmingham
HENRY FERRER (L.S.)