IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Boydell, of the Anchor Iron Works,
Smethwick, near Birmingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS."
Scaled the 27th April 1853, and dated the 4th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Boydell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th March 1853.
I, JAMES BOYDELL, of the Anchor Iron Works, Smethwick, near
Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS" to be as follows:
This Invention consists of applying metal rolled or formed into a
trough-like shape in constructing the side and end rails of bedsteads, in
place of the forms of side and end rails heretofore used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Boydell, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 3d September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES BOYDELL, of the Anchor Works, Smethwick, near Birmingham,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Boydell, Her special licence, that 1, the said
James Boydell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Boydell, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I the said
James Boydell, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
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 1, the said James Boydell, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):
This invention consists of applying metal rolled or formed into a
trough-like shape in constructing the side and end rails of bedsteads in
place of the forms of side and end rails heretofore used.
Having thus briefly described the nature of my Invention, I will
more particularly describe the same, reference being had to the

page_text: thereon. The same letters in all the figures are used to indicate
similar parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shews a side view, Figure 2, an end view, Figure 3, a
section of a bedstead, constructed according to my Invention; and
Figure 4, shows details of some of the parts on a larger scale; Figure 5,
shows parts of a bedstead, somewhat differently arranged to those
represented by the foregoing Figures. a, a, are the side rails, formed of
metal of a trough-like shape; b, is a lath or strip of wood, which, with
the sacking c, is let therein, as clearly indicated by the enlarged section
in the details, Figure 4. The sides of the trough-shaped rails arc
afterwards closed upon the wood b, so that the sacking and lath c, b,
become firmly held or dovetailed into the rails a. a. The frames a, a,
are supported on frames, composed of bars d, d, which are also trough-
shaped, and have a lath or strip of wood closed within the trough, the
same as the rails a, a their ends d', d', being so formed as to be
suitable for receiving the side frames a, a, thereon; the pins or down-
ward projections a', a', from the side rails a, a, passing through holes
formed for them in the ends d', d', of the bars d. The frames a, a,
and d, d, are kept properly distended by the stretchers e, e, their
ends e', e', being connected to the bars d, as shown; the other ends
of the stretchers c, e, being formed with notches or recesses e, e, which
are caused to catch on to the pins or studs d, d², on the bars d, com-
posing the frames or supports for the side rails and sacking a, c. f. f, are
rods placed the one on either side to form the head of the bedstead, and
are provided with holes f', f', through which may be laced sacking.
There is a hole in each of the rods f. f. for the passage through of the
pins a a, of the frames a, a. The ends ff, of the rods f, are spread
out, and have holes formed through them to receive the lower ex-
tremities of one of the vertical frames or supports d, by means of
which and the pins a², a², they are firmly held in position. a³, a³, are
buttons or guards, which turn on a centre; and when the rods f, f.
are placed on the pins a, a², they are turned so as to cover those

page_text: portions of the rods f, f, and thus prevent them from slipping
off sideways from the pins a². g, g, are other metal rods similar in
form to the rods f, f, ut not so long; and they, also, having
sacking laced thereon, similar to the rods f, f, form the foot of the
bedstead; they have holes and a guard also, and their lower ends are
connected to the lower part of one of the frames d, precisely in the
same manner as the rods f, f. I sometimes form the side rails a, a, of
bedsteads in two or more parts; in such case, I make the ends d',
of the bars forming the frames or supports d, in the manner shown
by Figure 5; in which case, it will be seen that, instead of one hole
at d', there are two to receive two pins or downward projections a', a',
from the side rails a, instead of one, so that each bar at d, holds or
connects two portions of the side frames a, a, all of which will be
readily understood on examining the drawing at Figure 5. The
advantage gained by this last-mentioned arrangement is, that I am
enabled to pack a bedstead so constructed in a smaller space than 1
am enabled to pack the one previously described, as it allows of my
folding together the parts a, a.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein given, nor to the exact form of
bedsteads shown and described, as the same may be varied without
departing from my Invention; but what I claim is the application of
metal formed in a trough-like shape in constructing the side and end
rails of bedsteads, as described. I also claim the manner of connecting
the sacking c, to the rails a, so formed precisely as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Boydell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES BOYDELL. (L.S.)
Witness, FRED HARRIS.