Improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL STEULTICATION,
Improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
We, JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS, Managing Director of Hoskins and Sewell
Limited, of Bordesley, in the City of Birmingham, Bedstead Manufacturers and
CHARLES FREDERICK HOSKINS, also of Hoskins and Sewell Limited, aforesaid,
Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention has relation to metallic bedsteads, and has for its principal
object, to provide a bedstead which is capable of being converted at will from an
Italian hedstead into a French bedstead, or vice versa.
Thus according to our invention, the sides of the head end of the bedstead are
provided with folding frame sections which admit, of being folded or turned into
the same or nearly the same plane as the standing part of the said back or head
end rail, in order to provide a French bedstead, or they may be turned out at
right angles to the said end rail, so as to form the curtain arms of an Italian
bedstead, whereby the bedstead may be converted as required by simply turning
in or out the said folding sections or movable frames.
In carrying out one form of our invention, we take a bedstead head end rail
of any desired construction, but with the middle part raised so as to form spaces
or gaps at the opposite upper corners which may be of the same shape as. or may
be adapted to receive the supplementary sections of the frames, which may
swing upon the corner pillars or upon extensions of them, or upon supplementary
members arranged to carry them, or upon suitable extensions of the head rail
itself. The ends of the top members of the swinging frames are preferably made
to run in line with the top rail of the standing middle part of the head frame and
may interlock therewith by a snapping or other action so as to form a continuous
rail across the whole width of the bed when the swinging frames are folded.
These swinging frames have curtains suspended from them either from the ton
member or other suit part thereof and the curtains (when the frames are folded
inwards to form a French bedstead) may be dropped through suitable gaps and
come at the back of the standing frame, whilst when the swing frames are turned
outwards at a right angle to the end rail. an Italian bedstead is formed with the
curtains suspended from the said rails in the usual way.
The locking of the swinging frames to the standing frame may be made by a
bolt, catch or other fastener, or by a portion of the one springing or engaging
into a recess in the other, or by a sliding sleeve on the swinging frames taking
onto the opposite ends of the top rail or other suitable part of the fixed frame,
or by a union or other coupling.
When the curtain arm frames are carried by the corner pillars, then we pro-
pose to carry each of the frames upon a sleeve mounted upon an upright spindle
surmounting the pillar proner. having a lower bearing for the sleeve to rotate on
and provided at the summit with a screw for taking a screwed knob or terminal.
so that the centre of motion of the curtain frame is then in the same vertical

page_text: line as the vertical axis of the pillar. This part of our invention is applicable to
the mounting of the curtain arms of ordinary Italian bedsteads.
As a modification, the corner pillars may be of the same height as the middle
part of the standing rail and a continuous top har may be directed from the one
pillar to the other and along the top of the said middle part, thereby forming
enclosed spaces inwards of the rails for the folding frames to lie within when the
bedstead is in use in the French form.
As another form of our invention, we take an ordinary French back or head
end rail and provide the same with a folding or collapsible curtain arm at each
side, which when not required for use may be formed parallel with the pillar to
which it is jointed, but when in use, supported by a single or compound stay
or strut. Suitable stops are provided to limit the movement.
Or as a still further form, the supplementary curtain frames may be completely
detachable instead of swinging so as to be capable of being fitted either in the
corner gaps of the head rail, or to form the curtain arms at a right angle to the
principal frame,
Or the curtain arm may be made extensible and collapsible by forming it from a
series of jointed and cross arms arranged on the lazy tong principle.
Dated this 18th day of Fahrmom 1800
JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS,
CHARLES FREDERICK HOSKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
We, JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS, Managing Director of Hoskins and Sewell
Limited, of Bordesley, in the City of Birmingham, Bedstead Manufacturers and
CHARLES FREDERICK HOSKINS, also of Hoskins and Sewell Limited, aforesaid,
Works Manager, 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 relation to metallic bedsteads, and has for its principal
object, to provide a bedstead which is capable of being converted at will from an
Italian bedstead into a French bedstead, or vice versa.
Thus according to our invention, the opposite top corner parts of the head end
rail of a bedstead are made separate or in the form of folding or swinging frame
sections which admit of being folded or turned into the same or nearly the same
plane as the standing part of the said back or head end rail, in order to provide
a French bedstead, or swinging parts may be turned out at right angles to the
body of the rail so as to form the curtain arms of an Italian bedstead, whereby
the bedstead may be converted as required by simply turning in or out the said
folding sections or movable frames.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a perspective view of a bed-
stead provided with a convertible end rail constructed and arranged in accord-
ance with our invention. This view shows the swinging frames or upper corner
portions turned back into the same plane as the body or standing part of the
rail and there retained, thus forming a French end.
Figure 2 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a front elevation of the improved
convertible rail in the same position as Figure 1 and Figure 3 represents an
edge view thereof,

page_text: Figure 4 is a similar perspective view of the bedstead to that represented by
Figure 1, but the separate corner frames are shown swung out to a position at
right angles, or thereabouts, to the body of the rail, in which position they act
as the curtain arms of a bedstead end of the Italian pattern.
Figure 5 represents a front elevation of the rail with the corner parts in this
position, upon the same scale as Figure 2 and Figure 6 shows a side or edge
view of the rail.
Figure 7 represents, upon a still further enlarged scale, an elevation of the said
corner frames with the adjacent portions of the end rail proper, the said corner
being in the position for forming a French end, the means for retaining it in
this position being clearly shown by this view.
Figure S is a sectional view upon the same scale as Figure 7, showing how the
outer tubular member of the swinging corner frames takes and pivots upon a
vertical extension of the pillar on the end rail.
Figure 9 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the
swinging corner detached from the rail.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In carrying out this form of our invention the head rail a, may be of any suit-
able construction, but the middle part a¹, is raised so as to form spaces or gaps b,
opposite at the upper corners which may be of the same shape as, or may be
adapted to receive, the supplementary sections of the corner frames e, the outer
members c¹, of which socket onto and swing upon upward extensions d, of the
corner pillars d, although the said swinging frames may be mounted upon supple-
mentary members arranged to carry them, or upon suitable extensions of the
head rail itself. The ends of the top members, of the swinging frames are
preferably made to run in line with the top rail a², of the standing middle part
of the head frame and may lock thereto when the corners are in position to form
a French end, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, by sliding sleeves e, carried
on the one part and sliding onto the end of the other part so as to form a con-
tinuous rail across the whole width of the bed when the swinging frames are
folded.
These swinging frames have curtains f, suspended from them, either from the
top members, or other suitable parts thereof and the curtains (when the frames
are folded inwards to form a French bedstead) may be dropped through the
corner gaps and come at the back of the standing frame, whilst when the swing-
ing frames are turned outwards at a right angle to the end rail, an Italian bed-
stead is formed with the curtains suspended from the said rails in the usual way
as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
The locking of the swinging frames to the standing frame may be made by a
holt, catch or other fastener, or by a portion of the one springing or engaging
into a recess in the other, or by the sliding sleeves on the swinging frames taking
either onto the opposed ends of the top rail (as shown) or other suitable parts of
the fixed frame, or by a union or other coupling.
When the curtain arm frames are carried by the corner pillars, then the outer
tubular member of each of the frames forms a sleeve which works upon the up-
right spindle d', surmounting the pillar proper d, having a lower bearing at a,
for the sleeve to rotate on and provided at the summit with a screw, for taking
a screwed knob or terminal, so that the centre of motion of the curtain frame is
then in the same vertical line as the vertical axis of the pillar. This part of our
invention is applicable to the mounting of the curtain arms of ordinary Italian
bedsteads.
A fixed curtain rod g. may be provided to run along the whole width of the
end rail and from which back curtains g', may he hung to form the ordinary bed
hangings.
As a modification, the corner pillars may be of the same height as the middle
part of the standing rail and a continuous top bar may be directed from the one

page_text: pillar to the other and along the top of the said middle part, thereby forming
enclosed spaces inwards of the rails for the folding frames to lie within when
the bedstead is in use in the French form.
Or as a still further form, the supplementary curtain frames may be com-
pletely detachable instead of swinging so as to be capable of being fitted either
in the corner gaps of the head rail, or to form the curtain arms at a right angle
to the principal frame.
"
The head rail is preferably less in height than an ordinary "Italian" head, so
that when the swinging corner parts are in use as curtain arms, a dwarf" Italian
bedstead is formed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
"
First Aconvertible head end rail for bedsteads, having at opposite top
corners independent or separate folding or swinging frame sections, which admit
of being folded into the same plane as the standing part of the said rail in order
to form a bedstead end of the French" pattern, or of being turned outwards at
right angles to the said part to form the curtain arms of an "Italian
or dwarf
Italian pattern, substantially as herein described and set forth.
Second: In convertible head end rails for bedsteads as referred to in the
preceding claim, the employment of sliding or other connections or fastenings
securing the folding corner sections to the standing part of the rail when folded
inwards to form an end of the "French" pattern, substantially as described and
set forth.
Thirdly: In convertible head end rails for bedsteads as referred to in the
first claim, mounting the swinging corner frames upon vertical pivots, disposed
in the same axial line as, and preferably forming extensions of, the corner
pillars of the rail, with sliding or other connections, catches or fasteners being
provided for coupling the said swinging corner frames (when folded inwards)
to the standing part of the rail in such a manner as to form a rigid and com-
plete French end, substantially as herein described and set forth."
"
Dated this 18th day of October 1899.
JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS.
CHARLES FREDERICK HOSKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.