IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE OR FOLDING COTS OR HAMMOCKS PARTS OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Needham of New Wandsworth in the
county of Surrey for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE OR
FOLDING COTS OR HAMMOCKS PARTS OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Needham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1883.
GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM of New Wandsworth in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE OR FOLDING COTS OR HAMMOCKS PARTS OF SUCH
IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
"
The chief object of my invention is to provide a portable or folding cot or
hammock specially designed for the use of infants and the construction is such that
it can be folded up and packed away if required for travelling and other purposes
into a box or case of a size in accordance with the length of the cot or hammock
and this can be done without having to remove a single screw or other fastening.
According to one arrangement of my invention I make the frame for supporting
the cot at both ends, of bars, preferably of metal meeting at the top where they
are jointed together. I prefer to make the joint by passing a piece of tubular
metal through the bar ends and rivetting the same, this tube forms bearing and
joint. The bars are capable of being extended at bottom to the extent of two
other bars connecting the side bars together at or near the centre, these bars may
vary in length and are jointed centrally so that by lifting up the centre they fold
up and when packed are parallel or nearly so with the end bars aforesaid but when
extended they keep the structure rigid. There are bars similar to those described,
at both head and foot and they are connected by side rods extending from one to
the other all folding up together and with the frame and it is within and from
this latter that the cot or hammock is suspended all of which is folded up together
and within the frame.
The cot which may be hammock or boat shape is composed of a framework of
metal laths preferably two at top and two at bottom these two sets are connected

page_text: of the cot.
together at each end by metal connecting pieces and the whole is covered with
canvas, duck, netting or any other suitable material. The top end bars are
supported by a pin or axle passing through same and through a bearing corre-
sponding therewith on the end frames; this axle also supports a plate carrying
spurs or projections on which the ends of the laths rest when open for additional
support and keeping them open on which they rest when in that position; this
plate also carries a bar for regulating the distance the cot shall be capable of
swinging which passes through the end plates connecting the top and bottom laths
These parts are covered with material of any suitable description if
desired. This arrangement for suspending and supporting the ends I have found
convenient but I do not limit myself absolutely to same
A rod for carrying a
curtain is connected at its lower end to the joint of the bar connecting the frame
and passes up through a guide which also acts as a pin about which the end frames
work; above this pin the curtain rod is divided or split; A socket or sleeve piece
is secured to the pin which when the cot is folded exposos the joint of the rod but
when the cot is extended the split part of the rod is drawn into the socket or
sleeve and the rod thereby kept up or supported. The top of this curtain rod
carries two arms cach of which has separate and distinct movement the one from
the other and this is accomplished by forming the arms hinge like through which
the rod passes, a nut at the top keeping the whole together. By these means the
position of the curtains may be regulated to a great extent as it is from the hinged
arms that they are suspended.
Instead of a single rod with hinged pieces at top as before described I sometimes
employ two rods with bent ends to carry the curtain. These rods would work in
separate centres and they may be enclosed wholly or partially in tubes. A clip
may be applied for fixing. In folding I bring the curtain bars together and with-
draw the spurs which is done by simply pressing them inwardly, the cot can then
be compressed and with it the supporting frames which on closing raises the
curtain rod the upper part of which with the curtain falls on the cot and becomes
folded therewith; the whole apparatus can then be placed in a box if necessary:
Instead of the cot being supported on a frame such as that before described it
may be carried by a frame supported on rockers or other supports for example the
frame may be made of a bar turned up at the ends from which the cot is swung.
This bar is at bottom formed with apertures therein to receive rods carrying at
their ends rockers or other supports which when the cot is packed can be turned
parallel therewith.
Cots or hammocks constructed according to my Invention are applicable to all
purposes where cots or hammocks are generally used and without the frame they
can be used for ambulance purposes and be packed in comparatively sinall space.
The arrangement for suspending the curtain is applicable to other purposes than
to cots as for example for use on the back of chairs, doors, bedsteads and for
curtains and blinds.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Henry Needham in the Patent Office on the 5th January
"
1884.
GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM of New Wandsworth in the County of Surrey
IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE OR FOLDING COTS OR HAMMOCKS PARTS OF SUCH
IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES "
The chief object of my invention is to provide a portable or folding cot or
hammock specially designed for the use of infants and the construction is such that
it can be folded up and packed away if required, for travelling and other purposes,
into a box or case of a size in accordance with the length of the cot or hammock
and this can be done without having to remove a single screw or other fastening.
According to one arrangement of my invention I make the frame for supporting
the cot at both ends of bars preferably of metal meeting at the top where they are
jointed together. I prefer to make the joint by passing a piece of tubular metal
through the bar ends and rivetting the same, this tube forms bearing and joint.
The bars are capable of being extended at bottom to the extent of two other bars
connecting the side bars together at or near the centre; these bars may vary in
length and are jointed centrally so that by lifting up the centre they fold up and
when packed are parallel, or nearly so, with the end bars aforesaid, but when
extended they keep the structure rigid. There are bars similar to those described
at both head and foot and they are connected by side rods extending from one to
the other all folding up together and with the frame; and it is within and from
this latter that the cot or hammock is suspended all of which is folded up together
and within the frame.
The cot, which may be hammock or boat shape, is composed of a frame-work of
metal laths, preferably two at top, and two at bottom; these two sets are connected
together at each end by metal connecting pieces, and the whole is covered with
canvas, duck, netting, or any other suitable material. The top end bars are
supported by a pin or axle passing through same and through a bearing corre-
sponding therewith on the end frames; this axle also supports a plate carrying
spurs or projections, on which the ends of the laths rest when open for additional
support, and keeping them open, on which they rest when in that position; this
plate also carries a bar for regulating the distance the cot shall be capable of
swinging, which passes through the end plates connecting the top and bottom laths
of the cot. These parts are covered with material of any suitable description if
desired. This arrangement for suspending and supporting the ends I have found
convenient, but I do not limit myself absolutely to same.
A rod for carrying a curtain is connected at its lower end to the joint of, the
bars connecting the frame, and passes up through a guide which also acts as a pin,
about which the end frames work; above this pin the curtain rod is divided or
split. A socket or sleevepiece is secured to the pin, which when the cot is folded
exposes the joint of the rod, but when the cot is extended the split part of the
rod is drawn into the socket or sleeve, and the rod thereby kept up or supported.
The top of this curtain rod carries two arms, each of which has separate and
distinct movement the one from the other, and this is accomplished by forming the
arms hinge like, through which the rod passes; a nut at the top keeping the whole
together. By these means the position of the curtains may be regulated to a
great extent, as it is from the hinged arms that they are suspended. Instead of
a single rod with hinged pieces at top as before described, I sometimes employ
two rods with bent ends, to carry the curtain; these rods would work in separate
centres and they may be enclosed wholly or partially in tubes. A clip may be
applied for fixing. In folding, I bring the curtain bars together, and withdraw the
spurs, which is done by simply pressing them inwardly; the cot can then be com-
pressed and with it the supporting frames, which on closing, raises the curtain rod

page_text: the upper part of which, with the curtain, falls on the cot and becomes folded
therewith; the whole apparatus can then be placed in a box if necessary.
Instead of the cot being supported on a frame, such as that before described, it
may be carried by a frame, supported on rockers, or other supports, for example,
the frame may be made of a bar turned up at the ends from which the cot
swung. This bar is at bottom formed with apertures therein to receive rods,
carrying at their ends rockers or other supports, which when the cot is packed can
be turned parallel therewith.
Cots or hammocks constructed according to my invention are applicable to all
purposes where cots or hammocks are generally used, and without the frame they
can be used for ambulance purposes, and be packed in comparatively small space.
The arrangement for suspending the curtain is applicable to other purposes than
to cots, as for example, for use on the back of chairs, doors, bodsteads, and for
curtains and blinds.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will now proceed to
further describe the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cot, cradle or hammock constructed according
to my invention and also showing one method of supporting the curtain pole or
rod. Figure 2 is another perspective view of a cot cradle or hammock showing
the same contracted or folded up, and another arrangement for supporting the
curtain rod or pole whereby the latter is folded over on to the top of the frame,
the end of pole is for convenience shown broken off. Figure 3 is a vertical cross
section of the same through the line x, y of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an elevation, and
Figure 5 is a part plan of joint or connecting piece at the head of the cot, together
with the arrangement shown at Figure 1 for supporting the curtain pole; there is
a similar joint or connecting piece at the foot of the cot, but without the curtain
pole or rod appliance. Figure 6 is a perspective view detached, of rest for curtain,
pole of such an arrangement as that shown at Figure 1, together with the joint of
connecting bars of frame. Figure 7 is a part elevation, and Figure.8 is a per-
spective view of the joint and arrangement for supporting the curtain pole, such as
is described at Figure 2. Figure 9 is a detail view of the head of the curtain pole
showing part of supporting arms for the curtains. Figure 10 is a perspective view
of a modified arrangement of frame of folding cradle, showing the cradle or cot
opened for use. Figure 11 shows on an enlarged scale to Figure 10, a portion of
the top joint. Figure 12 is a detail view of the lower joint shown at Figure 10
on a smaller scale, Figure 13 is a perspective view of a chair showing the curtain
support applied thereto. Figure 14 shows in sectional clevation, and Figure 15 in
plan a detail view of the joint for fixing curtain support to the back of the chair;
and Figure 16 shows in sectional elevation; and Figure 17 in plan the arrangement
which I prefer to employ for further securing the lower portion of the pole to the
chair. Figure 18 is a side elevation of a portion of a cot supported by hinged
feet. Figure 19 shows, a cot supported on rockers; and Figure 20 shows a similar
cot supported or carried by wheels; Figure 21 is a vertical cross section of such a
cot shown at Figure 20. Figure 22 is a detail view of joints shown in perspective.
Figure 23 shows the curtain pole as applied to a bedstead, and Figure 24 shows
detail views of some modified arrangement of arms, a, a, a, a, are the metal bars or
legs, forming the framing of the cot or hammoch, [sic] bb are the joints at the end
of the leg bars a, to which the metal pieces c, c, c¹, c₁, are connected; d, d, are the
trunnions, best seen at Figure 5 or they may be tubular metal pieces supporting the
joint pieces bb, and passing through same; e, e, are the centrally jointed bars
connecting the side bars or legs a, a, to which latter they are also jointed; f, f, are
the side connecting bars; c c are the upper side and c¹ c' are the end laths of the
cradle, or the connecting pieces; instead of laths tubes might be used; c² c² are
the lower side laths jointed to the connecting pieces c¹, best seen at Figure 3, and
by these means the whole frame of the cradle can be folded (without removing a.
pin) into the position shown at Figure 2, by dotted lines at Figures 3, and 7, at.
Figure 3 only one half of the cot is shown closed in order not to too much com-