AN IMPROVED COMBINED FOLDING BEDSTEAD AND TOILET STAND
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October 1879. A communication
from abroad by Hermann August Julius Rieckert, and Emil Charles Albert
Rieckert, both of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED COMBINED FOLDING BEDSTEAD AND TOILET STAND."
[A communication from abroad by Hermann August Julius Rieckert, and Emil
Charles Albert Rieckert, both of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to furnish an article of furniture combining a
toilet case or stand and bedstead in such form that the bed may be folded and
concealed when not required for use, and so that when turned down as a bed the
use of the drawers and other conveniences of the toilet case is not prevented.
According to this Invention I make use of an upright stand or case on which the
bed is hung to swing, the stand or case being formed with an ornamental top
portion, sides, and base, which when the swinging bed is raised partially encloses
the same, and when the bed is lowered forms the head board. The inner side of
The base is formed at each
the case is to be upholstered in any desired manner.
side with drawers and shelves, and at the forward edge of the base and at each sido
is a hinged case fitted with drawers adapted for being swung in front of the raised
bed or turned to one side to give space for lowering the bed.
To each hinged case is attached a box having a hinged cover, which boxes are
convenient for various purposes, and when the cases are turned to the front fill the
space between the two cases. A shelf pivoted to the base of the stand at each side
may be swung out to cover the space between the fixed and swinging drawers, and
these shelves also serve to prevent the hinged cases from swinging back. The bed is
hinged to the base, the binge joints being placed a short distance from the head of
the bed so that the head projects within the base. When turned down the bed rests
upon the front bottom board of the base and upon arms at each side that are
attached to the boxes. The bed is balanced while being raised and lowered by a
coiled spring contained within a tube that is attached beneath the head of the
bed. A cord attached to the bottom of the stand passes over a pulley at one end
of the tube, and through the tube and spring to a washer or follower that
fits loosely in the tube. As the bed is lowered the cord and washer are drawn

page_text: upon by the movement, and the spring thereby compressed within the tube and
the weight of the bed balanced, the spring expanding again when the bed is raised.
One or more of the spring supports may be used as required, and I do not limit
myself to the special construction described.
Upon the underside of bed a mirror is attached for use when the bed is raised.
The bed clothing will be attached in any desired manner at the foot of the bed to
retain it in place. The described construction gives ample space for enclosing and
concealing the bed clothing when the bed is lifted up.
It will be seen that this piece of furniture is useful and convenient in all respects
in whichever position the bed may be swung. As a toilet case it is complete
without being bulky, and whether used temporilly or permanently as a bedstead
the drawers and other conveniences are fully accessible.
The Invention may be applied for a single or double bed, and in a narrow bed
the swinging cases of drawers may be wide enough to extend across the whole
front without the addition of the boxes.