An Attachment for Bedsteads, Cots, and Berths having Distensible Sackings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 15th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for Bedsteads, Cots, and Berths having Distensible
Sackings.
We, WILLIAM REUBEN LANE, Managing Director of the Firm of Winfields
Limited, of Cambridge Street in the City of Birmingham and JAMES HALL, of
80 Whateley Road, Handsworth near Birmingham aforesaid Manager of Works,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to attachments for bedsteads, cots and berths, having
distensible sackings or mattresses.
Woven wire or other distensible spring mattresses are usually connected by the
mesh or mattress bars which may be of wood or metal, to end angle bars, or the
foot or head angle bars, by hooks at one side, and distensible and tightening screws
at the other side, or by tightening screws alone upon both sides.
Now in consequence of the great tensile strain imparted to the spring wire fabric,
constituting the distensible surface, and also in consequence of the line of force
being above the line of connection, the dovetail connection ends of the sides have a
tendency to be pulled from their seatings or she-dovetails, particularly when force
is suddenly applied to the said mesh, such as when a person gets into, or on lying
down in bed.
This constant pull directed above the line of connection, and the oscillation of
the connection within its seating, gradually works loose, and ultimately disconnects,
the end rails from the pillars or chill corners, and causes the bed to collapse, or
where the end rail connections work only part of the way out of their seatings, the
mesh end bars are brought over in a manner as to twist or distort the same out of
their proper plane.
Our invention consists in employing in connection with each corner, or with each
corner connection, a bifurcated arm, jointed upon the underside web of each web of
the angle ends, adjacent to the chill corner blocks or connections, and with the
branches of the said attachments, adapted to embrace at both top and bottom
the said corner connections, and the end rail dovetails seated within them.
Assuming a distensible mesh to be mounted, elevated and carried by tension
screw pins, directed through upright brackets, carried by, or from the end angle
bars of the head and foot ends of a bedstead, and with the dovetail connections of
the said angle ends seated home within their she-dovetail sockets; by now turning
the bifurcated arms or limbs horizontally and outwardly upon their joint centres, the
branches of the bifurcated fore parts are made to comprehend the top and
bottom sides of the chill corner castings and with the said branches, at the same
time, overlapping the tops of the dovetail or other connections of the said ends,
so that both the connections of the end bars, and the connections of the chill bars
are embraced at top and bottom, which thereby prevents the rising of the said
dovetails or other connections from out of their seatings, as the same are confined,
or restrained from changing their assigned positions by the clip attachment as
aforesaid.
To hold the said attachments down, we propose to direct the mesh bar of oue
end of the sacking over the tops of the attachments, whilst at the other end, we
propose to pierce the said attachments with longitudinal slots, and the angle iron
above it with single holes, wherethrough legs of the end rails downwardly pass,
and take through the slots, whereby the attachments, after being affixed in their
embracing positions, are held there, by the placing in position of an end rail.
Thus assuming that the mesh bar at the foot end has not been fully pulled home
on first tension, then the said bar will be in such a position that it is clear of the

page_text: attachments. This being so, and assuming that the bifurcated parts are embracing
the joint connections, then the placing of the end rail in position causes the legs of
it to prevent the removal of, or affix, the attachments, by the said legs passing
first through the holes in the angle metal, and then through the holes in the
attachments.
In lieu of horizontal swinging attachments, we may employ gravitating and
pawl-like ones, so hung above the connections of the ends, that the he-dovetails of
the one part are prevented from rising from the she-dovetails of the other part, by
the said attachments hanging directly over them, and being pivoted in the same
vertical line.
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.
WILLIAM REUBEN LANE,
JAMES HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for Bedsteads, Cots, and Berths having Distensible
Sackings.
We, WILLIAM REUBEN LANE, Managing Director of the Firm of Winfields
Limited, of Cambridge Street, in the City of Birmingham and JAMES HALL, of
80 Whateley Road, Handsworth, near the City of Birmingham aforesaid, Manager
of Works, 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 relates to attachments for bedsteads, cots and ships' berths, fitted
with distensible sackings or mattresses.
Woven wire or other distensible spring mattresses are usually connected by the
mesh or mattress bars, which may be of wood or metal, to end angle bars, or the
foot or head angle bars by hooks at one side, and distensible and tightening screws
at the other side, or by tightening screws alone upon both sides.
Now in consequence of the great tensile strain imparted to the spring wire fabric,
constituting the distensible surface, and also in consequence of the line of force of
the mattress being above the line of connection of the sides of the bedstead frame,
the dovetail connection ends of the said sides are pulled from their seatings or she-
dovetails, particularly when force is suddenly applied to the said mesh, such as,
when a person gets into, or in lying down in, bed.
This pull directed above the line of connection, and the oscillation of the con-
nection within its seating gradually works loose, and ultimately disconnects, the
end rails from the pillars or chill corners, and causes the framing of the bed to
collapse or the component parts to become dislocated, or where the end rail
connections work only part of the way out of their seatings, the mesh end bars
are brought over in a manner as to twist or distort the same out of their proper
plane.
Our invention consists in employing in connection with each corner, or with each
corner connection, a bifurcated arm, jointed to the angle ends adjacent to the chill
corner blocks or connections, and with the branches of the said attachments adapted
to embrace at both top and bottom the said corner connections, and the end rail
dovetails seated within them.
Assuming a distensible mesh to be mounted, elevated and carried by tension
screw pins, directed through upright brackets carried by or from the end angle
bars of the head and foot ends of a bedstead, and with the dovetail connections of
the said angle ends seated home within their she-dovetail sockets; by now turning
the bifurcated arms or limbs horizontally and outwardly upon their joint centres, the
branches of the bifurcated fore parts are made to comprehend the top and bottom

page_text: sides of the chill corner castings, and with the said branches, at the same time,
overlapping the tops of the dovetail or other connections of the said ends, so that
both the connections of the end bars, and the connections of the chill bars are
embraced at top and bottom, which thereby prevents the rising of the said dovetail
or other connections from out of their seatings, as the same are confined, or
restrained from changing their assigned positions, by the clip attachment as
aforesaid.
To hold the said attachments down, we propose to direct the mesh bar of one
end of the sacking at the backs or inner sides of the attachments, whilst at the
other end, we propose to pierce the said attachments with longitudinal slots, and
the angle iron above it with single holes, wherethrough legs of the end rails down-
wardly pass, and then take through the said slots, whereby the attachments, after
being affixed in their embracing positions, are held there, by the placing in position
of an end rail.
Thus assuming that the mesh bar at the foot end has not been fully pulled home
on first tension, then the said bar will be in such a position that it is clear of the
attachments. This being so, and assuming that the bifurcated parts are embracing
the joint connections, then the placing of the end rail in position causes the legs of
it to prevent the removal of, or affix the attachments, by the said legs passing
first through the holes in the angle, metal, and then through the holes in the
attachments.
In lieu of horizontal swinging attachments, we may employ gravitating and
pawl-like ones, so hung above the connections of the ends, that the he-dovetails of
the one part are prevented from rising from the she-dovetails of the other part,
by the said attachments hanging directly over them, and being pivoted in the same
vertical line.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in perspective, a bedstead
having an attached mattress fitted with locking attachments or means for preventing
the lifting or rising of the loose end angles of the same.
The means of locking at the head end is varied in detail from the means of
locking at the foot end, as the bars of the mesh at the foot end prevent the locking
attachments at that said end from being allowed to be turned outwardly upon its
joint, hence self locking.
Figure 2 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a side of the bedstead framing, with
the locking attachments turned out of their acting or locking positions.
Figure 3 represents a topside plan of a bedstead and sacking upon a still further
enlarged scale.
Figure 4 represents a vertical section of Figure 3 upon the dotted x-x.
Figure 5 represents a modified form of the locking attachment.
a are the side angle framings, fitted at their ends with dovetail he-connections a³,
taking, within dovetail she-connections 62, of corner chills b, cast around pillars b
forming the corner uprights to the bedstead framing. c, care the end angle
framings, having end he-dovetails c, taking into she-dovetails 6, in the corner
chills b. d are detachable head end rails with lower extensions or feet d, which
take, as hereinafter described, through holes in the said angle end c, and then
engage with the locking device.
The foot end framings e, are fixtures with the pillars, as the sacking bars f³, at
that end of the mattress f, keep the said locking devices in their acting positions.
In the head end, which is marked A, each of the locking devices consists of a
swinging army, jointed at its inner end at g³, to the top web c, of the angle
framing, and with the said end being fitted or provided with a long hole or slot g',
whilst the outer end of the said arm is provided with or has a bifurcated or forked
terminal g³, whose arms g, g', when turned into position, as represented in
Figures 1, 3 and 4, embrace the connections 2, and overhang the corner chills b,
so as to prevent the said chills from rising consequent upon the oscillation and
lifting action of the mesh, when a person is getting into or out of bed.
When the connections are turned back into their locking positions as in

page_text: Figures 1, 3 and 4, the holes c', in the angle rails c, become coincident with
the holes g', in the inner ends of the locking arms g, and when in such a position,
with the dovetail connections locked, the passing of the lower extensions d, of the
rails d, first through the holes c, and then into the holes or sinkings g¹, prevents
the said locking devices from turning or being moved upon their joint centres.
In the foot end, which is marked B, g is a swinging and locking arm, having a
bifurcated outer terminal end g³, with arms or branches 9', 9, and with the inner
end jointed to and carried by the upper web e, of the end angle framing c¹, whose
dovetail terminals c, take witbin she-dovetails *, of corner chills b, cast around the
corner uprights b².
By turning the said swinging arm g into the position as represented in Figures 1,
3 and 4, the he-dovetails of the end rails are prevented from rising from out of the
she-dovetails of the corner chills, by the brauches g g³, embracing the connection
ends, and overlapping the chills, whereby the disconnection of one part from the
other is prevented.
Now these locking devices or swinging and jointed attachments are prevented
from leaving their acting or holding positions by the foot end bar f, of the mesh f
coming up to or at the back of the upper branched member of each of the said
attachments (see Figures 1, 3 and 4).
In the modification Figure 5, g is the locking attachment, jointed at 92, and
*secured in its acting position by a screw i, whose screwed stem, takes through a
screw hole 96, made through the short arm g', so that by screwing home the said
screw i, after the locking device g has been turned into its locking position, the
said locking attachment is prevented from being displaced or from turning out-
wardly upon its joint centre.
Instead of the swinging arm being made to embrace the dovetail ends and chills,
the same may be made to take through horizontally directed and coincident holes
or clearances made through the corner chills and end dovetails respectively.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In loose end angle framings of bedsteads, locking the ends or the dovetail
ends of the end members or end angles to the corner chills or corner connections,
by means of embracing, affixing or locking devices, substantially as and for the
purposes as described and set forth.
Secondly. In loose end angle framings of bedsteads, embracing, locking or
affixing the ends of the end angle bars or framings to the corner blocks or chills
by bifurcated and jointed arms, or by jointed and overlapping arms, or by jointed
and interlocking arms, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set
forth.
Thirdly. In loose end angle framings of bedsteads, affixing the locking devices
of the said angle framings in their locking positions by the lower ends of the end
framings d, taking through holes in the said angle ends, and then taking into holes
or depressions in the locking devices, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. The improvements in the locking devices or means for preventing the
rising of the connections of the end framings substantially as herein described and
set forth.
Dated this 14th 1
of August 1902
WILLIAM REUBEN LANE,
JAMES HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.