IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Trobridge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1880.
JOHN TROBRIDGE, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester.
IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of metallic bedsteads
whereby the cost of packing for export and freight is reduced, the improvements
being specially applicable to that class of bedsteads which hitherto have been made
with the head and foot pieces, ends, or rails, cast together in one piece, and which
are technically known as solid-end, tubular, and circular end bedsteads, but the
improvements may also be applied to other kinds of bedstead, of which the ends
can be, or are, cast in one piece.
My improvements consist in making the legs of the bedstead separate from the
other part, so that they can be taken away for packing, and in the method of
connecting the parts together.
One method I have found advantageous is to connect the two disjointed portions
of the tube with a short piece of smaller tube made to fit inside the tube forming
the outline or pillar of the bedstead, firmness being secured by a cast iron tapered
plug being fitted into the corner (also of cast iron), which corner also carries the
dovetailed joints for the sides to fit into, and into which the angle iron forming
the frame of the bedstead crosswise is also cast.
Or I sometimes employ a wrought iron screw nut which I cast into the corner
of the bedstead, the separate leg part being fitted with a screw at the top which
would be made to fit into the nut, additional firmness being secured by a cast iron
collar or flange fitting against the under side of the corner.
Where desirable the leg may be made of a smaller size of tube than that used
in the rail or upper portion of the end, so that the leg would slide into the upper
part and be secured by an iron pin or other fastening when drawn out to the
required length.
It will be understood that it may be sometimes found advantageous to make the
joint above the corner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Trobridge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th July
1880.
JOHN TROBRIDGE, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of metallic bedsteads
whereby the cost of packing for export is reduced, the improvements being specially
applicable to that class of bedsteads which hitherto have been made with the
head and foot pieces, ends, or rails cast together in one piece, and which are
technically known as solid-end, tubular, and circular end bedsteads, but the
improvements may also be applied to other kinds of bedsteads, of which the ends
can be, or are, cast in one piece.
My improvements consist in making the legs of the bedstead separate from the
other part, so that they can be taken away for packing, and in the method of
connecting the parts together.
One method I have found advantageous is to connect the two disjointed portions
of the tube forming the outline or pillar and leg with a short piece of smaller tube
made to fit inside the tube forming the said outline or pillar of the bedstead,
firmness being secured by a cast iron tapered plug being fitted into the corner (also
of cast iron), which corner also carries the dove tailed joint for the sides to fit into,
and into which the angle iron forming the frame of the bedstead crosswise is also
cast.
It will be understood that it may be sometimes found advantageous to make the
joint above the corner.
Or I sometimes employ a wrought iron screw nut which I cast into the corner
of the bedstead, the separate leg part being fitted with a screw at the top, which
would be made to fit into the nut, additional firmness being secured by a cast iron
collar or flange fitting against the underside of the corner.
Another method consists in casting the leg with a wedge shaped dovetail flange
fitting into a corresponding shaped groove in the underside of the corner.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a bedstead shewing one method of
carrying out my improvements. In this Figure a is the upper portion of the
tubular leg of the bedstead; b is the piece of smaller tube cast or fitted in the
upper part of the leg a; c is the taper or conical plug cast on the leg a and tube b,
and shewn separately in elevation at Figure 2; d is the corner cast on the lower
end of the outline or pillar e of the bedstead; the said corner d being cast or
formed with a conical socket to fit over the taper or conical plug c, the said corner d
is formed with the usual dovetail joint to receive the end of the side of the bedstead
in the ordinary manner.
By this construction it will be seen that the leg a may be easily removed from
or adjusted to the pillar or outline e, the conical or taper plug c fitting firmly in
the socket of the corner d so as to secure firmness, while the upper portion of the
tube b will fit into the outline or pillar e so as to keep the leg a in its proper
axial position with regard to the pillar or outline e.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1, shewing the method of connecting the
leg by means of a screw and nut arrangement; f is the wrought iron screw nut
cast into the corner d of the bedstead; and g is the screw cast or otherwise fitted
into the upper part of the separate leg a, the said screw g screwing into the nut f,
as shewn; h is the collar cast on the upper portion of the leg a, and which, when
the leg is screwed into position, fits against the underside of the corner d; e is the
outline or pillar.
To disconnect the leg it is merely necessary to unscrew it,

page_text: In some cases it may be found advantageous to make the leg with a piece of
smaller tube cast in the top thereof, as hereinbefore described and shewn in
Figure 1, or the upper part of the tube forming the leg may be reduced in size so
as to fit inside the lower part of the tube forming the outline or pillar of the bed-
stead, and a flange is cast on the leg, as shewn in Figure 3. In this case the two
parts would be held together by means of a steel cotter or pin passing through the
corner of the bedstead and through the two tubes. This construction would allow
of dispensing with the conical plug and socket hereinbefore described and shewn
in Figures 1 and 2.
In Figure 4e shews the outline or pillar, and d the corner cast thereon, as usual;
a is the upper portion of the leg, on the top of which is cast a wedge-shaped dove
tailed flange i, which fits into a correspondingly shaped groove or recess in the
corner d; Figure 5 is a detached elevation shewing the upper portion of the leg a,
with its flange i, and Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
By this construction it will be evident that the leg a may be attached to the
corner d by sliding or pressing the flange i into the dovetailed groove or recess in
the corner d, firmness being secured from the slape of the flange i, which will fit
or become wedged tightly in the groove or recess.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best ineans with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that what
I claim and desire to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent
is,-
The improvements in metallic bedsteads, substantially as hereinbefore described
and represented in the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Trobridge, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN TROBRIDGE. (L.S.)