Year: 1886

page_text: We JAMES MIDDLETON, and PHILIP HENRY MIDDLETON both of Rolfe Street,
Smethwick, in the county of Stafford Ironfounders do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the securing of rods, tubes, or rails used in the con-
struction of metallic bedsteads, or other structural work, such as cots, railings &c,
and has for its object the ready attaching and securing of such parts in an easy and
convenient manner, and particularly for the attaching of brass rods, tubes, &c to
those parts of the structures which are made of iron, and finished, before such
attachment is made.
In order to describe this our invention we will assume its application to the
fixing of a number of upright rods, between and into an upper and lower rail, say,
upon the footwork of a bedstead.
According to the number of rods, a corresponding number of "chills" or other
formations would be provided upon such rails at those points where such connections
are to be made. Holes of a similar size to the diameter of the rods or tubes are
made in the underside of such chills or other formations of the upper rail, while
similar holes are made in the upper side of the lower rail. In the centre of such
holes, we provide a screw pin, and form a corresponding screw thread or nut in
the end of the rod or tube, or vice versa.
We thread on to such rods or tubes such ornamental mounts as may be desired,
then pass the one end, say the upper end of the rod into the hole and screw it up
until the lower end of the said rod is free to pass into position over the hole in the
lower rail; we then unscrew the rod partly, from the upper rail on to the bottom
rail, so that the rod engages the screw threads at each end at the same time. When
in its screwed up position the ornamental mounts are adjusted and secured in their
places. Instead of having screw threads formed at each end, we should in some
cases only provide such screws at one end, but pass the other end of the rod into
the hole, and then slide it back on to the screw at the other end, and then screw
it up.
It would not be necessary generally to provide screws at each end, as, here
and there one would be sufficient to produce rigidity of the structure.
Or even in some cases we may dispense with the screw thread altogether, and
after sliding the rod into position as before secure it by means of the mount.
Dated this 0th dow of T1000
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Metallic Bedsteads and
other Structural Work.
We, JAMES MIDDLETON, and PHILIP HENRY MIDDLETON, both of Rolfe Street,
Smethwick, in the county of Stafford Ironfounders do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF METALLIC BEDSTEADȘ,
AND OTHER STRUCTURAL WORK 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 the securing of rods, tubes, or rails, used in the con-
struction of metallic bedsteads, or other structural work, such as cots, railings &c,
and has for its object the ready attaching and securing of such parts in an easy
and convenient manner, and particularly for the attaching of brass rods, tubes &c,
to those parts of such structures which are made of iron, and which may be more
or less finished before such attachment is made. In describing this our invention
applied upon and between an upper and lower rail, say, for instance, at the foot of
a bedstead, we may say, according to the number of rods to be attached, a corre-
sponding number of "chills" or other formations would be provided upon such
rails, at those points where such connections are to be made. Holes of a similar
size to the diameter of the rods or tubes are made in the underside of such chills
or other formations of the upper rail, while similar holes are made in the upper
side of the lower rail. In the centre of such holes, we may provide a screw pin,
and form a corresponding screw thread or nut in the end of the rod or tube, or
vice versa.
We thread onto such rods or tubes such ornamental mounts as may be desired,
then pass the one end, say the lower end of the rod into the hole and screw it up
until the upper end of the said rod is free to pass into position over the hole in the
upper rail; we then unscrew the rod partly, from the upper rail on to the bottom
rail, so that the rod engages the screw threads at each end at the same time. When
in its screwed up position the ornamental mounts are adjusted and secured in their
places. Instead of having screw threads formed at each end, we should in some
cases only provide such screws at one end, but pass the other end of the rod into
the hole, and then slide it back on to the screw at the other end, and then screw
it up.
It would not be necessary generally to provide screws at each end, as, here and
there one would be sufficient to produce rigidity of the structure. Or even in some
cases we may dispense with the screw thread altogether, and after sliding the rod
into position as before secure it by means of the mount.
In order to explain this our invention more clearly we have appended hereunto
illustrative sheets of drawings, upon which are figures and letters of reference, like
letters referring through to similar parts.
a, and b, represent an upper and lower rail, or two other parts of a structure,
into and between which the rods or tubes c may be attached in various ways.
d, is the "chill" or "chills" which are cast upon the rails &c a & b, that is, the

page_text: rails &c are laid in " chill" moulds (similar as in present manufacture where the
rods c would be "cast in ") and the molten metal run into such moulds around
the said rails &c a &b thus securing and fixing the chills d in their respective
places upon the rails &c a, & b; such other formations upon these "chills
" as may
be necessary would be provided such as screws, holes or projections necessary for
the securing of the rods or mounts.
We are aware that already loose rods or tubes have been attached in several
ways between rails &c, with movable joints or other connections upon such parts
in place of our fixed cast chill d, which are more or less more complicated than
this our method of casting the chills on ready to receive such loose rods &c.
Fig. 1, shews one way in which we may attach the rod c, to the fixed chill d.
The rod or tube c is shewn for simplicity as being round, and tubular in section,
but it will be clear that rods or tubes of other sectional forms such as square,
hexagonal, twisted &c, and solid as well as tubular may be equally well used.
e, e are holes formed in the chills d to receive the rod or tube c. ƒ & f¹ are
screws cast in the chills, whereto the rod or tube c is screwed. It will be seen that
the hole e¹, is cast deeper than the hole e, in order that the rod or tube may be first
screwed into the hole c', sufficiently far to allow of the other end passing the end
of the chill at g, into line with the hole e; it is then screwed on to the pin f
(unscrewing itself off f¹ to the same amount,) and screwed home tight, thus firmly
connecting the two parts a & b together.
In this fig. 1 is also shewn a method of securing the mount h in position at the
same time that the tube is screwed in. Upon the "chill" is cast a projection or
lump i, which is made to come opposite and fit into the groove or recess ; in the
mount h The mounts h, are each threaded on to the tube, and by holding the
said mount a little on one side, the said mount is passed into its place, the lump i
passing into the recess or groove j. When the rod or tube c is screwed up, it will
be readily seen that the mount cannot leave the "chill," because if it slides at all,
it must slide along the said tube and of course parallel thereto; while, in order to
leave the "chill" it must of necessity be first tilted upon one side when the tube
is free of the holes e, e¹. By making these mounts to bind hard upon the lump 2,
and upon the opposite side at k, when the tube c is screwed up, the mount h, is
held so firmly as not to be easily turned round.
Fig. 2, is a section of Fig. 1 upon line A-B.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a similar arrangement to that shewn in Fig. 1, but having only one
screw f, the rod or tube c passing down the hole e¹, and then screwed back on to
the screw f, and in which case the hole in the fixed "chill" should preferably be a
tolerable good fit to the tube c.
Fig. 5 shews the method of passing the tube c into the holes e, e¹ similar to
Fig. 4 but without a screw at either end. In this case however, the tube would
be secured (to prevent a longitudinal motion, and thus coming out) by means of
the mount being squeezed upon, or soldered to, or otherwise fastened upon the said
tube, and also to the "chill," and so in some cases a mount similar to that shewn
may be adopted instead of the form shewn upon Figs. 1, 3, & 4.
Fig. 6 shews the hole e, cast open to the front or side of the "chill" so that the
rod c may be cut to length and passed into a round hole in the bottom chill at 1,
and then passed on into the hole e at the top and there secured in position by the
mount h, the said mount having been first threaded on to the tube c Or if
desired both ends may be made similar to Fig. 6 at a
Fig. 7 shews at its upper end an elevation of Fig. 6, the fixed cast "chill" d,
having formed upon it a boss to receive the mount h', while the lower end shews
how this boss may be dispensed with, the end of the tube c either passing into a
round hole 1, (Fig. 6) or open hole e¹. Generally in such cases as Fig. 7, (lower end)
the usual form of mount may be provided, with an additional projection m. Fig. 71
to cover over the hole between the front of the chill and the tube c, or this hole
may be filled up otherwise.

page_text: Fig. 8, shews another, and very simple modification of our invention, how the
tube c may be connected to the fixed cast chills, under certain conditions. For
instance, when in an upper and lower rail &c there is a considerable distance
between their permanent or other fixed conections, sufficiently so as to allow of the
two rails &c to be sprung apart somewhat. We may then provide shallow holes
in the chills as shewn and then spring the rod c into such holes, which, when the
adjacent rods c are secured by such methods as shewn in Figs. 1, 9 or 10, the
possibility of the rails &c a, b, being sprung open, to allow of the rod c, Fig. 8,
coming out would be prevented.
Fig. 9 shews another modification of our invention in which the cast fixed
"chills" may be prepared to receive the loose rods or tubes c, and in which such
rods or tubes may be secured. In this case the tube at one end as at n, would be
either screwed on to a fixed screw f¹, (that is, the screw f¹, would be cast in) or
such screw may be loose and screwed in after the "chill" is cast on the rails a, b,
similar as hereafter described in Fig. 10. At the other or upper end a hole would
be formed in the "chill" of a size suitable for the tube c to pass through, such hole
being further made a little taper outwards, so that when the tube is passed through
and screwed up at the end n, we should drive a taper plug r, in the end of the
tube c, to wedge or tighten the tube in the plain hole in the "chills
The plug
may have a screw &c, to receive and secure the mount h, by means of ball nut o.
Fig. 10 would be similar to Fig. 8, but being further provided with a plain hole
through "chill" and rail, through which the pin p, which secures the mount may
pase, and also screw into the ends of the tube c, and thus securely bind the rails
&c a, & b together.
"
Fig. 11 shews how the pins f, f¹ (Fig. 1) which are cast in the chill, may be
enlarged in diameter to fit the inside of the tube c, but having no screw thread
upon its surface, so that when the tube is passed on to the said pins, (similarly as
described in the method of passing the tube into its place in Fig. 1) we may secure
it by means of a small screw pin g through its side into the said pin f, the mounts
being secured in any of the previous methods named.
The selection of the method chosen for securing the rods in any particular part
of the structure being made, would depend upon discretion and the requirement
of the particular case, for instance as before intimated it would not be necessary to
provide screws f, as shewn in Figs. 1, 9 & 10, all along a number of rods c, in the
same rails, as one here and there would be sufficient to produce rigidity in most
cases, the intermediate ones being connected in the more inexpensive ways.
Although certain forms of mounts are shewn for explanation sake, still these
forms may be varied to suit requirement and design. Also the form of the fixed
cast "chills may be varied, the chief idea being that these chills are cast upon
the rails &c to receive the loose rods or tubes.
,,
"
"
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we wish it to be
understood that we are aware that in certain designs of bedsteads, upon the top
rail or bar of the head .or foot of such bedstead "chills" have been cast and
prolonged upward, bracket-wise, and loose rods secured between two such brackets,
which are generally termed in the trade, "top rails," or "towel rails," but this
our invention does not apply to these cases, and therefore we do not claim its
application to such purposes, but what we do claim is:-
1st. The improvements in the construction of metallic bedsteads and other
structural work such as cots or railings, herein before described, having reference
to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive of the accompanying drawings, that is to say, The
casting of fixed cast iron "chills" upon the rails or cross bars of such structures,
for the purpose of, and formed for, receiving loose upright or angular rods or
tubes.
2nd. The improvements in the construction of metallic bedsteads, cots or railings
herein before described and illustrated us on the accompanying drawings, that is to

page_text: say, the method of attaching and connecting the loose rods or tubes c to the
chills d, by means of the hole e, the deepened hole e', and the screws f & f¹,
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1 & 3, also the modification
described and illustrated in Fig. 4 in which there is one screw ƒ only, used; also
the modification described and illustrated in Fig. 5, in which there is no screw but
simply a plain hole the tube being secured by reason of the mount h, being secured
to the chill, and also, to the said tube, also the modification described and illustrated
in Figs. 6, & 7, in which the plain hole in the chill is open to the front or side of
such chill, at one or both ends, or, the one end being a plain round hole, the tube
at the open hole end or ends being secured by means of the mount; also the
modification described and illustrated in. Fig. 8, where the rod or tube may be
sprung into the "chills," also the modification described and illustrated in Fig. 9
in which an open hole is made through one "chill" sufficiently large for the
tube c to pass right through, and then secured by screw & plug, or the latter
alone, also the modification described and illustrated in Fig. 10, in which the
tube c is sprung into the fixed cast chill and then screwed up, also the modification
described and illustrated in Fig. 11, in which the tube is passed on to pins cast in
the fixed cast chills.
3rd. The improvements in the construction of metallic bedsteads, cots, or railings,
of the securing of the mount h in position by means of the lump i or its equivalent
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.