Improvements in or relating to Metallic Bedsteads and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Metallic Bedsteads and the like.
I, CHARLES GREENWOOD of 37 Main Street, Keswick, in the County of
Cumberland, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of my said, invention to
be as follows:-
These improvements refer to metallic bedsteads and the like and have for their
object to enable such bedsteads to be made longer or shorter at the will of the user
or vendor to suit say a given space or capacity of room, or a given size of mattress
or for other. purposes. My improvements also have for their object to enable. said
bedsteads to be made wider or narrower for the same purposes.
In accordance with my invention I employ what I will call ".extension bars or
blocks" consisting of, by preference solid bars or blocks of metal with a dovetail
tong or projection or its equivalent at one extremity and with ardovetail groovejor
its equivalent at.the other extremity, common to bedstead ends and side bars... One
of these extension blocks is placed in line with each side bar of the bedstead and
the dovetail projection which is usually on the end of the side bar comes opposite
to and is caused to take into the dovetail groove in the end of the.extension block,
thus forming a continuation or prolongation of the side-bar. To now.connect it to
the bedstead end the dovetail projection on each extension block takes into the
usual dovetail groove of the hedstead end and thus the bedstead is made longer; to
an extent equal to the length' of the extension' blocks.
"By making these said 'blocks of varying lengths a great variety of extensions
may be made. One, two or more sets of blocks may be used, and at one or both
ends of the bedstead. By removing the extension blocks the length of ; the
bedstead will be lessened accordingly.
"To allow of these differences in length the laths will also require to be extensible
or contractible, and to provide for this I make such laths in two portions, each
portion of such a length as to be capable of overlapping the other portion. In one
of these portions of each lath I form holes or slots arranged at suitable distances
apart, and on' the other portion of such laths I form a book or projection which
when the portions of the laths are put together takes into. one of the said slots.
On one or both portions of the lath 1 place a steel or other hard metal sleeve or
clasp, so that when the hook of the one portion hast taken into one of the .slotsf of
the other portion such sleeve can be drawn over the overlappingsends and thus
lock the connection and give rigidity to the lath equal to the rigidity. of. a lath all
in one piece. Said slots or holes are placed relatively to or in proportion with:the
various lengths of the extension' blocks aforesaid.
To: allow of a similar adjustment in cases where woven wire is used instead, of
laths, a surplus length of woven wire may be left at the head or foot of the
bedstead or the same may be connected by a cord or strap laced through the
meshes of the wire and connected to the end bar of the bedstead.
In accordance with the further features of my invention for widening.. or
narrowing the: bedstead I employ the same or similar extension blocks and laths
to those used for lengthening the bedstead, the end frame being made: separate
from the cross bar whose ends are made like those of the side bars and: the said
end frames are made of a telescopical or collapsible construction.

page_text: The extension blocks aforesaid may be made in any suitable pattern, size,
configuration or proportions, hollow or solid.
Dated this 2 th day of October-1894...
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Metallic Bedsteads and the like.
I, CHARLES GREENWOOD of 37 Main Street, Keswick, in the County of
Cumberland, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention,
and in what inanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described, and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention refers to metallic bedsteads, and has for its object to provide
means whereby such bedsteads may be readily made of a greater length than their
ordinary length, to suit, say a mattress of larger size, which would otherwise have
to be shortened, or would necessitate a fresh bedstead, and in a similar manner
enable a bedstead, having my improvements applied, to be shortened, or made of
lesser length so as to take up less room, or to suit a smaller size of mattress. My
invention also has for its object to provide means for readily increasing (or
lessening) the width of the bedstead for the same purposes.
In accordance with my invention I employ blocks or bars of metal, preferably
solid and of cast iron and of a breadth and thickness corresponding more or less to
a section of the side bars of a bedstead. At one end of each bar is a dovetail
projection, and in the opposite end and corresponding in shape and size to the
dovetail projection is a dovetail recess. These dovetail projections and grooves
also correspond to those usually on the side and end bars of the bedstead, hence
on placing one of my improved bars at each side of the bedstead and fitting the
dovetails together, each side bar is elongated to an extent equal to the improved
block, and on joining up the same to the end posts the bedstead is of corre-
spondingly increased length.
For widening the bedstead the same blocks are used, and the end bars are made
separate from their posts, and the foot and head of the bedstead are made of
telescopic pattern.
And in order that my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
•
Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 an end view of my improved
block. Figs. 6 and 7 shew its application to a bedstead, the former for increasing
the length, and the latter for increasing the width.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew the method and means of splicing or adjusting the bedstead
laths.
In all the views (A) is my improved block, which is, by preference made solid
so as to be easily cast and to stand the strain. (B) is the dovetail projection, and
(C) the dovetail recess at the respective ends of the block (A). The said dovetails
correspond as aforesaid to those of the projections and grooves on the parts (D)
and (E) of the bedstead (see Figs. 6 and 7), and such dovetails are slightly taper
so as to fit more easily together. A set of blocks may be fitted at both ends of the
bedstead and so afford a double extension, and if desired more than one set may be
fitted for increasing the extension, but as the blocks will be made in various lengths
bars of greater length would be better.
To allow of the said extension the laths of the bedstead require to be extensible,
and accordingly I make the laths in two portions, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, and

page_text: the respective portions (F) and (G) sufficiently long to overlap each other as
illustrated. In the portion (G) I form a series of slits (H) and at the end of the
portion (F) I form a hook or claw (I) which when the laths are placed together
takes into one or other of the aforesaid slits in the portion (G) according to the
extension of the bedstead.
On such adjustment being made a metal (by preference steel) clasp or sleeve (J)
is drawn over the two lath ends and being slightly taper holds them firmly together
and makes them as one continuous lath.
To increase the width of the bedstead the end bars (K) are made separate from
their uprights (L), and the respective ends thereof and the enlarged portions (E)
of the uprights, are dovetailed. By the insertion therefore of my improved blocks
and the adjustment of the cross laths, which are made the same as the longitudinal
laths, the bedstead is accordingly widened. To allow of this widening the bedstead
ends are made of tube pattern so as to slide in and out of each other, or of such a
pattern as will permit of the lengthening of the end bars and still be rigid. The
usual "stretcher" rod for holding the side bars apart is also made adjustable.
With a bedstead fitted with my improved blocks, it will be obvious that by their
removal the bedstead will be shortened accordingly, and thus take up less room, or
suit a mattress of smaller size.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st. The block (A) or its equivalent as and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. In metallic bedsteads the use of two or more blocks (A), in combination
with laths formed in halves and joined together in the manner, and by the means,
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
Deted this 20th day of Jul 1895
CHARLES GREENWOOD,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.