Improvements in Bed-chairs.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Bed-chairs.
We, CORNELIUS BLOOMINGDALE and JAMES BLOOMINGDALE, Manufacturers,
both of 28, East 20th Street, New York City, N.Y., U.S.A., do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in bed-chairs; the object thereof being
to provide a combined chair and bedstead which normally carries all necessary.
bed clothing, springs, mattress, etc., so disposed as to be equally applicable for
use whether the device is employed as a chair or bed. The construction is simple
and durable; the device is susceptible of being readily knocked down and com-
pactly folded for purposes of shipping, cleansing, etc., and it can be readily and
quickly converted into its two respective forms.
In the practice of our invention, we employ primarily a stationary back or
head of adapted construction, and comprising side uprights, transverse cross
beams, vertical bars and legs. Connected to the upright side walls of this head
by means of flanged plates is a supporting frame which comprises sectional exten-
sible side rails embodying respectively sliding sections and a stationary section;
these sections being in adapted slidable tongue and groove engagement with each
other, the two opposite front sections being secured to a chair box, and the rear
sections being secured between flanges of the plates; a cross beam is also extended
transversely between the rear sections to strengthen the structure.
The flanged plates are respectively provided with extended lugs which are
secured to the lower cross beam of the head by means of screws; other screws
being employed to secure the said plates to the side walls of the head, whereby
a secure structure is provided. A cross beam connects the two opposite sliding
sections and they are supported by means of legs which are supplied with castors,
the box or seat portion of the device is also supported by means of legs which
also have castors, to admit of freely sliding the said box backward and forward.
Extended transversely across the seat or box portion are stationary slats which
support ordinary furniture springs, a similar set of springs being supported by
means of a traverse slat which connects the oppositely located sliding sections of
the lower frame-work. These latter springs act as means for preventing sagging
of the mattress when the device is used as a bed; said mattress being supported
directly by means of a suspended folding bed spring structure, which comprises
a series of resillient metallic strips, an adjacent similar series connected to the
resillient metallic strips by means of hinges or links, and a frame-work which
embodies a rectangular metal wire frame and wire cross bars; this said frame-
work resting directly upon the springs of the seat section:
The frame-work embodying the rectangular metal wire frame and wire cross
bars, is connected to the front wall of the box by means of spiral springs, and a

page_text: similar set of spiral springs connects the rear series of metallic strips to a metallic
plate of an adjustable cross bar. This said bar is slidably mounted within rect-
angular boxes of metallic hangers. These hangers are located upon the inner
surfaces of the upright side walls of the head, and they are respectively pivotally
attached to a stud of a plate, one plate being secured by means of screws to each
side wall; and each of said plates being provided with a stud, on its inner sur-
face, to extend into an upright of the head to maintain secure engagement
therewith. The stud to which the hangers are attached does not pass entirely
through the body of the hanger, but engages an arched flange forming an integral
part of the said hanger; whereby the hanger and its attached parts may be
readily disengaged from the stud for the purpose of knocking down or disassem-
bling the structure.
To prevent accidental disengagement of the stud and hanger, a swinging latch
is pivotally attached to said hanger and provided with a weighted projection
which passes through an opening in the rear wall of the flange and abuts against
the opposite wall. The sliding cross bar is adjusted back and forth, for the pur-
pose of increasing or decreasing the tension of the springs connecting the frame-
work to the front wall of the box and the rear series of metallic strips to the
metallic plate of the adjustable cross bar, by means of bolts which pass through
the front walls of the rectangular boxes of the hanger, and thence through the
respective ends of the adjustable cross bar, threading into the counter sunk nuts
in said bar. Each hanger is provided with a forwardly projected integrally
formed socket which respectively embrace, and are secured to the rear end of a
Sectional side rail which embodies three sections, the first and second of these
sections being hinged to each other, and the second and third being pivotally
connected, whereby said side rail may be folded. Each hanger is also provided
with a box for engagement with a cross beam to strengthen the structure.
The sections which are pivotally connected, further respectively, engage a
folding arm, by means of hinges connecting an upright, and a hinge on the upright;
whereby the arm can be folded. Each front section is secured to the chair box
and the oppositely located sections are connected to the sockets of the hangers.
A flexible rod which comprises in part, a spiral spring, is extended transversely
across the structure and engages eyes located respectively at the inner ends of
the side sections of the folding rail. This rod is adapted to raise the hinged flat
sections of the bed spring, during the operation of converting the bed into a
chair.
The operation and advantages of our invention are readily understood by
reason of the improved general construction and relative arrangements of the
parts, as above described. When the device is used as a bed or couch, the sec-
tional top rails are in normal horizontal position; the frame-work is extended,
and the folding bed spring is stretched taut to receive the mattress and bėd
clothing. To convert the device into a chair it is simply necessary to force the
rear side rails upwardly, at a point near their hinged connections and push the
lower extensible frame-work in a rearward direction; when the device is in this
position the rear end of the mattress rests upon the central cross piece of the head,
to take all weight and strain from the folding bed spring strips, and the forward
portion of said mattress acts as an upholstered back and seat portion for the
chair, there being no necessity of removing or disturbing the bed clothing.
Dated this 9th day of October 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Bed-chairs.
We, CORNELIUS BLOOMINGDALE and JAMES BLOOMINGDALE, Manufacturers,
both of 28, East 20th Street, New York City, in the United States of America,
do liereby 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 follow-
ing statement:-
-
.....
This invention relates to improvements in bed-chairs; the object thereof being
to provide a combined chair and bedstead which normally carries all necessary
bed clothing, springs, mattress, etc., so disposed as to be equally applicable for
use whether the device is employed as a chair or bed. The construction is simple
and durable; the device is susceptible of being readily knocked down and com-
pactly folded for purposes of shipping, cleansing, etc.,, and it can be readily and
quickly converted into its two respective forms.
The invention will be hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in
the annexed claims.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is
a front elevation of our improved bed-chair when in adjusted position for use as
a chair, the bed-clothing, mattress, etc., being removed; Figure 2 is a plan view
in adjusted position for use as a bed; Figure 3 is a vertical sectional elevation,
taken on a line of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a similar view showing the struc-
ture partly extended; Figure 5, a longitudinal, sectional elevation taken on the
line y-y of Figure 2; Figure 6, a detailed cross section taken on the line -
of Figure 2 and Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are detailed views of parts of the structure.
In the practice of our invention as shown in the drawings, we employ primarily
a stationary back or head A, of adapted construction, and comprising side
uprights 1, transverse cross beams 2, vertical bars 3 and legs 4. Connected to
the upright side walls of this head, by means of flanged plates B, is the supporting
frame C, which comprises sectional extensible side rails D, embodying respec-
tively sliding sections 5 and 6, and a stationary section 7: these sections being
in adapted slidable tongue and groove engagement with each other, the two oppo-
site front sections being secured to the chair box E, and the rear, sections being
secured between the flanges c, of the plates B; a cross beam 8, is also extended
transversely between the rear sections to strengthen the structure.
The flanged plates B, are respectively provided with extended lugs d, which
are secured to the lower cross beam 2 of the head A, by means of screws 9;
screws 10 being employed to secure the said plates to the side walls of the head A;
whereby a secure structure is provided. A cross beam 11, connects the two oppo-
site slides 6 and they are supported by means of legs 12, which are supplied
with castors 13; the box or seat portion E, of the device is also supported by
means of legs 14, which have castors 15, to admit of freely sliding the said box
backward and forward. Extended transversely across the seat or box portion E.
are stationary slats F, which support ordinary furniture springs G, a similar
set of springs being supported by means of a traverse slat 17, which connects the
oppositely located sliding sections 6, of the lower frame work C. These latter
springs act as a means for preventing sagging of the mattress when the device
is used as a bed: said mattress being supported directly by means of a suspended
folding bed spring structure, which comprises a series of resillient metallic
strips H, an adjacent similar series I, connected to the series H. by means of
hinges or links i, and a framework J, which embodies a rectangular metal wire
frame K and wire cross bars L: this said framework resting directly upon the
springs G, of the seat section E.
The framework J is connected to the front wall of the box E, by means of
spiral springs M, and a similar set of spiral springs N, connects the rear series of

page_text: metallic strips H, to a metallic plate 0, of an adjustable cross bar P. This said
bar is slidably mounted within rectangular boxes 9, of metallic hangers.Q. These
hangers are located upon the inner surfaces of the upright side walls of the
head A, and they are respectively pivotally attached to a stud r, of a plate R, one
plate being secured, by means of screws," to each side wall 1; and each of said
plates being provided with a stud a, on its inner surface to extend into an
upright 1, of the head A, to maintain secure engagement therewith.
The stud r, does not pass entirely through the body of the hanger Q, but engages
an arched flange 18, forming an integral part of the said hanger; whereby the
hanger and its attached parts may be readily disengaged from the stud for the
purposes of knocking down or disassembling the structure.
To prevent accidental disengagement of the stud and hanger, a swinging
latch S, is pivotally attached to said hanger and provided with a weighted pro-
jections, which passes through an opening 19, in the rear wall of the flange 18,
and abuts against the opposite wall, as clearly shown by Figure 6 of the drawing.
The sliding cross bar P is adjusted back and forth, for the purpose of increasing
or decreasing the tension of the springs M and N, by means of bolts T, which
pass through the front walls of the rectangular boxes q, of the hanger Q, and
thence through the respective ends of the bar P, threading into the countersunk
nuts t, in said bar. Each hanger Q, is provided with a forwardly projected integ-
rally formed socket 20, which respectively embrace and are secured to the rear
end of a sectional side rail 1, which embodies the three sections 21, 22 and 23:
the sections 21 and 22 being hinged to each other as at 24, and the sections 22
and 23 being pivotally connected as at 25; whereby said side rails may be folded
as shown by Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings: Each hanger Q, is also provided
with a box 26, for engagement with a cross beam 27, to strengthen the structure.
The sections 22 and 23 further respectively engage a folding arm. V, by means
of hinges, connecting an upright w, and a hinge W; whereby the arm can be
folded as shown by dotted lines Figure 5 of the drawings. Each front section 23
is secured to the chair box E, and the oppositely located sections 21 are connected
to the sockets 20 of the hangers Q.
-
A flexible rod 28, which comprises in part, a spiral spring, is extended trans-
versely across the structure and engages eyes 29, located respectively at the inner
ends of the side sections 21, of the folding rail U. This rod is adapted to raise
the hinged flat sections of the bed spring, during the operation of converting the
bed into a chair.
The operation and advantages of our invention are readily understood by
reason of the improved general construction and relative arrangements of the
parts, as above described. When the device is used as a bed or couch, the sec-
tional top rails are in normal horizontal position, as indicated by Figures 2 and 5
of the drawings; the framework is extended, and the folding bed spring is
stretched taut to receive the mattress and bed-clothing. To convert the device
into a chair it is simply necessary to force the rear side rails upwardly, at a point
near their hinged connections and push the lower extensible framework in a
rearward direction until the structure assumes the position, illustrated by Figure 3
of the drawings; when the device is in this position the rear end of the mattress
rests upon the central cross piece 2 of the head A, to take all weight and strain
from the folding bed springs H and I, and the forward portion of said mattress
acts as an upholstered back and seat portion for the chair, there being no neces-
sity of removing or disturbing the bed-clothing.
We do not confine ourselves to the specific details of mere mechanical con-
struction as herein shown and described, as it is obvious that under the scope of
our invention, we are entitled to slight structural variations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A bed-chair, comprising a stationary head, an extensible lower framework

page_text: and folding side rails, a suspended folding bed spring, comprising two hinged
sections embodying metallic strips and a wire framework, and means for sus-
pending the said bed-spring and for hanging the folding side rails, substantially
as shown and described.
2. A bed-chair, comprising a stationary head, an extensible lower framework,
folding side rails with folding arms hinged thereto, and a folding bed-spring,
embodying metallic strips arranged in adjacent series hinged to each other and
a wire framework, and spiral springs supporting the said bed-spring, and hangers
connecting the folding side rails to the head of the device, and flanged plates
connecting the extensible lower framework to said head, substantially as shown
and described.
3. A bed-chair, comprising a stationary head embodying upright sides and
cross beams, and an extensible lower framework connected to the sides of said
head by means of flanged plates, and a chair box forming part of said extensible
frame, and folding side rails, having folding chair-arms attached thereto, and
pivotal hangers connecting the said folding rails to the side walls of the said
head, and an adjustable cross bar attached to said hangers, and a folding, bed-
spring connected to the said adjustable cross bar and to the forward portion of
the said chair box by means of spiral springs, substantially as shown and described.
4. As a bed-chair, the combination of a stationary head embodying upright
sides and cross beams, and an extensible framework embodying sliding sections
and a chair-box, and folding side rails and removable hangers, and plates with
studs on each side thereof for connecting said side rails to the side walls of the
said head, the hangers respectively embodying arched flanges engaging the
studs projected from the said plates, swinging latches, projected plates engaging
the said folding side rails and boxes; with an adjustable cross bar engaging said
boxes and a folding bed-spring suspended from the said bar and from the front
of the chair box, and spiral springs connecting the said bed-spring to the said
cross bar and the said front wall, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of December 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.