IMPROVEMENTS IN BED- STEADS.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas John Searle, of Camberwell, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BED-
STEADS.
,,
Sealed the 8th December 1871, and dated the 15th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas John Searle
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th June 1871.
I, THOMAS JOHN SEARLE, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BEDSTEADS," to be as follows:-
"
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of bed-
steads, which improvements have for their object to prevent the entrance
For this
and harbouring of vermin in the joints of the bedstead.
purpose I dispense with the ordinary tenon and mortise and dovetail
joints, and according to one arrangement I construct a bedstead each
post of which is formed in two parts, placed at such a distance apart
that the ends of the end or side frames (as the case may be) of the

page_text: bedstead which are fixed between the parts of the post, will have a space
on each side of about half an inch, more or less, between the said side
or end frame and the parts of the bed post. In these spaces blocks,
herein-after referred to, are interposed, and the whole is firmly united
by means of screw bolts which pass through the several parts and
screw into nuts or sockets fitted in the ends of the head and foot or
side frames, as the case may be. The blocks are made of hard material
with hollow or concave sides and raised edges which must be perfectly
true, and which by the pressure on the surface of the parts between
which they are interposed are indented therein, so as to exclude vermin.
The compound posts may vary in length, size, and shape, to suit the
fixing of the tester, cornice, or other parts.
In applying the Invention to an ordinary four-post bedstead the side
frames and the transverse head and foot frames, have screw nuts or
sockets fixed in each of their ends which are placed endwise to the bed
post with blocks interposed between the ends of the frame and the
bed post, through which screw bolts pass into the screw nuts or sockets
to fix the parts together.
According to another arrangement a single bed post is used for each
corner of the bedstead, the side frames being each made in two parts
with the bed post placed between and blocks interposed, as before
described. Screw bolts pass through each and all into a corresponding
nut or socket fixed in the end of the transverse head or foot frame of
the bedstead. Or the head and foot frames may be each made in two
parts with the bed posts placed between them and with blocks interposed
as before, the parts being secured together by means of screw bolts
received in nuts or sockets fitted in the ends of the side frames.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas John Searle in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
JOHN SEARLE, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas John. Searle, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas John Searle, my executors, administrators
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas John Searle, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the.
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
John Searle, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas John Searle, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say): :-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of wooden
bedsteads, which improvements have for their object to prevent the
entrance and harbouring of vermin in the joints of the bedstead. For
this purpose I dispense with the ordinary tenon and mortise and dove-
tail joints, and according to one arrangement I construct a bedstead the
head posts of which are formed in two parts, placed at such a distance
apart that the ends of the head or side frames (as the case may be) of
the bedstead which are fixed between the parts of the post will have a
space on each side of about half an inch (more or less) between the said
side or end frame and the parts of the bed post. In these spaces blocks,
herein-after referred to, are interposed, and the whole is firmly united
by means of screw bolts, which pass through the several parts and
screw into nuts or sockets fitted in the ends of the head or side frames,
as the case may be. These double posts may vary in length, size, and
shape, to suit the fixing of the tester, cornice, or other parts. The foot-

page_text: •
posts may be similarly constructed, but I prefer to make them single
with the foot and side frames placed endwise therėto, stop blocks being
interposed, as herein-after described in reference to a four-post bedstead.
In applying the Invention to the ordinary description of four-post
bedstead the side frames and the transverse head and foot frames
have screw nuts or sockets fixed in each of their ends, which are placed
endwise to the bed post, with blocks interposed between the ends of the
frame and the bed post, through which screw bolts pass into the screw
nuts or sockets to fix the parts together.
According to another arrangement a double bed post may be used for
each corner of the bedstead, the side frames being each made in two
parts connected together and placed endwise to the bed post, blocks being
interposed as before described. Screw bolts pass through each, and
all into a corresponding nut or socket fixed in the ends of the side
frames. The end frames are single and placed endwise to the posts
and secured in a similar manner.

page_text: blocks, and screw into nuts for sockets fixed in the frame d. In some
cases I may make d the side frame and 6 the head frame, thus changing
the position of the parts a, a, to admit of the head board being inserted
between them, or for convenience in fixing the tester and cornice. The
stop blocks c may be made of various shapes and sizes, more or less
ornamental if desired, one being usually employed for each bolt e to
pass through, although two bolts may pass through one block if long
enough.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate two sizes of stop blocks. These blocks are
preferably made with hollow or concave sides or raised edges, which by
the pressure of the bolts e are indented in the surfaces with which they
are in contact. The blocks may be made of hard wood or metal, or of
porcelain, stoneware, or glass moulded into shape, or of other hard
material, but their edges must be perfectly true, otherwise, if imperfect
or damaged, vermin will find admittance to the cavity in their sides.
The sides may also be made with a plane surface, as in Figure 9.
In Figures 3 and 4, a is the single post; b, the side frame; c, the stop
block; d, the end or foot frame, and e the bolts which screw into
nuts as before, or the bolts may be permanently fixed in the end of
the side frame b by a pin 9, Figure 3, passing through an eye in the
bolt e; is a screw nut by which the joints are tightened and secured;
i is an ornamental cap of any suitable design which may be used to
conceal all the bolt heads.
In Figures 5 and 6, a, a, is the double post as before; b, b, two
halves of the side frame which is made double and connected to the post
as shown; c are the blocks, and d the end frame, the whole united by
screw bolts e.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Connecting or jointing together the end and side frames, and the
posts of bedsteads with stop blocks interposed between the various parts,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before specified. I also
claim the use or application of the said stop blocks and system of
jointing to other parts of the bedstead, (such as the tester or cornice,
also to the head and foot boards,) requiring to be firmly bolted or secured,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set forth.

page_text: 2ndly. I claim the double or compound construction of bed post in
combination with the stop blocks and bolts for connecting the side and
end frames to the post, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawings annexed, I also claim the various arrange-
ments or methods of jointing the side and end frames to the posts shown
in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas John Searle, have here-
this Fifteenth day of December in
end frames to the post, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawings annexed, I also claim the various arrange-
ments or methods of jointing the side and end frames to the posts shown
in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas John Searle, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
THOMAS JOHN SEARLE. (L.S.)