SWINGING BEDS, WHICH WILL ENABLE SOLDIERS AND OTHERS TO SLEEP DRY IN TENTS OR HUTS, AND OCCASIONALLY IN THE OPEN AIR
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Archibald White at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th March
1855.
I, ARCHIBALD WHITE, of Great Missenden, in the County of Buckingham,
Conveyancer and Land Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "SWINGING BEDS, WHICH WILL ENABLE SOLDIERS AND OTHERS TO
SLEEP DRY IN TENTS OR HUTS, AND OCCASIONALLY IN THE OPEN AIR," to be as
follows, viz:
Each bed to be formed of a hammock,. supported at each end by each end
being swung from a stand formed of three legs, so united at the top each by a
pin joint to an iron head, as that when in use such legs can be expanded, or
the other ends thereof set apart to any extent their length will permit, and
when not in use such legs will lay in their entire length close together in the
smallest compass their size will permit, such iron head having from the centre
of the under side of it and between such legs a hook or an eye or hooks or eyes
projecting downwards, and from the top a pin projecting upwards, and such
legs to be so connected near the lower ends by cords or irons, as that when the
stand is in use the legs may be prevented from spreading more than may be
desired; and if so connected by irons, each iron to be formed of two pieces, so
united in the centre by a pin joint, and so fixed at each end to one of the legs
of the stand by a pin joint, as that when the stand is not in use such iron may
so fold up with the legs as to permit the legs to lay close together when folded

page_text: up; a pole of a length equal to the distance between the head of the stand
at each end of a hammock when in use, such pole having at each end an iron
eye, through which the pin projecting upwards from the iron head of the stand
at each end of a hammock to pass. when in use, and a waterproof sheet to be
so laid over and supported by and fastened to such pole as to hang over and
cover every part of and keep from the hammock any rain that may fall; such
pole, for the convenience of packing when not in use, to be in two pieces, joined
when in use at the centre of, the length thereof by one of such pieces passing
into ferules fixed on the other. of such-pieces, and held there-by-a pin or pins,
or a screw or screws, and to be sufficiently strong to bear the weight of one
end of a bed with a man in it to be swung from the centre of such pole..
When one of such beds is required for use apart from all other such beds,
and from all other r eans of supporting one end of it, it must be supplied with
two stands, one to support each end; but when more than one of such beds are
to be used together, they may be placed side by side, or so as to form such
circular, triangular; or quadrilaterial figures as the size or shape of the tent or
other place in which they may be used may render necessary, and so as to make
some of the stands support the ends of more than one hammock, and thus
make one stand sufficient to accompany each hammock. When used in a tent
supported by or having a pole in the centre, the beds may be arranged in a
circular form round such pole, one end of each hammock being supported by
hanging to an eye or hook fixed to such pole.