Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
I, PAUL GUSTAVE LE DAN, of Ruyaultcourt, Pas de Calais, France,
Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention refers to folding bedsteads, intended, for example, for use by
officers on campaign, for explorers, and others.
These bedsteads are made preferably from copper tubes in such manner that they
do not weigh more than about 5 kilograms (10 lbs.); and are characterized by a
particular means of coupling the different parts, as well as by their mode of fitting,
whereby they can be almost immediately transformed into a long chair, or into an
easy chair, or into a footstool.
To have at the same time the requisite lightness and strength, all the parts of
my bedstead are tubular. I make them preferably of copper tubes, but I reserve
to myself the right to make them of tubes of steel, nickelled, varnished, or
protected against oxidation by any other known means. The body part of the
bedstead is formed of two longitudinal side pieces jointed together in the middle,
and to the commencement of the back. On the part of the lengths or side pieces
nearest to the head of the bed there is jointed the middle foot and the back foot.
For this purpose these feet form a sort of cap at their upper part to receive a
tenon forming a part with the side piece. These jointed feet turn only in a direction
about an axis under the side pieces and parallel thereto.
The feet of the bed being coupled are fixed by means of slides with tongue
pieces which can be turned in order that the said tongue pieces present themselves
behind the feet, in order that these feet cannot turn down. The side pieces are
united to the side of the foot of the bedstead by a crosspiece having the ends
squared to abut into the long tubes. The crosspiece carries at its angles the
two feet, which can be turned inwards. For this purpose the said cross piece forms
two caps at its ends to receive the tenons forming a part with the feet and jointed
on the axis. These joints are fixed when required by means of slides which slide
on the joints in order that they may not improperly close up.
The curve of the back of the bed is composed of a cross piece having two ends
bent to an angle to abut or take simply into the end of the tubes forming the
back.
The curve of the back formed with a simple handle as stated as well as the
crosspiece of the feet of the bed being coupled in the same manner are held in
place by straps, and by the tension of the mattress portion forming the bottom of
the bed.
To maintain the distance apart of the feet of the bed, and thus of the longi-
tudinal side pieces, I place crosspieces between the feet. These cross pieces are
fixed by their heads which take into a bracelet solid with the feet of the bed.
To give the desired inclination to the back, I use two leather straps, which form
holding devices; one of the ends is connected onto the curve of the back, and its
other end is buttoned onto the head of the axis of the joint at the middle of the
side pieces.
When it is required to transform the bed into a long chair, the crosspiece is
withdrawn from the foot of the bed, and the side pieces are allowed to fall onto
the ground.
To transform the long chair into an easy chair, the hanging part is let down on
the top of the mattress part.
To transform the easy chair into a stool, let down the back onto the top of the
easy chain

page_text: The material forming the bottom of the bed is secured onto the side pieces and
fixed to the head or to the foot of the bed by means of the strap. A mosquito
support is formed of a jointed arch piece, coupled onto the longitudinal side pieces
by means of a ring. On the side of the head of the bed, the second curved piece
of the mosquito arrangement is also coupled by means of a ring. The rings are
simply threaded on to the male part of handle arranged at the foot of the bed, and
on to the curved piece of the back.
For transport, the side pieces are folded in two, then brought side by side in the
cross direction, in such manner that the fabric serves as an envelope for containing
the movable parts of the bedstead. The feet are also brought along by the side
pieces, and the whole fastened by the straps, forming a sort of sausage-like form
not very large.
I reserve to myself the right to vary the details, accessories, materials, and
dimensions, without changing in any way the nature of my invention.
Dated this 30th day of August 1892.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
1, PAUL GUSTAVE LE DAN, of Ruyaultcourt, Pas de Calais, France,
Mechanician, do hereby 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 following statement :-
My invention refers to folding bedsteads, intended, for example, for use by officers
on campaign, for explorers and others.
The bedsteads are made preferably of copper tubes in such manner that they
do not weigh more than about 5 kilograms (10 lbs.) and are characterized by a
particular means of coupling the different parts, as well as by their mode of fitting,
whereby they can be almost immediately transformed, into a long chair, an easy
chair, or into a stool. In order to readily understand my invention,
have repre-
sented in the accompanying drawings such illustrations as will be necessary to
enable the same to be carried into effect.
Fig. 1 shews the bed in question folded up for transport.
Figs. 2 represent an elevation and half plan of the same bed spread out.
Figs. 3 shew an elevation and half plan of the bed arranged as a long chair.
Figs. 4 represent an elevation and half plan of the bed arranged as an easy
chair.
Figs. 5 shew in elevation and section views of the coupling of the front feet onto
the longitudinal side pieces.
Figs. 6 are corresponding plans of the coupling shewn at Figs. 5.
Fig. 7 shews an elevation of the middle joint of the longitudinal side pieces, and
an arrangement for holding the middle foot of the bedstead.
Fig. 8 is a corresponding plan.
Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the longitudinal side piece taken on the line 1-2
of Fig. 7.
Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the longitudinal side piece taken on.
line 3-4 of Fig. 7.
the
Fig. 11 shews in elevation the joint of the back of the bedstead on the side
pieces.
Fig. 12 is a corresponding plan.
Fig. 13 represents the back in section, shewing the coupling or connection of the
curved part of the back of the bed.
Fig. 14 is a front view of the same curved part.

page_text: distance apart of the feet of the bedstead.
Fig. 16 represents one of the said crosspieces applied to a foot of the bed.
Fig. 17 shews in side view the fitting of the support of the mosquito arrangement
on the coupling of the front feet.
Fig. 18 represents in side view the fitting of the mosquito support on the
coupling of the back curve of the bed.
Fig. 19 shews an arrangement of socket with bayonet joint which I can employ
to make rigid the different joints of my bed.
Fig. 20 represents my bed provided with bayonet joint connections.
Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a bedstead constructed according to this inven-
tion as it would appear when in use.
To have at the same time the requisite lightness and strength, all the parts of
my bedstead are preferably made tubular, and of copper, but yet it is obvious that
I may make them of tubes of steel, nickelled, varnished, or protected against
oxidation by any other known means. The frame of the bedstead is formed of
two longitudinal side pieces a jointed together in the middle as seen at Figs. 7
and 8 of the drawing, and to the commencement of the back as seen at Figs. 11
and 12. On the longitudinal or side pieces nearest to the head of the bed, is
jointed the foot c, Figs. 11 and 12, a foot b, Figs. 7 and 8, being jointed at the
middle of the said side pieces. These feet are formed with caps or sockets at their
upper parts to receive tenons d formed with the side piece, the feet being held in
position by pins e. These jointed feet have to turn only in one direction about the
axis e, to be able to turn them under the side pieces and parallel thereto.
The feet of the bed being jointed as described, are held in position by means of
slides with tongue pieces, which can be turned in order that the said tongue
pieces come behind the feet as at Figs. 7 and 11, in order that these feet cannot
turn down in the direction of the arrows I may in some cases replace the said
tongue pieces by sockets with bayonet joint D as shewn at Figs. 19 and 20 of the
drawings. The side pieces are united to the foot of the bedstead by a crosspiece y
having the ends at right angles, so as to allow the plug i to fit into the long tubes
as shewn at Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing. The crosspicce g carries at its angles
the two feet, which can be turned inwards. For this purpose the said cross piece g
has two caps k at its ends to receive the tenons / forming a part with the feet j and
jointed on the axis m, Fig. 6. These joints are fixed when required by means of
slides n, which slide on the joints in order that they may properly close up; Fig. 6
shews the two positions that the slides n can take, according to whether the feet be
folded, or on the contrary when they are held straight.
The curve of the back of the bed is composed of a cross piece o having two
ends
P bent to an angle to abut or take simply into the end of the tubes y forming
the back as shewn at Figs. 13 and 14.
り
The curve o of the back is formed with a similar joint as the crosspiece 9 of the
fect of the bed, being coupled in the same manner, and held in place by
straps, Figs. 2, and by the tension of the mattress portion forming the bottom
of the bed.
To maintain the distance apart of the feet of the bed, and also of the longitudinal
side pieces, I place cross pieces S between the feet, represented in the drawing
Fig. 15. These crosspieces are fixed by their heads which take into a bracelet u
made solid with the feet of the bed, as shewn at Fig. 16 of the drawings.
To give the desired inclination to the back, I use two leather straps v which
form holding devices; one of the ends is connected onto the curve of the back,
and its other end is buttoned onto the head a of the axis of the joint at the middle
of the side pieces, as shewn in the drawing Fig. 2.
When it is required to transform the bed into a long chair as at Fig. 3, the cross-
piece is withdrawn from the foot of the bed, and the side pieces are allowed to
fall onto the ground.

page_text: To transform the long chair into an easy chair, the hanging part is laid onto the
top of the mattress, as shown at Fig. 4 of the drawing.
To transform the easy chair into a stool, let down the back onto the top of the
easy chair.
The material forming the bottom of the bed is secured onto the side pieces and
fixed to the head or to the foot of the bed by means of straps. A mosquito
support y is formed of a jointed arch piece, coupled onto the longitudinal side
pieces by means of a ring, as shewn at Fig. 17. On the side of the head of the
bed, the second curved piece of the mosquito arrangement is also coupled by means
of a ring, as shewn at Fig. 18. The rings are simply threaded on to the male
part of the handle arranged at the foot of the bed, and onto the curved piece of
the back.
.
For transport, the side pieces are folded in two, then brought side by side in the
cross direction, in such manner that the fabric serves as an envelope for containing
the movable parts of the bedstead. The feet are also brought along by the side
pieces, and the whole fastened by the straps, forming a sort of cylindrical form, not
very large.
Under the bed I arrange a fabric E, fixed as shewn at C; this fabric serves as a
shelf for baggage.
I reserve to myself the right to vary the details, accessories, materials, and
dimensions, without changing in any way the nature of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A camp bedstead capable of being transformed into a long chair or easy chair
characterized by the long tubes a connected to the feet and to the head of the bed
by means of crosspieces g and o, the angle ends of which form plugs i, the plugs i
entering the long jointed tubes, jointed at e, in order to admit of the transformation
of the bed into a long chair; the joints of the feet, c, b, on the long tubes a, and
the feet on the cross piece g, being such that the feet can be turned under or up
against the long tubes, whilst the sockets n or bayonet sockets D are intended to
maintain the joints rigid, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. A folding bedstead as claimed under Claim 1, wherein the cross pieces s, serving
to maintain the distance apart of the feet, are connected or coupled to the feet by
means of rings or brackets u, the back of the bedstead being adjusted into the
desired inclined position by means of the straps v, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
3. The improvements in folding bedsteads, constructed, arranged, and acting
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of May 1893.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.