Improvements in Constructing and Ornamenting the Rails of Metallic Bedsteads, Cots, Couches, and Sofas.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Constructing and Ornamenting the Rails of
Metallic Bedsteads, Cots, Couches, and Sofas.
I LEONARD BRIERLEY of Sheepcote Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Metallic Bedstead Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND ORNAMENTING THE RAILS
OF METALLIC BEDSTEADS COTS COUCHES AND SOFAS to be as follows:-
"
My invention consists in constructing and ornamenting the rails of metallic
bedsteads cots couches and sofas by making the said rails of tubes bars and strips
of metal constructed and combined and connected together substantially as herein
after described.
Rails made according to my invention have an ornamental appearance combined
with great strength and rigidity.
In constructing a rail according to my invention I make the vertical and
horizontal parts of the rail or either the vertical or horizontal parts of three or
more metallic tubes or bars or tubes and bars arranged side by side and parallel to
one another and either in contact or at a short distance apart and I join or connect
the grouped tubes or bars or tubes and bars together at their ends and at the same
time join the horizontal and vertical parts of the rail together by means of cast
blocks or other junction pieces.
Or instead of using a series of parallel tubes or bars or tubes and bars as
described a plain or ornamental metal strip or strips may be combined with the
said tubes or bars or tubes and bars so as to give an ornamental appearance to the
rail. In this case the plain or ornamental strip or strips is or are arranged
at the side or sides of the grouped tubes or bars or tubes and bars and parallel
thereto the several parts being held together by one joint or connection as before
described.
Or two parallel tubes in close contact may be employed or two parallel tubes or
bars arranged side by side at a short distance apart in combination with a piece or
pieces of plain or ornamented strip metal may be employed the strip or strips of
metal being arranged between the separated tubes or bars. Close jointed or open
jointed tubes may be used. In the latter case the strip of metal between the two

page_text: tubes may be passed into them through their open joints. The tubes or the tubes
and strip or strips are joined together as herein before described.
Instead of placing the plain or ornamental strips at the sides of or between the
tubes or bars each tube or bar may have a portion of its surface covered by
longitudinal metal strips. The last described arrangement may also be applied to
single tubes of large diameter having say a hexagonal or polygonal figure in cross
section. Or the single tube may have in cross section the general figure of the
letter C or other like figure so as to leave an opening at the side at which opening
a plain or ornamental metal strip bar or tube introduced into the principal tube is
exposed for giving an ornamental appearance to it.
My invention is applicable to curved rails as well as to straight rails of metallic
furniture.

page_text: Improvements in Constructing and Ornamenting the Rails of
Metallic Bedsteads, Cots, Couches, and Sofas.
26
I LEONARD BRIERLEY of Sheepcote Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Metallic Bedstead Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND ORNAMENTING THE RAILS
OF METALLIC BEDSTEADS COTS, COUCHES AND SOFAS" and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention consists in constructing and ornamenting the rails of metallic
bedsteads, cots, couches and sofas, by making the said rails of tubes bars and strips
of metal constructed and combined and connected together substantially as herein
after described.
Rails made according to my invention have a more ornamental and substantial
appearance and afford greater scope for decoration than is possible by the use of
separate single rods as hitherto employed. In constructing a rail according to my
invention, I make the vertical and horizontal parts of the rail, or either the vertical
or horizontal parts, of three or more metallic tubes or bars or tubes and bars
arranged side by side and parallel to one another and either in contact or at a short
distance apart; and I join or connect the grouped tubes or bars or tubes and bars
together at their ends or at suitable intervals and at the same time join the
horizontal and vertical parts of the rail together, by means of cast blocks or other
junction pieces.
Or instead of using a series of parallel tubes or bars, or tubes and bars as
described a plain or ornamental metal strip or strips may be combined with the
said tubes or bars or tubes and bars, so as to give an ornamental appearance to the
rail. In this case, the plain or ornamental strip or strips is or are arranged at
the side or sides of the grouped tubes or bars or tubes and bars and parallel thereto,
the several parts being held together by one or more joints or connections as before
described.
Or two parallel tubes in close contact may be employed, or two parallel tubes or
bars arranged side by side at a short distance apart in combination with a piece or
pieces of plain or ornamented strip metal may be employed, the strip or strips of
metal being arranged between the separated tubes or bars. Close jointed or open
jointed tubes may be used. In the latter case the strip of metal between the two
tubes may be passed into them through their open joints. The tubes or the tubes
and strip or strips are joined together as herein before described.
Instead of placing the plain or ornamental strips at the sides of or between the
tubes or bars each tube or bar may have a portion of its surface covered by
longitudinal metal strips. The last described arrangement may also be applied to
single tubes of large diameter having, say, a triangular, square, hexagonal or other
polygonal figure in cross section. Or the single tube may have in cross section the
general figure of the letter C or other like figure, so as to leave an opening at the
side at which opening a plain or ornamental metal strip, bar or tube introduced
into the principal tube is exposed for giving an ornamental appearance to it.

page_text: My invention is applicable to curved rails as well as to straight rails of metallic
bedsteads, cots, couches and sofas.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation a bedstead end the rail of which is constructed
and ornamented according to my invention, that is to say, each horizontal and
vertical part of the rail is composed of three tubes parallel to and in contact with
each other, the grouped tubes being held together at the ends by the cast or
stamped joints or junctions marked a, a, the said joints or junctions a, a also
serving to effect the connection of the horizontal and vertical grouped tubes with
one another. Each group of the tubes represented is composed of two outer plain
tubes and a middle twisted ornamental tube but I do not limit myself thereto as
all the grouped tubes may be plain or all ornamental tubes; and although I prefer
to join the grouped tubes at their ends yet they may also be joined at their middles
or at other parts either for strengthening the parallel tubes or for obtaining
additional ornamentation.
Figure 2 represents a bedstead end the rail of which is constructed in the manner
described with respect to Figure 1 excepting that screwed junctions marked b, b are
used for joining the grouped tubes of one portion of the rail to the grouped tubes of
the other portion of the rail instead of cast or stamped junctions.
Figure 3 represents a bedstead end the rail of which is constructed according to
my invention and Figure 4 represents a cross section of a portion of the same,
drawn to a larger scale.
In this arrangement each of the horizontal and vertical parts of the rail is
composed of three plain tubes in contact and the junctions of the grouped tubes and
the connections consist of shield or boss like ornaments c, c at the front of the
rail as best seen in the section Figure 4. The shield or boss like ornamental
junctions c, c may either be cast upon the tubes or connected thereto by screw pins.
Shield or boss like ornamental junctions similar to those marked c may be applied
to the back of the rail as well as to the front for giving additional rigidity to or
for ornamenting the rail.
Figure represents a portion of a bedstead rail constructed according to my
invention. In this rail each of the grouped parts consists of two plain tubes in
combination with an ornamental strip of metal & running parallel to and in contact
with the outer tubular parts. I do not limit myself to any particular method of
attaching the middle ornamental strip to the outer tubular parts of the. rail but
I prefer to use either of the arrangements represented in Figures 6 and 7. In the
arrangement Figure 6, each tube is provided with a flange e the edges of which
abut against each other and to the sides of the said flanges e, e the ornamental
strip of metal d is rivetted, screwed or otherwise fastened. In the arrangement
Figure 7 the flanges on the outer tubes are omitted but the said tubes are slotted
or open jointed and in the slots or open joints of the tubes the edges of the middle
ornamental strip d are inserted in the manner represented and fixed therein in any
convenient manner. In place of an ornamental middle strip as represented a plain
strip may be used and ornamental tubes in place of plain tubes may be used and
the tubes represented in the rails Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 may be replaced by bars
or rods.
Figure 8 represents a portion of a bedstead rail constructed according to my
invention. Each of the parts of this rail is composed of three slightly separated
parallel tubes or bars or rods, the grouped tubes or rods being held together and
joined to the other parts of the rail by stamped or cast junction pieces f, f.
The construction of the rails herein before described may be modified in the ways
shown in the portions of the rails represented in Figures 9. 10. 11. 12. and 13.
In Figure 9 each of the horizontal and vertical portions of the rail is composed
of two parallel tubes in close contact one tube being circular in cross section and
the other tube square in cross section, the ends of the horizontal and vertical
grouped tubes being joined together by the ornamental junction piece g.

page_text: The tubes used in the several arrangements may all be triangular, square or
polygonal or circular in cross section; or tubes of different sectional figures may be
grouped together in any desired manner and either plain or ornamented tubes may
be used.
In Figure 10 two outer tubes and an intermediate parallel strip of metal are
used, the ends of the horizontal and vertical grouped tubes and strips being joined
together by cast or stamped junction pieces g.
In Figure 11 a combination of three parallel tubes in contact with an inner
ornamental strip of metal is employed and in Figure 12 the strip of metal is
arranged between a group of two tubes at one edge and a single tube at the
other edge.
In Figure 13 two parallel tubes in contact having a portion of their surface
covered by longitudinal ornamental strips of metal are employed.
Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17 represent the arrangements in which the horizontal
and vertical portions of the rail are each composed of a large single tube
ornamented by the use of an ornamental or plain strip tube, bar or rod.
In Figure 14 the single tube has in cross section the general figure of a square
the angles being replaced by semi-circular curves and one of the flat sides of the
tube is provided with an ornamental strip h. Or ornamental strips may be applied
to all the flat sides of the tube Figure 14. Instead of a four sided tube, a three,
six or eight sided tube, or a tube having other polygonal figure may be employed.
In Figure 15 the single tube has the general figure of the letter C the opening in
the tube being filled with an ornamental tube i; or the filling in part may consist
of a plain tube or rod.
In Figure 16 the single tube has an oblong form in cross section with a filling in
ornamental tube (or rod) k and in Figure 17 the single tube has the C form shown
in Figure 15 but the opening is filled by an ornamental strip of metal instead of
a tube or rod.
Figure 18 represents a portion of a bedstead rail the upper horizontal part of
which is made of grouped tubes according to my invention and the vertical parts
of single tubes or rods in the ordinary way.
The rails represented are applicable to cots, couches and sofas as well as to
bedsteads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention of "
Improvements in constructing and ornamenting the rails of
metallic bedsteads cots couches and sofas'
First. Making either the horizontal or vertical parts of the said rails, or both
the horizontal and vertical parts of the said rails, of two, three or more tubes or
bars or rods, or of two three or more tubes or bars or rods in combination with a
plain or ornamental metal strip or strips, the said tubes or bars or rods or tubes or
bars or rods and strip or strips running parallel to each other and in contact with
each other, being held in position by blocks, joints or junctions instead of making
the said rails of separate single rods or tubes substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 11. 12. 13 and 18 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly. Making either the horizontal or vertical parts or both the horizontal
and vertical parts of the said rails, of three or more tubes or bars or rods or of two
three or more tubes or bars or rods in combination with a plain or ornamental strip
or strips of metal running parallel to each other but not in contact, the said
tubes or bars or rods or tubes or bars or rods and strips being held in position
by blocks joints or junctions substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 8 and 10 of the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. Making either the horizontal or vertical parts or both the hori-
zontal and vertical parts of the said rails of a single tube having a portion of its
surface covered by a longitudinal metal strip or strips, plain or ornamental,

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 14 of the accom-
panying Drawing..
Lastly. Making either the horizontal or vertical parts or both the horizontal
and vertical parts of the said rails of a single tube having in cross section the
general figure of the letter C, the opening in the said tube being filled with a plain
or ornamental tube or rod or a metal strip substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 15, 16 and 17 of the accompanying Drawing.