Improvements in Detachable Joints for Metallic Bedsteads.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Detachable Joints for Metallic Bedsteads.
I, CHARLES PARKER DYER, of No. 14 Herbert Street in the City of Somerville,
County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Furniture Salesman, 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:-
The ordinary detachable dovetail-joint hitherto employed for connecting the
rails and corner posts of metallic bedsteads, is objectionable as it soon becomes
loose from wear, and consequently will not hold the parts rigidly together as
desired. My invention has for its object to overcome this difficulty and to
provide a joint that will not become loose or rock in any direction; and to this
end my invention consists in a joint of novel construction, in which the faces of the
two opposing members are caused to bear against each other at the top and bottom
culy, said members being held together at a point intermediate between said
bearing points by means of a headed stud projecting from one member which
engages a slot in the other member, suitable inclines at the sides of the slot acting
as wedges under the head of the stud, to keep the two members of the joint at all
times firmly in contact, as hereinafter more fully described.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a metallic bedstead corner post
and rail, provided with my improved joint.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, on the line 2-2 of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the joint.
In the said drawings A represents a portion of a corner post of a metallic bed-
stead, B a portion of one of the bedstead rails and C, D, the two members of the
joint by which said post and rail are held together. The member C, consists of a
sleeve which oncircles the post A at the desired level and is adapted to be shrunk
on, or otherwise secured in place. One side of the sleeve C is thickened, and has
a transversely convex face a, against which fits the concave face b, of the opposite
member D of the joint, said member being properly shaped to receive the end of
the angle-iron rail B, which is securely fastened thereto. The two members C, D),
are held securely in contact by means of a headeu stud G projecting from the
member C and engaging an open slot d in the vertical portion of the member. D,
the surfaces 10 on the opposite sides of the slot being inclined to form wedges
which fit under the head of the stud G, thus tightening the joint as the member D
is slid downward on the member C. The side walls of the slot are flared outward
at the bottom as shown at 15, 15, Figure 6, to facilitate the entrance of the stud G
in case the two members of the joint should not be brought exactly opposite to
each other.

page_text: The opposing faces of the two members C, D, are of different transverse curva-
tures, whereby said faces are separated at the center and caused to bear against
each other near the edges only, as shown at g, g, Figures 1, 3 and 4, thus prevent-
ing any rocking motion of one member upon the other in a transverse direction
when held by the stud and slot, while one member, preferably the member C,
has its face a, made concave longitudinally, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, whereby
the opposing faces of the two members are caused to bear against each other at
the top and bottom only, the third or intermediate bearing being under the head
of the stud G, and consequently there can be no rocking of the joint either in a
vertical or transverse direction under any strain to which it can be subjected,
amy wear of the parts being at once taken up by the inclines 10 acting on the
head of the stud G as the rail-member D) is forced downward by the weight
naturally put upon the bedstead when in use.
A bedstead having my improved joint applied thereto, will always stand
perfectly upright and will be perfectly firm and steady under usage of the roughest
description.
The outside flange h of the member D, extends downward sufficiently to prevent
the stud G from being seen from the outside of the bedstead; and the inside flange i
is made somewhat shorter than the outside flange h, to enable a bar or lever,
shown dotted in Figure 6, to be placed between its lower end p and the top of a
lug m projecting from the bottom of the face of the member C; said lug m forming
a fulcrum to enable the lever to raise the member D), when it is desired to dis-
engage the slot from the stud G, when the bedstead is to be taken apart.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a bedstead joint, the combination of two members having oppositely
curved contacting faces held together by a headed stud on one member, engaging
a slot in the other member, and one of said faces being of longitudinally concave
form, whereby it is caused to bear against the face of the opposite member at
the top and bottom only, while held at a point intermediate between said upper
and lower bearings by said stud and slot, substantially as described.
2. A bedstead joint consisting of two members, the opposing faces of which
are respectively concave and convex in cross section and of different transverse
curvatures, whereby they are caused to bear against each other, near the edges
only, and one of said members being provided with a headed stud engaging a
slot in the other member and taking a bearing against inclined or wedge-shaped
surfaces at the sides of said slot, and the opposing face of one member being
made concave longitudinally, whereby said members are caused to bear against
each other at the top and bottom only, with an intermediate bearing under the
head of the connecting stud, substantially as set forth.
3. A bedstead joint consisting of a sleeve-member, encircling the corner post
of the bedstead and a rail-member for receiving the end of the rail,, said members
having contacting faces oppositely curved transversely and held together by a
headed stud on the sleeve member, engaging a slot in the rail-member and taking
a bearing against inclined surfaces at the sides of said slot, said contacting
faces being of different transverse curvatures, whereby they are caused to bear
against each other at the edges only, and the face of one member being concaved
longitudinally, whereby said members are caused to bear against each other at the
top and bottom only, while held at a point intermediate between said upper and
lower bearings by said stud and slot, substantially as described.
4. In a bedstead joint, the combination with the two members C, D, having
oppositely curved contacting faces sliding the one upon the other and held
together by a headed stud G, on the member C, engaging a slot in the member D,
of the lug or projection m, extending from the face of the member C, beneath

page_text: the stud G, and forming a fulcrum for a bar or lever, whereby the member D),
may be raised to disengage it from the member C, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.