AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEDS AND SLEEPING COTS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Exall, of Holy Brook House, Reading, in the
County of Berks, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
BEDS AND SLEEPING COTS.”
Sealed the 7th November 1879, and dated the 24th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Exall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1879.
WILLIAM EXALL, of Holy Brook House, Reading, in the County of Berks, Civil
Engineer. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEDS AND SLEEPING COTS."
This Invention is in several respects an improvement on ordinary beds or cots.
It requires neither shaking out nor making up, and is always ready for use.
It
consists mainly of an oblong frame of wood or metal covered with suitable webbing,
and suspended by the corners to a wall or uprights by means of cords or chains to
proper fastenings. The bed clothes are made secure to the frame on the side
nearest the wall or uprights. When the bed is not required it can be placed flat
against the wall by simply raising the side of the frame nearest to it, the bed
clothes thus hanging parallel against the wall, and so remaining in the best position
for airing, and, if necessary, disinfecting. The bed is made ready for use
immediately by simply raising the lower side of the frame; by this means the bed-
clothes at once resume their proper position. This apparatus, when not in use,
takes up no appreciable room, and can be entirely concealed by simply drawing a
curtain over it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Exall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January
1880.
WILLIAM EXALL, of Holy Brook House, Reading, in the County of Berks, Civil.
Engineer. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEDS AND SLEEPING COTS."
It
This Invention is in several respects an improvement on ordinary beds or cots.
It requires neither shaking out nor making up, and is always ready for use.
consists mainly of an oblong frame of wood or metal covered with suitable webbing,
and suspended by the corners to a wall or uprights by means of cords or chains to
proper fastenings. The bedclothes are made secure to the frame on the side
nearest to the wall or uprights. When the bed is not required it can be placed flat
against the wall by simply raising the side of the frame nearest to it, the bed-
clothes thus hanging parallel against the wall, and so remaining in the best position
for airing, and, if necessary, disinfecting. The bed is made ready for use
immediately by simply raising the lower side of the frame; by this means the bed-
clothes at once resume their proper position. This apparatus, when not in use,
takes up no appreciable room, and can be entirely concealed by simply drawing a
curtain over it.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in the several
Figures of the Drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan of the wooden frame of the bod, which is provided with
eyes a, a, to which the suspending cords are attached, as hereinafter described;
Figures 2 and 3 are sections of the said frame taken on the lines A, B, respectively
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the bed which consists of the frame (Figure 1)
covered with sacking, ticking, or other suitable material b. In some cases I stuff
the space enclosed between the frame and sacking with hair, fibre, wool, feathers,
or other suitable stuffing; Figure 4a is a transverse section; and Figure 5 is a per-
spective view of a bed thus formed, the stuffing of which is marked c, in the section
Figure 4º. At one end of the said bed the sacking case is or may be so formed
and stuffed as to constitute a pillow or raised part d, or a pillow may be tied on if
required. The upper and lower parts of the covering b of the bed frame are drawn
together by cords e in the usual manner. Figure 6 is a transverse section of part
of the said bed drawn of the full size showing the bedclothes secured, thereto; fis
the counterpane, which is nailed, sewn, or otherwise attached to the bed; g is the
blanket, and h is the sheet, which are doubled or folded longitudinally, and are
secured to the bed by a rod x, which is laid in the fold of the sheet h, and is
secured by tying around it, near its ends, cords, which are fastened to the bed or
the frame thereof. This mode of securing the sheet and blanket to the bed
admits of their ready removal and replacement when necessary.
If desired the
blankets may be secured to the bed as the counterpane is secured, and if desired
two or more blankets may be used and secured in either of the ways described.
is a portion of one of the suspending cords fastened to the eye a.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the bed suspended against the wall of a room
and in position for use; i, i, i¹, i, are the suspending cords, which are fastened at
one end to the eyes a, a. At the free ends of each of the said cords a loop j is
formed, which loops are passed over hooks k, k, driven into the wall, against which
the bed is suspended. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bed showing it in the
position in which it may be placed when not in use. In order to bring the bed to
this position the side nearest to the wall is raised, the whole weight of the bed is
then borne by the cords i, i, and the bed hangs nearly flat against the wall, as
shown in the said Figure 8. When the bed is in this position the bedclothes

page_text: become thoroughly aired, and may be readily fumigated or disinfected by placing
on the floor beneath them a vessel containing the necessary fumigating or disin-
fecting material, and the bed may be hidden by a curtain hung in front of it.
When it is required to use the bed it is only necessary to draw the lower side
from the wall when the bed and bedclothes at once assume the positions shown in
Figure 7.
Instead of suspending beds constructed according to my Invention against a wall
they may be suspended to supports, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, or to upright
supports of any other suitable kind. In Figure 9 two beds are shown in end
elevation, supported one on each side of a frame . Although two beds are shown
in the said Figure 9 one only may be suspended to the frame or uprights if
desired.
Instead of forming the framing of the bed of wood it may be formed of metal of
suitable section. If desirable chains may be used instead of cords for suspending the
beds, and the said chains and cords instead of being secured to the frame of the bed
in the manner hereinbefore described may be secured thereto in any other convenient
manner.
My Invention is especially useful in colleges, schools, barracks, and other places
of where a bed or a large number of beds is required in a small or a comparatively
small space.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention of "An Improvement in Beds
and Sleeping Cots," and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish
it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein before
described, as they may be varied without departing from the nature of my Inven-
tion, but I claim as my said Invention,―
Firstly. Forming a bed of a frame of wood or metal covered with sacking or
other suitable material, essentially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Securing bed clothes to one side of a bed of the kind referred to in the
preceding claim, essentially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. Suspending a bed of the kind referred to in my first claim by securing
the four corners of the bed to cords or chains secured to a wall or uprights, essen-
tially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Exall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty
WILLIAM EXALL. (L.S.)