Improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
JOSIAH BROOKES and HENRY JAMES BROOKES both of the Cape Works,
Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers, and
GEORGE HIGGS of 92, Bearwood Road, Smethwick, Metallic Bedstead Work's
Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to improve the appearance and decoration of
metallic bedsteads. Instead of the ordinary round or square tubes usually
employed in the manufacture of metallic bedsteads we employ tubes, oblong in
section, which are of various ornamental shapes. These tubes, which may be of
iron japanned, also of brass or other metals, are fixed in the rails with the broad
surfaces so placed as to face the spectator. To prevent the tubes moving or
twisting they are secured at the ends by means of two or more screws to cross
pieces, either of similar sections or of other sections suitable for the purpose, the
screws being tapped into pummels which are fixed in the ends of the tubes. The
tubes are preferably of such sections that they allow the introduction of plain or
ornamental strips or beads of various shapes on their front surfaces in order to
improve their appearance. These tubes we prefer with broad flat surfaces in the
central part of tube, an ornamental moulding being on cach side, and the above
mentioned strips or beads are fixed to these flat surfaces. The strips or beads
may be of brass, copper, or other metals, and they are sometimes nickel or silver
plated. They may also be of wood, pearl, ivory, zylonite, celluloid, glass or other
suitable material, and they may also be covered, wholly or in part, with silk, satin,
velvet or other fabrics. The strips or beads would preferably be mounted on a
tube of different metal so as to present a greater contrast; thus a japanned iron
tube would be mounted with a brass or copper strip or bead, thus giving the
appearance of several tubes combined in one. The beads or strips are secured to
the tubes by means of screws, knobs, or any other convenient method of attaching
same.
In some cases we employ mouldings similar in section to the front portion of the
tubes, or of any other ornamental shape, which we fix to the pillars or other parts
of the bedstead in order to decorate same, these mouldings being preferably secured
to the front of the bedstead where they will best improve the appearance, and
being mounted at the extremities by ornamental bands similar to those usually
employed in the metallic bedstead trade. In some cases two or more of these
mouldings are suitably grouped round the pillar, or other part of the bedstead,
partially enveloping same, either for the whole length or such portion of the length
as may be required. These mouldings may also have fitted to them strips or beads
in the manner, and for the purpose as above described.
Dated this 9th day of February 1894.
JOSIAH BROOKES.
HENRY JAMES BROOKES.
GEORGE HIGGS.

page_text: improvements in Metallic Bedsteads.
JOSIAH BROOKES and HENRY JAMES BROOKES both of the Cape Works,
Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers, and
GEORGE HIGGS of 248, Bearwood Road, Smethwick, late of 92 Bearwood Road
Smethwick Metallic Bedstead Works Manager, 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 object of this invention is to improve the appearance and decoration of
metallic bedsteads. Instead of the ordinary round or square tubes usually
employed in the manufacture of metallic bedsteads we employ tubes, oblong in
section, which are of various ornamental shapes. These tubes, which may be of
iron japanned, also of brass or other metals, are fixed in the rails with the broad
surfaces so placed as to face the spectator. To prevent the tubes moving or
twisting they are secured at the ends by means of two or more screws to cross
pieces, either of similar sections or of other sections suitable for the purpose, the
screws being tapped- into pummels which are fixed in the ends of the tubes. The
tubes are preferably of such sections that they allow the introduction of plain or
ornamental strips or beads of various shapes, on their front surfaces in order to
improve their appearance. These tubes we prefer with broad flat surfaces in the
central part of tube an ornamental moulding being on each side and the above
mentioned strips or beads are fixed to these flat surfaces. The strips or beads
may be of brass copper or other metals and they are sometimes nickel or silver
plated. They may also be of wood, pearl, ivory, zylonite, glass or other suitable
material, and they may also be covered, wholly or in part, with silk, satin, velvet,
or other fabrics. The strips or beads would preferably be mounted on a tube of
different metal so as to present a greater contrast; thus a
japanned iron tube
would be mounted with a brass or copper strip or bead, thus giving the appearance
_ of several tubes combined in one. The beads or strips are secured to the tubes by
means of screws, knobs, or any other convenient method of attaching same.
In some cases we employ mouldings similar in section to the front portion of the
tubes, or of any other ornamental shape, which we fix to the pillars or other parts
of the bedstead in order to decorate same, these mouldings being preferably secured
to the front of the bedstead where they will best improve the appearance, and
being mounted at the extremities by ornamental bands similar to those usually
employed in the metallic bedstead trade. In some cases two or more of these
mouldings are suitably grouped round the pillar, or other part of the bedstead,
partially enveloping same, either for the whole length or such portion of the length
as may be required. These mouldings may also have fitted to them strips or beads
in the manner, and for the purpose as above described.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shows the rail of a bedstead, constructed
as above described, a, being the special section tube in which the strips or beads, b,
are fixed. It is obvious that a portion, or the whole of the tubes may have these
strips or beads fixed to them, or in some cases they may be only applied to the
middle portions of the tubes as shown at c. It is needless to state that the rails
will be of various patterns depending upon the design. Figs. 2 to 13 show a
variety of sections of the improved ornamental shapes we employ in carrying into
effect this invention. These designs may be indefinitely increased, but it is
imperative that in all cases these sections must have the broad flat surface above
described, and as shown at d, an ornamental moulding, e, being at each side and in
this recess the strips or beads, b, are secured. These tubes are secured to the cross
bars, f, Fig. 1, by means of two or more screws as shown in the enlarged section
Fig. 14 where g is the tube, h, is the pommel soldered or fixed into same, and, i, are

page_text: the screws which, while securing the tubes to the cross bars, prevent them twisting.
Fig. 15 shows the method of applying our invention to the ornamentation of the
pillars of bedsteads, j, being a portion of the pillar, k are ornamental collars or
bands mounted on the pillar, 1, is the ornamental moulding similar in section to the
front portion of the tubes which is secured to the pillar by screws or any convenient
method of fastening, while to this moulding is fixed the strips or beads m. Fig. 16
is a plan showing these mouldings can be applied both to the back and front of the
pillar. The rails of bedstead can also be made of round tubes in the ordinary way,
and this method of ornamentation can be applied to them in the same manner as to
the pillars.
It is obvious that instead of tubes of the ornamental shapes above described,
metallic mouldings of the shape of the front part of the tubes illustrated Figs. 2
to 13 may be employed, the ends of these mouldings being fixed to the cross bars
in any convenient manner. In some cases solid metallic bars of the same section
as the tubes may be employed, such bars being of iron if cheapness is desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Constructing the rails for bedsteads, of tubes, mouldings, or solid bars, the
front of which are provided with a recess formed by a broad flat surface as shown
at d, with an ornamental moulding on each side as shown at c, so as to allow the
strips or beads 6 to be suitably fixed therein, as above substantially described.
2. The use and application of the strips or beads b for the ornamentation of the
bedsteads, the same being fixed in the recess formed by the broad flat surface d
between the mouldings e substantially as above described.
3. The method of fixing the special section tubes by means of two or more
screws as shown in Fig. 14 to prevent the said tubes twisting in the rails.
4. The method of ornamenting the pillars, tubes, and rails of bedsteads by means
of the mouldings substantially as described in Figs. 15 and 16.
Dated this 9th day of November 1894.
JOSIAH BROOKES.
HENRY JAMES BROOKES.
GEORGE HIGGS.