IMPROVE- MENTS IN CONVERTIBLE BEDSTEADS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry Watkins Brookman, of Burton Crescent, in the
County of Middlesex, Commercial Traveller, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONVERTIBLE BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 18th May 1877, and dated the 24th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry Watkins Brookman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1876.
HARRY WATKINS BROOKMAN, of Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex,
Commercial Traveller. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE BEDSTEADS."
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of bedsteads,
whereby it can be readily converted into a sofa or similar article of furniture more
especially adapted for use by day, and as readily reconverted into a double bed
furnished with all the requisite appurtenances for use by night, without the trouble
of making the bed when required to be used as such.
My improved bedstead consists of a metal or other frame hinged, jointed, or made
to fold along or near the longitudinal centre thereof, one portion of such frame
being a fixture, whilst the other portion is capable of being folded up into a right
angle or thereabouts, so as to form the back of the sofa or other like piece of
furniture, and to fold down into a horizontal position to form the half of the
bedstead. In combination with this folding frame I employ folding head and foot
frames hinged or jointed vertically, one half of such frames being made to fold back
at or about right angles to the fixed half, and to be locked or fastened in that
position by a hook, bolt, or catch, or by any other convenient mode of fastening, so
as to form a support for the back of the sofa when used as such; but when required
as a bedstead the hinged portions of the head and foot frames are turned outwards
in a line with the fixed part, and form portions of the head and foot of the bedstead,
the back of the sofa falling down and being supported horizontally by them on
hooked projections or other convenient or suitable supports or fastenings.
The bottom frame may be provided either with sacking or other strong textile
fabric, or with metal laths, and serves to support the bed and bedding in the usual
way, which on converting the bed into a sofa, or vice versa, need not be removed or

page_text: interfered with, it being retained in position by a central longitudinal band. It will
thus be seen that by my Invention I obtain a convenient and luxurious lounge by
day and a comfortable full-sized double bed by night. A covering and hanging
valance of any suitable fabric according to taste is employed for covering the frame-
work and bedding by day, the hanging valance and end covers being made by
preference in one piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Harry Watkins Brookman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
May 1877.
HARRY WATKINS BROOKMAN, of Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex,
Commercial Traveller. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE BEDSTEADS."
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of bed-
stead, whereby it can be readily converted into a sofa or similar article of furniture
more especially adapted for use by day, and as readily reconverted into a bed large
enough to accomodate two persons, and furnished with all the requisite appurtenances
for use by night, without the trouble of making the bed when required for use.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of my improved convertible
bedstead; Figure 2. is a correspoding endelevation thereof (partly in section)
showing the head or foot frame or standard (both frames or standards being alike);
Figure 3 is a plan of the bedstead corresponding to Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the said bedstead when converted into a sofa ;
Figure 5 is a corresponding end elevation (both ends being alike); Figure 6 is a
- plan of the sofa corresponding to Figure 4; and Figure 7 is a corresponding back
clevation of the same.
The
My improved bedstead consists of a metal or other frame A hinged or jointed
at a, a, to a longitudinal rod or stay b, so as to be capable of folding or being
turned up or down on a horizontal fulcrum situate at or near and parallel with the
longitudinal centre line of the hedstead, or at any convenient distance from such
centre line. One half or other convenient portion of the frame or support for the
bed and bedding is a fixture, and consists of a rectangular frame composed of the
longitudinal rods or bars b, b', and the two ends or cross bars c, c¹, all secured firmly
at their ends to the fixed portion B of the head and foot frames or standards.
dotted arcs in Figures 2 and 5 show the mode in which the moveable frame A is
turned up into a vertical or nearly vertical or inclined position, so as to form the
back of the sofa or other like piece of furniture, and the mode of folding it down
again into a horizontal position to form the half or other portion of the bedstead
frame. The head and foot frames or standards are also each made in two parts, the
one B being stationary, for supporting the four rods or bars b, b, c, cl, forining the
fixed part of the horizontal frame, and the other B₁ being hinged or jointed in a
vertical line, as at d, d, to the stationary part, so as to be capable of being turned
or folded inwards on its joints or hinges (as indicated by the dotted arcs in
Figures 3 and 6) after the moveable frame A has been turned upwards, the range
of motion of the said frames or standards being 90°, or less, as found convenient.
When thus turned inwards, as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, they are to be locked
or fastened together in that position by a hook C, or by a bolt, catch, or any other
convenient mode of fastening (see Figure 7), so as to hold them in position to
support the back of the sofa (consisting of the upturned frame A) when the article
is required for use as a sofa.

page_text: When required as a bedstead the hinged portions B1, B', of the head and foot
frames or standards are turned outwards, as shown by the dotted arcs in Figures 3
and 6, so as to be in a line or thereabouts with the fixed part B and form portions
of the head and foot of the bedstead, the back A of the sofa being turned down
(as shown by the dotted ares in Figures 2 and 5) and supported horizontally on
hooked projections at e, e, (Figures 2 and 3), or on any other convenient or suitable
supports or fastenings attached to the moveable parts Bl The fixed and moveable
parts of the bottom frame may be provided either with sacking D, as shown, or
other strong fabric, or with metal laths if preferred, and serves to support the bed
and bedding in the usual way, and when converting the piece of furniture into a
bed or into a sofa, as the case may be, the said bed and bedding need not be removed
or interfered with, it being retained in position by a central longitudinal strap or
band passing along and outside the same from end to end thereof. It will thus be
seen that by my Invention I obtain a convenient and luxurious lounge by day and
a comfortable full-sized single or double bed by night. I prefer, for the sake of
appearance, to make the back of the sofa lower in proportion than it is shown in
my Drawings, which illustrate the frame A as being hinged or jointed at about the
centre of the bedstead, but it is obvious that by varying the position of the said
joint the back of the sofa may be made lower and the seat deeper, or vice versa;
for example, a four-foot bed may be so disposed as to form a sofa having a seat of
2 feet, 3 inches in depth, and a back of 1 foot, 9 inches in height; any other
proportion may however be obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I am aware that various arrangements
have been proposed for convertible articles of furniture, and that in many cases one
part of the horizontal or supporting frame has been made to turn up or down upon
joints or hinges, and therefore I make no claim to the hinged frame A separately, as
forming a part of my Invention, but what we consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The construction of convertible bedsteads or other like articles of furniture
wherein the head and foot frames or standards are so made or constructed as to
admit of one portion thereof being turned inwards or outwards in a horizontal
plane, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and iilustrated
by my Drawings.
Second. The combination in a convertible bedstead or other like article of furniture
of the hinged frame A with the hinged or jointed portions B of the end standards
or head and foot frames when arranged together, so as to produce the result herein-
before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harry Watkins Brookman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
5 Witness,
HARRY WATKINS BROOKMAN. (L.S.)
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.