An Improved Hammock Frame or Support.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1894
Complete Specification :Left; 22nd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hammock Frame or Support.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES POLES, of Oakfield, Silsden, in the County of York,
Wesleyan Minister, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention is designed to provide a portable and adjustable frame. or
appliance upon which to hang or support a hammock for use and which can be
readily moved from place to place or taken asunder for the purpose of transport
or packing.
It consists essentially of a frame constructed with two end uprights" hinged or
pivoted to a base provided with suitable feet or supports so that the height or
inclination of the uprights can be varied or adjusted and held in position by 'stays
and springs upon which the hammock is swung.
4
I construct the frame with a longitudinal base piece to place the uprights at the
desired distance apart. The base piece is provided with feet or supports and the
uprights are pivoted thereto. The uprights are provided with lateral stays, also
hinged or pivoted to the base and also with internal stays, supports, 'spreaders
which are pivoted thereto at or near the top. The longitudinal base piece is
provided with a number of notches with which the ends of 'the inner stays engage
to hold the uprights at the desired inclination. These stays may be pivoted to the
base and engage with notches on the uprights but at present I prefer the former
arrangement. Springs are attached to the uprights and to the base to hold them
from falling outwards when the hammock is not in use. Instead of these springs
additional stays preferably pivoted may be placed on the outside of the uprights
to prevent then falling outwards but the springs will be found more compact and
less liable to be in the way. Small hooks or studs are provided on the 'side' of 'the
uprights upon which to hang the hammock.
The longitudinal base piece may be made in one, two or more' parts 'as found
most convenient and the feet or supports may be detachable therefrom "or may be
hinged or pivoted thereto so as to be easily removed and placed in suitable position
'for transport. The uprights also may be madé détachable or so hinged' or pivoted
as to be easily packed in small compass and the side stays pivoted thereto as well
as to the base to allow of same being laid flat when the uprights are detached.
For this purpose the side stays may be made of metal rods with eyes 'formed' at
both ends or they may be made of wood with eyes attached thereto. The eyes' 'at
the top fit between double eyes of flat pieces affixed to the sides of the uprights
and a bolt or stud passed therethrough to form a hinge or pivot. The eyes at the
bottom ends of the stays are formed at right angles to those at the top end and
engage with double eyes on the base also forming a' hinge therewith. The upright
is preferably hinged in a similar manner and a bolt or rod is passed through the
eyes of both stays and upright' to form the hinges' for all.
-
This bolt or rod may be provided with a thumb piece or head at one end' and a
screw at the 'other either to be screwed into one of the eyes or into a nut placed at
the side thereof. By withdrawing this rod all are disconnected together and the
stays can be folded flat against the sides of the uprights.
The frame may be made of wood or metal but at present I think timber* will be
the most serviceable.
"It may be used with any description of hammock either indoors or outside being

page_text: readily movable from place to place and has the advantage that it can be placed
in any suitable position irrespective of the position of trees or the like. The
hammock is hung upon the hooks on the uprights and the uprights are set at such
an inclination as to give the desired amount of stretch or tension to the hammock.
Dated this 25th day of May 1894.
f
An improved Hammock Frame or support.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES POLES, of Stow-on-the-Wold, in the County of
Gloucester, late of Oakfield, Silsden, in the County of York, Wesleyan Minister,
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:-
This invention is designed to provide a portable and adjustable frame or appliance
upon which to hang or support a hammock for use and which can be readily moved
from place to place or taken asunder for the purpose of transport or packing.
It consists essentially of a frame constructed with two movable uprights upon
which the hammock is slung pivoted or hinged to a base provided with suitable
feet and held in normal position by stays and springs so that the height or
inclination of the pivoted uprights can be varied or adjusted as desired to suit the
convenience of the user.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation partly in section.
Fig. 2. End elevation."
Fig. 3. Transverse section -y Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. Perspective view.
The longitudinal piece or bar A with the transverse pieces D form the base of
the frame which is of such a length as to maintain the pivoted uprights B and C
at the desired distance apart. The transverse pieces D attached to the longitudinal
piece A form feet or supports to give lateral support to the whole frame, and are
preferably secured to the base A by a long screw a so that they can be readily
removed or detached for the purpose of packing up the frame into small compass.
Small hooks or cleats c are affixed to the upper ends of the uprights B and C
by which the hammock is secured thereto.
The pivoted uprights B and C are hinged or otherwise pivoted to the base
piece A or to the feet D so that their distance apart at the base remains constant
hilst at their upper ends they can be spread out or moved apart to any desired
extent. At present I prefer to hinge or pivot them upon rods d passed through
1
cyes upon the feet D. At the lower end of each of the uprights is attached a
linged plate 6 through which the rod d passes.
At the inner side of each of the uprights is pivoted a stay or spreader E upon
the bracket e. The longitudinal base piece A is provided with a number of notches
with which the ends of the stays engage. The lower end of the spreader E fits
into these notches cut in the base piece A by means of which the inclination of the
uprights and the distance they are spread apart can be easily adjusted as desired.
The stays or spreaders E may if desired be pivoted to the base piece A and
engage with notches on the uprights B and C but at present I prefer the
arrangement shown.
I support the uprights or prevent them falling outwards when the hammock is
not in use by springs F one end of each of which is attached to the base piece A

page_text: and the other to the upright B or C. When vertical the uprights are drawn
against the blocks G which also serve as guides for the springs.
Instead of these springs additional stays preferably pivoted may be placed on
the outside of the uprights to prevent them falling outwards but the springs will
be found more compact and less liable to be in the way.
At each side of the uprights B and C are placed side stays H to prevent lateral
movement. These side stays are of any convenient construction to give rigidity
and firmness to the uprights and are pivoted at the base to allow of their spreading
movement. In practice I prefer to hinge or pivot them to the uprights as well as
to the base to allow of their being laid flat when the uprights are detached from
the base. For this purpose the side stays H are each made of metal rods with
eyes formed at both ends or they may be made of wood with eyes attached thereto.
The eyes at the top fit between double eyes of brackets h affixed to the sides of
the uprights and a bolt or stud passed therethrough to form a hinge or pivot. Tbe
eyes at the bottom ends of the stays are formed at right angles to those at the top
end and engage with the rod d upon which the upright is pivoted. The bolt or
rod d is passed through the eyes of both stays and upright to form the hinges for
all. This bolt or rod may be provided with a thumb piece or head at one end and
a screw at the other either to be screwed into one of the eyes or into a nut placed
at the side thereof. By withdrawing this rod all are disconnected at once and the
stays can be folded flat against the sides of the uprights.
The uprights B and C and the stay rods H may be hinged or pivoted to the
base piece A in any other convenient manner so as either to be detachable or
capable of being folded up flat.
The frame may be made of wood or metal but at present I think timber will be
the most serviceable.
It may be used with any description of hammock either indoors or outside being
readily movable from place to place and has the advantage that it can be placed
in any suitable position irrespective of the position of trees or the like. The
hammock is hung upon the hooks on the uprights and the uprights are set at such
an inclination as to give the desired amount of stretch or tension to the hammock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A frame or stretcher for supporting hammocks constructed with two movable
uprights hinged or pivoted to a stationary base and stays for holding them in the
desired position capable of being spread out at their upper ends or of being set to
any inclination substantially as described.
2. A portable frame or support for hammocks having the several parts
constructed and arranged in combination substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 21st day of February 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.