AN IMPROVED CAMP BED WHICH MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Auguste Lafage at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
October 1870.
I, AUGUSTE LAFAGE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CAMP
BED WHICH MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
A camp bed constructed according to this Invention may be con-
verted to many other useful purposes in addition to that of a bed for the
traveller or soldier, which bed is provided with a waterproof covering
to protect its occupant from the inclemency of the weather, so that the
bed by being simply placed on the open ground may be rendered
available for occupation without canopy or other protection from the
weather, or it may be so placed as to form a temporary sentry box,
and also may be used as a portable pontoon or a raft, or as an outer
garment, or in combination with other like beds may be used to form
a tent.

page_text: A bed constructed according to this Invention consists of an air
cushion constructed of macintosh or other flexible fabric of the required
length and breadth to form the bed proper. The two sheets forming
the cushion are attached together in parallel lines running longitudi-
nally from the foot of the bed to the point where in an ordinary bed
the pillow would be placed. This cushion on being inflated through
the ordinary air valve used for such purposes will form a number of
parallel flexible air inflated tubes to receive the body and lower limbs of
the occupant, and forms an air pillow to rest the head upon. The
longitudinal sides of the air bed are constructed with wing pieces of
waterproof fabric which are kept extended by means of transvers ribs
of steel or other suitable material. The outer edge of one of these
longitudinal wing pieces is formed with a flap piece in which are con-
structed button holes to receive buttons attached to the opposite wing,
so that when the wings are folded over the bed they can be buttoned
together so as to form a pitch roof over the bed. The head of the bed
has attached to it a square or other suitably shaped wing piece of water-
proof fabric for enclosing the upper end of the bed roof, which is done
by lifting it up and folding the corners down on to the roof, where it is
held by buttons or other suitable fastenings. In place of the buttons
used to fasten the longitudinal wings forming the roof of the bed, any
other convenient attachment may be used. To use the structure as
a sentry box the cushion forming the bed is placed upright, and the
side wings opened out to a right angle, the upper. flap piece constituting
the roof or top of the box. The fabric is supported by rods of wood or
in any convenient manner. When used as a float or pontoon or raft,
the upper flap and side wings of the bed are folded and secured, or
stowed in any other convenient manner not to be in the way, thus
forming a light convenient and portable float applicable to the crossing
of rivers and other like purposes.
The material when not required for any of the herein-before described
or analogous purposes is collapsed by expelling the air, when it simply
forms a double fabric, which by turning over what was the head flap or
apron of the bed on to what was the body of the cushion and buttoning
or otherwise securing it, we have simply a rectangular waterproof sheet,
which by having a slit in the centre through which the head of the wearer
is passed forms a perfect and waterproof ponsho which will perfectly

page_text: "
protect the wearer and his accoutrements. The slit through which the
head of the wearer is passed may be constructed with flap pieces laced
together to prevent damp rising through the opening when used as a
bed. Or in place of the slit used to form the sheet into a ponsho the
sheet may be folded to a convenient length to be suspended from the
shoulders, and may be held in position by two straps, the end of one
of which carries a buckle, into which the end of the other takes. The
head flap or the folded portion of the sheet may be so arranged as to
form a hood for protecting the head. The sheet may be used in com-
bination with others to which it is attached by the edges for the
formation of canopies or tents, as will be readily understood. When
the bed is to be used for hospital purposes it may be filled with water
in place of air.