Locking Appliance for Metallic Bedsteads.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1899 -Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Locking Appliance for Metallic Bedsteads.
I, HERMANN REINHOLD, of Südufer 24 and 25, Berlin, Germany, Manufacturer,
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 relates to the joints between the horizontal bearers of iron
bedsteads and the posts or pillars thereof which consist of vertically tapering
dovetail tongues on the one part which fit down into correspondingly tapered
dovetail grooves on the other part. This construction does not afford a suffi-
ciently firm fastening, as bedsteads so constructed are more or less liable to
rock to and fro, and there is always the risk that one of the dovetail tongues
may rise out of its groove, causing the bedstead to collapse.
The present invention has for its object to obviate these disadvantages, and
it consists in combining with each suchi tapering dovetail joint a horizontal rotat-
able locking pin or bolt which is consequently at right angles to the dovetail
joint, and which is so arranged that it engages with a hollow formed transversely
in the tapering dovetail tongue or passes through such a hollow, and by its rota-
tion it draws the dovetail tongue into the dovetail groove and presses both parts
so firmly together as to make the joint perfectly rigid, practically constituting
one piece.
By the said crossing at right angles of the vertical dovetail tongue and the
horizontal bolt therefore on the one hand any lifting of the former out of its
groove is absolutely prevented, and, on the other hand, by the rigid connection
of all the parts obtained, the entire bedstead is also rendered a completely rigid
structure so that not the slightest rocking motion can occur.
Figs. 1 to 5 and 8 of the accompanying drawings shew by way of example twe
arrangements for carrying out the said invention, while Figs. 6 and 7 shew
specially the action of the locking bolt in its various positions.
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section, Fig. 3 shews the same view with the locking
bolt turned half round. Fig. 2 shews a sectional plan. Figs. 4 and 5 shew
detached views of the dovetail joint piece and of the locking bolt.
The grooved joint piece fixed to the bed post a Fig. 1, is formed in the usual
manner with a dovetailed groove e tapering downwards, into which takes the
correspondingly tapered dovetailed tongue d of the casting f fixed to the bearer e
of the bedstead.
With this known construction is combined the locking device consisting of
the conical bolt g fitted through a correspondingly coned hole in the piece band
also engaging with a correspondingly coned hollow formed in the dovetail
tongue. The bolt is secured in its locking position by suitable means such
as by rivetting, screwing, or by a pin passing through it; it has a transverse
groove formed on one side thereof as shewn at Figs. 1, 3 and 5, which when in
the positions shewn at Figs. 1 and 2 allows the dovetail tongued with casting f
and bearer e to be inserted into or raised out of the groove of b. This notch or
groove may also be of the form shewn in dotted lines at in Fig. 5. The
tongue & having been lowered into the groove while the bolt g is in this position,
the bolt is turned about half round whereby the full part of the bolt is made
to enter and fill the hollow h, as shewn at Fig. 3. For effecting such rotation
of g its head is provided with suitable means such as an angular recess & Fig. 2,
into which is inserted a key for turning it.
When the bolt is in the position above described, and the dovetail tongue d

page_text: is lowered into the groove until the hollow h of d nearly faces the hollow ȧ of g;
it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the hollow will be situated slightly higher than
the hollow, because the part is not yet tightened down into its groove; such
drawing down and tightening is effected by the rotation of the bolt g. When
this has been turned into the position shewn at Fig. 6, the full part thereof will
bear in a downward direction against the lower part of the hollow which
owing to its excentric position projects into the circular path of the bolt, so that
on the further rotation of y it will force d downwards and tighten it in its groove,
until the hollow has been brought down sufficiently to coincide in position
with g, as at Fig. 7; the locking is thus completed and the bolt is then only
turned slightly further until it assumes the position at Fig. 3, that is to say,
it has been turned half round.
The bearer e and casting 6 of the bed post are thus rigidly secured together.
This operation having been repeated at all four posts of the bed, the before
described perfectly rigid structure will be obtained.
It will be evident that the dovetail tongue can be formed on the casting b
of the bed post, and the dovetail groove in the casting f of the bearer e, as shewn
at Fig. 8, in which case the bolt would be fitted through a corresponding hole
in f, the action is otherwise precisely the same as above described, the dovetail
groove being in this case drawn down and tightened by the rotation of the bolt
instead of the dovetail tongue.
Instead of arranging the bolt to pass entirely through the one or other part of
the joint, it may project only about half through the same, as shewn in sectional
plan at Figs. 9 and 10.
In Fig. 9 a bolt o engages with a notch m of the tongue d, and is secured in
the part by means of a kind of bayonet joint.
In order to unlock the joint without requiring the removal of the bolt o, this
may be formed like the arrangement at Figs. 1 to 7, with a notch or groove n,
so that when the bolt is turned so that n faces the tongue, the latter can be raised
or lowered in the groove of b.
Fig. 10 shews a similar construction of bolt o but with a different arrangement
for securing the two parts together. The bolt is provided with a screw thread p
screwing through a threaded ring or nut 7 fixed in by casting. It can be
formed with a notch as in Fig. 9. In all these cases the part of the bolt
engaging with the hollow of the tongue operates in precisely the same manner
as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7, the rotation of the bolt being made to
effect the drawing inward of the tongue into the groove to the rigidly locked
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
Locking appliance for metallic bedsteads whose posts and bearers are secured
together by vertical tapering dovetail tongues and grooves, consisting in forming
both in the tongue and in the groove a transverse hollow and combining there-
with a rotatable bolt with transverse hollow or passed through or into the
said hollows in such manner that on the rotation of the bolt into the locking
position it effects an inward pressure upon either the tongue or groove so as to
tighten the parts together while at the same time it projects into both hollows
so as to lock the parts in that position substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.