CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING BED CLOTHES IN POSITION ON THE BED
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bernoulli Barlow, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of " "CERTAIN APPARATUS
FOR HOLDING BED CLOTHES IN POSITION ON THE BED." A communication
from abroad by Gustav Heis, of Trier, in Germany.
Sealed the 28th February 1879, and dated the 30th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September 1878.
HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Patent
Agent. "CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING BED CLOTHES IN POSITION ON THE
BED." A communication from abroad by Gustav Heis, of Trier, in Germany.
This Invention consists of certain apparatus by which the sheets, blankets,
coverlets, or other bed clothes are held in their determined position to prevent
persons tossing them off. The apparatus consists of a clamp made of two pieces of
wood or other material bolted together, between which the lower ends of both
sheets, the blankets, and the coverlet are secured. The clamp is placed between
and connected to the bed posts.
At the other end of the lower sheet is a loop through which passes a wood or
other rod secured to the bed posts at the head of the bed; by this means the lower
sheet is kept distended. Or the lower sheet may be distended by weights con-
nected to the rod. The upper sheet and the blanket when folded over at the head
of the bed are secured by light spring clips which are opened by a forked spanner
or otherwise to allow the clamps to pass over the folded bed clothes; or buttons or
ribbons may be used instead of clamps.
The advantages of this apparatus are that a considerable saving is effected in the
bedding materials, and the bed clothes are always kept in position, which is
particularly desirable for invalids and children,
ג

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Henry Bernoulli Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th March
1879.
"
HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Patent.
Agent.
CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING BED CLOTHES IN POSITION ON THE
BED." A communication from abroad by Gustave Heis, of Trier, in Germany.
This Invention consists of certain apparatus by which the sheets, blankets,
coverlets, or other bed clothes are held in their determined position to prevent
persons in bed tossing them off.
The advantages of this apparatus are that a considerable saving is effected in the
bedding materials, and the bed clothes are always kept in position, which is
particularly desirable for invalids and children.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a bed to which these improvements
are applied; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Figs. 3 to 11 are detached views of parts
of the same.
At the inferior part of the bedstead, between the mattrass and footboard, is
placed the board A, see Figs. 3 and 4, consisting of two pieces which are screwed
together by two bolts a, a.
The lower ends of the sheets and blankets are pinched between these two
boards A, and at those places where the bolts go through the boards they are
furnished with holes having borders like button holes in order to avoid being torn.
The bolts a, a, have flat heads at their lower ends let into the wood for preventing
them from turning therein; at the upper ends they are provided with nuts which
are made to turn easily. In the inferior board are at certain distances screwed
small wood screws b, b, see Fig. 3, with round heads, which fit in corresponding
cavities cut in the superior board. The purpose of these heads is to effect a better
fastening of the bed clothes which are pressed at the different points into the
cavities when the boards are being screwed together. It is thereby impossible to
pull the bed clothes out from between the boards even should the bolts a not have
been screwed up quite equally. When the boards are screwed together by means
of the screws a, a, and the screw spanner B, see Fig. 6, and the board A is put in
behind the mattress, as indicated in Fig. 1, the bedding at the foot of the bed
cannot be deranged in its position. The board a is just long enough to fit between
the two bed posts.
There are various ways of maintaining the inferior sheet upon which the body
lies at the bed's head in its position. According to one of the simplest means, the
end of the sheet is bordered, and into the border is put a stick C, Fig. 5. This
stick prevents the lateral folding together of the sheet, and it affords means to
fasten the head end of the sheet to the upper part of the bedstead. At two
positions opposite to the extreme bolts a of the board A, bands c, c, Figs. 2 and 5,
are wound round about the stick, coming out through bordered holes of the sheet
at d, where they are slightly knitted. It is by means of these bands that the stick
is attached to two small hooks which are screwed into the top side of the bedstead,
see Figs. 1, 2, and 5.
Another mode of fastening the stick is represented in Fig. 9.
In this case, short iron bands are fixed on both the posts of the bed's head, which
project at the inside and allow the stick ends to be put behind them. On account
of the posts the stick can move neither to the right nor to the left. This mode of
fastening the bedding is indeed extremely simple and practical, but it affords not
such an economy of cloth as that described herein-before. It should therefore be
employed at places where it depends less on the economy than the accomplishment
of the purpose.
The stretching of the bed clothes may be produced by two weights attached to
the stick C by means of cords passing between the mattrass and the top frame.

page_text: When economy is not essential the sheet may be left a little longer, and with
the stick wound round the pillow or bolster. The weight of pillow and body
suffices to keep the stick in position.
Light cramps e, Figs. 1, 2, 10, and 11, serve to hold together the folded part of
the blanket and the upper sheet. They are made of thin drawn spring steel. One
leg is somewhat longer that the other, and both are bent over at their ends, being
kept together by elasticity so that they hold together the folded bedding. In
Fig. 11 is represented such a small cramp in full size..
The spanner B, see Figs. 6, 7, and 8, is advantageously used for opening and
putting on the small cramps. One end of this spanner serves to screw the
bolts a, a, of the board A, the other is provided with a fork having points f, f,
rectangularly turned up, which are placed into the cramp e, as shewn in Fig. 6.
By turning either the cramp or spanner the ends will be forced out so that it may
be put over the folded bedding as shewn in Fig. 10. When the cramp which is
placed on the spanner is put over the fold, a turning of the cramp on the spanner is
effected, as indicated in Fig. 8. The cramp will in consequence of its elasticity
close together and hold firmly the bedding in the desired position.
It suffices to employ two cramps at the top end and two at the sides of the
counterpane, as represented in Fig. 2.
These small cramps are completely hidden in the bed clothes and do not in the
least trouble the person lying in the bed.
The inventor does not restrict himself to the use of cramps but he intends also to
employ ribbons or button holes and buttons.
The advantages produced by the application of the arrangement for holding
beddings in position in the above-described manner are the following:-
First. A considerable economy of the material used for the bed clothes.
Second. Safety against taking cold owing to throwing off the bed clothes,
Third. On account of a lighter covering being firmly held, the bed is more airy
and still kept sufficiently warm.
Fourth. That part of the sheet which is in contact with the feet will never come
in contact with the face, which is very important in a sanitary point of view.
Having thus stated the nature and particulars of the Invention communicated to
me by the within-named Gustave Heis, I declare that I claim,-
First. The general arrangement of apparatus by which the sheet, blankets,
coverlets, or other bed clothes are held in position, substantially as herein-before
described and shewn in the Drawing.
Secondly. The arrangement of parts for stretching the sheet on which the body
lies, and connecting it with the top part of the bedstead, as shewn and described.
Thirdly. Fastening the fold of the covering clothes in position by means of
cramps, ribbons, or buttons, as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The above-described boards A placed between the mattrass and the
foot board for the purpose of holding together the blankets and bed clothes at the
foot of the bed.
Fifthly. The manner of fastening the top end of the sheet by the aid of the wood
stick at the top end of the bed, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, One thousand eight hundred
H. B. BARLOW. (L.S.)