IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- PACTURE OF METAL BEDSTEADS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tillett, of Kentish Town, in the County
of, Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF METAL BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 28th June 1853, and dated the 10th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tillett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th May 1853. ..
I, GEORGE TILLETT, of Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL BEDSTEADS " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of several improvements in the construction
of a metal bedstead. The pillars are made of tubes, which have slots
formed therein for receiving the ends of the rails, such slots are made
in sheet metal, and the sheets are then formed into tubes, and in some
cases the head and foot rails are fixed to the tubular pillars by being
bent partly or wholly round them, and then soldered or otherwise
fastened thereto. The laths are fixed into the rails by having notches
formed in the upper surface of the rails, the larger parts of the notches

page_text: being outwards, and the ends of the laths are made to correspond.
On the supper surfaces of the rails narrow fillets of hoop iron are
placed over the laths, which give the appearance of angle iron to the
rails, and they serve as valence rods. Stretcher rails or laths are used,
turned down at their ends, which enter between the rails. And in order
to give character to the head or foot of the bedstead, the same is made
with thin metal, corrugated or fluted, so that when the same is painted
penned it mirro
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Tillett in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 10th November 1853
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE... PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE TILLETT, of Kentish Town, in the County of, Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent, Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Tillett, Her special license that I, the
said George Tillett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Tillett, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter, during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make,, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF METAL BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Tillett, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause, the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tillett, do hereby declare'
the nature of the 'said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say): ...
This Invention consists of several improvements in the construction
of a metal bedstead. The pillars are made of tubes, which liave-slots
formed therein for receiving the ends of the rails, 'such slots are niade
in sheet metal, and the sheets are then formed into tubes, and in some'
cases the head and foot rails are fixed to 'the tubular pillars by being
bent partly or wholly round them, and then soldered or otherwise'
fastened thereto. The laths are fixed into the rails by having notches
formed in the upper surface of the rails, the larger parts of the notches
being outward, and the end of the laths are made to correspond; on the
upper surfaces of the rails narrow fillets of hoop iron are placed over!
the laths, which give the appearance of angle iron to the rails, and they
serve as valance rods. Stretcher rails or laths are used, turned down at
their ends, which enter between the rails; and in order to give character
to the head or foot of the bedstead, the same is made with thin metal,
corrugated or fluted, so that when the same is painted or japanned it
gives the appearance of fluted silk or fabric.
241
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner in which I perform the same.
I
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a bedstead constructed according to
my Invention. Figure 2, is a plan, and Figure 3, an end elevation
thereof. In cach of these figures, and also in the detail views, shown
ön a larger scale, the same letters are used to indicate the same parts.
a, a, are the tubular posts, in each of which are formed two openings to
receive the ends of a side and end rail b, b', which I prefer to be flat, as
shewn; but this may be varied; c, c, are the metal laths, which are
fixed on to the side and end rails, as shewn; d, d, are stretchers, which
are turned down at their ends, and have screws e, e, for pressing out
the side rails, as shewn; but other forms of stretchers may be used.
Figure 4, shows part of a tubular post, partly in section, which is made

page_text: of sheet metal, and it has two slots formed therein, suitable for receiving
the ends of a side and end rail at right angles to each other; b, is the
side rail, and b', is an end rail. Figure 5, shows two views of one of
the ends of one of the side rails b; and Figure 6, shows two views of
one of the ends of the end rails b', by which, aided by Figure 4, it will
readily be understood how the two ends b, and 61, lock into each other
after they have been passed through their respective openings or slots
in the hollow post a; and the notched ends of b, ', being pressed into
each other make all fast. If thin metal be used in making the posts
a, the parts where the slots are made through, and the ends of the rails,
are fixed, as is shown in Figures 7, and 8, then that part of a post may
be strengthened by an external tube soldered or otherwise fixed, or by
an internal strengthening piece, as shown at Figure 8, and retained in
position by screws or otherwise, as, shown. f, f, are valance laths,
having filling pieces f', at their ends to enter the slots in the posts a;
these laths f, cover the laths c, and give the upper surface of the rails
the appearance of angle iron. The side and end rails b, b', are made
with notches g, g, the largest parts of the notches being outwards. The
Figures of the Drawings show two arrangements of these parts.
Figure 9, shows part of a side view, and of a plan of a side or end
rail 6, . Figure 10, shows a plan and edge view of one end of a lath c,
there being conical projection c', formed thereto, suitable for fitting into
the notches g, of the rail b, b, as is shown by Figure 11, in plan and
side view, where the parts b, b', and c, are shewn combined, as in use.
Figure 12, shows a plan and side view of another side or end rail,
having a notch g, y, to receive the end of a lath c, such notch being
largest outwards, the notch or recess being of the width of the lath c,
and undercut so as to widen it outwards, and render it suitable for
receiving the end of a lath c, such as is shown at Figure 13, and these
parts are shown combined together in Figure 14. The head and foot
of a bedstead, when it is desired, may have a finished character given
thereto, as shown at Figure 3, by employing corrugated or fluted metal,
so that when painted or japanned it may give the appearance of fluted
silk or fabric.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner

page_text: of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein described, nor do I claim the
parts separately. But what I claim are, the means herein described of
constructing and combining the parts of bedsteads.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tillett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
GEORGE TILLETT. (L.S.)
Witness, H. W. CARPMAEL.