AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING OR SUSPENDING TRIMMINGS AND FURNITURE TO METALLIC BEDSTEADS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Mary Ann Dearden at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the 26th
December 1874.
I, MARY ANN DEARDEN, of Balby, near Doncaster, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING OR SUSPENDING TRIMMINGS AND FURNITURE TO
METALLIC BEDSTEADS," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention has for its object an improved method of attaching
trimmings or furniture to metallic bedsteads.
Hitherto great difficulty has been experienced in attaching trimmings
and furniture to metallic bedsteads by reason of the tedious, troublesome,
and very unsatisfactory process of sewing these on to almost the whole
of the bedstead, viz'., the top and head, also the fringe or valance round
the head or tester, and also the ornamental folds which are generally
added at the head of the bed; also the tying on of the valances round
the frame, viz., the sides and foot of the bedstead, which cannot be done
without a more or less uneven appearance and want of neatness, very
little friction detaching them at any point,

page_text: Now I propose to obviate such difficulties in the following manner :—
I take a piece of sheet steel or other metal of any suitable description,
and form it into a double hook, which for the sake of perspicuity I shall
hereafter designate as hook No. 1. Such double hook, No. 1, is made in
the form shewn at Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, and is
adapted to attach the bottom valances to a bedstead. When I desire to
attach such valances I first insert in the top of each of the valances a
thin flat metal bar, run in from end to end on the inside of the valance;
I then place a sufficient number of hooks, No. 1, at the bottom, and two
sido bars of the metal frame of the bedstead, the smallest hook at onc
end thereof catching over the top edge of such frame, and retaining cach
hook in its proper position, whilst the larger hook formed at the other
end thereof hangs down vertically, so as to allow of the thin metal bar
inserted at the top of each valance being dropped therein. All that is
then requisite is to place such metal bar in these hooks, as shown at
Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawings, cach hook passing through a
small vacancy left in the sewing on of the lower side of the binding or
lining through which the bar is run in the valance, and it becomes fixed
in the necessary position, and when it is desired to remove such valance
it is only requisite to lift out the bar and the entire valance is removed.
This plan is much simpler and more expeditious and efficient even than
the one in use for wooden bedsteads, and allows the valance to be much
more readily attached or removed.
No. 2 is another and smaller hook, manufactured of rather strong
steel or other wire, pointed and in the form as shewn at Figure 3 of the
accompanying Drawings ;. I flatten these hooks for about 2/3rds of their
size, so as to fit round and with sufficient clasticity to clasp more or less
tightly the different sized rods usually placed at the head and top of
metallic bedsteads. Hung on in one way they attach the top trimming,
which is placed horizontally from back to front. Hung on in another
way they serve to attach the head trimming, which is placed vertically
with the ornamental folds, &c., as may be desired, and intermediate
hooks attached in another way, viz., turned to face inside or outside,
serve to attach the fringe or trimming around the inside and outside of
the tester or top frame of the bedstead. The hooks fit so closely as not
to be observable when the trimming is on, answering the purpose of the
tonter hooks used in wooden bedsteads, and any part or all of the
trimming can be removed for cleaning with the greatest readiness,

page_text: emoving and putting on again not occupying one-fourth the time that
is required for merely the removal of the sowed-on trimming.
The size of the hooks will vary according to the dimensions of the
bedstead frame and rods, but an average size will be about, No. 1,
1½ inches long x 1½ inches deep to fit angle bar of frame; No. 2,
¾ inch diameter to fit round the iron rods usually used.
The form of hook No. 1 may be varied, as shewn at Figure 4 of the
accompanying Drawings, if preferred, as also the form of hook No. 2,
which may be made as shewn at Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
The advantages of these modified forms are that No. 1 will fit frames
that vary in strength or width, and No. 2 will support a light iron rod
(similar to but not so broad as those used for the sides and foot of the
bedstead) run into the valance round the top or tester of the bed.