Improvements in the Manufacture of the Rails of Metallic Bedsteads and Cots.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Rails of Metallic Bedsteads
and Cots.
I, GEORGE OVERTON ASTON, of No. 308, Balsall Heath Road, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
I will describe my invention in connection with the head or foot rail of a metallic
bedstead.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I remark that the
said rails ordinarily consist of a series of vertical tubes connected at top and
bottom by cross or horizontal tubes. The vertical tubes are ordinarily connected
to the horizontal tubes by screws or by chill cast junction pieces.
In making the sail rail according to my invention I insert the ends of the
vertical tubes in holes formed in the top and bottom horizontal tubes the said
holes being made on one side only of each horizontal tube, that is to say, the said
holes do not pass wholly through the horizontal tubes. Near each end of the
vertical tubes, a cross hole is made and when the ends of the said vertical tubes
are inserted in the horizontal tubes, an axial or fixing rod is passed along the axis
of each of the horizontal tubes, the said axial or fixing rod passing through the
holes near the ends of the vertical tubes, the said ends of the vertical tubes being
thus threaded upon the axial rod. The several vertical tubes are thus in position.
The axial or fixing rods may be fixed in place by screwing or otherwise. Stamped
or cast ornaments may be fitted on the vertical tubes at their junction with the
horizontal or cross tubes. The ends of the vertical tubes may be divided longi-
tudinally, a portion of the metal being cut away from the middle of the tube, two
ears being thereby formed opposite each other. The eared or forked ends of the
vertical tubes are inserted in the circular holes in the horizontal tubes hereinbefore
described. The holes through which the axial rod is threaded are made in the
eared ends of the tubes. The said ears may be flattened and slots made in the
horizontal tubes of a size and shape suitable for the reception of the said flattened
ears.
By this modification much less metal is cut away from the horizontal tubes
and the said horizontal tubes are consequently less weakened than when the first
described arrangement is used.
I have described the holes in the horizontal tubes as not passing completely
through the tubes but where for convenience in attaching ornaments to the hori-
zontal tubes or for other purpose projections may be required one or more of the
holes may pass through the tube and the ends of the vertical tubes engaging in
the said holes project from the tube.
Dated this Fourteenth day of January 1898.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Rails of Metallic Bedsteads
and Cots.
I, GEORGE OVERTON ASTON, of No. 308, Balsall Heath Road, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
I will describe my invention in connection with the head or foot rail of a metallic
bedstead.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I remark that the
said rails ordinarily consist of a series of vertical tubes connected at top and
bottom by cross or horizontal tubes. The vertical tubes are ordinarily connected
to the horizontal tubes by screws or by chill cast junction pieces.
In making the said rail according to my invention I insert the ends of the
vertical tubes in holes. formed in the top and bottom horizontal tubes the said
holes being made on one side only of each horizontal tube, that is to say, the said
tubes do not pass wholly through the horizontal tubes. Near each end of the
vertical tubes a cross hole is made and when the ends of the said vertical tubes
are inserted in the horizontal tubes, an axial or fixing rod is passed along
each of the horizontal tubes, the said fixing rod passing through the holes near the
ends of the vertical tubes, the said ends of the vertical tubes being thus threaded
upon the rod.
The several vertical tubes are thus fixed in position. The fixing
rods may be fixed in place by screwing or otherwise.
Stamped or cast ornaments may be fitted on the vertical tubes at their junction
with the horizontal or cross tubes.
The ends of the vertical tubes may be divided longitudinally, a portion of the
metal being cut away from the middle of the tube, two ears being thereby formed
opposite each other. The eared or forked ends of the vertical tubes are inserted
in the circular holes in the horizontal tubes hereinbefore described. The holes
through which the axial rod is threaded are made in the eared ends of the tubes.
The said ears may be flattened and slots made in the horizontal tubes of a size
and shape suitable for the reception of the said flattened ears. By this modifica-
tion much less metal is cut away from the horizontal tubes and the said horizontal
tubes are consequently less weakened, than when the first described arrangement
is used.
I have described the holes in the horizontal tubes as not passing completely
through the tubes but where for convenience in attaching ornaments to the hori-
zontal tubes or for other purpose projections may be required, one or more of the
holes may pass through the tube and the ends of the vertical tubes engaging in
the said holes project from the tube.
Figure of the accompanying drawings represents partly in elevation and
partly in section a portion of a bedstead rail constructed according to my inven-
tion; Figure 2 is a section of the same taken on the dotted line x, x Figure 1 and
Figure 3 represents in elevation one of the vertical tubes detached..
Figures 4 to 9 both inclusive represent modifications of my invention herein-
after particularly described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
In the arrangement Figures 1 to 3, a, a are the two horizontal tubes of the
rail and b, b, bare the vertical tubes. The said tubes a, a have along one side
a series of circular holes for the reception of the ends of the vertical tubes b, b,

page_text: and the said vertical tubes b, b have eyes or holes c, c (see Figure 3) at such a
distance from their ends as will permit a wire or rod d passed through each of
the horizontal tubes a, a and preferably along the inner side of the same to thread
through the series of eyes or holes c, c and thereby secure the vertical tubes in
place as will be best understood by reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Instead of making circular holes in one side of the horizontal tubes a, a for
the reception of the ends of the vertical tubes b, b, oblong holes or cross slots may
be made in the said horizontal tubes a, a as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Or
oblong holes or cross slots in pairs may be made in the horizontal tubes a, a as
illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.
In the former case (Figures 4 and 5) the vertical tubes b, 6 have ears b¹ (see
Figure 6) for taking in the cross slots, and in the case (Figures 7 and 8) the ends
of the vertical tubes b, b are forked the branches, arms or ears 62, 62 (see Figure 9)
taking in the pairs of cross slots described and represented.
In both arrangements (Figures 4 to 9 both inclusive) the eyes or holes c, c are
made in the ears of the vertical tubes bat such a distance from their ends as will
permit the fixing wire, rod or bar & passing through them lying preferably in
contact with the inner side of the horizontal tube.
The ends of the fixing wires, rods or bars d, d may be screwed and may project
through holes in the corner pillars of the bedstead and be secured thereto by
screwed terminal ornaments or knobs.
For the convenience of attaching ornaments one or more of the vertical tubes
may be made somewhat longer than the others, the ends of each longer tube passing
through holes in the upper and lower sides of the horizontal tubes for the recep-
tion of the ornament or receiving the fastening pin or pins of the ornament.
Although I have only described my invention in connection with the head or
foot rail of a metallic bedstead I wish it to be understood that it is equally applic-
able to the making of the head, foot and side rails of cots as well as to ornamental
rails for bedsteads and cots. In the latter case the tubes which I have herein-
before referred to as the horizontal tubes may constitute the vertical tubes the
other or crossing tubes being horizontal or otherwise arranged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention:-
First: Making the rails of metallic bedsteads and cots of two parallel tubes
and a series of cross tubes the ends of the cross tubes taking in holes in the
parallel tubes; wires, rods or bars passing through the parallel tubes engaging in
or threading through holes or eyes in the ends of the cross tubes and thereby
securing the cross tubes in place substantially as herein before described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly: Making the rails of metallic bedsteads and cots of two parallel
tubes and a series of cross tubes the ends of which have projecting parts or ears
taking in cross holes or slots in the parallel tubes, wires, rods or bars passing
through the parallel tubes engaging in or threading through holes or eyes in the
projecting parts or ears of the cross tubes and thereby securing the cross tubes in
place substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
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