IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hiram Tucker, of 11, Queen Square, Bloomsbury,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 4th June 1861, and dated the 11th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hiram Tucker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
December 1860.
I, HIRAM TUCKER, of 11, Queen Square, Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BEDSTEADS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in bedsteads. For these
purposes, in order to obtain an elastic foundation or surface to receive a
mattress or bed, laths are used, which it is preferred should be of wood, spruce
being considered the most suitable for the purpose, though other wood or
material may be employed. The laths are extended parallel to each other
from the head rail to the foot rail of a bedstead, or of a separate frame
suitable to be placed or fixed on a bedstead. The laths are somewhat
shorter than the distance between the head and foot rails, and when in
position the foot end of each lath will be held from movement by a suitable
instrument fixed to the foot rail of the bedstead or frame, whilst the head
end of cack lath will be retained by a suitable staple or instrument admitting

page_text: of longitudinal play or movement of that end of the lath. Intermediate of
the head rail and the foot rail of the bedstead, or of the frame for a bedstead,
and parallel with such rails, is fixed a rail which is nearer to the foot rail
than to the head rail, and the upper edge of this intermediate rail is rather
higher than the point at which the foot ends of the laths are held, and when
the laths are pressed on between this rail and the head rail, the laths are
caused to assume an undulating form between the head rail and the foot
rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hiram Tucker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HIRAM
TUCKER, of 11, Queen Square, Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Hiram Tucker, Her special licence that I, the said Hiram
Tucker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Hiram Tucker, 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 BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Hiram Tucker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument, in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hiram Tucker, 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 S
following statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in bedsteads. For these
purposes, in order to obtain an elastic foundation or surface to receive a
mattress or bed, laths are used, which it is preferred should be of wood;
spruce being considered the most suitable for the purpose, though other wood
or material may be employed. The laths are extended parallel to each other
from the head rail to the foot rail of a bedstead, or of a separate frame
suitable to be placed or fixed on a bedstead. The laths are somewhat
shorter than the distance between the head and foot rails, and when in
position the foot end of each lath will be held from movement by a suitable
instrument fixed to the foot rail of the bedstead or frame, whilst the head
end of each lath will be retained by a suitable staple or instrument, admitting
of longitudinal play or movement of that end of the lath. Intermediate of
the head rail and the foot rail of the bedstead or of the frame for a bedstead,
and parallel with such rails, is fixed a rail which is nearer to the foot rail
than to the head rail, and the upper edge of the intermediate rail is rather
higher than the point at which the foot ends of the laths are held, and
when the laths are pressed on between this rail and the head rail, the laths
are caused to assume an undulating form between the head rail and the
foot rail.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section when subjected to pressure; Figure
2 shows another longitudinal section, shewing the position and form the laths
take when not pressed on; and Figure 3 is a plan. The laths are preferred
to be of wood and slightly curved, which may be done by steaming, or such
curvature may be obtained by means of a stout wire, as represented in
Figures 4 and 5, but the manner of giving curvature to the laths forms no
part of my Invention.
a, a, are the laths, which are, as before stated, by preference of wood, and
of such substance that they will possess elasticity, and at the same time
sufficient strength to uphold the bedding and person or persons thereon.
6 is the head rail, and c is the foot rail; d is an intermediate rail, parallel
with the head and foot rails, on which rail d the several laths rest, and
by reason of which, when the laths are pressed on, they are caused to take
an undulating form between the head rail and the foot rail, in consequence
of the two ends of each lath being held down and caused constantly to press
on the intermediate rail.

page_text: In the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the instruments employed
for holding the laths in position at the head rail and foot rail are staples,
there being a notch or projection on the upper surface of the end of each
lath where it comes under the staple, and there is a hook-formed end where
the lath enters. the staple at the head rail, which admits of longitudinal
play of that end of the lath. When curvature is given to the laths by wires
it is accomplished in respect to each lath by bending a stout wire into the
form shown at Figure 4, which wire is passed through the lath at a¹, and is
held to the lath by bands or hoops at the ends a³, a³, and by a staple at a*; by
this arrangement the elasticity of the wire produces the curvature of the
lath, the ends of the lath being capable of sliding slightly on the wire.
The end of the wire at a² passes into a suitable hole or bearing in the foot
rail, and the other end of the wire is bent into a slightly hooked form, which
enters a hole in the head rail, by which it will be seen the ends of the wire
form the instruments which retain and support the ends of the laths at the
head and foot rails.
I would state that other forms of instruments may, if desired, be employed
for supporting the ends of the laths. Thus, supposing greater elasticity be
required at the head, a spring may be applied in connecting each lath with
the head rail.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
the mechanical parts separately, but what I claim is the combination herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hiram Tucker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.