IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS, COTS, AND COUCHES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Lawson, of the Firm of Robert Lloyd
Crosbie and Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers, and Richard George Hodgetts, of
Birmingham, aforesaid, Foreman of Works, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Lawson and
Richard George Hodgetts at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 10th September 1872.
We, EDWARD LAWSON, of the Firm of Robert Lloyd Crosbie and
Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Metallic Bedstead
Manufacturers, and RICHARD GEORGE HODGETTS, of Birmingham, afore-
said, Foreman of Works, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BEDSTEADS, COTS, AND COUCHES,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of the following improvements in constructing
the parts of metallic bedsteads. cots and couches.

page_text: We will describe our Invention as applied to a metallic bedstead. In
the ordinary method of constructing a metallic bedstead the said bed-
stead is supported upon legs forming a continuation of the pillars of the
said bedstead, the said pillars having cast upon them the corner blocks
with which the angle bars forming the framing of the bedstead are
connected, the head and foot rails of the bedstead being carried by the
end angle bars of the framing.
In constructing a metallic bedstead according to our Invention we
support the bedstead by means of the head and foot rails, the parts being
arranged substantially as follows:-We make the framing of the head
and foot rails stronger than usual, and of such a depth that the lower
part is situated by preference just above the floor of the room. The said
head and foot rails may have a circular, or rectangular, or other figure,
according to the particular ornamental pattern or device it is wished
them to have. Upon the sides of the framing of the head and foot rails
feet are made by means of which the bedstead is supported. The corner
blocks for connecting the angle bars of the bedstead framing together are
cast upon the framing of the head and foot rails, the means for con-
necting the angle bars together being the same as usual. By these
improvements the ordinary pillars and legs are dispensed with, and the
bedstead is supported wholly from the head and foot rails; great scope
for the ornamentation of the head and foot rails is also obtained.
'
In applying our Invention to cots and couches we construct and
combine the parts in the manner described with respect to a metallic
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Lawson and Richard George Hodgetts in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 8th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
LAWSON, of the Firm of Robert Lloyd Crosbie and Company, of Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, Metallic Bedstead Manufacturers,
and RICHARD GEORGE HODGETTS, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Foreman of
Works, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Edward Lawson and Richard George
Hodgetts, Her special license that we, the said Edward Lawson and
Richard George Hodgetts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Edward Lawson and Richard George
Hodgetts, our 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 METALLIC BEDSTEADS, COTS, AND COUCHES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Edward Lawson and Richard
George Hodgetts, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us or them, 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 Edward Lawson, on behalf of
myself and the said Richard George Hodgetts, 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:-
Our Invention consists of the following improvements in constructing
the parts of metallic bedsteads, cots, and couches.
In
We will describe our Invention as applied to a metallic bedstead.
the ordinary method of constructing a metallic bedstead, the said bed-
stead is supported upon legs forming a continuation of the pillars of the
said bedstead, the said pillars having cast upon them the corner blocks
with which the angle bars forming the framing of the bedstead are
connected, the head and foot rails of the bedstead being carried by the
end angle bars of the framing.
In constructing a metallic bedstead according to our Invention we
support the bedstead by means of the head and foot rails, the parts
being arranged substantially as follows:-We make the framing of the

page_text: head and foot rails stronger than usual, and of such a depth that the
lower part is situated by preference just above the floor of the room.
The said head and foot rails may have a circular, or rectangular, or other
figure, according to the particular ornamental pattern or device it is
wished to have. Upon the sides of the framing of the head and foot
rails feet are made by means of which the bedstead is supported. The
corner blocks for connecting the angle bars of the bedstead framing
together are cast upon the framing of the head and foot rails, the means
for connecting the angle bars together being the same as usual.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in front elevation,
and Figure 2 in edge view a head or foot rail of a metallic bedstead
constructed according to our Invention.
a is the circular framing of the rail made of strong rods, bars, or
tubing, the said framing enclosing and supporting the ornamental
parts b, b. The rail projects considerably below the angle bar c, its
lowest point nearly touching the floor of the room. Upon the sides of
the rail a feet d, d, are made, by means of which feet the bedstead is
supported. The angle bar c at the back of the rail is fixed to the said
rail by the corner blocks e, e, which corner blocks are cast upon the
framing a of the rail and upon the ends of the angle bar c. The
feet d, d, and corner blocks e, e, are cast upon the rail a at one operation,
or the said feet d, d, may be cast or made separately, and attached to the
parts es, e, of the said blocks e, e. The parts of the rail may be made of
cast iron, malleable cast iron, or brass.
The framing of the rail, instead of having the circular figure repre-
sented may have a rectangular or other figure given to it.
Rails constructed according to our Invention may either be applied to
both the head and foot of the bedstead or to the foot only.
By these improvements the ordinary pillars and legs are dispensed
with, and the bedstead, having head and foot rails according to our
Invention, is supported wholly from the said head and foot rails, great
scope for the ornamentation of the head and foot rails is also obtained.
In applying our Invention to cots and couches we construct and
combine the parts in the manner described and illustrated with respect

page_text: Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that
we claim as our Invention the improvements in metallic bedsteads, cots,
and couches herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, constructing the head and foot rails of metallic
bedsteads, cots, and couches; with feet connected directly with the said
rails so as to support the bedstead, cot, or couch wholly from the said
head and foot rails, or when a head or foot rail only is employed
supporting the head or foot of the bedstead, cot, or couch from the said
rail, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Lawson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
15 Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
EDWARD LAWSON. (L.S.)