IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE CAMP BEDSTEADS AND BEDDING
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Day, of the Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Camp Equipage Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PORTABLE CAMP BEDSTEADS AND BEDDING."
Sealed the 9th February 1855, and dated the 14th December 1854.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Charles Day at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Decla-
ration, on the 14th December 1854, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES DAY, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Camp Equipage
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said William Charles Day, have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters.
Patent for an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE CAMP BEDSTEADS AND
BEDDING:"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Charles Day, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and the Drawings therein referred to (that is to say) :-

page_text: My improvements in portable camp bedsteads relate to the combination of
a folding bedstead, or part thereof, with a portmanteau or other travelling
trunk, box, or case, so that the trunk supplies the place of that part of the
bedstead omitted. The weight of the material in the bedstead is thus much
reduced, and so light as to be readily carried. The portmanteau or box being
an indispensable part of travelling or camp equipage, forms no additional
weight to be transported. I am aware that stretchers have heretofore been
placed between two boxes or portmanteaus, so that the whole would form a
raised support for a bed; but from the necessity to carry two boxes, this is
in many instances inconvenient, and in some contrary to military regulation.
The construction of bedstead I adopt, by preference, is that known as the
ordinary folding stretcher bedstead, which is a light metal structure; this,
however, I reduce by omitting the standards of one end and a portion of the
side rails, and substituting therefore the box before mentioned.
Fig. 1 of the Sheet of Drawings annexed represents my improved portable
camp bedstead complete; and Fig. 2, a similar view, with the canvas or sacking
bottom removed, to show more clearly its construction; while Figs. 3 & 4
show the metal framework in its collapsed or folded state. The metal frame-
work of this bedstead consists of two side rails, each consisting of two parts,
a, b, c, d, jointed to each other by the connecting pieces e & f, forming
the tops of the middle cross legs g, h, or support of the bedstead, which legs
are jointed to each other at i. A second pair of cross legs k, l, support the
head of the bed, and are jointed to the side rails a, &c., as best seen at m,
Fig. 3.
A light metal frame o, o, has two sockets, which fit on the ends of side
rails, and are sustained therefrom in an inclined position for the head; the
sockets also keep the joints m of the legs k, l, in correct position; so far the
bedstead is constructed like the ordinary stretcher bedstead, but with this
difference, that it is much shorter, and has no metal legs at the foot. The
bedstead is shortened in proportion to the breadth of the box A, A, to which
it is to be applied, which makes up the requisite length of bed. The ends
p, q, of rails b && are bent at right angles to the rails, and are fitted into
sockets r, s, fixed on the back of the portmanteau or box A, thereby forming
a ready connection, whereby the foot of the bedstead is sustained and con-
tinued. The metal sockets r & s are simply pieces of plate iron, bent of the
form required, nailed or riveted to the box or portinanteau in the ordinary
manner. It will be observed, that besides the absence of the iron support at
the foot, and reduced length, the supports of the bedstead are closer together

page_text: than if the foot support were at the extreme end, and consequently the metal
may be lighter, though retaining the same rigidity. The canvas is secured by
sewing to the side rails, and by straps t, t, t, to the head frame o. I stretch
it at the foot by one or more straps u, which I attach by a buckle or buckles
to the front of the portmanteau. The portmanteau or box may be of any
ordinary construction, and therefore does not require any description. Instead
of the metal bedstead described, the jointed and collapsible part may be
made of wood or other suitable material, using the box as the continuation
and support of the foot, as before set forth.
My improvement in bedding refers to a new manufacture of portable
mattress, and consists in the application of sheep skins thereto. The skins I
use are what are generally known as cavalry skins, which I attach by sewing
the flesh side next to the sacking of the bedstead, or it may be prepared
seperately as a mattress. When prepared as a portable mattress to be used
without the bedstead, I mount the skins in the manner shown at Fig. 6, which
is a portable mattress extended. v, v, is a small case of leather or other
material, such as air or waterproof fabric; this I construct of a size sufficient
to contain the collapsed part of the bedstead, before described; it also forms
a kind of pillow, and serves as a centre on which to roll up the mattress, as
seen at Figs. 7 & 8. To this case v, v, I attach any suitable waterproof
material, as a foundation on which to sew the skins w, w, with the wool
upperinost, or the skin cut to a proper size and shape may be used without
any foundation. To each side of the mattress I attach sheets of waterproof
material, for the purpose of covering the mattress to keep the wool dry when
rolled up or otherwise. The flap a, a, is of a narrow width for the above
purpose alone, but the other flap or sheet y, y, is double the breadth of the
mattress, and forms a waterproof coverlid for the body. A short piece z is
attached to the foot end of the mattress to cover in the end when rolled up.
In rolling this mattress up, I first double the broad flap or sheet y, y, and
spread it over the skins, and subsequently the narrow flap a, and lastly the
end, when it may be rolled and strapped up, as shown at Figs. 7 & 8, in
which state it will keep perfectly dry. Instead of packing the collapsible
part of the bedstead in the case v, v, it is obvious it may be carried in its own
box A, A.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the combination
and use of one box, portmanteau, or other trunk or case as part of a portable
bedstead, in the manner herein-before described.

page_text: And, secondly, I claim manufacturing portable mattresses of skins, as before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Day, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM CHARLES DAY. (L.S.)
WILLIAM CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.