Improvements in and connected with Portable Bedsteads or Beds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL DI CITICATE
Improvements in and connected with Portable Bedsteads or
Beds.
BENNET BURLEIGH 1 Alderbrook Road Clapham Common London S.W.
Journalist. I do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Improved arrangements in the construction of camp beds and attachments with
mode of packing for transport.
It is constructed
The bed is collapsable, i.e. may be readily extended or closed.
of a series of double bracket-shaped frames which are pivotted together at their
tops, centres, and bottoms. When extended the longitudinal sides of the bed
resemble a series of the letters X. Each of these is connected transversely with
the opposite series by means of a bar, affixed to the bottom parts of each corre-
sponding X leg. A strut is fixed upon each bar and leg piece to keep them at
right angles and from being pulled inwards.
The surface of the bed is composed of netting, canvas, cloth, or other material,
and is attached to the top of the X pieces and connects them together preventing
their extending beyond the extent allowed by the connecting material. The bed
It can be closed into small
is extended and closed without removing the cover.
bulk; about the size and shape of a small oblong box, or portmanteau. The netting,
canvas, sheeting, or other material forming the bed bottom, mattress, or hammock,
is attached to the top of the X pieces by means of eyelets passed over the shaped
ends, or by screws, or pins, affixed to the top part of the X pieces, or by the pivot
pins or screws. The cover material is so cut, sewn, and prepared, as to obviate
being easily torn. The X pieces, bars, struts, composing the frame are made of
wood or other material, and are hollowed, fluted, or otherwise shaped, for lightness.
At the head of the bed the corresponding X frames are made longer, or, a piece
of wood or other material, is attached to the X. pieces by means of a socket, or
hinge.
Between the projecting parts is extended a strip of canvas, or other suitable
material, to serve the purposes of a pillow. Upon the top corresponding outer
legs of the X bed frame, a transverse bar is also affixed. When the bed is closed
the interior space between the frames serves as a portmanteau or receptacle for
packing clothes. These are kept in place by means of a bag-shaped piece of
canvas or other material, the mouth of which is affixed to the end part of the corre-
sponding X frame. The bag lies loosely in the interior part of the bed frames.
A light movable cover of wood or other material, is fitted into the open end of
the corresponding X frames, covering the mouth of the bag. The cover is
secured by small movable bars; cross pieces fitting into the connecting X piece
lower cross bar. A lock may also be attached. A canopy attachment to sustain
a water-proof cover, or sunshade, or mosquito netting, is fixed by means of uprights
with cross pieces thereon of wood or other material, placed at the head and foot
of the bed, with string wire or other material attached, to form a roof support.
These uprights are attached to the frame by a socket, or screw, or both. An
oblong box-envelope form of case, made of canvas, leather, or other water-proof
material, with double-flaps secured by strings, straps, buckles and other suitable

page_text: rastenings, holds the closed bed and keeps the contents dry and dustproof, fit for
ready transport.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of May 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Portable Bedsteads or
Beds.
1, BENNET BURLEIGH, of 1 Alderbrook Road, Clapham Common, London, S.W.,
Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with portable bedsteads
by means of which certain advantages are obtained.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I shall proceed to describe
it with reference to one specific form thereof the said specific form being one which
gives good results in practice. This form is illustrated in the accompanying sheet
of drawings in which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts; and
I desire it to be understood that I bring it forward merely as a type or example
and that I do not limit myself to the details of construction set forth. Any
person skilled in the art to which my invention appertains will be able to modify
the details of construction to an indefinite extent without departing from the spirit
of my invention.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is an isometric projection of a complete bedstead with accompanying
fittings attached thereto. In this figure the frame is shown in its extended
position.
Figure 2 is an isometric projection of the bedstead when in its folded or closed
up position and with the canopy and pillow supports removed.
Figure 3 is a view of one of the clip straps.
Figure 4 shows the wooden cover employed to close up the mouth of the bag.
The frame of my bedstead consists of two sets of lazy tongs arranged side by
side and parallel to one another so as to constitute the sides of the bed. Each
of such sets is composed of a series of pairs of rods 4, the rods of each pair being
articulated together at their centres by means, for example, of loose rivets 1.
These rods are connected together in pairs in the manner illustrated, that is to
say by the loose rivets, or the like, 2 at the top and 3 at the bottom, thus forming
the well known lazy tongs arrangement. The pairs of rods on each side of the
frame are connected together rigidly by the cross bars 5 extending from one rod
of each pair on one side to one rod of each pair on the other side. The connection
is further strengthened by means of the ties 6 extending across the angles between
the rods 4 and cross bars 5. For convenience of illustration and to avoid close
lines the ties and cross bars are drawn of exaggerated thickness.
7 is the bed cover (or bed proper) consisting in this case of a sheet of strong
cauvas with a row of eyelet holes 8 arranged along each side and close to the
edge. From these eyelet holes pass loops of strong string which are passed over
the tops of the rods as shown so as to support the canvas bed cover 7.
It will be seen that when the bedstead is in its extended position for use (see
Figure 1) the canvas cover is stretched out in proper position for the body to lie
thereon. When the bed is in its folded or closed up position the canvas lies in

page_text: folds or corrugations as diagrammatically represented by the parallel lines 10,
Figure 2.
With my bed an ordinary pillow may be employed, but I prefer to employ the
form shown in Figure 1. This consists of a rectangular sheet or strip of strong
canvas 11 having four eyelet holes at the four corners through which the ends of
the four pillow rods 12 protrude. These pillow rods are shouldered so as not to
protrude too far through the eyelet holes, or in other words so as not to allow the
strip 11 to slide too far over the rods 12. The said pillow rods are attached to
the frame by means of the clip straps 13, two clip straps being employed to sustain
each pillow rod as shown. A clip strap is shown separately in Figure 3 which also
illustrates the means of attachment to the frame. Such clip straps are well known
and need not be further described here.
Over the bed a canopy frame for awnings or mosquito nets or the like may be.
placed as shown in Figure .. 14, 14, are two upright canopy rods each composed
of two lengths attached together by means of the fishing rod joints or ferrules 15.
Near the upper ends of the canopy rods are the longitudinal canopy bars 16
connected together by the wire or string 17 and the lateral canopy bars 18 with their
connecting strings or wires 19. The upright canopy rods are attached by the clip
straps 20 to the head bars 21, 23 and to the foot bars 22, 24 as shown. To the
upper head bar 21 and the upper foot bar 23 the ends of the canvas cover 7 are
tacked as shown. Over the canopy frame the awning, mosquito net or the like
may be spread and attached in any convenient manner. Tightening or sustaining
strings 25 may be employed when desired for the purpose of keeping the canopy
frame taut or the parts in definite position.
When the frame is in its folded position the space which it encloses may be
einployed to contain bed or body clothing or the like; and in order that such
contents may be kept free from dust or wet a bag 26 of canvas or other suitable
material may be employed to line such space. This bag may be of any convenient
shape. In the drawings it is shown as made up of separate pieces sewn along the
seams 27 so as to have a shape corresponding with the cavity into which it fits.
This bag is shown as attached to the frame by tacking the mouth of the said bag
to the edges of the outer and contiguous parts of the frame as shown at 28 in
Figures 1 and 2.
Smaller bags may when desired be inserted in the triangular spaces 29 and 30.
The mouth of the bag may conveniently be closed by the light wooden shutter 31
shown in Figure 4 which may fit into the frame or be attached thereto in any
convenient manner, A lock may be added if desired.
When in its folded position the bed may be slipped into an outer cover of
waterproof canvas or other material. It may thus be made to resemble an ordinary
portmanteau.
For the clip straps any other convenient attaching devices may be substituted:
and instead of attaching the cover 7 as shown it may be attached to the
frame as is shown in the case of the pillow strip or by any other convenient
device.
The rods, bars, ties and the like may when desired be made tubular or fluted for
the sake of lightness of weight.
Instead of employing separate pillow rods the frame rods to which the pillow
rods are shown in Figure 1 as attached may be made longer than their neighbours
so that their upper parts may serve the purpose of pillow rods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The new and improved bedstead substantially as set forth.
2. In a portable bedstead the employment of frame bars arranged in two sets of
lazy tongs for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 3. The combination of frame and bed cover or bed proper substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of a lazy tongs frame, a cover or bed proper and a pillow
and pillow rods, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of a lazy tongs frame, a cover or bed proper, and a canopy
frame substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a lazy tongs frame, a cover or bed proper, and a bag
substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of a lazy tongs frame, a cover or bed proper, and an outer
cover substantially as set forth.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.