IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC... BEDSTEADS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Peyton, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC...
BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 26th February 1869, and dated the 27th August 1868...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Peyton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pétition, on the-
27th August 1868.
I, EDWARD PEYTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN..
METALLIC BEDSTEADS," to be as follows:-
Metallic bedsteads have hitherto been constructed with their legs or
supports placed at the extreme ends of the frame, the great length of:
span between such legs or supports necessitating the use of a large bulk
of material for the formation of the said frames of such bedsteads in
order to support the weight that may be placed upon them. Or if the
said legs or supports have been brought nearer to the centre of the
length of such frame either the bedstead has been so constructed that

page_text: the ends thereof turn or fold over, or the frame, its legs, or supports,
and the ends thereof have been made in one piece.
Now, these improvements consist,―
Firstly. In placing the legs or supports at a suitable distance from the
ends of metallic bedsteads, and thus bringing them nearer to the centre
of the length of their frames, so that the minimum of material being
used the maximum of strength will be attained, and the said metallic
bedsteads may (1) either have their frames and legs or supports cast or
otherwise formed in one piece; or (2) their ends and legs or supports
may be thus united; or (3) their said legs or supports may be separate
from either the frames or ends; the said parts or portions being bolted,
screwed, or otherwise fixed together when so required.
Secondly. In forming the frames of metallic bedsteads (which have
hitherto consisted of a single bar of iron) of separate and distinct strips
or bars of metal, connected and joined together at suitable points by
bolts, screws, or diagonal or transverse strips or bars of metal, and forming
the ends of such bedsteads (commonly known as head and foot rails) of
rods or bars of metal so that they shall assist in supporting the frames
of such bedsteads, and in both the above-mentioned cases. the minimum
of material being used the maximum of strength will be attained.
Thirdly. My Invention has reference to the dovetail joints used for
connecting and disconnecting the parts forming the frames of metallic
bedsteads, and consists in having a core or recess in the interior of the
casting forming the legs, pillars, or supports instead of having pro-
jections on the exterior thereof as is now the case; the said core or
recess being so formed that the other part of the dovetail joint shall rest
or be inserted therein, by which means economy of material and improved
appearance are obtained.
And, fourthly. My Invention has reference also to the dovetail joints,
and consists in having two joints, one above the other, by which means
a double bearing is obtained, and thereby greater rigidity and firmness is
imparted to the structure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Peyton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
PEYTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Peyton, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Peyton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Peyton, 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
METALLIC BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edward Peyton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Peyton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings (that is to say):
:-
Metallic bedsteads have been hitherto constructed with their legs or
supports placed at the extreme ends of the frame, the great length of
span between such legs or supports necessitating the use of a large bulk
of material for the formation of the said frames of such bedsteads in
order to support the weight that may be placed upon them. Or if the
said legs or supports have been brought nearer to the centre of the
length of such frame, either the bedstead has been so constructed that

page_text: the ends thereor turn or 1old over, or the irame, its legs, or supports
and the ends thereof been made in one piece.
Now, these improvements consist,-
Firstly. In placing the legs or supports at a suitable distance from the
ends of metallic bedsteads and thus bringing them nearer to the centre
of the length of their frames so that 'the minimum of material being
used the maximum of strength will be attained, and the said metallic
bedsteads I may (1) either have the frames and legs or supports for each
'side of the bedstead cast or otherwise formed in one piece; or (2) their
ends and legs or supports may be thus united; or (3) their said legs or
supports may be separate from either the frames or ends, the said parts
.or portions being bolted, screwed, or otherwise fixed together when so
required.
Secondly. In forming the frames of metallic bedsteads (which have
hitherto consisted of a single bar of iron) of strips or bars of metal
connected and joined together at suitable points by transverse strips
or bars of metal, and in forming the ends of such bedsteads (commonly
known as head and foot ends) of rods or bars of metal, so that they
shall assist in supporting the frames of such bedsteads, and in both the
above-mentioned cases the minimum of material being used the maximum
of strength will be attained.
Thirdly. My Invention has reference to the dovetail joints used for
connecting and disconnecting the parts forming the frames of metallic
bedsteads, and consists in having a core or recess in the interior of
the castings upon the legs, pillars, or supports, or in some cases in
the interior of the legs, pillars, or supports themselves, instead of having
projections on the exterior thereof as is now the case, the said core
or recess being so formed that the other part of the dovetail joint shall
rest or be inserted therein, by which means economy of material and
improved appearance are obtained.
And, fourthly. My Invention has reference also to the mode of
attaching the sides and ends to the legs, pillars, or supports, which is
done by using two dovetail or other joints instead of one.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood I will describe
the same with reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which Fig. 1 is a view of a bedstead constructed according to the first
part of my Invention.

page_text: Fig. 2 a view of part of a bedstead constructed according to the second
part thereof.
Figs. 3 and 4 a section and plan of the dovetail joint forming the third
part of my Invention.
And, Figs. 5 and 6, views of the joints forming the fourth part of my
said Invention.
In Fig. 1, a, a, are the frames of the bedstead, here shewn permanently
fixed to the legs or supports b, b, b, b, which are placed at a suitable
distance from the head and foot rails c, c.
In Fig. 2, d is the frame of the bedstead secured by the castings e to
the head or foot ends, so that the whole structure shall be stayed together
and the frame be supported by the superstructure.
In Figs. 3 and 4, a¹ is a tapered piece of metal projecting from the
frame b¹, and in joining the various parts of such bedsteads together the
said projecting piece a¹ is inserted into the space c¹ of the pillar d', and
dropped down into the recess, as shewn in Fig. 3, the said recess being
of the exact size, or nearly so, of the said projecting piece, thus forming
a most secure dovetail joint, by which means economy of material and
improved appearance are obtained.
In Figs. 5 and 6, e¹, e¹, are the joints for securing the frame f¹ to the
supports g', and the second or auxiliary joint may be either above the
frame, as in Fig. 5, or below, as in Fig. 6, by which means a double
bearing is obtained, and thereby greater rigidity and firmness are
imparted to the structure.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, I claim, the improvements in metallic bedsteads, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Peyton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February, 1869.