IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC AND OTHER BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, AND CURTAIN RODS, AND IN THE COATING OR COVERING OF BEDSTEADS AND OTHER ARTICLES WHOLLY OR IN PART COMPOSED OF METAL
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
PAPPS, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventh day of
December (One thousand eight hundred and fifty), in the fourteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Papps, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Francis
Papps, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
Papps, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC AND OTHER BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, AND CURTAIN
RODS, AND IN THE COATING OR COVERING OF BEDSTEADS AND OTHER ARTICLES
WHOLLY OR IN PART COMPOSED OF METAL;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Francis Papps, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: First, of improvements in the construction of metallic and other bedsteads.
Secondly, my Invention relates to improvements in the construction of
mattresses.
Thirdly, my Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of
curtain rods. And,
Fourthly, my Invention consists of coating or covering bedsteads or parts of
bedsteads and other articles wholly or in part composed of metal.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention, Figure 1 shows a plan,
Figure 2 a side view of a bedstead or sofa, so constructed that the parts of
the frame are capable of being extended, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2;
when required to occupy a smaller space the parts may be closed or slided
together, as shewn at Figure 3. The frame a may be made of wood or
metal, and consists of two or more parts capable of sliding into each other; the
Drawing shews two end frames a, the bars a¹ sliding in slots or grooves
formed in the bars b. The mattress may be constructed in three parts, con-
nected or jointed together so that when the parts of the bedstead or sofa are
closed the end portions of the mattress will bend over and cover the ends of the
frame as cushions.
Figure 4 shows a plan, Figure 5 a side view, and Figure 6 an end view of
a bedstead composed of parts which when separated may be folded and closed
together so as to occupy a small space, thereby affording great portability; the
side and end frames may be of metal or wood, and of the ordinary construction,
but I prefer the sides to be jointed as shewn, so as to fold when not in use.
a, a, is the jointed sacking, and is composed of a series of flat bars or laths

page_text: rivetted together in the centre and at the ends, there being plates a¹ with slots
in them placed between the ends of the bars or laths a, the slots in the plates a
being placed over suitable studs to connect the sacking to the side frames, and
the extremities a² of the series of bars a may be fixed in any suitable manner to
the end frames of the bedstead. b, b, is another series of bars, jointed or rivetted
together to form the head and foot rails of bedsteads, where great portability
is required, the ends b¹ being retained in position by slots formed in the
pillars or posts of the bedstead, and the upper ends 6 are retained on the
tops of the pillars by rings or loops formed in them, which are placed over
pins on the pillars, and held down by screws and knobs, as shewn; or the
ends b¹ may have rings attached to them, to slide over the pillars or over rods
attached to the pillars or posts. This part of my Invention consists in the
construction of the parts a, b, so as to fold up into a small compass when
required.
Figure 7 is a side view, and Figure 8 a plan of the framing of a bedstead
for the use of invalids, so constructed that the patient lying or reclining
thereon may be placed in various positions without any personal effort.
a is a frame which may be made of metal or other material, divided into three
compartments, which are jointed together at a', and are capable of being held
together as one frame by the bolts or catches a². The parts of the frame a
are covered by canvas or other sacking, and rest upon a mattress, as shewn.
The frame a is caused to assume various positions and inclinations in the
following manner:-6, b', are levers commonly called lazy tongs, which are
connected to the end portions of the frame a by rods c, c', passing through
slots in the frame a, which rods connect the two series of levers b, b', on each
side of the bedstead. The other ends of the levers 6, 6', are connected to the
bedstead at d, d', and to the ends of the bars e, e', which are capable of sliding
in slots formed in the side frames, as shown; and the bars e, e', have screw
sockets e, through which the screws f,f, work, the screws f,f', turning in
bearings formed in the framing of the bedstead, all which will be readily
understood on examining the Drawing; and when the position of either of the
parts of the frame a require to be altered, the catches are to be removed,
and a turn-key applied to the ends of the screws f,f', so that when
the screws are turned right or left, the levers b, b', will be raised or lowered,
and the frame a may be caused to assume the position required; and if all
the bolts or catches of the frame a are secured, the frame a may be raised above
the bedstead frame in one piece, or if either of the bolts are released, that
portion only of the frame a to which the levers are connected will be acted upon.
The bedding may be placed either upon or under the sacking, and the centre

page_text: compartment of the frame a may be furnished with an opening to receive a
commode pan. The apparatus just described may form part of a bedstead, or
may be made separately so as to be applicable to bedsteads of the ordinary
construction.
Another of my improvements in metallic or other bedsteads relates to the
construction of the laths and sacking for bedsteads. Figure 9 shows a plan
of part of a sacking for a bedstead, constructed according to this part of my
Invention. a, a, are metallic laths, with slots in them of the ordinary
contruction to connect them to the sides and ends of bedsteads; the laths are
embedded in a sheet or sheets of gutta percha, or compounds thereof, by heating
the laths to about two hundred degrees to two hundred and twenty degrees
Fahrenheit, and pressing them whilst hot on to the surface of the gutta percha.
This sacking may be divided into two or more parts, the laths a being jointed
or hinged to admit of the sacking being folded into a small compass when
required, or the longitudinal laths may be dispensed with by substituting eyelet
holes or short pieces of metal a' with slots, as shewn in the Drawing.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention which relates to the
construction of mattresses. Figure 10 shews a plan of a mattress shewing
the interior arrangement of the springs and laths. Figure 11 shews a
side view, partly in section; and Figure 12 shews a side view of the same
mattress, when folded and compressed so as to occupy a comparatively
small space. The under surface of the mattress may consist of a sacking
similar to that just described, or the laths a, a, may be connected to
rectangular frames, as shown by red lines, and the laths a, a, may either
project beyond the sides of the mattress, to be connected to the side frame in
the usual manner, or the mattress may be placed upon the sackings of bedsteads
of the ordinary construction. Upon the laths a, a, are fixed any suitable number
of helical springs b, b, such as are commonly used in the construction of spring
mattresses; on to the tops of these springs I fix another frame of laths or it
may be a sheet of gutta percha or other suitable flexible surface c, and in
some cases I enclose these combined frames of laths with springs between
them in a covering of canvass or other fabric, and upon the surface c I con-
struct a mattress of horse hair, wool, or other material, and enclose each
compartment in a case or covering, and connect the edges of such casings so
as to act as folding joints to two or more of such compartments, and when the
compartments are folded upon each other, I compress the parts together and
secure them by straps and buckles, or other fastenings, as shewn at Figure 12;
or I construct very portable spring matresses by taking a sheet of gutta percha
and connecting the aforesaid springs by fastening them to its surface by any

page_text: convenient means, such as tying or pinning, there being suitable holes formed
in the gutta percha for that purpose. And I place upon such springs another
sheet of gutta percha, connecting them in a similar manner; and in some
cases I enclose three such compartments in a case or covering in combination
with hair, wool, or other mattress stuffing, as before described. When such
compartments are composed of gutta percha surfaces (not enclosed), I attach
to the edges of such compartments hinges to connect the same, so that the
whole may be folded up and kept compressed in a small or portable compass
by straps and buckles or other fastenings.
Another of my improvements in mattresses or beds consists in the appli-
cation of a waterproof and airproof case for enclosing the materials used as
stuffing for mattresses or beds, whereby the absorption of the exhalations from
the body, or other vapours or fluids, are prevented.
Another of my improvements in mattresses or beds consists of the use and
application of rock sponge rendered non-absorbent and elastic by being
saturated in waterproof solution or solutions of india rubber or compounds
thereof, and afterwards dried and used as a stuffing for mattresses and beds,
such mattresses and beds being suitable to be used as life preservers in cases
of shipwreck. To render such sponge non-absorbent and elastic I make a
solution of caoutchouc in rectified coal tar spirit or other easily vaporizable
solution, by dissolving one pound or more of caoutchouc in two gallons of the
solvent, and I immerse the sponge in this solution till fully saturated. I then
remove it to a vessel or chamber heated by steam or other means to the tem-
perature of from one hundred and sixty degrees to two hundred and twelve
degrees Fahrenheit, and leave it in such position until all the spirit is driven
off, when the pores of the sponge will be found to be lined with caoutchouc.
The vessel or chamber may have a pipe attached to it passing through a
refrigerator, and the spirit which is vaporized may thus be collected for a
future process. The application of sponge as a stuffing for mattresses or beds
never having been used for that purpose.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention.
Fig. 1 shows a certain rod or pole, partly in section; it has an opening at
the under side to allow of the sliding supports for the curtains to be attached
to. is a rod supported at both ends by moveable cross bars c, to which are
attached the rollers d for cords to run over, whereby the curtains are drawn
and undrawn; and there are hooks or eyes on the ends of the pole to fasten
the outer edge of the curtains to, to prevent the same being drawn further
than requisite. f, rings with eyes f¹ running over the rod b, and passing

page_text: through the openings in the lower side of the tube a, to attach the curtains to,
and also for cords to be attached to for drawing and undrawing the same.
g, screws or pins at each end of the rod 6 in the tube a to attach ornamental
ends to the curtain rod or pole. The cords are connected by passing the same
over the pulleys or rollers d, and through the openings or eyes f, and back
through the rings f; and I make the cords fast to the centre eye of the first
ring f, so that by drawing one or other of the cords the curtains will be
opened or closed as required. For facilitating the travelling of the rings
over the rod supporting them, in the case of very heavy curtains, the upper
part of the rings may be furnished with a roller, as shewn at Figure 14.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which consists of
coating or covering bedsteads and other articles, whether wholly or in part
composed of metal, with metal or their alloys, by employing a current of elec-
tricity. I employ any of the known solutions (some of which I will hereafter
describe) of such metals, and use an anode or anodes composed of the same
proportions as the solutions to be deposited from; videlicet, if I wish to
deposit alloys of gold, I use an anode composed of from one to twenty parts
copper and forty parts gold; if for alloys of silver, from one to thirty parts
copper and thirty parts silver. If the solutions are composed of brass or
bronze, I use an anode of the same proportions as the solutions to be deposited
from, or one composed of copper and zinc (if for brass), and copper and tin (if
for bronze) in the proportions of that employed as an anode for alloys of gold,
videlicet, one to twenty parts copper and forty parts zinc (for brass), and one
to twenty parts copper and forty parts tin (for bronze).
For depositing tin from its solutions, I use an anode composed of one part
nickel or zinc to every forty parts tin. I do not confine myself to the use of
any particular solutions of the metals to be deposited from, but for every
gallon of the metallic solution I employ or add to such quantity of solution
from one quarter to an ounce by measure of cyanic acid of the commercial
strength. The battery I employ for depositing alloys is the arrangement
known as Smee's battery, but I use the two metals in an un-united cylindrical
form; and to obtain the cylinder of platanized silver, I form one out of gutta
percha tubing and open it at one side, so as to form an un-united cylinder, and
envelope or line the same inside and outside with platanized silver, whereby I
obtain a larger battery surface than exists in the usual form of plates.
For single deposits (not alloys) I prefer the arrangement known as Daniel's,
or a battery of a glazed earthenware cylinder, an un-united cylinder of zinc,
and two porous cylindrical cells and a rod or bar of zinc. I place the open

page_text: cylinder of zinc within the glazed earthenware cylinder, within the zinc one I
place a porous cylindrical cell, and within this porous cell I place an open
copper cylinder, and within this I place another porous cell, and within this
last cell I place a bar or rod of zine; to each of the zinc poles I attach binding
or connecting screws, and also to the copper pole. To set the battery in
action, I fill the earthen cylinder containing the zinc one with dilute sul-
phuric acid, one part pure acid to ten or twelve parts distilled water, as also
the cell containing the rod or bar of zinc; the cell containing the copper
cylinder I fill with equal parts of pure nitric and sulphuric acids, by which I
obtain a battery of great intensity and sustaining power. The coating and
covering bedsteads and other articles, whether wholly or in part composed of
metal, with metals by means of electricity, and the arrangement of the
battery and the anodes, are new. The solutions of metal employed for
depositing from are very numerous, and to be found in the works published
upon electrometallurgy. The cyanide solutions are those most usually
employed and found to produce the most certain results. Those of gold
may be formed by dissolving two pounds of cyanide of potassium in two
gallons of distilled water, and one ounce to one ounce and a half of oxide of
gold dissolved in it by bringing the whole to the boiling point. The articles
intended to receive a metallic coating or covering are attached to the zinc
or positive pole, and the anode, whether it be composed of the same metals as
the solutions or otherwise, is to be attached to the copper or negative pole,
and this applies to all metallic depositions by means of electricity, as is well
known. Solutions of silver may be formed by dissolving one pound and a half
of cyanide of potassium in from one to two gallons of distilled water, to which
two ounces to two and a half ounces of oxide of silver may be added. To
form either solutions of gold or silver alloys any proportions of cyanide of
copper may be dissolved in the above solutions, according to the will of the
operator. Platinum solutions may be best formed by dissolving chloride
of platinum from two ounces to three ounces in one gallon of distilled
water, and adding one and a half ounces of carbonate of soda, using a very
small anode of platinum. Copper solutions may be formed by dissolving from
two ounces to four ounces of cyanide of copper in two gallons of water in
which three ounces of carbonate of potash have been dissolved. Solutions
of brass may be produced by dissolving the cyanide of copper and acetate or
sulphate of zinc, in the proportions of three ounces of the former to one of the
latter, in one gallon of water, in which eight ounces of carbonate of potass
have been dissolved, using an anode of zinc and copper, or zinc only. Solutions

page_text: of tin may be formed by dissolving twelve ounces of soda of commerce, four
ounces of pearlash, sixty grains of cyanide of potass, thirty grains of oxide of
zinc, and three ounces bi-oxide of tin, in one gallon of boiling distilled water,
using an anode of tin or zinc.
Another of my improvements in covering or coating bedsteads, whether
wholly or in part composed of metal, with siliceous compounds, known as
enamels, either in a plain or ornamental manner; and I wish it to be
understood that I do not claim any particular kind of enamels, but use those
usually employed by enamellers, and which are sold of every color. And the
mode of applying the same to the surface of metals is familiar to workmen
employed in that branch of trade, but I prefer mixing the levigated enamel
with water rendered glutinous (instead of plain water, as usually employed),
or moistening the surface of the metal with such glutinous water, and sifting
or dusting on the levigated enamel, and when dry exposing to the heat of an
enameller's furnace; such water may be rendered glutinous by dissolving in it
any proportions of gum senegal, gum arabic, or British gum, from one ounce
to one pound of gummy matter to the gallon of water. The application of
siliceous compounds known as enamels to bedsteads wholly or in part composed
of metal being new.
Another of my improvements in coating and covering bedsteads or other
articles wholly or in part composed of metal, consists in the application of
siliceous compounds, known as enamels, to metals or metallic articles which
have been previously coated or covered (by electric deposition or otherwise)
with a less oxidizable metal than that of which the metal or metallic articles
to be enamelled is composed. The advantages of such coating or covering are
that the oxidation or scaling is prevented during the operation of enamelling,
and in the event of the enamel cracking or chipping off while in use, that
corrosion will not take place as is the case with such articles at present in use.
Another of my improvements in coating and covering bedsteads and other
articles consists in the application of glass and porcelain or biscuit ware to
metals in sheet, or fashioned into articles for use, by coating the surface of
such metal or metallic articles with a more fusible silecious compound than
that of which the casing or plating is composed. The fusible compound may
be composed of powdered flint glass fifty parts, calcined borax twenty-five
parts, of minium fifteen parts, melted together, ground into powder, and
applied to the surface of metal as hereafter described. Or calcine twenty to
twenty-five parts of tin with one hundred parts of lead, and grind to powder;
then calcine one hundred parts siliceous sand with twenty-five parts of sea

page_text: salt and twenty-five parts of minium, and grind to powder. Take of the
calx of tin and lead one hundred parts, mix it with forty to fifty parts of
the silicious calx, and apply as hereafter described. Suppose the article to
be plated or coated with a lining or eovering of glass or china materials is
a basin of iron. I clean the same by pickling or scouring, and wet it with
water in which gum senegal, gum arabic, or British gum has been dissolved
in the proportion of from one ounce to one pound to the gallon, and dust or
sift over it the flexible material; then dry it by a gradual heat and introduce
into it a basin composed of thin glass or porcelain materials, of suitable shape
and size, proportionate to the iron one to be lined. I then place the same in
a muffle chamber of a glasshouse or porcelain furnace, and as soon as the
glass begins to soften the siliceous flux and the surface of the glass will
become amalgamated and firmly united to the surface of the metal, and this
effect will have taken place when the heat has arrived a little above a red
or cherry heat, the same heat being sufficient to effect an union of the flux;
the porcelain surface and the metal is left in the furnace till cool.
I would here remark, that in lining and covering the surfaces of metals
and metallic articles with porcelain, I prefer leaving that side porcelain lining
to be fixed to the metal unglazed, as the flux upon the metal enters into
the pores of the porcelain and effects a more perfect union than if glazed.
The same process and mode of proceeding is to be employed in covering all
articles of metal, whether they have received a coating of a less oxidizable
metal or not; and I do not confine myself to the particular composition of
fluxes, but claim the uniting glass and porcelain surfaces to metallic surfaces
by employing a more fusible compound than that of which the lining or
covering is composed.
Another of my improvements relates to the coating or covering bedsteads or
other articles, whether wholly or in part composed of metal, with gutta percha
separately, or combined with other materials. In carrying out this part of
my Invention, as applied to bedsteads, I take a plain or ornamental tube or
pillar of gutta percha or its compounds, and pass the pillar or post of a
bedstead through the same, and fill the space (if any) between them by
running in plaster of Paris or other suitable compositions to render the same
solid; and to connect any parts of such covering I use warm coal tar spirit,
which will render their surfaces sufficiently adhesive to firmly unite by slight
Or the coating or covering of bedsteads or other articles may be
pressure.
effected by heating the metallic surfaces from two hundred degrees to three
hundred and thirty degrees Fahrenheit, and applying the gutta percha to the
heated metallic surfaces, and giving to the same while in a warm and plastic

page_text: state an ornamental surface by inclosing within moulds or dies, and when cool
the two surfaces will have become firmly united and ornamented. If flat
metallic surfaces, such as sheet metal, are to be covered, I employ the process
of heating the metal to attach the two, and pass the metal and covering of
gutta percha, separately or combined with other materials, between pressure
rollers and plates, whose surfaces are either plain or embossed, to produce the
desired effect; and I sometimes cover the same with metals by electric
deposition, by rendering such surface or surfaces conductors of electricity by
metalizing.
I will now describe the compounds of gutta percha, which I prefer to
employ in carrying out this part of my Invention. I introduce into a machine
called a masticator, such as is used in preparing caoutchouc, and surrounding
by steam or other heat one hundredweight of gutta percha in small pieces,
and when the same has become plastic by working in the masticator, I add
fifteen pounds of ground shellac, Stockholm or gas pitch or asphaltum, by
degrees, and work the same into one homogenous mass and run it out either
into frames to form blocks, or pass it between warm rollers to form it into
sheets, or I press it into moulds of any required form. Or to the gutta percha
alone, or combined with the other materials while in the machine, I add seven,
fourteen, or twenty-eight pounds of ground cork or flock (such as is used by
paper makers to cover the surface of paper), and proceed as before to convert
it into any required shape. The application of gutta percha or its compounds
to metallic bedsteads or other articles composed of metal being new.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not intend to
confine myself to the precise details herein shown and described so long as the
peculiar character of any part of my Invention be retained. But what I
claim is,
First, the construction and arrangement of bedsteads as herein described.
Secondly, I claim the construction of mattresses herein described.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement and construction of curtain rods as herein
described. And,
Fourthly, I claim the modes of coating and covering bedsteads and other
articles as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Papps, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-one.
FRANCIS (L.S.) PAPPS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1851, the aforesaid Francis Papps came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.