Year: 1887

page_text: I, ALFRED EDWARD BINGEMANN, of "Glenholme," Hilltop Road, West Hampstead
London, Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
It is clearly a great gain to have bedsteads which are capable on emergency of
being widened, and thus accommodate more sleepers, than for which they are usually
required and after serving their purpose can be easily reinstated, or in those so made,
further contracted as to admit of their being passed through doorways, when set up.
This invention accomplishes this purpose. I make my bedstead in somewhat of the
usual manner, but the ends of which I make telescopic so that one part of the end
slides within, at the back of, or under the other, as circumstances require, and I
regulate the widening or contracting by an extending screw, turned by a handle which
can be removed.
The laths of my bedstead are made so that they slide under or over one another,
I prefer to have the receiving socket of my extending screw connected with its side
in such a
manner that it draws both ends of the side, but this is not absolutely
necessary; also proceed by making one or two wings of iron latice in such a manner
as to affix on to either side or sides of the bedstead, or so connected there-with that
the wings can be folded over on to the laths, and remain under the mattress.
Dated this 26th day of January 1887.
ALFRED E. BINGEMANN.

page_text: CUNT ENIM SIMULTICALION.
Widening or Contracting Bedsteads.
I, ALFRED EDWARD BINGEMANN of Glenholme Hilltop Road, West Hampstead
London, Middlesex Gentleman 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:—
It is clearly a great gain to have bedsteads which are capable on emergencies of
being widened and thus accommodate more sleepers than for which they are usually
required and after serving their purpose can be easily reinstated.
To accomplish this purpose I make my bedstead with ends which are capable of
telescoping, that is to say the tubes forming the pattern of the ends, to slide one within
the other. The angle iron of which two are provided to each bedstead end, and fixed,
each by one end to each of the two uprights, so that they lay and slide one under the
other, this slide is kept in position by a piece of metal fastened to the upper angle iron,
or by a wrapping of metal strip or metal tube pushed on to the upper angle piece,
and forming a triangular way to receive the under angle iron, which of course is
sufficiently smaller.
The tubes forming the pattern are those which allow of extension in this manner,
the tubes are cut in the centre and another smaller tube placed within, so, as the
bedstead widens the cut tube draws off from the inner tube and exposes it. Or by two
half length smaller tubes, connected each, by one end with the uprights in which case
the larger tube draws off each end, but must be prevented from going more than a
certain distance, in order to prevent unsymmetry. The sides I make in the usual
manner with socket and key, which are generally used in iron bedsteads now in use,
they are fitted with either studs, screws, or bolts to hold the laths. The laths I lace
side by side in twos, the one having its end fixed to the one side of the bedstead, the
other having its end fixed to the opposite side. The long length laths I fix and hold.
in position by the ordinary manner at each end, by studs, or bolts or rivets or screws.
The side laths that draw by the widening are free at their ends, but those that do not
I prefer to fasten to the length lath that is nearest to the sliding angle iron so as to
make a stronger bed, I govern the telescoping ends and bedstead by an ordinary
extending screw and thread, which I fix in this manner, To the opposite side where
I intend my handle to be, which governs extending screw, I fasten a piece of metal,
bent in the form of a bow, fixed by each end to the bedstead sido under the laths. I
make a hole in the centre of the bow and thread it to receive the extending screw, the
bow must be bent sufficiently to allow the extending screw to pass through sufficient
distance to contract the bedstead without the screw touching the bedstead side, and
to allow of the widening without becoming detached. The shaft of the extending
screw is kept in position at the handle side by an inverted U shaped piece of metal

page_text: having a hole through each side to receive the extending screw shaft and allow it to
turn therein.
The Ushaped piece is fastened to the handleside of the bedstead, and the extending
screw shaft, I mean unthreaded part of screw, prevented from withdrawing or
advancing by a collar, which is fixed by a screw or a lynch pin, I project the screw
shaft sufficiently beyond the piece of metal and form a key, or a socket, to receive the
handle, which is passed through the bedstead side.
By turning the handle one way the widening is effected and by turning back, the
bedstead is returned to contraction.
If the bedstead should be considered to be weakened by being drilled to receive the
handle, the U, piece may be lengthened so that the handle may work clear of the angle
iron side, and the bow must be sufficiently altered. All sliding parts must be smooth
and are better to have a small amount of greasing substance. In order to accomplish
the widening when applied to ordinary bedsteads, I make one or two iron latice wings
to fix on either side of the bedstead to be widened, in the same manner as a kettle
stand is clutched on to a fire grate, or fix the wings to either bedstead side by a hinge
so as when not required they can be folded over on to the laths and remain under the
mattress.
In order to better describe my invention I will proceed to explain the figures in
my drawing by the numbers and letters as shown, Fig. 1, illustrates a single bedstead
which is capable of being widened to a double. Fig. 2, The same widened, Fig. 3
and Fig. 4, Part of the angle iron, Fig. 3 to slide into Fig. 4, also in which Fig. 4
the metal which I wrap round the larger forming my passage, which keeps the sliding
part in place is shown. A section of passage for angle iron is also shown at Fig. 5,
The sliding part may be kept in place by a piece of metal shaped as shown in Fig. 6
which is fixed to the larger angle iron as to allow the slide to pass casily. Fig. 7, The
tube forming the pattern cut in centre and having a smaller tube inside it to allow of
the widening shown half drawn apart. Fig. 8, The back view of a centre ornament
to form a pattern as shown in Fig. 1, having a horizontal groove to allow the screw-
heads to slide easily, which screws are threaded into some part of the pattern, which
comes close together when the bedstead is contracted as shown on the drawing
at P, P, Fig. 2, and keep the ornament steady in position. Fig. 9, a section of same.
Fig. 10 My lath arraingement for widening bedsteads as it appears contracted showing
extending screw M and metal bow L. Fig. 11, My lath arraingement widened to
form a double bedstead showing extending screw M and how arraingement L.
Fig. 12 Handle to turn extending screw, means of adjustment. Fig. 13, The hole
in the side of bedstead to allow the handle socket being passed through over a square
end of extending screw as shown. Fig. 14 The mode of holding the extending screw
in position, the collar is shown N and keeps the extending screw from getting out of
place. Fig. 15, a different mode of accomplishing the same purpose. Fig. 16 end of
extending screw of a wide thread to effect widening with fewer turns of the handle,
and part of metal bow. Fig. 17, a handle not being removable, but constructed to
fold back under the bedstead after use.
It is superfluous of me to set out here the manner in which an iron bedstead should
be made as it is generally known, but in order that the method of carrying out my
invention may be thoroughly understood, I further explain as follows: The angle iron
as is used in bedsteads ends now made, To make my bedstead two are provided each
end, one is chilled or fixed, to the upright at A. Fig. 1. and the other angle iron
which slides under, is chilled to the other upright at B, and is kept in position by the
metal wrapping as shown in Fig. 4 & 5, yet must telescope easily, and be smooth,
and be of sufficient lengths to allow of the widening required as shown J, and give
strength to the bedstead.
The bedstead's patterns are made of an arraingement of tubes, and added to, as suits
the taste, all longitudinal tubes crossing centre, are cut and provided with a smaller
inner tube, which smaller inner tube becomes beared when the bedstead is widened,
and keeps the larger tubes in position and the pattern also see Fig. 7. Or I make the

page_text: larger tube loose and two smaller tubes fixed each at one end to the Uprights, but this
latter manner requires careful making to prevent looseness and rattleing of the parts
and must only be allowed to slide a proper distance each side, to prevent unsymmetry,
a suitable centre piece for a pattern is shown in Fig. 8 & 9 it is fixed to the smaller
tubes at C & D Fig. 1. governing them and adding strength to the pattern, all centre
pieces are for the purpose of filling the gap made by the bedstead by widening and
must be suitably constructed to fullfill these requirements.
The side F of the bedstead are similar ones to those generally in use and a socket
provided to the upright E to receive them. My laths are similar to those generally
employed, but are laced in my manner as shown Fig. 10. The short laths are laced
in twos as shown, and held in position as shown. The laths that draw marked G,
have one end free, but the others it is better to fix the loose end of them by a bolt
rivet or screw, to the long lath H; of course the laths that draw must not be fixed but
only connected to the handle side by that end only, they should be bent at their loose
extremity to clutch the long lath K. and give strength. I bend the bowl L to allow
the extending screw M, to pass through a sufficient distance to allow of the contracting
or widening. The screw threaded sufficiently to allow also of the widening or
contracting required. The object of passing the shaft of the screw through through the
U piece and the collar N fixed to it. Firstly to hold the extending screw in position
& secondly to keep the U support in one piece which is an advantage as it is simpler
and more reliable and can be better fixed to the bedstead side by a screw, bolt, or
rivet. The Handle is passed through the side Fig. 13 to prevent projections, and
should be a similar one used for extending screws, either keyed or socketed. By
turning the handle one way the widening is effected, and by reversing the motion
the bedstead is reinstated. A catch should be fixed to the drawing angle iron J to
prevent its drawing more than is required. This my invention cannot be made in so
large a variety of different patterns as ordinary bedsteads, but such suitable patterns
must be chosen that can be made to allow of this widening or contracting without
losing their symmetry, and centre ornaments provided to fill the gaps caused by
the pattern parting in widening. All sliding parts must be smooth to insure
working well.
To make a bedstead that will further contract, I proceed as follows, By shortening
the larger angle iron, by shortening the smaller sliding ditto, and by moving my
long laths closer together and by bending my bow sufficiently more and shortening
extending screw.
Take notice I do not claim angle iron sides to bedsteads. Ordinary tubes for
bedstead patterns. Extending screws generally, and Handles of any kinds, but that
which I claim is that which I am now about to state.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I am aware that widening or con-
tracting bedsteads have been in use prior to the date of my Patent, notably by that of
Meech Patent No. 9528 dated 23 July 1886 therefore I do not claim broadly the
widening or expanding and the contraction of bedsteads but I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination of a widening or contracting bedstead accomplished in the
manner herein described and shown in the drawings appended.
2. The arraingement of the two angle irons at each end of my bedstead, to slide
one under the other, substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The strip of metal wrap, or tube, or metal support as fixed to the larger angle
iron for the purpose of guiding and keeping in position the smaller sliding angle iron
in widening or contracting bedsteads, substantially as herein described and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
4. The extending screw as applied to the purpose of widening and contracting
bedsteads substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5. The bow arraingement and U shaped piece as shown in Fig. 11 and 14 respec-
tively for the purpose of widening or contracting bedsteads substantially as herein
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
6. The general and parallel lath arraingement for the widening and contracting
bedsteads substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
7. The withdrawing lath arraingement for the purposes herein described and shown
in the accompanying drawings.
8. The fixed lath arraingement as part of a widening and contracting bedstead
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
9. The widening of bedsteads by means of wings as herein described.
10. The pattern for a widening or contracting bedstead as herein described and
shown in the drawings Fig. 1 and 2, Fig. 8 and 9 appended.
Datad this 18th day of July 1887