AN IMPROVED SOFA BEDSTEAD
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SOFA BEDSTEAD."-A
communication from abroad by Henry F. Hover, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th July 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SOFA BEDSTEAD,"
a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention consists of a box and certain adjustable frames and
cushions, the whole being arranged as herein-after fully described, so
that by adjusting the said frames and cushions either a sofa or a bedstead
may be formed.

page_text: Figure 1 is an end elevation of the said improved sofa bedstead;
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the centre of the same; Figure 3
is a plan view of the sofa extended in order to form a bedstead.
The rectangular box B forming the sofa is made of the proper
dimensions, with the ends E and E' extending up so as to form the arms
of the sofa, the said arms being carved or worked into any ornamental
design. Attached to or formed on the lower corners of the said ends
E and are feet of the proper height and of any desired form. Hinged
to the back edges of the ends E and E' are the two wings W and W'
provided with feet, and ornamented in the same style as the ends E and
E. Resting on the upper edges of the box B is a frame F made to
conform to the size of the box; the said frame has hinged at its ends
and on the back edge two blocks O which fit loosely into recesses
formed in the cross pieces P secured to the inner sides of the ends E
and E; the blocks O are also hinged by means of a double-jointed hinge
to a frame F' made similar in form to the frame F. The frames Fand Fi
are covered and stuffed or provided with springs in
for cushions.
the ordinary manner
When it is desired to transform the sofa into a bedstead the wings W
and Ware extended on a line with the ends E and E', and the frame F
is lowered until the under side touches projections S secured across the
inner sides of the wings. These projections support the frame F", so that
it is flush with the frame F, as shewn in Figure 3. When the wings W
and Ware not required in forming the bedstead they are closed against
the back part of the box, where they serve to support the frame F' (now
forming the back of the sofa), and are held by means of hooks H secured
on the wings, and adapted to staples secured in the adjacent side of the
box. By means of the double-jointed hinges on the blocks O the edges
of the frames are brought close and held firmly together, and can also
be folded and packed in a small space for transportation. The ends
E and E' are secured to the box B by means of screws passed from the
inside, they being out of sight and within easy reach, so that the sofa
can be readily taken apart.
The box B can be used for stowing away bed clothing and other
articles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 8th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Hor.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that
I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators; and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "AN IMPROVED
SOFA BEDSTEAD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of a box and certain adjustable frames and
cushions, the whole being arranged as fully described herein-after, so
that by adjusting the said frames either a sofa or a bedstead may be
formed.
In the Drawings Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my Inven-
tion when in the form of a sofa; Figure 2 a back view of same;

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan view of the sofa extended in order to form a bedstead;
Figure 4 is a transverse section through the eentre of Figure 3; Figure 5
is an end view of the cushion frames showing the manner of connecting
the same.
The roetangular shaped box B forming the body of the sofa is made
of any desired dimensions with the ends E and E' extending up so as to
form the arms of the sofa, which are carved or worked into any orna-
'mental design. Attached or formed on the lower corners of the said ends
E and E' are feet made of the proper heighth and of any desired form.
Hinged to the back edges of the ends E and E¹ are two wings W and W¹
provided with feet, and ornamented in the same style as the ends. E and
E. Resting on the upper edges of the box B and made to conform to
the same is a frame F; the said frame has hinged at its ends and on
the back edge two blocks C which fit loosely into recesses formed in the
cross pieces P secured to the inner sides of the ends E and E¹; the
blocks C are also attached by means of double-jointed hinges N to a
frame F made similar in form to the frame F. The frames F and F are
provided with springs, stuffed, and covered in the ordinary manner for
cushions.
When it is desired to transform the sofa into a bedstead the
wings W and Ware extended on a line with the ends E and E', and
the frame F lowered until the under side touches and rests on pro-
jections S secured across the inner side of the wings. These projections
support the frame F', so that it is flush with the frame F, as shown in
Figure 4.
In order to change the bedstead into a sofa the wings W and W' are
closed against the back part of the box B, as shown in Figure 2, where
they serve to support the frame F (now forming the back of the sofa),
and are held by means of hooks H and H secured on the wings and
adapted to staples fastened in the adjacent side of the box B.
The blocks C between the frames F and F owing to their being
connected therewith by means of the double-jointed hinges N will
always adapt themselves so as to be retained in the recesses formed in
the cross pieces P, no matter at what angle the frame F¹ is placed,
thus holding the frames F and F' steadfast and preventing any lateral
motion; the hinges N also allow the frames with their cushions to be
folded close together and packed in a small space for transportation.
The ends E and E' are secured to the box B by means of screws passed

page_text: from the inside of said box, so that they (the screws) are out of sight,
and accessable when it is desired to take the sofa bedstead apart or set
it up.
What I claim is,-
1st. The combination of the box B, ends E and E', frames F and F',
with their cushions and blocks C, the whole being constructed and
arranged for joint operation.
2nd. The arrangement of the wings W and W, projections S, and
hooks H, in combination with the above for transforming the sofa into
a bedstead, as specified.
3rd. The arrangement of the frames F and F, cross pieces P, and
blocks C, provided with double-jointed hinges N, so as to allow the
cushions to be folded, opened flat, or placed at the proper angle to form
the sofa, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Seventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord 1870.
Witness,
H. J. GEDGE,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE.
(L.S.)
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
&, Southampton Buildings,
London.