IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF FOLDING BEDSTEADS AND COUCHES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Gardner at the Office of:
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st June
1867.
I, JAMES GARDNER, of Newington, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF FOLDING BEDSTEADS AND COUCHES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing folding bedsteads as hereafter
described. I form side supports for the bedstead, each consisting of two'
ribs or bars jointed to each other at one end, the joint being at or near
the middle of the bedstead, and of such form that the ribs will fold
upon one another, or nearly so, but will not open out to a greater extent
than to form an angle of about 120°, more or less, with each other. Trans-
verse strengthening pieces connect the side supports. To the outer ends
of the ribs at each side I hinge or joint the head and foot rails, the hinges or
joints allowing these rails to fold or close upon the transverse strengthening
pieces. Near the inner ends of the ribs at each end I hinge two stretchers,
one for each half of the bedstead, and the hoop iron bands forming the
support for the bed are rivetted to the sides and ends of the stretchers. The
outer ends of the stretchers carry hooks or other appliances to take hold of
the transverse bars or other convenient part of the head and foot rails, so that
the two stretchers and the head and foot rails may respectively mutually
support each other when in position at any required angle. The hinges
or joints which connect the ribs to each other are preferably formed in the
peculiar manner about to be described. Each half of the hinge or joint

page_text: consists of a bar of ☐ shape in section, the ribs being fitted into the grooves or
recesses of these bars, and secured by rivetting or otherwise; the two bars of
the hinge where they meet are connected by a joint like the joint of a rule or
compass, this joint not being slotted or cut away in the middle like the bars;
and the meeting ends of the two bars are of such form as to limit the opening
of the hinge to an angle of about 120°, as before mentioned. To strengthen
the side supports I fit, a few inches below the hinge just explained, another
hinge to the ribs, which hinge when the bedstead is folded falls down and
allows the ribs to fold nearly upon each other. And in addition to this other
hinge I in some cases employ an ornamental or other segment of a circle to
conceal the last-named hinge; one end of this segment may be secured to
one rib, while the other when the bedstead is in position is attached to the
other rib by small movable bolts; this segment, as well as the additional
hinge, are fitted at each side of the bedstead. The same bolts or pins which
secure the head and foot rails to the outer ends of the ribs secure castors of
any desired form. The head and foot rails may be either outside or inside
the 'ribs; when outside I curve the pillars at the bottom to allow the rails to
fold outside the stretchers. To enable the bedstead to be altered to an
Arabian or other form to receive curtains I form the top bar of the head rail
with a lower horizontal part at each end, into which an ordinary brass or other
knob is screwed; and when required to alter the bedstead as before I remove
the knobs and screw into the same apertures uprights extending to any
desired height, and the knobs may then be screwed into the top of these
uprights after the Arabian or other head has been put in place.
This Invention likewise applies to couches.