IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, COTS, OR HAMMOCKS."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Cane, of Bernard Street, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Clerk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, COTS, OR HAMMOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Cane at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th August 1876.
RICHARD CANE, of Bernard Street, in the County of Middlesex, Clerk.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, COTS, OR HAMMOCKS.”
"IM-
The object of my Invention is to produce a bedstead, cot, or hammock, which is
capable of being collapsed and folded up for the convenience of transport, but which
when unfolded and in use will be rigid and strong.
To this end the well or cot which contains the bedding is made of two oblong
frames, made by preference of metal. One of these frames forms the upper part,
and the other the lower part or bottom of the well, and they are connected
together by a flexible fabric composed of strong canvas or netting.
The side standards which support the well consist of two cross frames, each com-
posed of a pair of metal rods or tubes jointed together at the centre like the legs of
a camp stool or collapsible chair. These frames are connected together by cross bars
for the purpose of maintaining them the proper distance apart, and to the upper
ends of two of the side standards is hinged or jointed one end of the upper rigid
oblong frame of the well. The opposite end of this frame is provided with hooks,
eyes, or other suitable attachments, whereby it may be temporarily secured to the
upper ends of the other side standards, so as to form with them a rigid frame from
which the well or cot is suspended.
In order to give increased rigidity to the framing of the bedstead vertical iron
struts are jointed to each side of the top frame of the well, and their forked lower
ends rest upon the central bar, which connects together the jointed standards on
each side of the bedstead.
If preferred the upper oblong frame, which supports the well, may be permanently
jointed at both ends to the side standards, in which case, in order to admit of the
rigid frame folding up it must be provided with a joint at its centre. The vertical

page_text: iron struts on each side of the frame will prevent it from bending at the joint, and
give sufficient rigidity to the structure.
For children's cots or infants' bassinettes these vertical struts may be dispensed
with; and if the top oblong frame of the well be jointed, so as to fold, it may be
rendered rigid .while in use by covering up the joint with a sliding metal
tubo.
When the top oblong frame of the well is jointed at the centre for the con-
venience of folding up, the lower oblong frame, which forms the bottom of the well,
must be jointed also. This bottom frame may also be provided at its central part
with a cranked cross bar for the purpose of preventing the sides from being drawn
inwards by the weight of the body.
•
As an obvious modification of the above, the well framework, instead of being
jointed to the standard or supports, may be made capable of being entirely detached
therefrom when it is required to fold up the bedstead. In such a case the top
oblong frame of the well must be provided at each corner with a hook, eye, or
other equivalent device, whereby it may be temporarily secured in its place on the
standards, and may be detached therefrom with facility.
When constructing portable or collapsible bedsteads for full grown or heavy
persons I find it convenient to construct the side framings or standards of two or
more sets of cross levers jointed together somewhat like a lazy-tongs.
The oblong frame of the well may be jointed at one end to the upper ends of
head levers, and temporarily connected to the upper ends of the tail levers by
hooks, eyes, or other equivalent devices. The top ends of the intermediate side
levers may be used as struts to support the central part of the oblong frame, so as
to increase its rigidity.
Although I prefer that the flexible well should be suspended from a rigid frame
composed of iron rod, tube, or, bar, it will be obvious that the well might be suB-
pended from flexible stretchers, which will connect together the upper ends of the
lazy-tongs for the purpose of holding them in position.
When the framing is constructed of metal, such as iron rod or tubes, it may be
painted or japanned, or the iron may be cased in brass or other metal, and
Jacquered.
If desired a hood may be adapted to the bedstead or cot by attaching thereto
inetal semicircular hooks for the purpose of supporting curtains or other suitable
'covering.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Cane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th February
1877.
"
IM-
RICHARD CANE, of Bernard Street, in the County of Middlesex, Clerk.
-PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, COTS, OR HAMMOCKS."
The object of my Invention is to produce a bedstead, cot, bassinette, or hammock,
which is capable of being collapsed and folded up for the convenience of transport,
but which when unfolded and in use will be rigid and strong.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn various views of a child's cot con-
structed according to my Invention.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cot unfolded and ready for use; Fig. 2 is an end
view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the same cot collapsed or folded up for the convenience of
stowage or transport; Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.
The well or cot which contains the bedding is made of two oblong frames a, a,
a², a¹, made by preference of metal. One of these frames a, a, forms the upper
part, and the other a¹, a¹, the lower part or bottom of the well, and they are con-

page_text: B
nected together by a flexible fabric b composed of strong netting, canvas, or other
suitable material.
The side standards which support the well consist of two cross frames c, c, each
composed of a pair of metal rods or tubes jointed together near the centre, as at c¹,
like a goffering iron or the legs of a camp stool or collapsible chair. These frames
c, c, are connected together by cross bars d, d, Figures 2 and 4, for the purpose of
maintaining them the proper distance apart, and to the upper ends of two of the
side standards c, c, is hinged or jointed one end of the upper oblong frame a, a, of
the well. The opposite end of this frame a is provided with hooks, eyes, or other
suitable attachments, whereby it may be temporarily secured to the upper ends of
the other side standards c, c, so as to form with them a rigid frame from which the
.well or cot b is suspended.
In order to give increased rigidity to the framing of the bedstead vertical iron
struts e, e, are jointed to each side of the top frame a, a, of the well, and the lower
ends of these vertical struts may be forked, as shewn in the detached view, Fig. 5,
.and made to rest upon the cranked central bar f, which connects together the
jointed standards on each side of the bedstead.
I prefer, however, that the vertical struts e, e, should be permanently connected
at both ends to the other parts of the cot, that is, they should be jointed at one
end to the upper oblong frame a, a, and by their lower ends to the central cross
bar f. It will then be necessary that the struts e should have a joint at some point
between the two ends, as shewn at e¹, Fig. 1, so as to admit of their doubling up
when the frame is collapsed or folded.
The upper oblong framo a, a, which supports the well, may be made rigid, and
5 only temporarily attached by one end to the side standards, but it is preferred that
this frame should be permanently jointed at both ends to the side standards c, c,
in which case (in order to admit of the rigid frame a, a, folding up) it must be
provided with a joint at its centre, as shown in the Drawing at a*, Figures 1, 3,
-and 4. The vertical iron struts e on cach side of the frame will prevent it from
Obending at the joint a*, and will give sufficient rigidity to the structure.
For children's cots or infants' bassinettes these vertical struts, may, however, be
dispensed with; and if the top oblong frame a, a, of the well be jointed, as
shown in the Drawing, so as to fold up, as shewn at Figures 3 and 4, the
frame a may be rendered rigid while in use by covering up the joint a* with a
5 sliding metal tube.
When the top oblong frame a, a, of the well is jointed at the centre for the con-
venience of folding up, as above described, the lower oblong frame a', a', which
forms the bottom of the well, must be jointed also. This bottom frame is also
provided at its central part with a cranked cross bar g for the purpose of preventing
the sides from being drawn inwards by the weight of the body.
It will be sometimes found convenient to raise that part of the lower frame a¹³, a¹,
which is under the head, so that the head of the child or person reclining may be
a little from the horizontal position. As the frame a¹ is jointed at its central part,
like the upper frame a, the head part of the lower frame may be held up in the
5 position shown by dots at a², Figures 1 and 2, by means of a strap j pro-
vided with a buckle or other equivalent device for lengthening or shortening the
strap.
As an obvious modification of the construction of parts, shown at Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4, the well framework, instead of being jointed to the standard or supports,
0 may be made capable of being entirely detached therefrom when it is required to
fold up the bedstead. In such a case the top oblong frame a, a, of the well must
be provided at each corner with a hook, eye, or other equivalent device, whereby it
may be temporarily secured in its place on the standards, and may be detached there-
from with facility.
5
When constructing portable or collapsible bedsteads or hammocks for full grown
or heavy persons, I find it convenient to construct the side framings or standards c, c,
of two or more sets of cross levers jointed together somewhat like a lazy-tongs, as

page_text: shewn at Fig. 6, which is a side elevation of a portable bedstead or hammock con-
structed in this manner.
The oblong frames a, a, a³, a¹, of the well are constructed in the same manner as
in the smaller sizes. The top ends of the intermediate side levers c, c, may be used
as struts to support the central part of the oblong frame a, a, so as to increase its
rigidity, and this object is still further ensured in all the structures by adapting to
the lower ends of the side levers or standards c, c, chains i, i, (or their equivalent,)
which will take some of the strain.
In order to give further support to the central part of the oblong frame, vertical
struts e, e, are employed, as in Fig. 1; but in this instance the struts are forked at
their lower ends, as shown at Fig. 7, and rest upon the cross stretcher bars, which
keep the side frames c, c, in position. The struts e, moreover, are jointed at their
upper ends at e¹, so that when the bedstead is collapsed these struts may be folded
back against the under side of the oblong frame a.
When the framing of the cot, bedstead, or other article is constructed of metal,
such as iron rod or tubes, it may be painted or japanned, or the iron may be cased
in brass or other metal, and lacquered.
If desired a bood, consisting of curtains or other suitable covering, may be
adapted to the bedstead or cot by attaching thereto a metal tester or semicircular
hoops. A tester h is shown at Fig. 1 for the purpose of supporting the curtains or
other covering.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of
Portable Bedsteads, Cots, or Hammocks," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent, as aforesaid, the combination of the frames a, a, a³, a¹, (connected together
by a netting or other flexible fabric, so as to form a well) with the folding side
standards c, c, and transverse stretcher bars d and f, and vertical struts e, as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Cane, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
RICHARD CANE. (L.S.)