Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1888
Specification Accepted, 6th July, 1888
I THOMAS KENDRICK of Summer Lane Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturer, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon :-
This invention consists of an improved method of connecting spring mattress or
other frames or bed bottoms with the pillars or ends of metallic bedsteads by means
of shoe castings, whereby the ordinary dovetails or other similar contrivances are
dispensed with, great lightness and portability attained, with increased facility and
economy of construction.
I am aware that shoes have previously been employed in connecting spring-mattress
frames with metallic bedstead pillars and I therefore do not claim the shoes as such
but what I believe to be entirely new, and therefore take as the basis of my invention
is the particular construction and mode of applying the same whereby I am enabled,
by omitting dovetails conical plugs and all similar modes of attachment to effect very
considerable improvements both in manufacture and public use.
In order to attain the objects above referred to I cast upon the pillar of a metallic
bedstead in the place of the ordinary dovetail corner block a receptacle or shoe to
receive the end of the mattress frame or bed bottom which is secured therein by a
nut & bolt.
This shoe may be constructed either with its sides parallel to receive the side of the
mattress frame or bed bottom only, or at right angles where intended to receive the
side and end of the said mattress frame or bed bottom conjointly.
In either case the shoe casting or receptacle forms a part of the corner block of
the pillar to which the mattress frame (which may be either of wood or metal) is
attached directly and secured by a nut and bolt.
I will now proceed to describe in detail the construction of my improved bedstead
fittings and attachments with the aid of the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 an elevation of the shoe-connection (A) cast upon the
pillar (C) shewing portion of spring mattress frame in position (A) is the shoe casting
[ Price 6d 1

page_text: into which the wood side piece (A) is dropped being secured by nuts and bolts, (B B)
one of which passes through the end bar (D) and so holds the entire mattress frame
firmly together.
To impart perfect stability I add (where necessary) an end bar (E) of tube or
angle iron upon the extremities of which the shoes may be cast or connected by set
screws or other convenient method.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively plan and elevation of an adaptation of my invention
to iron mattress frames or cast bed bottoms.
In this instance the shoe is of an angular form to receive the casting (F) which
connects the end and side bars of the frame (A') and which is secured as in the case
of Figs. 1 and 2 by nut and bolt.
Where a loose frame is required I cast a mitred block upon each of the meeting
ends of the side and end bars as shewn in plan Fig. 5. each having a screw pin cast
in on the under side which passes through a hole in the shoe and is secured by a nut,
or holes may be cast through the said, blocks which may then be secured in a similar
way to that shewn in Figs. 3 and 4.
It is clearly to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise forms or
combinations of parts herein described and as shewn in the accompanying drawings
it being for instance, quite consistent with the principles of this invention to adopt
iron side pieces in place of those referred to as of wood, or to reverse the position of
the shoe casting by attaching the same to the side of the mattress frames and causing
-it to fit upon a block, for that purpose cast upon the bedstead pillar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,
Connecting spring mattress or other frames or bed bottoms whether constructed of
wood or iron or both directly to the pillars or ends of metallic bedsteads by means
of shoe castings apart from dovetails or other intermediate attachments substantially
as herein set forth and specified.