IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS WHEREBY THEY MAY BE USED AS FRENCH-BEDSTEADS, HALF-TESTER BEDSTEADS, AND BEDSTEADS WITH SIDE WINGS OR BRACKETS
Year: 1886

page_text: I, HENRY BEUTTELL of Holly Bank Halifax, Yorkshire, Commercial Traveller do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS WHEREBY
THEY MAY BE USED AS FRENCH-BEDSTEADS, HALF-TESTER BEDSTEADS, AND BEDSTEADS
WITH SIDE WINGS OR BRACKETS" (to be as follows) :-
My improvements in bedsteads consist in making them so that they can be adapted
and used for different kinds of bedsteads.
Hitherto French-bedsteads have not been made convertible into half-tester or winged
bedsteads, and vice-versa but by means of my invention a bedstead is arranged which
can be converted into several styles and used accordingly-that is to say-a bedstead
constructed with my improvements can be used during the summer months as a
French-bedstead and in cold winter weather, the same bedstead can be converted in a
very few minutes into a half-tester, or into a bedstead having either wings or brackets,
so that it can be hung with curtains as is described.
In order to carry out my invention I propose to make the pillars at the head of the
bedstead telescopic, so that they can be elongated when a French-bedstead is required
to be converted into half tester or winged bedstead.
Onto the top of the elongated pillars I place a hinged canopy for the purpose of
carrying curtains. This hinged canopy when not in use can be folded up and stored
away in the hollow pillars at the foot or head of the bedstead, or the horizontal bars of
the hinged canopy can be raised into a vertical position and let down into the hollow
pillars at the head of the bedstead, and when so done the front cross bar of the canopy
will form a portion of the ornamental frame-work at the head of the bedstead.

page_text: I, HENRY BEUTTELL, of Holly Bank, Halifax, Yorkshire, Commercial Traveller, 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:
My improvements in bedsteads consist in making them so that they can be adapted
and used for different kinds of bedsteads.
Hitherto French-bedsteads have not been made convertible into half-tester or winged
bedsteads, and vice-versa;-but by means of my invention a bedstead is constructed
which can be converted into several styles and used accordingly that is to say :—a
bedstead constructed with my improvements can be used during the summer months
as a French-bedstead, and in cold winter weather the same bedstead can be converted,
in a very few minutes, into a half-tester, or into a bedstead having either wings or
brackets, so as to be hung with curtains.
In order to carry out my invention I propose to make the pillars at the head of the
bedstead telescopic, so that they can be elongated when a French-bedstead is required
to be converted into half-tester or winged bedstead.
Onto the top of the elongated pillars I place a hinged canopy for the purpose of
carrying curtains. This hinged canopy when not in use can be removed and folded
up and stored away in the hollow pillars at the foot or head of the bedstead; or the
horizontal bars of the hinged canopy can be raised into a vertical position and let down
into the hollow pillars at the head of the bedstead, and when so done the front cross
bar of the canopy may form a portion of the ornamental frame-work at the head of the
bedstead.
In order that my invention may be better understood I will now make reference to
the accompanying sheets of drawings, where several methods of practically carrying
out my invention are shewn. Fig. I is a perspective view of my improved bedstead
provided with a canopy, the pillars at the head of the bed being made telescopic, for
extension, and the pillars at the foot hollow, to receive the parts of the canopy-
supports when the latter is not in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged and detached view of
one of said telescopic pillars, shewn extended and partly in section. Fig. 3 is a similar
view shewing the pillars collapsed or contracted. Fig. 4 shews sectional elevation of
the pillars employed at the foot of the bedstead detached and enlarged. Fig. 5 shews
the rod a detached. Fig. 6 shews the hinged canopy-frame C in plan and detached,
the dotted lines illustrating how it may be folded up for the purpose of being placed
into the hollow pillars at the foot of the bed. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are detached views of
the head of the bedstead shewing the telescopic pillars with wings or ornamental
brackets.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8, A B represents the telescopic extension pillar
at the head of the bedstead.

page_text: B being the tubular lower section, forming a fixed part of the bedstead.
A is the extensible or moveable section of the pillar which slides in section B.
This section A has a collar, p², on its lower end, and above this collar a screw, p³,
which, when the pillar is extended, as in Fig. 2, must be screwed into the nut, 2,
formed within and near the top of the pillar B.
The use of the collar or head p² is two-fold. It prevents the section A from being
entirely removed or being screwed entirely out of the nut, and it also provides a
shoulder which bears on the under side of tlie nut, and enables the oporator to turn the
pillar A until the collar is drawn up as tightly and firmly as possible against the nut.
This construction renders the operation very simple in unexperienced hands, and makes
the connections of the sections exceedingly firm and rigid.
When the pillars A B are collapsed, as in Fig. 3, the bedstead takes the form of a
French-bedstead, and when they are extended, as in Fig. 2, the bedstead is adapted to
support a canopy, and becomes a half-tester, as in Fig. 1.
The canopy-rail C is hinged for convenience of storing away when folded up, as
indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, when it can be placed into the hollow of the
pillar D at the foot of the bed, as seen in sectional view Fig. 4. The ornamental knob
on the pillar D is made removable to allow for this.
In the ends of the frame are holes c, through which pass studs or tenons on the
top of the pillars A, and the frame is held in its place by screw-knobs E. The
canopy-frame is supported by rods or braces a a, which take under the side bars of the
frame C, and have cach a pin at the lower end, which enters a hole in the pillar A.
bb are curtain-rods, which have each pins. or hook at the ends, for engaging with
eyes on the side bars of the frame C.
To stiffen and brace the pillars A, I. employ a tie-rod d, which extends across
from pillar to pillar, and is secured in place by the knobs E E.
The braces à a and the curtain rods bare inserted in the hollow of the foot-pillar D
when not in use. To support the said braces and rods in said pillar, I place in
the hollow of the pillar a disk, f, in which are holes g, h, and i, to receive the said
braces and rods. This disk is shewn in Fig. 4.
Fig. shews the head-pillars of the bed provided with ornamental brackets G G,
mounted to swing on the sections A. This figure shews the brackets turned in as
when not in use.
Fig. 8 shews the brackets turned out parallel to the side rails of the bedstead, and
where the brackets are connected and held in position by a tie-rod j.
When the telescopic pillars A B are lowered, as in Fig. 9, and the brackets folded
in, the bed presents the appearance of a French-bedstead. When the pillars are
extended, as in Fig. 7, and the brackets turned out as shewn in the drawings, they
are adapted for carrying side curtains, forming thereby a half-tester hedstead.
Instead of the hinged canopy C being removed from the top of the pillars and
folded for insertion into the pillars at the foot of the bed as described, the canopy
may be of another construction and let down into the telescopic pillars A. In this
case the canopy is made of short pieces hinged together but capable of being supported
in the middle so as to form two sections, which on being disconnected and doubled
up may be dropped into the telescopic pillars, and enclosed therein by screwing on
the knobs. When the canopy is drawn out of the pillars it is turned down horizontally,
after which the knobs may be screwed on again.
Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of a half-tester
bedstead provided with the modified construction of canopy, and Fig. 11 is a vertical
section on a larger scale shewing one of the pillars A extended and the canopy turned
down for use. Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the upper part of the telescopic pillars
connected together by stay-rod E. Fig. 13 is plan view of the canopy detached.
Fig. 14 another plan view shewing one half of the canopy folded up, and Fig. 15 is
section of one of the pillars A collapsed with one half of the canopy enclosed within it.
The canopy is essentially a Ushaped frame with its two ends y adapted to enter
into, and slide down the pillars A, being hinged at to permit it to be turned down
horizontally, as shewn in full lines Figs. 10 and 11, or to be turned up vertically so

page_text: that the canopy may be slided down into the pillars A, after which the knobs G may
be screwed on. The canopy is made in two sections fastened together at a¹ by pin,
bolt, or other means, each section consisting of four pieces, comprising the end
pieces g, side pieces m, corner pieces n, and the front piece p. The pieces m, n,
and p, are hinged together at o, by hinges having vertical axis, so that the frame will
be rigid when in its horizontal position. When the canopy is not to be used it is
collapsed or placed away within the hollow pillars at the head of the bed. To do this
however the canopy is unfastened at a', each section being then doubled up, as shew at
Fig. 14, each half of the canopy is raised vertically so as to be dropped down into the
pillars A, when the knobs G are screwed on as shewn in Fig. 15. The pillars A and B
are now collapsed thus converting the bedstead into a French-bedstead. The ends g
of the canopy are provided with a collar p², which when raised comes into contact
with an internal flange p³, formed within the top of the pillars A, so as to prevent the
ends of the canopy from being drawn up too far. The bottom of the pillars A may be
screwed to pillars B by a set screw p¹, or they may be made secure by screw threads,
as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3. When the canopy is drawn up until the collar p² comes
into contact with the flange p³, the said canopy is turned over on its hinge, the
part m dropping into a notch 2 formed on the top of the pillar A for the purpose of
holding the part m rigid and preventing any sideway movement, after which the
knob & is screwed on making thereby a neat finish to the pillars.
A modification of this canopy is shewn in Figs. 16, 17, and 18, where Fig. 16 is
plan view, Fig. 17 perspective view shewing the canopy in position to be used, whilst
Fig. 18 shews the canopy when not in use. This form of canopy is not intended to be
taken to pieces and folded up as in the case of those already described, being made of
only three pieces, comprising the two end pieces g and the U shaped middle portion or
frame a.
Curtain rod irons ; are provided which are hinged at / to the cross bar E, and have
their ends hooked into eyes formed in or on the canopy. To lower the canopy into
the hollow pillars A, these rods are unhooked and turned inwards, and their ends
dropped into small holes formed in the bar E. The canopy is now raised into a
vertical position, see dotted lines Fig. 17, and afterwards lowered down into the
pillars A, which pillars A are afterwards lowered into the pillars B, as shewn in Fig. 18,
whereby the front rail a forms an ornamental top-bar for the head-frame of the
hedstead, as shown in the drawings. Collars are formed on the canopy so as to limit
the descent of the side-rods into the pillars. In this method the notches y formed on
the top of the pillars A. are omitted, as rotation of the pillars A. is necessary, and they
are preferably fastened to the pillars B by screw threads, as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3.
The knobs Gas previously explained will not in this case be required on the head
posts in consequence of the top canopy rail occupying the place shewn in the drawings.
If necessary the middle portion a of the canopy can be removed from the side portions
by means of a union coupling, to do this, the side bars each terminate with a screw
thread a, see Fig. 19, which is engaged by a short tubular bar a³, connected by a
swivel a² with the part a, and by unscrewing the bar a³ on cach side of the canopy, the
part a will be disconnected. When this is done a knob G may then be screwed onto
the screw thread at, so as to form a terminal, when the side bars m may be elevated
and dropped in the pillars A until the knobs rests on the top of the said pillars and
prevent their further descent.
The foot-posts of the bedstead may be made telescopic and provided with a canopy
if desired, in addition to the canopy at the head of the bed, as shewn by dotted lines in
Fig. 10. When both canopys are elevated, they form together a convenient frame for
holding netting or other suitable fabric for keeping off musquitoes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
Firstly. The manufacture of bedsteads having telescopic pillars such as A and B
for the purpose of converting the bedsteads from one description into another
description, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Secondly. In combination with telescopic pillars of a bedstead the use of a canopy,
which when not required can be placed into the hollow telescopic pillars in the manner
substantially as set forth and shewn in the drawings.
Thirdly. In combination with telescopic pillars of a bedstead, the use of a canopy
so hinged as that when raised into a vertical position the side parts can be let down
into the said telescopic pillars in manner as substantially set forth.
Fourthly. In combination with the telescopic pillars of a bedstead, the use of a
canopy so hinged as to be capable of being raised in a vertical position, and when let
down into the said pillars a portion thereof forms part of the frame work at the head
of the bedstead.
Fifthly. The employment of screw threads such as those formed on the bottom of
the pillars A and within the top of the pillars B, for the purpose of securing one pillar
to another after being elevated substantially as described.