IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS WITH FLEXIBLE AND ELASTIC SACKING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Charles Henderson of 6 Southampton Buildings
Holborn in the county of Middlesex for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS WITH FLEXIBLE AND ELASTIC SACKING Commu-
nicated to him from abroad by Etienne François Boyer of 2 Boulevard de
Strasbourg Paris in the Republic of France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Charles Henderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1882.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 6 Southampton Buildings, Holborn in the
county of Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS WITH FLEXIBLE
AND ELASTIC SACKING" A communication to me from abroad by Etienne François
Boyer of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris in the Republic of France
The bottom of the bedstead is rendered elastic and is capable of being more or
less stretched it being fixed on rollers at the foot and head of the bedstead,
which rollers stretch the material forming the bottom or sacking of the bedstead
by means of spiral springs which are compressed by the action of winding up.
The bedstead is made to fold by jointing the side bars in three places viz at
the two ends and in the centre. By raising the side bars or beams in the middle,
the head and foot posts of the bedstead are brought together and the side bars rise
in the centre between these posts.
When the bedstead is open the firmness and rigidness of the parts is insured by
angle irons or bars jointed to the posts at one end whilst the free ends terminating
in hooks catch on pins fixed to the side bars.
The cloth or material forming the bottom of the bedstead is as already described
fixed to two rollers, one of which is stationary and the other movable by means of
a key and click and ratchet arrangement so that the cloth may be stretched as
desired by winding up.
The spiral springs on the opposite roller by this action being compressed,
tighten the cloth which is further stretched by cross bars or stretchers in the
middle.
A similar arrangement for stretching the bed bottom may be used independently
of the folding bedstead so as to adapt it to any kind of wood or iron bedstead,

page_text: 1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Charles Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1883.
J
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 6 Southampton Buildings Holborn in the
county of Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS WITH FLEXIBLE AND
ELASTIC SACKING A communication to me from abroad by Etienne François Boyer
of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg Paris in the Republic of France
.One.of the characteristic features of the improved folding bedstead consists in
rendering the cloth sacking or other bed bottom elastic by stretching it by a com-
bination of spiral springs and rollers placed at the foot or head of the bed as may
be desired.
Figs 1 and 2 are a side elevation and a plan of an iron bedstead constructed on
'the improved principle forming the subject of the present invention, Fig 3 is a
vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig 4 shows the bedstead folded up.
Fig 5 shows one of the combined rollers and springs in detail. Fig 6 is a longi-
tudinal section of the bed bottom constructed independently of the bedstead so that
it may be placed upon any kind of bedstead.
The bed posts a and b support the sides a¹¹ formed at either end to receive
the jointed parts c'd of the sides c, d, these latter are also jointed where indicated
by the plates c. e. with rivet beads e¹, e¹ acting as pivots to the sides in folding or
unfolding the bedstead see Figs 1. 2. 3. 4. The bed bottom frame Fig 1. comprises
the two iron sides f. f. jointed in the centre by plates rivited to one or other, and
fitting inside the uprights of the bedstead posts a. b.
One of the sides f, receives an iron f extending below to fit in a groove or
slit c¹ in the beam or bar c. Rigidity of the whole is insured by hooking up the
four consoles or brackets g. g¹ which are articulated to the posts a. b. and hook on
the rivet heads on the sides c. d. these latter being secured by the stretchers h. h¹
or flat iron bars.
i
It will thus be observed the construction of the bedstead is simplified, and as the
sacking or otherwise is stretched high above the bed frame, all the parts are easily
accessible and can consequently be kept very clean.
In folding up the bedstead as shown Fig 4 the brackets are unhooked and the
centre of the bedstead is raised. The brackets or consoles g.g¹ are made sufficiently
solid to offer a fulcrum to the two rollers on which the sacking or cloth t is
'stretched. One of these rollers r, does not turn, and consists of a piece of wood r³,
vide Fig 5. whose section is not round but slightly elongated and having a longi-
'tudinal groove k whose edges are slightly sloped; in this groove with an inclination
of 45 degrees are placed (whilst leaving between them the requisite play) the spiral
springs m, covered by a galvanized sheet iron n, which is connected to the roller r²,
by means of the fastenings n. n¹¹ screwed to the wood. Through this roller an
iron bar i passes whose ends being rectangular fit in mortises similarly shaped, on
the brackets g. Metal rings strengthen these ends.
The end of the sacking or cloth t, screwed or nailed to the roller 71, passes outside
'the fastenings n' and the sheet iron n, to fix its other end to the movable roller p,
this roller being of hollow iron and its ends terminating in trunnions which enter
'and turn in openings ad hoc in the brackets g¹. One of the trunnions is square
ended j, for the application of a crank or winch for winding up or unwinding this
roller.
On the same side is a ratchet 8, and click s¹, mounted on the pivoting axis of the
bracket gl. In stretching the cloth t, it suffices to turn the crank in the direction
of the arrow, the click preventing any inverse movement, it must therefore be raised
for unrolling or slackening the cloth.
:

page_text: Supposing this cloth stretched, it will be understood to possess great elasticity
due to the spiral springs with which the fixed roller is supplied. In the middle
the cloth is stretched by the stretchers t'.
In Fig 6 the rollers r. p. are supported by the bent up ends of the side beams or
bars . x. forming the bed bottom frame, with the cross pieces y. y. At the side
where the ratchet s is, the end of the traverse a is prolonged so as to present its
point of articulation to the click 8.
This bed can be used with any kind of bedstead whether specially made for it or
not and can be made to fold the same as that already described
In iron bedsteads the posts a. b may be furnished with wooden panels z. z,
supported between the upper hollow iron parts, by supports 2, riveted to the
traverses a b².
What is claimed as the invention is the improved folding bedstead with elastic
cloth or sacking as herein described, and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings in which the features of novelty are characterized by
1 The construction of the bedstead admitting of folding it in very small
dimensions
2nd The arrangement of the cloth forming the bed bottom, being stretched on
rollers or cylinders supported by the consoles or brackets secured to the bed
posts and the sides of the bedstead: the cloth possessing the desired elasticity,
effected by aid of the spiral springs which the cloth presses in passing round
the cylinder or fixed roller, on which the springs are mounted. The cloth being
stretched at will by turning the movable roller whose axis terininates with
this view in a square for the application thereto of a crank or winch, and so
acting on the ratchet and click.
3rd The ensemble as well as the details of construction of the several parts.
4th The bed frame independent of the bedstead as shown Fig 6 for use with -
specially constructed bedsteads or any description of manufacture. Reservation
being made to modifications of form or materials of construction and orna-
mentation of the frames and bedsteads as taste may suggest.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Charles Henderson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this tenth day of January in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
A A HANDEDSONT