AN IMPROVED CANTEEN, COMBINING BED; TENT, AND OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRED BY OFFICERS CAMPAIGNING, AND OTHERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED CANTEEN, COMBINING BED; TENT, AND OTHER
ARTICLES REQUIRED BY OFFICERS CAMPAIGNING, AND OTHERS."-A com-
munication from abroad by J. Manens, of Paris, France, Musical
Director.
Scaled the 15th February 1876, and dated the 19th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Gedge, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th August 1875.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CANTEEN, COMBINING BED, TENT,
AND OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRED BY OFFICERS CAMPAIGNING, AND OTHERS,"
communication to me from abroad by J. Manens, of Paris, France,
Musical Director, to be as follows:-
a
This canteen is preferably made about 32 inches long by 16 inches in

page_text: breadth and height. It carries in this small bulk, weighing in all
about 120 lbs., everything included, bed, table, stool, tent, and its
accessories. It may also contain-regimentals-and-toilet-articles-sufficient
for an expedition of 4 or 6 months. It opens on hinges and enlarges to
receive the bed, the faces of the ends fixed inside by a hook lowering by
means of two hinges placed in the middle, in order to give room for the
bed when set up.
The open canteen is kept from spreading further apart or closing by
two iron hooks placed, the one at the head, the other at the foot, and
secured within the case upon that part which forms the lower com- 1
partment. They pivot at will to be fixed into a ring screw screwed
inside the lid. The two hinges which form at the same time the band
surrounding the case to strengthen it are made of one piece, and of iron
of rather more than an inch in breadth by about ½ of an inch in
thickness, they are bolted and fixed by round nuts countersunk in the
wood.
The canteen is divided into two compartments; the lower is intended
to receive regimentals and toilet requisites, the upper one contains the
bed, a table, a stool, a tent, pegs, and an axe or tomahawk.
The bed when folded at once enters the canteen, where it is secured by
means of four iron tenons; these four tenons enter into four sheaths
formed in the sides of the lateral faces. The bed thus placed, the head
and the foot open out by means of hinges fixed above cross pieces of
about 22 inches at the head, and the same at the feet, which gives to
the bed a length of about 6ft. 4 inches, the centre part being about 2 ft.
6 inches long. The bed has a bolster, but this may be replaced by a pocket
at the head of the bed, into which any soft article may be put. It may
be placed on a pack horse and serve as a trunk (at pleasure) by means
of moveable chains placed on the bands, and held by nuts fixed inside, so
that the chains may be removed, the holes left by their removal being
stopped by the bolts which serve to fix them.
: Straps placed above the canteen, and at the ends near the centre
serve to hold the tent and its jointed uprights. These straps are fixed
to the lateral back face, and buckle on the front lateral face. The
'handles are of iron and moveable. It is fastened by means of a
padlock which passes through a hole made in the end of a key riveted
inside the canteen; an eye into which the moveable key is introduced
serves to completely close it...

page_text: The configuration of the table is such that when folded it forms but a
single board of about an inch thick, which fits on to angle blocks within
the canteen, and serves as a division between the compartments. The
platform which is about half an inch thick folds in two by means of
hinges placed at the ends. Moveable cross pieces serve to keep it open,
and at the same time, as points of stoppage for the feet when it is set up.
The feet are so made that in folding they cross entirely the one
within the other so as to leave but a thickness of about an inch to
receive the folded platform which is framed by the feet.
The stool which is not claimed as a novelty, and is adopted here
because it occupies but little space is that with three branches which
when folded take a cylindrical form of about 2½ inches in diameter,
the seat is formed of a triangular piece of canvas with which the three
upper ends of the branches are capped.
The tent and its uprights, the joints of which are as long as the
canteen are placed over an iron where they are held by straps suitably.
arranged.
The tent is about 7 feet square at its base by about 7 feet high, it is
of a marquee shape, that is to say, with gable roof. Its uprights are in
two or three pieces, according to their length, and are united by hinges
so that they may be folded and placed on the canteen without extending
beyond its length. The principal upright is about 6 feet 10 in. length,
by about 2 inches in diameter; it is in three joints. In setting it up it
is fixed in a ring or eye placed opposite the hinges. This ring or eye
which is also hinged is pierced at the end for the passage of a bolt
which is to receive a hook to fix the jointed parts. The part intended
to fix the summit of the tent is of a cylindrical form, and of about 4ft..
long by two inches in diameter, it is in two pieces, joined by a simple
hinge, without fixing hook. It is set up in form of a T at the end of
the main upright by means of a pin or stud fixed at the end, and in the
centre of this main upright which enters a hole in the middle of the part
just described.
th of an inch
they are held
Two flat cross pieces are used to keep the tent properly spread; they
are about 4 ft. 4 inches long, by about an inch broad, and
thick; they are in two pieces united by a simple hinge;
and buckled at each end by small straps sewn to the inside of the tent
at the point from whence the roof rises. Thus placed the spreading is

page_text: The tent pegs shod with iron are placed in the canteen'; the axe or
tomahawk has a socket at the end opposite the edge, which serves as a
mallet to drive the pegs into the earth...
The canteen may be of a size that will permit it when closed to be
placed as a seat in a café, restaurant, or any saloon or apartment, and at
night be opened out into a comfortable bed, with this difference, that the
bed will not then take to pieces, but be simply moveable on the side
where the compartments are made; in every other respect it will be
similar to that of the canteen above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 18th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, Î, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge,
Her special licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED CANTEEN, COMBINING BED, TENT, AND OTHER
ARTICLES REQUIRED BY OFFICERS CAMPAIGNING, AND OTHERS,' a communication
to me from abroad by J. Manens, of Paris, France, Musical Director, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge,
"

page_text: my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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
Sheet of Drawing:-
This canteen is preferably made about 32 inches long by 16 inches in
breadth and height (in order to lessen as much as possible the baggage
of armies in rapid movement). It carries in this small bulk, weighing
in all about 120 lbs., everything included, bed, table, stool, tent, and its
accessorics. It may also contain regimentals and toilet articles sufficient
for an expedition of 4 or 6 months. It opens out to a square by means
of two hinges, one hinge at each of the lower corners of the lateral back
face, and enlarges to double the size in order to receive the bed
(see Fig. 1), the ends fixed inside by a hook when the canteen is closed,
lowering by means of two hinges placed in the middle, in order to give
room for the bed when set up, and so that the back of the occupant will
not touch the edge of these ends (see Figs. 7 and 8).
The open canteen is held to prevent its further opening or closing by
two iron hooked rods placed the one at the head and the other at.
the foot, and hinged within the case upon the pieces which form the.
lower compartment. They pivot at will to be fixed into catches screwed
inside the lid. The two hinges which form at the same time the bands.
surrounding the case (see Figs. 4 and 6) to strengthen it are made of
one piece, and of iron rather more than an inch in breadth by about th
of an inch in thickness, they are bolted and fixed by round nuts counter-
sunk in the wood.
The canteen is divided into two compartments (see Fig. 1). The
lower is intended to receive regimentals and toilet requisites, the upper
one to contain the bed, the table, the stool, the tent, pegs, and the are

page_text: The hammock bed when folded at once enters the canteen, it is set
on the edges of the sides of the lateral faces (see Figs. 7 and S,) by
means of four iron tenons; these four tenons enter, four sheaths formed in
the edges of the lateral faces (see Figs. 7 and 8). The bed thus placed,
the head and the foot open out by means of hinges fixed above the cross
pieces to a length of about 22 inches at the head, and the same at the
feet, which gives to the bed a length of about 6 feet 4 inches, the centre
part being about 2 feet 6 inches long. The bed has a bolster, but this
may be replaced by a pocket at the head of the bed, into which any soft.
article may be put. It may be placed on a pack horse and serve as a
trunk (at pleasure) by means of two moveable chains placed on the bands
of the front lateral face, and held by nuts fixed inside so that the chains
may be removed, the holes left by their removal being stopped by the
bolts which serve to fix them.
Straps placed above the canteen and at the ends near the centre serve
to hold the tent and its jointed uprights. These straps are fixed to the
lateral back face (see Fig. 4), and buckle on the front lateral face (see
Fig. 4). The handles are of iron and moveable like those of trunks
(see Fig. 6). It is fastened by means of a padlock which passes through
a hole made in the end of the key or pivoting staple riveted inside the
canteen; an eye or slot in the hasp through which the moveable key
is introduced serves to completely close it (see Figs. 4 and 6).
The configuration of the table (Fig. 1) is such that when folded it forms.
but a single board of about an inch thick, which fits on to angle blocks
within the canteen, and serves as a division between the compartments.
The platform or top of the table (which is about an inch thick folds
in two by means of hinges placed at the ends (Fig. 1). The moveable
cross pieces serve to fix it when open, and at the same time as points of
stoppage for the feet when it is set up. The feet are so made as to fold
the one entirely within the other, so as to leave but a thickness of a
about an inch to receive the folded platform which is framed by the
feet.
The stool which is not claimed as a novelty, and is adopted here
because it occupies but little space, is that with three branches, which
when folded take a cylindrical form of about 2½ inches in diameter. It
is set up with a piece of canvass forming the triangle with which the

page_text: The tent and its uprights, the joints of which are as long as the
canteen, are placed saddlewise over the canteen when closed, where
they are held by straps suitably arranged as above mentioned.
$
The tent is square at its base, say about 7 feet by 7 feet high; it is
of a marquee shape, that is to say, with gable roof (see Fig. 1). Its
uprights are in two or three pieces, according to their length (see
Figs. 2 and 3), and are united by hinges so that they may be folded and
placed on the canteen without extending beyond its length. The
principal upright is about 6 feet 10 inches in length, by about 2 inches
in diameter, it is in three joints (see Fig. 2). In setting it up it is fixed
by means of a metal hasp placed opposite the hinges. This hasp which
is also hinged is pierced at the end for the passage of a staple or key
having a hook to fix the jointed part. The piece intended to form the
ridge pole of the tent is of a cylindrical form, and of about 4 feet long by
two inches in diameter; it is in two pieces joined by. a simple hinge
without fixing hook; it is set up in form of a T at the end of the main
upright by means of a pin or stud fixed at the end, and in the centre of
this main upright which enters a hole in the middle of the part just
described (see Fig. 2).
The two cross pieces A, A (Figure 3), intended to keep the tent
properly spread, are flat; they are about 4 feet 4 inches long by about an
inch broad, and th of an inch thick; they are in two pieces united by a
simple hinge; they are held and buckled at each end by small straps or
sheaths sewn to the inside of the tent at the point from whence the roof
rises. Thus placed, the spreading is secured by two rods hinged to these
cross pieces, and which hook into two holes made in the main upright.
and lined with iron (Fig. 2).
The tent pegs shod with iron are placed in the canteen; the axe or
tomahawk has a socket at the end opposite the edge, which serves as a
mallet to drive the pegs into the earth. Such is in detail the description
of the canteen for military and general use. There is also the seat
bench or divan bench (see Figs. 9, 10, and 11), which when closed may be
placed as a seat in a café, restaurant, or any saloon or adartment, and at
night be opened out into a comfortable bed with this difference that
the bed does not take to pieces but is simply moveable on the side
where the compartments are made; in every other respect it is similar to
that of the canteen above described.

page_text: sheaths or cases (as herein-before described) in which they are placed or
removed accordingly as it is desired to enlarge or lessen the size of the
tent, the arrangement of the tent pole making it to fold in three equal
parts so that it may be easily packed, the top arm fixing to the pole
by a bolt or pin also folding in two parts, so that it may be reduced to
the same proportions as the pole when folded, and of the two wooden
arms, and receiving the two iron rods which fasten to the pole.
In the construction of the canteen bed. The arrangement of a box of
very small dimensions so as to permit, by the aid of the special ironwork
herein-before described, the adaptation of a bed opening in three parts
upheld by the edges of the box into which it is fixed; the arrangement
of this box so that it may hold not only the bed, a seat, the bedding
and toilet requisites, but also a table folding in two parts, its feet resting
upon it, and upon them a small trunk or portmanteau for clothes or
medicines, according to the use to which the tent is to be applied. The
seat bed is combined on the same principle as the canteen bed.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
communicated to me as aforesaid, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein given, as such may
be varied while retaining the essential features of the Invention, also
that I do not limit myself to the use of any particular metal or
material in the construction of the various parts, nor to any precise
dimensions.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-