IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE BEDSTEADS
Year: 1856

page_text: ...
LETTERS PATENT. to Thomas Cook, of Addiscombe, in the County of
Surrey, Lieutenant in Her Majesty's Royal Navy, for the Invention of,
"Trennat Danmanin Dunam
"
66 TOP DERSTRADO."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Cook at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pétition, on the
8th March 1856.
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I, THOMAS COOK, of Addiscombe, in the County of Surrey, Lieutenant in.
Her Majesty's, Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of my said Inven-,
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, to be as follows:-...
My said Invention consists, in making, the pillars of bedsteads of several
tubes, sliding one within the other, in the manner of a telescope, and in
forming the top and bed framings of light, solid rods or tubes jointed, by
hinges, or, screws and ferrules, or like means, to shorten and render them
portable. The several tubes, forming the posts or pillars, are retained within
each other by means of collars on their ends, having one or more grooves, cut
in each, corresponding with one or more studs on the lower end of the several
internal tubes, which serve to keep the tubes extended by drawing the studs
through. the grooves and turning the tubes until the studs rest on the outer
face of each collar; the outer or larger tube of each pillar. has attached to
it ears or sockets. for receiving the ends of the bed frame. The top frame

page_text: may be variously constructed, and secured by screws and otherwise to the
top of each pillar. The whole may be formed of metal or combined with
other materials.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Cook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
Cook, of Addiscombe, in the County of Surrey, Lieutenant in Her Majesty's
Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Cook, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Cook, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Cook, 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE BEDSTEADS, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Cook, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Cook, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My said Invention consists in making the pillars or posts of bedsteads
tubular, in two or more parts sliding the one into the other, in the manner of
a telescope; or the separate parts of the pillars may be screwed into each other
by means of internal and external screws on their ends.
And for the better understanding of my said Invention, I will now proceed

page_text: to describe the details thereof. reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, in which the same letters indicate like parts throughout.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective side elevation of a portable bedstead, showing.
posts and framing, according to my Invention; and Figure 2 is the same, as
seen folded up in a portable form ready for packing.
A, A, A', A', are the four telescopic pillars or posts, composed of tubular
parts a, a, a, a, sliding into each other, and all except the top tubes furnished
with a collar at a', a', which being attached to a socket three or four inches
long, is screwed to the head of the tube below it; a ferrule or ring is fixed to
the lower part of the sliding tube to prevent its being drawn through the
socket when extended to its full length; and these sliding tubes have also one-
or more studs or pins near their lower ends, which on passing through grooves.
or slots in the sockets are turned to the right or left, thus causing the studs to
rest on the collars and keep the, pillar extended; or the same may be effected
by spring catches. B, metal sockets affixed to the lower or largest tubes,
with ears for receiving the ends of the bed-frame rails, which may be
tubular or solid; C, the side rails, with joints c, c, to fold up; d, d, bolts and
nuts or rivets, passing through the ears, securing the rail ends, which are of a
bracket form, as seen at e, e; f, f, stays for farther steadying the frame, with
a rivet joint to the ears of the socket or ring at g, g, the other end being
firmly secured by a button stop to the frame; or this arrangement may be
reversed. h is a transverse rod, hooked between the legs i, i, supporting the
middle joints of the side rails; j, the head framing, formed by a horizontal
rod carrying metal bars, and booked or screwed to the bed posts; D, the top
or curtain frame, with k, k, hinge joints, the corners of the frame having
holes to receive screw pins or studs projecting from the top ends of the pillars.
The pillars and side frame assume the appearance shown in Figure 2 when
brought close together for packing; A, A', being the pillars when the tubes
are slid one into the other; and C, the side rails folded by their hinged
joints. It will thus be observed, that the several tubes forming the pillars are
retained in each other by means of the metal collars on their ends, having one
or more grooves or slots cut in them, corresponding with one or more studs or
spring catches on the internal tube, so that each tube when drawn up to its
5 full extent allows the studs or catches to pass out through the grooves or
slots, and by a half turn of the tubes the studs are brought to rest on the
exterior of the collars, thereby maintaining the pillars in their desired posi-
tion. The outer or larger tube has attached to it metal sockets, with ears

page_text: affixed for receiving the ends, of the bed frame; which may also be tubularsor;
solid, and have one or more hinge joints or screws and ferrules to reduce their:
length. The top, or curtain framing, may be variously constructed of light
rods, shortened by joints or screws, and be screwed or otherwise fastened to
the pillars, or posts, andsinstead of the pillar tubes sliding one within the other, 5
I might have the various parts of the pillars to screw at their ends, into, each
other. My improved portable bedstead is packed by taking off the top.frame.or
curtain rods and running the pillar tubes one within the other, then releasing
the frame from the stays and the legs from the transverse rod; after, which the
frame can be doubled up on each side by means of its rule.joints, as shown in, 1
Figure 2.1gs!
Having thus fully described my said improvements, I wish it to be unders
stood that I do not restrict myself to any precise pattern or dimensions, or
limit myself to any particular metal, or other materials in the manufacture;
and I, do declare that what I claim as my Invention is, namely, the, peculiar, 1
improved construction of telescopic, and other posts or pillars and framing. for
portable bedsteads, as described:
F...
In witness whereof; I, the said Thomas Cook, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second-day of September, in the year of our Lordi
1856.
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