Year: 1899

page_text: I, JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS, Managing Director of Hoskins and Sewell Limited,
of Bordesley, in the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows;-
This invention has relation to drop-side cots, and its object is to provide a new
and simplified construction of cot, by which the cost of manufacture is reduced and
the employment of loose or detachable parts is prevented.
The cot comprises fast or fixed ends with corner pillars or their equivalent, con-
nected together by a fixed or detachable bottom, thus making a frame with open
sides, which are closed by drop-down side frames. Each end of the top rail or
equivalent part of the sides is provided with a horizontally disposed crutch or
Tpiece, disposed at right angles to the length of the rail, and adapted to slide
behind a pair of vertically disposed, parallel and separated guide rods, situated
inwards or to one side of the corner pillars and having their upper and lower ter-
minations in chill castings or lugs carried by the upper and lower parts of the
said pillars or corners, whilst the necks or parts of the rails coming immediately
inwards of the crutch ends work within the spaces between the said guide rods,
which are separated to an extent less than the length of the crutch piece.
The bottom corners of the side frames are provided with pegs, studs, hooks or,
equivalent means adapted to engage with corresponding pockets, recesses, eyes, or
the like formed in the lugs or other outstanding or suitable formed parts of or
upon the corner pillars or end frames of the cots, whereby the sides are held in
their raised positions, and it is understood that the guide rods or races between
them are of such a length as to admit of the side rails being slightly lifted to an
extent sufficient to free the pegs or the like on the one part from the pockets on
the other part when the sides require to be lowered.
By this method of mounting, each of the side rails can be separated or detached
by the body of the cot by first detaching it from its bottom supports and then
turning it horizontally so as to bring the crutch or equivalent ends into a vertical
position, coincident with the races, when by elevating or inclining the rail, or
sliding it first one way and then the other, the detachment is effected.
Instead of the rails being straight to the top of the chill or casting, they may,
near their upper ends, be extended or made into loops to form a clearance through
which the crutch ends may be introduced into position behind the guide rods.
Instead of the ends of the top rails of the drop-sides being T or crutch ended.
they may be bulbous, or otherwise enlarged and the guide rods are bent or bowed
outwards to form an entrance or clearance through which the head is passed to
admit of the neck dropping into the race.

page_text: Instead of the side rails being supported as described, they be upheld by self-
acting or other catches or fasteners.
JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
I, JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS, Managing Director of Hoskins and Sewell Limited,
of Bordesley, in the City of Birmingham 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:-
This invention has relation to drop-side cots and its object is to provide a
new and simplified construction of cot, by which the cast of manufacture is
reduced and the employment of loose or detachable parts is prevented.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an elevation of a drop-side
cot constructed and arranged in accordance with one form of my invention and
Figure 2 shows an end view thereof. In both these views, the drop-down sides
are shown raised, or in the position in which they are placed and retained when
the cot is occupied. The lower chill castings or brackets on the corner pillars
are represented in Figure 1 in section showing the pocket formed therein with
which the peg ends of the bottom rail of the drop side engage
Figure represents another elevation of the cot, but with the side dropped,
for gaining access to the interior of the cot. The lower chills are also shown
in section in this view.
Figure 4 (Sheet 2) is an end view of the said cot, also showing both the sides
in their dropped position.
Figure 5 (Sheet 1) represents upon an enlarged scale, a horizontal section of
a portion of the cot upon the dotted line, Figure 3 showing more clearly the
arrangement of one of the connections by which the side-rails are detachably
secured to the cot and confined and guided in their rising and falling movement.
Figure 6 is another end view of the cot, showing one of the side rails in the
position in which it is placed in order to effect its introduction or withdrawal
although it is to be understood that the rail has to be sloped at an angle in order
to shorten the horizontal distance between the ends to admit of the disengage-
ment of the said connections.
Figure 7 represents an elevation of one of the pocketed brackets on, the corner
pillar, showing more clearly the disposition of the socket which receives the peg
end of the drop side when the said side is retained in its enclosing position.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawings.
The improved cot comprises fast or fixed ends a with corner pillars or their
equivalent, connected together by a bottom or mattress frame c, which may
either be fixed or detachable thus making a frame with open sides, which are
closed by drop-down side-frames d. Each end of the top bar d' or equivalent
part of the side rail is provided with a horizontally disposed crutch or T piece ²,
disposed at a right angle to the length of the rail, and adapted to slide behind a
pair of vertically disposed, parallel and separated guide rods b¹, situated to one
side of the corner pillars and having their upper and lower terminations in
chill castings or lugs 2, 3 carried by the upper and lower parts of the said

page_text: pillars or corners, whilst the necks ³, or parts of the T-pieces coming imme-
diately inwards of the crutch ends work within the spaces between the said
guide rods, which are separated to an extent less than the length of the crutch
piece.
The bottom rails of the said frames are extended into peg ends such as d,
adapted to engage with corresponding pockets or recesses 64 formed in the bottom
chills or lugs 63, or other outstanding or suitable formed parts of or upon the
corner pillars or end frames of the cots, whereby the sides are held in their raised
positions, and it is understood that the guide rods or races between them, are of
such a length as to admit of the side rails being slightly lifted to an extent
sufficient to free the peg ends d, on the one part from the pockets on the
other part when the sides require to be lowered.
By this method of mounting, each of the side rails can be separated or detached
from the body of the cot by first raising it slightly so as to disengage the pegs or
studs from their recesses or supports and then turning it horizontally outwards
into the position represented in Figure 6, so as to bring the crutch or equivalent
ends into a vertical position, coincident with the races, when by tilting or in-
clining the rail or dropping it at one end, so that the distance between the verti-
cal planes of the crutch ends is less than the distance between the guide rails and
the detachment is effected.
Instead of the bottom supports of the rail being provided by pegs or studs on
the side rails engaging within sockets or recesses in the pillar lugs, I may use
hooks on the one part to take into eyes on the other part.
Instead of the side rails being supported as described they may be upheld by
self-acting or other catches or fasteners.
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:-
:
First In cots having drop-down sides detachably securing the said sides by
means of right-angled crutch ended or equivalent connections, adapted to be
engaged between vertical guide rails at the ends of the cot framing with the
said drop sides being retained in their raised positions by suitable supports, sub-
stantially as herein described and also as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly-In cots having detachable drop-down sides, the employment of
pairs of separated guide rails, disposed in the planes of the end frames, for guid-
ing the said sides, and confining them to the said ends, with the said guide rails
being disposed between bracket lugs, chills or projections cast around or carried
by the corner pillars or by the end frames, substantially as and for the purpose
as herein described, and also as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly In drop-side cots. the combination with drop down sides, detachably
secured to the end rails by right angled crutch or equivalent connections working
behind pairs of separated guide rails carried by the said end rails, of means for
supporting the said drop sides in their raised positions, consisting of a peg end
or projection on the one part engaging with a socket or pocket on the other
part, or a hook on the one part and a horizontally disposed eye on the other part
substantially as herein described, and also as set forth in the accompanying
drawings.
Untad 01
e T
1000
JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.