IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMP BEDSTEADS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Collis Browne, (Physician,) of No. 2, Rodney
Terrace, Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMP BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 14th November 1854, and dated the 19th July 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Collis Browne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th July 1854.
I, JOHN COLLIS BROWNE, (Physician,) of No. 2, Rodney Terrace, Cheltenham,
in the County of Gloucester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMP BEDSTEADS" to be as
follows:-
My improvements in the manufacture of camp or portable bedsteads consist
in constructing them so collapsible as to render them exceedingly portable, and
at the same time readily available for the purposes of a bed. I construct my
improved bedstead of a strong light wood or other suitable material. The side
rails are prepared of the requisite length, and about two inches and a half in
width by one inch in thickness; these are divided in their length in one, two,
or more places, and so jointed, by metal or other hinges, that one part of the
bedstead folds upon the other, and so shortens up in a suitable length for

page_text: portability. I separate the side rails and keep them apart by means of wood
stretchers, disposed at the extreme ends and at the joints, such stretchers
being dovetailed or otherwise fitted to the side rails, as to be readily connected
or disengaged. The side rails are further connected by a number of pieces of
webbing, or or it may be a piece or pieces of canvas, which are kept in a state
of tension by the application of the stretchers. The webbing so stretched forms
the surface to support the body while reclining. Where canvas is used it may
be made double, so as to be available for stuffing with hay or any other mate-
rial found upon the spot. In order to sustain the framework from the ground,
I screw or otherwise fit short wood legs at the ends and also at the several
hinged joints; these fittings pass through and at the same time connect the
stretchers and side rails firmly together. In collapsing, the legs and stretchers
are disconnected, when the side rails are folded, and the webbing or canvas
rolled up on them; the legs and stretchers are now placed parallel with the
side rails, and the whole enclosed in a flexible case, and need not occupy a
space exceeding four inches and a half by six inches, and about two feet long.
The folding properties of the bedstead, in addition to the purposes of collapsing,
are extremely well adapted for camp purposes, as in placing a patient in the
various positions that may be desirable, according to the nature of a wound or
ailment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Collis Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th January 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COLLIS BROWNE, (Physician,) of No. 2, Rodney Terrace, Cheltenham, in the
County of Gloucestershire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Collis Browne, Her special licence that I, the said John
Collis Browne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
J, the said John Collis Browne, 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

page_text: 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMP BEDSTEADS," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said John Collis Browne, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Collis Browne, 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, reference being had to the three Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My improvements in the manufacture of camp or portable bedsteads consist
in constructing them so collapsible as to render them exceedingly portable, and
at the same time readily available for the purposes of a bed. I construct my
improved bedstead of a light strong wood or other suitable material. The side
rails are prepared of the requisite length, and about two and a half inches wide
by one inch in thickness; these are divided in their length in one, two, or
more places, and so jointed, by metal or other hinges, that the one part of the
bedstead folds upon the other, and so shortens up in a suitable length for
portability. I separate the side rails and keep them apart by means of wood
stretchers disposed at the extreme ends and at the joints, such stretchers
being dovetailed or otherwise fitted to the side rails, as to be readily connected
or disengaged. The side rails are further connected by a number of pieces of
webbing or pieces of canvas, which are kept in a state of tension by the appli-
cation of the stretchers. The webbing so stretched forms the surface to support
the body while reclining. When sheets of canvas are used it may be made
double, so as to be available for stuffing with hay or any suitable material
found upon the spot. In order to sustain the framework from the ground, I
screw or otherwise fit short wood legs at the ends and also at the several hinged
joints; these fittings pass through and at the same time connect the stretchers
and side rails firmly together. In collapsing, the legs and stretchers are dis-
connected, when the side rails are folded, and the webbing or canvas rolled up
on them; the legs and stretchers are now placed parallel with the side rails,
and the whole enclosed in a flexible case, and need not occupy a space exceeding
four inches and a half by six inches, and about two feet long. The folding pro-

page_text: perties of the bedstead, in addition to the purposes of collapsing, are extremely
well adapted for camp purposes, in placing a patient in the various positions
that may be desirable, according to the nature of a wound or ailment, as will
be readily understood by examining the Drawings. The letters of reference
where they recur denote the same parts in the whole of the Figures.
Fig. 1 represents the bedstead prepared at full length. I make the frame-
work of any light strong wood, or other light material adapted for the purpose.
The side rails A, A, are prepared of the requisite length, and are each divided
into three portions of about equal length. When I use wood for the purpose,
I construct the side rails about two and a half inches in width and about one
inch in thickness, depending in some measure upon the nature and strength of
the material. The lengths of each side rail are connected together by means of
metal hinges a, a, or other equivalents, so as to allow them to be folded upon
each other, and so shorten the length, for the facility of portability. The side
rails are connected together by strips of webbing or canvas B, B, B, B, which
form the reclining surface; these are kept in a state of tension when the
bedstead is in use by the transverse stretchers C, C, shown separately at
Figs. 6 and 7; the stretcher C being placed at the ends of the side frames,
whilst the stretchers C¹ are placed near the joints a, a, of side rails, preventing
strain on them, and keeping the whole surface in a proper state of tension.
The stretchers C, C', are curved, so as not to interfere with the probable
depression of the webbing B, B. The ends of the stretchers are dovetailed into
or otherwise fitted to the side rails, so as to be very readily connected and dis-
connected. D, D, are the legs, the ends of which are screwed, and pass
through or screw into the ends of the stretchers and the side rails, so as to
securely hold them together, and at the same time sustain the bedstead from
the ground. Fig. 8 represents the under side of a portion of the side rail, and
Fig. 9, an inner edge view. The stretcher being fitted to the sido rail, a hole
is bored in the stretcher, to permit the free passage of the leg screw b; a cor-
responding worm or screw is cut in the hole in the side rail, into which the leg
screws, thus uniting the two parts firmly together. Instead of using wood legs
and screws, I sometimes employ light tubing, as represented at c, Fig. 10,
fitting a large button head d in the foot, to prevent it sinking in the ground,
and having a metal worm and collar at the upper end, whereby to connect the
parts of the bedstead. In lieu of the wood screw before described, a metal nut
f is inserted in the upper surface of the side rail, into which the worm on the
leg fits, fixing the whole firmly together, as before. Dovetails g, g, are for the
reception of stretcher ends, cut on either sides of hinges a, a, into either of which

page_text: the stretcher is placed, according to the form the bedstead is desired to assume,
as exhibited at Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. E, E, are light rods or uprights, inserted
in holes in the end stretchers, for supporting or carrying a blanket or other
canopy or covering, a cord being stretched between the uprights at the top to
sustain the covering, and form the apex or ridge of the tent. F, F, and F', F',
are straps and buckles attached to the side rails, for the purpose of retaining
the bedstead in position when placed in other than full length position, as
shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows a position of the bedstead when the head of it
is elevated and secured by the straps F1, F', to raise the head and chest of the
person reclining on it. Fig. 3 represents a position in which the foot portion
of the bedstead is elevated to raise the legs of the person, the head portion
remaining horizontal. Fig. 4 represents the 'bedstead in a position so as to
raise both the head and chest and the legs of the person reclining; the legs of
the bedstead in these and all other positions being screwed into those holes
and the stretchers so placed as to secure the greatest amount of stability.
Fig. 5 represents the bedstead converted into a chair. One division of the side
rails, namely, the foot division, is folded under the next adjoining division. In
this case the legs D¹ require the screw to pass through both side parts of the
rails, for which purpose the end legs have their screws of double the length;
knobs or caps h, h, are fitted to these legs to cover the ends of screws when not
so used. The straps F1, F", sustain the bead portion as the back of the chair.
Figs. 11 & 12 represent stretchers, constructed with metal ends k, k, instead
of reducing the thickness of the wood; and in case of the middle stretchers, it
saves curving the wood part of the stretcher, as it may be depressed sufficiently
by the form given to the metal ends. These metal ends should be light, and
strengthened by edge ribs i, i, soldered or otherwise united to the flat plate.
Fig. 13 represents the side rails and the webbing or canvas attached to them
ready for packing, the stretchers having been removed. The divisions of the
sides are folded on each other, taking the positions shown in Fig. 14, and when
quite closed they are rolled towards each other, rolling up the webbing with
them until a short distance asunder, as shown in Fig. 15, which is a side
elevation when packed, and Fig. 16, an end view also when packed. The other
parts of the bedstead are now packed in, and the whole placed within the case
or cover, Fig. 17, and strapped and fastened, when it is fit for transport.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it
is performed, I would have it understood that I do not make any claim to
the exclusive use of folding or collapsing bedsteads; but what I claim as
my Invention is, the combination of parts A, B, C, C', and D, D', or any mere

page_text: equivalents therefore, into a bedstead for camp or other purposes where
portability is essential, and as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Collis Browne, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
SAMUEL TRAVIS,
of Weston-super-Mare.
JOHN WEEKS,
of Weston-super-Mare.
JOHN COLLIS BROWNE. (L.S.)