IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES MCWHIRTER, Engineer, of the firm of McWhirter, Roberts and Co of
East India Road, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING BEDSTEADS "to be as follows:-
My invention relates to bedsteads so arranged that they can be folded or closed
together when not in use, and more especially to such bedsteads when used as
sleeping berths on board Emigrant ships, troop ships, or passenger ships, or in
hospitals, dormitories, or other places of the like kind.
It has for its object a novel method of constructing and arranging such folding
bedsteads so that they are very cheap, simple, and effective for the purpose
required, and so that a large proportion of the deck or floor space occupied by the
bedstead is available in the daytime or when the bedstead is not in use, a free
circulation of air being allowed to all parts of the bed and bedding, whilst the
cleaning of the deck or floor under and round the bedsteads can be easily and
quickly effected.
The improved bedsteads consist of berths supported by stancheons, of iron or
other suitable metal or material, arranged in blocks of two or more one above the
other, and placed side by side or end to end.
Each bedstead is made in two parts jointed or fitted together at or near the
centre of the length of the bedstead, so that one part (preferably the foot) may be
turned over, up or down, or slid into the other part during the daytime or when
the bed is not in use. For this purpose I arrange three vertical columns or
stancheons upon each side of the bedstead, one being at the head, one at the foot,
and one at or about the middle of the length of the bedstead.
At the proper height upon these columns or stancheons are fixed supports upon
which are carried longitudinal and crossbars constituting frames to which the crossed
laths which carry the bedding are attached.
The frame constituting the upper or head part of the bedstead is preferably
permanently attached to the corresponding stancheons, and it may be provided with
head board and lee boards or frames of the usual kind. The other frame, consti-
tuting the lower or foot part of the bedstead, is hinged by a transverse joint to the
first frame, and its foot end rests upon the supports upon the corresponding.
columns or stancheons without being fixed to them, so that when the bed is not in.
use such lower frame may be turned completely over upon the hinge until it rests

page_text: inverted upon the upper frame, or turned down, the bedding (if desired) being
enclosed between them.
In this position free access is obtained round and between the lower stancheons
which supported the foot of the bed, and free ventilation and facility of access for
cleaning and other purposes are obtained.
The hinged foot part of the bedstead may also be fitted with lee boards and foot-
board or frames, these being jointed to the lower frame so that they may be
turned down before the latter is turned over upon its hinge, and fastenings or
hooks being provided by which they can be held in position when in use.
Instead of being turned over upon a hinge as described, I sometimes make the
lower or foot part of the bedstead slide in grooves or guides under the upper or
head part; and sometimes I hinge the foot stancheons themselves to the foot end
of the lower or foot frame, so that when the latter is turned over upon its binge the
stancheons are carried with it, retaining their vertical position and leaving the
lower or foot part of the deck or floor perfectly free.
In this mode of arrange-
ment the foot stancheons are made sufficiently short at their upper end to allow of
their being removed with the lower half of the bedstead as described.
I make all the parts of the improved bedsteads interchangeable so that there is
no difficulty in removing and refitting them when required, as in the case of
Emigrant ships.
By my invention great comfort and convenience are obtained in sea voyages,
the limited space allowed to third class passengers being made available as far as
possible.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Folding Bedsteads.
I, CHARLES M°WHIRTER, Engineer, of the firm of McWhirter, Roberts, and Co:
of East India Road, in the County of Middlesex 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 and accompanying
drawing (that is to say) :-
This invention, relates to bedsteads so arranged that they can be folded or closed
together when not in use; and more especially to such bedsteads when used as
sleeping berths on board emigrant ships, troop ships, or passenger ships; or in
hospitals, dormitories, or other places of the like kind..
It has for its object a novel method of constructing and arranging such folding
bedsteads so that they are very cheap, simple, and effective for the purpose

page_text: required; and so that a large proportion of the deck or floor space occupied by the
bedstead is available in the daytime or when the bedstead is not in use, a free
circulation of air being allowed to all parts of the bed and bedding, whilst the
cleaning of the decks or floor under and round the bedsteads can be quickly and
easily effected.
The improved bedsteads consist of berths supported by vertical stanchions of
iron or other suitable metal or material, arranged in blocks of two or more berths
one above the other, and placed side by side or end to end. The bottom of one of
each berth or bedstead is made in two parts jointed or fitted together at or near
the centre of the length of the bedstead, so that one part (preferably the foot) may
be turned back either over or under the other part, or may be made to slide into
the other part, during the day time or when the bed is not in use.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of my invention, figure 1
is a side view of two berths arranged one above the other, and figure 2 is a plan of
the same.
a, a, a, are vertical columns or stanchions three of which are arranged
upon each side of each berth, those between each two berths being common to
both, and one pair being arranged at the head, one at the foot, and one at or about
the middle of the length of the bedstead. At a short distance above the floor b, c,
are fixed upon these columns or stanchions a, a, a, supports c, c, c, upon which are
carried frames consisting of longitudinal bars d, connected by cross bars, which
form frames filled in with metal strips, laths, or slats, of the usual kind, as shewn
at e in figure 2, upon which the bedding is placed.
The frame which constitutes the upper or head part of the bedstead preferably
remains permanently supported upon the corresponding stanchions, and it may be
adjusted and kept in its place in any convenient way, but preferably in the way
shewn in figures 1 and 2, the corners of the frame fitting corresponding projections
upon the supports c, as shewn on a larger scale at f figures 3 and 4.
The other frame which constitutes the lower or foot part of the bedstead, is
hinged by a transverse joint to the lower end of the first frame, or to the central
supports c which carry the latter, as shewn at g, and its foot end rests upon the
supports cat the foot end of the bedstead, its corners fitting round projections fupon
the supports similar to those already described.
When the bed is not in use, the lower frame can be turned up as indicated in
dotted lines at d¹ in figure 1, and folded over until it rests upon the upper or
head part of the bedstead, the bedding being (if desired) enclosed between the two
parts.
In this position free access is obtained round and between the lower stanchions
which had supported the foot end of the bedstead, and good ventilation and facility
of access for cleaning or other purposes are obtained.
The lower hinged part of the bedstead is shewn fitted with metal frames consti-
tuting lee boards and foot boards at h, these frames being shewn hinged so that
they can be folded down upon the frame before the latter is turned over upon its
hinge as described. Or, instead of metal frames, wooden boards may be used.
Suitable hooks or other fastenings are arranged to hold these frames or boards in
their proper position.
The upper or head part of the bedstead is also provided with frames or boards
at the side and head of the bedstead, these frames or boards being supported by
guides upon the stanchions a, as shewn at i in figure 1.
Instead of the lower or foot frame of the bedstead being arranged so that it turns
over upon a hinge as described and shewn, it may be arranged so that it can slide
in horizontally under the upper or head frame or can be drawn out, as desired.
Or, the hinge may be so arranged that the lower frame turns back under instead
of over the upper one.
Instead of the stanchions at the foot of the bedstead being fixed they may be
hinged to the foot end of the frame, so that when the latter is turned back the
stanchions are carried with it leaving the lower or foot part of the deck or floor
space perfectly free. In this method of arrangement the foot stanchions are made

page_text: sufficiently short at their upper end to allow of their being removed with the lower
part of the bedstead as described.
Any number of the bedsteads or berths may be arranged side by side, as
indicated in figure 2, where the frames of adjoining berths are shewn broken off,
each berth being entered from the footend; and similar sets of bedsteads or
berths may be arranged upon the other side of those shewn, the heads of the
additional berths adjoining the heads of those shewn, as indicated in the figures by
the parts shewn broken off at l.
At a convenient height above the beds described, additional sets of supports c
may be fixed upon the stanchions a to carry a higher tier of berths, as shewn in
figure 1, and above these again may be fixed other sets, and so on to as great a
height as may be desired, or as the vertical space will allow.
The stanchions may either be carried up and fixed to the deck or ceiling, or they
may end at the level of the upper series of berths.
Each berth may be divided into two longitudinally by means of moveable lee
boards or frames, so as to accommodate two persons separately.
I prefer to make all the parts of the improved bedsteads interchangeable so that
there is no difficulty in removing and refitting them when required, as in the case
of Emigrant ships.
By my invention great comfort and convenience are obtained in sea voyages,
the limited space allowed to third class passengers being made available to the
fullest extent possible.
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
1. The stanchions a, supports c, and compound hinged or sliding frames d,
combined, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described
and shewn.
:
2. In combination with the compound hinged or sliding frames d, the hinged
end and side or lee frames or boards ½, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn.
3. In combination with the stanchions a, and frames d, the supports c having
projecting guides for the frames, substantially as described and shewn.
Tad this outh
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