IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF BEDSTEADS. AND LEG. RESTS. FOR. RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Ashwell Botelar-
Pocock: at the Office of the Commissioners. of. Patents,, with his.
Petition,.on. the 15th. December 1868..
I CHARLES ASHWELL. BOTELAR Pocock, a Commander in- the Royal
Navy; of the Wellesley Industrial School Ship,.off. South. Shields, in the-
County. of Durham; do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention:
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF BEDSTEADS. AND LEG. RESTS. FOR.
RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements- in. the construction:
of bedsteads and leg rests for railway carriages.
In constructing a metal bedstead according to tliis. Invention the
frame of the bedstead is formed of. tubes by which means great, strength.
is obtained. together with lightness.. Across the frame is stretched a
piece of canvas or like material which is laced. to the sides of the frame,.
the lacings being passed around the tubes, and by reason of the tubes
being round, or it might be oval in section, the lacings will not chafe
or cut through.. To the side tubes of the tubular frame suitable legs are
attached by means of bolts or rivets upon which the legs can. turn, so

page_text: that when the bedstead is out of use the legs may be turned down to lic
in the same plane as the oblong tubular frame, the legs being made to
fold up inside the frame and towards the ends. When the bedstead is
required for use the legs are turned out from the frame, and when they
have been turned through somewhat more than a quarter circle, a pin or
stop projecting out from cach leg comes against the under side of the
tubes which form the sides of the frame, and the legs are thus stopped
from turning further. A head rail may similarly be jointed to one end of
the frame, so that it may either be caused to lie in a plain parallel with
the frame or to stand up from it nearly at right angles, it being for this
purpose turned round through somewhat more than a quarter circle.
The two ends of the sacking I attach to rods of wood, and these rods
are by cords or lanyards fixed to the two ends of the frame of the bed-
stead,-the-side-edges-of-the-sacking-may-then_be_fixed_by_lacing_to_the
-sides of the frame, such-side lacings-being-made-to-occupy-the-space-
between the legs only, the end spaces being left clear to allow the legs
to be folded up. The lacings might if desired be of india-rubber to make
it a spring bed, a cross stay or stays may also be applied across the frame
to keep the sides of the frame apart. The tubular frame of the bed-
stead might be made up from one length of tube bent to the oblong
form desired, and with the ends coupled or connected together by a screw
coupling, or the tubular framing might be otherwise made up from tubes;
or in place of employing tubes of metal, rods of metal of a rounded form
might be employed. In place also of the sides of the frame being each
formed of one length of tube as above described, they might be each
'composed of two or more tubes sliding telescopically one within the
other, so that the bedstead when out of use might be packed in a
smaller space. The side rails of wooden bedsteads may similarly be
formed of round or oval tubes of metal. A rectangular frame of tubes
with the sides made to extend telescopically may also be formed for
placing across the space between the seats of a railway carriage. When
the frame has been drawn out, and the telescopic joints fixed by set
screws or otherwise a sheet of canvas fastened at each end to a metal
rod is distended over it, one rod being fixed to one end of the frame by
hooks or otherwise and the other rod being drawn towards the other end
of the frame by means of a screw.
Also according to my Invention I construct a folding bedstead so that

page_text: manner: The framing of the. portmanteau and bedstead I form of
metal rods or tubes the centre piece of the frame is a single rod or tube,
by preference of a length somewhat more than one-third of the length
of the bedstead when opened out. To each end of this centre pièce
are jointed two metal arms, which can either be turned down to lic flat
alongside of the centre piece or can be turned out to form continuations
of it, the outer ends of the two arms being then held by a hook or tic
rod at a distance apart from one another equal to the desired width of
bedstead. When the arms are thus turned out to form continuations of
the centre piece they are secured by a pin stop, the arms being then
inclined at equal angles to the centre piece. Each end of the centre
picce has a short leg projecting out from it. The outer ends of the
arms have also short legs fixed to them, the legs of the arms are pro-
longed upwards to form posts or pillars, to the tops of which a
hammock by preference of waterproof material may be connected by
hooks. The two ends of the fabric or material forming the hammock
are fixed to two wooden stretchers, and along one side of the hammock is
joined a sheet or covering of similar material, the ends of this sheet are
also fixed to stretchers, which are jointed to the stretchers of the
hammock; when the hammock and sheet are connected together the other
side of the sheet is prolonged beyond the stretchers to form a flap for
completely covering in the hammock, flaps are also fixed on cach side of
the hammock at its centre, these flaps may be folded and strapped over
the hammock when erected and also when folded up. To set up the
hammock or tent the frame is extended as above described, and the four
corners of the hammock are hooked on to the four posts at the ends of
the arms of the metal frame which will then be resting on its legs. The
stretchers at the two ends of the sheet or covering are then turned on
their hinge joints at their ends to bring them to an angle to the stretch-
crs of the hammock, so that the sheet or covering inclines upwards from
the hammock, the flap of the sheet may then be turned down and
secured by straps, and the hammock will be completely enclosed, the
ends of the hammock being closed in by triangular pieces fixed to the
stretchers of the hammock and sheet. To pack up, the hammock and
sheet are unhooked from the frame, the sheet is then folded down on to
the hammock bringing the stretcher of the sheet and hammock together
and the triangular pieces at the ends are folded in; one blanket of the bed
is then folded and placed on to the centre of the hammock, and the flap
of the sheet is folded back over it, the frame of the bed having been

page_text: folded together is placed on the top so as to be over the blanket, and
another blanket, clothes, and other articles may be stowed away between
the legs of the bedstead, the ends of the hammock and sheet are then
folded over the frame, and blankets and clothes. which are lying
on the centre part of its length, and subsequently the side flaps. which 5
are at the centre of the hammock, are folded over all and secured by
straps and by a lock if desired. By making the hammock and sheet so
that they may be inflated the hammock may be used as a boat.
In constructing a railway bedstead to fit across the carriage I form it
of a light metal frame, the side rails of the frame being made in three 1
or other number of lengths connected together by hinges; sliding upon
the side rails of the frame are short lengths of tube, which when the
frame is extended are slid over the hinge joints, and fix them securely;
-on the exterior of each of these tubes eyes are formed for the sacking to
be-hooked into. The ends of the frame have short legs projecting down 1
from them; the parts of legs-round the frame-are-octagon to fit on
octagon-ends of the frame, and so arranged as to slip-on to the round
for shifting; when folded up they lay in the same plane as the frame
when in use, at an angle inclining inwards. The lower end of the legs
is fitted with-a-flat-foot to prevent damage to the cushions, which foot 2
turns on a hinge, but very little, so as to allow it to lay in the same
plane when closed and at the proper angle when in usc. On two-or
more of the sliding tubes are curved stretchers on pivots which serve
for the double purpose of keeping sides apart and folding canvas round
when folded up; the canvas is sewn to one end of the frame and strapped 2
up to its other end.