AN IMPROVED CON- STRUCTION OF CONVERTIBLE CAMP BEDSTEAD.”
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Frazer, of Westbourne Grove, Pad-
dington, in the County of Middlesex, Carpet Warehouseman, and
Conrad Adderly Dillon, of Clarges Street, Piccadilly, in the same
County, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CON-
STRUCTION OF CONVERTIBLE CAMP BEDSTEAD.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Frazer and
Conrad Adderly Dillon at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th December 1871.
We, JOSEPH FRAZER, of Westbourne Grove, Paddington, in the
County of Middlesex, Carpet Warehouseman, and CONRAD ADDERLY
DILLON, of Clarges Street, Piccadilly, in the same County, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF CONVERTIBLE CAMP BEDSTEAD," to be as follows:—
The object of this Invention is to make a camp bedstead which,
while light and portable, shall be readily convertible into say, two camp

page_text: stools and a table. This object I attain by forming the bedstead of three
folding parts, after the manner of camp stools, and making together any
desired length of canvas support, say six feet six inches.
The portion of the bedstead that will support the legs of the sleeper is
made longer than the other parts, and the cross legs are provided with
pendent struts, which when set in place will give stiffness to the cross
legs or end supports.
The top bars of the several folding portions to which the canvas is
attached are fitted at their ends with metal couplings, which when
connected will virtually make the top bars continuous.
In order to provide a table the cross legs of the lower portion of the
bedstead are arranged to stand in a vertical position (the centre coupling
screws being for that purpose withdrawn), and cross bars are inserted
between the legs and connected thereto at either end by coupling
screws.
The cross bars are notched to receive the lower ends of the pendent
struts before mentioned, and thus a suitable height is given to the table
and also considerable stiffness to its framing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad Adderly Dillon in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
FRAZER, of Westbourne Grove, Paddington, in the County of Middlesex,
Carpet Warehouseman, and CONRAD ADDERLY DILLON, of Clarges
Street, Piccadilly, in the same County, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad
Adderly Dillon, Her special licence that we, the said Joseph Frazer, and
Conrad Adderly Dillon, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as we, the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad Adderly Dillon,
our 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, exer-
5 cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF CONVERTIBLE CAMP BEDSTEAD," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad Adderly
Dillon, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, 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 we, the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad
Adderly Dillon, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and, in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to make a camp bedstead which, while
light and portable, shall be readily convertible into other camp furniture,
(say) two camp stools and a table. This object we attain by constructing
the bedstead of three folding parts, after the manner of camp stools,
and making together any desired length of canvas support, say six feet
six inches.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in perspective view.the
improved camp bedstead opened out for use. This bedstead it will be
seen consists of three principal parts A, B, C, which are connected
together so as to form one structure. These three parts are shewn
detached at Figures 2, 3, 4, the part A being represented at Fig. 2, and
rearranged so as to constitute a table, and the parts B and C each
forming a camp stool.
The portion A of the bedstead serves to support the legs of the sleeper
and it is made somewhat longer than the other parts B and C.
1

page_text: connected together at their upper ends by longitudinal bars b. These bars
carry a canvas top c which forms a portion of the sacking for the bedstead
in Fig. 1 and constitutes the top of the table in Fig. 2. The cross legs a, a,
are provided (see Fig. 2) with pendent struts d which are intended to
give stiffness to the legs when the part A is converted into a table. In 1
order to effect this conversion the pivot screws are removed from the
legs a, and these legs are set up vertically and held apart by the
introduction between them of the transverse bars e, Fig. 2. These bars
are secured in place by means of thumb screws which pass through the
ends of the bars and through the legs a in which threaded holes are -
made to receive them. Fitted to the bars e are notched plates which are
intended to receive and form bearings for the ends of the struts d.
The legs a of the table are morticed into the top bars 6 and are further
stiffened by means of the straps f, which are attached to the top bars
and legs by means of screws, and serve as links or hinges whereby the
legs on being withdrawn from their mortices for the purpose of packing the
table may be folded down, as shewn at Fig. 7. The top bars 6 of the
several folding portions A, B, C, which connect the cross legs together
and to which the canvas is attached, are fitted at their ends with
metal couplings which when connected will virtually make the top bars:
continuous, as shown at Fig. 1.
The metal couplings may be of various kinds, but the form preferred
is that shewn on an enlarged scale at Figures 5 and 6, Fig. 5 being a
longitudinal section of the coupling and Fig. 6 a plan view of the same.
The coupling may be described as consisting of a hooked plate g secured
by screws to one end of a bar b, and of a strap piece secured by screws
to the end of another bar b, and terminating in a sleeve i which receives
the hooked end of the plate g. By the use of this coupling the parts
A, B, C, may be securely connected together as it will present no
protrusions or obstacles to the close packing of the detached portions of
the bedstead.
Fig. 7 shews the part A folded up ready for packing. Upon this is to
be laid the parts B and C, which fold like ordinary camp stools, and also
a head piece D, Fig. 1, when that is used. The whole may then be
placed in a canvas bag. The head
canvas secured to the two bars j, j.
upper ends to posts k, k, which
of the bars b, the lower ends of the bars j rest against the sides of the
piece D will consist of a piece of
These bars j, j, are screwed at their
fit into socket holes in the ends

page_text: part forming the head of the bedstead. The posts k, k, are held firmly
in their proper places by means of one of the transverse bars e taken
from the table, which bar is secured to the posts by means of thumb
screws.
It will be understood that by arranging the cross legs of the lower
portion A. of the bedstead, so that they may be made to stand in a vertical
position, a suitable height will be gained for the table without any
addition being made thereto to increase their length.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of an improved
construction of convertible camp bedstead, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent we claim, forming camp bedsteads
of detachable folding parts fitted and arranged in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Frazer and Conrad Adderly
Dillon, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Fifteenth day
of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
⚫ in presénce of,
GEO. MAGEL.
JOSEPH FRAZER, · (L.S.)
CONRAD A. DILLON: (L.S.).