Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
I, BERTRAND EDMOND LAYEILLON, of 81, Rue de l'Eglise, Paris-Grenelle, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The object of my invention is to provide an improved portable bedstead or couch
which is extremely light and which can be folded or packed into a very small
space.
The framework of the apparatus may consist of aluminium or other metal tubes
capable of readily fitting within each other and comprises two supports or frames,
each consisting of a tubular cross piece adapted to sustain the sacking or canvas of
the bedstead or couch.
Two tubes form the legs of the frame at each end of the bedstead or couch and are
secured to each end of the cross-piece by any convenient fastening which will be
sufficiently strong and rigid. Two additional tubes serving the purpose of buttresses
or struts, are attached to the cross piece between the legs and in the form of a tri-
angle with the apex downwards. The following is a convenient way of making the
connection between the cross-piece and the legs. The upper end of each leg is
notebed so as to leave two tongues, which pass through four corresponding slots pro-
vided in the cross-piece and protrude therefrom.
To connect the two tubes forming each of the buttresses or struts the tube of
greater diameter (which receives the tube of smaller diameter) is bevelled and formed
with a tongue entering a corresponding groove in the smaller tube. These two tubes
are joined to the cross-piece in the same manner as are the legs save that their ends
do not protrude beyond the cross-piece.
The sacking or canvas of the bedstead or couch is fixed transversely (in the
direction of its width) to each of the cross-pieces. When it is desired to use the bed
or couch it is only necessary to secure it in position by means of two stretching cords
extending from the ends of the cross-pieces and retained by tent pegs or pickets
driven into the ground.
The cords can be secured to cross-pieces by passing loops in the ends of the cords
over the tongues of the legs which project from the cross-piece.
By adding a number of standards or poles to the structure provision may be made
for the erection of a tent over it, or the bedstead or couch may be provided with a
back-rest so as to enable the shoulder" portion of the bedstead or couch to be
raised.
In practice the details of the invention may be varied according to requirements;
thus various metals may be used in constructing the tubes; which tubes may be of
cylindrical or polygonal or other convenient cross section and instead of tubes, bars
or rods may be employed; or parts of the structure may consist of plates either
open-work or solid, also the number of tubes, bars, rods or plates, and the mode of
connecting them may be varied; and if preferred, wood, bamboo cane or any other
suitable material may be used instead of metal.
In lieu of the sacking or canvas, any other suitable material such as silk, or silk

page_text: and cotton, horse-hair, wire-gauze, or the like may be used, and any suitable means
for fastening the sacking or the like. to the frame-work; and for securing the
apparatus may be used."
The framework may be coated with paint or protective substance.
I, BERTRAND EDMOND LAYEILLON, of 81, Rue de l'Eglise, Paris-Grenelle, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved portable bedstead or couch
which is extremely light. and which can be folded or packed into a very small
Брасе.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bedstead or couch made according to my
invention in position for use.
Figure 2 shews in end elevation the support for the top or head end of the
couch.
Figure 3 is a detail drawn to a larger scale partly in section illustrating the
manner in which parts of the apparatus are joined together.
Figure 4 shews in elevation an intermediate support, Figure 5 is a detail of
Figure 4 drawn to a larger scale and Figure 6 illustrates a buckle for connecting the
bed portion of the couch or bedstead to the intermediate support.
The said portable or folding bedstead or couch consists essentially of sacking or
canvas or the like a constituting the mattress or part on which the body rests, and of
a framework made preferably of metal tubes of varying sizes so as to be capable of
being readily fitted or telescoped one within another, for sustaining the said sacking
or canvas or the like.
In the arrangement shewn in the drawings three supports are used, one for the
head or top part of the couch or bedstead, an intermediate one, and one for the feet,
they preferably consist of aluminium or other metal tubes, fastened together in such
a way that they can be readily taken to pieces and of decreasing diameters so that for
packing up they can be fitted or slid one within the other. The supports or legs of
the frame for the head and feet are similar save that the head support is raised higher
than that for the feet. They consist of upright tubes b c d e two at each end of the
bedstead or couch with a cross piece fat the upper part connecting them together
being fastened by any convenient means such as that for example shewn in Figure 3,
in which an aperture is formed towards each end of the cross pieces f and I into
which an upright is introduced. Each upright is secured in position by means of a
stretching cord h extending from the ends of the said cross pieces f g and retained by
tent pegs or pickets i driven into the ground as indicated in Figures 1 and 2.
The intermediate support is also formed of two legs or uprights km connected
together by a cross piece n, but in this case the position of the cross piece is inverted,
being on the ground, and the canvas or the like a secured to the free top ends of the
said uprights k m. Two additional tubes o p serve as buttresses or struts and may
have their. ends bevelled so as to take into tenons qr.8 rivetted on the legs or

page_text: uprights k m, and the cross piece n as shewn in Figure 5, or they may be secured to
the said legs and cross piece in any other suitable manner.
The canvas or the like a has a seam or fold at each end and at about two-thirds of
its length where there is the greatest weight to be supported it is strengthened by a
strap or band, to each end of which is secured a buckle t (Figure 6) by which it may.
be fastened to the uprights k m. A very firm bedstead or couch is thus readily
obtained. It can be taken to pieces, folded up and packed as follows: The stretching
cords h are released from the pins i and the canvas or the like is removed from the
framework. Into each leg or upright km of the intermediate support the corre-
sponding upright bc of the head support is inserted and into these latter the
strutts op of the intermediate support. The two short uprights or legs de are
inserted end to end into the cross piece g of the end or feet support, which in turn
is inserted into the cross piece f of the head support which is then inserted into the
cross piece n of the intermediate support. The framework when dismounted thus
forms three pieces which can then be packed up in the canvas or the like and so kept
together, and the package thus formed can be secured by the stretching cords.
By adding a number of standards or poles to the structure provision may be made.
for the erection of a tent over the bedstead or couch or it may be provided with a
back-rest so as to enable the "shoulder" portion of the bedstead or couch to be
raised, and I may provide an additional piece of fabric, or the like, at the "head"
portion thereof in which straw, or the like, may be inserted to form a pillow.
In practice the details of the invention may be varied according to requirements;
thus various metals may be used in constructing the tubes, which tubes may be of
cylindrical, poligonal or other convenient cross section, and instead of tubes, flat bars
rods or plates may be employed either openwork or solid, also the number of tubes,
bars, rods or plates or supports, and the mode of connecting them, may be varied,
and if preferred wood, bamboo, cane or any other suitable material may be used
instead of metal.
In lieu of the sacking or canvas any other suitable material such as silk or silk and
cotton, horse hair, wire gauze or the like, may be used and any suitable means for
fastening the sacking or the like to the framework and for securing the apparatus
may be employed.
The framework may be coated with paint or protective substance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. A portable or folding bedstead or couch consisting of a combination of a piece
of sacking or the like.attached to a framework consisting of frames or supports secured
by means of stretching cords or any other convenient arrangement substantially as
described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. A portable or folding bedstead or couch of the character described in the
preceding claiming clause having the supports formed of tubes adapted to be readily
telescoped within each other, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.