AN IMPROVED CAMP BED WHICH MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Lafage, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CAMP BED WHICH
MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES.
Sealed the 26th September 1871, and dated the 14th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Lafage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th April 1871.
I, AUGUSTE LAFAGE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
CAMP BED WHICH MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
A bed constructed according to this Invention consists of a sheet of
caoutchouc, or india-rubber cloth for example, six feet square. This
sheet is divided into three portions, the centre portion being double, and
so arranged that it may be inflated or blown out with air or filled with
water, thereby forming a suitable bed. One end is raised in the form
of a pillow; the rest of this portion is suitably ribbed forming the bed.
The two other portions or wings are of single cloth and arranged

page_text: respectively with buttons and button holes, so that they may lap over
the bed and button. To keep these wings extended and raised over
the sleeper they are fitted with steel or other suitable bars, so that when
in position the wings form a kind of tent or pitched roof over the
sleeper. The top and bottom of the sheet across the entire length is
fitted with strong eyelet holes, the bottom cyclet holes or those at the
foot of the bed being fitted with straps or cords and at each corner is
a heavier cyclet hole or other attachment. Connected with the bed
there is a flap or hood piece, which buttons or laces to the head or
pillow, and is so arranged that it will form a hood to protect the head
of the sleeper by buttoning or lacing. In the centre of the bed portion
there is a slit which is protected by a suitable flap or lip of cloth which
buttons over.
In connexion with each bed is a pole or standard, of
say, six feet six inches in length. This pole for convenience is divided
into four lengths, two of twenty-seven inches, and two of twelve inches
so arranged to screw together and form one length.
The various applications of the bed may be thus enumerated:-In
the first place upon inflation the centre portion is extended forming a
comfortable bed or couch with pillow impervious to wet or damp
striking through from the ground. The wings overlap, the bed being
extended by the steel or other bars and forming a pitched roof or tent.
over the sleeper. The hood piece buttons on to the pillow, overlaps
the head, thereby protecting and completely enclosing the bed, which
will thus be seen forms a complete tent of itself.
The second application is that a larger or more extensive tent may
be formed by taking four tent beds and by means of the cyclet holes
lacing the two top sides together, the four poles in their twenty-seven
inch lengths forming the uprights to support the tent, the twelve-inch
lengths screwing together and forming a ridge pole. The two other
tent beds forming respectively the ends of the tent. The whole is;
secured to the ground by straps or cords on the under sides before
spoken of.
The third application is that the camp bed forms a useful and
portable sentry box; the application is in this way :-The poles of four
beds being taken are driven into the ground; the bed is placed on end, a
the bed portion forming the back of the box and the wings the sides
of the box; these are secured to the uprights by the strong cyclet holes
or attachments before mentioned. The hood or head piece laces round

page_text: the top and forms a roof to the box. It will thus be seen that a
complete and weather-tight sentry box is obtained.
The fourth application is that the sheet forms in itself a waterproof
cloak for the protection of the men from weather when under march
as by putting their head through the slit in the centre of the bed portion
a complete cloak is formed.
Fifthly. A useful adaptation of this bed is that it can be used when
inflated for crossing rivers, as each bed is of sufficient buoyancy to
accomodate and transport one man and accoutrements dry. More
beds may be attached, thus forming a suitable medium for transporting
horses. Again the beds of a company or regiment may be used as
pontoons for supporting a temporary bridge for the passage of troops
or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Auguste Lafage in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
LA FAGE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Auguste Lafage, Her special licence that
I, the said Auguste Lafage, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Auguste Lafage, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CAMP BED WHICH
MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS OTHER USEPUL PURPOSES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Auguste Lafage, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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

page_text: 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 Auguste Lafage, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
A bed constructed according to this Invention consists of a sheet of
caoutchouc or india-rubber cloth, for example, six feet square. This
sheet is divided into three portions, the centre portion being double and
so arranged that it may be inflated or blown out with air or filled with
water, thereby forming a suitable bed. One end is raised in the form
of a pillow, the rest of this portion is suitably ribbed, forming the bed.
The two other portions or wings are of single cloth and arranged
respectively with buttons and button holes so that they may lap over
the bed and button. To keep these wings extended and raised over the
sleeper, they are fitted with steel or other suitable bars, so that when in
position the wings form a kind of tent or pitched roof over the sleeper.
The top and bottom of the sheet across the entire length is fitted with
strong cyclet holes, the bottom cyclet holes or those at the foot of the
bed being fitted with straps or cords, and at each corner is a heavier
cyclet hole or other attachment. Connected with the bed there is a
square flap or hood piece which buttons or laces to the head or pillow,
and is so arranged that it will form a hood to protect the head of the
sleeper by buttoning or lacing. In the centre of the bed portion there
is a slit which is protected by a flap or lip of cloth which buttons
over. In connexion with each bed is a polc of say, six feet six inches
in length. This pole for convenience is divided into four lengths, two of
twenty-seven inches, and two of twelve inches so arranged to screw
together and form one length.
The various applications of the bed may be thus enumerated :-In the
first place upon inflation the centre portion is extended forming a com-
fortable bed or couch with pillow impervious to wet or damp striking
through from the ground. The wings overlap, the bed being extended
by the steel or other bars and forming a pitched roof or tent over the
sleeper. The hood piece buttons on to the pillow overlaps the head,
thereby protecting and completely enclosing the bed which will thus
be seen forms a complete tent of itself.

page_text: The second application is that a larger or more extensive tent may
be formed by taking four tent beds, and by means of the cyclet holes
lacing the two sides together, the four poles in their twenty-seven
inch lengths forming the uprights to support the tent, the twelve-inch
lengths screwing together and forming a ridge pole. The two other
tent beds forming respectively the ends of the tent. The whole is
secured to the ground by the straps or cords on the under sides before
spoken of.
The third application is that the camp bed forms a useful and portable
sentry box. The application is in this way:-The poles of four beds
being taken are driven into the ground, the bed is placed on end, the
bed portion forming the back of the box, and the wings the sides of
the box, these are secured to the uprights by the strong cyclet holes
or attachments before mentioned. The hood or head piece laces round
the top and forms a roof to the box. It will thus be seen that a
complete and weather-tight sentry box is obtained.
The fourth application is that the sheet forms in itself a waterproof
cloak for the protection of the men from weather when under march,
as by putting their head through the slit in the centre of the bed
portion a complete cloak is formed.
Fifthly. A useful adaptation of this bed is that it can be used when
inflated for crossing rivers as each bed is of sufficient buoyancy to
accomodate and transport one man and accoutrements dry. More beds
may be attached, thus forming a suitable medium for transporting
horses. Again the beds of a company or regiment may be used as
pontoons for supporting a temporary bridge for the passage of troops or
otherwise.
The before-going being the nature and object of my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same
is to be or may be performed or carried out into practical effect, and in
order that the same may be more clearly and readily understood, I have
hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked them with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation.
Figure 1 illustrates a plan of a bed constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 represents a hood piece connected with the said
bed; Figure 3 is an end elevation of a bed arranged for use; Figure 4
is a side elevation of the same; Figure 5 represents a bed arranged as

page_text: sentry box; Figure 6 plan of same; Figure 7, larger tent formed of four
beds; Figure S, end view of same; Figure 9, bed thrown on shoulders
of a man forming a cloak; Figure 10, bed used as medium for crossing
rivers; Figure 11, beds connected and used as pontoons for supporting
temporary bridge; Figure 12, pole used when bed is used for sentry box
or larger tent.
It will be seen upon reference that the sheet of caoutchouc forming
the bed is divided into three portions. The centre portion A forming
the laying part of the bed, which is suitably ribbed and made of double
caoutchouc cloth, and so arranged that it may be inflated or blown out
with air or filled with water. B and C are the wings of single cloth
which fold or lap over the bed part A, and are held in position by the
bars D. The wing B is fitted with buttons E. The wing C is fitted
with button holes F; G, pillow of bed; H, tap for inflating pillow; I,
tap for inflating bed; K, provisions for attaching poles to when the bed
is used as a sentry box; L, straps or cords; M, eyelet holes for lacing;
N, slit in centre of bed with flap piece, to be used when bed forms the
cloak. When in use the wings B and C are folded over the bed A, and
the wing O folds over the wing B and is attached there by the button
holes and buttons E as shown in Figure 3 forming a tent over the
sleeper, which is distended or kept off the body by the bars D, the hood
piece shown at Figure 2 being buttoned over the head as shown at
Figure 4. When used as a sentry box, four poles are taken, driven into
the ground, and connected to the provisions K supporting the bed as
shown in Figures 5 and 6, thus forming a sentry box, which is roofed
over by the hood piece shown at Figure 2. When the bed is used for
a large tent, two beds are laced together by the cyclet holes M over a
ridge pole as before described. Two other beds are taken to form the
ends. The whole is attached to the ground by the cords or straps L.
When the bed is used as a cloak, the head of the wearer is passed
through the aperture N. When the bed is inflated it will serve as a
medium for crossing rivers, as shown at Figure 10 or 11.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and object of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried out into practical effect, I would have it understood
that I do not limit myself to the exact dimensions, relative proportions,
and style of the different parts of the arrangement as shown, as it will
be clearly seen that the same may be considerably varied without

page_text: departing from my Invention, but what I claim as secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The construction of a camp bed substantially in the manner
herein-before described and illustrated at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Secondly. The adaptation of this same bed to form a sentry box sub-
stantially in the manner as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The adaptation of four of these beds to form a tent sub-
stantially in the manner as herein-before described.
Fourthly. The adaptation of this bed to form a cloak substantially in
the manner as hercin-before described.
And, lastly. The adaptation of this bed to form a medium of transport,
substantially in the manner as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Lafage, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Second day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGII,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
AUGUSTE (L.S.) LAFAGE.