A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SO CONSTRUCTED AND ADAPTED AS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Guinchard Octave at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1881.
GUINCHARD OCTAVE, of Geneva, Switzerland. "A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTICLE
OF FURNITURE SO CONSTRUCTED AND ADAPTED AS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR
VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES."
The Invention relates more especially to iron furniture, and consists in certain
arrangements and adaptations of the parts whereby they can be made to form a
bedstead, a couch, an armchair, a long chair, a lavatory or washing stand, and a
night-table, the article of furniture thus fulfilling six objects or purposes. It consists
of a central framed portion of parrallel opipedon form with two jointed parts
hinged thereto in such manner that the whole may be folded up into a compact
form, and when unfolded in particular ways can be made to form a bedstead, a
couch, an armchair, or a long chair.
In one side of the central portion is placed a case or box serving as a lavatory,
and containing all the accessories for the toilet, such as a washing basin and ewer,
boxes for soap and rice powder, a looking glass, brushes, combs, and so forth; this
case or box is moveable, that is to say, it may be removed from the article of
furniture if required. On the other side of the central portion is another case or
box opening with a hinge and serving as a night table. This case or box is large
enough to contain besides the chamber utensil and a spitoon, shoe brushes and a
pair of boots or shoes. These cases or boxes may be made in wood, or of sheet
iron, zinc, or other metal.
To one side of the article of furniture is connected, by a double hinge or
universal joint, a support furnished at its lower end with a roller or castor, which
allows of the article being rolled along or turned about when it is used as a long
chair. This support has notches formed in it, which serve for giving the required
inclination to the head of the bedstead which forms the back when it is converted
into a long chair, by placing a stud fixed in one of the bars of the article in one or
other of these notches, according to the inclinations desired.
This support is applied to either side of the article of furniture. Iron cross
pieces are provided, upon which the springs for the bed are fixed. A small hook
spring serves to hold the side of the article of furniture upright when it is required
to convert it into an arm chair.

page_text: Two pieces are jointed together and to certain parts of the article to form elbows
or arms to the arm chair or long chair.
At one end of the article a hinged moveable arm notched at one end hooks on to
a stud fixed on a part forming a leg of the bedstead; by this means this part of the
bedstead may be lowered so as to form the arm chair.
The case or box forming the lavatory may contain a shelf for receiving towels,
brushes, and so forth.
The upper frame of the article of furniture may be furnished on the inside with
a wooden border for fixing the hangings or bed furniture in the usual way.
When the article of furniture is arranged so as to form an arm chair, the head
may be folded outwards and held horizontally by means of the before mentioned
bracket, and on this head may be placed a shelf for receiving bottles, glasses, cups,
and so forth, for the use of the invalid or other person using the arm chair, or if
preferred the head may be left turned down.
This shelf is placed between the two heads when the article of furniture is
folded up.