Improvements in the Means of Joining Side and End Rails to Corner Pillars of Metallic Bedsteads, and in the Method of Preparing the Parts to be Joined.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1592
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means of Joining Side and End Rails to Corner
Pillars of Metallic Bedsteads, and in the Method of Preparing the
Parts to be Joined.
We, WILLIAM HENRY SPROSTON, SAMUEL SPROSTON and CHARLES
SPROSTON, trading together in copartnership as Sproston Brothers, of Excelsior
Bedstead Works, Dudley in the County of Worcester, Bedstead Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object means for fixing side and end rails of tubular,
angular and other sections, to the corner pillars of metallic bedsteads, in which
simplicity, efficiency and neatness of appearance shall be combined in a greater
degree than heretofore; and comprises also the method of preparing the parts to
be joined.
According to this invention, a chill is cast on each end of the rail, and is
preferably rectangular in shape, and is recessed at its outer face to form a shallow
socket. When the chill is cast around the end of a tubular rail, the end of the
tube is open and flush with the inner end of the recess or socket; but when such
chill is cast around the end of a rail of other section, such as angular, a short length
of tube is placed within the section so as to be embedded in the chill, and in this
case also the end of the tube is open and flush with the inner end of the recess or
socket. A vertical hole is formed through the chill and tube, to receive a bolt
which has a countersunk head to fit within a countersink in the upper face of the,
chill, and a nut on its lower end by which it is fixed tightly in place. A metal
core is placed within the end of the tube to prevent the molten metal from running
thereinto, and the mould within which the chill is cast is formed with holes to
receive the end or ends of such core and also of a metal core to form the counter-
sunk pin hole in the chill, and these cores are of course driven out endways after
the chill is cast. The core for the bolt hole passes through the core that is within
the tube, and must consequently be driven out before such latter core can be
removed.
A chill is cast also on the corner pillar, and has a part to fit within the socket of
the chill on the rail, and a round projection to fit within the open tubular end of
the rail around which the chill is cast or within the tubular portion embedded
within the chill as aforesaid. This projection has a vertical hole to receive the bolt
aforesaid, and when the parts have been inserted the one within the other, the joint
is firmly secured by means of the vertical bolt, which passes through portions of
both the chills and through the end of the rail. The projection of the chill on the
pillar which enters the end of the rail is preferably formed by placing a short length
of wrought iron or steel tube with one end projecting somewhat into the mould,
leaving the inner end open to the interior of the mould, so that the molten metul
will flow into the interior of such tube. A core, to form the bolt hole through the
interior of the short length of tube, is passed through holes in the tube and is
knocked out endways after the chill has been cast.
Dated this 18th day of September 1901
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. L
Improvements in the Means of Joining Side and End Rails to Corner
Pillars of Metallic Bedsteads, and in, the Method of Preparing the
Parts to be Joined.
We, WILLIAM HENRY SPROSTON, SAMUEL SPROSTON and CHARLES
SPROSTON, trading together in copartnership as Sproston Brothers, of Excelsior
Bedstead Works, Dudley in the County of Worcester, Bedstead Manufacturers,
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 :-
This invention has for its object means for fixing side and end rails of tubular,
angular and other sections, to the corner pillars of metallic bedsteads, in which
simplicity, efficiency and neatness of appearance shall be combined in a greater
degree than heretofore; and comprises also the method of preparing the parts to
be joined.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, we will proceed to describe
it with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 illustrates, in
longitudinal section, one modification of a joint, according to this invention, between
a wrought iron or steel tubular side rail and a corner pillar of a metallic bedstead.
A chill A is cast on the end of the rail B. This chill is, preferably, rectangular in
shape, as shewn by Figure 2 which is an elevation of the face of such chill and of
the tubular rail B around which it is cast, that is to say, an end view of the side
rail as seen when detached from the corner pillar. The chill A is recessed at its
face to form a shallow socket a. The end of the tubular rail B is left open and is
flush with the inner end of the recess or socket a. A vertical hole is formed
through the chill and tube to receive a bolt C which has a countersunk head c to fit
within a countersink in the upper face of the chill; and such bolt has a nut 6 on its
lower end by which it is fixed tightly in place. Á metal core is, of course, placed
within the end of the tube to prevent the molten metal from running thereinto
during the operation of casting; and the mould within which the chill is cast is
formed with holes to receive the end of such core and a metal core to form the
countersunk pin hole in the chill; and these cores are of course driven out endways
after the chill is cast. The core for the bolt hole passes through the core which is
within the end of the tube B, and must consequently be driven out before such
latter core can be removed. The method of moulding in a metal mould, and of
using the metal cores, will be obvious to any person having a knowledge of the
manufacture of metallic bedsteads, without need for special illustration or detailed
description.
A chill D is cast also on the corner pillar E. A face view of this chill, that is
of the end thereof which is towards the side rail when the parts are joined together,
is shewn by Figure 3. This chill is formed with a part d to fit within the recess
or socket a of the chill A, and with a projection or spigot F to fit within the open
end of the tubular rail B around which the chill A is cast. The projection or
spigot F has a vertical hole through it (shewn by broken lines only Figure 3) to
receive the bolt C; and when the corresponding parts of the joint have been
inserted the one within the other, the joint is firmly secured by means of the
vertical bolt C which passes through the top and bottom of the chill A and of the
tube B and also through the projection or.spigot F of the chill D. The projection F
is, preferably, formed by placing a short length of iron or steel tube e with one end
projecting into the mould, leaving the inner end open to the interior of the mould,
so that the molten metal will flow into the interior of such tube and leave, when the
casting bas set, a solid projection consisting of cast iron surrounded by the tube e.
This method of forming the projection ensures a true cylindrical shape, and adds
greatly to its strength compared with that of a projection entirely of cast iron. A

page_text: metal core, to form the bolt hole through the projection F, is passed through holes-
in the tube and is knocked out end ways after the chill has been cast. G, Figure 3,.
indicates merely the end rail which is supposed to be cast within the chill D, and is.
shewn as if of an angular form in section. This end rail may, however, be tubular
or of other section, and it may be joined to the corner chill in the manner in which
a side rail is joined thereto according to this invention.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the invention in a case in which a.
side rail of angular section is to be joined with a corner pillar. Of these views.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the end of the rail ready for joining up to the
chill D of the corner pillar shewn by Figures 1 and 3; and Figure 5 is a view
taken as a section on line x x of Figure 4. In this case, the chill A is cast not.
only around the end of the rail B, but around a short length of iron or steel tube H
also, such tube H corresponding to the portion of the tubular rail B shewn by
Figures 1 and 2 which is within the chill A, and thus a true cylindrical hole is.
ensured through the chill, and the tubular lining adds also greatly to the strength.
of the joint. In other respects this modification is the same as that previously
described. The short length of tube H is kept in place in the metal mould within
which the chill A is cast, by means of a metal core which passes through it and by
the transverse core for the bolt hole. This modification is applicable in the case of
rails of other section, slight obvious alterations in detail being required in some
cases. In the case of a channel section, the short length of tube H would be within.
the hollow of the channel, but in the case of an H or T section a portion of the
web might be cut away to admit a sufficient length of tube for the purpose
required.
In either modification the recess or socket a may, of course, be formed in the
chill of the corner pillar and the projection d on the chill of the rail; or both the
socket and projection may be dispensed with, and the chills simply butt face to face..
It is preferred, however, to use the recess and projection, and to form them
tapered, as shewn, so as to fit tightly within one another when put together.
When the chills are fixed firmly together they make an extremely neat joint,.
being shaped to form together a neat and solid configuration or design.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-.
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The means of joining side and end rails to corner pillars of metallic bedsteads,.
substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith.
2. A joint between a side or end rail and corner pillar of a metallic bedstead,.
formed by the combination of the chills on the rail and corner pillar, respectively, of
a projection or spigot (such as F) from the face of the chill on the corner pillar, of
a hole in the chill of the end or side rail to receive such projection or spigot, and
of a transverse pin which holds such projection or spigot in the latter chill, sub-
stantially as described and shewn.
3. In a joint between a side or end rail and corner pillar of a metallic bedstead,
in which a chill on the rail fits up against the corner chill and in which a projection.
or spigot (such as F) from the one chill enters within the other chill substantially
as described, the combination of a projection d on one chill with a recess a in the
other chill, for the purpose shewn.
4. In the case of a joint between a side or end rail and corner pillar of a metallic.
bedstead, in which a projection or spigot (such as F) projects from a chill on the
one part into a hole in the other part, preparing the part which carries the pro-
jection or spigot by forming such projection or spigot with a casing of wrought iron
or steel having its inner end firmly embedded in the chill which is cast around such.
part, substantially as described.
5. In the case of a joint between a side or end rail and corner pillar of a metallic-
bedstead, in which an end or spigot (such as F) of the one part enters within a chill.

page_text: cast around the other part, preparing the opening in the chill to receive such end
or spigot by forming it with a wrought iron or steel lining, substantially as
described.
Dated thin 10th J
fT1000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.