IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS AND BEDSTEAD BOTTOMS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilson, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS AND
BEDSTEAD BOTTOMS."
Sealed the 16th September 1879, and dated the 31st May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1879.
THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gentleman. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS AND BEDSTEAD BOTTOMS."
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in attaching the angle bars to the
corners of metallic bedsteads. I cast in the corners of the bedstead short projecting
pieces of angle iron; I fix in the sides of the said projecting pieces near the bedstead
corners rivets with suitably formed heads, leaving a space between the under-sides
of the rivet-heads and the sides of the projecting pieces equal to the thickness of
the angle ends of the bedstead. I then form in the said angle ends short slots or
openings, so that when the angle ends are pushed along the projecting pieces they
engage with and are held down by the rivet heads. I form in the outer ends of the
projecting pieces short slots or openings similar to those in the ends of the bedstead
angles, and I fix in the under sides of the said angles rivets with heads similar to
those in the projecting pieces, which when pushed up engage with the angle sides
similarly with the slots in the said pieces, in which position they are secured by a
screw pin engaging with the upper sides of the bedstead angles and projecting
pieces. When constructing the bedstead angles or sides with the angle iron reversed,
as specified under my Patent, dated 1876, No. 3077, I reverse the projecting angle
pieces in the bedstead corners to match. Instead of forming the projecting pieces
of angle iron, as previously described, I sometimes prefer to form them of loops or
staples of flat iron, with the edges of the said loops or staples upwards and by
screw pins passing through the bedstead angles, and staples firmly secure them by
by screw nuts on the ends of the said pins. Instead of the outer ends of the
projecting staples being closed, they may be open, and the screw pins slided between
them without the nuts being detached from the bedstead angles. Instead of the
previously described projecting pieces for carrying the bedstead sides I sometimes
prefer the following arrangement:-I cast in the bedstead corners pieces of T or

page_text: double shouldered iron, and fix or rivet to the undersides of the bedstead angles,
loops or staples formed of flat or malleable cast iron. I form the edges of the said
staples wedge shape at one end, and shape the shoulders of the projecting pieces to
match, so that the staples on being pressed onto the projecting pieces wedge and
secure the bedstead angles firmly in their places.
My Invention relates, secondly, to improvements in constructing and arranging
the side angles or frames of metallic bedsteads, thereby enabling the said sides to
be folded together when detached from the bedstead pillars. In these improvements
I attach the bedstead sides to iron straps or bars, the said straps being jointed at
their middles and sufficiently long (when attached to the bedstead sides) to form
the width of the bedstead required. I rivet the ends of the jointed straps to the
bedstead sides, and on fixing the bedstead simply unfold the sides and attach them
to the bedstead corners with ordinary dovetails or otherwise. My improvements
consist further of the following mode of constructing folding bedsteads :-
I form the bedstead sides of angle iron, and connect them by jointed straps similar
to those previously described, but instead of rivetting the ends of the said straps to
the angle sides, I rivet them to the upper ends of the iron forming the bedstead
legs; I then attach or hinge the upper ends of the said legs to the angle sides of the
bedstead, so that they are capable of being folded under the said sides. When the
legs are folded under the sides the straps present their flat sides to the room floor,
and may be folded together with the bedstead sides. When the legs are unfolded
the straps present their edges to the floor, and in this position cannot be folded.
Instead of one, two or more hinged straps may be used to each folding leg, and
may be extended higher than the bedstead sides and attached to them additional
hinged straps, the said straps serving to retain the pillows in their places on the
bedstead.
My Invention relates, thirdly, to improved bedstead bottoms, which I construct
as follows:-I take strips or pieces of wood of a length equal to the outside width
of the bedstead sides. Having prepared the required number of strips for half the
bedstead bottom I fix them at proper distances by tie strips. I then put the said
half bedstead bottom inside the covering of the palliasse, which I afterwards stuff
in the ordinary way. I then fix on the underside of my bedstead bottom and
palliasse longitudinal strips at an outside distance apart equal to the inside distanco
apart of the bedstead sides, which said strips retain the half bedstead bottom and
palliasse in exact position on the bedstead. The other half of my improved bedstead
bottom and palliasse I construct in the same manner as the one just described.
Instead of placing my improved bedstead bottom inside the material of the palliasse,
I sometimes attach it to the outside; or, if preferred, it may be made separate from
the palliasse. When constructing my improved bedstead bottom separately, I prefer
to hinge the halves of the bottom together, so that it may be folded.
My Invention relates, fourthly, to improvements in flexible bottoms for bedsteads,
and consists of lengths of india rubber tubing bound together. I take lengths of
indian rubber tubing varying with the width of the bedstead bottom, and place
them side by side and cord them together. I then take shorter lengths of tubing
and place them across the first layer, and having fastened the two layers together I
proceed to form other similar layers according to the thickness of the bottom required;
I then enclose in a suitable cover or tick, and afterwards securely attach it to the
wood framing of my bedstead bottom. Instead of the tubular lengths being corded
together, as described, each layer may be enclosed in a separate tick, and the whole
secured together in the main or outside covering; and instead of the flexible bottom
being made the entire length of the bedstead it may be made in halves as pre-
viously intimated with respect to my improved bedstead bottom.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
November 1879.
THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gentleman. “IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BEDSTEADS AND BEDSTEAD BOTTOMS."
My Invention consists of improvements in the corners of metallic bedsteads and
their junction with the angle irons forming the sides and ends, also in constructing
folding frames for such bedsteads, rendering them capable of being packed in
smaller space, and further, in the construction of compound bed bottoms, palliasses,
and mattresses, illustrations of which are given in the accompanying Drawings.
www
various forms of corners for bedstends.
Figures 6 and 8, the jointed folding frames.
Figures 7, 9, and 10, the compound bed bottoms,
Figure 7 representing the arrangement of laths or battens forming part of such
bed bottoms, the transverse laths being inside the covering or tick and the longi-
tudinal ones on the outside.
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in bedstead corners and in the
mode of attaching the angle bars or frames to metallic bedsteads, see Figure 1. I
cast in the corners of the bedsteads short projecting pieces of angle iron (a), and
fix in the said pieces and near the bedstead corners rivets (b) with suitably formed
beads, leaving a space between the undersides of the rivet heads and the sides of
the projecting angle pieces equal to the thickness of the angle bars (c) of the
bedstead; I then form in the ends of the said angle bars (c) short slots or
openings (d), so that when the said angle bars (c) are pushed along the projecting
pieces they pass under and engage with and are held down by the rivet heads (b).
I form in the outer ends of the projecting pieces, slots, or openings (e) similar to
those in the ends of the bedstead angles or bars (c), and I fix in the undersides of
the said angle bars rivets with heads similar to those (b) in the projecting picces, so
that on being pushed up they pass into and engage with the slots (e) in the ends of
the said projecting pieces, and in which position they may be secured by a screw,
pin, or other suitable means.
When constructing the bedstead with the angle bars or sides reversed, as specified
under my Patent dated 1876, No. 3077, I reverse the projecting pieces in the
bedstead corners to match; instead of forming the projecting pieces in the bedstead
corners of angle iron, as previously described, I sometimes prefer to form the said
projecting pieces of loops or staples (f) (Figure 2) of flat iron with the edges of
the said loops or staples upwards, and on which the ends of the bedstead angle
bars (g) rest, and to which they are firmly secured by screws or other suitable pins
or fastenings passing through (holes g') or engaging with the said staples or loops
and angle bars (g) of the bedstead. Instead of the outer ends of the projecting
staples (f) being closed they may be open or partly open, as at (/), to permit the
screw pin or other fastening to be slided between them, and thereby avoiding the
necessity of detaching the said screw pins or other fastenings from the angle
ends (g) of the bedstead. Instead of the previously described projecting pieces
for carrying the bedstead angle bars or sides I sometimes prefer the following
arrangements (shewn in Figures 3 and 4):-I cast in the bedstead corner pieces of
Tor double shouldered iron (i), and fix or rivet to the undersides of the bedstead
angle ends () loops or staples (k) formed of flat or malleable cast iron. I form the
sides or edges of the said staples (k) taper or wedge shape, and shape the shoulders

page_text: of the bedstead corners and T iron to match, so that the staples on being pressed
on to the projecting T pieces (i) wedge and secure the bedstead angles firmly in
their places. My Invention relates, secondly, to improvements in constructing and
arranging the sides or frames of metallic bedsteads whereby the said sides are
enabled to be folded together when detached from the bedstead pillars (see Figure
6). In carrying out these improvements I attach to the bedstead sides iron
straps () (Figure 6), the said straps being jointed at their middles, as at (m), and
sufficiently long to form the width of the bedstead required. The cuds of the
jointed straps are rivetted to the bedstead sides or angles, and on fixing the bedstead
it is simply necessary to unfold the sides or angles and press the dovetails (n) on
the ends of the angles into the corresponding dovetails in the pillar corners.
My improvements consist further of the following mode of constructing folding
bedsteads, shewn partly in Figures 5 and 8. I form the bedstead sides of angle
iron (o) and connect them by jointed straps (p) similar to those previously described,
but instead of rivetting the ends of the said straps to the bedstead sides or angles
I rivet them to the upper ends (7) of the iron forming the bedstead legs; I then
hinge the upper ends (7) of the said legs to the ends of the angle sides (o) of the
bedstead (as at 8), so that the legs are capable of being folded under the said angle
sides (o) of the bedstead, and when the legs are so folded the jointed straps (2)
present their flat sides to the room floor, as at (m), Figure 6, and the bedstead sides
and straps may be folded together. When the bedstend sides and legs are unfolded
the jointed straps present their edges to the room floor, and in this position cannot
be folded, as at (p), Figure 8. Instead of one, two or more jointed straps may be
used to connect the folding legs if desired, and the upper ends of the head folding
legs may be extended higher than the bedstead sides and have attached to the said
extensions additional straps, serving to retain the bolster and pillows in their
proper places on the bedstead, the top end of the bar (o) being cut away for that
purpose. My Invention relates, thirdly, to improved bedstead bottoms, which I
construct as follows:-I take suitably formed strips or pieces of wood, sce (x),
Figure 7, of a length equal to the outside width of the bedstead sides, for which
the bottom is intended. Having prepared the required number of strips for half
the bedstead bottom I fix them at the proper distances apart inside the tick of the
mattrass, which I then stuff with straw or other suitable material in the ordinary
or any convenient way.
I afterwards fix on the underside of the half bedstead bottom and palliass
longitudinal strips (u) at an outside distance apart equal to the inside distance
apart of the bedstead sides, which said strips retain the half bedstead bottoin and
palliass in its proper position on the bedstead. The other half I construct in
similar manner to the one above described, and this forms the complete palliass
seen in Figure 9; but I sometimes prefer to construct my improved bedstead
bottom and palliass in three or more parts instead of halves, and instead of placing
the wood bottom inside the palliass I sometimes attach it to its outside; or, if
preferred, for convenience of exportation I construct the wood part of my improved
bedstead bottom separate from the palliass and hinge the parts together, so that the
bottom may be folded and occupy less space.
My Invention relates further to the construction of flexible bottoms for bedsteads,
and consists in the adaptation and arrangement of flexible or india rubber tubing
in the construction of bedstead bottoms; this is illustrated in Figure 10. In
carrying out this part of my Invention I take lengths of india rubber tubing (v),
the number and lengths of such tubing varying according to the size and thickness
of the bedstead bottom required. I then place them side by side and cord or
otherwise fasten them together; I then take shorter lengths (w) and lay them side
by side across the first layers, and having fastened them together proceed to form
other similar layers, and having obtained the required thickness and secured the
parts together I stuff the mattrass, if necessary, and attach tho said parts firmly to
the stuffing (g) and laths or wood framing (g), and afterwards enclose the whole in
a suitable tick or cover, to the underside of which and the wood framing I fix

page_text: strips (u), as previously described in my iron flexible bedstead bottom and palliass,
for the purpose of retaining the said bottom in its proper position on the bedstead.
In constructing my improved flexible bedstead bottom I sometimes prefer to use
short pieces of india rubber tubing instead of the long lengths previously described;
when using the short pieces I prefer to enclose the said pieces forming each sheet
or layer of the flexible bottom in separate ticks and afterwards bind the whole
together previously to attaching them to the wood framing of the bedstead bottom;
or instead of the flexible part of my improved bedstead bottom being attached
directly to the wood framing I sometimes prefer to attach it to the upper side of
the palliass of my first described bedstead bottom; or, if preferred, the tubular or
flexible part of my improved bedstead bottom may be made separately and placed
loosely on my first described bedstead bottom and palliass similar to an ordinary
feather bed or mattras.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed,
I claim, without limiting myself to these precise details,-
The several improvements in the manufacture of bedsteads and bedstead bottoms,
substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.