Improvements in Furniture as Secret Beds.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furniture as Secret Beds.
I, JAMES WEIGHTMAN of No. 7 Pilgrim Street in the City and County of
Newcastle upon Tyne Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
:--
As applied to sideboards, cabinets, cheffonier bookcases, kitchen dressers, couches, &c.
containing secret beds. Each bed when closed having the ordinary appearance of one
of the articles named above.
Say a cheffonier bookcase combination. The upper carcase I make without a
bottom and the undercarcase immediately below same without a top except the top
from front of bookcase doors which is attached to a false drawer in front, so that
when pulled out, the top draws away with it, thus leaving the whole top and bottom
carcases open and free to receive the wire spring mattress, which I pivot to sides of
bottom carcase near the front, and when turned up the mattress leans against the back
of top carcase.
Legs are attached to bottom of spring mattress at foot end which fold under when
mattress is turned up, these legs are utalized to hang the bed clothes upon.
In back of top carcase I insert perferated zinc panels and the bottom of under
carcase is left open also the plinth, so that when all doors and drawers are closed there
is free ventilation, the air passing up through mattress and bed clothes.
The foregoing principle applies to all the other articles of furniture, viz. sideboard,
cabinet, and kitchen dresser.
As a couch combination, the lower part or frame forms a receptacle for the bedding
and bed-clothes. The top part forming the ordinary seat is hinged to the back of the
lower frame so that the front is neatly finished no hinges being visible.
At each end of the lower part or frame, substantial stretchers are fitted transversely
at such distance below the upper edge as to allow a spring mattress to be inserted the
top being level with the upper edge of the frame. This spring mattress is not fixed
but forms a lid or cover for the bedding and bed clothes as in an ordinary ottoman.
The bottom of the receptacle for bedding &c. consists of a wooden frame of the
same dementions as the spring mattress with strong canvas stretched tightly over its
upper surface. This canvas covered frame is suspended to that in which the spring
mattress rests by canvas forming the sides and ends of the receptacle which allows of
the free passage of air throughout and so secures efficient ventilation.
The hinged top part forming the ordinary seat also consists of a wooden frame with
the usual seat cushion on one side and a spring mattress permanently fixed in the
interior of the frame, in such manner that when it is turned back to be used as a bed
the spring mattresses in both parts are perfectly level. On the side of this frame
opposite to the hinges two legs are attached in such manner that when it is turned
back to be used as a bed they fall down automatically into vertical position and form
supports.
When the combination is arranged as a couch these legs lie in grooves formed in
the frame and are covered by the seat cushion.
The end of the couch is formed in the usual manner, but has a wooden frame
hinged vertically to it at the back, this frame is upholstered and forms a pillow when
as couch and as a bed is swung back making a head board for the hinged half of the
bed.
The back is a frame hinged to bottom of lower frame and secured to scroll or end

page_text: with a bolt which when drawn releases it from scroll or end and swings on the hinges
and hangs down at the back out of the way so that the upper frame (or the half of
the double bed) can come into position.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furniture as Secret Beds.
I JAMES WEIGHTMAN of 7 Pilgrim Street in the City and County of Newcastle
upon Tyne Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer, 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 :-
As applied to sideboards, cheffonier bookcases, cabinets, kitchen dressers, couches &c.
containing secret beds, each bed when closed having the ordinary appearence of one
of the articles named above.
Say a cheffonier bookcase combination. The upper carcase I make without a
bottom and the undercarcase immediately below same without a top, except the top
from front of bookcase doors which is attached to a false drawer in front, so that
when pulled out, the top draws away with it, thus leaving the whole top and bottom
carcase open and free to receive the wire spring mattress which I pivot to sides of
bottom carcase near the front and when turned up the mattress leans against the back
of top carcase.
Legs are attached to bottom of spring mattress at foot end, which folds under when
mattress is turned up, these legs are utalized to hang the bed clothes upon.
In back of top carcase I insert perferated zinc panels and the bottom of under-
carcase is left open also the plinth, so that when all doors and drawers are closed
there is free ventilation, the air passing up through mattress and bed clothes.
The foregoing principle applies to all the other articles of furniture, viz.-sideboard,
cabinet and kitchen dresser.
As a couch combination, the lower part or frame forms a receptacle for the bedding
and bedclothes. The top part forming the ordinary seat is hinged to the back of the
lower frame so that the front is neatly finished no hinges being visible.
At each end of the lower part or frame, substantial stretchers are fitted transversely
at such distance below the upper edge as to allow a spring mattress to be inserted the
top being level with the upper edge of the frame. This spring mattress is not fixed
but forms a lid or cover for the bedding and bedclothes as in an ordinary ottoman.
The bottom of the receptacle for bedding &c. consists of a wooden frame of the
same dementions as the spring mattress with strong canvas stretched tightly over its
upper surface. This canvas covered frame is suspended to that in which the spring
mattress rests by canvas forming the sides and ends of the receptacle which allows of
the free passage of air throughout, and so securing efficient ventilation.
The hinged top part forming the ordinary seat also consists of a wooden frame with
the usual seat cushion on one side, and a spring mattress permanantly fixed in the
interior of the frame in such manner that when it is turned back to be used as a bed
the spring mattresses in both parts are perfectly level. On the side of this frame
opposite to the hinges two legs are attached in such manner that when it is turned
back to be used as a bed, they fall down automatically into verticle position and form
supports.
When the combination is arranged as a couch these legs lie in grooves formed in the
frame and are covered by the seat cushion.
The end of the couch is formed in the usual manner but has a wooden frame hinged
vertically to it at the back, this frame is upholstered and forms a pillow when as
couch and as a bed is swung back making a head board for the hinged half of the
hod

page_text: The back is
frame hinged to bottom of lower frame and secured to scroll or end
with a bolt which when drawn releases it from scroll or end and swings on the hinges
and hangs down at the back out of the way so that the upper frame (or the half of
the double bed) can come into position.
The accompanying drawings on Sheet 1 illustrate a cheffonier bookcase, and Sheet 2
a couch in accordance with the foregoing description which applies to all other
similar articles of furniture, the same lettering applies to all views on each drawing.
The accompanying drawings on Sheet 1 illustrate a cheffonier bookcase, and Sheet 2
a couch in accordance with the foregoing description which applies to all other
similar articles of furniture, the same lettering applies to all views on each drawing.
SHEET No. 1.
A is upper carcase, B the undercarcase. C is the spring mattress pivotted to the
sides of the undercarcase B. D the legs attached to bottom of spring mattress. E a
portable rod inside front of undercarcase on which bed clothes may be hung.
The perferated zinc panels for ventilation are not shown on drawing, being covered
by the spring mattress but are placed in the back of upper carcase.
SHEET No. 2.
a. is the main frame of the structure. b. the top part forming the ordinary seat,
hinged to back of lower or main frame. The stretchers supporting mattress are not
shown on drawing but are fitted exactly as described. c. c. the spring mattresses.
d. the wooden frame with canvas sides ends and bottom forming ventilating receptacle
for bedding contained within the frame a. e. the legs which form supports when
the couch is used as a bed. f. is the upholstered hinged wooden frame which serves
as a pillow when the structure is used as a couch and as a head board when used as
a bed. g. is the back hinged to main frame for use when the structure is used as a
couch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
Secret beds formed and efficiently ventilated substantially as described.
JAMES WEIGHTMAN..