Improvements in Folding Bedsteads and Mattresses.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Bedsteads and Mattresses.
We, HELEN ASHLAND KEAN, Authoress and Inventor, of Campbell Avenue, and
VICTORIA PURDY LESTER, Lady, of Thomas Street, both of West Haven, in the
State of Connecticut, United States of America, 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:-
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This invention relates to bedsteads and frames, and the object. thereof is to
provide a metal bedstead, the separate parts of which may be contracted and
extended, a further object being to provide a mattress-frame therefor, the separate
parts of which may also be contracted, the construction and arrangement being
such that the bedstead may be contracted into about one-quarter of the space
occupied thereby when in use, and the frame which supports the mattress also
being adapted to be similarly contracted.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the
accompanying drawings form a part, in which:-
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Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved bedstead.
Figure 2 is a side view thereof.
Figures 3 and 4, side plan views of the details of the construction.,
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the mattress-frame.
Figure 6 is a side view thereof.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the bedstead when folded together.
Figure 8 is an end view thereof, showing the mattress-frame also folded
together; and
Figures 9 and 10 represent other details of the construction.
In the practice of our invention, reference being made to Figures 1 and 2, we
provide a bedstead which is composed of tubular rods or bars and the side bars
thereof consisting of two telescopic sections A and a, which are connected
centrally by telescopic rods B and b, and the said rods or
bars are
connected at their ends by two telescopic rods or bars D and d, the rods or bars
at the ends being arranged in pairs, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and the inner
ends of the sections D of the end rods or bars which are adapted to receive the
sections are provided with clamps or bands E, by which they are secured
together, so as to give strength and stability thereto, and said end rods or bars
and the side rods or bars are connected by coupling-heads F, which also receive
and support the posts G, which are also composed of telescopic sections, the
upper ends thereof being adapted to slide within and be adjusted within the
lower sections G; but in practice we prefer to construct the corner-posts of tele-
scopic sections only at one end of the bedstead, and centrally, of the side bars
or rods A are arranged supplemental legs or supports H.
As thus constructed, it will be seen that the sections
rods may be shoved into the sections A and the sections
rods into the sections D), and the bedstead may thus be
in Fig. 7.
of the side bars or
of the end bars or
contracted, as shown
The central bar or rod B and its telescopic sections 6 are connected with the
side bars or rods A with coupling-heads K, and the method of making this connec-
tion is shown in Figures 9 and 10, and it will be seen that the sections a are

page_text: provided with downwardly-directed lugs or projections a², which pass through
slots a³ in the sections A, and by means of this arrangement the separation of
the sections A and a of the side rods or bars is prevented, and in order to hold
the separate parts of the bedstead in the contracted position we provide the
construction shown in Figures 3 and 4 in which pivoted pawls or levers L are
employed, which are secured to the larger or outer sections of the rods or bars
and which are provided with inwardly-directed projections L³, which are adapted
to enter suitable openings formed in the outer and inner sections, and these pawis
or levers may be spring-operated, as will be readily understood.
In Figures 5 and 6 we have shown the mattress-frame which consists of four
similar parts, M, m, m² and m³, and these parts are hinged together in such a
manner that they may be folded one over the other or into a square form which
will correspond with the form of a bedstead when contracted in the position shown
in Figure 7, and this arrangement of the frame is shown in Figure 8. This
mattress-frame may be composed of any desired material, and one section thereof
is provided with a bottom 0, or each of said sections may be provided with a
similar bottom, if desired, and the position of the mattress thereon will be
apparent and the construction and arrangement will be understood from the
following: As shown in Figure 5, the mattress is made of four equal parts as
at M, m, m2 and O and it will be noted that the parts m and m2 are joined together
by means of hinges and also the two parts Ŭ and M are joined together by hinges
in any desired manner so as to connect them with the other two parts m and m².
These two parts, M and O are not connected in the centre as in the case of the
two other frames, thus leaving an opportunity for the part M to fold over on
the part m and the part 0 to fold over on the part m2. The four parts then
become assembled into one as at m, thus reducing the size of the frame to suit
the collapsed condition of the bedstead.
It will be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by means of
this construction which is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which
it is required and which may be made as strong and durable as necessary, and
by means of this construction we provide for the folding of a bedstead or the
various parts thereof into a compact form which is of great advantage in storing
and shipping the same and which is also of advantage in small rooms or compart-
ments, said construction enabling the bed to be contracted so as to occupy but
little space when not in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The combination with a bedstead constructed as herein described and adapted
to be contracted into a substantially square form, of a mattress and frame therefor
composed of four parts hinged together and adapted to be folded into a similar
form within the bedstead, and whereby engagement with the bedstead when folded
is maintained, substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination with a bedstead, the sides and ends of which are composed
of telescopic sections, whereby it is adapted to be contracted into a substantially
square form, of a mattress-frame which is composed of four hinged sections
attached to said sections of the adjustable bedstead, which sections are adapted
to be folded one upon the other within the bedstead-sectious, substantially as
shown and described.