A FURNITURE TABLE, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES to be as follows:-
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to André Gaspard Guesdron, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, and of 32, Essex Street, Strand, London, for the Invention of
Invention for "A FURNITURE TABLE, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES
to be as follows:-
"
This Invention consists in a new kind of table, which may easily be converted
into or used as a bedstead. To this effect, I give to the body part between
the four legs depth enough for receiving and holding bedding; and the flaps,
being hinged or otherwise fixed in various parts, may be removed or turned
out of the way whenever it is required to convert the table into a bedstead.
The legs of the table are also made in such manner that they can be drawn
out for supporting the flaps when it is desired to make the table longer than

page_text: the body or bedstead part by means of double-hinged flaps. The flaps or other
parts of the table bedsteads may also be arranged with drawers or other recesses
for holding articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said André Gaspard Guesdron in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDRÉ
GASPARD GUESDRON, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 32, Essex
Street, Strand, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said André Gaspard Guesdron, Her special licence that I, the said André
Gaspard Guesdron, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said André Gaspard Guesdron, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"A FURNITURE TABLE, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said André Gaspard Guesdron, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said André Gaspard Guesdron, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 consists in a new kind of table, which may casily be
converted into or used as a bedstead, and other articles of furniture: To this
effect, I give to the body part between the four legs depth enough for receiving
and holding bedding; and the flaps of the table, being binged or otherwise fixed
in various parts, may be removed or turned out of the way whenever it is
required to convert the table into a bedstead. The legs of the table are also

page_text: made in such manner that they can be drawn out for supporting the flaps when
it is desired to make the table longer than the body or bedstead part by means
of double-hinged flaps. The flaps or other parts of the table bedstead may
also be arranged with drawers or other recesses for holding or containing
articles.
Having thus briefly set forth the nature of this Invention, I will now
describe the same in detail, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of
Drawings; on which, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a convertible and expanding
bed table, shut up to be used as a table; Fig. 2 shews the same, the top being
raised up perpendicularly for use as a bed; Fig. 3 shews the same drawn out
to give a greater table surface; Fig. 4 is an angular view of Fig. 2; Fig. 5,
is an angular view of a convertible bed table, which is not constructed upon
the expanding principle; Fig. 6 shews a board belonging to the same.
The convertible bed table, when brought to its smallest compass, as at
Fig. 1, resembles an ordinary house table, having about one yard square, or
any other suitable size of leaf, and about one yard by two yards when it is
lengthened out, as at Fig. 3; this table being capable of being lengthened out
in the manner of ordinary expanding tables by having the four legs A made in
halves A', Fig. 3, and the table top having two flaps B', B', hinged to the
middle part B; and the table being thus lengthened out, its eight legs firmly
support the flaps B₁, B, B', in either position which may be given to them
for actual use; and also the bedding contained in the table, when it is desired to
use the table as a bedstead, the middle portion B being hinged to the support-
ing frame of the table, the three leaves B', B, B', are raised into the upright
position, so as to leave the bed uncovered, also covering the wall along which
the bed is placed, and protecting the occupant of the same against any.
dampness. The three flaps are held in that position by means of one or more
bolts C, and two or more small bolts C¹ (see Fig. 2), and the curtain or tester
poles D are fixed upon the middle flap B. These poles D consist of elbow
rods, which are square at their ends, so that they may be inserted perpendicular
to the table into brackets E, E, that are screwed on the table leaf B. When
the bed is folded up again, the poles are taken out and put in the lower
brackets E, E, again, so as to lie flat against the under side of the table top,
and be contained within the box of the table. A sliding board F, Fig. 4, may
also be provided on the side opposite to the vertical leaves, for reading in
bed, &. The frame rods G and mattress or strap bottom H, Figs. 2 and 4,
are made in three folding parts, corresponding to the three portions of the table
leaf, and these three folding parts form when unfolded, as shewn at Fig. 2, any
suitable bed length, having the width required in proportion. I and J are

page_text: castors, suitably fixed at the stationary and moveable legs, for 'facilitating
moving the same. The other parts of the bed, such as the framing, &c., are
described hereafter with the convertible bed table, represented at Fig. 5 of
the annexed Sheet of Drawings, this bed table being contrived according to the
same principle as the former one, but of a simpler construction, having no
expanding top. The legs L of this table are screwed into the body part, so
that they may be taken off when the table is moved through a 'narrow passage,
but each of them is made of one piece, so that'no part of them separates from
the main portion of the table: The four upper blocks M, into which the legs L
screw, may be made of wood, but I generally prefer as an improvement to use
cast or wrought iron, or any other suitable metal, which may be painted; so as
to imitate or match the colour of the wood which the table is made from:
These square blocks are furnished on their inside faces with two 'vertical
grooves N, which do not extend right to the lower end of the block, but stop
short of it by a suitable distance, and into these grooves the side'boards 0, 0,
are fitted, so as to form the body part of the table, and avoid tenoning, which
would weaken said boards. The boards are also secured in their places by
means of screws P, P. This way of furnishing tables with metallic legs may
also be applied as an improvement to the other description of bed table above
described, and also to conimon tables used for any purposes. The top Q'of
the single table, shewn at Fig. 5, is hinged, and 'opens like that represented
at the preceding Figures: When it is desired to convert this table into a
bed, the board O¹ of the table shewn at Fig. 6 is taken out, the top is raised into
the vertical position, and the board O¹ is fixed upon the opposite board O by
means of pins R and holes R¹; the hook S is then passed into the screw ring
S'; and in this inanner the board O¹ serves both for forming the head or back
of the bedstead, and also for preventing the table top Q from coming down.
The mattress bottom or strapping frame in this bed table consists of two rods
G¹, one on each side of the table, and these rods are secured to the blocks M.
Above these rods G' I fix on the blocks M a moveable frame U, whose ends
are bent at right angles, 'so that when the frame is folded up, it leaves sufficient
room for the mattress under it, which is doubled up during the day. This
construction of bent rods for allowing the mattress to be contained under the
.moveable frame end is also applicable to the expanding bed table above
described, and shewn at Figs. 1 to 4, there being such a moveable frame at
each end of said table. K is a strong cranked bar, for firmly uniting the
extreme legs of the middle portion of the table when the table is converted
into a bed. This bar is for said purpose turned into a vertical position with
the crank downwards, but in the day time, or when the bed is folded up and

page_text: used as a table, said bar may be turned out of the way against the under side
of the bed. Two of these bars are also applied to the ends of the expanding
table, shewn above, the four legs of this table remaining fixed, as has been
stated above. The end of the moveable frame U is supported by two turning
legs T, that touch the ground, and are kept from turning by a pin T¹, inserted
into it and the frame U. When it is desired to convert the bed again into an
ordinary table, the pin T is taken out, the moveable frame U and legs T are
raised and laid upon the fixed part of the mattress frame, so that the top may
be lowered, and the board O¹ put into its place again for ordinary uses. The
mattress bottoms of the two bed tables are made elastic, and consist of a sheet
of strong material stretched between the rods by india-rubber thongs that
pass through eyelets fixed upon the bottom sheet and round the frame rods
G, G. There are also eyelets in the ends of the bottom for passing a line
through, by which the rod or rods K are drawn up against the centre portion
at the same time as the moveable frame U is turned over on the top side of
said bottom.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that what I claim, without confining myself to any of the materials
to be employed, is,―
First, a convertible bed table, or a table that may either be used as a bed
or couch, or as a table for ordinary purposes.
Second, the use and application of cast iron or other metal for the portion
M of bed tables, or ordinary tables, by which the legs are united with the
body part, substantially as described above.
In witness whereof, I, the said André Gaspard Guesdron, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord 1855.
A. G. GUESDRON. (L.S.)