them from being chipped. For the same reasons, beads and mouldings are excluded, as are all other ornaments, except an elegant simplicity of form. A variety of figure is nevertheless made subservient to another useful purpose. The avoirdupois are distinguished from the Dutch weights by a remarkable difference of form, the tops of the one being eonical, and those of the other convex, while the degree of elevation is the same in both. My invention, however, as it respects the manner of adjusting and stamping, extends to every form in which scale-weights can be made. I likewise prefer the above method of adjusting weights by means of a piece of hard and durable metal, susceptible of stamps, to that of reducing a mere cast-iron weight by turning, or filing, or grinding, till it be made conformable to the standard. But the only cast-iron scale-weights which have hitherto been adjusted without lead, are flat pile-weights. High scale-weights, the bodies of which consist solely of castiron, are therefore included in my improvement. In witness whereof, &c.

We are requested to add, that the Patentee has assigned a share of his patent-right to Messrs. William Braidwood and Son, Ironmongers, Edinburgh, with whom he has entered into a partnership, under the firm of Braidwoods' and Wilson.

Specification

Specification of the Patent granted to AUGUSTUS FREDERICK THOELDEN, Esquire; for certain mechanical Apparatus for supporting the Human Body, or any Part thereof, more especially during the Time of Repose, and for other deneficial Purposes. Dated October 30, 1802.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I the said Augustus Frederick Thoelden do hereby declare, that my said invention is described in manner following; that is to say: In general terms, I support, or suspend from the cieling, or upper part of the apartment, or from the usual framing or tester of a common bedstead, or from a frame expressly made and constituted for this purpose, a recepticle in which the human body, or any part thereof, may be placed and supported; which said receptacle, hereinafter more particularly to be described, I denominate the bed; and in order that the said bed may not only possess the advantage of being moved, placed, or swung, in all directions, after the manner of a pendulum, with regard to its centre or centres of suspension, but likewise in order that the said bed may be capable of a pleasant, easy, and salubrious motion, upwards and downwards, or by approaching nearer to, or receding farther from, the said centre or centres of sus pension, in a kind of oscillatory or librating motion, I interpose between the centre or centres of suspension and the said apparatus, called the bed, a spring, of any convenient figure, or a number of springs, such as the nature and purposes of the construction may require. Then, for example, in case I adopt the use of a spring in the form of a bow, (which is as good as any,) I fix one of the moveable extremes, namely, either the crown of

1

the

the bow or the middle point of its string, to the upper hook, or place of suspension, and I suspend the bed itself to the other moveable extremity, namely, the middle point of the string, or the crown of the bow, as the case may be. And, in order that the person, who shall be either wholly or in part supported within the said bed, may produce at pleasure the before-described alternate motion towards or from the said centre or centres of suspension, I fix a pulley at or near the said centre, through which a cord is passed, having one end thereof attached to the bed itself, and the other at liberty to be drawn by the said person, or an assistant, to produce the motion aforesaid. And in the said last-mentioned construction, as well as every other part of my said apparatus, in which cords and pullies are or may be used, I apply compound tackles, of the usual forms, whenever the same are found to be convenient or necessary. And in all cases, and whatever may be the form of the said spring or springs, I prevent the extreme of motion, and render it impossible for the spring to fail, or give way, by attaching a rope or a wire, or a metallic rod, or other fit piece, to the bed itself, and also to the centre of suspension, so that the said rope or wire, or rod, shall be fully extended and brought into action, and well and safely support the said bed whensoever the distance of the same from the centre of suspension shall be as great as the operator shall judge to be fit and proper.

The bed for supporting the entire human body or person may consist of the usual square frame, with legs, for the purpose of standing in an apartment as usual, or it may be made of any other figure, with posts, curtains, and other useful and ornamental parts, to which I have no claim to exclusive privilege, excepting so far as the same may compose parts of this VOL. II.-SECOND SERIES.

P

my

my said mechanical apparatus; and the side motions of the said bed may be regulated, governed, or confined, by such framing or cords, or other geer, affixed to the apartment, or to the frame of the bed, or to both, as may be thought fit. I propose, as one of the most simple, cheap, and useful constructions, that four cords should severally proceed from the corners of the bedstead to the lower part of the spring-suspension aforesaid; and that the bedstead should be adjustable at any required heights by pullies, loops, cog-wheels, or other contrivances, for lengthening or shortening the effective part of the said cords; and I do place and construct within the said square frame two other pieces of framing, one of which is capable of rising up by hinges, so as to raise a suitable part of the bedding, together with the patient, and to constitute a support, performing the office of the back of an easy chair; and the other of the said pieces of framing is capable of being lowered down, or depressed by hinges, so as to permit a suitable part of the bedding to be depressed, and suffer the legs of the patient or person supported within the said bed to acquire more or less of a vertical position at the same time that they are conveniently supported by a foot-board, in so much, that by these two contrivances jointly the patient or persons supported may at pleasure assume the position and situation of one recumbent in bed or sitting up in a chair. And these respective motions of raising and lowering the said last-described pieces of framing can be readily produced by the said person himself, or any assistant, by means of a simple pulley and cord to each end, with or without a tackle, and forming communication between the said moveable frames and the superior part of the said bed at or near its place of suspension by the spring. The bedding may be disposed either

above or below the ticking, and in the latter case the same may be applied and kept in its place by a proper application of straps, by which means the said bedding may be removed and shaken up, and again replaced without disturbing the patient in the least. And, moreover, by cutting a hole in the ticking an aperture may be made, of the most convenient use, for the natural evacuations, or for other purposes of salubrity and curative processes.

For the construction of cradles, or small beds for children, an appropriate frame may be made, to the upper part of which the spring is to be attached, and the sides thereof may, by sliders or stops, or otherwise, so govern and confine the motion as to restrain it altogether to the vertical oscillation, or leave the pendulous motion more or less at liberty, as may be required.

I likewise use the aforesaid mechanical apparatus, with its spring or springs, to suspend sofas, chairs, and other sorts of seats, with or without moveable backs, for the repose of the human body.

The new suspension herein-before described is applicable, and attended with the more happy effects in the support and suspension of broken or diseased limbs, or parts of the human body. My apparatus for this purpose is particularly described as follows: First, I make my suspension by means of one or more springs, either from the cieling or upper part of the apartment, or from the usual frame or tester of a common bedstead, or from a frame expressly made and constructed for this purpose, and I apply the cord or rod to prevent accidents, as herein-before described; by. which means the limb is suffered to acquire, when necessary, a gentle and easy motion up and down, and also in every required horizontal direction. Secondly, I fix a pulley

P 2