US 271996

Patent Overview: US 271,996

Title and parties. The patent is a "Bedstead-Fastening" granted to Horace E. Swift of Providence, Rhode Island, assignor to himself and to Charles Benson and Stephen T. Willets of the same place (specification heading). Note that the Google Patents page displays the title as "Peters" in headers and in the family/landscape listings, and lists "Peters" as the family application title; this is consistent with the page's "Prior art keywords" block rather than with the specification, which names Swift as inventor. The two labels are not reconciled in the supplied text.

Dates. Application filed June 19, 1882 (Model). Patent dated February 6, 1883. The page lists a prior art date and publication date of 1883-02-06, and an "anticipated expiration" of 1900-02-06, with current legal status "Expired - Lifetime."

Purpose. The invention is an improvement in bedstead-rail fastenings. The specification states that in ordinary fastenings using a fixed cam-hook, or a fixed plain hook operating against a stationary cam-surface on the post, wear tends to loosen the joint, careful workmanship is needed, and the joints are liable to bind so as to prevent ready removal of the rail.

Plain-language scope. The rail B has a groove or saw-cut b at its ends in which a hook C is pivoted at c. The hook engages a pin D extending across the groove or mortise a in the post A. The rail may be supported laterally by a flange d and by a pin f set in the end of the rail above the hook C and entering a mortise in the post above pin D, to resist twisting strain on the hook from lateral strain on the rail. A transverse wire pin g, or equivalent fixed stop, is placed in the rail below the shank of the hook C to prevent the hook from moving to a downward inclination with the end of the rail, so that the hook cannot continue to hold pin e and draw the rail back against the post while the rail is being raised for removal. The single claim covers the combination of the pivoted hook held in the rail groove with a fixed stop against downward inclination, plus the hook-engaging pin passing across the groove or mortise in the post, substantially as described. The patent acknowledges that loose hooks were previously used for bedstead fastenings, but states those were constructed so the fastening was effected by drawing the hook back with wedges or cams.

Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US271996](/patent/US271996)/en

What the excerpt does not establish. It does not provide drawing figures (only descriptions of Figs. 2–4), independent claims, prosecution history, or any comparison to specific named prior-art patents; the "Similar Documents" list appears as page metadata rather than as applicant or examiner citations. It also does not resolve the "Peters" versus "Swift" naming discrepancy, and no legal conclusions as to validity or scope should be drawn from it.