Improvements in or connected with "Woven Wire," or Web," or. other Metallic "Meshwork" Mattresses.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
66
Improvements in or connected with "Woven Wire," or Web," or.
other Metallic "Meshwork" Mattresses.
I, EDWARD ROWCLIFFE BILLINGTON of Cambridge Street, Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention to be as follows:-
1
This invention relates to mattresses used in or for bedsteads, and made of
woven wire, web, or other metallic meshwork, hereafter called, "the elastic
material," and has mainly for its object to provide such mattresses which shall
be especially applicable and useful for lunatics and persons suffering from other
diseases.
A mattress provided with improvements according to this invention consists
as follows:-
The base is made of woven wire, or other metallic web or meshwork, and is
provided at its edges with vertical or upward inclined side cushions, preferably
formed of a part of the elastic material forming the base or bottom. The form
of the mattress is thus in a trough or dish shape in cross section.
Beyond this, the edges or side cushions may be carried outwards, or both out-
wards and downwards; and these additions also preferably consist of part of the
elastic material of the base, so that in such a case the whole mattress would con-
sist of a single piece of the elastic material. When made in this way, the
cushions would be in the form of inverted channels; and they may be so disposed
with relation to the side bars of the mattress or bedstead frame, that they con-
stitute buffers or cushions to protect persons falling or otherwise coming towards
the bed, from striking said side bars either from the outside or from the inside
thereof; these cushions or buffers may also project beyond said side bars.
In cases where the side cushions are not made of the metallic clastic material,
they may be made of any suitable material having springs to obtain the desired
elastic character, or of any other suitable springy or elastic material.
It will be seen that this trough or dished form of mattress allows lunatics and
others to roll or move about without liability to fall out of bed, or hurt themselves.
Dated this 7th day of June 1889
EDWARD ROWCLIFTE BILLINGTON.
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
15 Water Street, Liverpool Patent. Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in or connected with "Woven Wire," or "Web," or
other Metallic "Meshwork" Mattresses.
I, EDWARD ROWCLIFFE BILLINGTON, of Cambridge Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to mattresses used in, or for, bedsteads, cots, cribs, and
other analogous articles of rest, and made of woven wire web, or other metallic
meshwork, hereinafter called the elastic material; and it has mainly for its
object to provide such mattresses which shall be especially applicable and useful
for lunatics, and persons suffering from other diseases, infants, and children,
with the object of attaining certain ends hereinafter specified.
A mattress provided with improvements according to this invention consists as
follows: The base is made of woven wire, or other suitable web or meshwork,
077

page_text: and at each edge or side is provided with vertical or upwardly inclined cushions,
such cushions being preferably formed of a part of the elastic material forming
the base or bottom. The form of the mattress is thus that of a trough or dish, in
cross section.
In addition to these cushions projecting upwards they are by
preference carried outwards, or both outwards and downwards; and these addi-
tions also preferably consist of part of the elastic material of which the base is
formed, so that the whole mattress would consist of a single piece of the elastic
material. When the mattress is made in this way, its cushions are in the form
of inverted channels, and are so disposed in relation to the side bars of the
mattress or bedstead frame, that they constitute protecting cushions thereto, in
that they prevent persons falling in any direction upon the sides or edges of the
bed, or pressing thereon, from striking said side bars.
In cases where the side cushions are not made of the particular metallic
material specified, they may be made of any suitable material having springs to
obtain the desired elastic character, or of any other equivalent suitable springy
or elastic material.
By this Invention I provide a bedstead, mattress, cot, or crib, as the case may be,
in which the users are free to move and roll about without hurting themselves,
and also without liability of falling out; and further, by the arrangement of
the side cushions (hereinafter more clearly explained), persons falling, leaning,
or bearing upon the sides, do not come in contact with the frame of the struc-
ture (i.c. with hard material), this being protected by the elastic cushions, and
consequently, injuries from such causes are obviated."
In the drawings which serve to illustrate my Invention I show two construc-
tions of mattresses according to my Invention, one, that shewn in Figures 1 and
2, in perspective view and plan, respectively, being a mattress forming a part of,
or applicable for use on, any suitable bedstead, and the other, that shewn in
Figures 3 and 4 in half end view and half cross section, and in part plan, respec-
tively, being a crib or cot more especially applicable for childrens' or infants' use.
In the drawings the same letters and figures of reference are used to denote
the same or corresponding parts in all the views.
With reference generally to the drawings, A designates the metallic elastic
material forming the bottom of the mattress; B are the end members constitut-
ing "formers," over the edge of which the material A is passed, and to which
it is fixed; B are the side bars of the frame and take the "compression due to the
tension of said material; a designates generally the upwardly projecting protec-
tion cushions, and these consist of three parts, namely, the inside portion a',
the top portion 2, and the outside portion a³, such three portions being so
arranged in relation to the frame bars B that persons using the mattress, and
pressing, or falling upon them, are protected against striking said bars.
Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the mattress shown therein is
an adjustable one, that is, one of its end bar formers B is adjustable lengthwise
of the material, the other being fixed as usual. This fixed former connects
together the two side bars B' at that end, whilst at the adjustable end of the
mattress they are tied together by the end bar 13 of the bedstead frame.
"
وو
The bars B are so adapted that when the material is laid over them, they give it
the form it is desired to have throughout its length, and therefore constitute
formers as above stated. In this example, their form or construction consists of
a plain bar, having at each end upright projecting portions 6', over the surface of
which the material is placed, as shewn, and held, the holding down being effected
by an ordinary clamp plate P-or other suitable means of fixing. This plate is
secured to the bars B by nails, screws, bolts, or other suitable means, and the edges
of the material A is lapped over the bars B and the uprights 61, and clamped
between them and the plate P. The section shown in Figure 2 is the true shape of
the clastic material in cross section, and is made and maintained by the formers B.
The adjustment of the adjustable end former bar B is effected by the screw
bolts. These bolts pass through and are held by the bar B₁ and posts or pillars b²;

page_text: At
and they also pass through the bar B and.its upright corner pieces b1, at the back
of which threaded nuts are provided; in which nuts they work. The form of
these adjusting bolts and nuts is a common one. It will be seen the adjustable
bar B shown in these Figures rests on the side bars B in the usual manner.
the top of the cushions a, I provide extra strength by a separate strip of elastic
material a running from end to end, such strips being secured to the upright
ends of the former" bars B with the main body of the material.
Reverting to the means of adjusting, the adjustable bar B, as shown in Figures 1
and 2, is provided with four adjusting bolts i, two of which are arranged in
connection with the bars B2, and two in connection with the upright portions
thereof, b', and the posts 6. By this arrangement of bolts, an even and equal
distribution is effected over these bars and their uprights. In addition to this, to
prevent the canting inwards of the posts 63, tension bars care provided, and are
arranged below the side bars B', and pass through the posts 63. In the cases in
which the mattress forms a separate thing, and is adapted to be applied to a bed-
stead, the end posts 63 would be substituted by shorter uprights, as indicated in
dotted lines, the side bars B₁ and end bar B2 being fixed to them in the usual
well known way.
With reference now to Figures 3 and 4, the "formers" B, and ', are secured
directly to the end plates B2 of the crib or cot, the end edges of the material A
being clamped between the "formers" B, 6', and the said plate, as shown
46
The
formers B, ¹, are fixed to the plates B2 at either end of the crib or cot by
screws or bolts k, or other suitable means. In this example the end plates 13²,
besides serving as the means by which the formers are held in position,
also serve to cover or close the ends of the crib or cot, that is to say, they con-
stitute the head and foot boards thereof, and are supported on legs 2.
Besides the side bars B', which lie within the portion a¹ and a³ of the sides
of the elastic material, I employ another central bar 13 to connect the end
plates B together, and these fake a part of the compressive stresses due to the
tension of the elastic material. In this example no means of adjustment of
the material A is provided, the requisite stretch or tension being given when
putting it in position. This may be done in any well known way.
Besides the ends and advantages above referred to, afforded by this invention,
cleanliness is also afforded by the use of the above mentioned metallic elastic
material A, and by the arrangement and formation thereof as described; and
moreover, if it becomes dirty, it may easily be cleansed, and thus kept in a
wholesome state; and consequently serves to render it possible to keep the
mattress in a condition conducive to health. These advantages are of great
value when the mattress or bedstead is used by lunatics and diseased persons,
or by infants and children, unable to care for themselves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
-
1. A mattress of, or for, a bedstead, crib, or cot, or other use, consisting of
metallic clastic material of the kind herein specified, under tension, and com-
prising a bottom portion adapted to serve as the part upon which the users
thereof lie or rest, and upwardly projecting side edges adapted to prevent users
from rolling out of or off the mattresses; substantially as described.
2. A mattress of, or for, a bedstead, crib, or cot or other use, consisting of
metallic elastic material of the kind herein specified, under tension, and con-
structed in trough form; for the purposes set forth.
3. A mattress of, or for, a bedstead, crib, cot, or other use, consisting of
metallic elastic material of the kind herein specified, under tension, and com-
prising a hollow portion, and portions a, standing above said bottom, and
adapted to serve as cushions; substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a mattress of, or for, a bedstead, crib, cot, or other use, the employ-
ment in combination with the supporting material thereof (said material being

page_text: of metallic elastic nature as described), or "formers," B, having raised ends b,
over which said material lies, whereby said material is given and held in trough
form; substantially as described.
5. A bedstead, crib, cot, or other mattress, consisting of metallic elastic
supporting material of the kind specified, held at its ends to end cross bars
or plates, said elastic supporting material consisting of a bottom portion hori-
zontally arranged, and upwardly projecting sides or side cushions, said bottom
and sides, or side cushions, being made of a continuous piece of said elastic
material; for the purposes set forth.
6. A bedstead, cot, or crib, or other mattress, consisting of a metallic elastic
supporting material, of the kind specified, held at its ends to end cross bars or
plates, connected together, and kept apart by bars B', said elastic supporting
inaterial consisting of a bottom portion horizontally arranged, upright sides a¹,
and a cushion portion a disposed in relation to said side bars B¹ as described,
said bottom, sides, and cushions, being made of a continuous piece of said
elastic material; substantially as described. .
7. The herein described improvement in and connected with mattresses used
for infants' and childrens' cots or cribs, or other like uses, consisting of a
metallic elastic supporting material A, comprising a bottom, upright sides u¹, and
cushion portions at the upper edge thereof, stretched between and held by head
and foot boards B2, connected together, and kept apart by bars, B¹, and said
elastic metallic material being fixed to said head and foot boards by "formers"
B; substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.
8. A mattress comprising a bottom portion adapted to serve as the part upon
which the users thereof lie or rest, and upwardly projecting side edges or
cushions of woven wire or other metallic elastic material of the kind specified;
for the purposes set forth.
9. In a mattress of the kind herein referred to, provided with means of adjust
ment at one of its ends, the employment in connection with an end bar B, having
upwardly projecting ends b¹ for supporting the elastic material, of a plurality of
adjustment bolts i, some of which are connected with said bar, and one to each
of said projecting ends b¹, and adapted to serve as means by which said end bar
and projecting ends may be adjusted, and the stretch or tension on said metallic
elastic supporting material regulated, said bolts being supported by or in corre-
sponding end bars of the mattress frame or bedstead frame; substantially
as set forth.
10. The bedstead mattress arranged and constructed substantially as set
forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
11. The crib or cot mattress arranged and constructed substantially as set
forth with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 7th dow of Mal 1900
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.