Improvements in Padding Harness, Vehicles, Furniture, and other Articles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1896
Loft Oth July 1907 Accented 14th Aug 1807
1
Complete Specification
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Padding Harness, Vehicles, Furniture, and other
Articles.
I, ADELAIDE RITCHIE MCDONALD of 31 Moray Place Dunedin, in the Colony
of New Zealand, wife of Arthur Thomas McDonald, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to form Pneumatic cushions in place of the
various kinds of hair, and analogous stuffing at present in use, for the various
articles of stuffed saddlery, railway and horse carriages, and furniture, in such a
manner that the desired shapes are obtained in each case, and where desired a free
passage of air can circulate on the inner or outer faces of the cushions.
Air may be blown in by the mouth, or by a pump when more pressure is desired,
and it is retained by a valve.
As, except perhaps in some shapes of furniture, it has hitherto been found that
generally it was not possible to keep inflated bags to the desired shapes, I propose
to maintain the shapes when required by any of the following devices:-The
inflated bags forming the stuffing will have either divisions having the effect of
zig-zag tubes, parallel tubes, coiled tubes; or the said divisions may be straight,."
curved, or intersected, or the stuffing may be formed of tubes of any desired section
laid parallel, or wound to the desired shapes, or the said bags forming the stuffing
may have stays either hollow, (as tube stays) solid, or in the form of strips, as to be
illustrated.
Referring to the accompanying drawing:-
Figure 1, is the inverted plan of any sort of riding saddle, in which one panel
is shewn as filled with an inflated bag kept to the desired shape by being provided
with a number of stays, the other being shewn as filled with stuffing in the form
of a coiled tube (preferably close coiled) to maintain the desired shape.
Figure 2, is a section of the stayed cushion, and an enlarged view of a stay, in
perspective.
Figure 3, is a section of a suitable valve to retain air.
Figure 4, is any collar for a harnessed animal shewn as stuffed with a moulded
and stayed tube.
Figure 5, is an inverted plan of any such collar laid out flat, shewn as being
stuffed in two ways, one side being shewed as stayed, and the other being provided
with bent, curved, or shaped divisions, the said divisions being secured to the sides
of the bag, and to which a central stay could be added.
Figure 6, shews an inverted plan of any cart saddle, shewing one panel stuffed
with a bag having divisions giving similar effect to a close laid square section
tube.
The other being provided with divisions crossing each other, in these there
would be holes to allow of all being filled by one valve.
Figure 7, is the saddle of any vehicle, shewn filled with a bag stayed to the
required shane.

page_text: Figure 8, while shewing a chair, represents any form of stuffed upholstery work
in furniture, railway or road carriages and otlier articles, and is shewn as stuffed
with tubular stays to allow of the, usual buttoning of the covering material.
Figure 9, is an enlarged view of one of the tubular varieties of stays, shewing
also the method of buttoning.
A, is the form of coiled tube stuffing of any section and A', shews the method
of obtaining different thicknesses of this stuffing, by using different sized tubes.
These tubes are jointed at A", so that' one valve will retain the air.
B, is formed of strip divisions moulded with or glued to the sides, or top and
bottom of the bag, having the same effect that a bent tube would have.
C, has the same effect that a number of square bags would have but is arranged
so as to be filled with one valve by having holes or slots in the divisions.
D, indicate any description of bent divisions when the article requires to be so
shaped.
E, are strips preferably in pairs for keeping the bags from spreading too much
in any required direction.
F, are stays formed of hollow tubes, preferably having flanged ends as shewn
in Figure 9, or moulded to the bags for buttoning and this form allows of air
circulating to the under parts of cushions, or bags.
G, are buttons when required.
H, is any suitable retaining valve preferably with a cover to ensure retension
of the air, and preserve the screw.
This stuffing is preferably secured in its place, and is either made of moulded
or built up bags, so that when inflated they shall stay at the required forms.
Though most of the articles shewn are formed of different forms of stuffing or
stays, or divisions in the same article, it is intended to use the same, and any of
the forms set forth may be used interchangeably.
I am aware that loose bags have been used for some of the articles herein set
forth, but I am not aware that anything of the nature of my invention has been
in use at any time.
Dated this 28th day of August 1896.
Improvements
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Padding Harness, Vehicles, Furniture, and other
Articles.
I, ADELAIDE RITCHIE MCDONALD of 31 Moray Place Dunedin, in the Colony
of New Zealand, wife of Arthur Thomas McDonald, Wool and Skin Buyer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to form pneumatic cushions preferably stayed,
in place of the various kinds of hair and analogous stuffing at present in use, for
the various stuffed articles in Saddlery, Railway, and general carriages, mattrasses,
and furniture, in such a manner that the desired shapes are obtained and main-
tained, in each case, and when desired, a free passage of atmospheric air can
circulate on the underside of the cushions.
Air is blown in to the desired pressure and is retained by a valve.
As, (except perhaps in some shapes of furniture,) it has hitherto generally been

page_text: found impossible to keep the inflated articles steady and to the required shapes, I
maintain the shapes required by any of the following devices:-The inflated
stuffing will have divisions giving the effect of zig-zag tubes, parallel, or coiled
tubes; or the said divisions may be straight, curved, or intersected, or the stuffing
may be formed of tubes, of any desired section, laid parallel, or wound to the
desired shapes, or the said bags forming the stuffing may have stays of strips or
hollow, as tube stays.
The cushions thus formed and stayed, may rest on anything now usually adopted
for ordinary stuffing to rest on, such as boards, webbing, or springs of any make.
Referring to the drawing filed with the Provisional Specification,
Figure 1, is an inverted plan of any sauldle, for convenience one of the panels
is shown stuffed with an inflated bag kept to the desired shape by stays preferably
in pairs, the other stuffed with a coiled tube (preferably close laid).
Fig. 2, is a section of the stayed panel and an enlarged view of one pair of the
stays preferred.
Fig. 3, is the section of a suitable valve to retain air.
Fig. 4, is an animal's collar for draught purroses, shewn stuffed with a stayed
moulded tube.
Fig. 5, is an approximate inverted plan of a collar laid out flat, shewn with a
curved stay stuffed pad on one side, and strip stays on the other and also one
between the curved stays.
Fig. 6, is an inverted plan of any cart saddle one panel having divisions
having the effect of a close laid square tube the other side with crossed divisions.
There would be holes in these to allow of the panel, or both panels being filled at
once.
Fig. 7, is the saddle of a vehicle shewing the position of stays for stuffing same,
if with strip stays, as shown.
Fig. 8, while shewing à chair, represents any form of stuffed upholstery work
in furniture, railway or road carriages mattrasses and other articles and is shewn
as stuffed with tubular stays to allow of buttoning on of a covering material or of
ventilation through the tubes to the bottom of the cushion.
Fig. 9, is an enlarged view of a tube stay showing a manner of buttoning on a
covering material.
A, is stuffing in the form of coiled tube of any section, and A', shows a method
of obtaining different thicknesses when required, by using different sized tubes,
jointed at A".
B, is a form giving practically the same effect as A.
C, is in effect a number of square bags together filled with the same valve.
D, are bent divisions when the shape of the work requires other than straight
ones.
E, are pairs of strips preferably as shewn, and are generally among the best
means for keeping cushions to the required shapes.
F, are tube stays having flanges either inside the cushion or outside it or there may
be two flanges one in and one out, at each end of the tube, for additional strength.
G, show the method of buttoning on any covering material.
H, shows a suitable valve, but any valve, or bent and tied tube, as is used in
footballs, may be adopted..
Any of the above forms of stays may be moulded with the cushions or be
solutioned in their places.
Any rubber or other air-tight material may be used.
Though the various articles have one form of stay shown, any of the forms may
be used interchangeably.
I am aware that loose bags have been used for some of the articles herein set
forth, but I am not aware that anything of the nature of my invention has been in
use at any time.
Having now particularly, described and ascertained the nature of my, said inven-

page_text: tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In pneumatic cushions of the sorts described, the combination of the cushions
made of air-tight materials with stays (such as A, A, B, C, D, E,) for aiding to
keep the cushion in the required shapes, as shewn and described.
2. In pneumatic cushions of the sorts described, the combination of the cushions
made of air-tight materials with stays (such as F) for ventilation of the bottom
of the cushions and to enable any covering material to be secured, substantially
as shown and described herein.
Dated this 21st day of April 1897.
ADELAIDE RITCHIE MCDONALD.