IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES, SOFAS; COUCHES, AND CHAIRS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Daniel Gardner at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th September
1867.
I, DANIEL GARDNER, of the Firm of Messieurs' A. Gardner and Son, of the
City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark; North Britain, Cabinet Makers
and Upholsterers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention. for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES, SOFAS; COUCHES, AND CHAIRS," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This said Invention consists essentially of a new or improved mode of
binding or fastening and retaining the helical, volute, or spiral conoidal wire
springs forming the main resting or seating part of spring mattresses, sofas,
couches, and chairs in their proper position ranged in horizontal parallel
straight rows at any desired distance apart, both longitudinally and transversely,
so as to cross each other at right angles, or diagonally at any other desired or
suitable angle by long flat straps or bands of thin rolled iron or steel (or in
place of such flat band one or more wires might be employed) laying in the
same direction as the rows of springs and across the axial line of their ends,
where the bands are made to cross each other and be laced under and
over the end coil of the springs so as to bind the springs to the frame or set
of straps crossing each other, by preference in a lacing manner, alternately
over and under each other as well as being so laced to the last wire at each
side of the springs. Thus the form or manner of lacing each spring to the two
bands crossing each other at its end consists, by preference, in making the

page_text: band which crosses or passes above or on the outside of the other one to pass
under the first or outer end coil of the spring on each side of the crossing,
and the band which passes on the inside of the other band to simply rest on
the end of the spring on each side of the crossing or centre of the spring,
which has the effect of binding or securing the spring so as to remain and
act freely in the vertical line of the crossing and the spring itself at right
angles to the horizontal plane of the whole set of springs without any tendency
to tilt, or get out of place. The outer ends of the binding straps may either
be secured to the wooden frame by nails, or they may be rivetted or otherwise
fixed to a light flat iron frame of the form of the outline of the whole set of
springs so laced in each case. The set of springs may be bound or laced in
the said manner either across their upper or their lower ends, or they may be
so laced and secured on both the upper and lower ends when desired; and
although metal straps have been described, and are preferred for so fixing the
springs, yet still strong "girth" or other flat bands may also in some cases be
used well stretched and fixed to the wood or iron frames surrounding the
springs herein-before described. The said improvements and the mode of
-securing the said springs retain them better in position, and by distributing
the force and motion in their use over a greater surface and number of springs
than usual, has the double effect of making the whole more durable and more
efficient in their action than such spring mattresses, sofas, couches, and chairs
have been as heretofore constructed.