IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SPRING MATTRESSES FOR BEDSTEADS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Smith Knowles, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC SPRING MATTRESSES FOR
BEDSTEADS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Smith Knowles at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1881.
"IMPROVEMENTS
SMITH KNOWLES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancashire.
IN METALLIC SPRING MATTRESSES FOR BEDSTEADS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to metallic spring mattresses which are fitted to, or ara
part of, or are used with bedsteads, couches, ships' berths, and the like.
This Invention consists essentially of a combination of laths and metallic springs
suspended lengthwise between the head and foot of the bedstead (couch, ships'
berth, or the like to which it is applied), and free from the side frames thereof,
being carried by a frame which is independent of the bedstead, or carried by bars
or supports which are part of or fitted to the head and foot of the bedstead, the
said longitudinal laths being preserved in position or bound together by transverse
laths, or laths and springs combined.
In carrying into effect my Invention in a simple form as a spring mattress, I
construct a rectangular frame of wood or metal, or wood and metal combined,
which I place on or fit into the ordinary frame of the bedstead, and to one end of
this frame (say the head) I attach a series of coiled springs, and to these springs
and the other end of the said frame (the foot) I attach ordinary metallic laths (or
laths of wood, or metal and wood combined); across these laths I interlace trans-
verse laths to preserve the said longitudinal laths in position and bind them
together.
As a modification, the longitudinal laths may have springs at both ends, or at
the foot only instead of the head only; and as a further modification the transverse
laths may be fitted with springs where joined to the two outer longitudinal laths,
or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Smith Knowles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th February 1882.
SMITH KNOWLES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METALLIC SPRING MATTRESSES FOR BEDSTEADS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention consists essentially of a combination of laths and metallic springs
(the springs being in pairs or singly) suspended lengthwise (in hammock fashion)
between the head and foot of the bedstead, ship's berth, or the like to which it is
applied, and free from and above the sides thereof, being carried by bars or supports,
which are part of or fitted to the head and foot or sides of the bedstead above the
sides thereof, the said longitudinal laths being preserved in position or bound
together by transverse laths, or laths and springs combined, similar to those above
specified.
In carrying into effect my Invention in a simple form as a spring mattress, I
construct a rectangular frame (of wood or metal, or wood and metal combined), the
head and foot or ends of which are above the sides, which I place on or fit into the
ordinary frame of the bedstead, and to one end of this frame (say the foot) I attach
a series of coiled springs (in pairs or singly), and to these springs and the other
end of the said frame (the head) I attach metallic laths (or laths of wood, or metal
and wood combined); across these laths I interlace transverse laths to preserve the
said longitudinal laths in position and bind them together, the said transverse laths
being secured to the outer longitudinal laths, and being free from the sides of the
frame.
As a modification, the longitudinal laths may have springs at both ends or at
the head only, but I find in practise that springs (in pairs or singly) at the foot
only answer the purpose and are efficient.
The improved spring mattress is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, of
which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 is a side view of a spring mattress constructed
according to my Invention as made for a bedstead four feet six inches wide by six
feet long; A, A, A', A¹, is a frame; B, B, B, are longitudinal laths or bands (of
which there are nine, but this number may be increased); C, C, are transverse
laths; D, D, are coiled springs in pairs (of which there are nine pairs); E is a
strip of iron pierced with nine pairs of holes to receive the ends of the nine pairs
of springs; F, F, F, F, are four corner castings which tie the frame together;
G, G, G, G, are bolts which secure the transverse top and bottom rails A, A, of the
frame.
The transverse head and foot rails A, A, of the frame to which the plate E and
the laths B are attached are above the side rails A' of the frame to ensure the free
action of the laths and springs, which are thus suspended in hammock fashion, and
are free from the side rails A¹, A¹.
The transverse laths C, C, are interlaced alternately under and over the
longitudinal laths B, B, to bind the said longitudinal laths together and prevent
their lateral movement; H, H, are studs or screws; J, J, are diamond shaped
buttons capable of turning one fourth part of a revolution to secure the transverse
lath C in position.
The frame A, A, A1, A', is fitted or fixed to the bedstead, and the longitudinal
laths B, B, are secured to the studs or screws H, H, by the studs being passed
through the holes therein; the springs D, D, are then secured to the laths B, B,
and the plate E. as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

page_text: The transverse laths C, C, are then interlaced over and under the longitudinal
laths B, B, and secured to the two outer laths by the buttons J, J, being passed
through the diamond shaped holes in the said laths C, O, the said buttons are then
turned one fourth part of a revolution, by which the transverse laths are firmly
secured.
-
It is obvious that the rails A, A, may be part of the bedstead, being above the
side frames thereof, and the longitudinal laths and springs be secured thereto.
It is obvious that the longitudinal laths B, B, may be of wood, and the trans-
verse laths be of webbing, but I prefer to make the longitudinal and transverse
laths of Bessemer steel or iron.
Fig. 3 is an outside view in elevation of the head of the bedstead, and Fig. 4 is
an inside view in elevation of the foot of the same with the support K. carrying
the cross rails A, A. The support or bracket K. is made to clip the side frame L
of the bedstead, and is secured thereto by the bolt M. By this arrangement the
wood side frames A¹ of the mattress shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are dispensed with.
I do not confine myself to the precise construction of mattresses illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings, as the main features of my Invention can be carried
into effect with various minor modifications.
In some cases I make the two outer laths wider than the inner ones, for instance,
in a mattress four feet six inches wide by six feet long the outer laths can be two
inches wide, and the inner laths (for instance, fifteen) one inch wide, the outer
laths having a pair of springs, and the inner laths one spring only, and the springs
when used in pairs can be parallel instead of being inclined to one another, as
shown in Fig. 1 of the Drawings.
Instead of the laths B being connected to the cross rail A, as shown in the
Drawing (Fig. 1), each lath may have one oblong or pear shaped taper hole, the
wide part being nearest the spring, and so that the head of the pin will pass through
it, the spring drawing the lath under the head of the pin until the stem of the pin
is in the narrow end of the hole, by which the lath will be firmly secured.
By my improvements a pallias or top mattress can be dispensed with by simply
spreading a piece of cloth over the laths and fastening it to the two outer ones.
I am aware that the construction of mattresses, etcetera, with laths and coiled
springs in certain combinations is not new, and I therefore disclaim their use
otherwise than as herein specified.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The construction of a spring mattress, spring bed bottom, or spring seat
(applicable to bedsteads, ships' sleeping berths, couches, chairs, railway and road
vehicle seats) by the combination of longitudinal and transverse laths and springs
suspended (hammock fashion) from the head and foot rails (or back and front rails)
of a frame or support, and free from and above the side rails or support, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
2nd. The construction of a spring mattress, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings, having frame A, A, A¹, A³, metallic laths B, B, and C, C,
springs D, D, singly or in pairs, and any mere modification thereof, and substantially
as described.
3rd. The construction of a spring mattress, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, with
longitudinal laths B, B, springa D, D, singly or in pairs, bound together by trans-
verse laths joined to the two outside laths B, B, by a spring at one end thereof, or
a spring at each end thereof, and any mere modification thereof, and substantially
as described.
4th. The construction of a spring mattress, as illustrated in Figa. 3 and 4, having
brackets K, K, head and foot rails A, A, plate E, metallic laths B, B, and C, C,
springs D, singly or in pairs, connected to the longitudinal laths, and with or

page_text: without a spring or springs connecting the transverse to the longitudinal laths, and
any mere modification thereof, and substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Smith Knowles, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.