Improvements in the Construction of Bed Mattresses, Pillows, Cushions, and other Analogous Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept.. 1888.
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
IOTUNAU
Improvements in the Construction of Bed Mattresses, Pillows,
Cushions, and other Analogous Articles.
I, EDWARD HOWELL of the Firm of Alexander & Howell of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark North Britain, House & Ship Furnisher, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BED MATTRESSES, PILLOWS, CUSHIONS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES": -
This Invention which relates to Improvements in the construction of Bed
Mattresses Pillows, Cushions, & the like has for its object to provide a combined or
double mattress or bed which gives greater elasticity than a mattress used singly &
which can be reversed or used on either side as preferred, & so obviate the necessity
of removing a single or hair & wool mattress or bed to be substituted by a
Feather Bed or vice-versa.
The Invention consists in constructing the mattresses in two parts or in two
cases, the one being fastened or secured to the other in the centre or other con-
venient place. One part of the mattress or case is stuffed with hair or wool or
other analogous soft material, and the other part with feathers or other analogous
material, and thereafter covered with tick, waterproof cloth, cork-cloth or other
suitable material. In winter or cold weather the feather mattress or bed may be
used providing a warm comfortable bed, & in summer or hot weather a hair or wool
bed inay be used providing a cold bed, or the mattress or bed may be used as
desired.
The mattress or bed is well adapted for Invalids. It is especially applicable for
ships, yachts, & other sailing vessels, as by the use in particular of the cork as a
covering or stuffing, the mattress is rendered inore buoyant.
It is obvious that Pillows Cushions & the like can be so constructed for purposes
of rest & repose as in the case of the bed mattress whilst Pillows can also be so
constructed as to be used as a Life Belt, that is to say the inner part or side next to
the body may be stuffed as aforesaid with Hair wool or other suitable soft material
whilst the outer part or side may have a series of flat bars of cork of about 2 inches
in breadth or they may be round placed vertically at short distances apart from one
end of the Pillow to the other & covered with Tick or other suitable material as
aforesaid, which allows of the Pillows being folded over as required.
When it is desired to use the pillow as a Life Belt, it is placed round the body,
hung by suitable straps placed on the shoulders & attached to the front & back of
the Belt, the ends of which meet together & are securely fastened, a pillow thus
formed gives sufficient buoyancy to float & support persons & objects of weight.
Dated this 14th dov of Santambo- 1000
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN;
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Bed Mattresses, Pillows,
Cushions, and other Analogous Articles.
I, EDWARD HOWELL of the firm of Alexander and Howell of Glasgow in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, House and Ship Furnisher 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 :-
This Invention which relates to Improvements in the construction of Bed
Mattresses, Pillows, Cushions and other analogous articles has for its object to provide
r

page_text: a combined or double mattress or bed, Pillow, or cushion, which gives greater
elasticity than a mattress Pillow or cushion used singly, and which can be reversed
or used on either side as preferred, whilst certain of the articles, for example, the
pillow and Cushion, and other analogous articles may be used as a Life-Belt or
means for saving life. In accordance with my Invention as applicable to articles of
repose, I construct the bed mattress in two parts, or in two cases, the one being
fastened or secured to the other in the centre, or in any other convenient part, by
any suitable means. One part of the mattress or case is stuffed with hair, wool or
any other like soft material, whilst the other part is stuffed with feathers, or other
analogous material; both cases or parts thereafter being covered with waterproof-
cloth, cork-cloth, mattress tick, or any other suitable material. In winter or cold
weather the feather mattress or bed may be used, thus providing a warm comfortable
bed, and in summer or hot weather a hair or wool bed may be used, thus providing a
cool bed, or the mattress or bed may be used as desired.
A mattress or bed made in accordance with my Invention is well adapted for
invalids. It is also especially applicable for use on board ships, yachts, and other
sailing vessels, as by the use in particular of the cork-cloth as a covering, or as a
stuffing, the mattress is rendered more buoyant and therefore of service in saving
life at sea.
It is obvious from the foregoing description that Pillows, Cushions, and the like
can be so constructed for like purposes, as in the case of the bed mattress, and as
the description thereof is specific enough to be clearly understood, I see no necessity
to illustrate the articles referred to by a drawing. Whilst pillows or cushions can
be so constructed as to serve the purposes before described, they can also more
particularly be made to serve the purpose of a life-belt.
In order therefore that the pillow or cushion as a life-belt may be readily under-
stood I will proceed to describe the same more fully, reference being made to the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said pillow or cushion when in use as such,
Figure 2 a perspective view of the said pillow or cushion ready to be used as a life-
belt, and Figure 1ª, being part of a cross section shewing the arrangement of the
interior of the said pillow or cushion and Life-belt. As shewn at A, in Figures 1, 1ª
and 2, I construct that part or side which comes into contact with the body, with
hair, wool, feathers or any other suitable soft material, whilst the outer part B, in
Figures 1, 1 and 2, I construct with a series of flat bars or blocks of cork C, C, of
a suitable breadth, preferably about two inches (or they may be round) and placed
vertically at short distances apart from each other extending from the one end of
the pillow to the other, and which permits of the pillow or cushion Life-belt being
folded or bent over as required. These bars of cork may be covered with tick or
other suitable, material as shewn at D, Figure 1ª.
When it is desired to use the pillow or cushion as a Life-belt the cord or tape
keeping the ends together is untied, and the pillow opened out and placed round
the body, and hung by suitable straps E, E, Figure 2, placed over the shoulders,
which straps are attached to the front and back of the belt and fastened round the
body by means of the bands F, F, tied together in front in any convenient manner.
These bands F, F, also serve the purpose of keeping the two parts of the pillow or
cushion together, when such are used as a pillow or cushion, the straps E, E, being
folded hetween the two parts in readiness for use when required.
A pillow or cushion thus formed as a life belt is simple, it requires no inflation
and it gives sufficient buoyancy to float and support persons and objects of weight,
but the said Life-belt may be made to any required buoyancy. When employed in
ships it is used as a pillow or cushion and can thus always be found ready for use
as a life-belt when necessity arises. It requires no special stowage, and it is so
simple in construction that it can be readily put in operation and transformed into a
thoroughly reliable life-belt. This life-belt pillow may be provided if desired with a
pocket or flap G, for the purpose of holding any papers or valuables, and the cost
of the said pillow, cushion or life-belt is little more than that of an ordinary pillow.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The construction of Bed-Mattresses, pillows, cushions and other analogous
articles in the manner and for the purposes herein before set forth and described.
Second. The construction of pillows or cushions and the like to be used as articles
of repose, and as a life-belt or means of saving life all as substantially set forth and
described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this let dow of 1000
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.