Improvements in and connected with Mattresses and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Mattresses and the like.
I TALBOT RUTLEY of 243 Selhurst Road, South Norwood in the Borough of
Croydon in the County of Surrey, Schoolmaster 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:-
My invention relates to a device for draining the beds of infants and invalids
whereby the mattress is kept thoroughly dry and the comfort of the occupant
considerably increased.
The invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts
as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification in which
Fig. I shews the bottom view of a piece of macintosh A with tubes B hanging
from it.
Fig. II is a top portion of the mattress C with the holes D through it, through
which holes D the tubes B are drawn and
Fig. III is a side view of the mattress C with the macintosh A placed on the
top, and the tubes B are drawn through the holes D so that the matter to be
drained off will fall into the macintosh sheet E, through the centre of which is a
tube to carry the matter into an ordinary utensil which is to be placed under
the bed.
The method of attaching the tubes B to the macintosh A is by first punching
holes through the macintosh A, equal or nearly equal in size to the diameter of the
tubes B. Then take a tube B and draw it through a hole which has been punched
through the macintosh A. Then cut the tube B twice lengthways about an inch
from the top and fasten down the four pieces which the two cuts will have formed,
and which, when fastened down with rubber solution or other suitable material
will take the form of a cross with a hole in the centre. Over this cross fasten a
round piece of macintosh material with a hole in the centre, which hole must
correspond with the hole in the centre of the cross. The mattress C is of the
ordinary type with the exception that it has the holes D throngh it in order to
receive the tubes B.
The holes D are formed by making holes about one inch square in the tick or
cover of the mattress C, and by passing four equal lengths of tape through
them, and the four equal lengths of tape should be two inches longer than the
width or thickness of the mattress C, and sewn together to form a square, with
one inch each end left unsewn, and when passed through the holes in the tick
or cover of the mattress C, the ends should be stitched down each side of the
mattress so as to resemble a cross, and by so doing the holes D will be formed.
Existing mattresses of the old type may thus be altered so that the macintosh A
may be used with them, thereby saving the cost of a new mattress.
I desire it to be distinctly understood that there need be only one tube tube used
in the centre of the macintosh A, and one hole D in the centre of the mattress C,
but for perfect drainage I would recommend that there should be as many tubes in
the macintosh A, and holes in the mattress C as there generally are leather
buttons or studs in ordinary mattresses.
The holes D may be kept in perfect position by inserting a coil spring through
the hole cut in the tick before passing the four equal lengths of tape through.
To place the macintosh A in position on the mattress C it is only necessary to
draw the tubes B through the holes D, and to keep the macintosh from shifting,

page_text: it should be fastened by a button at each corner; which button should be sewn on
the mattress. The macintosh sheet E which catches the matter should also be
The
fastened by buttons or hooks at the four corners underneath the mattress.
tubes B may be made of rubber or any suitable material, and fixed in such manner
as shall be deemed most satisfactory. To remove the macintosh A from the
mattress C, simply unfasten the corner buttons and lift it off when the tubes B will
readily slide out of the holes D.
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 :-
For draining mattresses and the like, the use of the macintosh A with tube or
tubes B attached, and the mattress C having the hole or holes D through it, with
coil springs to support them, through which holes D the tubes B are to be passed.
Also the use of the macintosh sheet E with tube attached for passing the matter into
the utensil under the bed as required substantially in the manner described and
illustrated.
TALBOT RUTLEY.