IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC MATTRESSES AND BEDDING
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 128, Chancery Lane, London, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC MATTRESSES AND BEDDING."-A
communication from abroad by Madame Jeanne Lelarge, of Lyons, in
the Empire of France.
Sealed the 6th July 1865, and dated the 12th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January 1865.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC MATTRESSES AND BEDDING," a.
communication to me from abroad by Madame Jeanne Lelarge of Lyons, in
the Empire of France, to be as follows:
The top of the elastic mattress is formed of a metallic network, similar to
that used for garden seats, which network is composed of wire springs inter-
laced into each other, and after the network is made the required size it is
held to the framework of the mattress at the head and at the foot by, means
of a corresponding rod, which passes through each of the springs. at the
extremities. To each rod are hooked a number of short rods, each having at
one end a hook, and at the other end a ring, and through these rings, and also
through other rings screwed to the end cross bars of 'the framework, a cord.

page_text: is passed, which is afterwards tightened and made fast.
The longitudinal
sides of the metallic network are made fast by rings or hooks to corresponding
wire ropes connected to the two cross bars before mentioned, and when the
metallic network is detached from both the wire ropes and from the cross
bars it may be rolled up from the foot to the head, or vice versa, or it can be
rolled up lengthwise. The bed, provided with the mattress, may also be folded
in two; the strength of the metallic network and springs and other parts
being varied as required according to the amount of elasticity desired.
All the parts forming the mattress are made of iron, and connected to an
iron framework, and to the two main longitudinal bars of the framework of
the mattress are fixed a number of intermediate cross bars for the purpose of
supporting the ordinary double-coned or other springs beneath the network.
The springs are placed on the cross bars, to which they are afterwards
fastened by wire, and it is the number of rows of springs which determines
the number of cross bars. The longitudinal bars of the framework are made
of angle iron, and are each divided into two parts, which parts for the ordinary
use of the mattress are united together by a picce of angle iron, and bolts,
and nuts. To the two ends of each longitudinal bar are fixed brackets, those
at the head being a little higher than those at the foot, and each bracket
carries at the top a plate, having in the interior cheeks or sides, like part of a
hinge, and through these cheeks is passed a metal pin, to which pins are
hooked or fastened the ends of the longitudinal wire ropes, to which the sides
of the network are attached, and from one to the other of the brackets at
the head and the foot are extended transversely the end cross bars, before
mentioned, for keeping the framework at its proper width, and for holding
the rings by which the ends of the network are held. The network being
made of interlaced springs forms a supple and flexible material, which is
fastened to the framework in the following manner :-As regards its length,
the ends of the springs forming the sides of the network are firmly attached to
the wire ropes which extend from end to end of the framework, and the ropes
near their extreme ends are traversed by rods passing through the spiral.
convolutions of the extreme springs at each end, which rods are held to the
framework, as before described. In order to perfect this suspending system
there are transverse rods connected to the ropes for the purpose of always
maintaining the same distance between the two opposite sides of the network.
The frame may be divided into two parts as regards its length, as described,
so that when required the mattress may be folded in half, and for this purpose
each of the wire ropes is formed of two parts and united by a hinge. And
the mattress may be transformed into a spring bedstead by connecting legs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC MATTRESSES AND BEDDING," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Madame Jeanne Lelarge, of Lyons, in
the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in tho
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the figures and letters on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is to say):
The top of the elastic mattress is formed of a metallic network A, Figs. 1
and 2, similar to that used for garden seats, which network is composed of
nterlaced wire, and which after being made to the required size is held to

page_text: the framework D of the mattress at the head and at the foot by means of a
corresponding rod B, which passes through or is attached to the ends of the
network. To each of these rods are hooked a number of short rods, cords,
or bands C, each having at one end a hook, and at the other end a ring, and
through these rings, and also through other rings screwed to the end cross
bars of the framework a cord is passed, which is afterwards tightened and
made fast. The longitudinal sides of the metallic network are made fast by
rings or hooks to corresponding wire ropes B' connected to the framework D,
and when the metallic network is detached from the framework D it may
be rolled up from the foot to the head, or vice versa. The bed, provided
with the mattress, may also be folded in two, the strength of the metallic
network and springs and other parts being varied as required according to the
amount of elasticity desired.
All the parts forming the mattress are made of iron, and connected to the
iron framework D, and to the two main longitudinal bars of the said frame-
work D are fixed a number of intermediate cross bars F for the purpose of
supporting the ordinary double-coned or other springs E beneath the network.
These springs E are placed on the cross bars, to which they are afterwards
fastened or secured in any suitable manner; and it is the number of rows of
springs which determines the number of cross bars. The longitudinal bars of
the framework D are made of angle iron, and are each divided into two parts,
which parts for the ordinary use of the mattress are united together by a
piece of angle iron, and bolts, and nuts. To the two ends of each longitudinal
bar are fixed brackets, those at the head being a little higher than those at
the foot, and each bracket carries at the top a plate having in the interior
cheeks or sides like part of a hinge, and through these cheeks is passed a
metal pin, to which pin are hooked or fastened the ends of the longitudinal
wire ropes, to which the sides of the network are attached, and from one to
the other of the brackets at the head and the foot are extended transversely
the end cross bars, before mentioned, for keeping the framework at its
proper width, and for holding the rings by which the ends of the network
are held.
The frame may be divided into two or more parts, so that when required
the mattress may be folded in half, and for this purpose each of the wire
ropes is formed of two or more parts and united by hinges; and the mattress
may be transformed into a spring bedstead by connecting legs to the longi-
tudinal bars of the framework, and a head and foot-board to the cross bars
as in Fig. 1, or used independently of same as in Fig. 2.
In some cases the springs F may be dispensed with, as the metallic net-

page_text: work is of sufficient elasticity. This metallic network, with or without
springs, may be applied advantageously to couches, sofas, chairs, and similar
articles, and may be covered with any suitable material.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim the use and application of the metallic
network or webbing A, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.S.)