Improvements in Spring Mattresses.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 4th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
Improvements in Spring Mattresses.
I SAMUEL PARKER KITTLE of 34 Baldwins Gardens, Grays Inn Road, London,
Mechanical Expert, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My improvements in spring mattresses relate first to an improved construction of
centre-frame spring-border reversible mattress in which the weight of the occupant is
distributed over the whole of the springs instead of being wholly or mainly sustained
by those upon which the occupant immediately rests, these latter conforming them-
selves, however, to the shape of the body and the whole affording a soft and elastic
support. In this improved mattress the springs are sustained and connected at the
middle of their length by crossed and interlaced strips of webbing stretched across
and along a rigid frame lying in the central plane of the mattress, so that the upper
parts of the springs upon which the weight directly comes take a bearing upon the
webbing which in turn distributes the weight over the under parts of the whole of the
springs forming the lower haif of the mattress which rests upon the slats of the bed
frame.
This invention has for its object to adapt the springs to take a broad middle bearing
upon the webbing and to connect them thereto in such a way as to avoid buckling or
displacement of the springs from their proper vertical position and prevent creaking
and rattling noises, and to this end the springs of the ordinary hour glass or double
conical form are formed with a middle coil or coils of as nearly as possible in a plane
or planes perpendicular to the axis of the spring so as to take a uniform circum-
ferential bearing on the crossing points of the webbing on which the springs are
seated and prevent any tendency of the springs to lateral buckling or flexure. When
two such seating coils are used the webbing passes between them, but in the case of a
single seating coil it passes between the webs at their crossing point and secured by

page_text: the webbing being stitched thereto, so as to afford support therefor, whichever face of
the mattress may be uppermost. The springs are held at their larger ends or bases
in their proper relative positions in any of the well known ways and light flexible
border frames of rattan are run around the outer rows of springs and secured to
their larger ends in order to keep the tick or other covering distended at the
border.
The invention also relates to the single cone springs used in single or non-reversible
mattresses in which the lower ends of the springs are seated upon slats or other
support, and consists in forming the small end of the single conical spring with a coil
of larger diameter in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spring, so as to form
an enlarged base or seat for the sinall end of the spring this enlarged seat coil being
also more easily secured to the slat or other bottom in the usual way of securing such
springs.
Data
1
L
1000
S. P. KITTLE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Mattresses.
I, SAMUEL PARKER KITTLE, of 34, Baldwin's Gardens, Grays Inn Road, London,
Mechanical Expert, 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 improvements in spring mattresses relate first to an improved construction of
centre frame, spring border and reversible mattress in which the springs are sustained
and connected at the middle of their length by crossed and interlaced strips of
webbing stretched across, and lengthwise of, a rigid frame arranged in the central
plane of the mattress so that the upper parts of the springs (upon which the weight
of the occupant directly comes) take a bearing upon the webbing, which in turn
distributes the weight over the under parts of the whole of the springs forming the
lower half of the mattress which rests upon the slats of the bedstead. The weight
of the occupant is thus distributed over the lower members of the whole of the
springs, as well as over those springs upon which the occupant immediately rests,

page_text: these latter conforming themselves however, to the shape of the body, and the whole
affording a soft and elastic support.
The Invention relates secondly to non-reversible mattresses in which the lower ends
of the single cone springs are seated upon slats or webbing or other foundation of
the mattress frame.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifi-
cation; wherein figure 1 is a half edge view and half section of the mattress.
Figure 2 is a half plan of the improved reversible centre frame mattress and half
plan of the centre frame with the lower member of one only of the springs in position
and secured at the crossing of the webbing. Figure 3 is a plan, and figure 4 an
elevation, of one of the springs, drawn to a larger scale, and shewing the mode of
attachment to the centre frame and the webbing thereof. Figure 5 shows a single
cone spring used in a non reversible mattress. The same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in all the figures.
A is the spring covering, a are the springs, 6 the webbing, and B the centre frame
to which the webbing is secured. The springs may be of the ordinary hour glass or
double conical form, as seen in figure 1, the plane of the whole of the coils (except the
extreme ones) being oblique to the axis of the springs, but in order to adapt the
springs a to take a level middle bearing upon the crossed and interlaced webbing b
of the centre frame B and to connect them thereto in such a way as to avoid buckling
or displacement of the springs from their proper relative and vertical position, and
prevent creaking and rattling noises, the springs a are made, (as seen in figure 4,)
with a middle coil or coils a a² (which I term "soating coils") as nearly as possible
in a plane or planes perpendicular to the axis of the spring so as to take a circum-
ferential bearing on the crossing points of the webbing b on which the springs are
centrally seated and secured to prevent any tendency of the springs to lateral displace-
ment, buckling, or flexure.
When two such seating coils are used, as in the example shewn, they are formed as
close together as possible, and the two crossed webs pass between them at their
crossing point; but in the case of a single seating coil a¹ being used, it passes
between the two webs at their crossing point and is stitched to the webs which aro
also stitched to one another, so as to afford support to the coil, whichever face of the
mattress may be uppermost. The end coils a³ a are also in a plane perpendicular to
the axis of the springs and are held at their larger ends or bases in their proper
relative positions, in any of the well known ways, for instance by means of cords or
bracings d connecting the springs to one another and the outer ones to the frame B.
care light, flexible, border frames of rattan, which are run around the outer rows of
springs, and laced to their larger ends, in order to keep the tick or other covering
distended at the border and render the edge of the mattress firm and yet sufficiently
resilient. The centre frame is kept in proper position by the cross and corner
pieces B¹ B³, the edges of all these parts being rounded off, as shewn, to avoid
cutting the webbing. These springs are made in the ordinary way of making such
hour glass springs, but the grooves of the "former" upon which the wire is coiled
should correspond to the intended shape and position of the coils of the spring.
The Invention also relates to the single cone springs used in single, or non-
reversible mattresses in which the lower ends of the springs are seated upon slats or
other foundation of the mattress frame; and consists in providing the small end of the
single conical spring with an arm a¹ or a single coil (see figure 5) of larger diameter,
set in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spring so as to form an
enlarged seat
for the small end of the spring, the convolution at the larger end of the coil being
also in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spring. This extended or broadened
seat a¹ is formed in one, the extension being a continuation of the small end of the
spring, and it is preferably made of about the same diameter as the coil at the larger
end of the spring in order that it may afford a large bearing for the spring and be
easily secured to the slat or other bottom in the usual way of securing such springs.
The spring border frame, described with reference to the reversible mattress, is also
applied to a mattress constructed with these single cone springs.

page_text: With the ordinary spirally grooved conical "former
on which such single coil
springs are made, I combine an elongated or circumferentially grooved disc upon
which to form the seating portion a¹. This disc is applied to the small end of such
former," and is generally removable therefrom, to permit the withdrawal of the
spring when made.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
1st. A reversible spring mattress constructed with spiral springs of hour glass or
double conical form secured at the middle of their length to cross webbings stretched
upon a rigid central frame and with resilient edges or borders, substantially as shewn
and described.
2nd. A reversible spring mattress having springs of hour glass or double conical
form formed each with a seating coil or coils at the middle as nearly as possible
perpendicular to the axis of the spring, in combination as and for the purpose
described with crossed and interlaced webbing stretched on a centre frame, as
specified.
3rd. A non-reversible spring mattress constructed with single cone springs and
with a resilient edge or border, the extremities of each spring being in a plane
perpendicular to its axis, and the small end of the spring provided with an extended
seating, substantially as specified.
i