IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING MATTRESSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Macdonald Moody, William Bertram Mitford Slade,
and Thomas Henry Haynes, all of Paul's Wharf, in the City of London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING MATTRESSES."
A communication from abroad by The Howe Spring Bed Company (Incor-
porated), of New York, in the United States of America.
caled the 24th April 1877, and dated the 18th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macdonald Moody,
William Bertram Mitford Slade, and Thomas Henry Haynes at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1876.
t
JOIN MACDONALD MOODY, WILLIAM BERTRAM MITFORD SLADE, and THOMAS
HENRY HAYNES, all of Paul's Wharf, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING MATTRESSES."
This Invention relates to that class of mattresses in which wooden laths are
employed to give an elastic support to the superincumbent load. These laths
usually rest upon rigid supports, but in such cases the laths have had no elasticity
at their extremities.
According to the present Invention the laths are supported at their ends by
springs consisting of lengths of steel or iron wire, which are made fast to cross bars
near the head and foot of the frame of the mattress, and have their extremities bent
inwards at right angles to enter holes made to receive them in the sides of the
laths.
A convenient way of applying the lengths of wire is as follows:-For each lath
that is to be supported there is made through each of the underlying cross bars, near
the outer edge thereof, two holes at a distance about equal to the width of the lath
employed. Through each pair of holes and from the upper side of the bar the
opposite ends of a wire are inserted; these ends are then bent upwards and brought
over and clear of the bar to enter the holes in the sides of the lath, and support it
clear of the bar. When therefore a downward pressure is put on the end of the lath
its resilient metallic attachments will yield to that pressure, and thus the laths of
the mattress will present an elastic bearing surface throughout their whole length.
D 471

page_text: The rigid frame of the mattress may if desired be fitted with folding legs, head
and foot board, and thus form a portable bedstead, or the mattress may be fitted for
use upon an ordinary bedstead.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Macdonald Moody, William Bertram Mitford Slade, and Thomas
Henry Haynes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June 1877.
JOHN MACDONALD MOODY, WILLIAM BERTRAM MITFORD SLADE, and THOMAS
HENRY HAYNES, all of Paul's Wharf, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRING MATTRESSES." A communication from abroad by
The Howe Spring Bed Company (Incorporated), of New York, in the United States
of America.
This Invention relates to that class of mattresses in which wooden laths are
employed to give an elastic support to the superincumbent load. These laths
usually rest upon rigid supports, but in such cases the laths have had no clasticity
at their extremities.
According to the present Invention the laths are supported at their ends by
springs consisting of lengths of steel or iron wire, which are made fast to cross bars
near the head and foot of the frame of the mattress, and have their extremities
bent inwards at right angles to enter holes made to receive them in the sides of the
laths.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows the improved mattress in plan view
with head and foot boards applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the
same, shewing the rigid frame of the mattress provided with folding legs; Fig. 3 is
a sectional elevation taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, of the mattress, and shewing
the parts connected therewith and constituting with the mattress a portable bed-
stead; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the bedstead, shewing the legs folded
up and the head and foot board folded down ready for packing or transport.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged views of the spring supports for the ends of the
laths.
The mattress consists of a rectangular frame of wood composed of side pieces A, A,
and cross bars B, B, to the latter of which the laths C, C, are connected by
springs D, D, E, E, are legs for supporting the mattress, and F, F, are metal studs
for retaining the legs in a vertical position; G and H are the head and foot boards
which are carried by swing frames made of iron rod or wire, and pivotted to the side
bars A. These frames are retained in a raised position by abutting against their
respective transverse rods g, h, that serve also to give stiffness to the rectangular
fraine of the mattress. To economise room in packing the swing frames may be
sprung out of place and laid in the hollow of the mattress.
A convenient way of applying the lengths of wire which constitute the supporting
springs for the laths is as follows:-For each lath C which is to be supported there
is made through each of the underlying cross bars B (see the enlarged views,
Figures 5, 6, and 7), and near the outer edge thereof, two holes at a distance apart
equal to the width of the lath employed. Through each pair of holes and from the
upper side of the bar the opposite ends of a wire are inserted; these ends are then
bent upwards and brought over and clear of the bar to enter holes in the sides of
the lath, and support it clear of the bar. For this purpose the ends of the wire are
bent inwards at right angles and they are then sprung into the lateral holes in the
lath. When therefore a downward pressure is put on the end of the lath its
resilient metallic attachments will yield to that pressure, and thus the laths of the
mattress will present an elastic bearing surface throughout their whole length.
Instead of fitting the rigid frame of the mattress (as shown in the Drawing) with
folding legs, head and foot board, the mattress without these attachments may be
used in connection with an ordinary bedstead.

page_text: Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Spring Mattresses," as communicated to us by our foreign corre-
spondents, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to
be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent we claim, the
means above described, whereby elasticity is imparted to the laths throughout their
whole length.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Henry Haynes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
T. H. HAYNES. (L.S.)