IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SEATS, CHAIRS, AND MATTRESSES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
-the 8th January 1870.-A communication from abroad by Pierre
Gustave Nourissé, of 13, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Locksmith.
'
...I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SEATS, CHAIRS, AND
MATTRESSES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows: _
"
>
This Invention consists in the application of india-rubber; gutta
percha, and similar gums, or other suitable plastic materials for covering.
the metal or other elastic foundation in the manufacture of the seats and
backs of garden chairs, seats of carriages, boats, or occasional chairs, and
for covering camp bedsteads, spring mattresses, and other similar.
purposes. I use more particularly india-rubber, either vulcanized,.
felted, or otherwise, and gutta percha as being most suitable for covering
the elastic frame or foundation of bands or wires employed: for seats of
all kinds, as such materials may be readily moulded thereon; but I may
use other plastic. materials. answering the same purpose; that is, to

page_text: .
avoid direct contact of the sitter with the metal, as also to prevent
the oxidation of the latter. These materials should be elastic and
capable of resisting wear, (such qualities being also possessed by the
seats or other surfaces themselves,) indestructible to atmospheric
influences, and capable of receiving a suitable ornamentation.
I will proceed to give some examples of the method of manufac-
turing certain kinds of seats, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a front view of a portion of the steel
wire framing of a seat, which wire frame is to be enclosed or embedded
in india-rubber, gutta percha, or other gum, vulcanized or otherwise; or
it may be other elastic material capable of being moulded of the form
desired; Figure 2 shows an edge view of the wire framing; Figure 3 is
a front and Figure 4 an edge view of one of the elastic parts of which
the seat is to be composed in its complete form, and containing the wire;
frame Figures 1 and. 2; Figure 5 is a transverse section showing the
wires embedded in the india-rubber. The form and dimensions of the
parts may be varied as desired.
a, steel or other wire, or it may be other elastic material, which is
placed in a mould, and then surrounded with the india-rubber, in which
manner I obtain a piece 6 with a metal foundation to form a component
portion of a seat, or for other purpose desired. c, projecting eyes by
which the several parts 6 are connected to form the seat. Instead of
wires a I may use a flat strip of suitable form, which is embedded in
india-rubber in a similar manner, and forms a detached portion of a seat.
Instead of forming seats of several parts 6 containing wires or metal
plates I may make said seats in one piece of metal having the desired
elasticity and strength, which is embedded in the gum as-before; in this
case the foundation would have spaces or openings provided for the
purpose of lightening it, and also of imparting any design thereto..
I may also weave, plait, or 'twist metal or other wires or cords and
embed them in the elastic material in the way before: mentioned. For
example, a frame or foundation may be made of steel wires twisted
together in greater or less number according to the desired strength in
the form of ropes or strands. These constitute flexible arms, which are
disposed in a metal or other ring forming either the frame, back, or
arms of a seat. These metal strands may be disposed in any suitable
manner according to the form of seat, in a bench, for example, they
would be disposed parallel to each other. The arms thus disposed;

page_text: which possess great firmness and elasticity, are to be then embedded or
enclosed in the gutta percha, india-rubber, or other material, as before
described. The india-rubber or other material may cover the whole or
a portion of the surface of the seat, and if covered only in part the
spaces left would increase its elasticity, and may be made of any
design.
An illustration of this latter mode of manufacture is given in Figure 6,
which shows a side view of one of the twisted wire branches; Figure 7
shows another form, while Figure 8 is a plan of the framing of a chair
seat partly covered with india-rubber. The reference letters apply to all
three Figures.
.
a, Figures 1 and 2, single or double arm formed by twisting together
two or more steel wires; each of these radii is curved more or less as
seen in Figures 6 and 7, to prevent compression and improve their
elasticity. These arms or radii have at one or both ends according to
their form an eye 6, whereby they may be attached to the frame c of the
seat, which is made of suitable material, and of round or other form.
The radii may also be connected in other suitable manner. The arms
shown in Figure 6 are preferably employed for the frames of round seats,
and the double arms for other forms of seats when they would be
disposed parallel one to the other. d, Figure 8, represents the covering
of india-rubber or other plastic material; and d, openings or spaces of
ornamental outline made therein.