IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES, SUIPS' BERTIS, SEATING OF SOFAS, CHAIRS RAILWAY-CARRIAGES, TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON 25 PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Lawrie of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES, SUIPS'
BERTIS, SEATING OF SOFAS, CHAIRS RAILWAY-CARRIAGES, TRAM CARS,
OMNIBUSES, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON
25
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Lawrie at tho
Ollice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1883.
IMPROVE-
ALEXANDER LAWRIE of Birmingham in the County of Warwick.
MENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES SHIPS BERTHS, SEATINGS OF SOFAS, CHAIRS,
RAILWAY CARRIAGES, TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING
OR RECLINING UPON."
This invention relates to an improved construction of wire net work especially
suitable in the construction of spring mattresses and the other articles abovo
enumerated.
Hitherto it has been the practice to connect serios of spiral extension springs
together by means of wire links and rings or short lengths of wire or chain in
order to produce an elastic surface.
This construction however owing to the multiplicity of the parts and the labour
involved in making and putting together has been expensive. In accordance with
the present invention 1 reduce the parts considerably in number and produco
an elastic surface ornamental in appearance and effective in operation capable
of easy repair and adjustment of tension and at a considerable reduction in first
cost.
In carrying out my invention I employ the usual extension springs and these.
are connected together in parallel or alternate series by lengths of corrugated zig
zag wires extending by preference from side to side of the framework and two
or more of which lengths of corrugated wires are interlaced together and connected
at their outer edges to the springs before mentioned.
And in order to produce the requisite yielding action at the sides where the
network joins the framework 1 mount a spring rod secured rigidly at each
extremity to the ends of the framework but in such a manner in the centre as to

page_text: be capable of being depressed when the weight is brought to bear upon it say in
getting in or out of bed.
To this rod the ends of the corrugated wires are connected and thus an increased
clasticity is produced. This rod also serves to facilitate the hanging or suspending
of the valences which may be hooked or otherwise secured thereto.
And to facilitate the application of this and other descriptions of net-work to
the head and foot rails of say iron bed-steads I employ a clip which grasps the
angle iron at the bottom and comes flush with the angle iron at the top at which
point a suitable hook or books is or are pivoted or hinged to the said clips for
connection to the wire net-work. This clip arrangement is also partly applicable
to wooden bed-steads.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lotters Patent filed
EE
by the said Alexander Lawrio in the Patent Office on the 4th February 1884.
ALEXANDER LAWRIE of Birmingham in the County of Warwick IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES, SHIPS BERTHS, SEATINGS OF SOFAS, CHAIRS,
RAILWAY CARRIAGES TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING
OR RECLINING UPON'
"
This invention relates to an improved construction of wire net work especially
suitable in the construction of Spring mattresses and the other articles above
enumerated
Hitherto it has been the practice to connect series of spiral extension springs
together by means of wire links and rings or short lengths of wire or chain in
order to produce an elastic surface.
:
This construction however owing to the multiplicity of the parts and the labour
involved in making and putting together has been expensive. In accordance
with the present invention I reduce the parts considerably in number and
produce an elastic surface ornamental in appearence and effective in operation
capable of easy repair and adjustment of tension and at a consideable reduction in
first cost.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a drawing of a spring
mattress constructed in accordance with my invention and will now proceed to
describe the same with the assistance of the various letters of reference marked
on the several parts thereof
Fig 1 represents a plan view of my improved spring mattress
In carrying out my invention I employ the usual extension springs a and theso
are arranged in parellel series as illustrated in the drawing or such springs may
be disposed alternately or in any other desired manner over the surface of the
mattress and connected together by lengths of corrugated or crimped zig-zag
wires (a length of which is shewn about full size in Fig 2) extending by
preference from side to side of the framework or may be in two or more lengths
joined together end to end and two or more of which lengths of corrugated wires
are interlaced together and connected at their outer edges to the springs a as
illustrated The corrugated or crimped wires inay be of german silver or of
ordinary iron or steel wire by preference tinned or galvanized.
And in order to produce the requisite yielding action at the sides where the
net work joins the framework c. I employ a spring rod d secured rigidly at each
extremity by passing through plates e and fastened by the nuts f. The plates c
being clamped between the ends and sides of the framework by the bolts e
In this manner the rod d is capable of being depressed when the weight is
brought to bear upon it say in getting in or out of bed To this rod the ends of
the corrugated wires b are connected and thus an increased elasticity is produced.
This rod also serves to facilitate the hanging or suspending of the valences which
may be hooked or otherwise secured thereto and such rod is equally applicable to
other descriptions of elastic surface for forming a spring mattress. And to
facilitate the application of this and other descriptions of net-work to the head
and foot rails of say iron bedsteads I employ a clip g as illustrated in plan by
Fig 3 by a side view in Fig 4 and by an end or back view in Fig 5 which clip
grasps the angle iron h of the bedstead the bottom end comes flush with the
angle iron at the top-at which point a suitable wire hook is pivoted or hinged
to the said clip g for connection to the wire net work This clip arrangement is

page_text: also applicable for the same purpose to wooden bedsteads and to the wooden frame
work of spring mattresses.
"
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect I wish it to be particularly understood that I make
no claim to extension springs connected together by wires in the construction of
spring mattresses save in the manner hereinbefore described nor do I contine
myself to the precise details relative proportions or dimensions hereinbefore
described and iliustrated on the accompanying drawing as the same may be
considerably varied without departing from the invention but what I claim is :-
1 The general construction and arrangement of spring mattresses substantially
as herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing
2nd The use and application of corrugated or crimped wires for connecting
springs together in the construction of spring mattresses substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described
3rd The employment of a spring rod at the side of spring mattresses for
supporting the net-work or other elastic surface and for suspending tho valences
therefrom substantially as herein before described and illustrated
accompanying drawing.
on the
4th As a means of connecting the wire net-work or other clastic surface forming
a spring mattress to the framework or bed-stead the use of the improved clip
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Lawric have hereunto set my hand
and seal this first day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.