IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOTTOMS OF BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, COUCHES, SOFAS, SEATS, CHAIRS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON, IN ORDER TO RENDER THEM MORE SPRINGY OR ELASTIC
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Owen, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Merchant, and George Veitch, of Birmingham, County of Warwick,
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE BOTTOMS OF BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, COUCHES, SOFAS, SEATS, CHAIRS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON, IN ORDER TO RENDER THEM
MORE SPRINGY OR ELASTIC."
Sealed the 6th November 1860, and dated the 11th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Owen and
George Veitch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 11th May 1860.
I, JOSEPH OWEN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Merchant, and [,
GEORGE VEITCH, of Birmingham, County of Warwick, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF THE BOTTOMS OF BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, COUCHES, SOFAS, SEATS,
CHAIRS, AND OTHER ARTICLES. FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON, IN ORDER TO RENDER
THEM MORE SPRINGY OR ELASTIC," to be as follows, that is to say:-
Our Invention consists in forming the bottoms of bedsteads, sofas, couches,
seats, chairs, and other similar articles for sitting or reclining upon of a series
of springs, either of wood, bone, or metal in the following manner, that
is to say: The spring, which we prefer to be of steel, is an eliptical or other
similarly curved band, each extremity being terminated in a hook or catch;
these hooks or catches fasten each on to one side of a buckle, the other side of

page_text: which is hung to a catch or loop firmly attached to the frame of the article
upon which the spring bottom is to be applied, so that when pressure is
applied to the spring, the force depressing it renders the curve flatter, giving it
a tendency to elongate itself; this elongation is compensated by the action of
the buckles, which being pressed upon by the hooked extremities of the spring
rotate downwards round the fixed catches, which are attached to the frame of
the article, and thus allow the extremities of the spring to recede from each
other. Upon the pressure being removed the elasticity of the spring allows it
to take its previous form, and the buckles return to their former position. In
the bottoms of some articles we propose to graduate the springs, that is to say,
in bedsteads, for instance, we form the springs at the upper end, which usually
support the greatest weight, stronger, and having a sharper curve, and gradually
flatten the curve of the springs toward the bottom. Similarly we propose to
graduate the buckles, that is, we form the buckles for the more highly curved
springs longer than those for the springs with flatter curves in order to give
them greater play when force is applied to them. It will be easily seen that
the curve of the spring and the number to be applied will vary according to
the nature of the article to which they are attached.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Owen and George Veitch in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH'
OWEN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Merchant, and GEORGE VEITCH,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Joseph Owen and George Veitch, Her special licence that we, the said
Joseph Owen and George Veitch, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Owen and George Veitch,
our 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 THE CON-

page_text: STRUCTION OF THE BOTTOMS OF BEDSTEADS, MATTRESSES, COUCHES, SOFAS, SEATS,
CHAIRS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON, IN ORDER TC PENDER
THEM MORE SPRINGY OR ELASTIC," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Joseph Owen and George Veitch, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly 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 the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Owen and George Veitch,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say:―
Our Invention consists in forming the bottoms of bedsteads, sofas, couches,
seats, chairs, and other similar articles for sitting or reclining upon, of a series
of springs, either of wood, bone, or metal, in the following manner :-The
spring, which we prefer to be of steel, is an elliptical or other similarly curved
.band, each extremity being terminated in a hook or catch; these hooks or
catches fasten each on to one side of a buckle, the other side of which is hung
to a catch or loop firmly attached to the frame of the article upon which the
spring bottom is to be applied, so that when pressure is applied to the spring
the force depressing it renders the curve flatter, giving it a tendancy to elongate
itself; this elongation is compensated by the action of the buckles, which being
pressed upon by the hooked extremities of the spring, rotate downwards round
the fixed catches which are attached to the frame of the article, and thus allow
the ends of the spring to recede from each other. Upon the pressure being
removed the elasticity of the spring allows it to take its previous form, and the
.buckles return to their former position. In the: bottoms of some articles we
propose: to, graduate the springs, that is to say, in bedsteads, for instance, we
form the springs at the upper end, which usually support the greatest weight,
stronger, and having a sharper curve, and gradually flatten the curve of the
springs towards the bottom. Similarly. we propose to. graduate the buckles,
that is, we form the buckles for the more highly curved springs longer than
those for the springs with flatter curves, in order to give the former greater
play. when force is applied. to them. It will be easily seen that the curve of
the spring and the number to be applied will vary according to the nature
of the article to which they are attached.
The accompanying Drawings are intended to illustrate the preceding
description, and shew different springs with different curves, the buckle and

page_text: loop, the mode of attaching the springs, buckles, and loops, the action of the
springs under pressure, the graduation of the springs and buckles, and the
application of the same to form the bottoms; of different articles.
Figures 1, 2, and 3' are sectional elevations, shewing springs having different
curves attached to the frame of a bedstead. a, a, a, the spring; b, b, b, the
buckles; c, c, the hook; d, d, the frame of the bedstead, supposed in this case
to be angle iron. In Figure 1 the curve is a flat segment of a circle, in
Figure 2 the curve is flatter, and in Figure 3 the curve is semi-elliptical, and
this curve we prefer.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation, on a larger scale, shewing more clearly
the form of the end of the spring, and the way in which it hooks on to the
buckle, and the fastening of the latter to the side frame.
Figure 5 is a view of Figure 2, pressure being applied in the direction
indicated by the arrow; the action and position of the buckles under this
pressure is also shewn.
Figure 5 shews the spring and buckle as in Figure 5, but on a larger
scale; it will be seen that the pressure urges the extremities of the spring
cutwards, and the buckles rotate round the hooks c, c, and become depressed,
thus allowing the spring to expand.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a transverse and a longitudinal section of
the buckle, the extremity of the spring, and that of the loop or catch; round
the buckle c is a small friction roller o, and within this roller, and round the
outer surface of the buckle, is a fold of leather or other suitable substance r,
which we use to prevent creaking or noise from the motion of the spring. A
similar roller is round the other side of the buckle, where it is attached
to the loop k.
Figure 8 is a perspective Drawing shewing the application of the springs to.
form the bottom of an iron bedstead. It will be seen that the springs 1, 2,
3, &c., at the top have a much sharper curve than those 8, 9, 10, 11, &c., at
the bottom in this Figure; this is what we call graduating them, as the
greater weight presses upon the upper end; the springs at that end require to
be stronger; this, of course, may be effected by increasing the thickness of the
spring, but it is also effected by sharpening the curve, as shewn. It will also
be seen that the buckles are graduated similarly with the springs; thus, when
pressure is applied to the spring, say 2, the curve being sharp, the extremities
will recede further, and this is compensated by the buckles, which describe a
larger sector. The springs may, however, be graduated without the buckles
being so, and in like manner the buckles, although this latter is not at all
desirable.

page_text: Figure 9 shews a bedstead (in part) with the springs graduated, the
buckles not.
Figure 10 shews the application of the springs to form the seat of a chair.
It will be now easily seen that the curve of the spring and also the number to
be applied will depend upon the nature of the article to which they are applied.
Having now described our Invention, and in what the same consists, we
claim and wish secured to us by the before in part recited Letters Patent,-
The use of springs substantially similar in form to those shewn herewithin,
and so connected with the buckles 6 and the catches c, or such like analogous
devices, that when applied to form the bottoms of the various within enume-
rated articles, they will act in the manner set forth in the Specification and
the Drawings annexed, that is to say, so that when a pressure is applied to a
spring its ends shall be free or have sufficient play to allow the spring to
elongate or contract itself.
We claim also the use and application of the friction rollers and the soft
washers put round the buckles when they are applied to the within-described
purpose.
Furthermore, we distinctly claim the mode of graduating the springs and
also the buckles when so applied as set forth in this Specification and
generally illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Owen, for and on behalf of myself
and the said George Veitch, do hereunto affix my hand and seal, this
Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
W. II. THORNTHWAITE,
Witnes.
JOSEPH OWEN. (L.S.)