IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES FOR BEDS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES to be as follows
Year: 1885

page_text: Purposes.
I, JOSEPH WOHL of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES FOR BEDS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
to be as follows:-
"
The present application for Letters Patent has for its object a new or improved
system of combined bedstead and mattress, also applicable to the construction of
seats, couches, and the like. Bedsteads constructed according to this plan are
specially suitable for use in public institutions, hospitals, barracks, and the like
being comfortable in use, cheap to construct, not liable to need repairs, and
unobjectionable from a sanitary point of view.
The principle of the construction of the mattress, chair cover etcetera, is that of
the weaving of a sort of light metallic tissue by the interlacing of spirally twisted
wire; this tissue is held extended under strong tension by the metallic frame of the
piece of furniture to which it is attached. The mattress is preferably constructed
of an iron frame baving two angle iron side girders of the length of the bed: these
side pieces are joined at their ends by cross girders. Each side girder is strengthened
by means of an iron bar, screwed at each end, and bent. so as to fit under the
horizontal part of the side girder. A bracket is interposed at the middle of the
bar, between it and the girder so as to give great rigidity to the said girder.
A curved bar of flat iron is attached to each end of the frame, and is supported
by means of diagonal supports.
Two side girders of flat iron are rivetted to the upper part of the curved bars,
parallel to the main girders.
These upper side girders have at intervals little studs to which several loops of
the woven tissue are attached, a second plate provided with apertures corresponding
to the studs is then applied, and the two screwed tightly together. The wire
mattress is thereby gripped tightly at the sides, The mattress is fixed in the same
way to the end bars, by gripping it between them and bars affixed to them; it is
requisite to stretch it strongly in the longitudinal direction; regulating the tension
according to the rigidity required. The resistance of the mattress may be increased
If required, by the use of more than one thickness of metallic tissue, in fact this

page_text: method of construction gives a more elastic mattress, which is preferable to one
composed of only one thickness of metallic fabric of equal power of resistance.
The construction which I prefer for use in barracks, and the like is a combined
mattress and bedstead having articulated supports or feet, which enable it to be set
up vertically for convenience of room or for cleaning; it is held in this position by
a simple hook. The bed head is articulated so that it can be folded over when the
bedstead is set on end, whereby room is saved. To the frame underneath a shelf
can be attached, which serves when the bed is reared up to form a little table or
support useful in various ways. The second pair of feet may be movable or be
provided with a shelf so as to form a seat...
The mattress for domestic use may be simply placed upon two supports, each
made of a single bar doubly bent, the extremities forming the legs and the middle
portion the top, and outer frame; the bed rests on a transverse bar, at each end.
Pegs fastened into the legs, help to secure and support the frame of the mattress,
recesses being made for this purpose in the prolongations of the girders, and the
stays.
By this arrangement the bed can be mounted upon the bedstead by simply
lifting it and placing it in position.

page_text: · Improvements in Spring Mattresses for Beds and other similar
Purposes.
I JOSEPH WOHL of Paris in the Republic of France, Engineer 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:
This invention refers to improvements in spring mattresses for bedsteads, sofas,
all sorts of seats, couches and the like. Bedsteads constructed according to this
system are specially suitable for use in the dormitaries of schools, public institu-
tions, hospitals, barracks, prisons and the like being at the same time comfortable
cheap, not liable to be out of repair and excellent from a sanitary point of view.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shews a perspective view of the mattress adapted specially for military
beds.
Figure 2 the same set on end.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mattress.
Figure 4 is a view of the arrangement adapted for private houses, hospitals,
schools and the like.
Figures 5 and 6 are details of the metal tissue, which forms the mattress.
The principle of the construction of the mattress is that of weaving a sort of
light metallic tissue by the interlacing of spirally twisted wire. This tissue is held
extended under strong tension by the metallic frame of the piece of furniture to
which it is adapted.
The mattress represented in Figure 3 is preferably constructed of an iron frame
having two angle iron side girders A A of the entire length of the bed, these side
girders are joined by the cross girders B B.
A bent bar G of flat iron is attached to each end of the frame and is supported
by means of braces.
.
These bent bars G are provided at intervals with studs K to which several loops
of the metallic tissue are attached, then another bent bar of flat iron, provided
with holes corresponding with the studs K, is placed over the bars G and attached
to it by bolts, rivets or otherwise.
The mattress is thereby tightly gripped and held between the two flat iron bars
and it is requisite to stretch it strongly in the longitudinal direction while fixing it
regulating the tension according to the elasticity required.
The resistance of the mattress may be increased if required by the use of more
than one thickness of metallic tissue in fact this mode of construction gives a more
elastic mattress and is preferable to one composed of one thickness of metallic
fabric only of equal power of resistance.
To avoid lateral rolling up or warping of the mattress the metallic tissue is
constructed in such a manner that it forms in itself a sufficiently rigid border
consisting according to requirement of 2, 3, 4 or more twisted wire coils screwed
into one another and then interlaced with a suitable number of other double or

page_text: treble twisted wire coils see Figures 5 and 6. In this manner a proportionately
rigid border is formed and under the action of the longitudinal tension any one
may safely sit on the edge of the bed without fear of deforming the mattress, and
there is no danger that the person sleeping on the bed will laterally roll out of it
in his sleep. Besides this tissue is of a very elegant aspect' and possesses great
lightness and elasticity.
The metallic tissue may be covered with leather or any other suitable material
according to circumstances and fixed to it with hooks, tape or in any other suitable
manner.
The mattress constructed in this manner can be adapted to any sort of bedstead
or may be placed direct on wooden or metallic trestles of any convenient shape or
form R R R is fixed and pivotted to the mattress frame, see Figure 1 and 2
especially for barracks, and can so be set on end to place it against the wall, and
is held in this position by the simple book S.
The bed head V is so constructed that it can be folded over, when the bed is set
on end, to save room. Underneath the frame a board U can be attached, which
serves, when the bed is set on end, as table, shelf useful in various ways. The
second moveable trestle R¹ is provided with a board T and serves as seat if necessary.
For use in ordinary bedsteads in private houses the mattress is simply placed
between the end supports L L of a bedstead and conveniently fastened thereto see
Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of the parts forming the improved spring mattress consisting
essentially of a metallic frame of two angle iron or other girders, with metal
braces and curved bars joining the girders at each end and fixed thereto, substan-
tially as specified.
2. The method of fixing and stretching one or more elastic metal tissues, formed
of interlaced spirals, upon the curved end bars by hooking the loops over rivets
fixed for the purpose, the said loops then being tightly gripped between a plate and
the curved end bars substantially as specified.
3. The method of strengthening the borders of the metallic tissues by wire coils,
consisting of 2. 3 or more wire spirals screwed into one another, and which are then
joined by single spirals, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with the improved spring mattress of the end supports of a
bedstead to form a complete bedstead substantially as specified.
5. The system of military bed with one trestle fixed and pivotted to the frame
to facilitate the erection of the bed into a vertical position, a board fixed under-
neath the frame, forming a table and the loose trestle forming a seat, substantially
as specified.