Improvements in Mattresses, Couches, Seats, and other Supports for the Body.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mattresses, Couches, Seats, and other Supports for
the Body.
I GEORGE HENRY HARRAP of the Hulme Hall Works, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
My Invention relates partly to a former invention in respect of which I made
application for Letters Patent on the 25th day of April in the year 1888 such
application bearing the number 6119. According to the said former invention I con-
structed mattresses and the bottoms of couches chairs and similar articles by straining
a sheet of woven wire in a frame and covering the surface of such sheet with a padding
of soft material. The articles so produced have a general flatness of surface excepting
in so far as the surface form may be effected by the arrangement of the padding or
covering. In cases wherein a rounded surface would be preferable it would be
necessary to arrange the padding material so that it should be much thicker in the
centre than at the sides. This method would not give very good results without
padding material of good quality were used. The principal, object of my present
invention is to render my former invention more suitable for application in the
production of couches chairs seats and articles or fittings which require to be rounded
such for example as the seats and backs of lounges and the seats and backs used for
the support of the body in railway carriages and in other vehicles. In order to obtain
a rounded or curved surface I form, the cross rails to which the woven wire is attached
of the required curvature or of such a curvature as will enable me to obtain the desired
rounded or curved finished surface without the requirement for an extra or excessive
thickness of padding or covering material. In the cases of the seats, of sofas couches
or lounges the said cross rails may be shaped to the arc of a circle on their upper
edges or be similarly or suitably shaped to a curve.. In some cases both cross rails
would he adjustable. The frame upon which the wire would be stretched would by
preference constitute the bottom frame of the sofa or couch. The ends or end would
be applied and finished so as to cover the adjustable cross rails or cross rail.
In some
cases I should adopt a similar construction in the formation of the back. The wire
surface when so rounded requires very little padding or covering material as compared
with ordinary sofas seats or seat backs. I may employ these curved cross rails in the
construction of mattresses and beds. In some cases the wire surface may be partly
flat and partly curved. The curved or partly curved strained surface might
in some cases be composed of chains or of chains and springs or of metal links or of
cane or of strong webbing or other material than woven wire. An advantage arising
out of the use of the curved cross rails is that the strain upon the cross rails is better
balanced with relation to the straining bolts or screws. In some cases I may dispense
with such bolts or screws.
Dated this 26th dor of March 2009
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.

page_text: COD DIE DI MUITALION.
Improvements in Mattresses, Couches, Seats, and other Supports for
the Body.
I GEORGE HENRY HARRAP of the Hulme Hall Works, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturer, 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 and accompanying drawings :-
My Invention relates partly to a former invention in respect of which I made
application for Letters Patent on the 25th day of April in the year 1888 such
application bearing the number 6119. According to the said former invention I con-
structed mattresses and the bottoms of couches chairs and similar articles by straining
a sheet of woven wire in a frame and covering the surface of such sheet with a padding
of soft material. The articles so produced have a general flatness of surface excepting
in so far as the surface form may be effected by the arrangement of the padding or
covering. In cases wherein a rounded surface would be preferable it would be
necessary to arrange the padding material so that it should be much thicker in the
centre than at the sides. This method would not give very good results without
padding material of good quality were used. The principal object of my present
invention is to render my former invention more suitable for application in the
production of couches chairs seats and articles or fittings which require to be rounded
such for example as the seats and backs of lounges and the seats and backs used for
the support of the body in railway carriages and in other vehicles. In order to obtain
a rounded or curved surface I form the cross rails to which the woven wire is attached
of the required curvature or of such a curvature as will enable me to obtain the
desired rounded or curved finished surface without the requirement for an extra or
excessive thickness of padding or covering material.
In order that the nature of my Invention and the method whereby I propose to
carry the same into effect may be fully understood I have supplied herewith a sheet
of drawings to which I will refer in this place. In the said drawings Fig. 1 represents
a complete couch constructed in accordance with my Invention. Fig. 2 represents
the framework of the same couch as it appears when ready to be upholstered. The
remaining Figs. illustrate the construction of the parts of the framework of couches
and seats which are affected by my Invention. Of these Figs. 3 to 6 illustrate the
construction of the seat of a couch or settee, Fig. 3 being a side view, Fig. 4 a
plan, Fig. 5 an end view and Fig. 6 a cross section. In these Figs. the fixed
framework consists of two side rails a. a firmly connected together by means of
end cross rails b. b. The upper edges of these cross rails are curved as seen in
Figs. 5 and 6. An adjustable cross piece c is connected with the end rails b by
means of two screws or screw bolts d. d. The end rail b' and the adjustable piece c
are connected together by means of a sheet of woven wire e which is of a similar
formation to the woven wire which is used in the construction of wire
mattresses. This sheet e is strained to the required extent by means of the screws d.
The framework a. b. b' may constitute part of the frame of a couch such as appears
in Figs. 1 and 2 or of a settee or of a railway seat or of a form or bench or so
termed rout seat or of a similar seat. In the case of a couch the adjustable piece c
may be at the end which is provided with the raised support f or at the other end
of the couch or in some cases at both ends of the couch or seat as preferred. When
the seat is finished with a little padding and is covered as indicated by the cross
section Fig. 6 a yielding seat is obtained which furnishes a comfortable support to
the body and maintains its form better than the ordinary seats. As there is a great
strain upon the upper edges of the rounded parts & and c I have found it advisable
to strengthen these parts. For this purpose I bore holes across the grain of the pieces
and drive pins or dowels 9 into these holes or instead of pins metal bolts might be
driven into the holes and be screwed up tight by means of nuts. Other means

page_text: might be adopted for strengthening these parts. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the con-
struction of a settee or railway seat. In these examples the backs h. hare constructed
in a similar manner to the seats and have strained woven wire surfaces padded and
covered with cloth or material as clearly shown in the cross sections. In Fig. 8 the
back has a double curve the seat being principally designed for application in railway
carriages. In the cases of long seats or when considered to be desirable I apply
springs below the woven wire in the centre of the length of the seat or where con-
sidered to be desirable to prevent undue sagging or yielding of the seat. Such springs
appear at in Fig. 8. 1 also apply my Invention in the construction of chairs or
seats each for one person. The wire surface when rounded in accordance with the
indications requires very little padding or covering material as compared with ordinary
sofas, seats or seat backs. I may employ these curved cross rails in the construction
of mattresses and beds or of ships berths. In some cases the wire surface may be
partly flat and partly curved. The curved or partly curved strained surface might in
some cases be composed of chains or of chains or springs or of metal links or of cane
or of strong webbing or other material than woven wire. For some purposes I may
make the parts a. b. b and c or one or more of them of iron or steel or of a combination
of metal and wood. An advantage arising out of the use of the curved cross rails is
that the strain upon the cross rails is better balanced with relation to the straining bolts
or screws. In some cases I may dispense with such bolts or screws.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) The seats constructed substantially as set forth herein before with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
(2) In the construction of couches, settees, benches or seats the curved or partly
curved cross rails and adjustable pieces connected together by means of strained woven
wire or of chains or links and springs and padded or covered substantially as set forth
and indicated.
(3) The framework of the construction and for the purposes substantially as se t
forth with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 of the drawings.
Dated this 24th day of December 1889
DULTON
BULL TON
DUTTON & FULTON
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.