IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE SEATS OF SOFAS CHAIRS RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Alfred Billington of Wallasey in the County of
Chester for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE SEATS OF SOFAS CHAIRS RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER
VEHICLES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Alfred Billington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th May 1883.
GEORGE ALFRED BILLINGTON of Wallasey in the County of Chester
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE SEATS OF
SOFAS, CHAIRS RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES"
This invention consists in constructing an elastic surface suitable for the above
mentioned purposes of short lengths of wire chain connected together by the
ordinary spiral extension springs and which springs are arranged not in parallel
rows from side to side or from end to end of the frame but in alternate rows in the
direction of the length of the bedstead and having a motion independant of each
other so as to prevent the depression of a large surface of the mattress at one and
the same time-the chains being connected together side by side by short diagonal
lengths of chain.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said George Alfred Billington in
- the Patent Office on the 14th March 1884.
GEORGE ALFRED BILLINGTON of Wallasey in the County of Chester
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE SEATS OF
SOFAS CHAIRS, RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES"
The object of the present Invention is to construct elastic surfaces for use as
Spring Mattresses, or for supporting the seats of Sofas Chairs Railway Carriages
and the like which shall more readily adapt themselves than heretofore to the
shape of the person or persons using them and thus avoid the depression of an
unnecessarily large surface of the Mattress or Seat at one and the same time.
To effect this desirable result it is necessary that the strands composing the
elastic surface shall be comparatively independent the one of the other, and that
when a weight is put upon one or more strands it shall not cause a sideways
dragging down or lateral contraction of the adjacent strands, or at any rate that
such dragging and contraction shall be reduced to a minimum
To this end my Invention consists in a novel combination and arrangement of
chains springs and cross connections, the Mattress being composed of several elastic
strands each consisting of short lengths of wire chain connected together by the
ordinary spiral extension springs, the said elastic strands being arranged side by
side in parallel lines extending (in the case of a Mattress) from head to foot of the
frame, and in such a manner that the Springs in one strand alternate with the
short lengths of chain of the adjacent strands, and the chains of the adjacent
strands being connected together side by side by short diagonal lengths of chain.
This novel combination and arrangement of parts is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
of the accompanying drawing in plan and side view respectively as applied to a
Spring Mattress for a Bedstead. A is the wooden frame and B are the elastic
strands extending lengthwise of the frame in parallel rows.
These elastic strands are made of short lengths of chain b connected together by
ordinary spiral extension springs b', and the several elastic strands B are so arranged
one with respect to another that the springs b¹ b¹ do not extend in parallel rows
from side to side of the frame but, alternate with the short lengths of chain bb of
the adjacent strand or strands.
This arrangement effects the equal distribution of the springs over the entire
surface of the Mattress, but this alone would give too much independence of
movement to each strand and allow of the strands separating. It is therefore
necessary to couple the adjacent strands together side by side and for this purpose
I employ short diagonal lengths of chain, or short lengths of chain c c arranged
diagonally, which short lengths of Chain do not extend in unbroken connection from
side to side of the Mattress but are arranged alternately and at considerable intervals
apart as shewn in Fig 1 of the drawing.
This intermittent arrangement of the cross connections, while preventing the
lateral separation of the elastic strands, fulfils another important function viz: to
prevent the lateral dragging together or contraction of the several strands when
one or more of them is depressed, for if a strand be depressed say at the point oc
Fig 1, the strain cannot pass directly across the mattress to the adjacent strands
but will be transmitted obliquely by the intermittent cross connections to the ends
of the mattress at the points y y as will be readily understood.
The intermittent cross connections may also be combined and arranged with
respect to the elastic strands formed of chains and springs in other ways, such for

page_text: example as that shewn in Plan view on a larger scale in Fig 3, without departing
from the tenour of my Invention.
From the foregoing it will be seen that great independence of action of the
several parts of the Mattress or Seat is secured, and that simplicity in construction
and economy of material result therefrom.
I am aware that spiral extension springs and lengths of wire or chain have been
used in the construction of spring mattresses, but in some of such cases the springs
have been arranged side by side in parallel rows or bands, across or lengthwise of
the Mattress, and not alternately; and the several strands have been connected
together and to the sides of the frame by a continuous lashing or chain.
In some cases also I am aware that the springs and chains in each strand have
been arranged alternately of those in the adjacent strands, but in such cases each
spring has been connected with the two or four immediately adjacent springs by a
continuous length of chain arranged in vandyke or reverse-diagonal fashion, or by
short lengths of chains connected the one with the other so as to form such a
continuous vandyke or diagonal connection extending across the Mattress.
Such mattresses though more elastic than others which have preceded them, have
less independence of movement than is desirable, and the continuous cross lashings
or connections cause a lateral drag on a larger number of the strands and springs,
and the depression of a larger part of the entire surface than is desirable, whereas
by my method of construction I secure a far greater independence of movement of
the surface, and avoid to a great extent this lateral dragging of the strands.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements in
Spring Mattresses, also applicable to the seats of Sofas, chairs, Railway Carriages
and other Vehicles," and explained in what manner the same may be carried into
practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not claim as my Invention
the use in Spring Mattresses of spiral extension springs in combination with short
lengths of chain irrespective of the manner in which the said springs and short
lengths of chain are arranged relatively to each other, but what I do claim as my
Invention is:-
First Constructing elastic surfaces suitable for spring mattresses, seats of Railway
Carriages, Sofas, Chairs and the like, in the manner above described with reference
to the accompanying drawing, whereby lateral dragging and contraction of the
elastic surfaces is greatly reduced, and, by reason of the independence of motion of
each part of the elastic surface, complete adaptability to the requirements of the
person or persons using them is ensured.
Secondly The combination and arrangement of elastic strands and intermittent
cross connections described with reference to the Drawing and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said George Alfred Billington have hereunto set my
hand and seal the twelfth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
GEORGE ALFRED BILLINGTON (L.S.)