AN IMPROVED SPRING MATTRESS
Year: 1884

page_text: EDWARD ATKINSON TIBBATTS 44 Bishopsgate Street Without London E.C.
Bedstead & Bedding Manufacturer I, Edward Atkinson Tibbatts do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED SPRING MATTRESS to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of a Spring Mattress formed in such a manner as to allow
of its being compressed or folded together, as described below.
A number of tempered steel balloon shaped springs arranged in rows across either
the length or width of bedstead-The springs composed of narrow strips of steel
bent into the form described, the two ends of each strip of steel united and attached to
cross bearers these bearers to be formed of two flat bars of iron or wood kept
about in apart and connected by studs or rivits at intervals along their length―
At either end of these cross bearers there is placed between the two flat bars
forming the bearers a bracket of wood or metal, raised to such a height as is
needful for the attachment required to the springs.
A webbing or strip of pliable material is placed over the top of springs and
secured at either end to the bracket of wood or metal which rises from either end
of cross bearer, it is also attached to the centre of each spring by a screw & nut.
These rows of springs are connected together by bands of webbing or other pliable
material placed transversely over the centre of each spring and connected to the
spring by the same screw & nut and by a band of webbing as before described
placed on the top of the brackets at each end of the bearers.
There are also two other bands fixed to the underside of the brackets to keep them
at their required distances.
At the lower part of brackets of wood or metal which are placed at either end
of the cross bearers forming the extremities of mattress there is placed a jointed
stay bar-These stays are connected by a bar passing over the whole length or
width of the mattress the transverse bands of webbing or other pliable material
being attached thereto.
To secure the mattress upon the bedstead, straps of webbing or other pliable
material are attached to each of the two cross bearers which form the ends of
mattress and are of such a length as to pass round the framework of bedstead and
are secured by buckles affixed to the cross bar last mentioned.
I also claim the invention of the burr, washer or cup used under the heads of
the screws which connect the webbing to the springs-These burrs, washers or

page_text: cups are formed as section thus. circular on plan, the rounding edge
being raised above the head of the screw in such a manner as to prevent the
fraying or otherwise injuring of any textile fabric that may be placed upon it.
I also claim the sole use of the application of the whole or any part of this
Invention to Chair seats, couches, Railway Carriage seats or any other purpose to
which it may be applied.
I claim to be the Inventor of the principle upon which the above mentioned
mattress is constructed, namely that of affixing a number of springs formed of
narrow strips of tempered or hardened steel formed into balloon or any other
shapes in such a manner as to allow the separate bearers with rows of springs
attached being brought close together.

page_text: EDWARD ATKINSON TIBBATTS, 44 Bishopsgate St. Without, London E.C.
Bedstead & Bedding Manufacturer. I, Edward Atkinson Tibbatts do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED SPRING MATTRESS, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of a Spring Mattress formed in such a manner as to allow
of its being compressed or folded together as described below.
A number of tempered steel balloon shaped Springs A. arranged in rows across
either the length or width of bedstead-The Springs composed of narrow strips of
steel bent into the form described, the two ends of each strip of steel united and
attached to cross bearers B these bearers to be formed of two flat bars of Iron or
Wood kept about 4" apart and connected by studs or rivits at intervals along their
length-At either end of these cross bearers there is placed between the two flat
bars forming the bearers a bracket of wood or metal C raised to such a height as is
needful for the attachment required to the springs.
A webbing D or strip of pliable material is placed over the top of springs and
secured at either end to the bracket of wood or metal which rises from either end
of the cross bearer, it is also attached to the centre of each spring by a screw and
nut. These rows of springs are connected together by bands of Webbing E or other
pliable material placed transversely over the centre of each spring & connected to
the springs by the same screw & nut & by a band of Webbing as before described
placed on the top of the brackets at each end of the bearers.
There are also two other bands F fixed to the underside of the brackets to keep
them at their required distances.
At the lower part of the brackets of wood or metal which are placed at either
end of the cross bearers forming the extremities of mattress there is placed a jointed
stay bar G-The stays are connected by a bar H passing over the whole length or
width of the mattress, the transverse bands of webbing or other pliable material
being attached thereto.
To secure the mattress upon the bedstead straps of webbing or other pliable
material are attached to each of the two cross bearers which form the ends of
mattress and are of such a length as to pass round the frame work of bedstead and
are secured by buckles affixed to the cross bar last mentioned.
To prevent the fraying or injuring of any textile fabric which may be placed
upon the Spring mattress & for the more perfect attachment of the webbing to the
springs, a metal burr I, washer or cup is placed under the head of each of the screws.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The principle of using a number of narrow cross bearers with rows of springs
placed upon them and connected at top by a flexible webbing.

page_text: 2. The use of narrow strips of tempered steel so bent that the two ends are
brought together & connected to framework of mattress by screw or other fastening
so as to form a spring.
3. The use of two narrow strips of metal rivited or otherwise fixed at a short
distance from each other to form framework of mattress.
4. The principle of connecting the various parts of a spring mattress by webbing
or other flexible material in such a manner that they may be placed close together
or expanded to the full size of mattress.
5. The form of the burr washer or cup used with screw for attaching the springs
to the webbing of the mattress.