Improvements in or connected with Beds and Mattresses.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1895
Improvements in or connected with Beds and Mattresses.
1. HARRY PRUFROCK, of 1813 Lafayette Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
o be as follows:-
Sofa-beds, bed-lounges, and like folding beds consist of sofas, lounges, couches
and other like articles of furniture in which the seat portion is hinged at the front
to the main body portion of the frame, so as to swing or turn over into a horizontal
position level with the main body portion.
In my device the folding frame consists of a main body portion and an
upholstered folding portion. A bed-bottom is firmly fastened to the outer rails-
that is, to those sides of the folding frame which are farther from the hinge-but
is not fastened to the hinged sides or meeting-rails. This bed bottom is firmly
fastened to both sections of the folding frame at the top and at the bottom thereof,
and preferably almost to the hinged sides. The bed bottom is preferably made of
woven wire, but, obviously, canvas or other suitable material may be used for this
purpose. The bottom is fastened to the sections of the frame slightly below the
tops of such sections in order to accommodate the mattress between said sections
when they are folded together. The bed bottom is supported by upholstery
springs. The springs of the main section may be supported like springs in
ordinary upholstery for instance, by strips of wood or burlap fastened to the
bottom of the main section. The springs of the folding section rest against the
webbing or backing of the upholstered seat. The central springs are supported
by the meeting rails of the two sections. These meeting rails are the rails of the
frame which connect the ends of their respective sections, and which in the folded
position of the bed constitute the front portion of the framework, and are generally
covered with upholstery. The hinges of the frame are generally fastened to the
end rails, whose upper surfaces lie flush in the open position. The meeting rails
may or may not come in direct contact in the open position, but it is important
that in the closed position there should be a considerable space between them.
The reason for this is that when the sections are turned open the top surfaces of
the meeting rails may be far enough below the wire bottom to guard against the
body of a person having to lie upon the hard meeting rails as the wire bottom sags
down with his weight. The meeting rails being thus lower than the outer side
and end rails form very convenient rests for the supporting springs. A. pillow
frame, consisting of a simple stiff bail, is pivoted to each section at its head portion
simply by passing its turned ends into screw-eyes or staples provided therefor at
the head of said sections. The outer and bottom edges of each section are provided
at suitable intervals with carriage hooks or buttons. A mattress is provided at its
edges with grommets or eyelets adapted to fit over the buttons. By arranging the
buttons and eyelets symmetrically the mattress may be used with either end at the
head and either side on top.
For the purpose of using either end at the top the buttons and eyelets should be
arranged symmetrically with reference to a centre. To use either surface
uppermost they should be arranged symmetrically with reference to an axis.
It is obvious that any other suitable detachable fastening device such, for
instance, as hooks and eyes-may be substituted in place of the buttons and eyelets
without materially departing from my invention.

page_text: It is preferable to have the mattress cover extended to form a cover for the
pillow frame, a slit being made therein long enough to allow it to be passed over
the pillow-frame. This slit may be merely the opening at the end of the mattress
cover when folded back upon itself to form a pocket and left unsewed. When the
mattress is to be inverted a second slit like the first may be made in the opposite
side, or small slits like button holes may be made in the mattress for the legs of
the pillow frame to pass through, the bails being made removable to be inserted
through such holes. The like extension may be made at the other cud of the
mattress.
It will be seen that the mattress folds with the bed frame because it is fastened
thereto; but it is also removable from the bed frame so as to be inverted or
changed in position.
Improvements in or connected with Beds and Mattresses.
I, HARRY PRUFROCK, of 1813 Lafayette Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to beds, and has for its principal objects to furnish sofa-
beds, bed-lounges, bed-couches, and other similar folding beds with a suitable
mattress, to provide for airing and cleaning the mattress and bed-frame, and to
make the whole width of the bed-frame suitable to lie upon.
My invention consists of the parts and in the arrangements and combinations
hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification;
Figure 1 is a plan view of my bed open and with the mattress in place.
Figure 2 is a like plan view with the mattress removed.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a similar section with the mattress in place and the bed folded.
Figure 5 is a detail view showing the means for fastening the mattress, and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the mattress.
Sofa-beds, bed-lounges, and like folding beds consist of sofas, lounges, couches,
and other like articles of furniture in which the seat portion is hinged at the front
to the main body portion of the frame, so as to swing or turn over into a horizontal
position level with the main body portion.
In my device the folding frame consists of the main body portion 1 and the
upholstered portion 2. A. bed-bottom 3 is firmly fastened to the outer rails-that
is, to those sides of the folding frame which are farther from the hinge-but is not
fastened to the hinged sides or meeting-rails. This bed-bottom 3 is firmly fastened
to both sections of the folding frame at the top and at the bottom thereof, and
preferably almost to the hinged sides. The bed-bottom is preferably made of
woven wire, but, obviously, canvas or other suitable material may be used for this
purpose. The bottom is fastened to the sections of the frame slightly below the
tops of such sections in order to accommodate the mattress between said sections
when they are folded together. The bed-bottom is supported by upholstery
springs 4. The springs of the main section 1 may be supported like springs in
ordinary upholstery-for instance, by strips 10 of wood or burlap fastened to the

page_text: bottom of the main section. The springs of the folding section 2 rest against the
webbing or backing of the upholstered seat. The central springs are supported by
the meeting-rails 5 of the two sections. These meeting-rails 5 are the rails of the
frame which connect the ends of their respective sections, and which in the folded
position of the bed constitute the front portion of the framework, and are generally
covered with upholstery. The hinges of the frame are generally fastened to the
end rails, whose upper surfaces lie Hush in the open position. The meeting-rails 5
may or may not come in direct contact in the open position, but it is important that
The
in the closed position there should be a considerable space between them.
reason for this is that when the sections are turned open the top surfaces of the
meeting-rails may be far enough below the wire bottom to guard against the body
of a person having to lie upon the hard meeting rails as the wire bottom sags down
with his weight. The meeting-rails 5 being thus lower than the outside and end
rails form very convenient rests for the supporting-springs. A pillow-frame 6,
consisting of a simple stiff bail, is pivoted to each section at its head portion simply
by passing its turned ends into screw-eyes or staples 11 provided therefor at the
head of said sections. The outer and bottom edges of each section are provided at
suitable intervals with carriage hooks or buttons 7. A mattress 8 is provided at
its edges with grommets or eyelets adapted to fit over the buttons 7. By
arranging the buttons and eyelets symmetrically the mattress may be used with
either end at the head and either side on top.
For the purpose of using either end at the top the buttons and eyelets should be
arranged symmetrically with reference to a centre. To use either surface
uppermost they should be arranged symmetrically with reference to au axis.
It is obvious that any other suitable detachable fastening device-such, for
instance, as hooks and eyes-may be substituted in place of the buttons and eyelets
without materially departing from my invention.
It is preferable to have the mattress cover extended to form a cover for the
pillow-frame, as shown at 12, a slit 13 being made therein long enough to allow it
to pass over the pillow frame. This slit may be merely the opening at the end of
the mattress-cover when folded back upon itself to form a pocket and left unsewed.
When the mattress is to be inverted a second slit like the first may be made in the
opposite side, or small slits like button-holes may be made in the mattress for the
legs of the pillow frame to pass through, the bails being made removable to be
inserted through such holes. The like extension may be made at the other end of
the mattress.
The principal advantages of my construction are as follows: It utilizes the
entire space between the farther sides of the sections, rendering available several
inches of space at the sides which separate bottom frames have hitherto wasted.
My device is much lighter than those having separate bottom frames, while all
of its parts are accessible for ventilation and cleaning. Its most important
advantage is that a removable mattress may be used, which can be removed to be
aired, cleaned, changed in position or replaced by another mattress.
It will be seen that the mattress folds with the bed frame because it is fastened
thereto; but it is also removable from the bed frame so as to be inverted or
otherwise changed in position.
In the accompanying claims the bed is assumed to be open.
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 employment of a detachably fastened mattress in a folding bed frame
substantially as set forth.
2. A bed consisting of a hinged sectional frame, whose meeting rails are lower
than the side and end rails, a bed bottom fastened to the outer and end rails slightly
below the tops thereof, and a mattress removably fastened to the side and end rails,
substantially as described.

page_text: 3. A bed consisting of a hinged sectional frame, whose meeting rails are lower
than the side and end rails, a wire bed bottom fastened to the outer and end rails
slightly below the tops thereof, one of said sections being upholstered and a
mattress removably fastened to said side and end rails, substantially as described.
4. A bed consisting of a hinged sectional frame, whose meeting rails are lower
than the side and end rails, a wire bed bottom fastened to the outer and end rails
slightly below the tops thereof, buttons on the side and end rails above the said
bed bottom, and a mattress provided in its edges with eyelets adapted to fit over
said buttons, substantially as described.
5. A bed consisting of a hinged sectional frame, whose meeting rails are lower
than the side and end rails, a wire bed bottom fastened to the outer and end rails
slightly below the tops thereof, buttons on the side and end rails above the said
bed bottom, a mattress provided with eyelets in its edge adapted to fit over said
buttons, said buttons and eyelets being arranged symmetrically, all substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
6. As an article of manufacture, a mattress provided near its edges with eyelets,
and having a pocket extending from its end adapted to fit over a pillow frame,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1896.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.