IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC OR YIELDING SURFACES FOR SITTING, LYING, OR RECLINING UPON, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE. APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Osman at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th June
1862.
I, CHARLES OSMAN, of Chryssell Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,.
do hereby declare. the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC OR YIELDING SURFACES FOR SITTING, LYING, OR RECLINING
UPON, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE. APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be: as.
follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in manufacturing elastic or yielding surfaces.
of vulcanized india-rubber made up and arranged in hollow or cellular forms,.
or so as to present the edges or ends of the. india-rubber towards the surface
of the cushion, mattress, seat, or other surface to which it is intended to give
elasticity. For the purpose of carrying out this part of my Invention I
manufacture cellular surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber, or compounds of
india-rubber combined with sulphur, and rendered permanently elastic by
heat, or by treating the same by chemical solutions to produce the." change,"
as is well understood in the manufacture of other articles. of india-rubber.,
These cellular surfaces for the purposes of my Invention are composed of a
series of cells of suitable depth or capacity, and I slit, perforate, or partially
divide the walls or sides of such cells in order to cause them to readily give.
way to pressure when sitting, lying, or reclining thereon. Cellular surfaces of.

page_text: vulcanized india-rubber suitable for the purposes of this part of my Invention,
may be manufactured in the manner described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to William Warne, dated September 1st, 1858, No. 1987, but I
prefer to manufacture such cellular surfaces as described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to Hugh Adams Silver and Henry Griffin, dated March
6th, 1861, No. 569; or the cellular surfaces manufactured according to this
part of my Invention may be made up or composed of a series of short tubes
or other hollow forms of "vulcanized" india-rubber arranged side by side on a
suitable surface; or they may be attached to or inclosed between fabrics to
retain them in position. The edges or sides of the india-rubber cells thus
arranged are slit, perforated, or partially divided, in order to cause the surfaces
so composed to yield to pressure when applied thereto. In like manner strips
of "vulcanized" india-rubber of straight, zig-zag, or other form, placed edge-
ways and arranged and secured in position at suitable distances apart, may be
employed to produce channelled or cellular surfaces suitable for the purposes
of this part of my Invention. The surfaces or edges of the strips or other
forms of india-rubber thus made up are slit, perforated, or partially divided, in
order to impart sufficient yielding or elasticity to the surfaces which they
compose. Cellular, elastic, or yielding surfaces, such as before described, may
be made of a size, shape, and thickness suitable for the seats, backs, or sides of
chairs, couches, or other articles of furniture; and the upper and outer surfaces
may be of curved or of other suitable form to suit the particular purpose for
which the cushion or elastic surface so. manufactured is, required. Cellular
surfaces constructed according to this part of my. Invention, may be made up
or inclosed in cases, or otherwise into seats, cushions, or mattresses, either in
one or several parts or layers; for example, a seat, cushion, or mattres, may,
be composed of several comparatively thin cellular surfaces laid one over, or
upon another; and the cells or channels, of cellular surfaces, manufactured,
according to this part of my. Invention. may be, if desired, filled with wool,
horse-hair, or other suitable stuffing.
The second part of my Invention, consists in forming, elastic, or. yielding,
surfaces for sitting, lying, or reclining upon, from sheets, strips, or lengths of
vulcanized india-rubber made up, into twisted, spiral, corrugated, or un-
dulating forms, arranged side, by side, and secured in position so, as to form the
same. into surfaces, suitable for seats, cushions, or mattresses.
The third part of my Invention, consists in forming. elastic, or yielding
surfaces for sitting, lying, or reclining upon by, connecting, the upper or lower,
ends, or both, of a series of lever arms. by means of strips or bands.of. vulcanized,
india-rubber; or, such lever arms may be connected together or retained in

page_text: position by helical or other springs, so as to yield or give way when pressure
is applied to the surfaces which they are arranged to support.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in forming or manufacturing
corrugated or channelled surfaces of vulcanized india-rubber suitable for
being applied to the construction of seats, cushions, or mattresses for sitting,
lying, or reclining upon, such corrugated surfaces of india-rubber being
applicable for covering floors or walls, or for being applied to the soles of
boots, shoes, or clogs.