Improvements in Woven Wire and other Spring Mattresses
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Woven Wire and other Spring Mattresses,
1, FREDERICK SIMPKIN, of 5, Rock Mount, Upper Ryland Road in the City of
Birmingham, Metallic Bedstead Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
This invention has reference to those spring mattresses which consist of an upper
part of woven wire fabric, or chains and springs, or cloth sacking secured and
stretched tightly to a suitable frame.
The principal object of this invention is to so construct the said mattresses that
they can be readily folded up when not in use or for transport and this is carried
out as follows:-I provide a suitable rectangular frame made of metal wood or other
suitable substance or substances for supporting the flexible top part and sustaining
the tension thereof.
The said frame is made in two parts jointed together by preference at about the
centre of the sides so that the two parts can be folded together and occupy a space
equal to about half the length of the mattress. The edges of the flexible top part are
secured to the frame in any suitable manner. Where the two parts of the side of the
frame are jointed together I provide a cross-bar with upwardly projecting ends
which latter are jointed to the sides of the frame the body of the bar hanging
down underneath. This bar provents the jointed sides of the frame springing
outwardly or inwardly and also supports the flexible top part when the mattress is
folded up.
The said frame is so constructed that when folded up the flexible top part will be
outside. When so folded the flexible top part will be loose and can if required be
tightened up, but when the mattress is opened out into a flat state the flexible top
part will be perfectly tight and by the joints of the sides being below the level of the
flexible top part the tension of the latter will maintain the frame in its flat state as
the two parts of the mattress are prevented from rising upwardly by the shape of the
hinged joints of the sides which are made to butt together and only allow of the two
parts being folded in the opposite direction.
When the said frame is made of metal the sides are by preference made tubular or
of angle iron and the ends of angle irons the said sides and ends being connected
together at the corners by chilled castings with which dovetails are formed so as to
fit into corresponding dove-tailed notches at the head and foot of the bedstead and
thus save the usual separate side angle irons of the bedstead.
Dated this 13th day of May 1889.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Woven Wire and other Spring Mattresses.
I, FREDERICK SIMPKIN, of 5, Rock Mount, Upper Ryland Road, in the City of
Birmingham, Metallic Bedstead Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to those spring mattresses which consist of an upper
part of woven wire fabric, or chains and springs, or cloth sacking secured and stretched
tightly to a suitable frame.
The principal object of this invention is to so construct the said mattresses that
they can be readily folded up when not in use or for transport and this is carried out

page_text: as follows-I provide a suitable rectangular frame made of metal wood or other
suitable substance or substances for supporting the flexible top part and sustaining the
tension thereof.
The said frame is made in two parts jointed together by preference at about the
centre of the sides so that the two parts can be folded together and occupy a space
equal to about half the length of the mattress... The edges of the flexible top part are
secured to the frame in any suitable manner.. Where the two parts of the side of
the frame are jointed' together I provide a cross-har with upwardly projecting .ends
which latter are jointed to the sides of the frame the body of the bar hanging
'down underneath. This bar prevents the jointed sides of the frame springing
outwardly or inwardly and also supports the flexible top part when the mattress is
folded up.
The said frame is so constructed that when folded up the flexible top part will be
outside. When so folded the flexible top part will be loose and can if required be
tightened up, but when the mattress is opened out into a flat state the flexible top
part will be perfectly tight and by the joints of the sides being below the level of the
flexible top part the tension of the latter will maintain the frame in the flat state as
the two parts of the mattress are prevented from rising upwardly by the shape of the
hinged joints of the sides which are made to butt together and only allow of the two
parts being folded in the opposite direction.
When the said frame is made of metal the sides are by preference made tubular or
of angle iron, the said sides and ends being connected together at the corners by
chilled castings with which dove tails are formed so as to fit into corresponding
dovetailed notches at the head and foot of the bedstead and thus save the usual
separate side angle irons of the bedstead.
•
The accompanying drawing illustrates that example of my invention which is
provided with an iron frame furnished with dove-tailed chilled corner castings to
fit into corresponding dove-tailed notches at the head or foot of the bedstead; Fig. 1
shews the said folding spring mattress opened out into a flat state and connected-to
the head and foot of the bedstead ready for use; Fig. 2 represents the said mattress
separately folded as for packing; Fig. 3 represents the head and foot of the bedstead
separately and Figs. 4 and 5 shew parts of the jointed' sides of a wooden folding
mattress frame.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures of the
drawing.
The said two parts of the mattress frame are marked respectively A¹ A-and- they
are jointed together at each side at bb so that they can either be opened out to lie in
the same plane as shown in Fig. 1 or be folded together side by side as shewn in
Fig 2.
It will be noticed that the centres of the hinged sides are somewhat
below the level of the top of the mattress frame to which the chain or other yeilding
top part c is secured and that the meeting ends of the divided sides are squaredi off so
as to butt together at d d and thus maintain the frame rigid against a downward
pressure when opened out as in Fig. 1. E is the cross bar with upwardly projecting
ends ee through which pass the joint pins at bb so as to tie the jointed sides of the
frame together. The chilled corner castings of the frame are marked f: they fit into
the usual dovetailed notches g in the head and foot of the bedstead.
When the mattress is opened out into a flat state as shewn by Fig. 1 the tension of
the yeilding top part c tends to draw the ends a' a¹ of the frame together, but by the
joints bb being below the level of the flexible top part cand by the ends of the
divided sides being made to butt together as above described, the frame will be
maintained in a flat state. When the two halves A¹ A2 of the mattress frame are
folded together as shewn in Fig. 2 the central part of the flexible top part. passes
down below the joints a a and becomes loose and rests upon the cross tie bar E.
It will be evident that the folding mattress frame can be similarly constructed with
tubes substituted for the side or end angle irons or for both.
When the folding mattress frame is made of wood I prefer to make the sides so deep
that the cross stay E does not require to be cranked, see Figs. 4 and 5, and the
*

page_text: binges are flush with the bottom of the mattress frame so as to fit level upon the
bedstead with which it is used.
It is to be understood that any kind of yeilding top part can be used with my
improved folding frame as employed in other spring mattresses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improvements in woven wire and other spring mattresses of the kind
herein referred to for enabling the said mattress to be either folded up or opened out
and be instantly ready for use, hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawing, that is to say, making the mattress frame in two parts which
abut and are binged together at the sides at points below the level of the yeilding
top part, the said points being connected together by a cross tie, so that the said two
parts of the frame can be either folded together side by side or opened out and when
opened out will be maintained rigid by the tension of the yeilding top part acting
upon the ends of the mattress frame, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A folding spring mattress of the kind denoted under claim 1 provided with a
metallic frame furnished with corner castings having dovetailed projections for
engaging in dovetailed notches in the head and foot of the bedstead, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 13th day of February 1890.
FREDERICK SIMPKIN.