AN IMPROVED BUOYANT MATTRESS DESIGNED TO SERVE BOTH AS A BED AND LIFE PRESERVER
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Starr, of 22, Moorgate Street, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BUOYANT MATTRESS
DESIGNED TO SERVE BOTH AS A BED AND LIFE PRESERVER."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Jacob W. Wotton, of the City and State of
New York. United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Starr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pétition, on the
3rd February 1871.
I, HENRY STARR, of 22, Moorgate Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BUOYANT
MATTRESS DESIGNED TO SERVE BOTH AS A BED AND LIFE PRESERVER," to be
as follows:
My Invention relates to a mattress which will efficiently serve the
double purpose of a bed and life preserver or life buoy, and which is
chiefly designed to be used in place of the ordinary mattresses and life
preservers heretofore supplied to seagoing vessels.

page_text: The said mattress is constructed with an outer, and an inner part.
The outer part forms a frame within which the inner part is made to fit,
so as to be readily removable therefrom. The said outer part or frame
is made externally in the shape of an ordinary mattress, and is filled
principally with cork which may have horsehair or other similar material
on each side. The sides of the mattress are protected by strips of wood
or other suitably strong and light material, the whole being covered
with the ordinary ticking or other appropriate fabric. In the centre of
this outer portion of the mattress is the aperture to receive the inner
portion, which is a cushion filled with air, cork, or other suitable
material, and which is of the same thickness as the outer portion. The
outer portion is provided with a broad band or strap, which is attached
to the two sides and extends across the aperture.
When the mattress is in use as a bed the inner and outer portions
together resemble an ordinary mattress and form a convenient and
comfortable bed.
1
When the mattress is to be used as a life preserver the central cushion
is removed and the frame or outer portion thrown overboard. The band
or strap forms a seat whereon the person using the mattress is supported
in such a manner that the centre of gravity is below the surface of the
water, and the apparatus is thereby kept safely in the proper position.
Moreover, the person or persons using the mattress will be protected
against floating portions of a wreck, and in coming ashore among
breakers.
A number of these mattresses may be connected together to form a
raft, or to be used as a protection for boats, or in other ways to meet the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Starr in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
STARR, of 22, Moorgate Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the
-

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Starr, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Starr, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Starr, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others;
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein.
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED BUOYANT
MATTRESS DESIGNED TO SERVE BOTH AS A BED AND LIFE PRESERVER," a commu-
nication to me from abroad by Jacob W. Wotton, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Starr, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Starr, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to a mattress made in such a manner that it
will efficiently serve the double purpose of a bed or couch and life buoy,
and which is chiefly designed to be used in place of the ordinary
mattresses and life preservers heretofore supplied to seagoing vessels.
The said mattress is made in two parts, one of which is the main
portion of the mattress and forms a frame whercin the other part, which
forms the central portion of the said mattress, is so fitted as to be readily
removeable therefrom. The said outer part or frame is made externally
in the shape of an ordinary mattress, and is filled principally with cork,
which may have horsehair or other similar material on each side. The
sides of the mattress are protected by strips of wood or other suitably
strong and light material, the whole being covered with the ordinary
ticking or other appropriate fabric. In the centre of this outer portion

page_text: of the mattress is the aperture to receive the inner portion, which is a
cushion filled with air, cork, or other suitable material, and is of the
same thickness as the outer portion. The outer portion is provided with
a broad band or strap which is attached to the two sides and extends
across the aperture.
The Drawing shows one of my improved life-preserving mattresses,
and in connection with the following description will more clearly explain
its construction :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of said mattress showing the same
prepared for use as a bed; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same as
used for a life buoy; Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x,
Figure 1. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the outer or main portion of the mattress; B is the removeable
central portion; C is a band or strap attached to the inner sides of the
part A, as shewn in Figure 3. a, a, are the protecting strips at the sides
of the part A.
When the said mattress is to be used in the place of an ordinary
mattress the outer and inner portions A and B fit together compactly
like one piece, and form a convenient and comfortable bed, as shown in
Figure 1.
When the mattress is to be used as a life preserver the central part or
cushion B is removed, and the frame or outer portion thrown overboard
into the water, whereon it lics, as shewn in Figure 2. The band or
strap C forms a seat for the person using the mattress, who will be
thereby supported in such a manner that the centre of gravity of the
mattress and load will be below the surface of the water, and the appa-
ratus is thereby kept safely in the proper position. Moreover, the
person or persons using the mattress will be protected against floating
portions of a wreck, and injury in coming ashore among breakers. The
band C is so arranged and attached to the sides of the mattress that it
will always assume the proper position, no matter which side of the
said mattress may be uppermost.
With this improved buoyant mattress life may be preserved for a long
time in mid-ocean and in the roughest sea, as the mattress, instead of
shipping the waves, rides over them, and although completely saturated 3
with water it will be capable of sustaining the weight of two or three
men.

page_text: A number of these mattresses may be connected together to forin a
raft or to be used as a protection for boats, or they may be used in other
ways to meet the various emergencies in which they may be required.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim, a mattress consisting of a
buoyant outer portion or frame constructed as herein specified, and a
removeable central portion or cushion, and provided with a band or
strap, substantially as set forth for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Starr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
H. STARR. (L.S.)