IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING SPRING MATTRASSES AND
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore, both
of Queen's Road, Bayswater, County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING SPRING MATTRASSES AND
"
Sealed the 21st July 1863, and dated the 14th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Carne Paul and
Alfred Thomas Shore at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 14th February 1863.
We, WILLIAM CARNE PAUL and ALFRED THOMAS SHORE, both of Queen's
Road, Bayswater, County of Middlesex, Upholsterers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING
SPRING MATTRASSES AND OTHER SUCH ARTICLES FOR SITTING AND RECLINING UPON,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in the employment of two separate frames placed
one over the other; along the bottom of the lower frame are fixed a series of
small pieces of wood, of sufficient strength and width to carry or sustain the
spiral springs ordinarily made use of in forming spring mattrasses. The
upper frame is of a similar shape and size to the lower one, but has not
the laths or stretchers which go across the lower one. The springs are
connected with the upper frame by means of a strong cord, which is
drawn from spring to spring, first in the direction of the length of the
mattrass, then across or parallel with the ends of it, and then diagonally
from each side and ends; by this means the springs are firmly fastened to the

page_text: upper frame, while at the same time they can only move in a vertical direction.
To keep this frame from turning over on either side we attach webbing or
other suitable material, which is drawn from corner to corner in both of the
frames. The upper frame is then covered with strong canvas, which is tacked
all round along the sides and ends of the frame, thus forming an even surface
for the stuffing, which may consist of hair, wool, cotton, or any other suitable
material; the whole is completed by means of an outside covering of ticking
tacked to the sides and ends of both the upper and lower frames. We make
use of springs of different strengths in our mattrasses, which we place according
to the kind of article made, the strongest springs being placed so as to be
under the heaviest parts of the body.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 14th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CARNE PAUL and ALFRED THOMAS SHORE, both of Queen's Road, Bayswater,
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and' successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore, Her special licence
that we, the said William Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore, our execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William
Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore, our executors, administrators, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING SPRING MATTRASSES AND OTHER
SUCH ARTICLES FOR SITTING AND RECLINING UPON," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said William Carne Paul and Alfred Thomas Shore,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Carne Paul, on behalf of
myself and the said Alfred Thomas Shore, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that
is to say:-
Our Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of spring
mattrasses or like articles for lying or reclining upon. For this purpose, in
constructing a mattrass or like article of furniture, two separate frames, made
of wood, metal, or other suitable material of proper strength, are used and
placed one over the other; on the bottom one of these frames are placed a series
of laths made of deal or other suitable material, reaching from side to side of
the frame and placed at regular distances from each other, for the purpose of
fastening and supporting the spiral springs used in making spring mattrasses,
and which are fastened to the laths by strong wire staples. The spiral springs
to be used may be of three different sizes, the largest at the head, the medium
in the middle, and the smallest at the foot of the mattrass; the springs are
arranged in these positions for the better and more evenly sustaining the
weight of the occupants. The upper frame is to be of the same size and shape
as the bottom one, and placed over the bottom one, leaving about seven inches
or more or less space at the head, and about five inches at the foot. The top
of the spiral springs are all securely fastened to this upper franie by strong and
suitable cords drawn from side to side of the frame, and tied on two sides of
each spring over which it passes; the same is also done from head to foot, and
may be also diagonally from corner to corner; the whole when tied in this
way forming eight distinct and separate knots on each spring, and thereby
firmly fastening all the springs in their proper positions to the upper frame;
to keep this frame from turning over on either side, strong webbing is fixed
on the corners of the top frame, and drawn down in the middle and fastened
to the centre of the bottom frame on each side and end.
springs are then covered over with strong canvas, and
frame, forming an even surface to receive the stuffing, which is to consist of
hair, wool, cotton, or any other article usually adapted for the purpose, and is
finally completed by an outside covering of ticking or other suitable material
drawn evenly and tightly over the stuffing, and tacked to the outside edge of
both top and bottom frame, and also tufted or otherwise, as may be required
or found necessary.
The top frame and
tacked firmly to the
The object attained in this over any other spring mattrass yet invented is,

page_text: that by having the upper frame fastened to the springs at the top of each
spring, the whole top of the mattrass is acted upon and all the springs bear a
certain portion of the weight placed upon it, and consequently forms an even
surface; the mattrass has also greater strength and durability, and is less
liable to need repairs, while it also affords far greater ease and comfort to the
occupant. For the purpose of raising the head of the mattrass and giving it
greater inclination, two leather straps with buckles are placed one at each side
near the foot, so as to draw the two frames together, thereby giving the
inclination best suited to the occupant, being particularly adapted for
invalids.
In order more clearly to illustrate the nature of our Invention and render
it fully intelligible, we have to this Specification appended the accompanying
Drawings, which, however, are intended solely to shew the principle of con-
struction we make use of in manufacturing our Invention, but it is clearly
understood that modification of the details will be introduced in each mattrass
according to the requirements, the general principle of construction being
Fig. 1 is a plan; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3, a transverse
section of our improved mattrass. Similar letters refer to the same parts in
the different Figures.
a, a', the upper and lower frames, the lower frame carrying or supporting
the cross pieces b, b, on which rest the springs c, c, c, the springs being attached
to the cross pieces b, b, by staples or by any other suitable means; the red
lines d, d, shew the cords connecting the springs with the upper frame a; the
position of these cords is clearly shewn in Fig. 1. e, e, strong pieces of webbing
attached to the frames, in the manner shewn, for the purpose of preventing
the oscillation of the upper and lower frames, thus only allowing a vertical
motion. It will be seen that one end of the mattrass is made lower than the
other for the purpose of giving greater ease to the person lying on it; this may
be effected by means of the webbing, or by straps and buckles at the end of
the mattrass. The action is as follows:-On pressure being applied to the
mattrass it causes the whole of the springs to be acted upon, and brings the
frames nearer each other, the springs immediately under the pressure yielding
the most, thus giving much greater ease and comfort to the occupant than is
afforded by the present method of construction.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and shewn of what it
consists, and how the same is constructed and formed, we wish it understood

page_text: that what we claim as new and wish secured by the before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
1st, the plan of forming a mattrass or such like article for sitting or
reclining upon so as to be composed of two separate frames, substantially as
berewithin described and set forth.
2nd, the plan of forming a mattrass or other such like article for sitting or
reclining upon by the method of arranging, attaching, binding, and securing
the springs to the aforesaid two frames, substantially as herewithin described
and set forth.
3rd, the plan of constructing mattrasses, seats, or other such articles for
sitting and reclining upon by means of the appliances and methods described
in the above-mentioned claims, and more particularly described in this Specifi-
cation and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carne Paul, on behalf of myself
and the said Alfred Thomas Shore, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourteenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.