Improvements in Spring Bed Bottoms, and Slats therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Bed Bottoms, and Slats therefor.
I. PETER FRASER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at East
Whitman, in the County of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in spring bed bottoms and is designed
particularly to supply the need for a spring bed bottom which will be capable of
use in an ordinary iron bedstead having narrow side rails without raising the level
of the bed above the normal elevation
A further object of the invention is to provide a metallic structure which will
not harbor verinin and which shall be capable of adjustment to fit beds of
different size.
The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations
and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out particularly
in the appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bed bottom constructed in accordance with my
present invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the hangers.
Figure 3 is a detail of one end of one of the cross pieces.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a similar section showing a modification.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of slat.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 8 is a cross section on the line a-, Figure 7.
Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.
In carrying this invention into practice, cross pieces or foundation pieces A are
provided, of angle iron, to the upper sides of which the usual thin supporting
strips B upon which the springs Care mounted, are connected. The strips B and
springs C are of usual construction and need not be further described save that
sufficient of both are provided to form a bed bottom of the proper size.
"
The cross pieces or slats proper of the bed bottom before referred to as being
made of angle iron are preferably sufficient in number to provide one slat or cross
piece beneath each transverse row of springs, thus the same fastening may be
employed for uniting the springs and the longitudinal and transverse slats, such for
instance as a rivet or equivalent D.
The slats proper or cross pieces A are of such length as to pass readily within
the narrowest bed in connection with which the spring is designed for use and in
the angle at each end of said cross pieces or slats I form guides or sockets, as
shown in Figures 3 and 4, for instance where the extreme end of the angle iron is
bent into a circular socket or sleeve E and at an intermediate point slightly
removed from one end, ears struck out of the angle iron are bent into a second
tubular socket or sleeve E'. These sleeves or guides as they may be termed are
adapted for the reception of the horizontally projecting ends F of the hooks or
hangers which take over the side rails of the bedstead. The hooks or haugers are
preferably formed from lengths of heavy wire or rod metal with the ends F
straightened out in horizontal position to enter the guides as just mentioned and
the intermediate portion bent first into a double hook-like structure fat the top,

page_text: the ends being carried thence downward at f³ and toward each other where the
proximate portions are united by a clip H, thence outward again and at right
angles to form the portions F. The horizontal portions F are such distances apart
as to enter the ends of adjacent cross pieces or slats and in effect it may be said
that the slats are arranged in pairs which together with the two hangers one at
each end constitute what might be termed a foundation piece for supporting the
spring proper although as before stated the longitudinal slats B are relied upon to
unite the whole to form an integral structure.
The hangers are adjustable in the guides from which it follows that the spring
may be applied and will fit with equal facility beds of somewhat varying width.
In lieu of forming the guides or sleeves directly from the metal of the angle
iron cross pieces, I may form said guides or sleeves from an independent piece of
sheet metal, as shown for instance in Figure 5, wherein a tubular sleeve H is
formed in the independent piece of sheet metal and the ends of said piece are
extended out parallel with the inner sides of the angle iron and united therewith
by rivets or equivalent fastenings h'. This structure has some advantages in that
it does not weaken the angle irons or cross pieces, but on the contrary, provides a
strengthening tube, one at each end which will assist in resisting the tendency to
bend when weight is placed upon the cross pieces.
In the modified form of slat, illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the cross pieces I
are preferably formed up of sheet metal by bending the metal around formers to
constitute hollow girders, rectangular in cross section as shown in Figure 8 and
with the two edges i of the metal brought together and extended downward
in the form of a depending web or flange which gives great strength to the bar.
This construction is simply and cheaply and easily manufactured, of comparatively
light material.
At each end of the cross pieces I, I provide hooks or hangers composed essentially
of straight shank portions K adapted to fit and slide within the tubular cross
pieces I, vertically arranged supports K' terminating at the top in hooks K2. The
book portions K are united by a connecting piece K' at each end of the slat,
which connecting pieces may form the sole connections between the slat bodies or
cross pieces I before referred to.
In the preferred construction the hangers are formed from strip metal of proper
cross sectional area to fit accurately and yet be capable of adjustment within the
tubular cross pieces I and are bent up into proper shape with the two vertical
supports K' in the same planes as the cross pieces or slat proper I, whereby the
weight supported by the slats exerts a direct pull on the portions K¹ and hence
does not tend to distort or twist the same.
Where the strip metal is flat as shown, it will hug closely to the side rail of the
bed and the connecting piece K³ may form a down-turned end for preventing
inward movement of the hangers when adjusted on the side rail.
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 combination with the longitudinal slats carrying the springs, of the
transverse slats connected with the longitudinal slats at their points of crossing to
form an integral structure, and the upwardly extending hooks or hangers adapted
to take over the side rails of the bedstead and having the horizontal portions united
to the transverse slats by a sliding connection; substantially as described.
2. A bottom for beds consisting of a series of slats or cross pieces and a series
of hangers consisting of upwardly extending hooks adapted to take over the side
rails of a bedstead each of said hooks or hangers having two horizontal portions
connected respectively with adjacent slats by sliding connections; substantially as
described.
3. A foundation cross piece or slat for spring bed bottoms composed of strips of
angle iron having the tubular sleeve guides at each end in the angles thereof, and

page_text: hangers having the parallel horizontal portions for entering the guides in adjacent
slats, the upright proximate portions united by a metal clip and the hook portions
adapted to take over the side rails of a bedstead; substantially as described.
4. A foundation cross piece or slat for spring bed bottoms composed of an angle
iron having the tubular guides or sleeves at each end formed by bending portions
or ears of the angle iron inward and the upwardly extending hooks or hangers
having the horizontally straight portion adapted to enter the guides or sleeves and
the upwardly extending hooks adapted to take over the side rails of a bedstead;
substantially as described.
5. A foundation cross piece or slat for spring bed bottoms composed of cross
pieces or slats proper having tubular guides therein and upwardly extending hooks
or hangers having the ends bent to enter said tubular guides, said hooks or hangers
having upright portions at the ends of the slats or cross pieces terminating at the
top in hooks with a connecting portion B' adapted to take over the side rails of a
bedstead; substantially as described.
6. A foundation cross piece or slat for spring bed bottoms composed of the cross
pieces or slats proper formed up from sheet metal into tubular form with the edges
brought together in the form of a depending flange or web, and the hooks or
hangers formed up from strip metal with the ends bent to enter the cross pieces or
slats proper, the upright portion B' lying in the same planes as the cross pieces,
the hook portions B' and the connecting pieces B³, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of August 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.