Year: 1888

page_text: We, BENJAMIN FRANK SNAVELY and GEORGE HIRR SNAVELY, both residing at
Harrisburg, Dauphin County, in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States
of America, Manufacturers, 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 has relation to air mattresses, and it consists in the construction and
novel combination of devices as hereinafter set forth.
The object of the Invention is to provide a well stayed, durable air mattress that will
preserve its form when filled, and not have its sides corrugated or rounded between
the stay points when filled.
The mattress, though designed to be filled with hot or cold air, may, if desired, be
filled with water of any suitable temperature.
In the accompanying drawing the letter, A, designates the mattress cloth, which is
preferably of canvas, and is cut to form sides and ends, top and bottom, in the ordinary
manner.
B, B, represents cone-shaped or flaring attachments, which are formed with
flanges, C, at their margins, and have the straps, D, attached to their inner ends.
These cones are of a suitable flexible material such as rubber, linen or cotton cloth,
and are sewed by their flanged margins to the top and bottom, sides and ends of the
mattress on the inside thereof, and the straps connect opposite cones, and form with
said cones stays which tie the walls of the mattress together in three different
directions. In this manner its form is preserved under the pressure of the air
filling, and the mattress may be made of various degrees of hardness.
As the air enters and spreads the flexible cones, the sides to which the bases of the
cones are attached can be bulged outward but little, within, or between said bases,
which are circular, and of comparatively small extent, so that the usual transverse or
longitudinal corrugations in similarly stayed mattresses are avoided.
In the construction of this mattress, the flanges, C, of the flaring attachment, B,
are lapped in the sewing in order to strengthen the seams, and to provide for the
introduction of as many of these devices as the mattress walls can accommodate.
| Each cone is provided with a perforation, V, for air communication.

page_text: The straps, D, are preferably, separately attached to each cone and connected by
means of eyelet rivets, as at, E, or by other suitable fastenings, which will not become
detached when the walls are pressed together.
In order to provide for filling the mattress, the common air valve tube, such as is
used for air cushions and life-preservers may be employed, or a spiral tube, F,
may be employed having a shut off valve and a connection for attachment to an air
pump.
The corners of the mattress may be provided with rings, G, which are attached by
tabs, H and are designed to facilitate the application of exterior stays, when advisable,
to hold the corners down to the bedstead.
The mattress is designed to be lined with rubber, which is applied after the attach-
ments are sewed in place, and the mattress otherwise completed, except where the
seam is necessarily left open to facilitate the application of the gum. Then this seam
is closed in an air-tight manner and the mattress is finished.
Having thus described our Invention, what we claim is-
1. An air mattress having the conical inside attachments, B, of suitable flexible
material, and the stay strap, D, connecting opposite attachments, substantially as
specified.
2. An air mattress having the perforated cone-shaped attachments, B, of suitable
flexible material, to the walls of the mattress, and the stay straps connecting opposite
attachments, substantially as specified.
3. A rubber lined mattress having flaring cone-shaped attachments, B, of suitable
flexible material, lapped at their base margins, stay straps, D, connecting opposite
attachments and exterior stay rings substantially as specified.
Dated this 20th day of March 1888.
BENJAMIN FRANK SNAVELY,
GEORGE HIRR SNAVELY.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.