IMPROVEMENTS IN MATTRESSES FOR WATER BEDS
Year: 1887

page_text: Jate of Application, 20th Sept., 1887,
Specification Accepted, 21st Oct., 1887.
I, HORACE HOLDEN JUDSON, of Stratford, Connecticut, United States of America,
manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MATTRESSES FOR WATER BEDS," and in.what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention has for its object to provide a mattress for water beds which will lie
perfectly flat in use. It has heretofore been a serious objection to water beds, so
serious, in fact, as to prevent their coming into very extensive use, that the patient
could rarely be placed in a comfortable position owing to the fact that the weight of
the hips would press the bed down in the middle, and the feet would be thrown up
considerably above the body. This difficulty I wholly overcome by means of a
mattress of special construction, which in use permits the patient to lie perfectly flat
upon a water bed, thus retaining all the advantages of this class of beds, without the
disagreeable feature of sinking down in the middle. This novel mattress I will now
describe, referring by numbers to the accompanying drawing forming part of this
specification in which :-
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of a water bed, showing my novel mattress in the
position which it assumes in use, the position of the mattress when not in use being
indicated by dotted lines; and
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the foot of the mattress
showing the weight pockets made longitudinally of the mattress, the pocket or pockets
in Fig. 1, being shown as made transversely to the mattress.
1, denotes the tank of the bed, which may be of any suitable or preferred
construction. 2, denotes water within the tank, and 3, the cover ordinarily made of
rubber cloth. 4, denotes the mattress which may be made of any preferred material,
ordinarily of cotton or hair. In order to insure that the mattress will lie flat or
substantially so when the weight of the occupant is upon it, I provide near the center
of the mattress at the portion upon which the hips of an adult would rest, an enlarged
or thickened portion 5. The position of this thickened portion in uso is clearly
illustrated in Fig. 1, and the position that it assumes when not in use is indicated by
the dotted lines in the same Fig. The exact length of the thickened portion or the
additional thickness added to the mattress is not of the essence of my invention. I
bave found in practice that perfect results are secured by making the thickened

page_text: portion at the center about double the thickness of the main portion of the mattress,
and gradually decreasing the thickness in both directions until the normal thickness
of the mattress is reached. This thickened portion insures, that the hips of the
occupant shall not sink down to any appreciable extent. In order to insure that
the feet of the occupant shall not be raised, that is, that they will lie in a position
horizontal with the body, or nearly so, I provide a pocket, or series of pockets 6, at
the foot of the mattress. These pockets may extend upward longitudinally from the
foot of the mattress as in Fig. 2, or may extend transversely from side to side as in
Fig. 1. 7, denotes weights which may be of any suitable or preferred size, shape,
or number. In practice I have found it most convenient to use rods or bars small
enough so that they can be handled with case by any person. Having once used the
bed it will be perfectly easy to estimate the number of weights required to place the
patient's feet and legs in a comfortable position, the weights required being of course
dependent upon the size and weight of the person using the mattress. In use for
adults, I have found that weights are not ordinarily required in the mattress above
the knees of the occupant whether the pockets are made transversely or longitudinally.
I therefore make them to extend from the foot of the mattress, upward to a position
that would be in use slightly above the knees of an adult.
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 :-
1st. As a new manufacture a mattress for water beds having a thickened portion
at or near the center thereof, as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. As a new manufacture a mattress for water beds having weight pockets at
the lower end thereof as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. As a new manufacture a mattress for water beds having a thickened portion
at or near the center thereof and weights at the lower end thereof whereby in use the
mattress is prevented from sinking in the middle and rising up at the lower end.
Dated this 20th day of September 1887.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.