IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PILLOWS, CUSHIONS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PILLOWS, CUSHIONS
OR SIMILAR ARTICLES" 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 for its object to provide an elastic light and cool pillow
cushion or similar article capable of being ventilated and not liable to become
heated or impregnated with perspiration or other exudations from the person.
The said Invention comprises a pillow or cushion composed of wire-gauze or of
braided, plaited or woven wire made into the form of a cylindrical or tubular boly
with introverted ends and with suitable means for holding the latter in position.
It also comprises certain details of construction and combination, all as hereinafter
set forth.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pillow constructed according to this
Invention.
Figure 2 a cross-section, and
Figures 3 and 4 are views illustrating one modification of the Invention.
A indicates a pillow composed of wire-gauze or woven wire. It may be formed
by uniting the edges of two sheets of wire-gauze of suitable shape. Preferably it
is constructed in the form of a flattened cylinder or oval tube, B, with introverted
ends b. b.
To impart additional resiliency a filling or reinforce, C, composed of a roll or
tube of the same material as the pillow itself, may be inserted in the latter and
held in position by any suitable means. Where the pillow is made as shown its
introverted ends will prevent the filling from falling out accidentally.
The pillow is designed to be covered by a slip or other envelope of cotton, linen
or other textile material, which may be removed whenever desired for cleaning or
other
purposes.

page_text: Instead of a filling O, spiral or other metallic springs may be inserted in the
pillow or incorporated with the body of the latter in any suitable manner to add
strength and elasticity to the same, and to cause it to assume its normal shape when
relieved of pressure or impact.
The pillow it will be noted, is a portable device like an ordinary pillow, and has
two sides, and upper and lower, so that it can be reversed or turned over, and when
laid upon a flat surface, such as a mattress, furnishes an elevated support for the
head, capable of being moved or adjusted to suit the comfort of the user. Being
open throughout by reason of the interstices in the material of which it is
composed, it is at all times thoroughly ventilated, and incapable of being beated or
saturated with animal excretions, like a pillow stuffed with feathers, hair, or other
organic or vegetable substance.
The pillow thus has excellent sanitary as well as sumptuary advantages, and
will be found not only to promote the comfort of the user, but to contribute
to the improvement of fever striken patients by affording a cool support to
their heads.
The body of the pillow or the cushion may be composed of a single thickness or
two or more thicknesses.
The filler may be arranged either lengthwise or crosswise of the pillow or cushion
and may consist either of a single piece or two or more pieces.
The pillow or cushion may be constructed by first producing a bag of wire-gauze
or woven wire and then introverting one or both ends thereof.
The said Invention includes a bolster as well as a pillow.
According to a modification of the said Invention I take strands of wire
preferably tempered steel wire, and braid, plait or weave the same into the form of
a cylinder or tubular section. The braiding, plaiting or weaving is preferably
accomplished by machinery suitable for the purpose, though it may be done by
hand if desired.
The said tubular section may be either cylindrical, oval or elliptical in transverse
section or of any other suitable, proper or convenient shape or contour. It may
also be of uniform diameter from end to end but preferably I make it elliptical in
transverse section, of nearly uniform diameter for the greater part of its length and
tapering at both ends. The said ends are each connected to a ring or rim and they
are introverted or tucked into the body and fastened one to the other by a rod or
rods or a flexible connection so as to prevent their coming out. This fastening
may have means of adjustment or it may be fixed permanently in place in the first
instance.
This modification is illustrated in plan in Figure 4, in which
A indicates the body of the pillow, which is composed of the strands a a of wire
preferably of tempered steel, braided plaited or woven to form a tubular section,
the ends of which are tapered so as to have a less diameter than the body or main
portion. The said ends are fastened by bending them over or otherwise suitably
securing them to rings B, B.
After the rings are attached they and the ends fastened to them are introverted
or tucked into body and are there secured one to the other by means of a
connecting rod C. The said connection may be a single rod with flaring or
branched ends, or a series of rods may be employed.
In practise I prefer a single rod with flaring branches c, c, c which are secured
to the rings B, B. Any suitable means for adjusting the length of the said rod C
and thereby controlling the extent of introversion of the ends of the tubular
section may be provided, as for example a plate d to which the ends of the branches
c, c, c are secured, the said rod C passing through the said plate and having a nut e
manually accessible from the outside of the pillow through the trumpet-shaped
opening formed by the introverted end into which the outer extremity of the said
rod projects.
As a substitute for the rod or rods a flexible connection such as a silken cord
may be employed.

page_text: The wire strands a, a may be naked steel or other metallic wire, or they may be
plated with nickel or non-oxidizable metal or coated with varnish or other
protective substance or covered with cotton or other fibrous or textile material.
The article thus constructed forms a light, elastic, cool and thoroughly ventilated
pillow, cushion or bolster, soft and pliable, strong enough to afford support to the
head or body and incapable or becoming heated or fouled like an ordinary pillow
stuffed with feathers, hair or other organic material. It can be covered with a
slip like an ordinary pillow, or with leather or other material when employed as a
cushion or for a kindred purpose.
These tubular sections can also be used for upholstering generally, being modified
in shape and dimensions to suit different situations.
By making it of suitable length it becomes a bolster and by laying two or more
together, securing them to one another if desired, a matress is provided, destitute
however of the rigid frame which adds so greatly to the weight of an ordinary
woven wire mattress.
The tubular section may be a single thickness or sheet of the braided, plaited or
woven material, or two or more thicknesses or sheets thereof one outside of
another.
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,
First. A pillow or cushion composed of wire-gauze or woven wire constructed
substantially as described, and comprising a flattened cylinder or tube of oval
shape, substantially as shown and described.
Second. A portable pillow or cushion having two sides, an upper and lower side
and ends, all composed of wire gauze or woven wire, substantially as shown and
described.
Third. A pillow or cushion consisting of a cylinder, roll or tube of wire gauze or
woven wire having introverted ends, substantially as shown and described.
Fourth. A wire gauze or woven wire pillow or cushion in combination with an
inserted or internal cylinder or roll of the same material, constituting a stiffener or
resilient re-inforce, substantially as shown and described.
Fifth. A pillow or cushion composed of braided, plaited or woven wire having
introverted ends and means for connecting the said ends to each other, substantially
as shown and described.
Sixth. A pillow or cushion composed of braided wire having introverted ends, a
connection for the said ends, and means for adjusting the same, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh. The tubular, braided, plaited or woven section A having introverted
ends secured to rings B, B, which are connected to each other by a rod C,
substantially as shown and described.