IMPROVEMENTS IN FABRICS AND FRAMES FOR WOVEN WIRE SPRING. MATTRESSES, AND IN. APPLIANCES FOR MAKING THE SAME.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Clapp Perkins, of Hartford, Connecticut,,
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FABRICS AND FRAMES FOR WOVEN WIRE SPRING. MATTRESSES, AND IN.
APPLIANCES FOR MAKING THE SAME.'
Scaled the 2nd June 1871, and dated the 15th April 1871..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Clapp Perkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 15th April 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CLAPP PERKINS, of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FABRICS AND FRAMES FOR WOVEN WIRE SPRING MATTRESSES AND IN APPLIANCES
FOR MAKING THE SAME," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
"

page_text: mc, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn declaration that I am the true and
first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Clapp Perkins, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
The said Invention relates to fabrics made of spiral wire springs
linked and woven together so as to form a strong and clastic material
for stretching upon frames for the purpose of forming mattresses and
cushions, the seats of chairs, sofas, and other like articles, also for
pillows and bolsters. It also relates to a new and improved frame
for stretching and holding the woven wire fabric, It also rclates
to an appliance for producing regular and even coils in the elastic
springs so that the pitch shall be uniform and the coil of equal size
throughout.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents one side of a
frame for holding the stretched fabric; Figure 2 is an end view, and
Figure 3 is a side view of the castings at each end of the side piece a
to support the cross pieces 6 at the head and foot of the bed;
Figures 1, 5, and 6 are similar parts and views of another form of
frame to be used where it is desired to economise space, as for berths
on vessels; Figure 7 is a representation of the wire fabric with
coils linked two into two; Figure S is a representation of the wire
fabric with two series of coils linked together in the manner which
I call diagonal weaving. This Figure also shows the cord d, com-
posed of a number of spirals placed together; Figure 9 is a repre-
sentation of the diagonal weaving composed of three series of coils;
Figure 10 is a representation of the fabric composed of coils linked
three and three; Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of the appliance
for determining the size and shape of the coils; Figure 12 is a cross
section of the same on the line x, y, of Figure 11.
The frame of the mattress is composed of the side pieces a
(Figures 1 and 2), to the ends of which are affixed the metal castings c;
these rest against the ends of a in an inclined position and reach
a short distance along its top so as to give a firm support to the

page_text: end bars which rest on the top part of the metal castings c.
These metallic castings are of the form and arrangement shown in
the Drawings. The wire fabric of which the web m is composed
is stretched between the end bars so as to be in a state of tension,
and is firmly secured to them by an additional piece or strip placed over
the ends of the wires, and fastened securely to the piece by screws
or otherwise. The support for the cross bars is placed lower in
the frame shown in Figure 4, so as to be more suitable for berths in
vessels and other places where the mattress is desired to occupy as
little space as possible.
b
In making the fabrics shown in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, the coils
are successively introduced by their ends from the coiling apparatus
(Figure 11) run through the fabric a given length and then cut off.
The different kinds of fabric shown are formed by the different manner
of introducing the wire and the number of coils already placed that
are taken up by each turn of the new coil.
The fabric shown in Figure 7 is formed by successively running in
two parallel coils through the convolutions of the last two already
placed, as is clearly shown in the Figure. The fabric shown in
Figure 10 is formed in the same way by running in three parallel
coils through the convolutions of the last set of three already in
place. A greater number of spirals, as four, can be used in cach
set if desired, and woven in the same manner.
The cord d, shown in Figure 8, is formed by introducing any desired
number of coils parallel to each other, one after the other, and it
may be composed of any number until the cord becomes a solid mass
of coiled springs. This cord is shown on the edge of the fabric in
Figure 8, but such cords are placed anywhere lengthwise through the
fabric where extra strength is desirable.
The fabric composed of two sets or series of springs woven diagonally,
shown in Figure 8, is formed by always introducing the last coil
put in so as to take up the convolutions of the last two coils pre-
viously placed. Other methods of weaving have been used, taking
up alternately two and one of the last convolutions, but this forms
two distinct series of coils and does not present so smooth a surface
nor form so firm a fabric as my improved diagonal weaving. The
principle of my diagonal weaving can be extended to a greater number
of series of interlaced coils.

page_text: A triple diagonal weaving is shown in Figure 9. In forming this
from the machine cach coil is introduced so as to take up the con-
volutions of the three coils last placed. In Figures 8 and 9. the wrong
or under side of the fabric is shown.
In starting either of the above webs from a cord such as is shown
in Figuro S the proper number of convolutions can be taken up
from the cord to introduce the first coils of the series.. If it is
started from a single coil a sufficient number must first be placed
concentrically and the web then continued as above described.
The size and pitch of the coils is fixed by the apparatus shown 1
in Figures 11 and 12. The wire passes in from an ordinary pair
of forcing rolls through the aperture in the small tube e and out
through the screw groove cut in the part f. This piece f and the
bushing are made of hardened steel to prevent wear. They are
removable and are held in place by means of a small screw h. The 1
part has two threads cut upon it, either of which can be used after
the other is worn out. The bushing is also casily replaced when
worn
wire fabric having castings of the form and arrangement herein shown
and set forth.
2. The improved fabrics of spiral wire springs woven and interlaced
in the manner herein specified.
3. The cord d formed of spiral wire springs, substantially as described.
4. The device for forming the spiral wire springs when constructed
and arranged substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Clapp Perkins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.