IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wood, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Furniture Dealer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPRING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON."
Sealed the 8th November 1872, and dated the 12th September 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th September 1872.
I, JOSEPH WOOD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Furniture Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR
RECLINING UPON," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in spring mattresses and other
similar articles for sitting or reclining upon, whereby the elasticity of
such articles is more equally distributed and in the case of mattresses
other existing defects are obviated, and consists, firstly, as applied to
mattresses in the combination of coiled springs mounted by preference

page_text: on a horizontal rod at the head and foot or head alone of the frame of
the mattress or bedstead, with a wire network of any suitable con-
struction which is distended between such springs, and so forms the
support for the bed.
The coiled springs herein-before mentioned have one of their ends
secured to prevent their turning round bodily, and the other extremity
of each of such springs is extended outwards and provided with a loop
or hook to facilitate the connection with the ends of the metallic net-
work, the sides or ends of which network are drawn down and secured
to the sides of the framework of the bedstead or mattress, by which
means a bowed appearance is given to the network and undue depression
in the centre is prevented when in use. This metallic network is con-
structed with a diamond or other suitable shaped mesh composed of
hooks, links, or plates connected together by rings, or looped one into.
the other, or the elastic surface constructed in accordance with the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 18th day of
December 1871, and numbered 3419, may be employed with advantage.
Instead of the coiled springs herein-before mentioned, which may be
made of wire or band steel, I sometimes connect the metallic network
to the head and foot of the framework by means of metallic extension
springs or flat band springs curved in a suitable manner.
It will be readily apparent that these improvements are equally
applicable to the seats of sofas, chairs, and other articles for sitting or
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WOOD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Furniture Dealer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Wood, Her special
license that I, the said Joseph Wood, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Wood, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPRING MATTRESSES AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING OR RECLINING UPON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Wood, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said 'Joseph. Wood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 mattresses and
other similar articles for sitting or reclining upon, whereby the elasticity
of such articles is more equally distributed, and in the case of mattresses
other existing defects are obviated, and consists, firstly, as applied to
mattresses in the combination of coiled springs mounted by preference
on a horizontal rod at the head and foot or head alone of the frame of
the mattress or bedstead, with a wire network of any suitable con-
struction which is distended between such springs and so forms the
support for the bed.
The coiled springs herein-before mentioned have one of their ends
secured to prevent their turning round bodily, and the other extremity
of such springs is extended outwards, and provided with a loop or hook
to facilitate the connection with the ends of the metallic network, the
sides or ends of which network are drawn down and secured to the
sides of the framework of the bedstead or mattress, by which means
a bowed appearance is given to the network, and undue depression in
the centre is prevented when in use. This metallic network is con-
structed with a diamond or other suitable shaped mesh composed of

page_text: hooks, links, or plates connected together by rings or looped one into
the other, or the elastic surface, constructed in accordance with the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the Eighteenth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and numbered
3419, may be employed with advantage.
Instead of the coiled springs herein-before mentioned, which may be
made of wire or band steel, I sometimes connect the metallic network
to the head and foot of the framework by means of metallic extension
springs or flat band springs curved in a suitable manner.
It will be readily apparent that these improvements are equally
applicable to the seats of sofas, chairs, and other articles for sitting or
reclining upon for increasing the elastic action therein.
In order that the nature of my said Invention may be more readily
understood and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of several modifications of my improve-
ments in spring mattresses drawn to a scale of about 1 inches to the
foot.
Fig. 1 is a plan or top view, and Fig. 2 a side view of a spring
mattress embodying my Invention; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of another
spring mattress illustrating other modifications of my Invention.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A is a rectangular framework of wood, iron, or other
suitable material which should be substantially constructed to prevent
vibration. The cross pieces B and C at the head and foot of this
framework I make of greater width than usual, say, from eight to
ten inches, as in practice I find it unnecessary to construct this part
of a mattress with an elastic or yielding surface; and further, by
reducing the length of the mattress over all I am enabled to reduce
both the quantity and strength of the materials used in the construction
of this mattress, and also to lessen the cost of manufacture. D is a
metallic or wooden rod or tube supported in the metallic pieces D','D',
secured in the head cross piece B. E, E, E, are coiled wire springs
having one of their ends F secured to the cross piece B, and their other
ends G extended upwards and looped or hooked at their extremeties
in order to connect them to the ends of the metallic surface herein-after
described. H are curved band springs (which are secured at the inner
edge of the foot cross piece C by the set screws I, as illustrated) con-
nected to the other ends of the metallic surface J, which may be

page_text: rendered more or less elastic in itself by the addition of one, two, or
more rows of extension springs K arranged to act by preference in the
direction of the length of the mattress, as illustrated. This metallic
elastic surface is by preference constructed of steel or other metallic
bands L, or suitable lengths of chain M, or both in combination, being
connected together laterally at or near the springs, either by wire
links O, as shown, or by similar short bands of metal or chain. The
elastic surface described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to me on the Eighteenth December, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one, No. 3419, may be employed with advantage in combination
with the coiled or curved band springs herein-before described.
the surface may be constructed wholly of wire links, in the manner
seen at P.
Or
The elastic surface herein-before described is connected at one end
to the loops or hooks of the coiled springs E, and at the other end to
the curved band springs H, and is drawn down at the sides and there
secured to the framework, whereby a bowed or bellied form (as seen
in Fig. 2) is given to the elastic surface, and the springing effect is
sensibly increased whilst at the same time undue depression in the
centre of such metallic surface is prevented, which may be still further
provided against by the application of the well-known helical springs,
as shown and described in the Specification of my former Patent herein-
before mentioned.
I would observe that although I have described a coiled spring at the
head and a curved band spring at the foot of the framework of this
mattress, it is obvious that either of these forms of spring might be used
at the head and foot, and also at the sides (though I do not recommend
side springs) of the framework.
In Fig. 3 I illustrate two arrangements of metallic surface, either of
which is non-elastic in itself being constructed of wire network, and
which is designed to be connected at the head and foot to the coiled
springs E, and drawn down and connected to the sides in the same
manner as in Figs. 1 and 2. This network may be formed of wire links
looped one into the other or connected together by hooks, rings, or
plates, and arranged either in a square or diagonal form, as marked Q,
hexagonal, as marked R, or in any other suitable form or mesh which
will return to its original shape when the pressure is removed, and
which is capable of yielding to the action of each coiled spring so as to

page_text: give a pleasant springing effect when the weight is brought to bear upon
any part of its surface.
I would here observe that I am fully aware that coiled springs have
been employed hitherto in the construction of spring mattresses, and
patented by Hiram Tucker, and therefore I make no claim to them
separate and distinct from my metallic elastic and non-elastic surfaces;
but I have found the combination herein-before described to produce an
elastic action approaching in perfection to the support afforded to the
body by a water bed or air cushion.
It will be readily apparent that these improvements are equally
applicable to the seats of sofas, chairs, and other articles for sitting or
reclining upon.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
my said Invention, together with the best methods with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details relative
proportions or dimensions illustrated on the accompanying Drawing,
as the same may be considerably varied without departing from the
Invention; but what I claim is, the combination and arrangement of
the metallic surfaces herein-before described with the coiled or curved
band springs when mounted and arranged as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-three.