Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Spiral Wire for Forming the Mesh of Mattresses, Mats, and for other purposes, and in Articles Made from such Spiral Wire.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Spiral Wire
for Forming the Mesh of Mattresses, Mats, and for other
purposes, and in Articles Made from such Spiral Wire.
We THOMAS MARK HEWITSON, GEORGE LANE and HENRY JOHN LANE
of the Firm of Lane Hewitson & Lane Brueton Street Birmingham in the County
of Warwick Wire Mattress Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object improvements in machinery for the manufacture
of spiral wire for forming the mesh of mattresses mats and for other purposes and
in articles made from such spiral wire and refers to the coiling of wire into spiral
lengths of oval oblong or square section the interweaving of which produces a wire
mesh having a flat and almost smooth surface which is not only particularly
applicable to mats and mattresses but can be used for various other useful
purposes.
In carrying our invention into effect we form our machine for producing the
said coils or spirals by attaching a mandril to the revolving head of any suitable
lathe or machine and around this mandril we place a cylinder formed of a steel
coil which is fixed stationary upon any suitable support or we may use a solid
cylinder having spiral grooves formed therein. The mandril is oblong shaped in
section with the corners almost square and the important part of our improvements
consists of a slight twist which we form in the mandril so that when looking at the
end of the mandril it has an X shaped appearance the angles of which are
30° degrees or thereabouts. The action is as follows:-The end of the wire is
bent around the mandril which by its revolving motion winds the wire upon itself
the wire being guided by the before mentioned steel coil until it reaches the end
of the mandril which it leaves in the form of a perfect coil having a section more
or less oblong square or oval as may be by reason of the section of the mandril.
A hardened steel strip may be formed upon the face of the coil cylinder to receive
the wear of the wire at the point where the greatest portion of the work of bending
is accomplished.
In the case of forming meshes means are provided for suspending or supporting
the coiled or spiral lengths as they emerge from the mandril in the required
position for the next coil to interlace itself with the previous coil.
From these coils or spirals whether made by our improved machine or by hand
we manufacture wire mats which by reason of the flat surface formed by the said
coils are much more comfortable to the tread while the scraping of the boot is
more effectively accomplished less wire is required and the necessary thickness of
the mat considerably reduced.
In mattresses the mesh thus formed is of such an open nature that it does not
collect the dust while the said coils or spirals being particularly flexible in all
directions may when closely woven be used for many purposes for instance as a
substitute for whalebone or cane in the stiffening of such articles of clothing as
corsets dress bodicees or skirts.
Such spiral wires may be woven in two three four or more ply or in double as

page_text: well as single mesh and the wire may be varied in section to suit various
requirements.
Tleted this and dox Novomhan 1801
THOS. M. HEWITSON.
GEO. LANE.
HENRY JOHN LANE.
Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Spiral Wire
for Forming the Mesh of Mattresses, Mats, and for other
purposes, and in Articles Made from such Spiral Wire.
We THOMAS MARK HEWITSON GEORGE LANE and HENRY JOHN LANE
of tho Firm of Lane Hewitson & Lane of Brueton Street Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Wire Mattress 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 :-
Our invention has for its object improvements in machinery for the manufacture
of spiral wire for forming the mesh of mattress mats and for other purposes and in
articles made from such spiral wire and refers to the coiling of wire into spiral
lengths of oval-oblong or square section the interweaving of which produces a
wire mesh having a flat and almost smooth surface which is not only particularly
applicable to mats and mattresses but can be used for various other useful
purposes.
In carrying our invention into effect we form our machine for producing the
said coils or spirals by attaching a mandril to the revolving head of any suitable
lathe or machine and around this mandril we place a cylinder formed of a steel
coil which is fixed stationary upon any suitable support or we may use a solid
cylinder having spiral grooves formed thereon. The mandril is oblong shaped in
section with the corners almost square and the important part of our improvements
consist of a slight twist which we form in the mandrel so that when looking at the
end of the mandrel it has an X shaped appearance the angles of which are
30° degrees or thereabouts. The action is as follows. The end of the wire is
bent around the mandril which by its revolving motion winds the wire upon itself
the wire being guided by the beforementioned steel coil until it reaches the end of
the mandril which it leaves in the form of a perfect coil having a section more or
less oblong square or oval as may be by reason of the section of the mandril.
A hardened steel strip may be formed upon the face of the coil cylinder to
receive the wear of the wire at the point where the greatest portion of the work of
bending is accomplished.
In the case of forming meshes means are provided for suspending or supporting
the coiled or spiral lengths as they emerge from the mandril in the required
position for the next coil to interlace itself with the previous coil.
From these coils or spirals whether made by our improved machine or by hand
we manufacture wire mats which by reason of the flat surface formed by the
said coils, are much more comfortable to the tread while the scraping of the boot
is more effectively accomplished less wire is required and the necessary thickness
of the mat considerably reduced.
In mattresses the mesh thus formed is of such an open nature that it does
not collect the dust while the said coils or spirals being particular flexible in
all directions may when closely woven be used for many purposes for instance
as a substitute for whalebone or cane in the stiffening of such articles of clothing
as corsets, dress bodices or skirts.
Such spiral wires may be woven in two three four or more ply or in double

page_text: resiliency is given to the whole of the mattress bottom. In adapting these coils F
for the flexible metal stiffeness of dress bodices corsets and other articles of clothing
one two three or four of such wires f2 may be formed closeley together to form a
hollow metallic strip such as shewn by F3 Figure 11 thus forming a metal stiffner
which being flexible will bend in every direction and at the same time always
recovers its normal position and this strip may be compressed into the form shewn
by Figure 13 in cases where thinness is a consideration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1st. The improvements in machinery for the manufacture of spiral wire for
forming the mesh of mattresses mats and for other purposes, consisting of a
mandrel A or A' in combination with a worm cylinder, substantially as and for the
purpose herin set forth and shewn upon the drawings.
2nd. The improvements in machinery for the manufacture of spiral wire
consisting of the mandrel A' twisted substantially as and for the purpose herin set
forth and shewn.
3rd. In mattresses mats & other articles a spiral wire coil or coils such as and
for the purpose herein set forth & shewn by Figures 8 to 15.
Dated 2nd August 1895.
GEO. LANE.
THOMAS MARK HEWITSON.
HENRY JOHN LANE.