IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES OR BED BOTTOMS AND IN BEDSTEADS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES OR BED BOTTOMS AND IN BEDSTEADS."
A communication from abroad by the Erste Oesterreichische Thueren Fenster
und Fussboeden Fabriksgesellschaft, of Vienna, Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lako at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th August 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES OR
BED BOTTOMS AND IN BEDSTEADS." [A communication from abroad by the Erste
Oesterreichische Thueren Fenster und Fussboeden Fabriksgesellschaft, of Vienna,
.Austria.]
This Invention relates to portable elastic mattresses made chiefly of wood, very
few pieces of iron or other metal being employed in their construction, which
mattresses can be easily taken asunder and packed in a small space.
It also relates to a folding bedstead or support specially adapted for the said
mattress.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a frame formed by two
longitudinal bars and several cross pieces, and to this frame I adapt nine or ten
straight elastic wooden strips or blades reposing on two or three upper cross-bars,
cach of which is supported by two, three, or four spiral springs, whose lower ends
rest upon the cross pieces first herein mentioned. Near the end of each longitudinal
bar there is an upwardly projecting piece, to which an upper cross rod is secured,
which rods (one at each end) serve to confine the strips near their ends, and the said
strips have a slight curve imparted to them longitudinally.
In the spring mattresses as ordinarily constructed thirty or forty metal springs
are employed, but this costly and complicated arrangement is dispensed with by
means of this Invention, according to which I utilize the elasticity of the wooden
strips or blades.
Another advantage of this Invention consists in the fact that the mattress can be
taken to pieces and packed in a small space, and consequently is well adapted for

page_text: transport or removal, and by reason of their construction all the mattresses may be
made originally of the same size, as by simply cutting off the ends of the longitudinal
pieces and of the cross-pieces a mattress so made can be at once adapted to bedsteads
of smaller dimensions than those of full size.
In making a bedstead according to this Invention I provide two cross-legs
connected by a central longitudinal bar, which is secured to the legs by pegs or
keys. The bedstead so constructed may be easily folded or packed into a small
compass.
I desire it to be understood that this bedstead and the above described mattress
are not necessarily combined, as the latter may be placed upon any other bedstead
of convenient dimensions, and instead of the wooden cross legs I may employ
iron trestles or cross-legs, on which repose the two ends of the wooden mattress
or bed.
My Invention provides a plain, cheap, healthful, and comfortable couch, which
being composed only of wood and metal, can be easily cleaned and kept in repair.

page_text: WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES OR
BED BOTTOMS AND IN BEDSTEADS." A communication from abroad by the Erste
Oesterreichische Thueren Fenster und Fussboeden Fabriksgesellschaft, of Vienna,
Austria.
This Invention relates to portable elastic mattresses made chiefly of wood (very
few pieces of iron or other metal being employed in their construction), which
mattresses can be easily taken asunder and packed in a small space.
It also relates to folding bedsteads or supports specially adapted for the said
mattresses.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 shews a mattress fitted up or ready for use, and
Figure 2 shews the same folded.
Figure 3 represents the said mattress placed upon a folding bedstead constructed
according to this Invention.
For the said mattress a frame is formed of the longitudinal pieces a and the cross-
pieces b and b¹; in this frame elastic strips of wood c are mounted or stretched and
rest on transverse strips d, each of which is supported by two, three, or more
spiral springs e.
The wooden folding bedstead shewn in Figure 3 is constructed with two cross-
legs ff, connected by a longitudinal piece g, and the keys or wedges h. The
aforesaid mattress may however be placed on any suitable bedstead, or it may
be provided with iron legs at its head and foot.
The advantages of this improved mattress and bedstead are as follow, namely:-
Instead of the great number of metal springs (ordinarily from 30 to 40) hitherto
required only from four to ten springs are used. The mattresses are so constructed
as to be easily taken to piccos, and therefore may be very conveniently adapted for
carriage or transport. The said mattresses may be manufactured of uniform
dimensions, and by simply cutting the longitudinal and transverse parts a and b, b¹,
can be adapted to bedsteads of any dimensions. These mattresses are made
exclusively of wood and metal, and therefore may be very easily kept clean.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. A mattress consisting of the elastic longitudinal and transverse strips of
wood, the springs, and the frame, all constructed and combined substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Second. The folding bedstead, constructed substantially as above set forth, to be
used in connection with the mattresses above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W RORT LAKE. (LS)