AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELASTIC SPRING MATTRESSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Picot, of No. 75, Avenuc d'Italie, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Spring Mattresses Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELASTIC SPRING MATTRESSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Picot at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th December 1872.
I, JOSEPH PICOT, of No. 75, Avenue d'Italie, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Spring Mattresses Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELASTIC SPRING MAT-
TRESSES," to be as follows:-
The main feature of my Invention is the manufacture of spring
mattresses, so as to prevent the springs losing their elastic quality, or
becoming strained. For this purpose I compose them of several thin
tempered steel plates or blades, curved and placed within one another so
as to increase their expansive force. The said curved plates are attached
to one another by means of one or two rivets, both ends of each plate
being also fastened together to form a ring.

page_text: The frame of the mattress is composed of four wooden or iron sides
fastened together, and is divided by three, four, or more straight cross
pieces, over which are fastened two or three of the aforesaid ring-shaped
springs. A straight spring plate is laid across them, and a wire net-
work covers the whole arrangement, which forms a complete elastic and
even surface, upon which the woollen or hair mattress is laid.
My spring mattresses are so combined that they can easily be taken to
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Picot in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th June 1873.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
PICOT, of No. 75, Avenue d'Italie, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Spring Mattresses Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, 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 successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Picot, Her special licence that I, the
said Joseph Picot, my executors, administrators and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Joseph Picot, 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 "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELASTIC SPRING MAT-
TRESSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Picot, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 calender months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Picot, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Spring mattresses are generally heavy and cumbrous, so that sending
them any distance is both difficult and expensive. My improved system
obviates these inconveniences. My springs are light, supple, and of a
very small bulk.
The mattresses are so combined that they may easily be taken to
pieces to be packed up and sent abroad, whereas under the old systems
the springs must be permanently fixed on the frame.
The springs of my system are not liable to lose their elastic property;
they are composed of several tempered thin steel blades of various
lengths, placed over one another and kept together by rivets, the ends
thereof being bolted fast to the cross rods of the frame, so that they have
a curved shape somewhat like carriage springs. There are under and over
springs; the first mentioned are fixed by bolting on the cross bars, and
have the shape of rings or half rings. The second extend across the
frame, to which they are bolted at each end, and lie upon the top of the
ring or half ring shaped springs, being attached to them by rivets. The
frame of a spring mattress may thus contain three or four cross bars,
each one being fitted with two, three, or four ring or half ring shaped
springs, according to the breadth of the bed; the blade springs lying
over the latter and parallel to the cross bars are connected with ono
another by iron wire chains of a particular shape, and which are also
elastic. The said chains are cut into lengths equal to the distance
betwixt the top springs, which springs are fitted with double wire hooks
to receive the links or double buckles of the chains.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings gives various views of my spring
mattresses, and of the separate pieces composing them. In all the
Figures the same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are to the scale of 110; Figures 4, 6, 7, and 8 to
the scale of 1; Figure 5, to the scale of 1; and the detached parts,
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, are drawn full size.
Figures 1 and 2 are general views, shewing a side elevation and
plan partly in section. Figures 3 and 4 are sectional front elevations of
a bed spring mattress; and Figure 5 shows the separate combination of
a ring E and two half ring shaped springs E', E', fitted on a cross bar C;

page_text: it is the same arrangement as Fig. 3, but on a larger scale; each one of
the said springs being fixed on the cross bar by small bolts a, a.
Figure 11-is a plan and edge view of the spring E, or half of the spring E.
'The ends of the said springs are strengthened by steel blades of the same
thickness but shorter, and attached to one another by rivets like 5
suspension carriage springs.
Figure 10 is a plan view of half the top spring F parallel to the cross
bar C; double hooks of wire J, J¹, are carried by the spring F and
attached to it by means of strips of folded leather or of tin I. The
double hooks J, J', are for the purpose of hooking the double buckles of 10
the chains H; the said chains being outstretched form a kind of net
extending over the whole mattress. Fig. 10* is an edge view of the
said spring.
Figure 9 is a part of the curled or twisted wire chain H, the elastic
effect or springiness of which, being added to that of the springs 15
produces a complete and regular elasticity over the whole surface of the
mattress, every point of which is thus bound together.
A indicates the long sides of the frame of the mattress (Figures 1 and
2), to the lower part of which narrow wooden bars B are fastened. The
ends of the cross bars C are dovetailed into the long bars B, by which 20
means the sides A of the frame are maintained at an invariable parallel
distance. The ends of the said sides A are also joined together with the
top sides D by dovetailing, so that the four sides of the frame, which are
firmly joined together, can be taken to pieces very easily and quickly.
E and E' are blade or flat springs bent to the shape either of a ring or of 2
a half ring; the ends of the said springs being strengthened by two or
three short blades, as shown Fig. 5, are firmly attached to the cross
bars C by small screw bolts a.
The top springs F, likewise strengthened at each end by short blades.
(Figures 10 and 10*) are curved over the upper edge of the sides A of 3
the frame to which they are attached by means of small screw bolts b, b,
as shown Figures 3 and 4.
H, Fig. 9, curled or twisted wire chain, the end buckles of which
are hooked in the double wire hooks J, J', carried by strips of folded
leather or of tin, riveted to the top springs F, as shewn, Fig. 10. Similar 3
double wire hooks are fixed on the top edge of the head and foot pieces D
of the frame.

page_text: It must be observed that the cross bar C in Fig. 3 is fitted with a
ring E, and two half ring or semicircular shaped springs E', while in
Fig. 4, the bed being larger, the same cross bar is fitted with four half
ring shaped springs E¹, E¹.
The springs of my improved system may be applied in the same
manner, and in a suitable proportionate number, to chairs, benches, sofas,
couches, and all kinds of seats.
I desire it to be understood that my spring mattresses may be mounted
on either wooden or iron frames; in either case they may be put together
either by dovetailing, screw bolts, or hooks, and can be easily taken to
pieces to be put in cases or packed up to be sent abroad.
My spring mattresses can be applied directly to bedsteads; in such
case the said bedsteads form the frame, and are fitted so as to receive the
spring bearing cross bars, and a suitable cross strip is fixed on the head
and foot pieces of the bedstead to receive the double wire hooks intended
to hook the curled or twisted wire chains.
Figure 6 is the cross section of a narrow spring mattress intended to be
fitted to the cabins of sailing vessels or of steamboats; here, for economy
of space, the under cross bar B is an iron one.
Figure 7 shows the strengthened blade spring F of my system fitted
on a wooden cross bar B, intended to be applied to a bench, sofa, couch,
or any other seat of the kind. Figure 8 is a plan of the scat of an arm
chair, furnished with two cross bars C and springs F connected with one
another and with the frame by five lines of curled or twisted wire
chains H.
My system could be applied so as to form portable beds, the sides and
feet of which would be united by hinges in such a manner that they
could be folded and carried about. The springs could be fixed on
wooden or iron cross bars, as above stated, or on leather bands, the ends
of which would be tied to the sides of the frame by any suitable means,
the said cross leather bands being connected by similar bands stretching
lengthways, and securely tied to both ends of the bed. Very light and
convenient camp beds could be formed with my system of springs. I
could also form hammock beds of two or three iron or wooden curved
rods hinging on a central suspension rod, which will resemble the keel
of a ship. The springs will rest on the rods, and leather bands or curled

page_text: or twisted wire chains can be stretched to form a net on which the
bedding will be laid, whether woollen mattresses, folded blankets, or
other bed gear.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details or arrangements herein-before described, so long as the
general feature is preserved; but I claim as secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, and as constituting the main
characteristic of my system of elastic spring mattresses,―
Firstly. The use of tempered thin steel blades, strengthened at the
end by one, two, or three shorter similar blades, curved to the shape of a
ring or circle or of a half ring or semicircle, and bolted tightly on to
the cross bars of the frame.
Secondly. The use of other similar steel blades stretched over the first
ones, parallel to the cross bars, strengthened at each end by one, two, or
three shorter blades, and fastened by bolting to the sides of the frame.
Thirdly. The curled or twisted wire chains, shaped substantially as
illustrated on the annexed Drawing, hooked to the upper springs, and to
the head and foot bars of the frame, forming a kind of elastic net, which
binds the whole arrangement together.
Fourthly. The several applications herein set forth of my system to
all kinds of seats and beds, whether for sailing ships or steamboats,
hammocks, or camping, substituting in some cases leather bands in
lieu of the cross bars and curled or twisted wire chains.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Picot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of
Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'AUBRÉVILLE, C.E.
J. PICOT. (L.S.)