IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN COMPRESSIBLE SPRING MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS, AND SEATS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Knowland and James Smith,
both of the City of Bristol, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN COMPRESSIBLE SPRING
MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS, AND SEATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick
Knowland and James Smith at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 7th September 1871.
We, GEORGE FREDERICK KNOWLAND and JAMES SMITH, both of the
City of Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN COMPRESSIBLE,
SPRING MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS, AND SEATS," to be as follows:-
The main object aimed at by this Invention is the compression or
reduction of the mattress to about one-third of its dimensions without

page_text: adding to its thickness, thus obviating the serious difficulty of the
unavoidably cumbrous size of all spring mattresses hitherto made,
and rendering these mattresses so portable as to be capable of being
taken up any staircase or into any room or house with the greatest ease,
while, for export purposes, this economy of size is of the greatest
importance; and such our said Invention is applicable to all kinds and
descriptions of spring seats and cushions for the use of steamers, railway
carriages, sofas, lounges, settees, and all and every kind of seat to which
the same may be applied.
Means whereby the said Invention are to be carried out in practice
will be found set forth in the following description thereof:-We use
solid or tubular iron for the corners, or a combination of both with flat
bands of iron, steel, brass, or any other suitable metal, disposing the
same according to the requirements of the case, as for instance
longitudinally or transversely. The said bands to be of any width most
suitable for the purpose, and the frames to be placed one over the other
with springs attached thereto as hereafter described (the helico-spiral
spring being preferred). These springs to be placed between each
intersection of the said bands of iron, steel, or other metal and to be
rivetted thereto so as to form a separate hinge, and effect the object
above referred to. At the corners of the mattress we have screw
fastenings to bind the same together when extended, but other
fastenings as, for instance, hook-eye, lever, or spring may be also used.
The under frame may be made of laths of any kind or description of
wood. Leather, gutta percha, india-rubber, whalebone, cane, net,
canvas, or any other material deemed necessary may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Påtent,
filed by the said George Frederick Knowland and James Smith
1 in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE 30
FREDERICK KNOWLAND and JAMES SMITH, both of the City of Bristol,
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE 30
FREDERICK KNOWLAND and JAMES SMITH, both of the City of Bristol,

page_text: "
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said George Frederick Knowland and James
Smith, Her special licence that we, the said George Frederick Knowland'
and James Smith, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such'
others as we, the said George Frederick Knowland and James Smith,
our 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 "Im-
PROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN COMPRESSIBLE SPRING
MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS, AND SEATS," upon the condition (amongst others)'
that we, the said George Frederick Knowland and James Smith,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 we, the said George Frederick Knowland and
James Smith, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
The main object aimed at by this Invention is the compression or
reduction of the mattress to a considerable extent, for instance, to about
one-third of its dimensions, without adding to its thickness, thus
obviating the serious difficulty of the unavoidably cumbrous size of all
spring mattresses hitherto made, thus rendering these mattresses so
portable as to be capable of being taken up any staircase or into any
room or house with the greatest case, while, for export purposes this
economy of size is of the greatest importance. And such our said
Invention is applicable to all kinds and descriptions of spring seats and
cushions for the use of steamers, railway carriages, sofas, lounges,
settees, and all and every kind of seat to which the same may be
applied.
;

page_text: .
To effect the above object we use solid or tubular iron for the corners,
or a combination of both with flat bands of iron, steel, brass, or any other
suitable metal, disposing the same according to the requirements of the
case, as for instance longitudinally or transversely. The said bands to
be of any width most suitable for the purpose, and the frames to be
placed one over the other with the helico-spiral spring or any other kind
or description of spring which may hereafter be considered more suitable.
These springs to be placed between each intersection of the said bands
of iron, steel, or other metal, and to be rivetted thereto so as to form a
separate hinge and produce the object above referred to. At the corners
of the mattress I have screw fastenings to bind the same together when
extended, but other fastenings, as for instance hook, eye, lever, or.
spring may be used. The under frame may be made of laths of any
kind or description of wood, leather, gutta percha, india-rubber, whale-
bone, cane, net, canvas, or any other material deemed necessary may be

page_text: Invention of "Improved Mechanical Arrangements especially useful' in
Compressible Spring Mattresses, Cushions, and Seats," as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.

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