CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BOTTOMS OR SEATINGS FOR BEDS, MATTRESSES, AND SEATS
Year: 1855

page_text: 3
".
1:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Henri Réal at
the Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with his Petition, on the
. 18th June 1855;*
I, LOUIS HENRI REAL, Doctor, of Paris, in the French Empire, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC
BOTTOMS OR SEATINGS FOR BEDS, MATTRESSES, AND SEATS," to be as follows:
My Invention consists in employing a spring of a particular construction
between one or both ends of a rigid lath or batten, and the frame of which
the bedstead, mattress, or seat is composed, and in a means of forming
expanding laths for bedsteads.
Ata, a Figures 1 and 2, I shew the spring and the manner of fixing it between
a lath and frame of any article to which an elastic seat is to be applied. The
central looped wire which passes through the body-of-the-spiral-spring prevents
the spring from being drawn out beyond a certain extent, and thus ensures its
correct action. At b, b, I have shewn the manner of forming expanding laths

page_text: Two laths pierced at intervals with holes slide over each other, and are kept at
the desired extension by the hook c, c. d is a rod, which may run from one
end of a bedstead to the other, and when placed in the centre of a double bed
in which springs are fitted to each side of the laths, has the effect of checking
or stopping the motion made on either side of it; that is to say, supposing a
person on one side to move about, the central rod would prevent the motion
being communicated by the laths to the person on the other side of it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
conditions
by the said Louis Henri Real in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
HENRI REAL, Doctor, of Paris, in the French Empire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Louis Henri Real, Her special licence that I, the said Louis Henri Real, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such. others as I, the said Louis
Henri Real, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS. IN ELASTIC BOTTOMS OR SEATINGS FOR BEDS, MATTRESSES, AND SEATS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Henri Real, 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 Louis Henri Real, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
.statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention consists in constructing elastic bottoms or seatings for .beds
mattresses, and seats by placing a spring between one or both ends of a lath or
of each lath of a series of laths and the frame of the bed, mattress, or seat, and
also in a new construction of expanding lath. I construct my improved seatings
or bottoms of beds, seats, and mattresses of a number of rigid laths or battens
extended transversely between the sides of a frame of suitable shape, and the
peculiar feature of my Invention consists in placing a spring between one or
both ends of each lath and the frame. This arrangement of horizontal springs
allows of the vertical springs now employed to produce elastic seatings being
dispensed with, together with the deep frames for containing the same.
In my
elastic bottoms for mattresses or beds suitable for one person, each transverse
lath is suspended at both ends; at one end the suspension is fixed, while the
other end is suspended by an elastic or extendible connection to the side of the.
frame through a particular form of spring, whose play or limit of action or
extension is regulated according to the curve of the lath. In the elastic bottoms
for, mattresses or beds suitable for two persons, each lath is connected to a
central longitudinal rod, lath, or bar, which extends the whole length of the
bedstead at right angles to the transverse laths, and divides them into two sets,
both ends of each lath being connected by a spring to the side frames. Thus,
on each side of the longitudinal rod or bar there is a similar and independent.
transverse elastic support, and a person on one side of the bar will not be
affected by the motion of a person on the other.
.
When there is an excess of weight or pressure on any particular lath or laths,
the spring or springs of such lath stretches or stretch so as to yield to and allow
for the pressure; but in order to prevent any spring from being drawn.out.
beyond a certain extent, a stop, link, or hook passes through the spring, in the
manner hereafter explained. I prefer forming the frames of my seatings or
bottoms of T iron, and the laths of sheet iron, as being an inelastic material;
but any other suitable substance may be employed. I generally form the.
springs of galvanized or tinned iron wire.
My method of constructing expanding laths consists in forming a lath in two
pieces or parts, and piercing both parts with holes or slots at suitable distances
apart, and causing one part to slide over the other to the extent desired, the
lath being kept at the required extension by a double hook or clamp, which
takes into the adjacent holes. A sliding ferrule may be added to prevent laths
from shifting. The Drawings annexed represent my Invention applied to a
bedstead.
In Figure 1-1-hova chown
hodateed f

page_text: some at one end and some at the other. Now; when the spring connections
are for instance on. tlie. right side, the fixed. connections are to be on the left.or
opposite, side, and vice, versa. I have also represented one part of the elastic
support provided with a central rod to form a double bedstead; 'and another
part as forming an élastic, seating for a bed for one person
a, a, is the frame for the elastic seating; there shewn as made in one piece,>
and connected to the parts b, b, which form the head and foot of a bedstead; by
screws c, c. The lead and foot may be easily detached from the seating frame
by removing the screws, or the screws may be made to serve as hinges to the:
head and foot, which may then be made to. fold down and lie flat upon the
seating frame for the sake of portability. d, d, d, are the transverse. laths; rigidly,
fixed at one end d to the frame a, and connected thereto at the other zend.d
by. means, of springs h,h: Figure. 2. is an elevation, and Figure 3 a plan, on án
enlarged scale, of one of my transverse laths and spring, and rigid connections
thereof, to the seating.frame. Each lath is lapped over at both ends, and
rivetted into the form of a loop at the end; which is rigidly secured to the
frame. A split link fis passed through a slot in the lath, and is made..to
embrace between it and the end of the loop; a stout wire pinig; after being.
inserted through a hole in the frame a, the two ends of thel link. are brought
together into the form shewn in the Figures. A firm and non-elastic con-
nection is thus formed, which may be easily disconnected: when it is desired
to detach the lath. Through the other extremity of the slath one end of a
spring passes; the other end of the spring is connected with the frame a.
i is a double hook, which passes freely. through the spring 1 for the purpose of:
preventing it from being drawn out beyond a certain extent when too great a
pressure is on any one lath. The spring is connected to the frame either by
one end of the hook i, or by a clamp, as in Figure 3; or, it may be secured
by a link l, as in Figures 4 and 5.. Figure 6 is a plan of an elastic seating for
a bed or mattress for two persons. The transverse laths d; dare connected at
their centre to a central longitudinal barm, extending, the whole length of the
bedstead, and forming the fixed support or connection for the lathis; both ends
of the laths are attached to the frame a by springs h, h, and hooks h', ', which
form an elastic connection. Figure 7 is a view of a bedstead fitted with my
expanding laths. Figures 4 (side elevation) and (plan) shew the laths
detached. Each lath consists of two parts d', d, each perforated with-holes-or
slots. in the direction of their length; one part is made to slide over the other,
and when placed as desired, a double hook or clamp n is fitted in the adjacent
holes of the two parts, so as to keep them in the required position. 0, 0, + áre
sliding ferrules, which fit over the parts when placed itogether.to prevent them

page_text: from shifting; the top and bottom of the frame a, and also the pieces composing
the head and foot boards, must also be made to expand, as shewn in Figures
4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The top and bottom sides of the frame and the bottom
piece of the back board p are made each in two parts, sliding one over the
other, and regulated by a screw 9; each of the other bars, forming the head and
foot board, is also formed in two parts rir, one sliding over the other, and when
in position are prevented from shifting by ferrules s, s. Although in the
Drawings annexed I have represented my Invention as applied to a bedstead,
it is obvious that the same may be adapted to a mattress, couch, chair, or
other seat..
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, as constituting my
said Invention,―
First, the constructing of elastic bottoms or seatings by means of springs
placed horizontally between laths or battens, and a frame of any desired form.
· Second, the construction of elastic seatings or bottoms for beds, mattresses,
and seats of laths, whether expanding or otherwise, extending between the
sides of a frame, such laths being connected to the frame by a spring rigidly
at one and elastically at the other end, or elastically at both ends, as herein-
before described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
Third, the employment of horizontal springs of the particular construction
herein set forth between one or both ends of laths and a frame, so as to produce
lateral elasticity, and form an elastic bottom or seating, as herein-before
described.
-Fourth, the arrangement and construction of elastic seatings for. beds for
two persons, intended to prevent the motion of one person from affecting, the
other, as herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings annexed..
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Henri Real, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD, Ing* Civil,
No. 6, Rue Filles du Calvaire, à Paris.
L. H. REAL. (L.S.)