IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTS AND MATTRESSES FOR BEDS, COUCHES. OTTOMANS, SOFAS, AND CIMILAR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mathers, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTS AND
MATTRESSES FOR BEDS, COUCHES. OTTOMANS, SOFAS, AND CIMILAR ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE,'
Sealed the 26th November 1869, and dated the 31st May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mathers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1869.
I, ROBERT MATHERS, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SUPPORTS AND MATTRESSES FOR BEDS, COUCHES. OTTOMANS, SOFAS, AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," to be as follows:-
I construct a support for the mattress by placing longitudinally upon
the bedstead or other similar frame a series of laths resting at their ends
upon helical springs. I support the middle of the above laths as
follows:-1 place at suitable distances apart two cross bars so that they
shall carry a series of flat springs (metallic or otherwise) having a corre-
[Price 8d.]

page_text: sponding series of small wooden blocks which connect the springs with
the laths and afford them olastic support.
The mattress I make as follows:- make the lap drum of a carding
engine whose semi-circumference shall be equal to the length of the
On this
mattress and its width equal to the widest ordinarily in use.
drum I pile and felt a woollen lap, which when it has attained sufficient
thickness I remove and place it within a tick or other cover, increasing
its bulk and olasticity by adding a layer of curled hair within it. When
necessary this elastic packing may be removed, and it and the felted
wool lap may be washed, scoured, turned, and replaced without further
remaking.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Mathers in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MATHERS, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign. did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Mathers, Her special licence
that 1, the said Robert Mathers, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Mathers, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SUPPORTS AND MATTRESSES FOR BEDS, COUCHES, OTTOMANS, SOFAS, AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
or administrators, by an
the said Robert Mathers, my executors
or their, or one of their hands and
instrument in writing under
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

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Mathers, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
I construct a support for the mattress by placing longitudinally upon
the bedstead or other similar frame a series of laths resting at their
ends upon helical springs. I support the middle of the above laths as
follows-I place at suitable distances apart two cross bars so that they
shall carry a series of flat springs (metallic or otherwise) having a corre-
sponding series of small wooden blocks which connect the springs with
the laths and afford them elastic support.
My second improvement, which is for a new method of constructing
the mattress, is as follows:-I make the lap drum of a carding engine
whose semi-circumference is equal to the length of the mattress and
its width to the widest ordinarily in use. On the drum I pile and felt
a woollen lap, which when it has attained a sufficient thickness I remove
and place it within a tick or other cover, increasing its bulk and
elasticity by adding a layer of curled hair within it.
When necessary
this elastic packing may be removed, and it and the felted woollen
lap may be washed, scoured, turned, and replaced without further
remaking.
The above statement renders my second improvement sufficiently
clear, but in order that the first part of my Invention may be more
fully understood and more readily carried into effect I will now proceed
to describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a plan of a bed according to
my Invention, shown partly in section; Fig. 1 shows taper laths
and flat composite spring; Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of
the same partly in section; Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the
same.
a and a represent respectively the bar at the head and foot of the
bed frame. The upper surface of these bars I countersink so as to
receive the lower and wider end of a series of springs s, s', s, etc.
The upper or contracted ends of these springs receive a series of
buttoned head projections from the lower side of the laths c', c, c³,
etc. I place two longitudinal bars d, d, one at each side of the
'

page_text: bed respectively, supporting them clear of the bed frame longitudinal
bars ³, by the wooden blocks d, d', d³, do. From each end
of these longitudinal bars I run two lines of braiding or similar
material, f, f, over and under the laths c, c², etc. above
named. By the arrangement each lath at each cud thereof respectively
rests upon an elastic spring suitably held in position, whilst the
Jaths are slightly pressed by the braid or webbing upon the springs,
and so retained in their position upon them. These laths are some-
times tapered, see section, Fig. 1. To sustain the middle of the laths
(see the part of plan in section) 1 place two central bars e, e', at
suitable distances from the head and foot of the bed respectively,
fastening them to the side longitudinal bars of the frame a³, a, above
mentioned. Upon these two cross bars o, e', I rest the ends of a
series of flat springs h, h1, h2, etc., equal in number to the number
of laths, each lath having its corresponding spring, to which it is
attached by a small wooden block n joining the centres of the laths
and springs respectively. These springs have the double effect of
keeping the laths in position and affording them the elasticity required.
use flat springs h, h¹, h, etc., not because helical springs would
not afford sufficient elasticity, but that I may by the flat springs
without additional appliances keep the laths in true position. I
consider both forms embraced in my Invention. The elasticity is com-
posed evidently both of the elasticity of the lath and of the spring upon
which it rests, the whole frame as described constituting a bed, couch,
or other support of an exceedingly easy, elastic, and accommodating
character.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I clain as secured
to me thereby,-
Firstly. The method described and shown whereby a support for
beds, couches, ottamans, sofas, and similar articles of furniture may
be sustained by flat springs made of wood or metal, or a combi-
nation of weod and metal, or otherwise equally at the ends and contres
of the laths, and whereby they may at the same time be kept in
position.
Secondly. The method described and shown whereby the helical
springs in such articles of furniture may be sustained and kept iu position
by being placed in countersunk spaces.

page_text: Thirdly. I claim the method described whereby a mattress is formed,
and by which it may be taken out, scoured, cleaned, and replaced
without breaking its bulk or otherwise deteriorating its quality.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mathers, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERTSON,
Engineer,
17, Queen's Chambers,
Market Street,
Manchester.
ROBERT MATHERS. (L.s.)