IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING SPRING MATTRESSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Parker Kittle, of Brooklyn, in the County
of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America, for the
Tarention of is TunnADERS TWO SORING MA
Invention of " TO IN
For Santwo
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Parker Kittle, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd December 1864.
I, SAMUEL PARKER KITTLE, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and
State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING SPRING MATTRESSES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improved arrangements for folding spring
mattresses, for bracing and strengthening the necessary parts, and for elevating,
supporting, and lowering the head part or bolster and in order that these
improvements may be fully understood, I give the following description
thereof, reference being had to the figures and letters on the accompanying
six Sheets of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the mattress folded,

page_text: and also shewing (in red lines), the same extended horizontally; Fig. 2, a
vertical longitudinal section of same when folded; Fig. 3, a vertical longi-
tudinal section of same in skeleton or with light covering, and shewing one mode
of attaching the hinges; Fig. 4 is a partial bottom view of the mattress when
folded; Fig. 5, a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the box of the
mattress, shewing another form of hinge for folding the same; Fig. 6, a side
view of the mattress with part of the box removed to shew the elevator for
supporting the head part or bolster when raised, and shewing (in red lines)
the position of the parts when folded; also shewing another form or modifica-
tion of the hinges upon which the parts of the mattress are pivoted. Fig. 7
is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the mattress at the point
where it is folded, shewing another form of the hinges for folding in the
stuffing; Fig. 8, a top view of a hinge for folding the mattress when the
springs are covered lightly; Fig. 9, a section of Fig. 8 through the line y, y,
shewing the form and position of said hinge when attached to the box; Fig.
10, a top view, and Fig. 11 an inverted side view of another form of hinge for
accomplishing the same thing, said hinge being fastened to the edge and side
of the box for securing additional strength; Fig. 12 is a side view of a double
jointed hinge, which furnishes two pivoting points for folding the mattress
when thickly covered or stuffed; Fig. 13, a plan in skeleton of the mattress
(the covering being removed), when a portion of the sides of the box is
replaced by springs and contiguous slats; Fig. 14 is a vertical longitudinal
section of the same, with stuffing complete; Fig. 15, a vertical transverse
section of same; Fig. 16, a view of same folded, and Fig. 17, a view of one of
the border springs, shewing the manner of attaching the spring brace. A is
the box containing the springs, and to which are attached the cases containing
the stuffing; B is the outer case beneath, and within which is the stuffing, the
said case being attached to the side of the box all round, or to the box and
hinges, or to the hinged slats with tacks, or in any other suitable way, care
being taken to attach the case in gathers, or with a gore at the hinges.or
points where the mattress is folded, in order to preserve the case from being
strained or torn in folding, as represented at the points D, Figs. 1 and 6; E
are the springs resting upon the slats F, which slats run across and form the
foundation of the mattress, and are secured as shewn; the upper ends of the
said springs being kept in their places by cords, or by securing them to the
under case G which covers the springs E, which case is attached to the edges
of the box A or slats F, and intervenes between the springs E and stuffing H,
when stuffed. By attaching the cases G and B in the manner above de-
scribed I am enabled to produce a neat, close, and serviceable receptacle for

page_text: the stuffing, to make allowance for the extension required at the pivoting
points, and at the same time requiring less material than when the mattress
is constructed in the ordinary manner, thus making a better article at a
cheaper rate.
I, J, and K, are different forms or modifications of hinges for folding
the mattress when lightly covered. L, Figs. 10 and 11, is another modifica-
tion of the hinge for folding the mattress when lightly covered, the hinge
being fastened both to the edge and side of the box for greater stability. C
Fig. 12, is one form of hinge for folding in the stuffing when the mattress is
heavily stuffed, bringing the pivoting points at the distance from each other of
about twice the thickness of the stuffing, and allowing the cases which contain
the stuffing to be attached to the bar or long arm of the hinge C, which
extends from one of the pivoting points to the other, and which strengthens
the box where it is cut, and prevents the sagging of the cases and the con-
sequent disarrangement of the springs at the point where they may be liable
to the greatest pressure and require to be most firmly secured. M, Fig. 7,
is another form or modification of hinge for accomplishing the same purpose.
N is an elevator for holding the head part or bolster at the required elevation,
the said elevator being made and. hinged as shewn in Figs. 6, 14, and 16.
O is the cord by which the elevator N may be raised and the bolster lowered,
as required, from the upper side of the mattress; tho said elevator being so
constructed and arranged as to fall into and retain its place in elevating the
bolster P. Figs. 2 and 4 is a triangular block or brace placed in the angle
between the slats F and side of the box A, where the said box is weakened
by the cut or cuts for folding, in order to give the requisite strength to that
part of the box. Q is a rectangular or stiffening piece applied in the same
place for the same purpose; sometimes it may be advisable to use both forms
of stiffeners, sometimes one form and sometimes the other may be preferable,
this depending entirely upon the circumstances of each case, and the materials
of which and the manner in which the box and slats may be constructed.
Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16, represent my mattress when the sides of the box
are replaced by springs and contiguous slats, and the folding is accomplished
by hinging the slats to each other by an interlacing webbing. In this case
the border springs are strengthened and protected from lateral displacement,
and the inward draught resisted by wire spring braces R, is represented in
Figs. 13, 15, and 17. The lower ends of the spring braces R are secured to
the slats upon which the spiral springs rest, and their upper ends are fastened
to the spiral springs above the middle part of the said spiral springs and below
the first coil, and it is fastened with twine to that coil of the spiral spring on

page_text: which it rides in its passage through or between the coils of the spiral springs
as represented in Fig. 17, this position being found best calculated to effect
the desired result. An interlacing of webbing U, as represented in Figs. 13
and 16, tacked or otherwise fastened to the slats F, preserves the slats in
their proper relative positions, and at the same time acts as elastic hinges
when the mattress is folded. For convenience in folding, the upper edges of
the slats are bevelled, as represented in Figs. 13 and 14.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Parker Kittle in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
PARKER KITTLE, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of New
York, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Samuel Parker Kittle, Her special license that J, the said Samuel
Parker Kittle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Samuel Parker Kittle, 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 FOLDING SPRING MATTRESSES, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Samuel Parker Kittle, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Parker Kittle, 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 fol-
lowing statement (that is to say) :-

page_text: NATURE OF THE INVENTION.
My Invention relates to the arrangements for folding a spring mattress, for
bracing and strengthening the necessary parts, for elevating, supporting, and
lowering the head part or bolster, as herein-after more fully described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view of the mattress folded, and also showing (in red lines)
the same extended horizontally; Figure 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the
same when folded; Figure 3, a vertical longitudinal section of the same in
skeleton or with light covering, and showing one mode of attaching the hinges;
Figure 4, a partial bottom view of the mattress when folded; Figure 5, a
vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the box of the mattress, showing
another form of hinge for folding the same; Figure 6, a side view of the mattress
with part of the box removed to show the elevator for supporting the head
part or bolster when raised, and showing (in red lines) the position of the parts
when folded; also showing another form or modification of the hinges upon
which the parts of the mattress are pivoted; Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal
section of a portion of the mattress at the point where it is folded, showing
another form of the hinges for folding in the stuffing; Figure 8, a top view of
binge for folding the mattress when the springs are covered lightly; Figure 9,
a section of Figure 8 through the line y, y, showing the form and position of
the said hinge when attached to the box; Figure 10, a top view, and Figure 11.
an inverted side view of another form of hinge for accomplishing the same
thing, the said hinge being fastened to the edge and side of the box for
securing additional strength; Figure 12 is a side view of a double-jointed hinge
which furnishes two pivoting points for folding the mattress when thickly
covered or stuffed; Figure 13, a plan in skeleton of the mattress (the covering
being removed) when a portion of the sides of the box are replaced by springs
and contiguous slats; Figure 14, a vertical longitudinal section of the same
with stuffing complete; Figure 15, a vertical transverse section of the same;
Figure 16, a view of the same folded, shown in perspective; and Figure 17,
a view of one of the border springs, showing the manner of attaching the
spring brace.
A is the box containing the springs, and to which are attached the cases
5 containing the stuffing; B, the outer case beneath and within which is the
stuffing; the said case being attached to the side of the box all around, or to

page_text: the box and hinges, or to the hinged slats, with tacks or in any other suitable
way, care being taken to attach the case in gathers, or with a gore at the
hinges or points where the mattress is folded, in order to preserve the case
from being strained or torn in folding, as represented at the point D, Figures 1
and 6. E are the springs resting upon the slats F, which slats run across and
form the foundation of the mattress and are secured as shown; the upper ends
of the said springs being kept in place by cords or by securing them to the
under case G which covers the springs E, is attached to the edges of the box A
or slats F, and intervenes between the springs E and stuffing H, when stuffed.
By attaching the cases G and B in the manner above described I am enabled
to produce a neat, close, and serviceable receptacle for the stuffing, to make
allowance for the extension required at the pivoting points, and at the same
time require less material than when the mattress is constructed in the ordi-
nary manner, thus making a better article at a cheaper rate.
I, J, and K are different forms or modifications of hinges for folding the mat-
tress when lightly covered; L, Figures 10 and 11, is another modification of
the hinge for folding the mattress when lightly covered, the hinges being both
at the edge and side of the box for greater stability; C is one form of hinge
for folding in the stuffing when the mattress is heavily stuffed, bringing the
pivoting points at the distance from each other of about twice the thickness of
the stuffing and allowing the cases which contain the stuffing to be attached to
the bar or long arm of the hinge C, which extends from one of the pivoting
points to the other, and which strengthens the box where it is cut, preventing
the sagging of the cases, and consequent disarrangement of the springs at the
point where they may be liable to the greatest pressure and require to be most
firmly secured; M is another form or modification of hinge for accomplishing
the same purpose; N an elevator for holding the head part or bolster at the
required elevation, the said elevator being made and hinged as shown in Figures
6, 14, and 16; O is the cord by which the elevator N may be raised and the
bolster lowered as required from the upper side of the mattress; the said
elevator being so constructed and arranged as to fall into and retain its place
in elevating the bolster; P is a triangular block or brace placed in the angle
between the slats F and the side of the box A, where the said box is weakened
by the cut or cuts for folding, in order to give the requisite strength to that
part of the box; Q is a rectangular or stiffening piece applied in the same
place for the same purpose; sometimes it may be advisable to use both forms
of stiffeners, sometimes one form and sometimes the other may be preferable,
this depending entirely upon the circumstances of each case, and the materials
of which and the manner in which the box and slats may be constructed.

page_text: Figures, 13, 14, 15, and 16, represent my mattress when the sides of the box
are replaced by springs and contiguous slats, and the folding is accomplished
by hinging the slats to each other by an interlacing webbing. In this case
the border springs are strengthened and protected from lateral displacement,
and the inward draught resisted by wire spring braces k, as represented in
Figures 13, 15, and 17. The lower ends of the spring braces are secured to
the slats upon which the spiral-springs rest, and their upper ends are fastened to
the spiral springs above the middle part of the said spiral springs and below
the first coil, and it is fastened with twine to that coil of the spiral spring on
which it rides in its passage through or between the coils of the spiral springs
as represented in Figure 17, this position being found best calculated to effect
the desiredresult. An interlacing of webbing U, as represented in Figures 13
and 16, tacked or otherwise fastened to the slats F, preserves the slats in their
proper relative positions, and at the same time acts as elastic hinges when the
mattress is folded. For convenience in folding, the upper edges of the slats
are bevelled as represented in Figures 13 and 14.

page_text: : Sixthly, replacing. the removed sides of the box by coiled springs laterally
braced, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Seventhly, attaching the bracing springs to the coiled supporting springs,
at a point below the upper coil and above the centre of the coiled springs,
substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Parker Kittle, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, One thousand
-eight hundred and sixty-five.
SAMUEL PARKER KITTLE. (LS.)