An Improved Pneumatic Bed or Mattress.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pneumatic Bed or Mattress.
We, SAMUEL DAWES, of 34, Ivanhoe Road, Camberwell, London, S.E., Inventor,
and LIZZIE DAWES, of 34, Ivanhoe Road, Camberwell, London, S.E., Lady, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic beds or mattresses & in
order to carry our invention into effect we require a wood frame which may have a
piece of metal bent hook shape (section thus n) attached all round to the outside
edge of frame, or we may use a sufficiently strong metal frame, bent hook shape
as section shown. To & over the whole surface of this frame we secure a piece of
sheet india-rubber of sufficient strength to carry the air cushion when weight is
brought to bear upon it, & we secure the said sheet india-rubber to the frame in
either of the following manners. If a wood frame we may cement the said sheet
india-rubber to the frame by means of india-rubber solution, or we may insert a
piece (or pieces) of flat wire into one edge of a strip of rubbered canvas (or any
other suitable material) securing the flat wire in the groove of metal frame (section
shown) & turning the other edge of rubbered canvas (not containing the wire) up
& over the outside of metal frame, & to this edge of rubbered canvas we may secure
the said sheet india-rubber by means of india-rubber solution. The sheet india-
rubber may have an aperture sufficiently large to allow of the air cushion being
contracted or replaced, also, for ventilation, & the aperture may be laced together.
The air cushion is then placed upon the said sheet india-rubber which carries the
air cushion & acts as a spring when weight is brought to bear upon it. The air
cushion may be made of india-rubber or air proof cloth & may be made by inserting
tubes where necessary, so that the uniform principle of buttoning may be done by
fastening the covers through the tubing to the underside of sheet india-rubber.
The air cushion may then be covered with any suitable material & secured in either
of the following manners. The covering may be tacked to the outside edge of
wood frame, (if no grooved metal attachment) or it may be attached by a second
flat wire inserted in the groove of the metal frame in the same manner as the first
wire (already described), but may be secured by stitching instead of cementing.
.
Dated this Third day of March 1897.

page_text: hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
Our invention relates to improvements in pneumatic beds or mattresess. Hitherto
air beds & matresess, have the air confined within very narrow limits, which causes
the air to oscillate under the movement of the body, moreover if the bed or matress
is made from a non-elastic material, such as air proof cloth, the weight of the body
will so compress the air as to render the bed or mattress, hard & uncomfortable.
To obviate these objections, we carry & support the air cushion upon a flexible sheet
rubber basis. This sheet rubber basis may be cemented to the edge (& carried over
the surface) of a wood frame, made the required size & strength, by means of india-
rubber solution, this being found the most suitable adhesive. Or the flexible
rubber basis, may be secured in the following manner. To the outside edge of wood
frame we secure a light grooved metal frame (section thus) or if preferred, this
metal frame may be made sufficiently strong to dismiss a wood frame.
This
Into the groove of this metal frame is inserted one side edge of a band, (two or
three inches wide as required,) made from air proof, cloth, rubbered canvas, or any
other suitable material. The edge of band that is inserted in the groove of metal
frame contains flat wire, cut into suitable lengths. & of greater width than the width
of the groove of metal frame, being cut into suitable lengths facilitates them being
withdrawn when required, to the other side edge of band is secured the edge of
flexible rubber basis, by means of india-rubber solution. This sheet rubber basis
may have an aperture in the centre, sufficiently large to extract or replace the air
cushion, also may be perforated as a means of ventillation. The edges of the aper-
ture may be strengthened by cementing any strip of non-elastic material to them.
The aperture can also be laced together after the manner of a football cover.
flexible rubber basis acts as a powerful spring when weight is put upon the bed
or mattress. The air cushion which comes between the cover & the rubber basis,
is preferably made of flexible rubber, but may be made from any air proof material.
The valves, the means of inflation & deflation may be place in any convenient
part of the air cushion. In effecting the process of buttoning the air cushion is
made with rubber tubes passing through it where necessary, so that the cord
securing the button, may be taken from the outside of cover, through the tubes in
cushion, to the underside of rubber basis, & secured by any suitable means. A small
nut & pin being very effectual: Covers may be made from any suitable material,
& may be secured in either of the following manners. If a wood frame is used
(without a grooved metal frame attached) the covers are secured by tacking to the
edge of wood frame. If a grooved metal frame is used, the covers are secured
to a second band, in one side edge of which is inserted suitable lengths of flat wire
exactly like the one to which the flexible rubber basis is secured, & which fits into
the groove of metal frame behind the first one, & to the other side edge of this band
is secured the cover by stitching or otherwise. By this means the cover is detachable,
as by deflating the air cushion, the band to which the cover is secured will easily
withdraw. In order that our invention may be thoroughly understood we annex
drawings.
Fig. I shows the underside of bed or mattress with frame, flexible rubber basis,
& laced aperture.
Fig. 2 is a cross section on line A, B of Fig. I showing the following:
A rep. section of wood frame.
B rep. grooved metal frame when attached to wood frame.
C rep. the screw or nail securing metal frame & wood frame together.
D rep. the band to which is secured the flexible rubber basis.
E rep. the wire contained in one edge of band secured in the groove of metal
frame.
F rep. the edge of sheet rubber basis secured to the band.
G rep. the air cushion carried & supported upon the flexible rubber basis,

page_text: H rep. the cover secured to the second band exactly in the same manner as the
rubber basis to the first band, but either by sfitching or cementing.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said
invention, & in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
First. In pneumatic beds or mattresess, the carrying & supporting of an inflated
cushion upon a flexible rubber basis.
Second. The securing of the flexible rubber basis to a band, one side edge of which
is secured in a grooved,metal frame as described.
Third. The securing of the cover to a second band one side edge of which is
secured in a grooved metal frame as described.
Fourth. A grooved metal frame as described for the purposes aforesaid.
Dated this 1st day of December 1897