Improvements in and relating to Woven Wire and similar Mattresses, and to Means for Connecting them to Bedsteads, Berths, Seats, and Couches.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th June, 1893--Accepted, 15th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Woven Wire and similar Mattresses,
and to Means for Connecting them to Bedsteads, Berths, Seats,
and Couches.
WC, ANDREW RATHBONE, and SAMUEL TAYLOR, both of the Friar's Green
Mills, Warrington in the County of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturers, do
hereby declare, the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to woven wire and other similar spring surface mattresses
and its object is to connect the mattresses with the bedsteads berths seats and
couches in such a manner and by such means that the ordinary framing and
stretching bolts are dispensed with.
According to these improvements, the end bars or angles of the bedstead bottom
or the like are not cast into the corner blocks, but are made separately with the
usual dovetail projections to fit into the corner blocks. The dovetail recesses in
the corner blocks may be arranged horizontally or vertically and the end bars may
be either straight or arched or curved. The ends of the mattress,are riveted
directly upon the end bars and its tension is secured by means of adjustable side
bars which are secured in lugs cast upon the corner blocks, or posts and their
adjustment may be effected by screws in various ways. Thus, the side bars. may
be secured in the. corner blocks at one. end, and at, the, other end, they may be
tapped for the reception of tightening screws passing, through the lugs of the corner
blocks at that end. The outsides of the tubes may also be screwed for lock nuts
which are tightened on the inner sides of the lugs. The screwed parts of the tubes
may be protected if desired by sleeves, which may or may not be connected with
the lock nuts. Or, the side bars may be secured at each end in the lugs, and be
divided in their length, the divided parts being screwed respectively with right
and left hand threads and connected with corresponding couplings and nuts.
Alternatively, any suitable arrangement may be employed which will, by the
rotation of a screw on of a nut, or of screws or nuts, increase the effective length of
the side bars,, when it is required to stretch the mattress.
When arched or curved end bars are used, and in other cases also, if desired, the
edges of the mattress may be connected with, the. side, bars by rings, and in this
case, a stretcher may be employed between the side bars to counteract any tendency
of the mattress.to bend the side bars.
Dated this 9th day of September A:D. 1892.
WILLIAM E., HEYS,
Agent for, the Applicants.
. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
35 Improvements.in, and relating to Woven Wire and similar Mattresses,
and to Means for. Connecting them to Bedsteads, Berths, Seats,
and Couches.
We, ANDREW RATHBONE and SAMUEL TAYLOR both of the Erian's Green
Mills, Warrington, in the County of Lascaster, Mattress Manufacturers, do
40 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:-
This invention relates to woven wire and other similar-spring surface-mattresses
and its object is to connect the mattresses-with the bedsteads' berths seats and

page_text: couches in such a manner and by such means that the ordinary framing and
stretching bolts are dispensed with."
According to these improvements, the end bars or angles of the bedstead bottoms
or the like are not cast into the corner blocks, but are made separately with the
usual dovetail projections to fit into the corner blocks. The dovetail recesses in the
corner blocks may be arranged horizontally or vertically and the end bars may be
either straight arched or curved. The ends of the mattress are riveted or secured
directly upon the end bars, and its tension is ensured by means of adjustable side
bars, which are secured in lugs cast upon the corner blocks or posts and their
adjustment may be effected by screws in various ways. Thus, the side bars may be
secured in the corner blocks at one end, and at the other end they may be tapped
for the reception of tightening screws passing through the lugs of the corner blocks
at that end. The outsides of the tubes may also be screwed for lock nuts which
may be tightened on the inner sides of the lugs. The screwed parts of the tubes
may be protected if desired by sleeves which may or may not be connected with
the lock nuts. Or, the side bars may be secured at each end in the lugs and be
divided in their lengths, the divided part being screwed respectively with right
and left hand threads and connected with corresponding couplings and nuts.
Alternatively, any suitable arrangement may be employed which will, by the
rotation of a screw or of a nut, or of screws or nuts, increase the effective length of
the side bars, when it is required to stretch the mattress.
When arched or curved end bars are used, and in other cases also if desired, the
edges of the mattress may be connected with the side bars by rings, and in this case
a stretcher may be employed between the side bars to counteract any tendency of
the mattress to bend the side bars.
We will more particularly describe our said invention with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bedstead and mattress constructed to embody
these improvements and Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are details.
In each of the figures A A are the posts; B B the corner blocks; C C the
end bars; and DD the side bars.
We have, in the drawings, represented our improvements as applied to a bedstead,
and it will be understood that as the application to a couch berth seat or the like
will be very similar, it is not necessary to represent these applications separately.
We have also represented the end bars C C as being curved, but they may be
straight or arched as may be desired to suit particular uses or conditions.
The mattress E, is securely connected to the end bars CC by rivets or by other
suitable means. These end bars, as already described, are not cast in or upon the
corner blocks as at present, but are formed separately, just as the existing side bars
are formed, and they may be secured to the corner blocks just as the existing side
bars are secured or by any other suitable and convenient means. By this
arrangement the mattress may be rolled into a very small compass for transport.
Figures 23 and 4 represent in side and end view and in plan respectively one
means which we may employ for increasing the effective length of the side bars and
thus for stretching the mattress. The side bars D are tubular and have at one or at
both ends either an internal screw thread, or a tapped nut therein as shewn at F,
Figure 2. In this internal screw thread or nut there is fitted a screw G, which
may be rotated by a cranked handle H or a spanner or key fitting upon a square
end. The corner block B is recessed for the reception of the end of the side bar;
and a shoulder formed upon the screw rests upon the bottom of the recess which thus
forms an abutment for the screw. There may or may not be cast upon the corner
block, a sleeve I, to guide and strengthen the side bar, and to hold it when the
mattress has been so considerably stretched as to take the end of the side bar
beyond the normal boundary of the corner block, and an indiarubber ring may be
inserted between the sleeve and side bar to prevent noise.
:
As shewn by Figure 2 the end bars are secured in the corner blocks by
horizontal dovetails, which would of course be tapered in the direction of the pull,

page_text: but we do not limit ourselves to this arrangement although we at present prefer
to use it.
An alternative means for stretching the mattress is illustrated by Figures 5
and 6 of which Figure 5 is a side view and Figure 6 an end view. In this case the
end of each side bar is externally screwed, and passes right through the corner
block on the inner side of which there is a tightening nut, and on the outer side
a lock-nut J. A sleeve is preferably employed in this case also to cover the
screw thread and it may be formed in one with the lock-nut J.
In either of the cases illustrated, the rotation of the side bar may be prevented
by fixing one end in the corner block opposite to that at which the regulation is
effected.
It is evident that the effective lengths of the side bars may be increased so as to
take up the stretch of the mattress by other means than those described, and which
are well known and in common use for similar purposes. Thus the side bar may be
fixed in the corner blocks at each end, be divided somewhere in the length and have
the two parts connected by couplings fitted upon right and left hand screw threads,
so that by rotating in one direction the length of the bar is increased and by
rotating it oppositely, its length is diminished.
A convenient means for fixing the ends of the side bars in the corner blocks
consists in forming a slot at the end of the bar, and fitting in a recess of the corner
block a key or projection adapted to be engaged by the slot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination and arrangement with a woven wire mattress, of two end bars
secured thereto, the end bars having thereon means or devices by which they may
be secured to the bedstead berth couch seat or the like with which the mattress is
to be employed, substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a bedstead couch berth seat or the like in which the mattress is secured to
the end bars, means for increasing the effective length of the side bars, for the
purpose of taking up the stretch of the mattress, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. The hereinbefore described method of connecting a mattress with a bedstead
couch berth seat or the like in such a manner that the ordinary mattress framing
and stretching bolts therein are dispensed with, and which consists essentially in
connecting the mattress to the end bars and in taking up the stretch by means of
extensible side bars, substantially as set forth and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of June A.D. 1893.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.