Certain Improvements in Wire Fabric for Mattresses, Bed Bottoms, Mats, and other Uses.
Year: 1895

page_text: This Punt is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands
after Amendment (under Section 1 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as
required by the decision of the Law Office of the 5th day of April
1897.
Date of Applicati n. 15th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left 14th Mar.. 1896-1ccepted, 18th Apr.. 1975
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Wire Fabric for Mattresses, Bed Bottoms,
Mats, and other Uses.
We, HENRY CROSSLEY, trading as the Crossley Wire Mattress Manufacturing
Company, of Railway Works, Saint Paul's Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham,
Worcestershire, Wire Mattress Manufacturer, SIDNEY HERBERT SHENSTONE
and FREDERICK WILLIAM CROSSLBY, both of Railway Works, aforesaid, Wire
Mattress Manufacturer's Managers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to bo as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacturo of wire fabric for use in
mattresses, bed bottoms, mats and other uses. The first part of this invention
consists of the hereindescribed improvements in the formation of what are
commonly known as strengthening strips or rolls which are used in connection
with and at the edges or other parts of coiled wire mattresses, bed bottoms, mats
and other wire articles
According to one method of carrying out this first part of this invention we take
any convenient number of single or compound wire spirals. By a compound wire
spiral we mean a spiral which consists of two or more spiral strands coiled together
to form one coil of several strands. These spirals we place together in a bundle
and bind them together by one or more encircling wire coils preferably of stonter
wire which will thus he in the hollows of the spirals forming the bundle. Or we
may use cord or other material to bind the wire spirals together. This encircling
wire coil or these encircling wire coils may also if desired be covered by one or more
emall closely coiled spirals wires; or one or more of these closely coiled spiral wires
may be used alone without the internal wire or wires for binding the bundle of spiral
wires together. We thus form strong and ornamental strengthening bands or rolls
which can conveniently be used in wire mattresses and other of the said wire
articles at the edges of the samo or at other part either above or below or woven
into the main fabric of the mattress or other article and either running long-
tudinally, obliquely, crosswise or in any other direction as may bo desired so as
to add to the strength and appearance of the mattress or other article. Or instead
of employing wire as stated above for encircling and binding together the wire
spirals we may use cord cane or other suitable material We may use wire rings
at intervals for connecting the roll or band to the body of the mattress or other
article.

page_text: According to another part of this invention we combine in the formation of the
said strengthening bands or rolls and also in the formation of the body of the fabrio,
one or more stout or other zigzag wires or zig-zag wire coils with which the wire
coils of the fabric engage thus considerably strengthening the wire fabric Wo
may for instance, in unking a strengthening band or roll according to the second
part of our invention, take a piece of stout wire which is bent into a zigzag of
about the width of the required band or roll and then cause any number of spiral
coils to engage with this zig-zag wire and with each other in various ways, or
engage with the zig-zag wire alone, and thus form the required strengthening
band or roll. Thoro inay bo two or moro of these zig-zag wires used together in
place of a stout single zig-zag wire, also this zig-zag wire or these zig-zag wires
may be covered by a closely coiled fine wire spiral so as to have an ornamental
effect in the fabric.
We also employ the said zig-zag wires, or zig-zag wires covered by closely coiled
fine wire spal, in the body of the fabric, arranged side by side or crossing each
other and running longitudinally or otherwise along the fabric at the edges or other
parts of the fabric and engaging with the combined or single wire spirals of the
body of the fabric so as with these wire spirals to form a continuous fabric; or to
merely form strengthening zig-zags in the same. We may also use the sud zig-zag
wires at the edges of the coiled wire fabric engaging with the edge coils of the
same and hanging down at the sides so as to be convenient for suspending the
valances from, or for the attachment of the wire fabric of the bed bottom to
the bedstead sides. For these purposes there may be wire or other rings or
loops or hooks threaded on to the zig-zag wires. Instead of using zig-zag
wires as stated above we may use cord cane or other suitablo matorial bont
iuto tho zig-zag form o threaded into the coiled wire fabric in al zig-zag
manner.
According to another part of this invention we make oach of the strongthoning
bands or rolls of one or more coiled wires or spirals around which is wound a
closely coiled fine wire spiral; and with the fine wire coils of this closely coiled
outer spiral the edge coils or other couls of the body of the fabric engage so as to
secure the said strengthening coils.thereto.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agout for the Applicants
Certain Improvements in Wire Fabric for Mattresses, Bed Bottoms,
Mats, and other Uses.
We, HENRY CROSSLEY, trading as the Crossley Wire Mattress Manufacturing
Company, of Railway Works, Saint Paul's Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham,
Worcestershire, Wire Mattress Manufacturer, SIDNEY HERBERT SHENSTONE
and FREDERICK WILLIAM CROSSLEY, both of Railway Works, aforesaid, Wire
Alattress Manufacturer's Managers, do 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 stateinont
This invention has reference to the manufacture of wire fabric for use in
mattresses, bed bottoms mats and other uses. The first part of this invention
consists of the heredescribed unprovements in the formation of what are
commonly known as strengthening strips or rolls which are used in connection with

page_text: and at the edges or other parts of coiled wire mattresses, bed bottoms, mats and
other wire articles.
In carrying out the first part of this invention we take any convenient number
of single or compound wire spirals which may either be, separate from each other
or engaging together. By a compound wire spiral we mean a spiral which consists
of two or more spirn! wires coiled together to form one spiral of several wires.
These spirals we place together in a bundle and bind them together by one or more
encircling small closely coiled spiral wires which lie in the hollows of the spirals
forming the bundle This encircling closely coiled spiral wire or wires may have a
core of wire, cane, cord or other suitable material threaded within it so as to
strengthen the same. We thus form strong and ornamental strengthening bands or
rolls which can conveniently be used in wire mattresses and other of the said wire
articles at the edges of the same or at other parts either above or below or woven
in the main fabric of the mattress or other article and either running longitudinally,
obliquely, crosswise or in any other direction as may be desired so as to add to tho
strength and appearance of the mattresses or other articles of wire fabric.
may use wire rings at intervals for connecting the sand rolls or bands to the body
fabric of the mattress or other article.
On the accompanying drawings
We
Fig. 1 represents a portion of one of the said strengthening rolls made of a
number of single wire spirals marked a bound together in a bundle by the
encircling closely coiled spiral wire which is bound round and hes in the hollows
of the spirals a forming the bundle. These spirals a before being gathered
together into the bundle were separate from each other and not engaging with one
another. Only a small portion of this roll is represented as finished and the
remaining portion is represented as unfinished so as the better to shew the
formation of the same. The encircling closely coiled spiral wire bis in fact a long
coiled wire spring of small diameter which being to a certain extent elastic binds
the separate spirals a closely together and yet permits of considerable flexibility of
the roll.
Fig. 2 shows a portion of one of our said improved strengthening rolls made of a
bundle of ordinary compound spirals c in this case seven in number (but there may be
more or less according to the strength required) made separate froin each other and
not engaging with each other and bound together by the oucircling small closely
coiled spiral wire b which is wound round the bundle of compound spirals c and les
in the hollows of the bundle as shewn.
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of tlus strengthening roll and Fig 4 shows one of
the ordinary separate compound spirals of which the latter is made.
+
It is to be understood that our said strengthening rolls (or cables as they are
sometimes called) are used in the wire fabric in the same ways that other well
knowu rolls or strengthening cables are used, that is to say, the spiral wires forming
the fabric are engaged with the single or compound spirals forming the roll or with
the encircling small closely coiled spiral wire 6 or with rings fixed to or formed
with the same.
Fig. 5 shews in plan and Fig. 6 in cross section one of the strengthening coils such
as shewn in Fig. 2 connected to the spirals d of the wire fabric body by small wiro
rings e which are threaded on to the encircling closely coiled spiral wire band through
which the coiled wire d is threaded.
Fig. 7 shews another similar strengthening roll or cable with some of the coils f
of the encircling spiral b bent outwardly along the edge so as to form eyes for the
attachment of the strengthening hand to the edge or to the body of the wire fabric
The small encircling closely coiled spiral wiro b shewn in Figs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 may
as before stated be strengthened by one or more cores of wire, cord or other suitable
material threaded through it as shown for instance by Fig. 8 whore two of the said
cores are used and marked g' g³.
Other forms of our said strengthening rolls made in accordance with the first part
of our invention are illustrated by Figs. 9 to 21 both inclusive. In these rolls

page_text: (represented by Figs. 9, 11, 14, 16, 18 and 20) the single or compound wire spirals
are engaged or coiled together in various ways as in some kinds of coiled wire body
fabrics (which we will now describe) before being bundled together.
Tho roll shewn by Fig. 9 is formed of a bundle of thirteen wire spirals a (but we
do not confine ourselves to any particular number) which are first woven or coiled
together to make a strip of fabric such as shown by Fig 10 and are then bundled
together and bound together by the encircling closely coiled small spiral wire ₺ lying
in the spiral hollows of the bundle as in Fig. 9.
In our roll shewn by Fig. 11 the single wire spirals a are first woven or coiled
together in lots of four as in Fig. 13, which when closed together will form a small
bundle as in Fig. 12 Several (say eight but we do not limit ourselves to any
particular number) of these small bundles Fig. 12 are then held together by tho
hands to make the large bundle or roll shewn by Fig. 11 and bound together by the
encircling closely coiled small wire spiral 6 lying in the spiral hollows of the bundle
as shown.
In our roll shewn by Fig. 14 the compound wire spirals c (which each consists of
two wires) are first woven or coiled together to make a strip of fabric such as shewn
by Fig. 15 and are then bundled together and bound together by the oncircling
closely coiled small spiral wire & lying in the spinal hollows of the bundle as in
Fig 14.
In our roll shown by Fig. 16 the compound wire spirals of which the bundle is
formed are first woven or coiled togethor in lots of four as in Fig. 17. Each of
these compound wire spirals are marked respectively c¹ ccc and they each
consist of two wires. These four compound spirals are then closed together so as to
form a small bundle. Several (say six but we do not limit ourselves to any particular
number) of these small bundles ure then held by the hands to make the large bundle
shewn by Fig. 16 and bound together by the encircling closely coiled wire spiral b
lying in the spiral hollows of the bundle as shewn. We may similarly make a roll
of small bundles each consisting of two three or more than four compound wire
spirals woven or coiled together as in Fig. 17.
.
The roll shewn by Fig. 18 is made of a bundle of four small bundles of spiral
wires which are woven oi coiled together as shown in Fig. 19 and are then bound
together as in the other rolls by the encircling closely coiled small spiral wire b.
A similar roll may be formed of two three or more than four of the small bundlos
Fig 19 which it will be seen consists of six compound wire spirals marked
respectively cccccccnch spiral made of two wires. These are woven or coiled
together as shown in Fig. 19 which will be clearly understood by an examination of
this figure.
In our roll shown by Fig. 20 the compound wire spirals e (which each consist of
two wires) are first woven or coiled together to make a strip of fabric such as shewn
by Fig. 21 and are then bundled together when it will be found that there will be
two spiral hollows marked in Fig. 20 and therefore two of the encircling closely
coiled small spiral wires marked respectively have to be used respectively in
the spiral hollows to bind the bundle of wires together. This roll is by preference
formed of twenty wire spirals but this number may be increased or diminished
according to the thickness of the roll required.
According to another part of this invention which is illustrated by Figs. 22 to 32
of our drawings we combine in the several ways hereindescribed in the formation of
the said strengthening bands or rolls, and also in the formation of the body of the
fabric, one or more stout or other zig-zag wires, or zig-zag wire coils, with which
the wire coils of the fabrio engage thus considerably strengthening the wire fabrio.
Wo may for instance in making a strengthening band or roll according to this
second part of our invention take a piece of stout wire which is bent into a zig-zag
of about the width of the required band or roll and then cause any number of
spiral coils to engage with this zig-zag wire and with each other in various ways or
to engage with the zig-zag alone and thus form tho required strengthening band
. or roll.
"

page_text: The strengthening band shown in plan by Fig. 22 and in cross section by Fig. 23,
consists of a zig-zag wire g (shewn separately in plan and edge by Fig. 24) and the
three compound wire spirals c c c coiled into the zig-zag wire g and engaging
with the same and thus forming a narrow flat strengthening hand. If a wider
strengthening band of the same charactor is required the zig-zags of the wire are
made deoper and a larger number of the compound wire spirals have to be employed.
as will readily be understood.
Fig. 25 is a modification of the form shewn by Figs. 22 and 23 the difference
being that in this case the compound spirals c c at the edges of the band are ench
made with only two wires and the central compound spiral consists of eight spiral
wires. It will be evident that the number of spiral wires which are combined with
tbe zig-zag wire can be increased or diminished to form many other designs without
departing from the nature of this part of our invention.
In Fig. 26 (which represents one of our improved strengthening bands or rolls in
plan and in cross section) the zig-zag wire g is combined with five compound wire
spirals marked respectively c' e c³ c² cb It will be soon that this arrangement is
made like those above described and shewn by Figs. 22 and 23 with the addition of
the compound wire spirals cc coiled respectively into the central coil so as to
make a stouter strengthening band.
Fig. 27 is a plan and Fig. 28 is a cross section of a further modification of this
part of our invention. In this modification the zig-zag wire 9 is made somewhat
deeper than in the example shewn by Fig. 26 and has seven compound wire spirals
combined with it and marked respectively c¹ c² c³cc³ c². The spiral wires c cz
care coiled into the zig-zag wire g in the same manner as in the example shown
by Fig. 22. The compound wire spiral is coiled into the edge coil and the
compound spiral c is coiled into the edge coil c and into these compound spiral
wires cc is coiled the seventh wire spiral e thus giving the appearance shown by
Figs. 27 and 28.
It will be evident that in place of the stout single zig-zag wie g there may be
two or more thinner zig-zag wires used together Also the g-zag wires g may if
dosired be covered by a closely coiled fine wire spiral as in Fig 31 so as to bava
an ornamental effect in the fabric.
We also employ the said aig-zag wires g, either covered by a closely coiled thin
wire spiral or not so covered, in the body of the coiled wire fabric arranged side by
side or crossing each other and running longitudinally along the collod wiro fabric
at the edges or other parts of the fabric and engaging with the compound or single
wire spirals of the body of the fabric so as with these wire spials to form
a continuous fabric, or to merely form strengthening zig-zags in the same.
We may
also use the said zig-zag wires at the edges of the coiled wie fabric engaging with
the edge coils of the same and hanging down at the sides so as to be convenient for
suspending valances from or for the attachment of the wire fabric of the bed
bottom to the bedstead sides. For these purposes there may be wire or other rings;
or loops or hocks threaded on to the zig-zag wires 9.
Fig. 29 shews one way of arranging the zig-zag wire g in the edge of the fabric
so as to strengthen the same the wire spirals forming the fabric being coiled
in tho zig-zag wire in the manner which will easily be understood by an
examination of Fig. 29.
Fig. 30 shews the edge portion of the body fabric with the edge coil c' engaging
with the zig-zag wire which latter bus forms a convenient means for attachment
of the wire fabric to the bed bottom or to the bedstead sides which can be done by
the projecting loops g of the zig-zag wires y being passed over the usual studs on
the angle iron sides of the bedste id. The zig-zag wire airauged in the edge of the
fabric in this way may also be used to hang down along the sides of the wire fabric
of the mattress for the attachment of tho valances which can be pinned or hooked
or otherwise connected to the depending loops g'.
In combination with the zig-zag wire g when arranged at the edge of the fabric
hooks for instance such as marked in Fig. 27 may be arranged at intervals
b

page_text: engaging with the zig-zag wire g for the purposes of attaching the sides of the
woven wire fabric of the bed bottom on the angle iron sides of the bedstead or for
attachment of the valances as may be required.
Fig. 31 shews how the zig-zag wires g may be combined in the body of the fabric
and may also if desired be covored by a closoly coiled fine wire spiral b. It will be
seen in this figure the zig-zag wires are used alternately with the wire spirals c¹ c²
which latter are arranged in pairs although it will be understood there may be more
than two spirals between the zig-zag wiros g according to taste and the strength
required in the fabric.
Fig. 32 shews another piece of body fabric, or it may be a strengthening band, in
which two of the zig-zag wires g are used in combination with the compound wire
spirals of the fabric.
According to another part of this invention which is illustrated by Fig. 33 wo
make each of the strengthening rolls of a compound wire spiral i which is made of
sufficient spiral wires to come together and form a close spiral and around these is
wound the encircling sinall closely coiled wire b with the coils of which the edge
coils or other coils of the body of the coiled wire fabric engage so as to secure the
strengthening coil thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said iuven-
tion and in what manner the suno is to be performed, we wish it to bo under-
stood that we are aware that it has previously been proposed to bundle or faggot
wires and bind the same with wire in order to form strengthening strips or rolls, and
we make no claim to such construction generally, but we declare that what we
claim is
1. The use of one or more small closely coiled wire springs for binding or socuring
the strengthening rolls of wire fabrics substantially as described with reference to
Figs 1 to 20 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In coiled wire strengthening stups or rolls for coiled wire fabrics the use of zig-
zag wires in the same plane for binding the compound wire spirals arranged and
engaging together in any of the several ways substantially as berembefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. In the edges of coiled wire fabric for mattresses bed bottoms and the like the
einployment of zig-zag wires such as y engaging with the spiral wires at or near the
edges of the fabric and thus forming a series of loops such as gl for the purposes
and substantially as horeinbefore described with reference to Figs. 29 and 30 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. Making coiled wire fabric for mattresses bed bottoms and the like of
a combination of zig-zag wires and spiral wires engaging with each othor and with
the zig-zag wires at intervals, substantially as bei einbefore described with reference
of Fig. 31 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a coiled wire mattress or bed bottom or the like the employment of coiled
wire strengthening rolls as shown by Fig. 33 consisting of a central compound wire
spiral having wound round it a small closely coiled spiral wire such as 6 with which
the wire spirals of the body fabric engage substantially as herembefore described
and shown by Fig. 33 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of March 1896
OHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.