AN IMPROVED SPRING, SACKING OR FOUNDATION FOR A BED, MATTRESS, OR OTHER LIKE ARTICLE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hiram Tucker, of the State of Massachuetts, of
the United States of America, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SPRING,
SACKING OR FOUNDATION FOR A BED, MATTRESS, OR OTHER LIKE ARTICLE."
Sealed the 8th August 1856, and dated the 13th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hiram Tucker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th May 1856.
I, HIRAM TUCKER, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for AN IMPROVED
SPEING SACKING OR FOUNDATION FOR A BED, MATTRESS, OR OTHER LIKE ARTICLE," to
be as follows:
Figure 1 is a top view of it; Figure 2, a longitudinal section of it.
Figure 8, a transverse section of it.
In these Drawings, A represents a rectangular frame, formed of wood or
other suitable material. When used for a bedstead it may be about six feet
in length and four feet six inches in width, although I do not confine my
Invention to such proportions, as they may be varied as circumstances may
require. The said frame A serves to sustain a series of supporters or bearers
B, B, B, each of which is composed of an inflexible or slightly flexible or wooden

page_text: bar a, and two bars or rods b, b, upheld by or projecting from springs, supported
on or connected to the end bars c, c, of the frame A.
In the Drawings the two springs of each bearer are shewn at d, d, as formed
of wire bent in a helix form around two rods e, e, which are respectively
arranged directly over and properly supported on the said two bars c, c. One
end of each wire spring is inserted in its bar c, while the spring is continued
toward the bar a, so as to form a bearing, bar, or rod b, which with the bar a
when the bed foundation is in use, is to extend directly underneath a bed or
mattress when the latter is imposed upon the same. Instead of making the bar b
and the spring in one piece of wire, as described, the said bar 6 may be hinged
or otherwise properly connected to the bar c, and be upheld by or made to rest
on a spiral or other proper spring, interposed between its two ends, and resting
on the frame A, or being otherwise properly supported. The inner end of each
bar b, b, (or "lifter spring," as it may otherwise be termed,) is connected to the
adjacent end of its bar a by means of a flexible hanger or stirrup f, which may
be hinged or otherwise properly joined to both bars, so as to allow of their
proper vertical movements without unduly interfering one with the other. The
distance between the inner ends of the fellow lifter bars b, b, when they are
elevated to their highest positions, should be somewhat greater than the length
of their bar a, or sufficiently to allow of the movements of the connections f, f
during the vertical or other motions of each of the supporters while the bed
foundation is in use. The several supporters, so made, I arrange parallel to
one another, as shown in Figure 1, and connect them together by two or any
cther suitable. number of flexible bands g, g, (or their equivalents,) the said
flexible bands being fastened at their ends to the. frame A. Each band may
extend through or be otherwise connected to each of the bearers a, a, the
object being to prevent them from having too much lateral sway, and yet
allow the requisite amount thereof, as well as keep them at proper distances
asunder, and connect each bar or bearer with the other springs or bearers.
When a bed or mattress foundation is so constructed, it constitutes a light,
strong, and easy spring support for a cushion or mattress when the latter is
laid on it so as to extend entirely over its several bars a, a, and b, b..
I am aware that a wooden, metallic, or inflexible bar has been extended
entirely across a frame and supported on spiral springs, and that a series of
such bars and springs so applied to a frame has been used as a bed foundation;
I do not claim such, nor, consider the same as inaking part of i my Invention,
as a béd foundation so made after, being used a short time is liable to sag at
its middle, and it is objectionable in other respects. My great object has been
to produce an elastic, foundation having many advantages over that last

page_text: mentioned and with few or none of its defects; and I accomplish the same by
the means I have described; consequently I claim as my Invention the
improved bed foundation as made with its supporters connected substantially
as specified, 'and each of them composed of three bars, or their equivalents,
arranged, applied together, and having the two outer bars upheld by springs,
essentially as described, the said arrangement causing the three bars or parts
of each supporter when a mattress is laid thereon to extend underneath and
give support to such mattress, substantially as explained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hiram Tucker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HIRAM
TUCKER, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, A.D. 1856, in the nineteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Hiram Tucker, Her special license that I, the said Hiram
Tucker, my'executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Hiram Tucker, 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, éxercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of AN IMPROVED SPRING
SACKING OR FOUNDATION FOR A BED, MATTRESS, OR OTHER LIKE ARTICLE, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hiram Tucker, by an in-
strument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Hiram Tucker, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-

page_text: Figure 1 is a top view of my said Invention; Figure 2, à longitudinal
section of it; and Figure 3, a transverse section of it.
In these Drawings, A represents a rectangular frame, formed of wood or
other suitable material. When used for a bedstead, it may be about six feet.
in length and four feet six inches in width, although I do not confine my
Invention to such proportions, as they may be varied as circumstances may
require. The said frame A serves to sustain a series of supporters or bearers
B, B, B, each of which is composed of an inflexible or slightly flexible or
wooden bar a, and two bars or rods b, b, upheld by or projecting from springs
supported on or connected to the end bars c, c, of the frame A.
In the Drawings the two springs of each bearer are shown at d, d, as formed
of wire bent in a helix form around two rods e, e, which are arranged re-
One end
spectively directly over and properly supported on the said bars c, c.
of each wire spring is inserted in its bar c, while the spring is continued
towards the bar a, so as to form a bearing, bar, or rod b, which with the bar a,
when the bed foundation is in use, is to extend directly underneath a bed or
mattress, when the latter is imposed on the same. Instead of making the bar b
and the spring in one piece of wire, as described, the said bar b may be hinged
or otherwise properly connected to the bar c, and be upheld by or made to rest
on a spiral or other proper shaped spring, interposed between its two ends,
and resting on the frame A, or being otherwise properly supported. The
inner end of each bar b, b, (or "lifter spring, as it may otherwise be termed,)
is connected to the adjacent end of its bar a by means of a flexible hanger or
stirrup f, which may be hinged or otherwise properly jointed to both bars, so
as to allow of their proper vertical movements without improperly interfering
one with the other. The distance between the inner ends of the fellow lifter
bars b, b, when they are elevated to their highest positions, should be somewhat
greater than the length of their bar a, or sufficiently so to allow of the move-
ments of the connexions f, f, during the vertical or other motions of each of
the supporters while the bed foundation is in use.
The several supporters, so made, I arrange parallel to one another, as shown
in Figure 1, and connect themi by two or any other suitable number of flexible
bands g, g, (or their equivalents,) the said flexible bands being fastened at their
ends to the frame A. Each band may extend through or be otherwise con-
nected to each of the bearers a, a, the object being to prevent them from
having too much lateral sway, and yet allow the requisite amount thereof, as
well as keep them at proper distances asunder, and connect each bar or bearer
with the other springs or bearers.
When a bed or mattress foundation is so constructed, it constitutes a light,

page_text: strong, and easy spring support for a cushion or mattress, when the latter is
laid on it so as to extend entirely over its several bars a, a, ano b, b.
I am aware that a wooden, metallic, or inflexible bar has been extended
entirely across a frame and supported on spiral springs, and that a series of
such bars and springs so applied to a frame has been used as a bed foundation;
I do not claim such, nor consider the same as making part of my Invention,
as a bed foundation so made after being used a short time is liable to sag at
its middle, and it is objectionable in other respects. My great object has been
to produce an elastic foundation having many advantages over that last men-.
tioned and with few or none of its defects, and I accomplish the same by the
means which I have described; consequently I claim as my Invention the
improved bed foundation, as made with its supporters, connected substantially
as specified, and each of them composed of three bars, or their equivalents,
arranged, applied together, and having the two outer bars upheld by springs,
essentially as described, the said arrangement causing the three bars or parts
of each supporter when a mattress is laid thereon to extend underneath and
give support to such mattress, substantially as herein-before explained.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and affixed my
seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
HIRAM TUCKER. (L.S.)