Improvements in Mattresses.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mattresses.
I, HEINRICH ACKERMANN, of 13, Kottbuser Damm, of Berlin, Kingdom of
Prussia, German Empire, Telegraphist do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 a mattress the first characteristic feature of which resides
in the mattress consisting of at least two parts, or of two or more parts respectively.
These parts must be arranged in a plane to form a mattress of normal size. With
regard to their position the said parts may be exchanged one for the other and each of
them may be used either with its upper surface or with its lower one.
The purpose of my invention is to do away with the drawbacks resulting from the
different strains which the different places of the mattress are exposed to in the practical
use of the latter; in other words, the strains shall be uniformly distributed over the
whole of the mattress by exchanging the parts in proper time.
In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing I have shown a mattress which in this
case is composed of the three parts A A' A 2. The part A is represented in Figure 2
on an enlarged scale, and this part (as well as each of the other ones) consists of the
stuffing material a, a number of spiral springs b (Figures 3-5) and a cover or
envelope c. Owing to the purpose intended the parts of the mattress cannot be
furnished with a rigid frame, as is the case in ordinary mattresses, nor can they be left
without any frame, as otherwise the proper shape could not bo maintained. Therefore,
in my improved construction I make use of pliable or elastic frames which are formed
by connecting the upper ends as well as the lower ends of the outer series of the
springs by wires (said wires being either suitably connected together or being
formed in one piece & bont to tho required shape) having each a helix d', the windings
of which touch each other. The frame thus formed is comparatively rigid, but allows
of the side-parts or edges of the mattress giving easily way to the pressure of the
body of the person resting upon the mattress. Similar wires d2 with helixos d 3 may
be used for connecting the other or inner springs with each other, as well as with the
outer springs, and I prefer to arrange the springs b in a height with the stuffing
material a, in such a manner, that said material is located between the upper plane and
the lower plane of the parallel vertical springs. The latter are arranged in some
distance one from the other, but the stuffing-material fills out not only the spaces
between the springs, but the spaces of, or within, the springs, too. The latter take
thus through and into the stuffing material, or this material passes into and through
tho windings of the springs respectively, and by this arrangement the stuffing-material
is kept constantly loose, or is again made loose after it has first been exposed to and
then boon relieved from a pressure.
This effect is attained best by arranging the stuffing material in distinct layers in
such a manner, that first, the hairs, fibres, or bands of the material of each layer run
in one direction, so as to represent a sort of grains, and, second, the grains of the
superposed layers run in different directions, or cross on the other respectively. The
grains, i.e. the lairs, fibres or bands, are not interrupted or broken by the windings
of the springs, but pass over and through said windings, as distinctly shown in
Figuras 2 & 3 of the drawing.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A mattress consisting of at least two parts that are to be arranged in a plane to
form a mattress of normal size, and being each adapted to be exchanged for the other
and to be used with its upper surface as well as with its lower one, both those surfaces
being of equal condition, as set forth.
2. In a mattross consisting of at least two parts that are to be arranged in a plane
to form a mattress of normal size, and that are adapted to be exchanged one for the
other and each to be used with its upper surface as well as with its lower one,
the combination with the stuffing material, and the outer cover of the latter, of springs
arranged in a height with said material, and having their windings take into and
through the latter, and wires having holixes and connecting said springs to elastic
framos for the parts of the mattress, as set forth.
Dat way of waren
HEINRICH ACKERMANN,
By F. G. Cassell
(Of Cassell & Co.),
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, Loudon, W.,
Agent for the Applicant.