IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-PRESERVING MATTRESSES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Augustus Young, of Boston, County of Suffolk,
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, for an Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-PRESERVING MATTRESSES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Albert Augustus Young at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd April 1882.
ALBERT AUGUSTUS YOUNG, of Boston, County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-PRESERVING MATTRESSES."
This Invention relates to that class of life preserving mattresses in which air
filled elastic tubes are employed to buoy the same. My Invention consists in the
combination with a mattress, of a surrounding tube, loops connected to the tubes,
and cords or straps connected with the loops, the construction and arrangement of
which will be fully hereinafter described in detail. In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1, is a plan view of my improved mattress; Figures 2 and, 3, section in
lines x x and y y, respectively of Figure 1; Figure 4, a similar cross-section to
Figure, 3, but showing a modification, and Figure, 5, a horizontal longitudinal
section.
In the Drawings, A, A, represent a mattress having a filling of hair B, or of
other suitable material, hair, however, being preferable incased within and inclosed
by cloth a, all as ordinarily.
C is a continuous tube surrounding the edges of the mattress A and closed at all
points to the escape of the air within it. This tube, with the mattress A is incased
within and inclosed by the cloth b, making a covering for the whole, which cloth b
is of suitable size and shape therefor. The tube is fastened to the cloth b, and is
thus made a part of the mattress, by webbing or cords d, which surround it at
suitable points of its length, and are tied or otherwise fastened to the cloth. The
tube preferably is made of an elastic material, such as india-rubber, for obvious
reasons-as, for instance, pliability, flexibility and elasticity and lightness, although
it may be made of inelastic material, such as metal.

page_text: The tube C, instead of being continuous may be in separate parts, each part
being closed, as described, and secured in position; and again, the tube may be
arranged within the body of the mattress in lieu of around its edges, and in such
arrangement be in several parts or in a continuous length, severally closed, as
stated, and secured in place; but it is preferable to have the tube at and around
the edge of the mattress, as it leaves the mattress otherwise intact for its ordinary
uses.
In practice I propose to fill the air tube C with small pieces or shavings of cork
or other analogous material, whereby in case the tube should be pierced or other-
wise injured, so as to allow the escape of air from said tube C, that the inherent
buoyancy of the material contained therein would sustain the mattress with
perfect safety, though not with quite so much buoyancy as when combined with
the air in the tube.
The combination of a tube with a mattress, as above described, gives buoyancy
to it and renders the mattress, as experiments have demonstrated, most excellently
fitted to the support from sinking in the water of many persons upon it, and thus
to the preservation of lives in cases of accidents to vessels at sea.
Hair is preferable, as has been before said, for the filling of the mattress, for the
reason that it acts as a ballast to the buoyancy of the air-tube of the mattress
and holds the mattress against upsetting in the water, when upon or over-
weighted at either side or end, or when-tossed-about-by-the-waves-or roll of the
sea. Materials other than hair, however, can be used as a filling for the mattress.
- as, for instance, sponge, cotton, straw, excelsior, cork, etc., and therefore it is not
the intention to limit the combination for an air tube with a mattress of any
particular kind of filling.
Exteriorly the mattress A is provided with ropes or straps frunning about both
of its flat surfaces. These ropes or straps fin their length pass through eyes-or
loops g, which are secured to the tubes, and the ends of the rope are tied or other-
wise suitably fastened against escape.
Again, there are short-catch-ropes-or-straps-h,-fastened_to_the_eyes_or_loops.g.
These several ropes or straps furnish means by which persons may hold themselves
upon the mattress, or tie themselves thereto or mattresses to each other.
The air-tube may be filled with air to any desired degree of compression in the
ordinary ways of filling air-vessels. In Figure 5, the cloth a is shown as dispensed
with and the hair filling B, as lying in between the tubes.
I am aware that a life-preserving mattress has been constructed of a series of
longitudinal parallel air-tight tubes connected at one end to a transverse air pouch
or bag, the whole being covered with a canvas casing; but such is not my Invention
and is therefore disclaimed.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is―
1st. In a life preserving mattress, the combination with the mattress A, of the
surrounding tube C, the loops g secured to said tube, and cords or straps connected
with the loops, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. In a life preserving mattress the combination with the mattress A, of the
surrounding tube C, filled with or other analogous materials and air, or simply
air, the loops g secured to said tube, and cords, or straps connected with the loops,
all as and for purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Albert Augustus Young have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 1st day of April 1882.
TATIAMIYA WATUNA