AN IMPROVED ELASTIC MAT- TRESS OR SPRING BED
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELASTIC MAT-
TRESS OR SPRING BED."-A communication from abroad by Henry Marie
Hingand de Saint Maur, of 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, Paris,
France. Gentleman.
Sealed the 15th December 1865, and dated the 20th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge-
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th June 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,..
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ELASTIC.
MATTRESS OR SPRING BED," (a communication to me from abroad by Henry
Marie Hingand de Saint Maur, of 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, Paris,
France, Gentleman,) to be as follows:-
This elastic mattress or spring bed is composed of wooden laths, varying in
number with the breadth of the mattress; these laths being fixed on to the
webbing or sacking cannot possibly change their direction; springs with rods
and hooks, or catches of galvanized iron, are placed at the two ends of these
laths, so that two of these springs act on each of them in such a manner as to
prevent its moving, and so that on charging these laths with a load of (more

page_text: or less) weight, they lower without an effort, and when freed from it are by
the combination of the springs, the rod, and the webbing brought back to
their original position. The webbing, which serves to tie the laths at their
ends, may be advantageously replaced by strong sailcloth. This sacking is
furnished with metal eyelet holes to preserve it from the wear which it would
otherwise suffer from the hooks or catches of the springs. A galvanized iron
rod passing along the middle of the sacking serves to stop the hooks of the
springs at the desired point, and prevent their cutting the sacking; this rod
unites all the springs and prevents their deviating from their original position,
so that on pressing on a single spring this rod forces the others to come to the
assistance of that which supports the load, the result of which is that the
action of the rod on all the springs united renders any partial ruptures of the
springs or of the laths impossible. Two wooden cross pieces receive the
springs with rods and hooks and ring bolts, in which passes a wooden rod,
which prevents any deviation of the springs from their proper direction. The
entire arrangement may be taken to pieces almost instantly, and be trans-
ported quicker and more easily than the ordinary military or camp beds.
This improved method, which may be applied to every description of bed-
stead, but principally to camp bedsteads, is characterized, firstly, by the webbing
or sacking and the iron rod; secondly, by the position of the springs which
take the sacking between the laths, which combination in fact ties the whole
arrangement together, so that the parts form one whole, and by this means
the resistance is increased a hundredfold without any lessening of the elasticity.
The hooks or catches of the springs instead of taking into the laths take into
the sacking so that each lath finds itself upheld by two springs, which force
it to always retain its normal position, and prevent its turning edgeways,
which would paralize the effect of the elasticity. This arrangement needs no
wooden framing, such as has hitherto always been deemed necessary..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on s
the 19th December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 85
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED ELASTIC MATTRESS OR SPRING BED," (a communication to me from abroad
by Henry Marie Hingand de Saint Maur, of 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries,
Paris, France, Gentleman,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto
annexed, and forming part of this Specification, and to the figures and letters
of reference marked thereon:-
At Figure 1, A indicates springs with rods and hooks of galvanized iron;
B, double webbing, taking the ends of the laths with metal eyelet holes, into
which take the hooks of the springs. Leather being too dear, and not affording
the strength of webbing, the preference is given to this latter; c, metallic
eyelet holes to prevent wear and tear of the webbing where the spring
hooks seize it. D, galvanized iron rod passing in the middle of the webbing,
and serving to arrest the spring hooks, avoids any cutting of the webbing.
This rod ties all the springs together and prevents their deviating from their
proper position, so that on pressing upon a single spring the others are forced
by the rod to aid that which bears the load. This action of the rod on all
the united springs renders the breakage of one of the springs or of the laths
impossible, they must all break together. E, daths made of well seasoned
wood fixed on the webbing, so that they cannot possibly change their direction.
The springs are placed at the sides of the laths in suchwise that two springs act
on each lath and prevent it from moving; on loading the laths they yield with

page_text: out an effort, and on removing the weight they come back by the combination
of the springs, the rod, and the webbing to their point of departure. F, wooden
cross piece, which receives the springs and the ring bolts. Into the under
part of this cross piece pass three bolts (roman, balance bolts), which unite
this cross piece to the boards of the camp or other bed. The whole takes to
pieces in a moment, and can be removed more promptly than ordinary camp
beds. H, nuts in the cross piece; i, bolts traversing the boards of the camp
bedstead and its cross piece, and screwing into the nuts. J, iron ring bolts
screwing into the cross piece, and holding the wooden rod which forces the:
springs to remain in their place. K, wooden rod passing through the ring
bolts and the springs, and preventing any deviation in the direction of these
latter; m, space between the laths; n, iron key serving to screw. and
unscrew the bolts i, and fitting on the side of the cross piece.
. On examining the plan assisted by the above explanation of each part and
its action, it will be seen that the characteristics of this method lie, firstly, in
the webbing (which may be advantageously replaced by sailcloth) and the
iron; secondly, in the position of the springs which seize the webbing
between the laths, in fact by this combination the webbing and the iron rod
tie the whole arrangement together, render all the parts dependant on each
other, and by this means the strength is centupled without any diminution of
elasticity. The hooks of the springs instead of taking into the laths take into
the webbing between the laths. By the aid of this combination each lath
is upheld by two springs, which compel it always to keep its normal position
and prevent it turning on edge. Over and above these two characteristic
points, this method does not require the wooden framing hitherto necessary,
which is a great saving, and permits the sale of these elastic mattresses at a
comparatively low price.
There are many descriptions of elastic mattresses or beds, but this differs
from the others in the webbing or sailcloth and the position of the springs, in
the strength and solidity given by this combination, and, lastly, by a sensible
decrease in the cost price.
The above description refers to the application of this system of elastic
mattress to camp or military beds as being the most difficult application,
but this method is equally applicable to every sort of bedstead. by means
which may vary without in any way changing the principle.
Figure 2 illustrates certain improvements in this system of elastic mattress.
A, wooden cross pieces, on which at a given moment come and rest the two
exterior laths of the elastic mattress; B, transverse cross pieces, preventing the
two first from coming further apart; C, feet folded under the cross pieces A ;

page_text: D, bolts holding up the feet; E, feet detached; F, flat head bolt, fastening
the longitudinal cross pieces which support the springs; and G, iron mortice,
in which passes the head of the bolt; a half turn suffices to take the whole to
pieces in an instant. The bolt being underneath it is here shewn detached ;
there is a similar one on each side the framing. H, iron key for screwing
and unscrewing the bolts. The cross pieces which support the springs of the
elastic mattress are shewn at the end of the framing, in order to show the way
in which they are fitted to it. The webbing is replaced by sailcloth of first
quality, webbing not offering the same resistance as sailcloth. The result of
this addition to the elastic mattress is that the two outer laths resting on the
cross piece A neutralize the effect of the springs, and thereby prevent breakage
of any of the parts. This system is applicable to every sort of bedstead.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.