IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANufacture of BUOYANT ARTICLES TO BE USED AS PROTECTORS FROM DROWNING, APPLICABLE ALSO TO INVALIDS' MATTRESSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Sexton, of Great Winchester Street, in the City
of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANufacture of
BUOYANT ARTICLES TO BE USED AS PROTECTORS FROM DROWNING, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO INVALIDS' MATTRESSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Sexton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1881.
JOSEPH SEXTON, of Great Winchester Street, in the City of London. "“IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUOYANT ARTICLES TO BE USED AS PROTECTORS
FROM DROWNING, APPLICABLE ALSO TO INVALIDS' MATTRESSES."
This Invention relates, firstly, to the manufacture of mattresses and cushions
which may be used in floating vessels, and will when required serve as life buoys
or as rafts.
In constructing a mattress or cushion according to this Invention, I prepare a
sheet of air cells of the dimensions of the article to be formed, and this sheet I
enclose in a suitable cover, filling up the interstices between the air cells with
suitable non absorbent buoyant stuffing.
In manufacturing sheets of air cells for this purpose I use a mould and counter-
part corresponding to one half horizontal section of the group of cells. On this
mould I place a sheet of plastic india rubber compound, and by means of the
counterpart mould I force the rubber compound into the cavities of the mould,
causing it to take the shape thereof.
In a similar mould of corresponding form, I mould a second sheet of india rubber
compound, and these two sheets, while still in their moulds, I place together,
having first moistened their flat surfaces with india rubber cement.
Into the half cells of one of the sheets I drop water, and then subject the whole
to the vulcanizing process, the heat of which will vaporize the water and cause the
cells to retain their proper form.

page_text: Cellular sheets thus prepared will when used as a stuffing for mattresses or
cushions always retain their buoyancy, as the injury of one cell will not affect the
efficiency of the others.
As a material for filling interstices between the air cells I prefer to use small
fragments of cork, which to render non absorbent of moisture I coat with some
waterproofing material, by preference vaseline. Or I may use curled cocoa nut
fibre treated in the same manner.
The outer covering of the mattress or cushion may be made of a waterproof
fabric, cemented at the contact edges, tabs being provided at suitable distances
apart to receive metal eyelets through which cords may be rove. This arrangement
provides for the facile attachment together of several cushions or mattresses to form
a raft in case of shipwreck or a collision at sea.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the use of sheets of air cells for forming
mattresses with a bearing surface, having projections or hollows to accomodato
them to the requirements of invalids. For this purpose I vary the capacities or
forms of the air cells in one and the same mattress, and I am thereby enabled to
provide a special support for a part of the body or one or more of the limbs of an
invalid, the inequalities in the shape or proportions of the cells being dictated by
the requirements of the patient. In this case also stuffing will be used for filling
the interstices between the cells.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said Joseph Sexton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th December
1881.
JOSEPH SEXTON, of Great Winchester Street, in the City of London. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUOYANT ARTICLES TO BE USED AS PROTECTORS
FROM DROWNING, APPLICABLE ALSO TO INVALIDS' MATTRESES."
This Invention relates, firstly, to the manufacture of mattresses and cushions,
which may be used in floating vessels and will when required serve as life buoys or
as rafts.
In constructing a mattress or cushion according to this Invention I prepare a
sheet of air cells of the dimensions of the article to be formed, and overlay this
sheet with a similar sheet, the cells of one sheet entering the spaces between the
cells of the other sheet. These sheets I enclose in a suitable cover, filling up tho
interstices between the air cells with suitable nonabsorbent buoyant stuffing.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in plan view, and Fig. 2 in edge
view, a buoyant cushion constructed according to my Invention.
The outer covering of this cushion is made of a waterproof fabric, cemented at
the contact edges, tabs being provided at the angles to receive metal eyelets a,
through which cords b, b, are rove for the purpose to be hereafter explained;
c, c, are two series of air cells, the cells of each series being connected together (but
independent of each other) by a sheet of india-rubber or cemented canvas. These
cells it will be seen are so arranged that those of one series will fit into the spaces
between the other series, and the interstices I fill up with ground cork or curled
cocoa-nut fibre or equivalent material, such filling being first prepared by coating
it with vaseline or analogous substance to render the same non-absorbent of
water.
The manner of producing the sheets of independent air cells may vary to suit
the convenience of the manufacture, but the plan which I have found to answer
well is illustrated at Figures 3 and 4; Fig. 3 being a horizontal section taken
at the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, and Figure 4 being a cross section taken at the line 3, 4,
of Fig. 3.
The cells are formed from plastic sheet rubber in moulds and are attached by
cement while in a green state to a sheet of plastic india-rubber. The whole is then
submitted to the curing action, a little water having been admitted to the closed
cells to provide by its vaporization an internal pressure for the air cells during the
curing operation.
Fig. 5 shews a modification of the cushion, illustrated at Figures 1 and 2. It
consists in placing the two sheets of air cells back to back with the object of
doubling the thickness of the article and thereby rendering it suitable for a foot-
stool or other purpose; the spaces between the air cells will be entirely filled in
this instance with the prepared cork or other stuffing, and the cover, whether made
of waterproof material or not, may be provided with eyelets and cords if thought
desirable.
Figures 6 and 7 represent in sectional plan view and in cross section a cushion
shaped to fit the bows of a boat. This example shews that various forms of air
cells may be introduced to suit the fancy of the manufacturer in this case also the
spaces between the air cells will be filled with ground cork coated with vaseline, or
with curled fibres similarly prepared. Eyelets are formed at the corners of the
cushion to receive cords, which will facilitate the seizing of the cushion should it be
thrown to a person immersed in the water.
In manufacturing mattresses for use on shipboard I proceed in the manner

page_text: described with reference to cushions, and obtain the requisite elasticity for the
mattress by proportionately increasing the depth of the air cells. The covering
also of the mattress will be fitted with eyelets, not only at the angles but at given
distances along the sides and ends of the mattress. The object of this provision,
both in the case of mattresses and cushions is, that it affords the means for quickly
attaching several cushions or mattresses together to form a raft in case of shipwreck
or a collision at sen.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the use of sheets of air cells for forming
mattresses with a bearing surface having projections or hollows to accommodate
them to the requirements of invalids. For this purpose I vary the capacities or
forms of the air cells in one and the same mattress, and I am thereby enabled to
provide a special support for a part of the body, or one or more of the limbs of an
invalid, the inequalities in the shape or proportions of the cells being dictated by
the requirements of the patient's case.
This is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, Fig. 8 being a longitudinal section of the
mattress, and Fig. 9 a horizontal section of the same. In this example the mattress
is shown as formed with an increased thickness at one end, so as to give an
clevation to the head and shoulders of the patient, and a second celevation at about
the middle of the leg for the purpose of throwing up the knees, thus the Figure
give, two examples of an irregular surface. The irregularities it will be seen are
produced by varying the depth of the air cells.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Buoyant Articles to be Used as Protectors from Drowning,
Applicable also to Invalids' Mattresses," and explained the manner of carrying the
saic into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,-
First. Constructing buoyant articles, such as cushions, footstools, and mattresses,
in the manner and for the purpose above described.
Secondly. The manufacture of invalids' mattresses of unequal thickness, produced
by the combination of air cells of varying height, as and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Sexton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.