Improvements in or connected with Woven Wire Mattresses.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Woven Wire Mattresses.
I, THOMAS HILTON, of Moss Side Works, Great Western Street, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Wire Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed to provide for the stiffening of the edges or the
central or other parts of woven wire mattresses without increasing the thickness or
bulk thereof at these parts. Hitherto these parts have been stiffened by laying on
a strip of the material or doubling over or rolling the edge or by altering the gauge
or pitch of the wire from which some of the coils have been formed.
My invention consists essentially in applying to the edge or other part to be
stiffened passed longitudinally through the coils a wire, chain, wire-rope or other
flexible cord of leather hemp or other material capable of bearing a considerable
tensile strain with which if desired may be combined a spring or springs of coiled
wire or other form placed either inside or outside the woven coils of the web.
In carrying out the invention I construct or weave the mattress in the usual way
and at the edge or other part which it is required to stiffen or make more rigid I
insert through the coils of the meshes longitudinally of the material a wire chain or
other material capable of sustaining a considerable amount of tension which can be
drawn tightly from end to end.
In the case of the wire I insert same before the wire webbing is stretched on its.
frame and fasten this wire at its ends to the stretcher bars and thus the edge is
rendered stiff, the elasticity of the wire allowing of sufficient deflection. To allow
of some additional elasticity in the wire or of it being stretched during the operation
of stretching the woven web it may be corrugated with a few corrugations at one
or both ends or other part.
A metallic chain, wire rope or cord of leather catgut hemp or other material
may be inserted through the meshes of the woven web for the same purpose and
may be applied in a similar manner the ends being fastened to the stretcher bars..
Or a coiled piece of wire may be inserted in the ordinary coil of the web.
Instead of the wire chain or other cord running the whole length of the woven
web such may extend from both ends and be connected together by a spring coiled
or otherwise placed inside or outside the coils of the wire or one end of the wire or
tension chain or cord may be connected to a spring the other end of the spring
being connected to the stretcher bar.
I am aware that to stiffen the web at the edges and other places is not new
several methods having been tried for the purpose.
Dated this 13th day of July 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester; Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Woven Wire Mattresses.
1, THOMAS HILTON, of Moss Side Works, Great Western Street, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Wire Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention is designed to provide for the stiffening of the edges or ther
TD027

page_text: central or other parts of woven wire mattresses without necessarily increasing the
thickness or bulk thereof at these parts and without putting undue strain upon
the frames. Hitherto these parts have been stiffened by laying on a strip of the
material or doubling over or rolling the edge or by altering the gauge or pitch of
the wire from which some of the coils have been formed.
My invention consists essentially in applying to the edge of the mattress or such
other part as it is desired to stiffen a wire, wire rope, or chain capable of bearing a
considerable tensile strain passed longitudinally through one or more of the coils
of wire of which the mattress is constructed and in the combination therewith when
desired of a spring or springs placed either inside or outside the woven coils of
the web.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 perspective view of mattress, showing my invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 transverse section of edge (enlarged scale).
Fig. 3 plan of same.
Fig. 4 plan of modified arrangement with spring inserted in the coil.
Fig. 5 side elevation of another modification with spring placed outside
of coil.
Fig. 6 plan from underside of another modification shewing two of the wire cores
attached to a single spring.
Fig. 7 side elevation of end of mattress and frame showing one method of
attaching the end of the inserted wire core.
Fig. 8 side elevation showing another method of attachment.
Fig. 9 side elevation showing another method of attachment.
Fig. 10 side elevation showing another method of attachment.
Fig. 11 side elevation showing another method of attachment.
Fig. 12 perspective view showing an additional bar to which the ends of the
inserted wire cores are attached.
Fig. 13 plan showing separate clips to which the wire cores are attached.
Fig. 14 side elevation of same.
Fig. 15 side elevation of another method of attachment.
Fig. 16 end elevation of same.
Fig. 17 perspective view showing arrangement for elevating the surface of the
stiffened parts of the mattress.
Fig. 18 side elevation of same.
Fig. 19 end elevation of same.
Fig. 20 transverse section of edge of mattress showing a modification in which
larger coils of wire receive the wire core.
construct or weave the web A of the mattress in the usual way of coils of wire
inter-locking one with the other.
At the edge or other part which it is required to stiffen or make more rigid I
insert into one or more coils of the meshes by inserting longitudinally therethrough
a wire, wire rope or chain B capable of sustaining a considerable amount of tensile
strain and of being drawn taut from the end.
For inserting in the coils of the meshes for the purpose of stiffening the web I
prefer to employ a wire rope B formed of a number of wire strands 6 coiled closely
together. The strands b may be of any gauge and any pitch of wire a sufficient
number of strands being coiled together to make a close rope. Instead of a rope
of this construction a wire rope of any other construction may be employed or a
single wire of a sufficient thickness and strength or a chain may be used instead.
Hereinafter I will refer to these as the wire core B.
The wire core B is inserted in the coils or meshes of the web before the wire
webbing is stretched on its frame and may be secured in position in a variety of
ways such as hereinafter described with reference to the figs. of the drawings.
Referring to Figs, 1, 2, and 3, the wire core B is passed longitudinally through
the coils or meshes of the web A at the edge or other part throughout its width.
At the ends the core B is broken down or flattened and attached to stretcher

page_text: bars C and D in the same manner and along with the meshes of the web A, or the
fabric only may be first fastened down and stretched and then the ends of the core
made fast.
In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the wire core B extends from both ends of the mattress
towards the centre and is there attached to a spring F either placed inside the
meshes as in Fig. 4 or outside as in Fig. 5. Or the cores running down two rows
of coils or meshes may connect to a single spring as in Fig. 6.
In Figs. 7 and 8 the wire core B is shown attached to the bar E so that the
sliding stretcher bar D can be moved to tighten the web A without increasing the
tension on the wire core B. In Fig. 7 the wire core B is provided with a few
corrugations or coils to render it less rigid and not interfere with the movement
of the sliding bar D.
In Fig. 9 the wire core B is passed round the end of the sliding bar D the end
being attached to the frame G with corrugations or coils 61 to allow of the
movement of the bar D.
In Fig. 10 the wire core B is attached to a spindle or drum H capable of being
rotated upon which the end is wound so that the tension of the wire core B can be
adjusted altogether independently of the web A. A ratchet wheel h and spring
pawl are provided to prevent the spindle slipping back when the wire core
wound up taut.
IS
In Fig. 11 the wire core B is attached to a spring F on the bar E.
In Fig. 12 each wire core B is attached to the stretcher bar E. In this case this
bar is also made to slide in addition to the ordinary sliding bar D. It's position can
be adjusted by the nuts on the screws I and so the wire core B can be set or
maintained at any degree of tension.
In Figs. 13 and 14 separate clips K are placed upon the tightening screws I
to which the wire cores B are attached and by means of which they can be
adjusted.
In Figs. 15 and 16 the clips K to which the wire cores are attached are shown
of cranked form so that the second adjusting nut i may be placed at the end of the
screw I.
In Figs. 17-18 and 19 an arrangement is shown whereby the surface of the edge
or centre meshes or coils of web A in which the wire cores B have been inserted
may be elevated and thereby give some additional rigidity to the web at those
places. In this case a small curved plate or block L is attached to the stretcher
bars C and D over which the mesh is stretched and the ends of the wire cores Bare
secured in any way such as hereinbefore described.
In Fig. 20 some of the meshes or coils of wire a are shown of larger diameter in
order to receive thicker cores B. If desired these enlarged coils may receive a
second wire core B¹.
It will be evident that the wire cores B may be secured in any suitable way and
may be inserted in any number of the coils of the web A either at the edges or
other part thereof.
I wish it to be understood that although I have mentioned in my Provisional
Specification leather catgut hemp or other similar material as forming a suitable
core I find that they are not suitable and I make no claim thereto and also I am
aware that it is not new to stiffen or strengthen wire mattresses at the edges or
other parts as several methods have already been adopted for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A woven wire mattress constructed with a wire core capable of bearing a
tensile strain passed through the centre of one or more of the ordinary coils or
meshes at the edges or other part and affixed to the stretcher bars at the ends
for the purpose of stiffening or rendering the part more rigid substantially as.
described.

page_text: 2. In a woven wire mattress A the combination with one or more of the coils or
meshes thereof of a wire core B. capable of bearing a tensile strain passing
longitudinally therethrough and secured at the ends to the stretcher bars or other
connections substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A woven wire mattress having the several parts constructed and arranged
together in combination substantially as described with reference to the several figs.
of the drawings.
Dated this 5th day of April 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents..