MENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Sale, of Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Spring Mattress Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Sale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY SALE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Spring
Mattress Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES.".
A spring mattress constructed according to this Invention, and for use on an
ordinary wooden bedstead with wooden laths, consists of the following parts,
namely, two or more longitudinal strips of wood or metal, forming the base, two
cross-bearers of wood or metal lying upon and fixed to the longitudinal strips afore-
said, several involute (that is spiral and conical) springs formed of steel wire, one
set of which are fixed upon each of the cross-bearers, two cross-bars of wood or
metal fixed to the tops of each set of springs, a set of longitudinal wooden or metal
slats lying across the cross-bars and forming the surface of the mattress, the said
slats being connected by webbing or by other means so that the slats can be rolled
or folded up into a bundle, and pieces of linen and tick or other suitable material,
one piece being fixed along each side of the mattress to conceal the hollow space
below the surface of the mattress.
Each of the longitudinal strips aforesaid is provided with one or more holes for
the reception of bolts or screws with which it is fixed to the laths of the bedstead,
and also with a series of holes at each end through which it is bolted to the cross-
bearers. One of the cross-bearers aforesaid is for the head of the bed and the other
for the foot, and they may be moved lengthwise of the bed, according to the amount
of elasticity required, as the head and foot springs assist one another, when near
together, the weight being thus distributed more equally over them. The springs
aforesaid are distributed along each of the cross-bearers, a greater number being
Price BdI

page_text: preferably used for the head cross bearer than for the foot. The springs gradually
increase in depth towards the centre of each cross-bearer so as to give a rise in the
centre of the bed and allow for its compression without forming a hollow; and. the
end springs of each cross-bearer are made preferably of stronger wire than the
others need to be made so as to keep the whole set upright. The bases or larger
ends of the springs bear upon the cross-bearers, and the bottom coil of each spring
has two loops or eyes bent in it, one at the end thereof and one at the opposite
side to the end, and the springs are fixed to the cross-bearers by means of screws or
bolts through the loops. To deaden the noise which may be made by the coils
striking upon the cross-bearers string or other soft material is placed between the
springs and the cross-bearers. The cross-bars if made of wood have a central hori-
zontal layer cut out with a saw from near one end to near the other, the said layer
being replaced with a layer of red cedar for the destruction of vermin, or the bars
may be made in three separate layers of wood, the central layer being red cedar.
The top ends of the springs are formed flat to bear against the underside of the
cross-bars, and are fixed thereto by means of screws put in from the underside, the
end springs being fixed with long screws which pass through the ends of the cross-
bars and into hard wood or metal blocks immediately above. If the cross-bars are
made of metal they may consist of two or more strips laid one upon another and be
connected to the springs by screws and washers so as to allow free play of one strip
upon another. The cross-bars are of course curved up in the middle when screwed
to the springs. The set of longitudinal slats aforesaid is laid upon the cross-bars
and held in place by means of the hard wood or metal blocks aforesaid which
project between the slats. When the slats are of wood they may be circular or
other shape in section. The linen tick or corresponding material is tacked or
otherwise fixed along the whole length of the outside slats and also to the ends of
the cross-bearers.
When the aforesaid mattress is to be used for a wooden bedstead having sacking
instead of latbs, or for an iron bedstead, the longitudinal strips are dispensed with
and the cross bearers are strengthened with iron which is turned down at each end
to fit over the sides of the bedstead, a wooden distance-piece being preferably fixed
under the iron to come between the sides of the bedstead in the case of an iron
bedstead, the sides of which are thus prevented from contracting or bulging, or the
cross-bearers may be otherwise suitably constructed for these purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William. Henry Sale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May
1879.
WILLIAM HENRY SALE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Spring
Mattress Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING MATTRESSES."
A spring mattress constructed according to this Invention consists of the
following parts, namely, two cross-bearers of wood or metal to lie upon and be fixed
to the sides of a bedstead; several involute (spiral and conical) springs formed of
steel wire, one set of which are fixed upon each of the cross-bearers; two cross-
bars of wood or metal fixed to the tops of each set of springs; a set of longitudinal
wooden or metal slats lying across the cross-bars and forming the surface of the mat-
tress, the said slats being connected together by webbing or by other means so that
the slats can be folded up into a bundle, and also be kept in their proper position.
when laid upon the cross-bars; and pieces of linen, tick, or other suitable material,
one piece being fixed along each side of the mattress to conceal the hollow space
below the surface of the mattress.
One of the cross-bearers is for the head of the bed and the other for the foot, and
they may be moved lengthwise of the bedstead according to the amount of elasticity
required, as the head and foot strings assist one another when near together, the
weight being thus distributed more equally over them. The springs aforesaid are
distributed along each of the cross-bearers, a greater number being preferably used
for the head. cross-bearer than for the foot. The springs gradually increase in
depth towards the centre of each cross-bearer so as to give a rise in the centre of
the bed and allow for its compression without forming a hollow, and the end
springs of each cross-bearer are made preferably of stronger wire than the others
need to be made so as to keep the whole set upright. The bases or larger ends of
the springs bear upon the cross-bearers, and the bottom coil of each spring has two
loops or eyes bent in it, one at the end thereof and one at the opposite side to the
end, and the springs are fixed to the cross-bearers by means of screws or bolts
through the loops. To deaden the noise which may be made by the coils striking
upon the cross-bearers string or other soft material is placed between the springs
and the cross-bearers. The cross-bars if made of wood have preferably a central
horizontal layer cut out with a saw, from near one end to near the other, the said
layer being replaced with a layer of red cedar for the destruction of vermin. The
intermediate springs are fixed to the cross-bars by means of screws put in from the
underside, the end springs being fixed with screws passing down through the cross-
bars and into nuts under the top of the springs. The cross-bars may be made of
The cross-
two layers of wood or of. three layers, the middle one being red cedar.
bars are of course curved up in the middle when screwed to the springs. The set
of longitudinal slats aforesaid is laid upon the cross-bars and held in place by means
of wood or metal blocks near the ends of the cross-bars which project between the
slats. The linen, tick, or corresponding material is tacked or otherwise fixed along
the whole length of the outside slats.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate respectively a plan and end elevation of a mattress
constructed according to this Invention. The same letters of reference occurring
upon the views 1 and 2 indicate corresponding parts; A, A, are the cross-bearers;
B, B, etc., the springs 7 being shewn for the head cross-bearer, and 6 for the foot;
C, C, are the cross-bars, half of each being left out on plan for convenience of illus-

page_text: tration; D, D, etc., are the slats, only those on one half of the mattress being shown
for convenience of illustration; E, E, is the webbing, and F, F, are the blocks pro-
jecting between the slats.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view shewing one end of a cross-bearer with two of the
springs thereon and part of the cross-bar and with 5 of the slats in section. The
cross-bearer, cross-bar, and slats are shewn as made of wood; Figure 4 is a plan of
Figure 3 but with the parts above the springs removed; Figure 5 is a section on
line x, x, of Figure 3. The same letters of reference occurring upon any of the
views 3, 4, and 5, indicate corresponding parts. G is the cross-bearer; H, H, are
steel springs fastened down to the cross-bearer by means of screws a, a, etc., passing
through loops formed by bending the wire of the springs as shewn; b, b, is
string (shewn only on plan, Figure 4), laid upon the cross-bearer under the springs
to deaden noise in the case of the coils striking the cross-bearer; j is the cross-bar and
is fixed to the end spring by the bolt c, screwed (by means of a screw-driver) into
the nut d. The cross-bar j is fixed to the intermediate springs by wood screws, as
at e. For convenience, the springs are fixed to the cross-bar before being fixed to
the cross-bearer. f is a strip of red cedar inserted into a part previously slotted
out by a saw or other means. The screws holding the intermediate springs pass
up through the red cedar and into the top layer; k, k, etc., are slats held together
by the webbing g, g, shewn in part by dotted lines. The webbing g, g is connected
to the underside of all the slats, and then passes over the tops of the outer two slats
at each side of the mattress, thus securely holding the outer slats. The slats k, k,
etc., are retained in place upon the cross-bar j by means of a block L, fixed on each
end of the crossbar; M is the linen, tick, or other material, and is tacked along
the whole length of the outside slat, and when the mattress is fixed upon the bed-
stead the tick is tacked also to the ends of the cross-bearers; N is a metal clip held
firmly to the cross-bearer G by the set-screw h. When the mattress is used for a
wooden bedstead the cross-bearer G rests upon each side of the bedstead, and the
clip N is tapped up with a hammer so as to drive the points i, i, etc., slightly into
the wood of the bedstead, and the clip is then firmly secured to the cross-bearer
which thus held firmly to the bedstead. When the mattress is used for an iron
bedstead, the projecting part k of the clip N is pushed up under the iron frame of
the bedstead, and the clip N is then firmly secured to the cross-bearer. A clip N is
used at each extremity of both cross-bearers. The intermediate springs for a full
sized bedstead are made from steel wire about No. 9 Birmingham wire guage, and
the end springs from wire about No. 7 Birmingham wire guage.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate respectively an elevation and plan of the upper coils of
a spring, the said upper coils being shewn of a larger diameter than those of the
other springs illustrated, and it is preferred to use this description of spring, as a
better bearing under the cross-bars is secured and the springs are more easily
made.
The mattress, substantially as described and illustrated, may be used for bed-
steads, couches, berth bottoms, and for anologous purposes.
Having now stated the nature of my said Invention and particularly described
the method of carrying out the same, I declare that I do not limit myself to the
exact details as shewn, as such may be varied without departing from the nature of
my said Invention, but what I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,--
1st. The combination of parts forming a spring mattress, substantially as herein
described, and illustrated by the Drawings.
2nd. The clip for fastening cross-bearers for spring mattresses to the sides of
wooden or iron bedsteads, substantially as herein described, and illustrated by the
Drawings.
3rd. The loops, bent in the bases of the springs for spring mattresses, through
which to-screw the springs down, substantially as herein described, and illustrated
by the Drawings.

page_text: 4th. The layer of red cedar within cross-bars for spring mattresses, substantially
as and for the purpose herein described, and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Sale, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM HENRY SALE. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY CHILTON,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins, Assoc. Inst. C.E.,
Patent Office,
Wolverhampton,