Improvements in the Construction of Mattress Frames, Ships' Berths, Stretchers, and analogous Structures.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Mattress Frames, Ships' Berths,
Stretchers, and analogous Structures.
We ISAAC CHORLTON of the firm of Isaac Chorlton and Co. of 17 Blackfriars
Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Spring Mattress Manufacturer,
and GEORGE LAMB SCOTT of the saine place, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in mattress frames, ships' berths,
stretchers, and analogous structures such for example as are ordinarily used to
carry elastic metallic mattresses or supports.
The improvements relate more particularly to such mattress frames and stretchers
as are made with tubular sides and augle iron or steel ends, and our invention deals
with an improved mode of connecting the said angle ends to the tubular sides, and
also with an improved method of hinging the lege to the tubular sides of folding
stretchers and frames.
In the Specification of a former invention for which we have been granted Her
Majesty's Letters Patent No. 13640 of the year 1885 we described a mode of
connecting the angle ends to the tubular sides, by inserting headed plugs into the
ends of the tubes and through the vertical webs of the angle ends, the connection
being secured by bolts or rivets passed through the horizontal web of the angle
end and also through the tube and plugs. We have since found that in certain
cases as for example in the lighter and cheaper classes of frames and stretchers
this headed plug is not in all cases essential, and we have also ascertained that in
some instances it is a disadvantage to bore or punch the vertical webs of the angle
ends as the latter are thereby weakened. According to our present invention
therefore we dispense with the said headed plugs and apply the angle ends directly
to the tubular sides, securing the ends to the sides by means of rivets, pins or bolts
passed through the horizontal web of the angle ends and through the tubular sides.
The absence of the headed plugs, dispenses of course with the necessity for boring
the vertical webs of the angle ends so that these are allowed to remain with their
strength unimpaired.
By this improved method of connecting the angle ends to the tubular sides we
effect a large saving in labour and material. For example the material and time
involved in the manufacture and preparation of the headed plugs are saved. The
labour and disadvantages connected with the boring of the angle ends to admit the
plugs are also obviated or climinated and the result as a whole is that we are
enabled to produce an article which in addition to having a much neater appearance
than our former frame or stretcher is also cheaper, lighter and more easily made.
Under that portion of our invention which relates to the hinging of the lega
to the tubular sides, we take a casting preferably of malleable iron and insert the
shank or stump thereof into the tubular leg.
The remainder of the casting constitutes a curved leg which is pivotted to the
tubular side at the proper position. When the legs are swung into position to
support the stretcher the tubular sides rest upon that portion of the casting
immediately over the stump and leg. When it is desired to stow the stretcher the
legs can be folded back into the same or about the same plane as the mattress i
surface.
Dated this 6th day of Sentembar 1892
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.

page_text: .COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Mattress Frames, Ships' Berths,
Stretchers, and analogous Structures.
We ISAAC CHORLTON of the firm of Isaac Chorlton and Company of 17
Blackfriars Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Spring Mattress
Manufacturer, and GEORGE LAMB SCOTT of the same place, Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawings:-
'
Our said invention relates to improvements in mattress frames, ships' berths,
stretchers and analogous structures such for example as are ordinarily used to carry
elastic metallic mattresses or supports.
The improvements relate more particularly to such mattress frames and stretchers
as are made with tubular sides and angle iron or steel ends, and our invention deals
with an improved mode of connecting the said angle ends to the tubular sides, and
also with an improved method of hinging the legs to the tubular sides of folding
stretchers and frames.
In the Specification of a former invention for which we have been granted Her
Majesty's Letters Patent No. 13640 of the year 1885 we described a mode
of. connecting the angle ends to the tubular sides by inserting headed plugs into
the ends of the tubes and through the vertical webs of the angle ends, the
connection being secured by bolts or rivets passed through the horizontal web of
the angle end and also through the tube and plugs.
We have since found that in certain cases as for example in the lighter and
cheaper classes of frames and stretchers this headed plug is not in all cases essential,
and we have also ascertained that in some instances it is a disadvantage to bore or
punch the vertical webs of the angle ends as the latter are thereby weakened.
According to our present invention therefore we dispense with the said headed
plugs and apply the angle ends directly to the tubular sides, securing the ends to
the sides by means of rivets, pins or bolts passed through the horizontal web of the
angle ends and through the tubular sides. The absence of the headed plugs
dispenses of course with the necessity for boring the vertical webs of the angle
ends so that these are allowed to remain with their strength unimpaired.
By this improved method of connecting the angle ends to the tubular sides we
effect a large saving in labour and material. For example the material and time
involved in the manufacture and preparation of the headed plugs are saved. The
labour and disadvantages connected with the boring of the angle ends to admit the
plugs are also obviated or eliminated and the result as a whole is that we
are enabled to produce an article which in addition to having a much neater
appearance than our former frame or stretcher is also cheaper, lighter and more
easily made.
. Under that portion of our invention which relates to the. hinging of the legs to
the tubular sides, we take a casting preferably of malleable iron and insert the shank
or stump thereof into the tubular leg.
The remainder of the casting .constitutes a curved lug or horn which is pivotted
to the tubular side at the proper position. When the legs are swung into position
to support the stretcher the tubular sides rest upon that portion of the casting
immediately over the stump and leg. When it is desired to stow the stretcher
the legs can be folded back into the same or about the same plane as the mattress
surface.
:
To render our invention more easily understood we will now describe the
aforesaid improvements with the aid of the annexed sheet of illustrative drawings.
Fig. 1 is a view of one end of a tubular side of a mattress frame or stretcher,
showing the angle iron end attached thereto in our improved manner.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side view of our improved mode of pivotting folding legs to the
tubular sides of mattress frames or stretchers.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3; the leg being shown folded parallel with the
side instead of being set at right angles thereto as in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a view at right angles to Fig. 3.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the tubular side is marked a, the angle iron or steel
end is marked b, and the securing bolt is marked c. The drawing is so plain that
an explanation of the method of attachment is hardly necessary. The tube a and
the horizontal web of the angle end bare bored to admit the shank of the bolt c.
The end of the tube a abuts against the inner side of the vertical web of the
angle end b, while the horizontal web rests upon the tube. The bolt c binds
the two together. Although we have shown a bolt as the securing means, it will
be understood.that other suitable fastenings such as rivets, pins or the like might
be used.
Proceeding now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, which illustrate the hinging
of the folding legs to the tubular sides, the side is marked a, the pivotted curved
lug or horn which carries the leg or support is marked d, and the leg is indicated
by e.
The horn d which may be of cast malleable iron is shaped as in the drawings
so as to allow the leg to be turned downwards and at right angles to the side as in
Fig. 3 or folded parallel therewith as in Fig. 4. The horn d also curves beneath
the side as clearly shown in Fig. 5 and serves as a seating or support to take the
strain off the rivet by which the horn is hinged to the side.
It will be noted that when the leg is turned down so as to support the side as in
Fig. 3, the weight of the stretcher has an automatic locking effect to keep the leg
in position, due to the rivet and the centre of the leg not being in line. The
horn d and the leg e are connected by forming the horn with a stump which enters
the leg and is secured therein by a rivet g or by other suitable means.
The described mode of hinging folding legs or supports to the sides of mattress
frames or stretchers might be used in conjunction with side members other than
those of a tubular section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1) Securing the angle iron or steel ends of mattress frames, stretchers and
analogous structures to the tubular sides, by applying the angle ends directly to
the ends of the tubular sides and securing them thereto by bolts, rivets or other
suitable fastening means, passing through the horizontal web of the angle iron and
through the tubular sides, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2
of the drawings.
2) The improved method of and means for hinging folding legs or supports to the
tubular or other sides of mattress frames or stretchers substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 3 to 5 of the drawings.
Dated this 6th day of June 1893
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.