Improvements in Wire Mattresses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire Mattresses.
I, ANDREW RATHBONE, of Friar's Green Mills, Warrington in the County
of Lancaster, Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to wire mattresses and its object is the construction of
cheap and durable mattresses in which the wires are flat or flattened and for the
greater part arranged in straight lines.
The wire which I employ for the straight lengths is drawn or rolled so as to have
a width considerably exceeding its thickness and is arranged flatwise or with its
breadth in or parallel with the plane of the mattress. These flattened wires, or
tape-like metallic strips may be arranged parallel, diagonally, or at right angles
with each other, and they may be interwoven or not, and be continuous or discon-
tinuous with spring connections. If interwoven or crossed, some or all of the
points of crossing may have rings, hooks, rivets, eyelets, clips or other similar and
suitable device or devices connecting the crossed wires or strips together. The
wire-work may be connected with the framing through suitable springs chains and
links or either of them, and it may also have similar devices combined therewith.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner I may carry my invention
into practical effect, and will be hereinafter referred to.
Figure 1 represents in plan and vertical section respectively, a portion of a
mattress in which my improvements are embodied.
Figure 2 shews also in plan and section respectively a modification of the
construction represented by Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 shew details, each figure shewing two views taken
at right angles to each other.
As shewn by Figure 1, the flattened wires or tape like strips A, are arranged to
form a trellis work which is not continuous, but is made in two or more lengths
connected together at B. The connection of the lengths of trellis work may be
effected by various means some of which are illustrated by the detail drawings.
Thus, as shewn by Figure 1, and on an enlarged scale by Figure 3, the ends of the
opposed lengths of trellis work are connected by the short wires C, each of which
has a ring or eye formed at each end. The ends of the trellis work are passed
through the rings as shewn by Figure 3, and the wires carrying the rings are
arranged to connect the end of any particular strip A, not to the end of the strip
directly opposed to it, but to the end on each side of the opposed strip. The ends
of the strips, after being passed through the rings, are returned and their extremities
may be turned out and made secure by clips D. A similar method of fastening off
the ends of the strips is illustrated by Figures 5 and 6, where instead of the separate
two ringed links C, a single (Figure 5) or a double (Figure 6) wire lacing is
employed, to connect the lengths of trellis work.
As represented by Figures 2 and (on an enlarged scale by Figure 4) the opposed
ends of the trellis work are connected by the metallic rings E, the ends of
the strips being secured thereon as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 3, 5, and 6.
As shewn by Figure 9, the ends of the trellis work are connected by a wire
lace, but instead of the ends of the strips being clipped around the lace or laces
as indicated by Figures 5 and 6, the laces pass through holes formed in the ends
of the strips.
When only parallel strips are employed, I make the strips in two or more
lengths, and connect them together by means of a spiral spring, F, as shewn by

page_text: Figure 7. This spring may be connected directly to the contiguous ends of the
strips directly or through one or more links G, as shewn by Figure 8. If I connect
the parallel strips together, I do so by flexible connections at the springs, suitable
flexible connections being such as those shewn by Figures 3 and 4.
The ends of the mattress may be connected directly to the end bars, but I prefer
to connect them thereto by means of the springs H, Figures 1 and 2. The outer
ends of the springs are connected with the wire links H', which are bent and driven
into the end bars I. The angles K along the edges of the trellis work are produced
by bending the wire strips, by preference, and they may be secured to the side
bars L by staples or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. A wire mattress in which the wires have a flattened cross section and are
arranged flatwise parallel diagonally or at right angles with each other, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a wire mattress in which the wires forming the wire-work have a flattened
cross section and are arranged to cross each other, two or more lengths of the
wire-work connected together by means of wires springs links or the like,
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a wire mattress in which the wires have a flattened cross section, and in
which they are arranged flat-wise parallel with each other, dividing each wire into
two or more lengths, and connecting the divided lengths together by means of
springs links and the like, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of October A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.