AN IMPROVED BED, PILLOW, OR CUSHION, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF A LIFE-BUOY OR FLOAT
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Tulloch Goudie, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Waterproof Clothing Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED BED, PILLOW, OR CUSHION, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
THE PURPOSES OF A LIFE-BUOY OR FLOAT."
Sealed the 9th July 1878, and dated the 5th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Tulloch Goudie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March 1878.
JAMES TULLOCH GOUDIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Waterproof Clothing Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVED BED, PILLOW, OR CUSHION,
WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF A LIFE-BUOY OR FLOAT."
This Invention relates to the manufacture of beds, mattresses, pillows, or cushions,
which are equally suitable for use as life-buoys, life-rafts, or for application to life-
boats or other small boats for rendering them more buoyant or less liable to capsize.
And the nature and novelty of the said Invention consists in making one, two, or
more bags or cushions of cotton, linen, woollen, or other fabric or material divided
into compartments, each of which compartments is filled with ground or pulverised
cork, or cork cut into small pieces; the ends or apertures of each compartment of
the divided bag or cushion is then sewed up or otherwise closed. A similarly shaped
bag or cushion of india-rubber, or india-rubber and cloth, or other airproof material,
reeded or pillow shaped, and fitted with a screw valve and mouth-piece or other
usual arrangement for inflating and keeping air in airproof cushions or other similar
articles, is laid or placed between two or more of the bags or cushions of cork
above described, and the edges of the air and cork bags or cushions, or two or
more of them, are then sewed or otherwise fastened together to keep them in
position.
For ordinary. purposes, such as for beds or seat cushions, it may not in all cases
be necessary to inflate the air bag or cushion between the cork bags, but for pillows
or life-buoys it will be found advantageous to do so to give more elasticity and
softness to the pillow, and more buoyancy to the buoys or tubes for saving life.

page_text: The combined bags or, cushions of cork and other materials before named are
then covered by a waterproof, airproof, or other covering, by which the air naturally
mixing with the cork, and also the air filling the intervening spaces between the
bags or cushions and around them inside the outer covering is retained; or the air-
proof and cork cushions and bags may be covered with linen, cotton, woollen, or
other fabric.or material not waterproof or airproof. And by means of the pro-
jecting airproof valve or screw a sufficient quantity of air may then be easily and
rapidly blown or forced into the airproof bag or cushion, to keep the two or more
cork cushions or bags apart, and thus form an easy and comfortable seat, cushion,
bed, or mattress, when to be used for any of these purposes; but when to be used as a
pillow an additional quantity of air will require to be put into the air cushion or
chamber.
When to be used as a raft two or more of these bags, or cushions are combined,
and preferably fully inflated with air, as described, and when fixed together boards
or spars may be laid across them to form a raft of great buoyancy or carrying power,
a most important advantage in cases of shipwreck; and for rendering life-boats or
other small boats more buoyant or less liable to be capsized, the beds, pillows, bags,
or cushions are fastened to the gunwale or other part.of the boat and inflated with air,
or as a cork float or cushion only; and for which purposes are attached to each of
"the cushions, pillows, or beds, loops or pieces of cord, or other means of easily
fastening the beds, cushions, or other articles together or to the boat.
The advantages of this Invention are numerous, the principal of which are that
beds and cushions constructed as herein-before described are more solid than those
commonly known as air beds, cushions, or pillows; and in, the event of the airproof
part being destroyed, the cork bags alone fulfil the conditions necessary for comfort
or buoyancy, according as they may be used for beds, pillows, or cushions, life-buoys,
or floats; and by using them on board ship, on yachts, or boats, the readiness with
which they may be applied as a float, raft, or life-buoy, may be the means of saving
many lives at sea. They are also specially adapted for camp beds and hospital
beds, pillows, and cushions, the cork being in a great degree non-absorbent of
moisture, and, while giving almost the softness of air cushions or beds, it possesses
the advantage of not being liable to be destroyed, as those articles are which are
inflated by air only. They are also specially suitable for carriage, railway, tramway,
omnibus, or other cushions which are exposed to damp atmospheres.
It is to be understood that these cork bags or cushions may be made in any form
without the airproof part, and yet serve many of the purposes herein mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Tulloch Goudie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd Sep-
tember 1878.
JAMES TULLOCH GOUDIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Waterproof Clothing Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVED BED; PILLOW, OR CUSHION,
WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF A LIFE-BUOY OR FLOAT."
My said Invention relates to a new or improved manufacture of mattresses or
beds, pillows, and' cushions, which are also suitable as life-buoye, floats, or rafts.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in making mattresses or beds,
cushions, and pillows of two or more cases or bags of cork and air made and laid
in layers close over each other, the bag or case of the cork layers being formed of
Colton, linen, or woollen cloth or other fabric or material divided into square or
óblong divisions, cells, or compartiments, extending from side to side or from end
to end of the mattress or bed, pillow,.or cushion, each of which long compartments,
cells, or divisions is filled with ground or coarsely powdered cork, or cork cut into
small pieces, preferably of such size as will pass through a wire sieve having
about eight meshes to the inch, the ends or aperatures of each long cell or division
is then sewed up or otherwise closed. A similarly sized and shaped air cushion or
bag of india-rubber, or india-rubber and cloth, or other air-proof material is made,
preferably of the well-known cellular or reeded construction and shape; fitted at
the corner or other convenient part with a screw valve and mouth-piece, or other
usual arrangement for inflating and keeping the air in air-proof cushions, or beds,
or other similar articles. This air cushion or bag so made is laid or placed between
two or more of the cellular layers, or cases, or cushions of cork and cloth above
described, to form the complete cushion or pillow by sewing or otherwise attaching
them at the edges of the cloth of the cork cases and air cushions or bags, or
otherwise fastened together to keep the different cases or parts in their proper.
position. By means of the projecting air inflating valve or screw a sufficient
quantity of air may then be forced or blown into the air chamber or bag between
the cases, layers, or sections of cork to separate them, and thus give to the combined
complete mattress or other article the soft elasticity of the well-known air and
water beds, pillows, and cushions, while retaining the freshness and well-known
healthy qualities of the cork.
For ordinary purposes, such as bed mattresses and seat cushions, it will not be
necessary in all cases to inflate the air chamber or bag placed between the layers,
cases, or bags of cork, as these will be found to be sufficiently elastic or soft without
the air part being inflated, which might thus when so desired be dispensed with ;.
but for pillows and for cushions and beds used on board ships, yachts, or boats,
it will be found advantageous to have the air-proof chamber either filled with air.
or ready for being filled, to give more elasticity and softness to the pillow or
cushion, and greater buoyancy to these when required for immediate use for life
saving purposes.
•
- For ordinary domestic purposes these new or improved combined air and cork
cushions before described may be covered outside with any protecting material
commonly used for bedding purposes, or the cloth or material of which the cells or
bags or divisions are made may be sufficient covering for the cork; but for cushions
for ships' decks and for beds for ships, yachts, and boats, it will be found advan-
tageous to cover the cork or combined air and cork bags with waterproof
coverings.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Inven-
- :

page_text: "
tion may be properly understood, 1 shall now proceed to describe the several
Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for that
purpose; the same reference letters indicating the same or similar parts. in the
several Figures..
Figures 1 and 2 are a transverse section and part plan or side view of one con-
struction or modification of mattress or couch cushion, made in accordance with
and illustrative of my said Invention, in which the cork cases or layer sections
A, A', are made with rectangular cells a filled with the ground cork, running and
placed longitudinally and transversely above and below the air case or bag B,
which is shown of the ordinary cellular or reeded construction with longitudinal
divisions b' between the cells 'b, so that when inflated, as shown by the brass valve
tube C fitted at one corner for the purpose, it retains its parallel or flat shape the
same as the cork cases or sections A, A1, and which are all sewed or otherwise
attached at the two edges e of the cases A,. A', all round the outer square formed
side edges and ends of the whole mattress or cushion.
Figures 3 and 4 are a transverse section and plan of a mattress or cushion, con-
structed substantially the same as that shown and .described in reference to
Figures 1 and 2, except that the cork cells a and their divisions a' are placed and
sewed or otherwise secured diagonally in opposite directions, or across each other
on the upper and lower side of the air cushion B, b, which in both cases have their
cells and divisions b, b¹, shown as preferably formed longitudinally; but these
might be placed transversely when desired, and have the edges of the air bag sewed
by one central seam or joining instead of two, and which gives a slightly rounding
or sloping to the outer edges of the upper and lower surface of these parts of the
mattress instead of square, as in Figures 1 and 2, and in either case have small
openings at the ends of the cells b for the air to pass through into or out of each
and all of the compartments b to inflate the whole cushion equally, as described.
Figure 5 shows a transverse view of a mattress or cushion, substantially the same
as that shown and described in reference to Figures 1 and 2, except that the air
casc or bag B is made in the bag or pillow form, with only its outer air and water-
proof covering, without the cells or divisions b, b₁, as in the former Figures.
Figure 6 shows a transverse section of a mattress or cushion corresponding to
Figures 1 and 2, except that the dimensions a³, b', are attached at an angle to form
parallel or angular cells a, b; in the cases or bags A, B, in their cross sections (instead
of rectangular, as shown in Figures 1 to 4) and also with a cork division or cell a*,
all round the outer edges, or the sides and ends of the air case or bag B, to protect
it more effectually from being perforated or otherwise injured than in the construc-.
tion shown in the said former Figures.
Figure 7 shows the transverse section of a mattress or cushion formed of two
cases or cellular layers A, A¹, of cork placed across each other, and secured close
together all round by their central edges e', substantially as described in reference to
the former Figures, but without an air cushion B.
Figures 8 and 9 show a transverse section and a plan of a pillow made with a
central air and waterproof bag or case B' for being inflated with air, as shown by a
hollow valve or tube C at one corner for the purpose, and formed with a single
aunular and cellular case or layer A, a, of ground cork all round the outside of the.
inner case B¹, both being secured all round the edge, seams, or joints e³, otherwise
substantially as described in reference to Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 1 A shows a transverse section, to a large scale, of one mode of constructing
the cellular cases A for containing the cork, in which one side of the case is made
of one piece of cloth 1; and each cell a is formed of another piece 2 which forms the
upper side 11 of the cell a, and is bent or kneed down to form the vertical or angled.
divisions a' between the cells a, and sewed or otherwise jointed to each other,
at 3, 3, 3, along the top of the middle or knee part; and to the lower.side or web 1

page_text: Referring more particularly to Figure 1A, the method, which I prefer of con-
structing the cellular cases A, a, for containing the ground cork is as follows:-
I take the cloth or fabric of which these cells or compartments a is to be
constructed, and cut it into lengths equivalent to that required for the cells or
divisions, and then cut these portions of the cloth or fabric into widths. or
divisions 2, equivalent to that of the two sides or parts a', 1', of each square
or parallel division or cell a, suitable for the article to be constructed. I then
sew or otherwise join together the edges or sides of one piece of the cloth or
fabric 2 to the middle or knee line or part of another corresponding piece 3,
and then another piece to the centre. line or knee joint of the one previously
attached, and so on until the number of cells are three parts constructed, as shown
in the upper part in Figure 1 A. I then take a piece 1 of the cloth or fabric of the
whole size of the mattress or cushion, and sew or otherwise attach the loose or
lower edges 4 of the vertical sides a² of the partly formed cells or divisions to it, at
distances equal to one side 1' of the square formed by the joining 3 of the other
pieces 2. I then take a piece of the cloth or fabric of the size required to close up
the openings at one end of the cells and divisions a, a, and sew or otherwise attach
it to the four sides or edges of each of the ends of the various sections or divisions.
I then fill each of the sections or compartments a with the ground or powdered
cork;
and I then with another corresponding end piece of the cloth or fabric close
up the other ends of all the cells or divisions a, a, in a similar manner to the
other ends. This completes tlie construction of each outer cellular case or section
containing the ground cork A, A', the cases or sections being then sewed or other-
wise attached together and to the central air case or bag by their outer edges e, e¹,
all round as herein-before described.
Mattresses, pillows, and cushions manufactured in accordance with this Invention
possess many advantages over those heretofore in use; for example, they are more
firm and durable owing to the air chamber being protected by the cork covering;
they are permanently elastic, dry, airy, and healthy, being impervious to moisture
and perspiration, besides being lighter and possessing the elastic qualities of a cork
and air or other fluid couch combined; and even in the event of the airproof cell
or chamber getting damaged, and not retaining the air, the cork sections answer all
the purposes of an ordinary mattress, cushion, or pillow.
When used on board of vessels at sea, each bed, pillow, or cushion would be
instantly available as a float or life buoy, and by their means many lives might be
saved.
Having now described the full nature and mode and means of performing or
putting my said Invention into effect or practice, I would observe that I do not
restrict myself to the exact details or particulars which I have had occasion to
describe and show in the Drawings for the carrying out of the Invention; neither
on the other hand do I desire to claim such like cork or air mattresses, cushions, or
pillows for mere floating or buoyant buoys, floats, or rafts, for the saving of life at
sea, as this may have been done heretofore; but what I believe to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, ―
First. The constructing of beds, mattresses, pillows, or cushions of ground or
granulated cork in rectangular or equivalent oblong cells or compartments or
divisions placed longitudinally, transversely, or diagonally in two or more layers or
divisions, with one or more air-proof, cellular, or reeded cushions, chambers, or
divisions B, or bags or pillows B₁ placed between them, all substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
Second. The constructing or making of beds, mattresses, pillows, or cushions of
cork cellular chambers A, a, a¹, placed longitudinally, transversely, or angularly in
reverse directions in two or more layers or sectional cases A, A¹, over each other,
without air cases, cushions, or bags B, B¹, between them, all substantially as herein

page_text: described in reference to, and shown particularly in Figure 7 of the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Tulloch Goudie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness, -
W. R. M. THOMSON, .
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES T. GOUDIE. (L.S.)