US122906A - Improvement in spring bed-bottoms - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

H. OGBORN & A. W. KENDRICK.

Improvement in Spring Bed Bottum.

Patented Jan-23, 1872.

2 Sheete--Sheet 2.

H. OGBOR N &A. W. KENDRICK.

Improvement in Spring Bed'Botto m.

Patented Jan. 23. 1872.

5': means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON OGBORN, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, AND ANDREW WV. KENDRICK,

' OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING BED-BOTTOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,906, dated January 23, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, HARRISON OGBORN, of the city of Richmond, Indiana, and AN- DREW W. KENDRIOK, of the city of Brooklyn, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification:

The object of our invention is to provide a cheap, simple, durable, noiseless, elastic bedbottom that shall be applicable to any bedstead, and which will be more especially and perfectly adapted to the use of old persons, invalids, and others desiring a more elevated position while sleeping. The first part of our invention relates to new and valuable improvements in elastic wooden or metal springs for bed-bottoms, combined with and attached to the slats composing the bed-bottom, in such a manner as to make a cheap, strong, noiseless, elastic, luXuriousbed-bottom, which yields readily to the shape of the human body. The second part of our invention relates to the manner in which the springs are graduated and attached to the slats composing the bedbottom, and by which the slats may be adjusted vertically in case any of the springs should sag, and so as to keep the slats not only horizontal but on a plane with each other; and also to weaken or stiffen the springs at pleasure by loosening or tightening the nuts on the bolts, thus graduating and adjusting the springs so as to hold the body of the occupant in an easy horizontal position and prevent the bed from sagging and thus throwing the body of the occupant into an unnatural and unhealthy position. The third part of our invention consists in hinging a part of the frame of the bed-bottom to the longer or main part of the frame, so that it may be readily elevated to any desired angle, thereby raising the head and upper part of the body of the occupant to a pleasant reclining position; and in the use of ratchets, pawls, and cord for holding it in position and detaching the same when desired.

Description of Draining.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of our bed bottom removed from the bedstead. Fig. 2 is a detached view of one of the springs and slats and the bolt and nut by which it is held in position and adjusted. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of our bed-bottom, showing the frame, head-raisin g part, ratchet, pawl, and cord. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of our spring bed-bottom, showing and embodying the features of our invention, represented as placed on a bedstead ready for use.

General Description.

We provide for our spring bed-bottom aframe, of size and shape to suit an ordinary bedstead, composed of the side rails A A and footrail B, and the adjustable head-raising parts, composed of the head-rail O and side rails E I). The transverse slats F F are supported at or near the middle part by the long transverse wooden or metallic springs G G. These springs G G are bolted at their middle to blocks 11 H, which are long enough to reach across the two slats F F (to which they are nailed) and the space between them. The blocks J J are lined on the lower side with thin rubber cloth or other suitable material, where the springs touch them, to prevent creaking, and nailed fast to the slats and the spring. They are placed far enough from the center between the slats and the springs G G to press the springs Gr G into the desired position to raise the slats as far above the rail as is desirable. The bolts K, which attach the springs to the slats, are made with a screwthread extending to near the head of the same, by which the springs may be forced up against the blocks H H at the middle, or allowed to spring away from the blocks by loosening the nut; thus, in additionto graduatmg the springs and raising and lowering the slats by tightenin g or loosening the nuts on the bolts, stiffening or weakening the springs by the same means. The ends of the springs G G rest on the long side rails of the frame. Near one end is a hole in the spring, through which it is firmly secured or bolted to the rails A and E. The other end of the spring is provided with a slot, S, that extends some inches toward its center, and is held in position by a screw-pin or bolt that fits loosely in the slot, but firmly in the rail A and D. The rail, where this spring rests on it, is lined with thin rubber or other suitable material, to prevent any creaking noise. When any. or all the springs are pressed on, this slot allows the springs to move endwise just in proportion to the pressure on the same, thus making each spring entirely independent of the others, and therefore perfectly adjustable to the weight placed on them. These springs are cut away for a short distance in the middle, on the under side, as shown in Fig.3, where they are attached to the block H by the bolt K, so they are easily bent downward at the middle of them without springing the slats F Fupward at their ends. The bolts do not draw the springs up hard against the block, but leave room for future adjustment if any of the springs sag or it becomes desirable to strengthen the springs by tightening the nut V on the bolt K. The springs that occupy the middle of the bed (from head to foot) are made stronger,

and those near the head and foot of the bed weaker, so as to support the body in a perfectly horizontal and healthy position. The adjustable or head-raising part of the main frame is composed of the head-piece O and side rails E D. This adjustable partis united to the main frame by hinges U, pivots, bolts, or any other convenient means. The adjustable frame 0 D E is supplied with springs and slats similar to other parts of the frame, and correspondingly lettered. L represents a part of the main frame, which extends the entire length of the bed-bottom,in which ratchets M M are cut to receive the pawls N N, which are attached about midway of the adjustable frame at its side, as shown in Fig. 3, by a screw or bolt. 0 is a cord that is attached to the pawls N N near the lower end of the same, which passes upward from them through a hole in the raising part of the frame, or an eye or hook attached to the same. The

middle part of the cord is held, where it may be found at all times, on a hook attached to the bedstead, as shown in Fig. 4.

To elevate the adjustable part of the bedbottom it is only necessary to raise the adjust-able part to any angle desired. The pawls N N are kept down on the ratchet (by their own weight) on the piece L, and readily catch in the ratchets M M and hold the raised part in the position to which it is raised until the pawls are released, which is readily done, when desired, by partly relievingthem of their weight and drawing on the cord 0, which readily releases the pawls, and the head-raising part falls back into a horizontal position.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is l. The springs GG, constructed withaweakened cut-away part, H, in the middle thereof,-

and an open slot, S, in the end, for the purposes and uses and in the manner substantially as set forth.

2. We claim the slats F F, blocks J J and H, in combination with the springs G G, bolt K, and nut V, when used together in the manner indicated, and for the purposes set forth.

3. We claim the springs G G, slots S S, blocks H and J J, in combination with the bolt K, screws W, and frame E D A A when combined, used, and operated substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

4. We claim the head-raisin g part, composed of the frame 0 D E, slats F F, springs G G, blocks J J and H, cord 0, ratchet M, pawl N, and hinge U, constructed and operated in the manner and for the purposes substantially as set forth.

5. We claim. the frame E D O, cord 0, pawl N, and ratchet M, in combination with frame L L and A Ahand hinge U, when said parts are constructed and operated substantially as set forth, and for the purposes and uses indicated.

HARRISON OGBORN. ANDREW W. KENDRIOK.

Witnesses:

W. A. MOTE, E. H. SWAYNE.

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