US2708322A - Spring pad structures - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1955 L. DE FRANCES 2,708,322

SPRING PAD STRUCTURES Filed Oct. 1, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l L-IE- .5. 22

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United States Patent 0 SPRING PAD srnucruuas Lawrence De Frances, Bronx, N. Y., assiguor to Zeidler Manufacturing Company, Inc, White Plains, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 1, 1952, Serial No. 312,437

7 Claims. (Cl. 38-66) This invention relates to spring support structures and their manufacture. Although originally devised for use as spring pads for garment and laundry ironing machines and the like, the spring support structures of the invention have many other applications including bed mattress springs, box springs which serve as supports for the bed mattresses, and various other spring support structures which provide a generally similar spring support for an extended surface.

When pressing an article such as a garment or laundry article, it is essential that the extended surface of the article be pressed smoothly so that it presents a smooth, neat surface appearance. The desired smooth surface appearance is achieved by ironing or pressing the article with a comparatively heavy pressure applied evenly over a large surface of the article, supported by the extended surface or" a backing support or pressing pad. Difficulties arise when the desired heavy ironing pressure is appled to articles such as garments fitted with buttons and like projecting elements and unless a resilient pressing pad is utilized, the buttons are easily broken or bent by the pressing pressure applied to such article.

Among to objects of the invention is a novel spring pad structure for ironing machines or other applications which is simple in construction and Wh'ch overcomes the deficiencies of spring pad or support structures heretofore used in garment and laundry pressing or ironing devices and which provides a firm supoprt for an extended surface of the article pressed while resiliently yielding to protruding elements of the garment, such as buttons without damaging the same, and at the same time, providin am 1e backing forces for relativel lar e pressures required for giving the desired fine finish to extended surfaces of garments and like pressed articles.

in accordance with the invention, the desired spring pads or spring support with an extended spring support surface is obtained by forming out of consecutive lengths of a continuous elongated wire-like elastic metallic spring member a large number of bifilary helicall wound spring coils projecting outwardly from a common base level as a row or strip of adjacent coils.

Adjacent sections or" such strip of bifilary coil springs of the invention are arrayed in side by side relation to form with their freely projecting coil ends the desired extended spring support surface which provides a firm support for an extended surface of an article to be pressed while permitting individual projecting article elements of the pressed article to displace inwardly the outward end of an individual coil spring without damage to the pressed article or to the coil spring support.

In each row or strip of biiilary spring coils of the invention, each helical bifilary coil has one filar base turn ending at the base level on one side of the row and another filar base turn ending at the base level on the opposite side of the row with the end vportion of one filar base turn connected to the oppositely directed end portion of the opposite filar base turn of the adjacent coil of the row by a transverse coil junction extending trans- "ice versely to the coil row. The two opposite lilary base turns of each coil of the coil row are restrained against movement with respect to a common base level by positioning an elongated strip-like flat metallic backing member, which is relatively rigid in the plane of its flat surfaces, between the transverse coil junctions of the adjacent coils of the row and the adjacent opposite filar base turns of each coil of the row.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide a novel process for forming a composite ribbon-like bifiiary coil spring support structure suitable for forining spring support pads and the generally similar spring support structures.

T he foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of exempliucations thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a plan top VlSW partly broken away of the upper portion of an elongated pressing block of a conventional garment pressing machine equipped with a spring so; port or pad structure exemplifying the invention;

Pig. 2 is a cross-section along lines 2-2 of Fig. l;

3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing enlarged a po tion of the spring pad structure thereof;

4 is a cross-sectional View along lines 44 of M. 1-1: a s! 11. n (a 10 is a plan top view partly broken away of the upper portion of a modified form of a pressing block of a garment press with a spring pad structure exemplifying the invention;

Fig. ll is a cross-sectional view along lines l1-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of one end portion of the spring pad shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Although spring support structures of the invention and their manufacture have many other uses, they will be described herein in their specific application as backing supports or support pads for garment pressing machines or laundry pressing machines.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the upper part of the conventional buck block 19 or buck as it is conventionally called, of a conventional garment pressing machine provided at its upper surface with an elongated backing support or spring pad generally designated 28. The spring pad backing support 29 has an extended upper backing surface 21 which is arranged to operate as a generally extended support for a large part of an overlying garment which is being pressed thereon by the applied pressure of an overlying large pressing head having a relatively large heated pressing area substantially coextensive with and complementary to the exposed backing surface 21 of the spring pad 2G.

The buck 20 is of conventional construction being made for instance of cast metal, and it has in its interior a dis- 7 backing frame member 22, of strong sheet metal for instance, having an elongated shape and a border conforming to the shape and border of the spring pad 20 and the underlying upper buck end region 13 to which it is secured. The sheet-like frame member 22 of the spring pad 20 is secured to the underlying end region 13 of the buck in any conventional way, for instance, by providing the sheet frame member 22 at four spaced peripheral regions with metallic finger projections (not shown) fitting against the border edges of the buck end region 13, the metallic fingers not shown being bent under the border lip 14 of the buck end region 13 so as to remain firmly attached and coupled against the upper surface 15 of the buck. The sheet frame member 22 of the spring pad is provided with perforations or holes 23 for admitting therethrough steam discharged through the buck passage 11 into the upper region of the spring pad 20.

To the upper surface of the sheet-like supporting frame 22 of the spring pad 21) are secured a plurality of rows or strips of spring elements generally designated 30, a

portion of one strip of such spring elements being shown in detail'in Figs. 5, 6, 7. Each strip of spring elements 39 comprises a large number of adjacent helically wound bifilary coils, generally designated 31 formed of a continuous length of resilient metal wire which exhibits substantial stiffness. Although the wire of the coils 31 shownis of circular cross-section, such series of adjacent bifilary coils of the invention may be formed of a resilient metal wire having another cross-section such as a rectangular or triangular cross-section. Any suitable elastic metal may be used for the coil rows 30 ofthe type shown in Figs. 5 to 7, such as wire of carbon steel plated'with a corrosion-resistant coating such as nickel cadmium or chromium or corrosion-resistant metal wire such as'a wire of stainless steel, beryllium copper or the like.

As shown specifically in Figs. 5, 6, 7, each bifilary spring wire coil 31 (of the strip-like coil row 30) pro-.

jects outwardly from a common base level provided by the transversely extending coil junction elements 37 which connect the individual coils to each other and form with them parts of a continuous wire. Each bifilary coil comprises two helically wound filary coil helices 33, 34 extending from a common filary outer junction element at the outer end of each coil 31. Each filary coil helix 33, 34 of each spring coil 31 ends in a base coil turn 35, 36 respectively, and the two base coil turns 35, 36 are disposed at the common base level of the coil junctions 37 of the multiple coil strip 30, with one base turn of each coil 31, such as base turn 35 ending on one side of the coil or strip row 30 and the other base turn 36 ending on the opposite side of the coil or strip row 30. Furthermore, the end portion of one base turn 35 of one of the coils 31 (of each coil strip 30) is connected to the oppositely directed end portion of the opposite base turn 36 of the next adjacentcoil 31 of the coil strip 30 through the transverse coil junction element 37 extend ing transversely to the elongated coil strip 30.

The base turns 35, 36 of each bifilary coil 31 of the coil row or strip 30 is held restrained at a common base level by their interlinkage with a common elongated striplike fiat backing member or backing strip 41 of flat elastic sheet metal which is relatively rigid in the plane of its surfaces. As shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7,'the backing strip 41 is positioned and held between the coil junction elements 37 of the adjacent spring coil 31 of the coil strip 30 and'the adjoining base turns 35, 36 of each bifilary coil 31 of the coil strip 30. Each multiple coil row or 4 strip 30 has all its multiple bifilary spring coils 31 which are formed of a continuous wire, and interlinked at their base turns 35, 36 with a common stiff and flat backing stripv so as to form an extremely simple and effective multi-coil spring structure which makes it possible to form of a plurality of elongated strip sections of such multiple coil strip 30 a highly effective springpad supporting structure. The common backing strip member 41 of each coil strip 30 may be formed of any known elastic sheet metal material for instance of the same type of metal as used for forming the continuous wire of the coils 31.

Thus, in forming a spring pad 20 of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a plurality of elongated strip sections of.

such multiple coil strips 30 (shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7) are assembled adjacent to each other above the common sheet frame member 22 of the pad 20 with the coil backing strip 41 of each coil strip section 30 secured to the underlying border region of the frame member 22. Thus, the common backing strips 41 of each multiple coil strip 30 may be simply secured to the border edge of the underlying frame sheet member 22 by bending free end portions 42 at the two opposite ends of each backing strip 41 underneath the edge region 24 of the backing sheet member 22, this being the construction used in the commercially manufactured spring pads used with the conventional garment pressing machines. Alternatively, the two end portions 42 of each backing strip 41 of each coil strip 30 may be secured to the border of the sheet frame member 22 by electric spot welding or by screws or rivets.

In a spring supporting head of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and described above in connection with Figs. 1 to 7, the upper end turns of the individual rows or strips 30 of the bifilary coils 31 are aligned along a substantially continuous extended backing surface formed by the upper coil turns 38 of the individual bifilary coil springs and their cross-wise filary junctions 35. It has been found good practice to place above the upper coil turns 38 of each bifilary coil of such spring pad 20 a flexible screen 43 of fine wire to provide a substantially continuous support surface overlying the upper coil turns 38 of the spring pad while permitting the individual screen surface elements overlying the individual coils to be pressed inwardly and to yield if a protruding garment When used in a garment pressing machine or the like,

a cover of porous fabric 45 may be readily placed over the upper screen 43 of the spring pad. The cover fabric 45 is of conventional type and it is secured along its borders to the underside of the spring pad 20 and the upper buck region 13 of the press buck 10 in a conventional way, as

by lacing or a pull string not shown.

I To provide for an unimpeded flow of steam from the steam passage 11 of the buck block 10 toward the upper surface 21 of the spring pad 20, the metallic backing strips 41 of the individual multiple coil strips 30 of the pad are provided with perforations or passage openings 46. In order to confine the steam flowing from the buck passage 11 to the upper surface 21 of the spring pad and its porous fabric cover 45, the peripheral borders of the spring pad 20 are enclosed by a sealing enclosure 47 of steam tight sheet material forming a border enclosure around the entire periphery of the spring pad 20. The border enclosure seal 47 may be formed of any suitable steam tight flexible sheet material, such as 'polyvinyl chloride sheet material, neoprene sheet material or a textile fabric coated with a layer of neoprene or polyvinyl chloride. The required junctions between the border seal sheet material 47 and the upper coil turns 38 of the array of spring coils 31 and/or their overlying cover screen 43 may be provided by a series of conventional staples 49 (Fig. 1).

Without thereby in any way limiting the scope of the invention but only in order to facilitate the ready practice thereof, there are given below constructional data of a multi coil strip formation which is used to make on a production basis an ironing spring pad of conventional size, having the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The individual bifilary spring coils 31 are /2 inch in diameter and they are formed of conventional spring steel or music wire .026 to .040 inch thick. Depending on the required resiliency, the bifilary coils 31 are made with two full turns for each helix with a coil height of about 1% inches down to coil heights of only quarter inch formed of only one full turn for each helix. The back-up or fastening strip 41 is formed of steel strip material of the type used in making flexible metal conduits for domestic electrical wiring circuits, the metal strip having a thickness of about .025 inch and a width of A; to /4 inch. The individual multi-coil strip sections are attached to the border edges of the metal sheet frame member 22 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. At the round end regions of the metal sheet frame member 22, the individual multi-coil strips 30 are attached to the frame member by electrically welding the end portions of the backing strip 41 to the upwardly facing edge portion of the frame member 22.

Multiple coil rows or strips 28 of the invention, of the type described above such as shown in Figs. 5 to 7, are also ideally suited for forming out of them tubular or roller-type spring pressing pads for use as backing rollers over which articles to be pressed are positioned and rolled While applying over a large area of the pressed article an ironing or pressing head or implement with the requisite large pressure.

Figs. 8 and 9 show by way of example, the general arrangement of a pressing pad roller equipped with a cylindrical supporting spring pad structure 29-1 of the invention. The roller structure generally designated 51 is of conventional type and comprises a generally cylindrical drum-like frame member or roller 52 arranged to be rotatably supported by a shaft 53. Around the cylinrical surface of the drum-like roller 52 is helically wound in closely spaced convolutions a long multiple coil strip 36-1 of the type described in connection with Figs. 5 to 7 so that successive convolutions of the coil backing strip 41-1 tightly encircle the circular periphery of the roller drum 52 and hold in position a cylindrical coil spring pad -1 formed of a large array of bifilary spring coils 31 projecting radially outward from the common cylindrical base level represented by the base turns 35, 36 and the coil junctions 32 of the individual coils 31 overlying the cylindrical surface of the roller drum 52.

A multiple coil strip -1 so wound in closely spaced convolutions around the cylindrical drum roller 52 may be attached to the drum surface in any conventional way as by screws 54 which clamp the opposite ends of the backing strip 41-1 forming part of a long multiple coil spring strip structure Fill-1 of the invention of the type described in connection with Figs. 5, 6, 7. If desired, the backing strip 41-1 of the multiple coil strip 30-1 may be attached to the cylindrical roller 52 at other points of the backing strip length, although attachment only at its two opposite ends has been found satisfactory for cylindrical spring support pads of standard rollertype pressing machines. A wire mesh 43-1 similar to the wire mesh 43 of the pad-2i] of Figs. 1 to 4 may also be secured in position around the outer coil turn 33 of the cylindrical array of coils 31 of the cylindrical spring pad shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Figs. 9A, 9-B and 9-6 show a multiple coil spring structure strip 39-1 of the cylindrical pad Ztl-l of Figs. 8 and 9 and its construction is similar to that of the multiple coil strip 3t) described above in connection with Figs. 5, 6, '7. The coil spring strip 313-1 comprises a series of helically Wound bifilary coils 31, each bifilary coil 31 having two oppositely wound coil helices 33, 34. In other words, the two filary helices 33, 34 of each coil 31 has one filary helix wound forwardly and the other filary helix wound reversely thereto. The lower or inner ends of each of the two helices 33, 34 of each bifilary coil 31 is connected to the lower ends of two bifilary helices of two opposite adjacent coils by transversely extending coil junction portions 37 which pass below the common backing strip 41-1 which is interlinked with the base coil turns 35, 36 of each bifilary coil 31. The upper ends of the two filary helices 33, 34 merge and are interconnected with a straight filary cross junction element 35 which extends in cross-wise relatively to the upper coil turns of each coil 31.

The base or inner convolutions 35, as of each coil 31 and the transverse coil junction 32 between the individual coils 31' of a multiple coil strip 30-1 are located in substantially the same base plane or the base level from which each spring coil 31 extends in outward direction. The upper end convolutions 33 of each coil 31 and their filary cross-wise junction elements 35 are located in the same outer plane to provide an extended even support surface 21-1 at the top of the spring pad formation Ztl-i. As indicated in Fig. 9-13, the straight filary junction portion 35 of each coil spring 31 is shown shorter in length than the diameter of the helical coil spring 31 and the top convolution 38 of each coil 31 is spiral inwardly from opposite directions to provide a generally S-shaped contour at the top of each coil spring 31. The width of the backing strip 41-1 is about equal to the inner diameter of the lower or base convolutions 35, 36 of the individual spring coils 31.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show another buck type spring pad generally designated Ztl-Z made in accordance with the principles of the invention and arranged so that the outer surface of the spring pad structure is either flat or curved. The spring pad 2 8-2 comprises a relatively stiff backing or frame member 22-2 having an extended backing surface on which are held arrayed in side-byside relation a plurality of adjacent multiple coil spring strips 30-1 of the type described and shown in connection with Figs. 9A, 9-13, 9-C or 5, 6, 7. Each multiple coil strip 30-1 is held with its base coil turns 35, 36 attached against the outer surface 23-2 of the backing member 22 by attaching the ends of each backing strip 41-1 to the opposite edge regions 24-2 of the backing sheet member 22-2. In the form shown, the free end of each backing strip 41-1 of each multiple coil strip is folded over the underside of the backing member edge 24-2 and attached thereto as by electric spot welding connection indicated at 43-2.

The pad 213-2 of Figs. 10, 11 has also a thin smooth highly flexible cover sheet member 44-2 of metal, for instance, retained on the top of the outer convolutions 38 of the array of bifilary coils 31 extending outwardly from the extended backing surface of the backing member 22-2. The thin cover sheet member 44-2 is shown provided with a series of longitudinal slits 45-2 to increase the flexibility of the cover sheet 44-2. The individual slits 25-2 of the thin cover sheet formation 44-2 which may be of metal, are shown staggered to provide uniformly distributed yieldability over the entire extended area of the cover sheet 44-2 overlying the array of coil springs 31 of the spring pad structure 2li-2. The thin flexible cover sheet 4-4-2 is suitably connected to the underlying top convolutions of the array of coil springs 31 of the pad 29-2 as by bending end portions 46-2 of the cover sheet 44-2 over the outer a 7 coil turn 38 of end rows of bifilary coils extending along the opposite edges of the pad -2 (Figs. 10, 11).

Bifilary coil arrays of the invention of the type described above, may be manufactured on a continuous basis from a continuous Wire and a continuous backing strip in any desired length. The multiple coil strips of the invention so manufactured are flexible in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the common backing strip interlinked with the base turns of the coil and they may be attached to the backing surface of either a flat or curved backing support or to a drum or cylindrical backing support. Depending on the pressure to which the outer surface of the spring pad of the invention is subjected, the multiple coil spring structure thereof may be manufactured on an economical basis to provide for any required stiffness of the individual bifilary coils of the multiple coil strips of such spring pad.

In the spring pad structure of the invention of the type described above, a large array of bifilary coils all extending in outward direction from a common base level are formed of adjacently held rows of multiple bifilary coils. The large number of bifilary coils of each row of coils is formed out of a single wire so that all coils extend outwardly from the base coil turns of each coil which are aligned along an extended coil surface so that the outer coil turns provide an extended support surface for an article pressed or the like. By forming the spring pad of array of rows of bifilary coil strips, the flexing stresses are properly distributed over a great length of coil spring wire, thereby practically eliminating spring breakage due to fatigue failure. The bifilary coils forming part of the continuous wire of each multiple coil strip of spring pads of the invention provide the same spring stiffness and resistance to deflection as single wire coil helices used in the best prior spring-type pressing pads. By combining a low row of coils into a single multiple coil unit formed out of a single Wire, the problem of retaining the spring coils in their aligned operative positions is greatly simplified as a single relatively thin sheet metal backing strip interlinked with the base turns of the individual bifilary coils of each multiple coil strip provides the required mounting connection between the individual coils and the backing support.

Multiple coil strips of the invention described above in connection with Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 9-A, 9-B, 9C may be formed of a continuous wire in any suitable manner as by use of a mandrel. By way of example, the series of a large number of spring coils 31 of a multiple coil strip 3t! may be formed from successive sections of a continuous wire by winding one filary coil helix first in one direction and then another filary coil helix of the same coil in an opposite direction with the convolution ,of second filary coil helix interleaved between the convolutions of the first filary coil helix. The next bifilary coil 31 is then formed of the same wire in like manner adjacent the first bifilary helical coil 31, the first filary helix of the next bifilary coil being wound in the opposite direction to the second filary helix of the preceding bifilary coil, i. e., each bifilary coil being thus wound with two helices coiled in opposite directions and parallel to each other. 'When forming a series of adjacent bifilary coils out of a continuous length of wire so that each coil extends outwardly in the same direction from a common base level of all coils, in accordance with the invention, the diameter and the number of convolutions of each coil and the cross-section of the coil wire may be varied depending on the required resiliency of the pad.

The backing strip 41 which is interlinked with the base convolutions 35, 36 of the individual bifilary coils 31 of each coil strip 39 and their coil junctions 37 may be combined in a variety of ways with the preformed multiple coil wire structure formed out of a continuous wire. Thus, with the individual wire coils 31 extending outwardly from the crossing coil base junctions37 between the coils, an array of such coils may be wound around all) the backing strip 41 by winding successive transverse coil base junction 37 over one side of the backing strip 41 with the adjoining base convolutions 35, 36 of each coil wound on the opposite side of the backing strip so that each helical bifilary coil extends outwardly in the same direction from the backing strip and with the base convolutions 35, 36 of each coil engaging the backing strip 41.

A set of series of outwardly extending bifilary coils 31 is thus wound with their coil junction 37 around the backing strip ll so that the backing strip 41 and base convolutions 35, 36 of each coil are interlaced or interlinked and retained between the transverse coil junctions 37 and the base convolutions 35, 36 of each outwardly extending coil.

When a very flexible backing strip 41 is used for the multiple coil pad structure 20, 20-4, 2il2, the flexible backing strip 41 may be wound directly into position between the coil cross junctions 37 which connect adjacent coils and the adjoining base convolutions 35,36 of each bifilary coil 31. 7

By way of another example, the backing strip may be threaded into position between the base convolutions 35, 36 of successive coils of a multiple coil wire formation of the type shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and the coil junction elements 37 between adjacent coils, by feeding a pointed end of a fiat backing strip 41 progressively between successive coil cross junction elements 37 of adjacent coils and the overlying base coil convolutions 35, 36 of adjacent coils, the threading being progressively carried on with the backing strip being fed in one direction and the multiple coil Wire formation being fed in opposite direction so that successive coil cross junction elements 37 come into engagement with one side of the forward end of the backiru strip 41 and the base convolutions 35, 36 of each coil come into engagement with the opposite side of the forward end of the backing strip 41.

It should be noted that in the multiple coil strip formation of the invention of the type described in connection with Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 9-A, 9B, 9C, the backing strip 41 is positioned between the base convolution of one filary helix of one of'the spring coils 31 and the coil junction portion 37 connecting this filary helix of said one coil with the oppositely wound filary helix of the next adjacent coil of the multiple coil wire formation so that the two filary base convolutions 35, 36, of each coil 31 tend to grasp the opposite edges of the backing strip 41 be tween them. Good results are obtained by arranging the adjacent coils 31 of a multiple coil strip formation so that just enough clearance is provided between adjacent bifilary coils 31 as to perm-it compression of the bifilary coil helices without causing interference or interlocking between the convolutions of adjacent bifilary coil springs The features and principles underlying the invention described above in connection with specific exemplifications, will suggest to those skilled in the art many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be construed broadly and that they shall not be limited to the specific details shown and described in connection with exemplifications thereof.

I claim:

1. In a spring support, a continuous elongated wirelike elastic spring member of metal formed into a large number of bifilary helically wound spring coils projecting as a row of adjacent coils from a common base level with each coil having adjacent said base level one filar base turn ending on one side of said row and other filar base turn ending on the opposite side of said row with the end portions of said one base turn being directed opposite to the end portion of said other base turn, the end portion of said one base turn of one coil being connected to the end portion of the other base turn of an adjacent coil through a transverse coil junction extending transversely to said row, and an elon ated striplike metallic backing member which is relatively rigid in the direction of its strip-like surface between the coil junction of adjacent coils and the filar base turns of adjacent coils of said row so that they constitute self-supporting coil strip with a large number of the coils of said strip held relatively restrained by said backing member against displacement of their coil junctions and their base turns relatively to said backing member.

2. In a spring support as claimed in claim 1, a relatively firm support structure having an extended support surface, a plurality of elongated sections of said coil strip being mounted adjacent to each other on said support surface.

3. In a spring support as claimed in claim 2, opposite end portions of the backing member of each elongated section of said coil strip being afiixcd to spaced portions or" said support structure.

4. in a spring support as claimed in claim 3, said backing member and the support surface of said support structure having perforations for admitting fluid through said support structure and said backing member to said coil strip.

5. In a spring support as claimed in claim 1, a relatively firmsupport structure having an axially extending support surface, a continuous length of said coil strip being helically wound with its backing member around said extended support surface so that successive helices of the backing member of said coil strip are held fixed adjacent to each other along said support surface.

6. In a spring support as claimed in claim 5, the opposite end portions of the backing member of said coil strip being affixed to spaced portions of said support structure.

7. In a spring support as claimed in claim 1, a relatively firm support structure comprising an extended support surface having perforations for admitting fluid through said support structure and said backing members to said coil strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 136,473 Ward Mar. 4, 1873 1,889,050 Jack Nov. 29, 1932 2,026,346 Johnson Dec. 31, 1935 2,443,309 Dzus June 15, 1948 2,490,981 Reiss et a1. Dec. 13, 1949 2,507,029 Lundy May 9, 1950

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