US2978714A

US2978714A - Innerspring mattress construction and reinforcing means for the side walls thereof

Info

Publication number: US2978714A
Application number: US38268A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bechik Michael
Original assignee: Bechik Products Inc
Current assignee: Bechik Products Inc
Priority date: 1960-06-23
Filing date: 1960-06-23
Publication date: 1961-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-11

Description

April 11, 1961 M. BECHIK INNERSPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION AND REINFORCING MEANS FOR THE SIDE WALLS THEREOF Filed June 25, 1960 FIE. .1.

I I I I I I I INVENTOR. M'IcHAEI. BECHIK fifiif i/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII? ATTORNEY;

1+ III I I I I I I a /7 %& 2\ LIIIIIIII 'EzEI I United States Patent.

INNERSPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION AND REINFOIiTCING MEANS FOR THE SIDE WALLS THEREO Michael Bechik, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Bechik Products Inc., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of M]!!- nesota Filed June 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,268

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-351) My invention relates generally to mattress construction and more particularly to improvements in mattresses of the innerspring type.

Still more specifically my invention relates to improvements designed to reinforce the side walls of innerspring mattresses, so as to discourage accidental rolling off of occupants therefrom. Efiorts along this line are not new. However, devices heretofore used for this purpose are of the type which are installed at longitudinally spaced points along the margin, particularly the side walls of the mattress, as distinguished from the opposite ends thereof. Such devices are not entirely satisfactory, however, in view of the fact that they leave unsupported areas between spaced side wall reinforcing members.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of improved means for reinforcing the side walls of innerspring mattresses which may be readily installed during construction of a mattress in a conventional manner and which will uniformly yieldingly support the mattress wall for the full extent of its length, preferably entirely about the margin of said mattress.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the kind immediately above described which is inexpensive to produce, extremely easy'and inexpensive to install, and which is rugged and durable in construction.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which, in use, will not tend to cause excessive wear upon the fabric-covered side wall of the mattress.

A still further and highly important object of my invention is the provision of side wall reinforcing means for innerspring mattress walls which is made up of a plurality of flexible resilient wire elements bent in generally zigzag shape and so arranged with respect to each other as to define longitudinally spaced upper and lower generally horizontal anchoring portions disposed in planes which are spaced apart vertically approximately the distance between the border wires of the mattress to which it is intended to be secured, and angularly disposed portions which are in side-by-side crisscross arrangement, and means associated with said crisscrossed portions for holding said upper and lower connecting portions in substantial alignment to facilitate attachment thereof to the border wires of said mattress, said means permitting unrestricted angular movements of said crisscrossed portions with respect to each other after such attachment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of a conventional innerspring mattress or cushion with my novel supporting means attached thereto, some parts Patented Apr. 11, 1961 As shown in Fig. 2 aconventional innerspring mattress, identified by the letter A, is made up of a vertically compressible unit, identified in its entirety by the numeral 1. Unit 1 comprises a plurality of rows of coil compression springs 2 and upper and lower relatively rigid frame-forming border wires 3, 4 respectively. The coil compression springs 2 are suitably secured together by elongated helical springs 5 and the marginally disposed coil springs 2 are suitably anchored to the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 by means of helical springs 6, 7 extending completely about said border wires.

Preferably and as shown, but forming no part of my present invention, is a layer of cotton batten or other soft compressible material 8 which overlies and covers upper and lower ends of springs 6, 7. Material layer 8, in turn, is covered by alayer of ticking or the like 9 forming the upper and lower surfaces of the mattress A. The side wall of the mattress is defined by a length of ticking 10 the upper and loweredges of which are secured in a conventional manner to the top and bottom wall-forming ticking members 9, as indicated at 11, 12.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 my novel reinforcing means B preferably comprises a plurality of elongated flexible resilient wire elements 13 bent in generally zigzag shape and so arranged with respect to each other to define generally horizontal preferably opposed upper and lower connecting

portions

14, 15 respectively, which are spaced apart vertically generally a distance equal to the distance between the upper and lower border wires 3, 4, and angularly disposed

portions

16, 17 which are in sideby-side crisscross arrangement, as indicated at 18.

While in the preferred embodiment of my invention, as shown, I utilize four separate flexible resilient wire elements 13, the precise number thereof is not vital. The important thing is that the elements 13 be so shaped and so arranged with respect to each other as to define generally horizontal upper and lower connecting

portions

14, 15 respectively which are spaced apart vertically generally a distance equal to the distance between the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 of the mattress A, and angularly disposed

portions

16, 17 which are in loose side-by-side crisscross arrangement.

Furthermore, while it is appreciated that with my preferred arrangement the angularly disposed

portions

16, 17 of the wire elements 13 are in loose side-by-side crisscross arrangement both above and below their crisscrossed intermediate portions 18, such arrangement is not necessary to my invention and may not occur when a lesser number of wire elements 13 is utilized.

Preferably and as shown, to maintain the upper and

lower anchoring portions

14, 15 in general alignment and in planes spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 of the mattress A, I preferably apply opposed strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape C to the loose crisscrossed portions 18.0f the angularly disposed

portions

16, 17. These opposed strips C not only adhere to each other between the crisscrossed portions 18 but sufliciently grip the crisscrossed portions 18 so as to retain them in a relatively fixed position during shipping and during the installing operation.

Side wall reinforcing means, formed in accordance with springs 6, 7 to pass thereabout during the same operation in which the vertically disposed coil compression springs 2 are being secured to the border wires 3, 4. Hence the step .of reinforcing the side wallltl of the mattress A is accomplished without any additional time and almost without any additional eifort.

Fig. 3 shows a typical position which the side wall 10 and my novel reinforcing means B therefor assumes under compression. The loose attachment ofthe upper and lower connecting

portions

14, 15 to the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 respectively showing the limited pivotal or rocking movements of the

portions

14, 15 about horizontal axes which is permitted by the rather loose but secure anchoring means altorded by the upper and lower helical springs 6, 7. Furthermore this loose connection likewise affords whatever limited axial movements may be required during compression of the side Wall reinforcingmeans B. Finally as an important feature of my invention, the opposed strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapevC permit unrestricted angular movement of the crisscrossed portions 18 with respect to each other after attachment of my novel reinforcing means B to the mattress A and during compression and flection of the side wall 16 under load. While said strips C permit no useful function after installation of the means'B to the mattress A, neither are they detrimental in any manner and hence need not be removed.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that the same may be capable of further modification without depar ture from the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

Reinforcing means for the sidewalls of innerspring mattresses of the type whichfinclude upper and lower border wires adjacent the upper and lower limits respec: tively of said sidewalls, said means comprising aplih rality of flexible resilient wire elements bent in generaiiy zigzag shape and so arranged with respect to each other as to define generally opposed horizontal upper and tower connecting portions which are spaced apartven tically generally a distance equal to the distancebetw'een said upper and lower border wires, and angularly disposed portionswhich are in side -by-side crisscross arrangement; and means associated with said crisscrossed portions for holding said upper and lower connecting portions in substantial alignment to facilitate attachment thereot'to the border wires of said mattress, said means permit-ting unrestricted angular movements of said crisscrossed portions with respect to each other after such attachment, said last mentioned means comprising opposed strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

References Cited in the tile of this patent