US3634896A

US3634896A - Mattress spring assembly

Info

Publication number: US3634896A
Application number: US2278A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas W Platt; Robert D Macmorran
Original assignee: Flex O Lators Inc
Current assignee: Flex O Lators Inc
Priority date: 1970-01-12
Filing date: 1970-01-12
Publication date: 1972-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-18

Abstract

A mattress spring assembly consisting of a spring base including relatively widely spaced spring members defining a generally planar load-supporting surface, and a padding insulator sheet reinforced by relatively closely spaced wires overlying said spring base, said spring base and insulator sheet being so interrelated that the latter substitutes for and performs the functions of certain elements of the former, such as the border wires and interspring ties normally forming elements of the spring base, thereby permitting a simpler, more economical overall combination.

Description

United States Patent Platt et al.

[451 Jan. 18, 1972 [541 MATTRESS SPRING ASSEMBLY [72] Inventors: Thomas W. Platt; Robert D. MacMorran,

both of Carthage, Mo. [73] Assignee: Flex-O-Lators, lnc., Carthage, Mo. [22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1970 211 App]. No.: 2,278

[52] US. Cl ..5/354, 5/260 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 23/04 [58] Field of Search ..5/354, 260-262 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bronstein ....5/26l Bellgrau ....5/260 Clark ..5/354 2,962,088 11/1960 Gleason ..5/354 3,327,332 6/1967 Richardsonetal ..5/354 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette Att0rney-John A. Hamilton [57] ABSTRACT A mattress spring assembly consisting of a spring base including relatively widely spaced spring members defining a generally planar load-supporting surface, and a padding insulator sheet reinforced by relatively closely spaced wires overlying said spring base, said spring base and insulator sheet 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Z 24 I Z5 MATTRESS SPRING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mattress spring assemblies, and has particular reference to a novel combination of a spring base and a padding insulator sheet overlying said spring base.

Mattress spring assemblies normally include a spring base formed of a large number of relatively widely spaced apart primary spring units, such as coil springs or serpentine no-sag springs, to define, in skeleton form, a more or less planar loadsupporting surface, joined together by suitable means usually including a border wire surrounding the periphery of the mattress, and wires connecting adjoining springs over the entire area of the mattress. The assembly may be double-faced, as in the case of a bed mattress or other reversible cushion, or single-faced with the spring units mounted directly in a frame or on some rigid or semirigid base, as in the case of upholstered furniture, vehicular seating, box springs and mattress foundations. It will be understood therefore, that the term mattress spring assembly," as used herein, includes all of the aboveenumerated devices. It is also customary and quite common that the general spring assembly include a padding insulator sheet, usually including relatively closely spaced spring steel wires, said sheet overlying the load-supporting surface of the basesprings and having the function of preventing the padding material, which commonly consists of cotton batting or other fibrous material or sponge rubber, and which overlies the spring base in the completed cushion, from working into the spaces within and between the base spring units.

It has heretofore been the general practice to manufacture both the spring base and the insulator sheet separately as complete and distinct assemblies, then to lay the insulator sheet over the spring base and secure them in assembly by means of suitable connectors such as split ring fasteners commonly known as hog rings. This general practice has been time consuming and laborious, and therefore expensive, and is also wasteful, since it results in an assembly wherein, in many instances, the wires of the spring base and the insulator sheet, respectively, either duplicate or are capable of duplicating each others functions and purposes. Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is the provision of a mattress spring assembly including both a spring base and an insulator sheet as described, but in which duplication of wires and their functions is largely eliminated. More specifically, it relates to an assembly wherein the insulator sheet either partially or completely assumes the functions of the border wires and interspring ties which heretofore have constituted elements of the base spring assembly.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of structure, efficiency and dependability of operation, and the provision ofa spring assembly having a smoothly comfortable, durable surface not likely to become bumpy or uneven in long periods of usage.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a top plan view, partially broken away and foreshortened, of a mattress spring assembly embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of one corner of the assembly shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line lII-lII of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modification of structure,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VV ofFIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI-Vl ofFIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1, but showing another modification of structure.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and referring first to FIG. 1-3, showing one form of the spring assembly as contemplated by the present invention, the assembly includes a spring base consisting of a series of coil springs 2, each having its axis normal to the plane of the mattress. The upper end convolutions 4 of said springs are generally coplanar and define, in skeleton form, the loadsupporting surface of the assembly. In a reversible mattress, both surfaces of which are to be used, the opposite load-supporting surface thereof may be defined and formed by the opposite end convolutions of springs 2. In other mattress assemblies, the opposite ends of springs 2 can be attached permanently to a rigid or semirigid frame, not shown. Springs 2 are arranged in parallel, spaced apart rows, as shown, the end convolutions 4 of adjacent springs in each row being disposed closely adjacent each other so as to touch or even slightly overlap, as shown. For convenience of reference, the edges of the mattress parallel to the rows of springs will be referred to as the sides thereof, and the edges of the mattress transverse to said spring rows will be referred to as the ends thereof.

The end convolutions 4 of successive springs 2 in each row of springs are connected by split ring clips 6 commonly known as hog rings, as shown, or by other means such as clips, crimp wires, or stake wires, and adjacent rows of springs are interconnected by suitable tie members extending between said rows, such as the X-ties 8 shown in FIG. 1. These ties may be cords, or wires of various configurations. Such connectors as hog rings 6 and ties 8, or their equivalents, are virtually universally used in mattress spring assemblies. Also virtually universally used, though not shown, is a heavy border wire of spring steel extending around the peripheral edge of the assembly of springs 2, and affixed to each of springs 2 at said periphery, by hog rings or otherwise.

Also included in the assembly is a padding insulator sheet indicated generally by the numeral 10. As shown, said insulator sheet consists of a pair of parallel side strands 12 each including a core 14 comprising a heavy wire of spring steel (see FIG. 3) and a sheath 16 of soft, indentable material such as twisted paper, and a continuous series of closely spaced apart, relatively small gauge spring steel cross wires 18 extending in parallel relation between side strands 12, each of wires 18, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, being twisted about each side strand 12 in indenting relation to sheath 16 thereof, as indicated at 20, and then twisted or knotted about itself said side strands, as indicated at 22. Also, the insulator sheet may include a plurality of intermediate strands 24 consisting of twisted paper or other material, without wire cores, extending parallel to side strands l2 therebetween, and pierced by each of cross wires 18. These intermediate strands serve to maintain the spacing of cross wires 18 generally uniform between side strands I2, and hence cause said sheet to preserve a better support for the cotton or other padding material not shown, which will later be applied over the sheet, whereby to prevent said padding from working down into the spaces within and between springs 2. The spacing between wires 18 should be sufficiently small for this purpose, about I inch having been found satisfactory in most instances. The sheath 16 of side strands 12 provides a secure, nonslip purchase for cross wires 18 thereon, and tends to muffle spring noises" to provide a quieter assembly. The knotting" of cross wires 18 around side strands 12 is of great value in preventing the possible pulling away of said cross wires from said side strands. This insulator sheet is differentiated from insulator sheets now in general usage by the inclusion of core wires 14 in the side strands.

Insulator sheet I0 is laid over the surface of the base or deck formed by springs 2, with cross wires 18 extending transversely to the rows of springs 2, and is of such width that side strands 12 of the insulator sheet are disposed respectively along the side marginal edges of said spring deck. Said side strands are then secured to the end convolutions 4 of the springs 2 in the adjacent sidemost row of said springs by hog rings 26. Cross wires 18 of the insulator sheet may also be connected to springs 2, at various points over the entire area of the sheet, by hog rings. This may be done, for example, wherever one of wires 18 is disposed just above the juncture of two springs 2 where they are joined by a hog ring 6, by including wire 18 in said hog ring as well as the end convolutions of said springs. Hog rings 6 so utilized are designated at 6A in FIG. 1.

Side strands 12 may be extended at each end beyond cross wires 18. As shown in FIG. 7, these extended end portions, designated 12A, may be bent inwardly around the corners of the spring deck to lie along the end margins of the spring deck, strand portions 12A from opposite sides of the mattress extending into overlapping relation and being secured to end convolutions 4 of the endmost springs 2 of the rows of springs by hog rings 28. However, it is considered preferable to terminate strands 12A just after their points of attachment to the cornermost of springs 2, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2, and to form the end border wire with a separate wire strand 30, which also may be secured by hog rings 28. Each end of wires 30 may then be bent around a corner of the mattress, as best shown in FIG. 2. so as to be engaged by the first hog ring 26 at the side of the mattress, and then extended downwardly in serpentine configuration to form a corner spring" 32, the horizontal reaches of which are curved around the corner of the mattress. Such corner springs serve to stiffen the corner portions of the mattress against vertical deflection, the corner portions being areas in which spring mattresses are otherwise weak in load-supporting capacity and hence tend to break down, and also to support and form padding material later applied thereover to preserve a neat, tailored appearance thereof. The lower end of each corner spring 32 may be attached to a rigid base if the mattress is nonreversible, or to the border wire l230 of the opposite face of the mattress if the mattress is reversible. Intermediate strands 24 may, as shown in FIG. 7, be secured to strands 12A by clips 34 to secure said intermediate strands against longitudinal movement. Also, in FIG. 1, said intermediate strands could be clipped in a similar manner to end wires 30.

Thus, it will be seen that a mattress spring assembly having certain advantages has been produced. It provides both the spring base or deck formed by springs 2 and the padding insulating function of sheet 10, with fewer parts than have heretofore been required, in that, for example, side strands 12 of the insulator sheet perform the functions of the border wire, not shown, which heretofore has formed an indispensible element of the spring deck itself. Said side strands may either form the entire border wire, as in FIG. 7, or only the side border wires as in FIG. 1. The FIG. 1 species is considered to have the advantage that while it does require the use of separate end wires 30, said end wires may also be extended to form corner springs 32, said corner springs also having heretofore been separate elements requiring extra operations for their attachment. Also, insulator sheet 10, at least to some extent, takes over the functions of intermediate spring ties 8, so that in some cases said ties may be dispensed with. Particularly with intermediate strands 24 affixed to the end border members as shown in FIG. 7 to prevent lateral movement of insulator cross wires 18, and with springs 2 attached to said cross wires by hog rings 6A, the insulator effectively prevents movement of the upper ends of springs 2 laterally of wires 18, and the close juxtaposition of hog rings 6A to intermediate strands 24 tends to prevent movement of the upper ends of springs 2 longitudinally of wires 18, so that springs 2 are held in proper placement over the mattress area by the insulator sheet, and ties 8 could be dispensed with.

FIG. 4-6 show a modification of structure in which helical spring wire coils are substituted for the hog ring fasteners shown in FIG. l-3 and 7. A first helical coil 36 extends around the peripheral edge of the mattress surface defined by the end convolutions 4 of springs 2, coiling about the side strands 12 of the insulator at the sides of the mattress and about end border wires 30 at the ends of the mattress, and also about the end convolutions 4 of the springs 2 disposed at the side and end edges of the mattress, as best shown in FIG. 5. Another series of helical coils, each designated 38, extend across the mattress surface transversely to the rows of springs 2, each being coiled about one of cross wires 18 of the insulator, and about the end convolutions ofa pair of adjacent springs 2 in each of the rows of springs, as best shown in FIG. 6. Said helical coils may be spun or rotated longitudinally into place as the elements to be joined thereby are held in proper position. The structure shown in FIG. 4-6 could of course also be modified by substituting extensions of side strands 12 for end border wires 30, as shown in FIG. 7, and could also include intermediate strands 24 as shown in FIG. 1, and said intermediate strands could be affixed to the end border members, also as shown in FIG. 7.

The principal advantage of the helical binder coils 36 and 38, as compared to the hog ring fasteners shown in FIG. l-3 and 7, is that they not only prevent wires thus joined from pulling apart in a direction transverse to the coil axis, which a hog ring can do as well, but also prevents relative movement of the joined wires in a direction parallel to the coil axis, which a hog ring cannot do. In the present structure, this means that the springs 2 not at the mattress edge are not only secured by coils 38 against relative movement transversely of cross wires 18, but are also secured by coils 38 against movement longitudinally of wires 18, so long as coils 38 themselves are prevented from moving longitudinally of wires 18 by their inclusion between side strands 12. Thus springs 2 are held in proper relation to each other over the entire area of the mattress, and ties 8 can be dispensed with.

Although not illustrated, another possible modification would be to use two insulator sheets 10 superimposed over each other with the cross wires 18 of one sheet at right angles to the cross wires of the other sheet, and then securing the composite insulator sheet over the spring base and securing it in position along all four edges of the mattress. This would permit side strands 12 to form the border wire around the entire periphery, and the gridwork formed by the intersecting sets of cross wires 18 would provide a stiffer desk, which is generally considered desireable, would provide better support for padding layers applied thereover, and would provide for more secure attachment of end convolutions 4 of springs thereto.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of our invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A mattress spring assembly comprising:

a. a spring base consisting of a plurality of relatively widely spaced apart spring units arranged to define, in skeleton fonn, a generally rectangular load-supporting surface having side and end marginal edges.

b. a padding insulator sheet including a pair of generally parallel resilient side strands, and a series of relatively closely spaced apart resilient cross strands extending between and affixed to said side strands, said side strands overlying the side marginal edges of said spring base whereby to form the sole marginal edge wires for said spring base, and said cross strands overlying the load-supporting surface of said spring base,

c. a pair of end border strands overlying and defining the end marginal edges of said spring base, and

d. connecting means joining said side strands and end border strands to the spring units adjacent said marginal edges of said spring base.

2. The structure as recited in claim 1 with the addition of second connecting means attaching certain of said cross strands to said base spring units intermediate said side strands.

3. The structure as recited in claim 1 wherein said side strands each comprise a spring steel wire core having a sheath of soft, indentable material, each of said cross strands being secured about said sheath.

4. The structure as recited in claim 1 wherein said end border strands constitute extensions of said side strands, angled to extend along the end marginal edges of said spring base.

5. The structure as recited in claim 1 with the addition of one or more intermediate strands of flexible material disposed between and generally parallel to said side strands, and connected to each of said cross strands at its point of intersection therewith. S

6. The structure as recited in claim 5 with the addition of means affixing each end of each of said intermediate strands to the adjacent of said end border strands.

Claims

1. A mattress spring assembly comprising: a. a spring base consisting of a plurality of relatively widely spaced apart spring units arranged to define, in skeleton form, a generally rectangular load-supporting surface having side and end marginal edges. b. a padding insulator sheet including a pair of generally parallel resilient side strands, and a series of relatively closely spaced apart resilient cross strands extending between and affixed to said side strands, said side strands overlying the side marginal edges of said spring base whereby to form the sole marginal edge wires for said spring base, and said cross strands overlying the load-supporting surface of said spring base, c. a pair of end border strands overlying and defining the end marginal edges of said spring base, and d. connecting means joining said side strands and end border strands to the spring units adjacent said marginal edges of said spring base.

5. The structure as recited in claim 1 with the addition of one or more intermediate strands of flexible material disposed between and generally parallel to said side strands, and connected to each of said cross strands at its point of intersection therewith.