US3842451A

US3842451A - Mattress support assembly

Info

Publication number: US3842451A
Application number: US00382827A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Mccormick
Original assignee: McCormick Lumber Co Inc
Current assignee: McCormick Lumber Co Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-01
Filing date: 1973-07-26
Publication date: 1974-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-22
Also published as: CA993573A

Abstract

A pair of side rails and a pair of end rails and four corner posts, are assembled into a frame. The side rails are rabbeted at their upper inner edges and receive a plurality of parallel straight transverse slats, and a pair of diagonal slats, with a center rail supported by and helping space the slats at the center and having its ends received in slots in the end rails. The whole assembly is nailed, spiked or stapled together. Springs are secured to the slats, tied to a wire grid at their tops, covered with padding and enclosed with a fabric hood.

Description

1 MATTRESS SUPPORT ASSEMBLY [75] lnventor: Robert A. McCormick, Indianapolis,

1 Ind.

[73] Assignee: McCormick Lumber Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.

22 Filed: July 26,1973 211 Appl. No.: 382,827

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 230,734, March 1, 1972,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 5/200 R, 5/200 C, 5/239, 5/264 B [51] llnt. Cl. A47c 19/00,

[58] Field of Search 5/131, 200 R, 200 C, 248, 5/239-245, 264 B, 264 R, 279 R, 282 R [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,579,134 3/1926 Nusbaum 287/2092 D X 3,080,576 3/1963 Cervasi ..5/264R 3,621,497 11/1971 Fitzgerald 5/131 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton 5 7 ABSTRACT A pair of side rails and a pair of end rails and four corner posts, are assembled into a fframe. The side rails are rabbeted at their upper inner edges and receive a plurality of parallel straight transverse slats, and a pair of diagonal slats, with a center rail supported by and helping space the slats at the center and having its ends received in slots in the end rails. The whole assembly is nailed, spiked or stapled together. Springs are secured to the slats, tied to a wire grid at their tops, covered with padding and enclosed with a fabric hood.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENIHJ 001221914 sum 1 or 5 hil MATTRESS SUPPORT ASSEMBLY CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 230,734, filed Mar. l, 1972 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to bedding and fumiture, and more particularly to boxspring assemblies to support mattresses and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Typically boxspring frames are made of wood,-as it is a comparatively light, inexpensive material easy to handle and sufficiently strong for the intended purpose. The typical assembly is a built-up structure using two or more longitudinally extending members at each side of the frame, and two or more elongated members at each end of the frame, with spacer and filler blocks and filler strips therebetween at appropriate places. Springs are mounted on the frame and covered with padding and a hood.

Several problems with this typical prior art construction include the necessity of handling a considerable number of pieces, a multitude of fastening steps and points, rounding corners by the use of a band saw, all of which tend to increase cost and limit productability of labor. It is an objective of the present invention to overcome most or all of these typical shortcomings of typical prior art procedures and structures.

Described briefly, in a typical embodiment of the present invention, a boxspring assembly is made of a set of pre-cut pieces comparatively few in number, including pre-cut corner posts, side and end rails, slats and center rails. The shape of the comer posts and the cross section of the side rails minimizes assembly steps and avoids the necessity of corner trimming after assembly. Springs or foam can be placed on the frame, suitably padded (in the case of springs) and covered with a hood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a top plan view of a boxspring frame according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section therethrough taken at line 33 in FIG. I and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section there- 7 through taken at line 44 in FIG. I and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternate embodiment but with the center broken away to conserve drawing space, and with a portion of the end slat broken away in the upper right hand corner.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded end elevation, similar to FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at line 77 in FIG. 5 but omitting theend slat.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the FIG. 5 embodiment with springs installed thereon.

FIG. 9 is a cross section through a complete boxspring assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, the boxspring frame includes a pair of side rails 11 having a rabbeted inner edge 12 as best shown in FIG. 4. It also has a pair of end rails 13. While the side rails are elongated and rabbeted as shown, the end rails are elongated but not rabbeted and have a typical rectangular cross section. However they are vertically slotted on their inner face as shown at I4 to receive the ends of an intermediate rail 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a center rail.

A corner block such as block 17 is provided at each corner and, as best shown by reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, each block extends the full height of the frame, has two

grooves

18 and 19 therein, and a semicylindrical surface 21 between the proximate edges of the grooves. It will readily be recognized that these corner blocks can be made of a board of rectangular or square cross section (as suggested by the dotted line 20 in FIG. 1) first rabbeted, then rounded and then cross cut to the desired dimension between the upper and lower ends 22 thereof.

A plurality of straight transverse slats 23 is provided, the opposite ends of these slats being received in the rabbeted grooves 12 in the side rail as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Similarly, diagonal slats 24 are provided adjacent the opposite ends. The slats are secured to the rails by T-nails, nails, or staples, as indicated at 25 and are likewise fastened to the center rail 16 at 26. The center rail is fastened to the end rail in the same manner as indicated at 27 in FIG. 2, and the end rails and side rails are fastened to the corner posts in the same manner as indicated at 28 and 29, respectively, in FIG. 1.

The material is preferably sound mixed native hardwoods or dried softwoods except, of course, for the fasteners mentioned above. The number of slats is typically from four to nine depending upon the size of the frame, and the number of center support rails is one to three, depending upon the size of the frame. Typical frame sizes are to inch length, and 48 to 65 inch width, and approximately two and /2 to 7 inch height.

For speed of assembly, it is preferable that fasteners such as described above, be employed. However it is possible that on dried softwood, various adhesives might be used. In that event, the time factor can be largely overcome by using a metal fastener in addition to the glue or adhesive with the fastener serving to hold the assembly together until the glue or other adhesive reaches the necessary strength.

Referring now to FIG. 5, parts which may be identical to those in the previously described embodiment are given the same reference numerals. However, as can best be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the corner blocks 31 do not extend the full height of the side or end rails. Instead, they are shortened, with the upper face 32 thereof being virtually flush with the upper face 33 of the rabbeted inner edge 12 of the side rails 11. This makes possible the employment of end slats 34 coplanar with the

slats

23 and 24 and resting upon the upper faces 32 of the corner blocks. They may be nailed, stapled, glued or otherwise secured to the corner blocks and center rail. If desired, all slats may be of the same length, including not only the slats 23 and the end slats 34, but also the

diagonal slats

24 and 26 which, although on a slight diagonal, are long enough to extend over a portion of the rabbeted edge I2 of the side rails 11.

The end slats provide a firm and reliable support for the end rows of coil springs 36 as best shown in FIG. 8. Springs 36 are typically secured to the slats by having the lower coil thereof stapled Oto the slat upon which the coil is mounted (FIG. 9). The upper end of each coil is wired to wires of a locating grid. For example, referring to FIG. 9, the upper coil 38 may be tied to the longitudinal wire 39 and transverse wire 41 of the grid by either a single loop of wire such as a hog ring" around each of the

wires

39 and 41 or by a continuous winding of wire around the coil and the grid wires as shown at 42. The grid may be of conventional construction including a perimeter wire frame 43 with the longitudinal wires 39 wrapped therearound at each end, transverse wires 41 connected thereto by the wire brackets 44.

As shown in FIG. 9, the grid is covered by suitable padding 46 and that is covered by a fabric hood 47 which is typically stapled to the underside of the side rails as indicated at 48. Thus completes the assembly.

- where foam is used, more slats are used than with a spring-type construction, unless corrugated support of suitable strength is provided for the foam.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a mattress support assembly, the combination comprising:

a pair ofv horizontally extending end rails parallel to each other, a pair of horizontally extending side rails parallel to each other, and a plurality of corner blocks, each corner block having a pair of vertically extending grooves therein, one of said grooves of each of said blocks receiving and affixed to the end of a side rail and the other of said grooves of each of said blocks receiving and affixed to the end of an end rail, whereby a complete rectangular frame is formed by the pairs of rails and plurality of corner blocks, and a plurality of spaced horizontally extending slats extending between said side rails at the tops of said side rails and affixed thereto.

2. The combination of claim I wherein:

said side rails have generally rectangular cross section more than two times as high as they are wide in cross section and are rabbeted, and said slats have ends thereof received in the rabbets on said side rails.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

there are four of said corner blocks, all of which are identical, and said side rails are identical.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein:

each of said corner blocks has a semi-cylindrical convex outer surface extending from one of said grooves therein to the other of said grooves therein.

5. The combination of claim 4 and further comprisand having its ends received in grooves in said end rails and affixed to said end rails at said grooves.

said side rails are rabbeted and said slats have ends thereof received in the rabbets in said side rails and fastened thereto. 7, The combination of claim 6 wherein: said slats include a plurality of slats parallel to said end rails, and two slats disposed diagonally between comer blocks and the parallel slats nearest the respective corner blocks. 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein: said rails, blocks and slats are wood, and are fastened together with metal fasteners installed from the outside of the combination. 9. The combination of claim 7 wherein: said slats include a pair of end slats adjacent said end rails and resting atop said corner blocks. 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein: the tops of said corner blocks are flush with the tops of the rabbets in said side rails, whereby all of said slats may be co-planar. l l. The combination of claim 1 and further comprispadding means and a hood covering said slats. 12. The combination of claim 11 and further comprising:

a plurality of coil springs secured to said slats and disposed between said slats and said padding. 13. The combination of claim 12 and further comprising:

a wire locating grid secured atop said coil springs and immediately under said padding.

an intermediate rail spaced between said side rails.

Claims

1. In a mattress support assembly, the combination comprising: a pair of horizontally extending end rails parallel to each other, a pair of horizontally extending side rails parallel to each other, and a plurality of corner blocks, each corner block having a pair of vertically extending grooves therein, one of said grooves of each of said blocks receiving and affixed to the end of a side rail and the other of said grooves of each of said blocks receiving and affixed to the end of an end rail, whereby a complete rectangular frame is formed by the pairs of rails and plurality of corner blocks, and a plurality of spaced horizontally extending slats extending between said side rails at the tops of said side rails and affixed thereto.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein: said side rails have generally rectangular cross section more than two times as high as they are wide in cross section and are rabbeted, and said slats have ends thereof received in the rabbets on said side rails.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein: there are four of said corner blocks, all of which are identical, and said side rails are identical.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein: each of said corner blocks has a semi-cylindrical convex outer surface extending from one of said grooves therein to the other of said grooves therein.

5. The combination of claim 4 and further comprising: an intermediate rail spaced between said side rails and having its ends received in grooves in said end rails and affixed to said end rails at said grooves therein, said slats being fastened to said intermediate rail.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein: said side rails are rabbeted and said slats have ends thereof received in the rabbets in said side rails and fastened thereto.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein: said slats include a plurality of slats parallel to said end rails, and two slats disposed diagonally between corner blocks and the parallel slats nearest the respective corner blocks.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein: said rails, blocks and slats are wood, and are fastened together with metal fasteners installed from the outside of the combination.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein: said slats include a pair of end slats adjacent said end rails and resting atop said corner blocks.

10. The combination of claim 9 whereiN: the tops of said corner blocks are flush with the tops of the rabbets in said side rails, whereby all of said slats may be co-planar.

11. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: padding means and a hood covering said slats.

12. The combination of claim 11 and further comprising: a plurality of coil springs secured to said slats and disposed between said slats and said padding.

13. The combination of claim 12 and further comprising: a wire locating grid secured atop said coil springs and immediately under said padding.