US2638606A - Bed bottom - Google Patents

Description

y 3 D. E. AUSTIN 2,638,606

BED BOTTOM Filed July '15, 1948 2 Sheejzs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Dw ght E. Austin.

BY @FM flZZu/"r/Ey May 19, 1953 n. 5.. Aus grm BED BOTTOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13, 1948 INVENTOR. Dwi g ?\'t E. Ausi:

'fiZZ U/TIE Patented May 19, 1953 1 UNITED STAT Es PATENT OFFICE BED BOTTOM Dwight E. Austin, Kent, on. Application July 13,1948,Seri alNo.38,400

4 Claims. (01. -29) This invention relates to bed bottoms and there is disclosed herein more particularly two different types of bed bottoms forv use on railway trains and the like and a bed bottom de- -.signed more particularly for home use, etc. The

different bed bottoms will be separately described and reference will be had to the drawings, in

which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly broken away, of a bed bottom designed for use on railway trains and the like;

Fig. 2 is a section, partly broken away, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, of a bed bottom designd particularly for home use, etc.;

Fig. 4 is a view inperspective of a different bed bottom designed for use on railroad trains and the like; I

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the elements shown in Fig. 4; and v Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the element a of Fig. 5' rolled up for storage.

such as the tube 3 on all four sides. The usual frame-work does not include the vent holes 6 and l or the flange 8 which extends inwardly from the tube 3.

According to this invention spongerubber strips H] are cemented or otherwise fastened to the tops of the tubes 3 and flanges B. The strips are spaced a short distance in from the sides 2 of the frame. The drawings show the strips off-set inwardly from the inner edges of the tube. The flanges 8 give them the necessary support. Instead of providing flanges on the tubes, plates of the required width may be fastened to the top of them. Any satisfactory support may be used.

A slatted mattress support is provided. The

plies I3 and M are of canvas or other suitable fabric which may be treated with suitable plastic to render it less pervious. A number of relatively narrow slats l5 arefastened between the fabric plies. The sponge strips Ill permit the mattress support to give vertically, and also permit lateral give toward the center of the box. Further support is provided by the sponge-rubber blocks [2 which are placed laterally across the box I.

The tops of these sponge-rubber supports. are

preferably level with the tops of the spongerubber strips 10. In a preferred form of the invention, the sponge-rubber supports l2 are impervious to air so that no air passes through them in either direction. The reason forthis will be explained in what follows. To prevent transmission of air through the supports, one or both sides of each support are preferably formed with a skin as is customary in the production of sponge'rubber from foamed latex. The slats lie longitudinally of the bed and if they extend its entire length they will be supported at the head and foot by the sponge strips Hi. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the slats extend to within a relatively short distance-perhaps a foot, more or lessfrom the head and foot of the bed and are supported by the strips .I2 of sponge and not by the strips I0.

The slats may be of wood or steel or rattan or plastic or aluminum or other metal, etc. They may be one to three inches .wide ormay be circular or oval, etc. and are spaced a fraction of an inchto an inch .or more apart. The fabric I3, I4 is brought over the edge of the box and fastened to the box by rivets IE, but other means for fastening the fabric to the frame may be used. These slats provide a relatively level base for the mattress without permitting enough sag in the longitudinal direction to throw the occupants back out of line. They provide a hammock effect laterally without causing any great interference with lateral flexing.

. The supports I2 divide the box into air pockets or compartments I! and if these supports and the fabrics l3 and M are air-impervious, there is no opportunity for air trapped in them to escape except through the vents or valves 6 provided in each pocket. There may be but one .vent 1 through the frame and outer Wall of the tube 3 because all of the valves e open into the tube 3. The valve means 6 and 7 may be simply small openings or spring valves, etc. may be inserted in them. The valve or valves I may be in the side or bottom of the frame. As the train, goes over a bump,.which tends to quickly elevate the bed bottom, the weight of the occupant will compress the supports I2 and the airwill be forced out from the pockets through the. valves 6 and I. The valves regulate the air intake and there is no quick rebound. The tendency of the weight of the occupant to compress the supports l2 when thus jolted is dampened by the limited size of the openings with resultant slow expulsion .of the air and the tendency to bounce the occupant is practically eliminated because the air returns only slowly. The slats are resiliently supported by the cover fabric I3 and I4 and the supports 12, and the strips along the sides of the frame give laterally inwardly as weight is applied. The effect of such support is to cushion the jolting which the occupant of a railroad bed is accustomed to experience.

A mattress of any construction'will be laid over the slatted cover. A thin sponge rubber mattress will give satisfaction. The bed thus comprises, in addition to the mattress, a bed bottom which utilizes the metal frame nowin wide use in railroad cars, with the slatted cover supported on all four sides by resilient-cushions In. An important feature of the inventionis the substantially air-impervious resilient supports l2 which, when cemented to the bottom of the box and also to the cover, divide the con- -tents of. the framelaterally into air pockets ll. ;'I'hese air. pockets may be suitably valved to provide'equal expulsion and intake'of air, to permit vrapid. expulsion of theiair with only slow re- .provided toxregulate the inflow .and outflow of i turn, .or to..permit slowexpulsion with rapid return. Forexample, the frame may be providedwith additional openings valved to permit only. the outward or inward flow ofair. Valves of any desiredconstruction and number may be airin any desired manner.

The tubesmay measureabout two inches and ahalf. in eachfdirection, and thestrips I0 may beaninch anda half thick, giving atotalweig'ht of. about four' inches'to the bed bottom. .The.

-' supports. 1 2r-may;.-be some three :orzfour; inches wide and in a bed bottomof the dimensions given,

.the supports will'ordinarily be four inches high.

The strips l0 are cemented to the tubes 3 and ..fianges= 8. IA. bedobottom of such construction ".with a relativelythin mattress has been found -to giveanexceptionally comfortable ride on even .a bad road-bed.

The bed bottom .of Fig.3 is: designed. particularly: for :use inllthe. home. but .may .be utilized elsewhere.

It comprises .a bottom support 28,

which may -be of any usual construction and may be slatted or-solid. A solid wooden bottom with wooden sides 2l will be found satisfactory. 'Bed springs-22 cover this bottom. Each spring 'may be enclosed -in a canvas cover'23 oruthe covermay. be :omitted. Fig. 3shows the springs supported on a. canvas or other suitable fabric --bott0nrsheet'24,- with side sheets 25- of the-same at eachend. They may be spaced less than an inch apart unto-several inches apart. This slatted cover 26-15 supported by the springs 22, and may be-suitably united to the side fabrics 25 by -pi-ping-2l'*which may include suitable cord material or the like.

This bed bottom fits into an ordinary bedstead. When-coveredby-a mattress of any type it forms a resilientand. cushioned support in which the slats serveto-form arelatively flat-base with sufficient. flexibility. longitudinally: for comfort. but

without. sufficient longitudina1. .iiexibility.-.to. per- -mit a the occnpants backuto be thrownout of 4 line. The separated slats give a lateral hammock-effect.

Figs. 4:, and 6 illustrate another type of bed bottom designed particularly for use on railroad trains and the like. It may be quickly disassembled and is easily stored. It is formed of the two sponge-rubber mattresses 40 and 4|. These are separated by the slatted-fabric support I formed of slats 42 held between two fabric covers in place and is supported"'bysaid'resilient memsuitable manner.

43 and 44. These slats may be of the same general construction as those hereinbefore described and may be similarly spaced between the fabric plies 43 and 44. The sponge-rubber mattresses 'will preferably be well cored, as at 45, to form a soft support. The bottom mattress 40 may sim- -ply belaid on a floor or, if used on a train, will be'placed on a support formed between two adjoining seats, or it may be used in any other No retaining sidewalls are required, but may be used.

The... slatted. fabric provides ..a relativelyt level supportingmediumand with the'slats lying longitudinally of .the. bed, gives flexibility without permitting the occupants back to be thrownout of. line. Thexslatted. fabric limits the extent to which the. sponge will. give outwardly when a weight is supported on it,: thus forming a relatively thick mattress of high lateral stability. When the bed isv not in use, the-' sponge-rubber 'mattresses may be storedor usedfor any purpose and the slatted fabric may be rolled-as indicated :in Fig. 6 and stored in-any convenient small storage space. Alternately, the...twomattresses and slatted support may-all be sewed into a suitable outer cover.

Each; of the-mattresses! and 4| may be made up of smaller units-suchas seat backs, etc., as may be convenient on a train. The

bottom mattress need not extend the whole length of the slatted cover, but maybe formed of-a number of pieces rather-widely spaced.

Alternatively, using an ordinary bed bottom or springs, and an ordinary mattress, which may be of sponge rubber, hair,etc., the slats may be 'madea part of the lower cover of the mattress.

The use of narrowly-spaced slats running longitudinally of-the bed,-with the slats which are slightly flexible fastened in'or to a cover member supported at all four edges to give inwardly, -or

-with support extending inwardlyfrom all four Walls thereof;-a resilient member on each of these supports, flexible slats extending longitudinally of the bedbottom; the slats being joined laterally by flexible means-which is connected with the sidewalls of the bO-X'SHDDOIt to maintain them 'as'the desired bed, a'narrow' resilient cushion supported by each wall'of'said' rectangular sup- --port, a flexible cover member with flexible slats fastened thereto, each of the slats extending'lon- 'gitudinally ofsaid rectangular support, resilient supporting means supporting'each slat intermediateits ends-the cover member being supported :along each side'of the bed bottom-by the resilient cushions supported by *the side-walls of the rectangular. support.

3. A bed bottom which comprises a metal base with metal sides extending upwardly therefrom, sponge-rubber supports on the interior of each of the four walls of the bed bottom extending the length of each of the walls, a substantially air-tight cover member formed with closelyspaced, flexible slats extending longitudinally of the bed bottom, with the sides of the cover member supported by the side sponge-rubber supports, located transversely of the bed bottom spongerubber cushions resting on said base and supporting the slatted cover at spaced intervals intermediate the head and foot of the bed bottom, said transverse sponge-rubber cushions being substantially air-impervious and dividing the bed bottom into substantially air-tight compartments, the said base and side members of the bed bottom being substantially air-impervious except for valve means controlling the flow of air into and out of each of said compartments.

4. A bed with a head, a foot and two sides therebetween, which comprises a frame substantially outlining the periphery thereof, supports extending inwardly from portions of the frame at the head, the foot and both sides of the bed,

a resilient member on each support, flexible slats extending longitudinally of the bed, the slats being joined laterally by flexible means which is connected with the sides of the frame to maintain them in place and is supported on said resilient members at the sides of the frame, and at least one resilient support for each slat intermediate its head and foot.

DWIGHT E. AUSTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 647,374 Brendel Apr. 10, 1900 1,347,666 Amey July 27, 1920 1,353,260 Monks Sept. 21, 1920 2,012,042 Gerlofson et a1 Aug. 20, 1935 2,039,289 Bergeron May 5, 1936 2,049,226 Gates Nov. 3, 1936 2,225,858 Church Dec. 24, 1940 2,259,534 Reynolds et al. Oct. 21, 1941 2,371,788 Weeber Mar. 20, 1945 2,400,790 Tolen May 21, 1946 2,425,728 Cobb Aug. 19, 1947

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