US2527107A - Mattress - Google Patents

Description

0d 24, 1950 H. R. sTRAuss 2,527,107

MATTRESS Filed oct. e, 194s Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITEDr STATES PATENT OFFICEY Application October 6, 1948, Serial No. 53,009

5 Claims.

This invention relates to bed mattresses and more particularly to improvements'in a waterproof and therapeutic mattress such las might be used in hospitals, institutions and the like.

Oftentimes, hospital and institutional patients 'suffer from maladies and sicknesses which necessitate their remaining in bed for long periods of time, and/or which affect the nervous system and muscular 'coordination of the human body so that elimination of body waste is involuntary. In such casesl the hospital bed must be made up with protectivef sheetsand coverings, including rubber or plastic sheeting, bed `pads and the like, to protect the mattress. oftentimes, the abovementioned protective covers are forgotten or neglected, resulting in unsanitary conditions and in some cases irreparable damage to the mattress and bedding.

' It is thereforethe primary object of this invention topr'ovide a mattress which will vovercome all of the aforementioned objections;

An object relating thereto is `to construct a mattress with a panel of waterproofI material as an integral part of the fabric outer covering.

AnotherA object is to provide a hospital mattress for use in cases which ordinarily require additional protective bedding, but which, because of its novel construction, eliminates the necessity for such coverings.

A further object is to provide a mattress having a waterproof panel of a material which is less .irritating to the skin than the materials previously used-for protective coverings.

Stilll another object is to provide a hospital mattress Which'will be resistant to oils, solvents. urine, body acids and the like.

Still a further object is to afford a mattress having a protective panel with relatively high yheat conductivity so that body perspiration is thereby minimized.

Yet another `object is to provide a hospital mat- .tress which will reduce the overall cost ofthe bedding.

Yet a further object is to provide a mattress havingsa waterproof panel effectively and se- 'curely positioned and constructed into the mattress cover.

And still a further object is to provide a mattress for use in hospitals and th'e vlike which, throughfusethereof, will reduce the amount lof the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafterY fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Y

For the purpose of facilitating 'an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its modeof construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. v

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several 'gures of the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tufted mattress constructed in accordance with my invention, and having a portion broken away to illustrate the details of construction.

1 Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a similar mattress, but of the type commonly known as Vtuftless.

- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3'in Fig. 1, and viewed in the direction indicated. Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the details of construction.

In the drawings reference numeral I 2 indicates generally an inner spring mattress with a fabric outercover I4. This outer cover comprises top and bottom sheets such` as I6 (the bottom Ysheet is not shown in the drawings), and boxing strips I8 stitched to the body sheets of the cover to form seams 20 and 2'2.

The novel feature of this invention resides primarily in the construction of these top and bottom sheets. Waterproof panels or inserts such as 24 are stitched into these sheets. Thus each of the top` and bottom sheets I6 is made by stitching three sections together such as a lower fabric panel 26, an upper fabric panel 28 and the waterproof panel 24 to form seams 30 and 32.

These seams extend transversely across the entire mattress from the longitudinal sides of seams 20 and 22 where* their marginal edges are joined to boxing strips I 8. It should be noted that lower panel 26 is broader than upper panel 28 for the reason Ytress construction is shown.

3 that the waterproof panel 24 must be positioned to underlay the patient's body from the knees to the shoulders.

Longitudinal fabric, reinforcement strips such as 34 are sewn under the longitudinal edges of the panel 24 to insure the securing of these panels to the boxing strips I8. The outer edges of these reinforcement strips are secured to the boxing strips I8 by the same seams 20 and 22 which secure the waterproof panels 24 thereto. The inner edges are stitched to the panel 24 as by seams 36 and 38.

The material selected for the panel 24 is also of considerable importance to this invention. In-

Thus, for example, the materiall should be resistant to oils, urine, body acids and other solvents. It should be heat resistant and to some extent heat conductive to minimize body perspirationr and indirectly improve the conditions un-` der'which bedsores form. For the samev reason the material should not readily` crease or fold.

.Although a number of plastic and synthetic rubber materials possessing or approximating the above mentioned characteristics -may be ernployed, I have found that a` synthetic-rubber materialzfo'rmed by the polymerization of chloroprene and commonly known as neoprene isgthe mostdesirablematerial. Y

f The construction ofthebalance of the-mattress may be variedand may be substantially of the standard andusual: types. Thus, although the lmattress may be of almost any conventional type of construction, only two have been selectedrfor illustration in the drawings. ,Y

In. Figs. l and- 3` a conventional inner spring structure 4l! comprising a plurality of coil springs 42.positioned.between tie sheets 44 and 46 is'illustrated. A filler material 48, such as cotton and the like; is disposed therein between the interstices as well as between theinnerspring structure 4D and the outer cover lll- Ventilators such 'as 50 are provided in the sides of the mattress, and carrying straps such as 52 are also provided on both sides of the mattress.

It will also be noted that the mattress shown in Fig. l is partially tufted with buttons such as 54 secured on the top and bottom sheets I6 of the upper and lower fabric panels 26 and `28. The

waterproof panel 24 is not tufted so as to insure a continuous waterproof sheet. V s i' In Figs. 2 and-4, a modification of the mat- `Similarparts are designated by like numeralswith an added suffix "a'f In this modification thepanel 24A is afiixed and positioned within the outer cover I4a in approximately the same manner as employed in the previously described embodiment. However, in

this modification the mattress is of the felt filled Moreover, by mak-ing the mattress reversible, the life of the mattress itself is considerably extended.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details :are nevertheles's'capable of wide variation'within" the purview'of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mattress of the character described, an outer cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing Vstrip aixed by continuous seams to the marginal edges of said top and bottom sheets, each of said top and bottom sheets comprising a plurality of transverse panels at least one of which is made from a water-proof material'.

2. In a mattress of the character described, an outer 'cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing strip'afxed by continuous seams to the marginal edges of said top and bottom sheets, each of said top andl bottom sheets comprising a panel of water-proof material having its longitudinal marginal edges affixed by seamsto said boxing strip, and-'a -pair of fabric panels with their longitudinal marginal edgesl alignedl with thelongitudinal edges of said watereproof-,panel and' affixed by continuations of the same seams to said boxing vstrip, one of each of the-transverse marginal edges of `Said fabric panels affixed by seams to the adjacent transverse marginal edges o'f said water-proof panel.

3. Ina mattress of vthe character described, an outer cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing strip aflixed by continuous seam's to the vmarginal edges'of said top and 4bottom sheets,

each of said top and bottom sheets comprising a panel of watereproofymaterial:having its longitudinal marginaledges aixed by seams to said boxing strip, and a pairof fabric panels with their longitudinal' marginal edges aligned with the longitudinal edges of said water-proof panel and affixed by continuations of the same seams to said boxing-strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of said fabric panels affixed by seams to the adjacent, transverse marginal edges of. said water-proof panel, and reinforce,- ment strips afxed by seams to the longitudinal marginal sides of said water-proof panel.

4. In al mattress ofthe characterdescribed, an outer-cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing strip aixed by continuous seams to the marginal edges of said top and bottom sheets,

each of said topland bottom sheets comprising .a panel ofY water-proof material having its longitudinal marginal edges aflixed by seams to said boxing strip', and a pairof fabric panels with their longitudinal` marginaledges aligned with the longitudinal edges of said water-proofpanel and affixed by continuations of the same seams to said boxing strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of said fabric panels aflixed by seams to the adjacent transverse marginal edges of said water-proof panel, said water-proof panel made from neoprene and positioned to underlay at A:least the torsov of af'personrecliningon said mattress. y Y

5. In a mattress of the character described, the combination of a pair of tie sheets, a plurality of spaced coil springs'positionedl between' said sheets, a shockgabsorbentnller also' positioned between said tie sheets, an outer cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing strip affixed by continuous seams to the marginal edges of said top and bottom sheets, each of said top and bottom sheets comprising a panel of water-proof material having its longitudinal marginal edges aiixed by seams to said boxing strip, and a pair of fabric panels with their longitudinal marginal edges aligned with the longitudinal edges of said water-proof panel and aixed by continuations of the same seams to said boxing strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of said fabric panels aixed by seams to the adjacent The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,897,521 Lagarde Feb. 14, 1933 1,986,896 Robinson June 8, 1935 2,414,927 Chapman June 28, 1947

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