Juìy 10, 1956
`
`E, D, BARKER
`INFLATABLE MATTRESS
`
`Filed NOV. 8, 1951
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`2,753,573
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`A r ram/f
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`INTEX EXHIBIT 2012, Pg. 1
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
`
`

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`United States Patent() ”
`
`ICC
`
`2,753,571
`y
`Patented July l0, 1956
`
`2,753,573
`INFLATABLE MATTRESS
`Edward D. Barker, New Carlisle, Ohio
`Application November 8, 1951, Serial No. 255,509
`4 Claims. (Cl. 5-350)
`(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 265)
`
`The invention described herein may be manufactured
`and used by or for the Government for governmental
`purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.
`This invention relates to an inñatable mattress especially
`adapted to military use, although capable of general
`employment.
`ù
`Among the objects of the invention is to provide a com
`fortable, adjustable, strong, tough mattress which is corn
`paratively light in weight and which can be rolledup
`when deliated, to a small light package. Another object
`is to provide a mattress of the above character which is
`inflatable to a considerable degree of internal pressure
`without a metal pump. Another object is to provide a
`mattress having an integral combined inñation bag and
`pillow. Another object is to provide a mattress which
`may be combined with others of light construction for
`use as a float, bridge or raft.
`Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a
`plan view of the mattress showing the inflation bag extend
`ed. Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective, show
`ing the preferred material of which the bag is made and its
`construction. Figure 3 is a side elevation of substantially
`the same fragment shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 corre
`spends to Figure 2, except that a two deck material instead
`of a three deck material as shown in Figure 2 is employed.
`Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the
`form of inflatable mattress shown in Fig. 2 showing how
`the flange of the mattress is formed.
`Referring again to Figure l, 10 indicates the body of
`the mattress, which is preferably made of the fabric
`shown in Figures 2 and 3. Body 1G is substantially sur
`rounded by a margin of flange 11 in which there are
`spaced at regular intervals a` plurality of grommets 12.
`At one end of the body 10 there is an air inlet and exit
`valve 13 which may be of the kind manufactured by
`A. Schrader «î’t Sons, Type #2127 or Type #2180-8 or
`equivalent. These valves are of the manually adjustable
`type to regulate the inlet and the exit rate of air passing
`through and they are also capable of total closure. These
`valves may have attached to them a rubber hose 14 by
`which the body 10 may be inflated directly by mouth.
`Surrounding the valve 13 and hose 14, as shown in Figure
`1, there is a rubberized cloth or thin plastic inflation bag
`1S which is preferably of trapezoidal shape. lt may
`optionally be provided with a puckering or draw string 16
`at its narrower or outer end 17, through which it can be
`inflated by merely opening it to fill it with air, then clos
`ing the outer end and rolling it up.
`Referring new to Figures 2 and 4, 18 is a lower sheet,
`19 an intermediate sheet, and 20 a top sheet of strong
`fabric, preferably nylon, which has been rubberized on
`its outer surfaces 21 and 22, the inner sheet 19 being
`internally rubberized. It is desired that the bottom sur
`face 21 and the top surface 22 have a smooth waterproof
`coating, such as may be achieved by coating a thin, loose
`ly woven fabric with rubber or “neoprene” Connecting
`the inner surfaces of sheets 18 and 19 and the outer sur
`face of 19 with the inner surface of sheet 20 there are
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`numerous parallelism-preserving or stabilizing threads 23
`which are arranged in rows, such rows being optionally
`lengthwise or crosswise on the body 10. The threads 23
`are preferably quite numerous and may range in number
`from 16 to the square inch to 60 to the square inch, the
`larger in number of the joining or distance limiting threads
`23, the finer should be each thread. As shown in Figure
`3, each sheet 18, 19 or 20 is made of two layers, two
`outer layers of the sheets 18 and 2@ being 24 and 25 re
`spectively and consisting largely of pure rubber or “neo
`prene.” The threads 23 are imbedded in the layers 24
`and 25 only to such extent as will obtain secure adhesion
`under stress. The threads 23 are adhesively attached to
`the sheet 19 on both sides thereof, the inner “neoprene”
`layer of sheet 19 being 26. The inner or intermediate
`sheet has two functions, the first being that of stabiliza
`tion and the second being that of a convection-current
`block. The air between the sheets 13 and 19 is not able
`to penetrate through the sheets 19 and Ztl and eonse~
`quently air which has been near the ground and has con
`sequently been chilled, cannot mix to any extent with the
`air which has been in more or less close contact with the
`sleeper’s body and which consequently has become
`warmed.
`The flange 11 is produced by cementing the two sheets
`18 and 2i) together at the edges and piercing the so com
`bined sheets to provide a substantial number of holes
`which are encircled by the grommets 12. Sheet 19 is left
`free so that inflation air may circulate around it through
`these free edges. Lashings may be employed to bind one
`mattress to another mattress and so build up another
`structure which will float on water and which is capable
`of supporting personnel.
`While a three sheet construction is preferred, my inven
`tion is not limited to three sheets, but may dispense with
`the sheet 19 and utilize only sheets 16 and 2i?, these being
`connected as before with a multiplicity of threads 23.
`ln the three sheet embodiment of the invention the threads
`23 are substantially integral with textile fabrics 27 and
`28 and 28a and 29, while in the embodiment utilizing
`two sheets 18 and 2t), the threads 23 integrally connect
`fabrics 27 and 29 as can be clearly understood with refer
`ence to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. While it is
`preferred to have the sheets 19 and 2t) and 19 and 1d
`or 18 and 20 connected by regular rows of threads 2&1,
`nevertheless it is within the scope of the invention to have
`these threads arranged in a different pattern than that
`shown or in an entirely random pattern.
`l't can be seen from the left side of Figure 5 that the
`ñange 11 is produced by bringing sheets 1S and 2b to
`gether and cementing them in an airtight and watertight
`manner with an adhesive layer 30, preferably “neoprene” l
`latex, which should be properly heat sealed. The threads
`23 are preferably removed from those portions of sheets
`18 and 2i) which are used to malte the flange 11. The
`flange may also be made of three sheets, 18, 19 and 2t), in
`which case there is adhesive between each pair of sheets.
`ln operation, the mattress is unrolled and laid on the
`ground, the operator’s arm is inserted through the mouth
`or open end 17 of the inflation bag to grasp the valve 13
`and open same. If the operator desires to inflate the bag
`to a low pressure hurriedly he may do so either by blow
`ing directly through the valve 13 or blowing into a rubber
`hose 1.4 which he has attached to the valve 13. Use of
`the hose for mouth inflation is imperative at temperatures
`below freezing to avoid freezing of the user’s lips to the
`metal parts of the valve 13. After mouth inflation, or in
`place of mouth inflation, inflation with the bag 15 may
`be practiced. To perform this function, the valve 13 is
`first opened, the outer end 17 of the bag 15 is puckered
`either by the use of the draw string 16 or by gathering the
`bag mouth 17 between the hands. The user then blows
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`INTEX EXHIBIT 2012, Pg. 2
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
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`

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`2,753,573
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`3. An inflatable mattress comprising, an upper and a
`lower `sheet of externally rubberized fabric material, said
`sheets being joined at their edges to forni an airtight
`enclosure, a third sheet of internally rubberized fabric
`material arranged intermediate said upper and lower
`sheets to define an upper and lower space thereby, thread
`elements substantially vertically arranged relative said
`sheets, integrally connecting thereto and respectively con
`necting said upper and said intermediate sheet and said
`lower and said intermediate sheet, the verticalV extremities
`olf each lin td being embedded in the rubberized portions
`of the Sheets connected thereby for secure adhesion under
`stress, said intermediate sheet having at least a portion
`thereof in laterally spaced relation to said enclosure to
`provide an inllating passage between said upper and lower
`spaces, and inllation means in said airtight enclosure
`whereby on inilation thereof said connecting threads and
`said intermediate sheet provide a stabilizing of the struc
`ture obtained thereby and said intermediate sheet forms
`a convection-current block permitting pressure inflation
`but preventing consequent intermixture of air between
`said upper and lower spaces.
`4. An inflatable mattress comprising, an upper and a
`lower sheet of air impermeable material, said sheets being
`joined at their edges to form an airtight enclosure, a third
`sheet of internally rubberized air impermeable material
`arranged intermediate said upper and lower sheets to
`define an upper and a lower space thereby, aligned stabi
`lizing thread elements substantially vertically arranged
`relative said sheets, integrally connecting thereto and
`respectively connecting said upper and said intermediate
`Sheet and said lower and said intermediate sheet, the
`extremities of the respective thread elements respectively
`embedding in said sheets only to an extent sui‘licient to
`secure adhesion thereto under stress, said stabilizing
`thread elements being arranged in closely spaced parallel
`rows which are coextensive with said intermediate sheet,
`a perimeter portion of saidA intermediate sheet being
`spaced laterally relative the sides of said mattress formed
`by the joined portions of said upper and lower sheets,
`and intlation means connected into said airtight enclosure
`whereby, on inflation thereof, said vertically and integrally
`connecting threads and said intermediate sheet effect a
`stabilizing of the structure obtained thereby, the lateral
`spacing of said intermediate sheet being such that it forms
`a convection current block permitting inflation of the
`enclosure but preventing free intermixture of the air re
`sulting in said upper and lower spaces.
`
`through the puckered bag mouth 17 until he has inflated
`the bag 15, whereupon he rolls the puckered bag rnouth
`17 toward the valve 13, thus forcing the air which is con
`tained in the bag 15 through the valve 13 and into the
`body 1li. The bag 15 is in liuid communication with
`both the spaces between the sheets 18 and 19 and spaces
`between the sheets 19 and 2li. The inllation cycle is con
`tinued, using the inflation bag until the desired pressure
`has been reached. For use as a tloat, the internal pres
`sure may be desired to be fairly high; in fact higher than
`may be obtained by mouth inñation alone.
`For use as a pillow, the inflation bag 15 may be inllated
`by mouth, the draw string 16 being tightened and bag 15
`rolled up partially by rolling the bag from the mouth end
`in order to balloon that end of the bag 15 which is near
`the body 10. The ballooned portion forms a pillow and
`is now placed over the end of the body portion 10 and
`the appropriate bedding or sleeping bag is placed on the
`top surface 22 of the mattress. Or, inflation of the inita
`tion bag may be dispensed with and the user’s outer cloth
`ing may be stored within the inñation bag for use as a
`head rest.
`While for convenience, the surface 22 has been spoken
`of as the top and thc surface 21 as the bottom, in prac
`tice these are interchangeable and the mattress may be
`placed on either one of them.
`In all of the above described constructions, it is to be
`understood that a two sheet body such as shown in Figure
`4 may be substituted for the three sheet body shown in
`Figures 2 and 3.
`I claim as my invention:
`1, An inllatable mattress comprising at least an upper
`and a lower sheet of air-impervious material, said sheets
`being joined at their edges to form an airtight enclosure,
`and rows of closely spaced parallel threads formed inte
`grally with the respective sheets adhesively secured there
`to and imbedded therein, extending therebetween provid
`ing a stabilizing means, the threads ranging in number
`from 16 to 60 per square inch.
`2. An inñatablc mattress comprising, an upper and a
`lower sheet of air impermeable material, said sheets being
`joined at their edges to form an airtight enclosure, a third
`sheet of Kinterns-illy rubberized air impermeable material
`arranged intermediate said upper and lower sheets to
`deline an upper and a lower space thereby, aligned stabi
`lizing thread elements substantially vertically arranged
`relative said sheets, integrally connecting thereto and re
`spectively connecting said upper and said intermediate
`sheet and said lower and said intermediate sheet, their
`extremities respectively embedding in the rubberized por
`tions thereof only to an extent to sufficiently secure adhe
`sion under stress, a perimeter portion of said intermedi
`'ate sheet being spaced laterally relative the sides of thc
`said mattress formed by the joined portion of said upper
`and lower sheets, and inflation means connected into said
`airtight enclosure whereby, on inflation thereof, said ver
`tically and integrally connecting threads and said intel'
`mediatersheet effect a stabilizing of the structure obtained
`thereby and said intermediate sheet forms a convection
`current block permitting inflation of the enclosure but
`preventing free intermixture of the air resulting in said
`upper and lower spaces.
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`References Cited in the tile of this patent
`UNITED STATES l’ATENTS
`Snavely ______________ __ May 7, 1889
`Jordan ______________ __ May 21, 1895
`Hill ________________ __ Mar. 14, 1899
`Richardson ___________ __ Nov. 4, 1902
`Morton _____________ __ Nov. 11, 1902
`Thompson ___________ __ Mar. 30, 1909
`Hope ________________ __ Dec. 2, 1919
`Rubin _______________ __ Jan. 23, 1934
`Schaar ______________ __ June 30, 1936
`Hurt ________________ __ July 15, 1947
`Burstein ______________ __ Jan. 8, 1952
`
`402,992
`539,621
`620,923
`’712,720
`713,329
`916,802
`1,324,009
`1,944,466
`2,046,039
`2,423,890
`2,581,357
`
`60
`
`INTEX EXHIBIT 2012, Pg. 3
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
`
`