US4069525A — Firm foundation unit for mattresses

Claim 1

Independent Claim 308 words

A foundation unit for supporting a mattress, comprising: an essentially horizontal base frame having side rails extending along opposite sides thereof longitudinally of the frame, and having cross members extending transversely between said side rails at head and foot ends thereof and therebetween; an essentially horizontal upper structure spaced above said frame and including a horizontal mesh of intersecting and interconnected longitudinal and transverse wires, and a peripheral wire of greater strength extending about and connected to the periphery of said mesh; a plurality of supporting units connecting said upper structure to and supporting it from said frame and each formed of a continuous strip of wire bent to form a series of legs which extend approximately directly vertically from the frame to said upper structure at different locations and are connected at lower ends to the frame and at upper ends to said upper structure, and which are substantially straight for the entire distance from the frame to the upper structure, each of said continuous strips of wire forming a plurality of essentially horizontal connector portions each extending laterally between and integrally interconnecting corresponding ends of two successive legs of the same strip; certain of said continuous strips extending along said oppposte side rails and having alternate connector portions of an individual strip attached to a side rail and said peripheral wire of said upper structure respectively; others of said continuous strips of wire extending transversely along said cross members at the head and foot ends respectively of the foundation unit and each having alternate connector portions attached to a cross member and said peripheral wire respectively; additional ones of said continuous strips of wire being disposed along cross members at locations longitudinally intermediate the head and foot ends of said frame and each having alternate connector portions attached to a cross member and said mesh respectively.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 308 words

A foundation unit for supporting a mattress, comprising: an essentially horizontal base frame having side rails extending along opposite sides thereof longitudinally of the frame, and having cross members extending transversely between said side rails at head and foot ends thereof and therebetween; an essentially horizontal upper structure spaced above said frame and including a horizontal mesh of intersecting and interconnected longitudinal and transverse wires, and a peripheral wire of greater strength extending about and connected to the periphery of said mesh; a plurality of supporting units connecting said upper structure to and supporting it from said frame and each formed of a continuous strip of wire bent to form a series of legs which extend approximately directly vertically from the frame to said upper structure at different locations and are connected at lower ends to the frame and at upper ends to said upper structure, and which are substantially straight for the entire distance from the frame to the upper structure, each of said continuous strips of wire forming a plurality of essentially horizontal connector portions each extending laterally between and integrally interconnecting corresponding ends of two successive legs of the same strip; certain of said continuous strips extending along said oppposte side rails and having alternate connector portions of an individual strip attached to a side rail and said peripheral wire of said upper structure respectively; others of said continuous strips of wire extending transversely along said cross members at the head and foot ends respectively of the foundation unit and each having alternate connector portions attached to a cross member and said peripheral wire respectively; additional ones of said continuous strips of wire being disposed along cross members at locations longitudinally intermediate the head and foot ends of said frame and each having alternate connector portions attached to a cross member and said mesh respectively.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 55 words

A foundation unit as recited in claim 1, in which said frame is formed of wood and has recesses at its upper side at least partially receiving said connector portions of said continuous strips of wire, there being staples driven into said wood and bridging across said connector portions to retain them in said recesses.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 79 words

A foundation unit as recited in claim 2, in which the legs of said continuous strips of wire which extend along said side rails and the cross members at the head and foot end of the frame have their lower ends spaced slightly inwardly of the periphery of the frame and are inclined to advance slightly outwardly with respect to the true vertical as they advance upwardly to points of connection to said peripheral wire of the upper structure.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 83 words

A foundation unit as recited in claim 3, in which each of said continuous strips of wire has two horizontally turned ends at opposite extremities of the strip and at lower ends of two of the legs of that strip, and which turned ends are at least partially received within recesses formed in the upper surface of said frame, there being staples driven into the frame and bridging across the upper sides of said turned ends to retain them in the coacting recesses.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

A foundation unit as recited in claim 4, including a plurality of clips each clamped about and securing together said peripheral wire of the upper structure and one of said wires of the mesh and an upper one of said connector portions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 202 words

A firm foundation unit for supporting a mattress, comprising: an essentially horizontal and essentially rectangular base frame having side rails extending along opposite sides thereof longitudinally of the frame, and having cross members extending transversely between said side rails; an essentially horizontal upper structure spaced above said frame and including a horizontal mesh of intersecting wires, and a peripheral wire of greater strength connected to the periphery of said mesh; a plurality of supporting units connecting said upper structure to and supporting it from said frame and each formed of a continuous strip of wire bent to form two spaced substantially parallel legs which extend upwardly approximately directly vertically from the frame to said upper structure and are connected at lower ends to the frame and at upper ends to said upper structure, and which are substantially straight for substantially the entire distance from the frame to the upper structure so that most of the weight of a mattress and a person on the foundation unit is taken by the wire legs in compression; each of said continuous strips of wire forming a horizontal connector portion interconnecting corresponding ends of said two spaced approximately vertical legs of the same strip of wire.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 202 words

A firm foundation unit for supporting a mattress, comprising: an essentially horizontal and essentially rectangular base frame having side rails extending along opposite sides thereof longitudinally of the frame, and having cross members extending transversely between said side rails; an essentially horizontal upper structure spaced above said frame and including a horizontal mesh of intersecting wires, and a peripheral wire of greater strength connected to the periphery of said mesh; a plurality of supporting units connecting said upper structure to and supporting it from said frame and each formed of a continuous strip of wire bent to form two spaced substantially parallel legs which extend upwardly approximately directly vertically from the frame to said upper structure and are connected at lower ends to the frame and at upper ends to said upper structure, and which are substantially straight for substantially the entire distance from the frame to the upper structure so that most of the weight of a mattress and a person on the foundation unit is taken by the wire legs in compression; each of said continuous strips of wire forming a horizontal connector portion interconnecting corresponding ends of said two spaced approximately vertical legs of the same strip of wire.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which said connector portions of some of said strips extend along and are secured to said peripheral wire of said upper structure, said strips having horizontally turned portions at the lower ends of said legs connected to said side rails and cross members of the base frame.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 91 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which certain of said legs have their lower ends connected to said frame at a location spaced slightly inwardly from the periphery thereof, and have their upper ends connected to said peripheral wire of the upper structure at a location offset slightly laterally outwardly with respect to said location of attachment of the lower ends of the legs, so that said certain legs, while approximately vertical, are disposed at a slight outward angle to the true vertical as they advance upwardly.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 40 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which certain of said connector portions which interconnect lower ends of the legs are at least partially received and retained within recesses formed in the upper surface of said frame.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 43 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which said strips of wire have portions at the lower ends of said legs which are turned generally horizontally are received at least partially within recesses in the upper surface of said frame.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 91 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which said connector portions of said strips of wire extend along and are secured to said peripheral wire of said upper structure, said strips of wire having portions at the lower ends of said legs which are turned generally horizontally and are received at least partially within recesses in the upper surface of said frame, there being retaining elements connected to said frame and extending across the upper sides of said generally horizontally turned portions to retain them in said recesses.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 60 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which a single continuous strip of said wire is shaped to form at least three of said legs and two of said connector portions extending between corresponding ends of successive legs, with one of said connector portions being attached to said frame and the other being attached to said mesh.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 76 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which some of said wire strips have said connector portions thereof extending longitudinally of said frame and said legs thereof spaced apart longitudinally of the frame, and others of said wire strips have said connector portions thereof extending and said legs thereof spaced apart transversely of the frame so that the different strips complement one another in resisting displacement of said mesh in different directions respectively.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 69 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which said strips of wire include a plurality of first strips each forming a plurality of said legs and a plurality of said connector portions and extending essentially transversly of said frame, and a plurality of second strips each forming a plurality of said legs and a plurality of said connector portions and disposed essentially longitudinally of said frame.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 62 words

A firm foundation unit as recited in claim 6, in which some of said strips of wire are located at the periphery of the frame and have their legs, while approximately directly vertical, inclined very slightly outwardly as they advance upwardly, others of said strips being spaced inwardly from the periphery of said frame and having their legs disposed more precisely vertical.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1981-01-23	1981-07-25	1982-01-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1985-01-23	1985-07-25	1986-01-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1989-01-23	1989-07-25	1990-01-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Firm foundation unit for mattresses

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