Bed coverings

Dec. 4, 1956

2,772,425

E. S. BRODIE

BED COVERINGS

<img file="US2772425A_D0001.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

Dec. 4, 1956

2,772,425

E. S. BRODIE

BED COVERINGS

<img file="US2772425A_D0002.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

2,772,425

Patented Dec. 4, 1956

2,772,425

BED COVERINGS

Edna S. Brodie, New York, N. Y., assignor to J. P. Stevens &amp; Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware

Application June 4,1954, Serial No. 434,446

Claims. (CI. 5—334)

My invention relates to bed coverings and more particularly to top sheets for beds. The principal object of the invention is to provide a top sheet giving ample foot room for the occupant of the bed and at the same time having its lower corners formed to fit over the lower corners of the mattress so that the sheet is maintained in smooth condition on the mattress and cannot be pulled upwardly or lengthwise from the lower end of the mattress by the occupant of the bed.

Pursuant to my invention, the top sheet is formed with pocket portions arranged to fit over the lower corners of the mattress to hold the sheet smoothly in place and also with pleats of limited length adjacent the pockets whereby the fit of the sheet at the bottom edge of the mattress is maintained while the portion of the sheet above the corner portions or pockets is allowed to expand to increase in width, thus allowing ample space for the feet of the occupant of the bed without detaching the side edge portions of the sheet from under the mattress.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bed with my improved top sheet applied to the mattress;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of corner portions of the material of which the covering is made with the corner portions cut out to provide for the formation of the corner pockets and pleats;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the corner of the sheet after the formation of the pleat, but before the formation of the corner pocket;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the corners of a mattress with my improved sheet applied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line V, V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the sheet on line A, A of Fig. 4 showing the material immediately above the pleat partially expanded;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view on the line A, A of Fig. 4 showing the material above the pleat completely expanded by the feet of the occupant so as to provide ample foot room; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the sheet in use, illustrating the manner in which the desired foot room is obtained.

My improved covering may be made of any suitable material such as ordinary sheeting, having the maximum width of the covering and having selvaged side edges.

In making the improved sheet, the sheeting, shown at 1 in Fig. 2, is first cut out at its corners to permit the edges of the cut-out portions to be sewed together to form the corner pockets and pleats referred to above. As shown, each of the lower corners of the sheet is provided with a large notch 2 for the formation of a corner pocket and a smaller notch 3 adjacent the notch 2 and having edges which define the end of a pleat. A number of sheets may be simultaneously cut with the desired corner configuration.

After the cutting out of the corner portions as aforesaid, the sheeting is folded along the longitudinal lines 4 and 5 so that the edges 3a and 3b of the notch 3 are superimposed, as shown in Fig. 3, and a pleat formed 5 with the material between the lines 4 and 5 interposed between the material on the two sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. As the inclination of the edge 3a to the line 4 is equal to the inclination of the edge 2a of the notch 2 to that line, the edges 3a and 3b will now be super10 posed on the edge 2a. As a result, only the notch 2 will appear in the cut and pleated corner. The pleat is now sewed in place for a predetermined distance inwardly of the lower edge of the sheet, as by stitching along the lines 6, 7 and 8, the innermost portion 7 of the stitching 15 being preferably approximately on a transverse line running through the corner 2c of the notch 2. The edges 2u and 2b of the notches 2 are now superposed and sewed together, as by taping 9 (Fig. 5). Preferably the tape should be arranged on the inside of the completed 20 pocket, as shown. The lower transverse edge of the sheet may also be finished, as by taping, as shown at 10 (Fig· 5), this tape preferably running slightly past the corner of the pocket longitudinally of the sheet. The top edge of the sheet is finished in any suitable way, as 25 by hemming. The side edges, as stated above, are selvaged.

The inner portions of the edges 2a and 2b in each cutout corner are preferably straight lines at right angles to each other, as shown, and the outermost portions of the 30 said edges are preferably convexly curved through an arc of approximately 90°. Accordingly, when these edges are secured together, a pocket is formed in each lower corner of the sheet, the pocket being of proper shape to fit over the corner of a mattress. Straight por35 tions of the edges 2a and 2b in each pocket are arranged to extend downwardly along the corresponding lower vertical edge of the mattress at right angles to the top of the mattress; and the outermost portions of the edges 2a and 2b, when secured together, are disposed to ex40 tend under the mattress as shown in Fig. 4. The pockets at the lower edge of the sheet are, of course, of like construction, each having a superposed pleat secured in position by the stitching 6, 7 and 8. The distance between the pockets is equal to the width of the mattress, 45 so that when the sheet is placed on the mattress, it will be held smoothly in place.

In use, the lower edge of the top sheet is applied over the lower sheet so that the lower corners of the mattress are fitted into the pocket portions of the sheet. The ⁰⁰ lower edge portion of the sheet will then be disposed substantially at right angles to the body of the sheet and will fit closely against the lower vertical wall of the mattress with the lower edge of the sheet disposed under the mattress. The sheet is thus securely held in 55 position and cannot be pulled out of place by the occupant of the bed. The side edges of the sheet may also, if desired, be tucked under the mattress. As the secured portions of the pleats terminate approximately on a line with the corners of the pockets and the upper edge of 60 the lower downwardly disposed portion of the sheet, each pleat is free to open above the corners of the pocket as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, forming a triangular dart-like portion 11 which provides substantial foot room for the occupant without detaching the sheet. In other words, 65 the sheet is permitted to expand above the fixed pleats to the full width of the sheet without interfering with the retaining action of the pocket portions of the sheet.

It is accordingly evident that I have provided a top sheet or covering which will not only stay securely in 70 place and eliminate the tedious operation of making socalled “hospital” or folded corners in fitting the sheet to the mattress, but will also provide ample foot room

2,772,425 for the occupant of the bed without releasing the sheet from the mattress.