US22297A - Folding chair - Google Patents

Description

UNITED sri-iras PATENT curator.`

R. MCG. LYTLE, XVM. J. ALSTON, AND lLORENZ() \V. TRUE, OF YVILLIAMSON, TENNESSEE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,297', dated December 14, 1858.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, R. MCG. LYTLE, 7. J. ALsToN, and LORENZO W. TRUE, of the county of lhfilliamson, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Chains, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l. represents a perspect-ive view of the chain set up. Fig. 2. represents a perspective view of the chair folded for transportation. Fig. 3. represents a plan of the seat on the under side. Figs. 4f. 5. 6 and 7. represent in detail the connection of the arms to the seat. Figs. 8 and 9. represent in detail the connection of the legs to the seat, and the side bar to the hind legs. Figs. 10. l1 and l2. represent the detail of the connection of the back with the seat.

In the portable chair and stool as heretofore constructed the comfort convenience and ease of the chair are almost entirely sacrificed to give to it great compactness and lightness: the seats of these chairs are hard and confortless, the foundation unstable, the back affords no support, and in fact 'they are but make shifts for ease or comfort and convenience. The parts are generally so arranged as to be disjointed in packing, hence there is a liability of losing some of the parts thereby rendering it useless.

To overcome these defects, and at the same time form a strong, light, compact and portable chair or stool; one that is not easily broken, not liable to get out of order, is quickly set up, and easily packed7 is the object of our improvements.

By reference to the annexed drawing our invention will be fully understood.

Our improved chair in its general form resembles the ordinary arm chair with a seat (A) supported by four legs (0;, a) connected with each other by cross bars (b, b) both at the sides and at the front and back: and provided with a back (B) and arms The back is connected to the seat by a hinge joint (CZ) and also by the arms (C) the upper leaf of the hinge is made fast to the back, and the lower leaf attached to the seat by a sliding bolt (e), the withdrawing l of which releases the hinge from the seat.

The arms (C) imite with the back by a staple joint (c), and are connected at the front with the seat by a grooved bolt (f) which enters the slot in a socket plate (g), arranged to admit the head of the bolt and allow it to be drawn toward the back of the chair into the narrow part of the slot; the plate entering the grooves in the bolt head, and preventing it from being drawn out vertically. A spring stop (h.) which closes the broad partof the slot is depressed by the bolt as it enters, and springs back when the bolt is drawn backward into the narrow part and prevents the bolt from slipping forward. The arms are released by pressing on a knob (z') which depresses the stop (7L) and opens the widest part of the slot so that the bolt can be withdrawn.

Taper-ing metal sockets (7c) are inserted into and made fast to the frame work of the seat on the under side and project a short distance, and have a recess (Z1) cut out of the lower edge on the sides opposite each other. These sockets receive the head of the legs which are attached by a pivot passing through the socket transversely, and through a long slot in the head of the legs. This slot allows the legs to be withdrawn a sufficient distance to free the head so that it can turn on the pivot and be folded down close to the bottom of the chair; the upper part of the leg entering the recess (Z) The front and back cross bars (b) are permanently connected with the front and back legs. The side bars (b) are united with the front legs (a.) by a strap (o) passing around the leg and riveted to the bar; and connected with the back legs by a bolt (p) and socket plate (q) similar to the one previously described connecting the arms to the seat, with the exception of the spring stop. This strap admits of the side bars when released from the back legs being turned inward, and they are so arranged by means of a sloping slot (fu) cut in the ring, through which a pin (s) is drawn, that one bar rises and the other falls as they are turned inward, so as to pass each other and close in between the front legs.

In packing the chair for transportation the arms are released from the seat and turned inward toward the back; the back folded down and confined to the seat by a catch (t) the side bars are then disconnected from the back legs and turned inward between t-he front, the rear legs are then drawn out and folded down, and the front legs folded over the rear and confined to the seat` The back may be removed so as to form a stool, by disconnecting the arms and sliding back the bolt which confines the lower leaf of the hinge to the seat. Thus it will be seen that none of the members are disconnected from the seat in packing the chair, but all remain permanently connected Awith each other, thus there are no loose pieces as in other portable chairs, that are liable to be lost. The folding down of one part also retains and keeps in place other parts, as the back retains the arms7 and the front legs retain the back legs in place.

The chair may be made in anywforni or design that fancy dictates-may be upholstered in the most elaborate manner, be provided with a spring cushion seat and back. The scat may have an air cushion, and thus forni a life preserver; or instead of an air cushion, rubber tubing may be arranged between the springs of the spring seat with an external orifice, so that it can be inated when occasion requires.

Ve do not confine ourselves to the preoise modes of connecting the different meinbers composing the chair, with the seat or with each other, as any of the wel] known modes of connection may frequently be substituted with advantage, so as to retain all parts in connection with each other.

Having thus described our improvements in portable chairs, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The arrangement of t-he arms and also of the back, substantially as described, so that the back retains the arms in place when folded.

2. The arrangement of the legs, substantially as described, so that one set of legs folds over and retains the other set in place.

3. The combination of the slotted bolt with the socket plate and spring stop arranged substantially as described for connecting the arms with the seat.

4. In combination with the side bars we claim the screw strap or its equivalent for connecting the bars with the legs, so that when folded between the legs one is raised and the other depressed for the purpose set forth.

5. Connecting the legs with the seat by means of a hinged socket joint arranged substantially as described so that each pair of legs can be withdrawn from their sockets and folded down without being disconnected from each other or from t-he seat for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have subscribed our names.

R. MCG. LYTLE. lV. J. ALSTON. LORENZO WV. TRUE.

lllitnesscs for R. MCG. Lytle: l". Sorrrnea'rn SMITH, JOHN S. .HoLLINGsHnAn Witnesses for Alston and True:

RAN DALL M. EWING, JOHN Z. VREN.

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