IMPROVEMENTS IN ARM CHAIRS
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 8th Feb., 1889
1 WILLIAM PHILLIPS of No. 8* Lowther Street in the City of Carlisle Cabinet
Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ARM CHAIRS
to be as follows:-
--
In constructing an Arm chair I leave below the right arm extending down to the
body of the Chair a hollow chamber access to which is gained by a secret door
opening to the right and outer side of the chair such door when open folding down
level with its binges and being suspended by two brass loops from the top of the sides
of the Cupboard or Chamber acts as a stand or table. The left Arm I also leave
hollow and insert one or more drawers extending from the Arm to the body of the
chair either the full length of the Arm or less, such drawer or drawers to be drawn
out at the front of the arm or at the sides as may be required and may be divided
into compartiments or left plain. At the outside of the left Arm I have used the
sideboard of the Arm as a Table which opens from the bottom and is supported by
two arms and stands when open flush with the frame at the top of the arm and
oxtends the full length of the arm or less. I also use the front of the Standards at
each side of the back of the chair as a rest or stand for a Writing Desk and lamp
or Candlestick such fronts being worked on hinges and secured by secret snap locks
and when in use stretch along the top of each Arm, the hollow part of these standards
I also use as cupboards for instruments &c. Ou the front leaf of these standards I
have slides which are used to regulate the distance of the writing desk the latter
resting upon a Board which connects the two leaves of the standards at the outer
extremity and acts as a stand for a desk or easel, I also use the space at the back
of the chair usually occupied by stuffing as a receptacle for pictures, music, Artists
materials, Manuscript &c. access to this receptacle is gained by the centre of the
back of the chair sliding up as does a window sash but instead of sash weights I
use slides.
Beneath the seat of the chair I utilize the space by inserting a drawer or
drawers opening to the front of the chair and occupying the full space of the seat
or less.
The improvements are shown in the enclosed drawings.

page_text: I WILLIAM PHILLIPS of No. 4 George Street Carlisle in the County of Cumberland
Cabinet Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in Arm Chairs and is principally intended
to provide a chair for Invalids and infirm people, Photographers Studios Studys,
Sitting Rooms Apartments Offices &c., &c., the object being to form the whole of the
constructional part of the chair into drawers and cupboards as well as attachments for
writing reading smoking and sleeping &c.
In the drawings filed with my application for provisional protection and in the
additional drawing filed herewith I have shown how my said invention can be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved chair.
Figures 2 and 3 are side elevations thereof.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section.
Figure 5 is an underside view and
Figure 6 is a section on the line x, x Figure 5 both drawn to an enlarged scale,
showing details of construction hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A, A, are the front legs, B, B, the stretchers or cross pieces and C, C, are the back
or rear legs of my improved chair.
In carrying my said invention into practice I prefer to connect the front legs A
with the back or rear legs C by means of flat stretchers or cross pieces B of the same
width as the said legs. The under or lower stretcher or cross piece is morticed or
dowelled into the legs or firmly attached to the same in any other suitable manner.
The top or upper stretcher or cross piece is arranged so as to overlap the upper
portion or top of the legs and is dovetailed or otherwise securod to the latter. The
back or rear legs Care thickened up so as to be of the same breadth as the front
legs A, and the standards of the chair hereinafter described. This thickening extends
from the top of the leg C down to below the back rail D which connects the back
legs C. The side rails E are morticed into the front and back legs A & C. The back
rail D is also morticed into the legs C which makes the base of the frame of the chair
complete.
On this frame I build the arms F which are hollow. The bottom of the arm is
fixed to the top of the front leg A with screws.and is morticed into the back legs C.
The side of the arm is screwed and glued to the bottom B and dovetailed into the
back legs which legs come up slightly above the top of the arm. The outside of
the arm is formed by two supports of any given breadth which connect the bottom
of the arm with the top and thus forms a frame for a cupboard G with door in the
right arm.

page_text: The door of the cupboard is supported with metallic loop hinges H partly in the
form of a foot rule and slotted at the top to allow the hinges to fall inwards the
hinges being out of sight when the door G is closed and are fixed to the front frame of
the cupboard and the door with small set screws.
The left arm is provided with one or more drawers I either to draw out at the
front or side of the arm. The sideboard J of the left arm may be employed as a
table and is supported by means of jointed lever arms or metallic brackets K at
each end of the said table. These supports are provided with hinges J' and when
the side table J is lifted up fall down and rest on the frame of the drawers or on
the side of the arm according to the way the drawer or drawers I are placed
in the arms.
Beneath the semicircular crown or capping of each arm I insert a rectangular
secret slide L in a substantial frame which forms the capping of the arms.
These
secret slides when in use are drawn out and connected with a table M by means of a
thumb screw N which allows the table to be worked on a pivot and easily moved.to one
side so that if a person wishes to leave the chair at any time, the table can be swung
round and left resting on either side.
On this table I provide a writing desk O which may be used as a music or reading
desk and which is kept in position by means of a flat headed thumb screw O¹ as more
clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6. The head 03 of the screw 0¹ works in an
angular slide O preferably formed of metal cross shaped and fixed flush with the
bottom of the desk the slide being in such position that the desk may be moved
either backwards or forwards to the right or to the left or any other possible position
that the occupier may desire.
I have also provided a reading stand or Artists Easel P the lower portion P¹ of
which is fixed to the table M in a somewhat similar manner to the desk O. That is to
say, by means of a thumb nut P2 similar to the thumb O¹, the head of which is adapted
to work in a straight slide P³ as shown in Figure 5. The metallic pillar Q of the said
reading stand or easel P being fixed near to the edge of its circular base the single slot
or slide P² which is preferably formed of metal is sufficient to enable the said stund or
easel to be turned in any direction required, its motion being excentric. The base or
lower portion of the above described writing desk and reading stand or easel
are covered with cloth to assist the regulation of the motion and to prevent
scratching.
The joint a. b. which connects the table of the stand or easel with its pillar is
universal in its action also the table of the stand or easel is supported by a stay c. d.
which slides on the pillar of the stand.
The seat R of the chair is a sliding seat to slide outwards and form a loungo
being made to slide simply by letting the frame of the seat rest on the frame of
the chair and by checking the frame of the seat from springing by means of pieces
of wood fixed to the insides of the arms. The sent is checked from coming too far
out by means of a piece of wood projecting from each side frame of the seat which
catch the inside top of the front rail of the frame of the chair when the seat is drawn
out to its extremity.
The lower portion of the back of the chair S is connected with the seat by means of
hinges and draws out with the seat.
This portion of the back is supported with a spring T which allows this part
of the back of the chair to fall back to any desirable angle when the pressure
of the body of the person using the chair is brought in contact with it but
in order that it may not go too far back the frame is checked by two iron
supports U.
Beneath the sliding seat a drawer V is provided which extends from front to
back the space occupied by this drawer may be used for a rack or folding frame which
enables the chair to be used as a couch bed or lounge.
Beneath the chair is provided a spittoon W supported by a swivel. A bell ✗ is
also neovidad on the right am

page_text: The back of the chair is constructed upon the frame in the following manner viz.
The top of the backs legs C are checked to receive the standards Y which are
hollow and are notched and capped onto this part and overlap the back legs at the
back and are screwed with screws and glued-they are also tied at the top and bottom
with cross bars thus securing a substantial frame.
The standards Y being hollow may be used as cupboards the front leaves of which
may either be set to fold down along the arms of the chair or to open outwards thereby
acting as a frame for a sun shade or draught screen if required.
The whole space between the standards being hollow 1 utilise this space as at
cupboard Z which may be fitted with shelves compartments or left plain the front of
the back of the chair acting as a door of this cupboard. The standards are grooved―
the side rails of the back are tongued and fit in the grooves of the standards so that
the door of the cupboard or front of the back of the chair may slido up and down
similar to a. window.
All cupboards and drawers to have a lock to each.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is =-
(1) I claim the general construction of the chair as a whole to be original.
(2) The parts which I specially claim in detail are as follows-A. The hollow arms
which are used for drawers and cupboards together with the use of the side boards
or tables as described above-B. The hollow standards with the use of the doors―
C. The cupboard in the back of the chair with the sliding door. D. The secret slides
in the semicircular crown of the arms combined with the mode of fixing the writing
desk and easel with the secret action of both and the excentric working of the latter.
E. The sliding seat as above described.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS,
No. 4, George Street, Carliglo.