Commode or Closet Seat and Foot-rest.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd M r., 1995
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Commode or Closet Seat and Foot-rest.
I, FRANK GITTO HIGH of 628 Market Street in the City and County of
San Francisco, State of California U.S.A., Railway Agent 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 :-
°
My invention relates to seats for closets and to a foot-rest connected therewith.
It consists in the employment of two seats, one having an opening of a size suitable
for adults, and the other for children, and in conjunction with these of a step or
foot-rest which folds up out of the way when the larger seat is in use, and which is
unfolded to form a foot-rest when the smaller seat is in use. Connections are made
with the foot-rest and smaller seat by which the two are operated simultaneously.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my
invention,
Figure 1 is a view of my device.
Figure 2 shows a modification of the same.
A is a frame-work made of light iron, wood or other suitable material, and having
legs or other supports B B.
The main seat C is hinged so that it may be lifted up to expose the receptacle
beneath when desired.
The smaller scat D is so arranged with relation to the larger one that it may be
closed to form an opening essentially coincident therewith, and of smaller size
for children's use, and simultaneously with the movements of this smaller seat, a
foot-rest E is exposed for use, or closed up out of the way.
I have shown two means for making the connection between the foot-rest E and
the seat.
The foot-rest is hinged to the front legs or supports of the device so that it may
be folded up out of the way when the larger seat is in use, or let down into a
horizontal position when the smaller seat is in use.
The connection between the foot-rest and the seat D, consists of a rod or rods F,
one end of which connects with a crank arm or projection G extending outward
from the centre line or fulcrum about which the foot-rest turns.
In Figure 1, the opposite end of this rod connects with an arm H attached to the
seat D, and the latter is hinged to the rear above the seat C, as shown at D', so as
to close down over the larger seat, or open about its hinges to expose the larger
seat.
When the smaller seat is turned back, the connecting rod acts upon the foot-rest
and turns it up and when the smaller seat is turned down the foot-rest moves
simultaneously. In like manner the seat D is opened or closed by moving the
foot-rest.
In the second construction, shown in Figure 2, the arm H is the shorter, and
H¹ the longer arm of a bell crank lever which is fulcrumed to the lower part of
the main seat. In this case the smaller seat D is made in two halves which are
adapted to slide in guides transversely beneath the main seat, so that when the two
halves are closed together, they meet on a central line, and when opened, they slide
back beneath the main seat. The long arms H' of the bell crank levers are
connected centrally with these two halves, and when the foot-rest is turned up it
acts through the connecting rods and the levers to open the smaller seat, and when
turned down it closes it.

page_text: 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―
1st. In a closet, a main perforated seat, a supplemental seat movable with
relation thereto, having an opening adapted to coincide with that of the main seat
when closed, a foot-rest hinged in front of the seat frame above the foot support
used with the main seat, lever arms projecting from the foot-rest and from the
supplemental seat, and a connecting rod or rods, whereby the supplemental seat and
foot-rest are simultaneously thrown into or out of use.
2nd. In a closet, the combination of two superposed seats having large and
small openings respectively with a hinged foot-rest and connecting rods whereby
the smaller seat is opened or closed simultaneously with the movement of the
foot-rest.
Dated this Twenty-second day of January 1805