Improvements in and relating to Toilet Chairs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1.90
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Toilet Chairs.
I, HECTOR TULLOCH, of The Hollies, Bickley, in the County of Kent, Major, Royal
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
The object of my invention is to provide for enabling a person sitting or standing
before a mirror or looking glass to conveniently see the back or either side of the
head or body so that the hair may be dressed, the cap adjusted, the diess arranged
and other toilet operations performed with greater comfort and convenience than
heretofore, and the use of a hand-mirror may be dispensed with
To attain this object I provide an attachment to a chair for the purpose of holding
and supporting behind the person dressing, a second or supplementary mirror of any
suitable size or shape, which can be adjusted so that the back or either side of the
head or body of the said person will be reflected and seen in the mirror before which
the person is sitting or standing.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I connect the said supplementary
mirror by a hinge or other joint to a rod or other support, which is attached to the
back of a chair, preferably so that it can be raised or lowered at will to vary the
height of the mirror above the floor, and which extends above the back of the chair
The said mirror is made adjustable about either a horizontal or a vertical axis, or it is
connected with its support by a universal joint so that it can be adjusted in any
direction. In some instances the said mirror is also made adjustable so that it can
be made to reflect either side of the head or body of the person. The said rod or
support is, by preference, bent or cranked below the hinge or other joint to permit
the turning or adjustment of the mirror about a horizontal axis.
I sometimes construct my improved device with a mirror for reflecting the back
of the head or body and with a mirror or mirrors for reflecting one or both sides of
the head or body. These side mirrors are carried by jointed arms attached to the
rod or support which carries the back mirror.
My improved device may be formed with or permanently attached to the back of
the chair thus forming a toilet-chair, or it may be constructed separately and pro-
vided with means for attaching it to a chair so that it can be readily removed
therefrom.
I provide, moreover a suitable device, such as a set-screw, clamp, or catch, whereby
the mirror or either of the mirrors can be secured on its joint or axis in any desired
position.
I can, if desired, use more than one support for the mirror or mirrors. These
supports are arranged to slide up and down in grooves or sockets so that they can
be lengthened or shortened at will and the mirror or mirrors thus held at any desired
height.
In some instances, I provide a suitable device which, whilst permitting the raising
of the mirror or mirrors will sustain the same in any position to which they may be
raised, a catch or the like having to be disengaged or released to permit the lowering
of the said mirror or mirrors.
Various forms of chairs can be converted in the manner above described into
toilet-chairs.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Toilet Chairs.
I, HECTOR TULLOCH, of The Hollies, Bickley, in the County of Kent, Major, Royal
Engineers, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide for enabling a person sitting or standing
before a mirror or looking glass to conveniently see the back or either side of the
head or body, so that the hair may be dressed, the cap adjusted, the dress arranged
and other toilet operations performed with greater comfort and convenience than
heretofore, and so that the use of a hand mirror may be dispensed with.
To attain this object I provide an improved device, which may be constructed as
an attachment to a chair or otherwise, for the purpose of holding and supporting
bebind a person dressing in front of a mirror or looking glass, one or more supple-
mental y mirrors of any suitable size or shape, which can be adjusted so that the back
or either side of the head or body of the said person will be reflected and seen in the
mirror or looking glass before which the person is sitting or standing.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 18 a plan.
Figure 2 a side elevation and
Figure 3 a rear elevation illustrating my improved apparatus.
Figures 4. 5 and 6 show in plan, side elevation and rear elevation, a slight
modification hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a toilet-table. B is a mirror or looking-glass placed thereon. C is a chair
of any well known or suitable construction, which may be weighted, if necessary, to
counterbalance the mirrors carried thereby as hereinafter described.
column a.
9, 9 are
a is a standard or column secured by means of eyes or sockets 6 and a thumb
screw or set-screw b', or in any other convenient manner, to the back of the chair C. Or,
if desired, this standard or column may be fixed on a suitable base or stand to be placed
behind the chair or to be used without a chair. c is another eye or socket firmly
attached to, or formed in one with the upper portion or head of the said standard or
In the eye or socket c is fitted to slide a tube or rod d. e is a thumb-
screw or set-screw by means of which the said rod can be clamped or secured firmly in
any desired position in the said eye or socket c. A fork d¹ is fixed upon, or attached
by means of a swivel-joint to the upper extremity of the said tube or rod d. To a
this fork is pivoted at da square or other suitably shaped mirror f.
arms hinged or pivoted at gl to the upper extremity or head of the standard or
column a. The said arms 9 may be hinged or jointed at one or more places as
shown, for example, at 9'; they are provided at their free extremities with eyes or
sockets g adapted to receive tubes or rods h which are free to slide up and down in 4
the said sockets. Each of the said tubes or rods h is provided upon its upper extremity
with a fork h¹ which may be either firmly attached thereto or connected therewith by
a swivel-joint so that it can turn about a vertical axis. To each of these forks is
pivoted at a square or other suitably shaped mirror i. 1, j are thumb-screws or
set-screws whereby the said tubes or rods h can be clamped or secured in any desired 4
position in the eyes or sockets g³.
It will be seen that the mirrors fand i can be simultaneously raised or lowered at
will so as to vary their height above the floor, or either of the said mirrors can be raised
or lowered relatively to the other mirrors, and can, moreover, be turned or adjusted about
a vertical axis and also about a horizontal axis. The person occupying the chair C 5
and looking into the mirror or looking-glass B can, by these means, obtain rear and
side views as well as a front view of his or her person reflected in the said mirror or
looking-glass B. It is obvious that the said mirrors may be adjusted to suit a person

page_text: either sitting in the chair O or standing between my improved apparatus and the said
mirror or looking-glass B.
Figures 4 to 6 illustrate a modification wherein the eye or socket c is hinged or
jointed at c', thus enabling the tube or rod d to be moved or adjusted angularly as well
as vertically relatively to the standard or column a, and facilitating the adjustment of
the mirror to the most favourable position for use. The joint or hinge c¹ can be
prevented from working too freely by means of a screw c³ and washer c³ or in any
other convenient manner. Suitable stops may, moreover, be provided for limiting the
angular movement of the said tube or rod d. Similar devices are sometimes provided
for permitting angular adjustment of the tubes or rods h relatively to the corresponding
arms g or either of the tubes or rods d or h may be connected with the standard or
column a, or with the corresponding arm g or other suitable support, by means of a
universal-joint so that it can be adjusted in any direction
My improved apparatus may be permanently attached to the back of a chair as
herein before described, thus forming a toilet-chair, or it may be constructed separately
and provided with a suitable telescopic or other column or standard adapted to stand
independently upon the floor, or it may be provided with any convenient means for
attaching it to a chair so that it can be readily removed therefrom when desired.
I sometimes dispense with the side mirrors and construct my improved toilet-chair
with a mirror for reflecting the back of the head or body only, or which can be
adjusted to reflect either side of the head or body.
I can, if desired, use more than one support for the mirror or mirrors. These
supports are arranged to slide up and down in grooves or sockets so that they can be
lengthened or shortened at will and the mirror or mirrors thus held at any desired height,
as above described.
In some instances, 1 provide a suitable device which, whilst permitting the raising
of the mirror or mirrors, will sustain the same in any position to which they may be
raised, a catch or the like having to be disengaged or released to permit the lowering
of the said mirror or mirrors.
Various forms of chairs can be converted in the manner above described into toilet-
chairs.
It is obvious that the mirrors can be attached to the vertically and angularly adjust-
able tubes or rods in any other convenient manner.
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 :-
First. A toilet-chair having one or more adjustable mirrors attached to the back
thereof, for the purposes above specified.
Second. An apparatus for the purposes above specified, comprising two or more
mirrors mounted upon a suitable standard or column and adjustable substantially as
described.
Third. The combination of a central mirror which is mounted upon a rod or standard,
and is adjustable substantially as described, and two side mirrors which are connected
by jointed arms or brackets with the rod or standard of the central mirror and are
similarly adjustable, for the purposes above specified.
Fourth. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, for the purposes above
specified.
Fifth. The modification of my invention wherein I provide for the angular as well
as the vertical adjustment of the rod carrying the mirror, substantially as described
with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings for the purpose
above specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant,