A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVE- MENT ON CHAIR BACKS OR SEATS OF VARIOUS KINDS, AND ON AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET MATERIAL FOR USE IN THE MAKING THEREOF, OR OF SUNDRY OTHER ARTICLES OF UTILITY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nahum Harwood, of the State of Massachusetts, of the
United States of America, for the Invention of "A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVE-
MENT ON CHAIR BACKS OR SEATS OF VARIOUS KINDS, AND ON AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHEET MATERIAL FOR USE IN THE MAKING THEREOF, OR
OF SUNDRY OTHER ARTICLES OF UTILITY."
Sealed the 7th March 1879, and dated the 14th January 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Nahum Harwood at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th January 1879.
NAHUM HARWOOD, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America "A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT ON CHAIR BACKS OR SEATS OF
VARIOUS KINDS, AND ON AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET MATERIAL FOR
USE IN THE MAKING THEREOF, OR OF SUNDRY OTHER ARTICLES OF UTILITY."
Figure 1 is a top view, and Figure 2 a transverse section of a piece of the sheet
material is question.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a chair back, and Figure 4 is a similar view of a
chair seat constructed in part of such material.
In making the article, or said sheet material, I take a sheet of paper, or paste-
board, or leather board of about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness, and spread
upon it a solution of analine or other proper coloring matter, or I dip the sheet in a
bath of such, after which I run the sheet between and in close contact with a pair
of squeeze rollers, so as to evenly color it and express from it the surplus
liquid.
"
"
Should the color not be sufficiently deep the process of applying the color to
the sheet and treating it between and by such rollers may be repeated as often as
may be necessary to produce the desired effect. This not only colors the sheet, but
improves it for another or the next part of the process of its manufacture, which
consists in pebbling or embossing it by a figured roller or rollers, or by other
suitable means, the sheet on being thus trented by the embossing device or devices
having usually the appearance of Russia, Turkey, or Morocco leather. Before the
sheet is thus embossed it is to be dipped in a bath of gelatine, or to have a solution
thereof spread over its surface to be embossed.
The sheet should next be suffered to nearly, if not entirely, dry, or it should be
exposed to air or other means of nearly, if not entirely, evaporating the water of its
gelatinous covering.

page_text: The embossing having been completed, the opposite surfaces of the sheet or its
embossed surface should be covered with an alcoholic solution of shellac or a suitable
varnish, which may be applied by means of a brush, or by dipping the sheet into
the solution or varnish.
The sheet is next to be allowed or caused to dry, or to have the alcohol or liquid
solvent of the varnish evaporated.
In Figure 1 of the Drawings the sheet is shown at A and the embossing at a,
while in Figure 2 the sheet is represented at A, the embossing at a, and the shellac
or varnish covering or coverings at b and c.
In Figures 3 and 4 the sheet is shown at A as arranged within and across, and
applied and secured to a frame B, which may be that of a chair back or seat, or of
a drawing board or other article of utility.
I would remark that I do not claim coloring, varnishing, and embossing paper,
Buch being an old process long used in making ornamental papers, nor do I claim the
application of glycerine to paper to render it pliable, such being also well known as
having been long in use.
In carrying out my process I do not use glycerine, my object being, not to make
a very pliable but a stiff or slightly yielding article comparatively, such as may be
used to advantage in making chair seats or backs without any stuffing or cushion
beneath the article.
I do not coat the board with any membranous, filamentous, or waterproof
material prior to or while coloring it, nor do I apply any dry powdered color to it
while it is in a moist state, nor do I use flour paste in connection with glue.
I color the board by a bath or other suitable means, and run the board or paper
between rollers to even the color and condense the material while it is wet or
moist. This condensing of the material not only removes from it the surplus
coloring liquid, but improves or prepares it for the gelatine bath and the subsequent
operations.
I pebble the board before treating it with shellac or varnish.
I claim as my Invention as follows, vis. :-
1. My improved process, substantially as described, of preparing paper, pasteboard,
or leather-board, for use as specified.
2. The improved article or manufacture, substantially as described, resulting from
such process, and consisting of paper, pasteboard, or leather-board evenly or properly
colored, coated with gelatine, pebbled, embossed, and shellaced, or varnished,
essentially as set forth.
3. Furthermore, I claim as a new or improved manufacture the back or seat of a
chair or other like article, composed of a frame and of pastoboard or leather-board
treated by my improved process as described, and fitted and secured to or in such
fraine, as explained.
In witness whereof I, the said Nahum Harwood, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 27th day of November, A.D. 1878.
NAHUM HARWOOD. (L.S.)