AN IMPROVEMENT IN RECLINING CHAIRS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Webb, of Wilson Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Upholsterer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
RECLINING CHAIRS."
Sealed the 14th November 1856, and dated the 25th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Webb at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
August 1856.
I, WILLIAM WEBB, of Wilson Street, in the County of Middlesex, Uphol-
sterer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN RECLINING CHAIRS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates chiefly to those reclining chairs with metal arms and
backs, or back frames, though it might be applied to chairs with wooden back
frames. It consists in lowering or altering the inclination of the back, and
retaining it in the desired position by connecting to any convenient part of the
back frame a rod or bar with perforations made in or through the same, or with
teeth formed thereon, which is free to be pressed down through or by the side
of the seat frame of the chair, and by fitting opposite to the rod or bar a spring.
bolt or catch, which taking into one of the apertures or teeth in or on the bar
retains the back in the desired position. The spring bolt is drawn back when
required by a chain, wire, or cord connected to a handle at the side or other
convenient part of the chair. Instead of a spring catch a toothed pinion may
be made to act on the rod or bar to alter the inclination or height of the back.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WEBB, of Wilson Street, in the County of Middlesex, Upholsterer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Webb, Her special licence that I, the said William Webb, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Webb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others; from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RECLINING
CHAIRS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Webb,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Webb, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention relates chiefly to those reclining chairs with metal arms and
backs, or back frames, though it might be applied to chairs with wooden back
frames. It consists in lowering or altering the inclination of the back, and
retaining it in the desired position by connecting to any convenient part of tho
back frame a rod or bar with perforations made in or through the same, or with
teeth formed thereon, which is free to be passed down through or by the side
of the seat frame of the chair, and by fitting opposite to the rod or bar a spring
bolt or catch, which taking into one of the apertures or teeth in or on the bar
retains the back in the desired position. The spring bolt is drawn back when
required by a chain, wire, or cord connected to a handle at the side or other

page_text: convenient part of the chair. Instead of a spring catch a toothed pinion may
be made to act on the rod or bar to alter the inclination or height of the back.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a section, of a chair with metal back
frame and arms fitted with my Invention for lowering and altering the incli-
nation of the back; Figure 3 is a plan of seat frame, shewing the spring catch
1 use for fixing the back at the desired inclination.
A, A, is the frame for the seat of the chair; B, B, standards for supporting
the arms C, C; D, back frame; E, rod hinged to the back frame. This rod
has holes a, a, formed therein, and passes through a slot 6 formed in frame A.
Upon or under the central part A' of the seat frame I fix a spring bolt F. The
bolt is represented shot in Figures 2 and 4, and passed through one of the holes
in the rod E. H is a chain, connected at one end to the bolt, and at the other
to a pulley K, fixed on one end of a rod; the other end of the rod is carried
beyond the side seat frame of the chair, and has fitted on it a handle H¹. By
depressing the handle, as shewn at Figure 8, the chain is wound round the
pulley, and the bolt withdrawn, when if no pressure be applied the back will
spring up to its full height. The person occupying the chair by depressing the
handle to withdraw the bolt and pressing against the back can regulate the
inclination thereof, and by releasing the bolt the back will be retained in
the position desired. When the spring bolt, chain, and pulley are fixed on the
frame A', it will be necessary to fit a guard, as shewn at c, Figure 2, to protect
them. Also, when metal arms are not used, then it will be necessary to
connect them to the standards B, B, by hinges, to allow of the rising and
falling of the back.
Although I have shewn and described a rod, pulley, and chain, as convenient
for withdrawing the spring bolt, I do not confine myself thereto, as other con-
trivances for withdrawing the bolt may be employed.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, as my improvement
in reclining chairs, the altering of the inclination of the backs thereof, and the
fixing of them at any inclination required, by means of a hinged rod and spring
bolt working in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Webb, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
WILLIAM WEBB. (L.8.)