Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 4th Oct., 1887
I, HIRAM FLINT HENRY of the village of Gowanda, Cattaraugus County, New
York in the United States of America Amusement Manager 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 consists in the novel construction of a folding stool or seat which in
use forms a perfect chair provided with a back rest, and when closed for stowing away
is reduced to a minimum thickness occupying less space than any other similar article
yet introduced.
A great objection to the folding stools at present in use is that by reason of their
construction they cannot be folded flat, also that they are not provided with a
back-rest, which when attached invariably increases the bulk of the stool
considerably.
By a proper construction and arrangement of parts in this my invention I have
contrived a folding stool provided with a suitable back the whole thing being designed
to close up perfectly flat when not in use so that a larger number of my improved
stools may be packed away in the same space that would be occupied by a lesser
number of stools of any device not folding flat.
The stool may be used as well without as in combination with the back-rest and in
this form provides a neat camp stool whose purpose is to supplant the ordinary
canvas bottom stool.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings having letters of reference on all the
Figs. alike.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my stool showing it open for use. Fig. 2 is a side
sectional view of the open stool, and Fig. 3 is a plan illustrating the stool closed and
quite flat.
In the construction of the stool the outside legs A are pivoted to the inner legs B
by pivot a as is usual in this class of stools.
The outside legs A are thicker than the inner legs B and the pivot a, taking through
the centre of the inner legs is adjusted more at the back of the outer legs in order

page_text: that the rear sides of both inner and outer legs may be flush when the stool is closed
leaving a space on the face of the inner legs and within the thickness of the outer
legs, in which space the seat may rest snugly.
The seat Cis pivoted at its rear end to the upper ends and towards the front side
of the outside legs and is thus adapted to rest on the inner legs and within the outside
legs when the stool is folded-the top of, the seat being then flush with the front edge
of outside legs.
In order to better provide for compactly folding the seat on and within the legs I
cause the side edges of the seat to be reduced in thickness as shown at D, either by
rabbetting, bevelling, mitering or any other suitable means so that the body of the
seat may be of considerable bulk or upholstered if desired and still not extend above
the top edges of outside legs. When the seat is folded the reduced thickness of its
side edges allows in to sink lower than otherwise in the space between
the outer legs before coming in contact with and resting on the inner legs as
described.
I provide for the proper adjustment of the seat in position for use, in the following
manner :-
I cause a lateral groove b to be made on the under side of the seat at its front
edge. For the same purpose I adjust a rod c of metal or other suitable material at
the upper ends of the inner legs. This rod is intended to take into the groove b
aforesaid on under side of seat at its front edge when the legs are extended and the
seat is in position for use. I also provide a band d of wood, leather, metal or other
suitable material, one end of which I attach to the rear of the seat on its under side.
The other end of this band plays loosely in a staple or slot e cut at the front under
edge of the seat. A space is left between the band d and the under side of the seat
in which space the rod c connecting the upper ends of inner legs is free to slide
backwards and forwards from rear to front of seat. As the legs are being extended
the rod c slides forward under the seat until it is forced into the groove bat front
edge of seat where it is held in place by the band d beforementioned; whereby
the seat is locked open and will not close if the stool be tumbled over.
An important feature in this my invention consists in a back rest formed of two
arms or sides E and top and bottom crosspieces F and G-the whole constituting a
frame that encircles the entire stool when it is folded, the stool being put into it like
a picture in a frame. The sides or arms of this back frame are pivoted to the outside
legs at, and it will be seen that when the top rail F is raised the opposite end
necessarily lowers and swings under the stool, and the cross-piece or rail G, there
connecting the arms comes in contact with the legs of the stool at the angle of their
truss forming not only a stop by engagement in that angle but also an additional
support to the bracing of the seat. Or the back may be held in position by means
of studs placed on the outside legs, with which studs the arms will come in contact
when the back is in position for use.
The lower crosspiece or rail G on back-rest may be square and set in the side
arms of back-frame for the purpose of supporting said back-frame in a more upright
position than could otherwise be obtained.
The sides or arms of this back frame are no thicker than the legs of the stool
and add no thickness whatever to the stool when folded.
It will be observed that this improved back frame folds in all respects outside of
the stool and not on to or against it. That part of the back frame intended to
support the sitter may be provided with strips of thin metal webbing, cane rattan
or other suitable material whose thickness will not add to the bulk of the
stool when folded and thus destroy its capacity for folding into a small space.
This invention may also be applied to settees, rout seats and similar articles of
furniture designed to contain two or more persons. This is accomplished by
making the back frame of oblong shape with top crosspiece, lower connecting arm
or check and a sufficient number of side arms to enclose as many stools as are
required to form the settee, said side arms being pivoted to the stools as hereinbefore
mentioned thus forming one continuous seat. In the arrangement of the settee

page_text: the stools are placed sufficiently far apart from each other to permit the arms of the
back-rest to lodge between them both when open and folded-the outside arms
necessarily closing outside the end stools and forming together with the top
and lower crosspieces a frame encircling the whole settee when folded as in the
single stools.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In the construction of a folding stool, the inside legs pivoted to and made
of less thickness than the outside legs, leaving a space for the side edges of the
seat to rest on the inner legs within the outer legs when the stool is folded, substan-
tially as described.
2nd. In combination a seat pivoted at its rear end to the outside legs of stool,
said seat having its side edges reduced in thickness by rabbetting, bevelling, mitering
or other suitable means so that the combined thickness of the seat and inner legs
when closed together shall not exceed the thickness of the outside legs.
3rd. In combination the band of leather, wood, metal or other suitable material
fixed at one end to the rear under side of seat being free to play at its other end in
a slot or staple cut under the front edge of seat; also the lateral groove cut on the
under side of seat at its front edge and the rod of metal or other material for
holding the seat to the inner legs all substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.
4th. A back-rest consisting of sides pieces or arms pivoted to the outside legs or
stool, also top cross-piece and a connecting arm at the bottom, the whole forming a
frame which in closing folds outside the dimensions of the stool and when open is
held in position by contact of its lower crosspiece or connecting arm with the
legs of the stool or by studs placed on outside legs all substantially as herein
described, and set forth.
5th. In combination with a folding stool, a settee composed of the back frame of
oblong shape with top crosspiece, lower connecting arm or check and side arms to
enclose any number of stools substantially as described.
6th. The construction and general arrangement of the parts of my invention,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described set forth in the claims
and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Datart this 18th day of August 1887