Improvement in Chairs for use in Window Cleaning.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left. 5th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Chairs for use in Window Cleaning.
I, HENRY DAVIDSON PLIMSOLL, of 12, Clinton Place, New York, in the
County and State of New York, one of the United States of America, Inventor
and Writer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in chairs, whereby they can be adjusted
and fastened to the sills of windows, and its object is to produce a safe and
convenient seat for persons whilst engaged in cleaning the windows of buildings.
This work is as a rule, now done in an awkward, inadequate and dangerous
manner. The cleaner sits upon the sill of the window, having the greater part of
his body on the outside of the window which is lowered on to his lap, there being
no support for his back, so that he is compelled to make a continual effort to
preserve his balance with the one hand, whilst at the same time cleaning the
window with the other. This mode of operation is obviously not only inconvenient
and inadequate to the purpose, but is attended with great risk and danger to life
and limb, which this invention is intended to avoid.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing
in which
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the chair showing the seat closed:
Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the chair showing the seat partly extended:
Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the chair placed astride of the sill of the
window as it appears when in use:
Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the seat:
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the seat with the studs hereinafter described
fastened to it: and
Figure 6 is a plan or top view of the seat.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In the drawing, Fig. 2 represents a chair similar to an ordinary chair without
arms in all respects save the following. The seat A. is split, or divided, at B, into
two unequal parts, to the larger one of which, .C, the back legs D, E, are
fastened the front legs F. G being fastened to the other part H. The dowel
pins, are fastened to the part I by being driven into it, or by any other
suitable device, and are intended to run freely in and out of suitable holes inade in
the part C.
Jis a screw by means of which the part H is to be extended or closed, it being
fitted in a threaded hole of the part C for that purpose and furnished with a
head for turning either by hand or by a suitable key. One or more studs P of
wood, or other suitable material, are fastened by screws or other suitable means to
the seat, to extend on a line transversely across it on its under and rear part-
Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
The object of these studs, P, is two-fold; first, to remove the weight and
pressure of the body when in the chair from that part of the sill upon which the
seat would rest were it not for the interposition of the studs, as indicated in Fig. 3,
and to limit and confine this weight and pressure to that part only of the sill upon
which the studs actually rest; second,-to prevent the chair from tilting backward
upon the sill, under the weight and pressure of the body when resting against the
back of the chair, and to thereby reduce to a minimum the reciprocal pressure
exerted by and between the legs of the chair and those parts of the sill against
which they impinge.
The distinguishing feature of this invention is a vice, consisting of a combination
of the split seat, the legs of the chair, the screw and the studs, of which vice the

page_text: front and back legs are the two jaws, respectively. Provided therefore that this
feature be preserved, it is immaterial whether the seat be or be not split, or the
legs be or be not fastened to the seat, or in what manner they are so fastened,
or whether a screw,.or' screws or the studs or dowel-pins.be or be not used.
Other mechanical devices may be. substituted, for. the parts forming this
combination. for the purpose of constituting and forming the vice hercin
described:
Date 21 dave of 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Chairs for use in Window Cleaning.
I, HENRY DAVIDSON PLIMSOLL, of 12, Clinton Place, New York, in the
County and State of New York, one of the United States of America, Inventor
and Writer, 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 improvements in chairs, whereby they can be adjusted
and fastened to the sills of windows, and its object is to produce a safe and
convenient seat for persons whilst engaged in cleaning the windows of buildings.
This work is as a rule, now done in an awkward, inadequate and dangerous
manner. The cleaner sits upon the sill of the window, having the greater part of
his body on the outside of the window which is lowered on to his lap, there being
no support for his back, so that he is compelled to make a continual effort to
preserve his balance with the one hand, whilst at the same time cleaning the
window with the other. This mode of operation is obviously not only inconvenient
and inadequate to the purpose, but is attended with great risk and danger to life
and limb, which this invention is intended to avoid.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing
filed with my Provisional Specification in which
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the chair showing the seat closed:
Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the chair showing the seat partly
extended:
Figure 3 is a side elevation shewing the chair placed astride of the sill of the
window as it appears when in use:
Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the seat :
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the seat with the studs hereinafter described
fastened to it: and
Figure 6 is a plan or top view of the seat.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In the drawing, Fig. 2 represents a chair similar to an ordinary chair without
arms in all respects save the following. The seat A is split, or divided, at B into
two unequal parts, to the larger one of which, C, the back legs D, E, are fastened
the front legs F, G, being fastened to the other part H. The dowel pins I, I, are
fastened to the part H by being driven into it, or by any other suitable device, and
are intended to run freely in and out of suitable holes made in the part C.
--- J-is a-screw-by means of which the part His to be extended or closed, it being
fitted in a threaded hole of the part C for that purpose, and furnished with a
head for turning either by hand or by a suitable key. One or more studs Po
wood, or other suitable material, are fastened by screws or other suitable means to
the seat, to extend on a line transversely across it on its under and rear part-
Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
The object of these studs, P, is two-fold; first, to remove the weight and pressure

page_text: of the body when in the chair from that part of the sill upon which the seat
would rest were it not for the interposition of the studs, as indicated in Fig. 3, and
to limit and confine this weight and pressure to that part only of the sill upon which
the studs actually rest; second,-to prevent the chair from tilting backward upon
the sill, under the weight and pressure of the body when resting against the back
of the chair, and to thereby reduce to a minimum the reciprocal pressure exerted
by and between the legs of the chair and those parts of the sill against which they
impinge.
The distinguishing feature of this invention is a vice, consisting of a combination
of the split seat, the legs of the chair, the screw and the studs, of which vice the
front and back legs are the two jaws respectively. Provided therefore that this
feature be preserved, it is immaterial whether the seat be or be not split, or the
legs be or be not fastened to the seat, or in what manner they are so fastened, or
whether a screw, or screws or the studs or dowel pins be or be not used.
Other mechanical devices may be substituted for the parts forming this
combination for the purpose of constituting and forming the vice herein
described.
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
clain is-
The herein described chair consisting of the combination of the split and
extensible seat A, the back legs D and E which are fastened to C the larger part
of said seat, the front legs F and G which are fastened to H the smaller part of
said seat, the dowel pins I adapted to slide backwards and forwards within the holes
made in the said larger part C of the seat, the screw J engaging with the said
part C the holes in which are threaded for the purpose, and the studs P, the
whole adapted to be used as herein shewn and described for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of March 1891
For HENRY DAVIDSON PLIMSOLL,
Russell Spencer.
For HENRY DAVIDSON PLIMSOLL,
Russell Spencer.