IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO BE USED PRINCIPALLY AT SEA
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND OTHER
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO BE USED PRINCIPALLY AT SEA."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Victor Gille Marie Joseph Neveu-Derotrée,
of l'Ile Dieu, Vendée, in the Empire of France, Doctor of Medicine,
and Arsène Charrier, of Noirmoutiers, Vendée, Contractor for Public
Works.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd July 1860.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 11,
Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS
AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO BE USED PRINCIPALLY AT SEA," communicated
to me from abroad by Victor Gille Marie Joseph Neveu-Derotrée, of l'Ile Dieu,
Vendée, in the Empire of France, Doctor of Medicine, and Arsène Charrier,
of Noirmoutiers, Vendée, Contractor for Public Works, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce a chair, sofa, table, or other

page_text: article of furniture, which, at sea or elsewhere, shall not incline on one side or
the other, but invariably maintain its level. The apparatus by which I pro-
pose to attain this object is composed of the following parts:-Firstly, of a case,
usually of octagonal, but in some cases of other form, serving as a base; secondly,
of three circles of metal; thirdly, of a rod; fourthly, of a metal weight fastened
to the said rod; fifthly, of an iron support fixed to a circle of metal, which
serves for its base; sixthly, of a chair, sofa, or other article, resting upon the
support and surmounting the apparatus. Tho vertical height of the case should
be more than twice its diameter at the upper part, and its base should be con-
siderably larger; it might also be made to fold into a small compass when the
apparatus is dismounted. The three metal circles or rings are concentric and
situate on the same plane; their diameter may be represented as 0.30, 0.25, and
0-20, the largest being at the upper part of the case and resting on an inner
edge; the two others have each two pivots placed following a diameter of the
circle to which they belong, and perpendicularly to those of the adjoining
circle. This system of suspension is similar to that of the ship's compass, but
differing in proportion, and improved by the addition of the lever hereafter
mentioned. The circle inscribed is full, it carries in the sense of its ante-pos-
terior diameter two grooves destined to receivo two bolts adapted to the chair,
which disposition allows of the chair being pushed backward and forward along
the grooves. In the centre of the circle inscribed, and consequently of the three
circles, is fixed the rod, to which is adapted the metal weight, which is formed
of, say, eight partially cylindrical weights, adapted the one to the other by bolts,
each having two bolts above and two holes beneath to receive the bolts of the
inferior weight. The number of theso weights is essentially variable and changes
with the weight of the person seated upon the chair. Eight weights, forming
a total weight of 192 lbs., would be the weight necessary to securely balance a
person weighing 150 lbs. The support is formed of four branches of iron,
riveted at the foot to a circle of the same metal, pierced with two holes follow-
ing its diameter. These holes should receive the bolts sliding on the grooves
of the circle inscribed. The four upper branches are fastened to the chair.
This support is intended to allow the case to follow without shock the move-
ments given by the rolling or pitching of the ship, the upper edge of the case
finding its place beneath the chair. The chair rests upon the support above
described, and is situated 0.12 from the plane of the fixed circle, and is pro-
vided with a foot-board, which folds with a hinge to decrease its size.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedgo in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second. day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant uuto me,
the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
TO BE USED PRINCIPALLY AT SEA," communicated to me from abroad by Victor
Gille Marie Joseph Neveu-Derotrée, of l'Ile Dieu, Vendée, in the Empire of
France, Doctor of Medicine, and Arsène Charrier, of Noirmoutiers, Vendée,.
Contractor for Public Works, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, 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 Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the annexed Drawing, in which
I have shewn in elevation, section, and plan, a chair constructed according to
this Invention :-
This chair is composed, firstly, of an octagonal case forming the base;
secondly, of three circles or rings of metal (see plan); thirdly, of a square
metal rod for supporting the balance weight (see section); fourthly, of the
weight fitting on to this metal rod; fifthly, of metal supports (see A, B, C, D,

page_text: in plan, and C, D, in elevation), fastened to and resting upon a metal ring (see
section and plan); and, sixthly, of an arm chair resting upon the metal sup-
ports or branches and surmounting the whole apparatus. The octagonal case,
as shewn in the Drawing, rises vertically a certain distance from its base and
thence tapers upwards, upwards until the diameter of the ledge within its upper
part is equal to that of the outer of the three circles which it supports. This
case, which, as shewn, is octagonal and of wood, may in certain cases be made in
some other form, and of iron or other metal, and to fold up into a small com-
pass when the apparatus is taken to picces. Its diameter at the upper part
may also be reduced when desirable. The three metal rings or circles are con-
centric, and their diameters may be respectively represented as 30, 25, 20.
The largest circle is situated at the upper part of the case, and rests upon an
inner ledge, as shewn in the section of the apparatus. The two others have
each two pivots placed following a diameter of the circle to which they belong,
and-perpendicularly to those of the adjoining circle: The system is identical
with that of the nautical compass, but in different proportion, and improved by
the addition of the lever herein-after mentioned. The circle described is a full
one; it carries in the sense of its ante-posterior diameter two grooves, intended
to receive two bolts fitting to the seat, which arrangement will permit the seat
to be pushed backward or forward, sliding along the grooves. In the centre of
the circle described, and consequently of the three circles, is fixed a square
metal rod (which is the balance lever before referred to), the lower end of
which supports a cylindrical weight, formed, as shewn in section, of eight par-
tially cylindrical parts. These parts fit the one to the other by bolts or pins,
each having two pins above and two holes below, into which enter the pins of
the lower piece. The number of these parts forming the weight is essentially
variable, changing with the weight of the person seated. The support of the
chair is formed by four metal branches riveted at foot to a circular piece of the
same metal, pierced with two holes following its diameter to receive the bolts,
which slide in the grooves of the circle described. The four branches are
bolted at their upper part to the seat. This support is intended to leave to the
case complete liberty to accomplish without shock, any movement communi-
cated to it by the rolling or pitching of a vessel as the upper edge of the case
should find its place beneath the fixed chair (as shewn in the Drawing). The
chair rests upon the supports or branches described, and is furnished with a
foot rest, which folds up, and is of such form that it will never touch the case
when in motion. It is almost needless to observe that the chair may be of
any form, and that a couch, sofa, table, or other article may be substituted in
its place.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, I would observe
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth, as such may
be varied to suit particular cases; but I claim the application of the system of
suspension herein described and shown in the Drawing, the case serving for
base to the equilibrating apparatus, the support isolating the chair or other
article from the case, permitting this latter to move with tho vessel without
touching the former, and the balance lever and weight varying with the person
seated, when applied to chairs or other articles of furniture, whether to be
used at sea or elsewhere where a self-equilibrating article of furniture may be
found desirable.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
5 Witness,
JOHN GEDGE,
11, Wellington Street, Strand,
Patent Agent.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)