IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CHAIRS, COUCHES, LOUNGES, TOILET GLASSES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE ON WHICH ANTIMACASSARS ARE USED
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Laycock, of Northampton, in the County of
Northampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO
CHAIRS, COUCHES, LOUNGES, TOILET GLASSES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE ON WHICH ANTIMACASSARS ARE USED."
Sealed the 24th January 1879, and dated the 27th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Laycock at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1878.
THOMAS LAYCOCK, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CHAIRS, COUCHES, LOUNGES, TOILET GLASSES, AND
OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE ON WHICH ANTIMACASSARS ARE USED."
Antimacassars as at present used on articles of furniture are merely placed or
thrown loosely over the backs thereof, and consequently they are constantly falling
off or pushed out of place, thereby causing annoyance and inconvenience and giving
an untidy appearance. Now the object of this Invention is to obviate these incon-
veniences, and the improvements consist in the construction and application to
chairs and other articles of furniture of a device for attaching the antimacassar to
the chair or other article in a simple and effective manner, the said device at the
same time improving the appearance of the article of furniture to which it is
applied.
In carrying out my Invention, as applied to a chair for example, I fix or form on
the back of the chair a suitable number of bearings, grooved on their upper side
and arranged so as to follow the curve or other form of the top of the chair back,
and at any suitable position below these bearings I fix two knobs or buttons, the
said knobs or buttons being provided with a piece of chain or cord passing from

page_text: one knob to the other, and of sufficient length to allow it to pass over the said
bearings, on which it may be tightened by turning one of the said knobs.
By this arrangement, if the antimacassar be placed over the back of the chair so
as to pass over the herein-before described bearings (the said chain or cord hanging
loosely), the antimacassar may be firmly secured to the chair by bringing the said
chain or cord over the antimacassar and the said bearings, and by turning one of
the said knobs the chain or cord will be tightened and press the antimacassar into
the said grooves and securely hold the same on the chair, from which it can be
easily removed when required by loosening the chain or cord.
Instead of employing projecting bearings as herein-before described the chair or
other article of furniture may be grooved or otherwise formed so as to form a
bearing for the chain or cord to hold the antimacassar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Laycock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th January
1879.
THOMAS LAYCOCK, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton.
" IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CHAIRS, COUCHES, LOUNGES, TOILET GLASSES, AND
OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE ON WHICH ANTIMACASSARS ARE USED."
Antimacassars as at present used on articles of furniture are merely placed or
thrown loosely over the backs thereof, and consequently they are constantly falling
off or pushed out of place, thereby causing annoyance and inconvenience and giving
an untidy appearance. Now the object of this Invention is to obviate these incon-
veniences, and the improvements consist in the construction and application to
chairs and other articles of furniture of a device for attaching the antimacassar to
the chair or other article in a simple and effective manner, the said device at the
same time improving the appearance of the article of furniture to which it is
applied.
In carrying out my Invention, as applied to a chair for example, I fix or form on
the back of the chair a suitable number of grooved bearings or rests arranged if
necessary so as to follow the curve or other form of the top of the chair back, and
at any suitable position below these bearings I fix two knobs, buttons, screws, or
pins, the said knobs, buttons, screws, or pins being provided with a piece of chain
or cord passing from one to the other, and of sufficient length to allow it to pass
over the said rests or bearings.
In some cases one of the said knobs or buttons may be arranged so as to turn,
and thereby tighten the chain if required; but to make my Invention better under-
stood I will proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying
Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a back elevation of a chair with my improved
device or antimacassar fasteners applied thereto; Figure 2, similar elevation shewing
the chain passed over the rests or bearings; Figure 3, similar elevation shewing an
antimacassar fixed to the chair back by my improved fasteners; Figure 4, elevation
of a chair back with a slightly modified construction of my improved device;
Figures 5 to 9, full-sized details.
Similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
a, a, a, are the bearings or rests which I prefer to employ. These rests consist of
a wooden or other suitable button, shewn in detached front and side elevations at
Figures 5 and 6. b is the central hole in the button through which passes the
screw c, as shewn in section at Figure 7, the said screws serving to fix the rests a
to the chair back, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2; d, d, are the brass or other metal
pins provided with a chain e. One of these pins, with part of the chain attached, is
shewn in full size, front and side elevation, at Figures 8 and 9.
The rests a, a, a, being screwed to the chair back at suitable distances from each
other, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the chain e must be passed over the rests as
shewn in Figure 2, and pulled tightly, and then fastened to the chair by means of
its pins d, d, as shewn. The chain should then be slipped off the rests a, a, a (it
being sufficiently elastic for this purpose), and it will then hang down as shewn in
Figure 1.
To fasten the antimacassar A to the chair back, place the same in proper position
on the chair, then pass the chain over the two side rests and spring it over the
upper or centre rest, as shewn in Figure 3, and the chain e will hold the anti-
macassar firmly by pressing it between itself and the rests.
In Figure 4 I have shewn bearings or rests a, a, a, with curves following the
curve of the chair back, such bearings being screwed to or formed on the chair
back. In this case it is advisable to employ knobs f instead of the pins d, d; one
of the said knobs being capable of turning so as to allow of tightening the
chain e.

page_text: For chairs, couches, and other articles of furniture with straight or square tops
the rests may be placed in a straight line, the chain e being fastened as herein-
before described; but when placed over the antimacassar the chain must be sprung
under the centre rest, or if placed as on other chairs or other articles of furniture
the centre one must be fixed higher on the chair than the two end or side
ones.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, and shewn in the
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar
character of the Invention, but what I do claim is; the construction and appli-
cation to chairs, couches, lounges, toilet glasses, and other articles of furniture of
the improved devices or appliances for attaching or fastening antimacassars thereto,
or any mere modification thereof, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Laycock, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
THOMAS LAYCOCK. (L.S.)