IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF EASY CHAIRS
Year: 1845

page_text: MINTER & BADGER'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
MINTER, of Gerard Street; Soho, in the County of Middlesex, -Patent Chair
Maker, and JONATHAN BADGER, of Walworth, in the County of Surrey,
Carpenter and Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fourth day of November, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors, adññiors, and assigns, and
such others as we, the said George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors,
adiňors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF EASY CHAIRS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that we, the said George Minter and Jonathan Badger, or one of
us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be iurolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, do hereby declare that the nature of
our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performeil,

page_text: letters marked thereon (that is to say):
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a side view of an easy chair constructed according to our
improvements, having part of the side removed, in order to shew the mechanical
parts which are enclosed in the right arm of the chair; Figure 2 shows a back
view of the chair; Figure 3 shows another side view partly in section; and
Figure 4 shows a view looking from below the chair upwards. In each of
these Figures the same letters of reference are employed to indicate similar
parts. a is the back of the chair which is suspended on necks or axes b, b,
which have bearings in two plates fixed to the side framings of the chair, each
such side frame consisting of an upright board fixed to the elbow above, and
.to the side rail of the chair below. c, c, are two plates affixed to the lower
part of the back a of the chair; and at the sides, thereof these plates have
each a hole or an eye through which the necks or axes.pass; and there are
two plates d, d, fixed at the back end of the seat eat the sides thereof;
these plates & have also each a hole or an eye through it; and through these
also the axes 6 pass. Hence, the back and the seat are capable of movement
about the axes or necks b, b, the axes b passing through the fixed bearings so
as to receive the quadrant frames f. f, and allow of the same moving thereon,
as will be hereafter explained. The leg rest is hinged to the front of the
seat, and the foot rest is hinged to the leg rest, as shown in the Drawing;
and the front of the seat of the chair rests on two pins or projections z when
down at its lowest position; but the front part can be elevated, when desired,
as hereafter explained. f, f, are two quadrants. They move on the axes b, b,
and they have each two screw pins passing through them at g, h, such screw
pins being fixed to the side rails i, i, in such a manner as to make the quadrants
fast to the side rails by the screw nuts. Hence, any movement given, the
quadrants will move the frame i. The frame i consists of two side rails i, i,
and two cross rails: one at the back marked it, and one at the front marked
7. At the front ends of the side rails i, of the frame i, there are hinged two
projections, which press against the back of the leg.rest; and therefore,
.when the front of the frame i, i, &, is raised, the leg and foot rest will be
raised also; or these projections is may be thrown back, by which, when the
front end of the frame i is raised, the front part of the seat of the chair will
⚫ be raised as is indicated by red lines in Figure 3. At the front of the scetor
frame, at the right-hand side of the chair, there is a toothed rack, into which

page_text: tuc, screw 3, on the axis k, takes, which axis has a handle 1, by which rotatory
motion is communicated to the screw, which will cause the front part of the
sector frames to move on the axes 6, the back ends of the framing descending
when the front end of the frames f ascend, by which it will be seen that the
upper part of the back of the chair will descend as the leg rest ascends; but
as in some cases it may be desirable to, have the back upright, or more or
less upright, notwithstanding the leg rest is raised, we have so arranged the
mechanism that the back of the chair may be adjusted in its position by means
of a screw *. On the back and front rails 2, 3, of the frame ¹, are affixed
guide rails m, between which the crosshead n moves; and by such rails m the
crosshead n is supported. In the crosshead is fixed a female screw through
which the screw * passes, and the back end of the axis of the screw * turns
in a bearing formed in the back rail of the frame i. To the crosslicad n
are hinged the two diagonal supports o, o, the upper ends of which are also
hinged to the back of the chair. Hence, as the crosslcad n is moved back
by means of the screw *, the back of the chair will be made to assume a more
upright position, and the reverse when the crosshead is moved towards tho
front of the chair. I would remark, that in case the screw 1* bo dispensed
with, then the supports to the back will be applied to the frame i, i, in place
of having a moving crosshead; but I prefer that the back of the chair should
be capable of separate adjustment, in addition to the movement which it receives
in conjunction with the frame i, by means of the sector frames and the screw,
as before explained.
Having thus explained the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would have it understood that we do
not claim any of the mechanical parts separately; and some of them have
before been applied to chairs, but in a different manner to what we have
herein described. And we would state, that we do not confine ourselves to
the precise details, so long as the peculiar character of our Invention be
retained. And what we claim is,—
First, the mode of combining frames with a frame i, and parts connected
therewith, suitable for moving the back, the leg rest, and the scat of an casy
chair, by means of a screw and rack, as herein described. And, .
Secondly, we claim the mode of adjusting the back of an easy chair, by
means of a screw *, and parts working therewith, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Minter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
GEORGE (Ls.) MINTER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the, First, day of May, in the year
of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid George Minter came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and, acknowledged the. Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form, above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One, thousand
'
eight hundred and forty-six...

page_text: MINTER & BADGER'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
MINTER, of Gerard Street; Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Chair
Maker, and JONATHAN BADGER, of Walworth, in the County of Surrey,
Carpenter and Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fourth day of November, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors, adiñors, and assigns, and
such others as we, the said George Minter and Jonathan Badger, our exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF EASY CHAIRS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that we, the said George Minter and Jonathan Badger, or one of
us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
George Minter and Jonathan Badger, do hereby declare that the nature of
our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,

page_text: reference being had to the Drawing nereunto annexed, and to the ngures and
letters marked thereon (that is to say) :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
b
Figure 1 shows a side view of an easy chair constructed according to our
improvements, having part of the side removed, in order to shew the mechanical
parts which are enclosed in the right arm of the chair; Figure 2 shows a back
view of the chair; Figure 3 shows another side view partly in section; and
Figure 4 shows a view looking from below the chair upwards. In each of
these Figures the same letters of reference are employed to indicate similar
parts. a is the back of the chair which is suspended on neeks or axes b, b,
which have bearings in two plates fixed to the side framings of the chair, each
such side frame consisting of an upright board-fixed to the elbow above, and
to the side rail of the chair below. c, c, are two plates affixed to the lower
part of the back a of the chair; and at the sides thereof these plates have
each a hole or an eye through which the necks or axes pass; and there are
two plates d, d, fixed at the back end of the seat e at the sides thereof;
these plates & have also each a hole or an eye through it; and through these
also the axes 6 pass. Hence, the back and the seat are capable of movement
about the axes or necks 6, 6, the axes 6 passing through the fixed bearings so
as to receive the quadrant frames f, f, and allow of the same moving thereon,
as will be hereafter explained. The leg rest is hinged to the front of the
seat, and the foot rest is hinged to the leg rest, as shown in the Drawing;
and the front of the seat of the chair rests on two pins or projections = when
down at its lowest position; but the front part can be elevated, when desired,
as hereafter explained. f. f, are two quadrants. They move on the axes b, b,
and they have each two screw pins passing through them at g, h, such screw
pins being fixed to the side rails i, i, in such a manner as to make the quadrants
fast to the side rails by the screw nuts. Hence, any movement given, the
quadrants will move the frame i. The frame i consists of two side rails i, i,
and two cross rails: one at the back marked , and one at the front marked
2. At the front ends of the side rails i, of the frame i, there are hinged two
projections, which press against the back of the leg rest; and therefore,
when the front of the frame i, 2, 3, is raised, the leg and foot rest will be
raised also; or these projections 3 may be thrown back, by which, when the
front end of the frame i is raised, the front part of the seat of the chair will
be raised as is indicated by red lines in Figure 3. At the front of the sector
frame, at the right-hand side of the chair, there is a toothed rack, into which

page_text: the screw j, on the axis k, takes, which axis has a handle l, by which rotatory
motion is communicated to the screw, which will cause the front part of the
sector frames to move on the axes b, the back ends of the framing descending
when the front end of the frames f ascend, by which it will be seen that the
upper part of the back of the chair will descend as the leg rest ascends; but
as in some cases it may be desirable to have the back upright, or more or
less upright, notwithstanding the leg rest is raised, we have so arranged the
mechanism that the back of the chair may be adjusted in its position by means
of a screw *. On the back and front rails i, t, of the frame i¹, are affixed
guide rails m, between which the crosshead n moves; and by such rails m the
crosshead n is supported. In the crosshead is fixed a female screw through
which the screw * passes, and the back end of the axis of the screw * turns
in a bearing formed in the back rail of the frame i. To the crosshead n
are hinged the two diagonal supports o, o, the upper ends of which are also
hinged to the back of the chair. Hence, as the crosshead n is moved back
by means of the screw *, the back of the chair will be made to assume a more
upright position, and the reverse when the crosshead is moved towards the
front of the chair. I would remark, that in case the screw * be dispensed
with, then the supports to the back will be applied to the frame i, i, in place
of having a moving crosshead; but I prefer that the back of the chair should
be capable of separate adjustment, in addition to the movement which it receives
in conjunction with the frame i, by means of the sector frames and the screw,
as before explained.
Having thus explained the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would have it understood that we do
not claim any of the mechanical parts separately; and some of them have
before been applied to chairs, but in a different manner to what we have
herein described. And we would state, that we do not confine ourselves to
the precise details, so long as the peculiar character of our Invention be
retained. And what we claim is,―
First, the mode of combining frames f with a frame i, and parts connected
therewith, suitable for moving the back, the leg rest, and the seat of an easy
chair, by means of a screw and rack, as herein described. And,
Secondly, we claim the mode of adjusting the back of an easy chair, by
means of a screw (*, and parts working therewith, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Minter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
GEORGE (LS.) MINTER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First. day. of. May, in the year
of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid George Minter came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form, above
written. And also the. Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-six.