IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS FOR CHILDREN, TO BE USED AS A HIGH OR LOW CHAIR, ROCKING HORSE, OR CARRIAGE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CHAIRS FOR CHILDREN, TO BE USED AS A HIGH OR LOW CHAIR, ROCKING
HORSE, OR CARRIAGE." A communication from abroad by Levi Haywood, of
Gardner, and Daniel Laurens Thompson, of Baldwinsville, both in the County
of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st January 1879, and dated the 21st August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st August 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engi-.
neers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue
Laffitte, Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS FOR CHILDREN, TO BE USED AS A
HIGH OR LOW CHAIR, ROCKING HORSE, OR CARRIAGE." [A communication from
abroad by Levi Haywood, of Gardner, and Daniel Laurens Thompson, of Bald-
winsville, both in the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of
America.]
This Invention of improvements in chairs for children, to be used as a high or low
chair, rocking horse, or carriage, relates to an improved chair for the use of children,
the chair being capable of being employed as a high chair, a rocking horse, or a
carriage and low chair.
The Invention consists in the combination with the main seat and legs to support
it for a high chair, of an auxiliary seat located at the rear of the back of the main
seat, to serve as a seat when the chair is partially inverted to form a carriage or a
rocker.
Also in a main and auxiliary seat, combined with fixed and movable legs, curved
at their inner edges, to serve as legs for the high chair or for rockers.

page_text: Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs of horse head like
pieces pivoted thereto.
Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat legs and pivoted horse head like
pieces of a dash board.
Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs of legs pivoted with
relation to the main seat to be turned, so that the free or lower ends of said legs
may be made to project in front of the auxiliary seat or behind it, according as the
apparatus is employed as a carriage or rocker.
Also in the combination with the auxiliary scat, attached behind the back of the
main seat, of a pair of legs, provided at or near cach end with rollers located thereon
in front of a line drawn through the centre of the main seat.
Also in a pivoted foot board and locking device therefor, combined with the legs
and notched plates or equivalents connected with the legs to hold the foot board in
either of its positions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
February 1879.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engi-
neers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Kue
Laffitte, Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS FOR CHILDREN, TO BE USED AS A
HIGH OR LOW CHAIR, ROCKING HORSE, OR CARRIAGE." A communication from
abroad by Levi Haywood, of Gardner, and Daniel Laurens Thompson, of Bald-
winsville, both in the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
This Invention of improvements in chairs for children, to be used as a high or low
chair, rocking horse, or carriage, relates to an improved chair for the use of children,
the chair being capable of being employed as a high chair, a rocking horse, or a
carriage and low chair.
The Invention consists in the combination with the main seat and legs to support
it for a high chair, of an auxiliary seat located at the rear of the back of the main
seat, to serve as a seat when the chair is partially inverted, to form a carriage or a
rocker.
Also in a main and auxiliary scat, combined with fixed and moveable legs, curved
at their inner edges, to serve as legs for the high chair or for rockers.
Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs of horse head like
pieces s pivoted thereto.
Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat, legs and pivoted horse head like
pieces of a dash board.
. Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs, of legs pivotted
with relation to the main seat to be turned, so that the free or lower ends of said
legs may be made to project in front of the auxiliary seat, or behind it, according as
the apparatus is employed as a carriage or rocker.

page_text: Also in the combination with the auxiliary seat attached behind the back of the
main seat, of a pair of legs provided at or near each end, with rollers located thereon
in front of a line drawn through the centre of the main seat, to operate substantially
as described.
Also in a pivoted foot board and locking devices therefor combined with the legs
and notched plates or equivalents connected with the legs, to hold the foot board in
either of its positions.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation the contrivance arranged to serve as a high
chair, one half of the head-shaped portion of the rocking horse being omitted, and
the foot rest being in section.
Figure 2, a side elevation, showing the contrivance employed as a carriage.
Figure 3, a side elevation, showing it arranged as a rocking horse, a portion of
the rear leg, which serves as the rear of the rocker being broken away, and
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are details of the fastenings for the movable or pivoted
joints.
The contrivance is composed of a main seat a, represented in Figure 1, in dotted
lines, and in Figure 2 in section, which serves as the seat for the high chair.
This seat may be provided as shown, with an opening b, and may have a suitable
cover c, and the back c² of the seat may be made in any usual way.
The seat a has at each side a rigid leg d, e, one portion thereof, portion e, being
curved as shown to serve as a rocker, and also a leg f, g, pivoted to the seat at h,
so that the said legs connected by suitable rounds may be so turned with reference
to such seat a, as to place the curved portions g in such position as to form a con-
tinuation of the arc of the curved portions e, as in Figure 3, when it is desired to
form a rocking horse.
The edges of the curved portions e, g, may be provided with strips of leather,
rubber, or other suitable material i, softer than wood.
The legs f, g, will preferably be made in one piece by bending, and the upper
portion 3 will preferably be shaped to conform with the shape of the arms k, and
these legs will be provided at the bottom with a roller l, and at the top with a
roller m, to serve as the wheels for the carriage, which is formed by turning the
chair over upon its front, as shown in Figure 2, the auxiliary seat n, at the rear side
of the back of the main seat, then serving as the seat for the carriage.
The auxiliary seat also serves for the seat of the rocking horse or rocker.
The foot resto is pivoted at p between the portions e of the rigid legs, and is
provided with a locking device, composed of a metallic bar 3, having projections to
enter one of the notches 4 in a plate 5, so that the said foot rest may be held in the
position shown in section, Figure 1, to serve as the foot rest for the high chair, or
to sustain a vessel, or it may be held in the position shown in dotted line in such
Figure, and in full lines in Figures 2 and 3, to serve as a foot rest for the carriage
or rocker.
This locking device is moved to disengage it by the handle 6, and in the opposite
direction by the spring 7.
Pivoted between the legs d, e, at r, are two horse head and neck shaped pieces of
wood 8, or other suitable material, preferably made hollow to make them light, and
connected by rounds 8, 8, and between such pieces is placed a dash board t, pro-
vided if desired with a whip socket u, suitable driving reins vand bridle being
provided.
When the contrivance is used as a high chair, the pieces 8 are turned within the
base of the chair, as shown in Figure 1, in which position they are locked by means
of bolts 10, projecting from springs w into holes made in plates x, fixed to the
legs d, e, shown in dotted lines Figure 1, and in detail Figure 4.
When the contrivance is used as a rocking horse or as a carriage, the pieces a are
turned outward on their pivots, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, where they are locked
by the same locking devices, the bolts then entering other holes in the plate x.
It is obvious that these pieces s might be omitted, and yet the contrivance would

page_text: operate as a carriage and as a rocker, but it is far more desirable and attractive to
employ such pieces 8.
To the legs d, e, at 12, is pivoted a handle y, which may be folded parallel
with d, and be locked to the seat a by means of a pin 13, on a spring 14, secured
to the cross rod 15, which connects the opposite sides of y, see Figure 6, showing a
detail thereof.
This handle may be turned outward, as shown in Figure 2, to be used to draw
the carriage, such Figure showing the handle broken off to save space.
The cross rod 15, when the contrivance is employed as a rocking horse, is grasped
by the child to assist in retaining its seat.
The legs f, g, are locked in the two positions shown in Figures 1 and 3 by means
of springs 16, connected with the under side of seat a, such springs having bolts to
enter holes 17 in a plate 18, shown in dotted lines Figure 3, such springs, bolts, and
plate being constructed and operated as described, of springs w, bolts 10, and
plate x, shown in Figure 4.
The plates at the pivoted centres of the pieces 8, and of legs f, g, are provided
with slots 19 to receive pins 20, to serve as stops for the moving parts, see detail
Figure 5.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The combination with the main seat and legs to support it for a high
chair of an auxiliary seat, located at the rear of the back of the main seat, to serve
as a seat when the chair is partially inverted to form a carriage or rocker, substan-
tially as described.
Second. A main and auxiliary seat combined, with fixed and moveable legs curved
at their inner edges, to serve as legs for the high chair or for rockers, substantially
as described.
Third. The combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs of horse head like
pieces s pivoted thereto, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination with the auxiliary seat legs and pivoted horse head
like pieces of a dash board, substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination with the auxiliary seat and fixed legs of legs pivoted
with relation to the main seat to be turned, so that the free or lower ends of said
legs may be made to project in front of the auxiliary seat, or behind it, according
as the apparatus is employed as a carriage or rocker, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination with the auxiliary seat attached behind the back of
the main seat of a pair of legs, provided at or near each end with rollers located
thereon in front of a line drawn through the centre of the main seat, to operate
substantially as described.
Seventh. A pivoted foot board and locking devices therefor, combined with the
legs and notched plates or equivalents connected with the legs to hold the foot board
in either of its positions, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.