AN IMPROVED PORTABLE EXERCISING STOOL OR CHAIR
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE, JAMES FREDERICK TATE, of 219 Brixton road, Londou, Engineers
assistant, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED
PORTABLE EXERCISING STOOL OR CHAIR.
My invention is constructed as follows:-I provide a base plate of wood, metal
or other suitable material, preferably in a circular form, and in the centre of this
plate I insert an adjustable vertical screw terminating at the top with a stuffed pad
to act as a buffer, and for another purpose hereafter to be described. Upon this
base plate I dispose a strong vertical spiral spring of a slightly less diameter than the
base plate. This spring is sufficiently open to admit a person's hand. Upon the
top of the spring 1 dispose a wood or metal block or plate, having in the centre of
the downward face a similar vertical screw and stuffed pad to that which is carried
upon the base plate.
Upon the upper portion of the block or plate, as just described, I place a suitable
stool or chair seat, in such manner that it can be clevated or lowered, either upon
the principle of a music stool seat, or otherwise.
The mode of use is as follows. When exercise is required, the two adjustable
pads or buffers are screwed in, until they are a convenient distance apart, (say 5 or
6 inches); then a person places himself upon the chair or seat, and by the weight
and motion of the body, his fect being upon the floor, causes the spring to
vibrate downward and upward, giving at each downward motion a concussion upon
the pads or buffers; at the same time allowing the body to sway laterally in any
direction, so as to give a healthy physical exercisc, corresponding to that obtained
from horse riding.
When the chair or seat is required to be used in an ordinary manner, it is
rendered firm and steady by putting the hand between the bars of the spiral spring
and screwing out the two adjustable pads or buffers until they meet.
For the use of children I fit the apparatus with the usual chair top and front bar
or board to prevent the child falling out; and in cases where the child's feet are
not desired to rest upon the floor, I fit a foot board to the chair.
I do not confine myself to the use of one vertical spiral spring for each apparatus.
The same result may be gained by the employment of three or more such springs,
of a lesser diameter, grouped round the base plate near its margin.
I claim substantially the herein described construction of a stool or chair, having
adjustable pads or buffers to obtain a bumping action for the purpose of bodily
exercise in connection with an adjustable top seat, to suit persons of different
heights; the same being rendered firm for ordinary use by bringing the buffers
closely together.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, GEORGE JAMES FREDERICK TATE of 219 Brixton. Road London, Engineer's
Assistant do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED
PORTABLE EXERCISING STOOL OR CHAIR" and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention relates to an improved portable exercising stool or chair.
In carrying out the invention I provido a base plate of wood, metal or other
suitable material, preferably in a circular form, and in the centro of this plate
I insert an adjustable vertical screw terminating at the top with a stuffed pad to
act as a buffer, and for another purpose hereafter to be described.
Upon this base plate I arrange a strong vertical spiral spring of a slightly less
diameter than the base plate. This spring is sufficiently open to admit of the
insertion therein of a person's hand.
Upon the top of the spring I place a wood or metal llock or plate, having fixed
in the centre of the downward face a similar stuffed pad to that which is carried
upon the scrow in the base plate.
Upon the upper portion of the block or plate, as just described, I place a suitable
stool or chair seat in such a manner that it can bo elevated or lowered, either upon
the principle of a music stool, seat or otherwise.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 represents
an elevation and figure 2 a section of an exercising stool or seat constructed
according to my invention and provided with a single spiral spring; figure 3 is an
elevation and figure 4, a horizontal section on line A B of figure 3 shewing a stool or
sent provided with three of such springs. Similar letters in all the figures represent
similar parts.
a is the base plate of wood, metal or other suitable material preferably of a
circular form and supported upon a number of feet b; c is the adjustable vertical
screw passing through and working in a boss or block d on the base plate a; e is
the stuffed pad on the upper end of the screw c; f is the vertical spiral spring
arranged upon the base plate a and of a slightly less diameter than the base plate a,
as shewn in figures 1 and 2 or three or more of such springs f of smaller size may
be employed arranged near the edge of the base plate a, as in figures 3 and 4 which
shew my improved stool or scat provided with three springs; g is the wood or
metal plate fixed on the top of the spring or springs f; h is the stuffed pad which
I fix upon the underneath side of the plate g; i is a block or boss on the plate g,
through which block or boss passes and works a screw j. carrying the seat k of the
stool whereby the seat can be raised or lowered in a similar manner to a music
stool to suit the person using the same.
To make use of an apparatus of this construction when exercise is required the
adjustable pad or buffer e is raised or lowered by passing the hand through the
spring or between the springs f and rotating the pad in the proper direction until
it is at a suitable distance from the pad or buffer h (say 5 or 6 inches therefrom ;)

page_text: the height of the seat having been adjusted by rotating the same in the required
direction, a person then places himself or herself upon the seat k and by the weight
and motion of the body-his or her feet being upon the floor-causes the spring to
vibrate downward and upward, producing at each downward motion a concussion
of the upper pad or buffer h upon the lower pad or buffer e at the same time
allowing the body to sway laterally in any direction, so as to give a healthy
physical exercise corresponding to that obtained by horse riding.
When the stool is required to be used as an ordinary seat it is rendered firm and
steady by inserting the hand through the spiral spring or between the spiral
springs, and screwing out the adjustable pad or buffer e so as to raise the same
until it meets the pad or buffer h.
For the use of children I fit the seat of the apparatus with a chair back or top
and with a front bar or board to prevent the child from falling out of the chair and
in cases where it is not desired that the child's feet shall rest upon the floor I fit a
foot board to the chair on which board the child's feet can rest.
Instead of employing a fixed pad or buffer h on the underside of the plate gas
described and shewn in the drawing I sometimes make the same adjustable by
means of a regulating screw in a similar manner to the lower pad or buffer e.
It will be obvious that when a cheap and more portable article is required I can
dispense with the herein before described adjustable seat k in which case the plate g,
serves as the seat, being suitably padded for the purpose, also the buffer e, can be
fixed instead of being adjustable; this form of the apparatus which is shewn in
figure 5, is especially suitable for the use of travellers as it can be packed into a
small space; if desired both the top and bottom plates g, and a, can be padded so
as to render the apparatus reversible, the feet b in this case being dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) The construction and use of a spring stool or chair, having adjustable pads
or buffers for the purpose of producing when the apparatus is being used a bumping
action for affording bodily exercise, in combination with an adjustable scat to suit
the height of the seat to the height of the person using the apparatus the seat being
rendered firm or rigid when required to be used as an ordinary seat by bringing
the buffers closely together substantially as hereinbefore described and represented
in the accompanying drawing.
(2.) The improved portable exercising stools or sents hereinbefore described and
represented in figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.
(3.) The modified construction of portable exercising stool or seat hereinbefore
described and represented in figure 5 of the accompanying drawing.
BATA 1
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.