Improvements in Head Rests for Car Seats.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Head Rests for Car Seats.
We, JOSEPH BAERMAN STRAUSs, Engineer, residing at No. 4711 Prairie
Avenue, and EDWIN BAERMAN TUTEUR, Physician, residing at No. 3553
Prairie Avenue, both residing at Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of
Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described anḍ
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway car seats by
which they are made to serve as a couch or sofa, by combining with one or both
ends thereof, a head rest or support which when not in use occupies the space
within the frame of the seat, at the end or ends thereof, or between the side posts
and the arm rest, which are usually connected with the end; a further object being
to provide an improved seat of the kind mentioned; by connection with the end or
ends thereof, an adjustable head rest composed either of one or two parts, one of
which may be stationary if desired.
Our invention is particularly applicable to car seats of all kinds or classes now
in use, and may be used and preferably so in connection with the seats of care, in
which the aisle is arranged at the side of the car, and the seats lengthened out
to form sofa seats; but the invention is applicable to and may be connected
with the end of any possible seat, whether in a day coach, sleeping or parlor car,
or the like.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of our improve-
ment are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and
in which;-
Fig. 1, is an end view of a common type of car seat provided with one form of
our improvement, part of the construction being shown in section, and the frame of
the head rest only being shown;
Fig. 2, a similar view showing the seat and head rest complete in full lines, the
frame of the head rest being shown in dotted lines, and being enclosed by a casing
which constitutes the pillow or cushion of the head rest;
Fig. 3, a front view of a portion of the seat showing the head rest, or the pillow
or cushion thereof, in section, and showing the head rest projecting, as when in
use, in full lines, and the normal position thereof, when not in use, in dotted
lines;
Fig. 4, a section on the line 4, 4, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5, a section on the line 5, 5, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the head rest turned on its
supports, and held in an upwardly and outwardly directed position, and showing
also a supplemental head rest which is pivoted below the same, and which is also
adapted to be adjusted;
Fig. 7, a front view thereof; and,
Fig. 8, a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing another modification in which the
supplemental head rest is secured to the frame of the main head rest, being
adjustable therewith, or independently thereof; the end posts of the seat with
which the head rests are connected being also adjustable.
In the drawings forming part of this specification. reference being made to

page_text: !
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, I have shown an ordinary car seat, or a portion thereof, said seat
being composed of a supporting frame 6, end posts 7, a seat cushion 8, and a
reversible seat back 40, all these parts being of the usual form and construction,
and in the practice of our invention, I secure to the end posts 7, upright plates 9,
said plates 9, being provided with angular extensions 10, which are bolted or secured
to the end posts.
We also provide a top plate 11, which is shorter than the space between the
plates 9, and which is provided at each end with upwardly directed flanges or
heads 12, which are similar in form to the plates 9, and the plates 9, and the flanges
or heads 12, of the plate 11, are connected by bolts 16, which are enlarged at the
centre as shown at 17; and mounted between the plates 9, and the flanges or
heads 12, are disks 18, said disks 18, being separated by the enlarged central
portion 17, of the bolts 16, and it will be understood that the disks 18, are held rigidly
in position by the bolts 16, and that the flanges or heads 12, and the plate 11, are
also similarly held rigidly in position.
Mounted between the flanges or heads 12, of the plate 11, is an arm 13, which
is provided at each end with a counter-sunk tubular housing 14, which is oppositely
screw threaded at each end, and in which is mounted a screw threaded shaft 15,
said arm 13, constitutes the arm rest of our improved seat, and is preferably
upholstered and cylindrical in form, though it may be of any desired shape in
cross section.
Mounted on the disks 18, at each end, is a cylindrical head 19, which is provided
with an enlarged central circular chamber 20, and with circular openings in the
sides for the disks 18, which serve thus as trunnions on which said cylindrical
heads 19, bear, and on which they are free to turn; and mounted in the enlarged
central chamber 20, of each of said circular heads, is a locking disk 21, which is
best shown in Fig. 5, and which is free to move longitudinally only on the enlarged
portions 17, of the bolts 16, which act as guides therefor; and said disk is also
provided at suitable intervals with teeth 22, adapted to engage with corresponding
notches or recesses 23, formed in the cylindrical head, or in the walls of the central
chamber 20.
The shafts 15, at each end project through the adjacent flange or head 12, and
through the disk 18, adjacent thereto, and are rigidly attached to the locking
disks 21; and said shafts may be forced simultaneously outward or simultaneously
inward by turning the arm 13, which is free to revolve, and in this operation the
locking disks 21, will also be forced simultaneously outward or simultaneously
inward according to the direction in which the arm 13, is turned; and when said
locking disks are at their innermost position, or adjacent to the inner disk 18; as
shown in Fig. 1, the teeth thereon will not engage with the corresponding notches
or recesses in the heads 19, and said heads are therefore free to turn on the disks 18,
but when said locking disks are in their outermost position, said teeth thereon will
engage with the notches or recesses in the heads 19, and said heads cannot be turned
on the disk 18.
The cylindrical heads 19, are provided at their lower sides with downwardly
directed extensions 25, which are brought together at each side to form an
arm 26, and by means of this construction, an open space 27, is formed between the
extensions 25.
The arms 26, are provided on their inner sides with inwardly directed flanges 28,
and said arms are connected at their lower ends by an upwardly curved rod 29, on
which is mounted a spiral spring 30, and passing transversely beneath the
plate 11, is a tube 31, one end of which passes through one of the extensions 25,
of one head 19, and is closed and provided with a nut 32, by which it is held in
place, and the other end passes through both of the extensions 25, of the other
head 19, and is also held in place by a nut, but is open, and provided with a cap 33,
and an air valve 34, of any preferred construction, and adjacent to the last named
end of the tube 31, is a downwardly directed nozzle 35, the function of which will
be hereinafter described.

page_text: The arm 13, is provided centrally thereof with an annular groove 36, and the
plate 11, is provided in its upper side with a suitable lock 37, by means of which
the arm 13, may be locked in position, and said plate 11, is provided centrally of
the bottom thereof with an inwardly and downwardly directed arm 38, to which is
pivoted the side arm 39, of the back 40, of the seat.
The back 40, of the seat and the side arms 39, are of the usual construction, and
said back is adapted to be turned on its pivotal connection at 38, in the usual
manner, and the end posts 7, are provided with the usual lugs or projections 41, on
which the arms 39, rest.
The body portion of the head rest consists preferably of a rubber bag 42,
reference being made to Figs. 3, and 4, and said bag is provided with an outer
covering 43, of leather or any preferred material. The rubber bag 42, is substan-
tially of the form of the frame of the head rest, and the position thereof is shown
in Fig. 2, by the dotted line 44, and said rubber bag is secured to the flanges 28,
of the arms 26, of the frame of the head rest, and to the tube 31, and the bottom
rod 29, by threads or cords, or in any desired manner, and the tube 31, is provided
with annular grooves 45, for this purpose.
The leather, canvas or other casing 43, of the rubber bag, encloses said bag, and
also the entire depending portion of the frame of the head rest, and the position
thereof, when secured in place is indicated by the full line 46, in Fig. 2, and when
the casing or covering of the rubber bag is thus secured in place, the downwardly
directed extensions 25, of the cylindrical heads 19, are preferably left uncovered,
as is clearly shown in said figure.
The tubular nozzle 35, which is connected with the pipe 31, passes into the
rubber bag 42, which constitutes mainly the pillow or cushion of the head rest as
shown in Fig. 3, and in practice, said pillow or cushion is inflated by removing the
cap 33, from said pipe, and applying thereto, an air pump of auy desired form or
construction.
:
The inner bag or portion 42, of the pillow or cushion may be made of rubber,
rubber and canvas, or any preferred material, suitable to form an air tight wall for
said bag, and the same may be connected with the frame of the head rest in any
desired manner, as may also the casing 43 thereof; but said rubber bag is not
absolutely essential to our invention, and in place thereof we may substitute
springs, hair fillings, or any suitable material, or we may upholster the head rest to
harmonize with the finish of the seat and provide an auxiliary and renewable
cover, with attachments therefor, or, we may make the whole pillow or body
portion of the head rest detachable, and the details of this construction may be
varied as may be desired.
The normal position of the head rest is that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and
whenever it is desired to use the same, the arm 13, is unlocked from the plate 11,
and turned preferably from right to left, causing the locking disks 21, hereinbefore
described, to move inward, by which operation their teeth are disengaged from
the notches of the cylindrical heads 19, thus leaving the head rest free to be
turned as shown by the dotted line 47, and in the direction of the arrow 48; and it
will be understood that the head rest may be held either in the position shown in
full lines in Fig. 3, or at any desired angle with reference to the cushion 8, of the
seat, or to the end of the seat, by turning the arm 13; in the reverse direction, or
from the left to right, thus forcing the locking disks 21, outward, so that their
teeth will re-engage with the notches of the cylindrical heads 19, and hold said
heads rigid.
In the modification shown in Figs. 6, and 7, we provide the plates 9, which are
secured to the end posts of the seat frame, with extensions 50, and pivoted therein
is a supplemental head rest consisting of a frame 51, which is shown in dotted
lines in said figures, and this frame is covered as shown at 52, with any suitable
material, such as leather, canvas, or any other preferred material, and said covering
is filled with any desired material, so as to form a pillow or cushion, and the upper
rod of the frame 51, projects through the plates 50, at each end, and on one or both

page_text: of said ends is mounted a ratchet pinion 53, and secured below said pinion is a
pawl 54, which is operated by a spring 55.
In the normal position of this supplemental head rest, it is suspended between
the end posts 7, of the seat, and whenever desired, the lower end thereof, may
be swung inwardly as indicated in Fig. 7, and said supplemental head rest may be
held at any inclination by means of the ratchet pinion 53, and the spring operated
pawl 54.
In Fig. 8, we have shown another modification, in which the plates 9, are
projected downwardly, and the supplemental head rest which consists of the frame
and the covering or cushion 52, is pivoted between the lower ends thereof, the upper
rod of the frame 51, being projected at each end as shown at 60, and mounted on
one or both of the ends of said rod is a ratchet wheel 61, which is provided with a
spring operated pawl 62, which is pivotally connected with the plate 9, and by
means of this construction, the said supplemental head rest may be adjusted
independently of the main head rest, as will be readily understood, and said main
head rest may be operated as hereinbefore described; and the plates 9, are
provided centrally with shafts 63, which project through the upper ends of the
posts 7, and are provided with ratchet wheels 64, and spring operated pawls 65,
and by means of this construction, the main and supplemental head rests may be
simultaneously adjusted, as will be readily understood, all that is necessary to
accomplish this result being in turn the plates 9, which are secured to the
shafts 63, and in this form of construction the end posts 7, of the seat are also
adjustable being pivotally supported at the lower ends thereof, between the
standards 66, by means of a shaft 67, on one end of which is mounted a ratchet
wheel 68, which is provided with a pawl 69.
.
This construction admits, as herein before stated, of the simultaneous adjustment
of the main and supplemental head rests, and also of the separate adjustment of
each of the head rests and of the adjustment of the end posts 7, of the seat, and it
will be understood that both ends of the head rests and both of the end posts 7,
are, in practice similarly constructed, only one of each however, being shown
in Fig. 8.
The use of this supplemental head rest does not in any way interfere with the
construction and operation of that hereinbefore described, and the object thereof is
to provide a more extended head rest or support, which may also serve to support
the entire body in an inclined position, and in practice, when it is desired to use
both of the head rests for the purposes above specified, the main head rest is
adjusted, as hereiubefore described, to the required position, in which it will project
outwardly and upwardly as shown in Figs. 6, 7, & 8, and the supplemental head
rest is then adjusted to correspond therewith.
It will be understood that the main and supplemental head rests may be mounted
in duplicate if desired, or upon a common shaft and operated coincidently. It
will also be understood that where the side arms of the seat back are attached to
the seat frame instead of the arm rest, the body portion of the head rest or
head rests may be continued up to enclose the arm or arms 13, said arm or arms,
supporting plates and attached pieces, being modified to suit. These constructions,
however, are obviously of minor importance and are therefore not shown and
described.
When not in use, both of the head rests in the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7
and 8 will be suspended between the end posts 7, of the seat, and if desired, the
supplemental head rest may be permanently fixed in the desired position, in which
it is intended for use, and said supplemental head rest may be made detachable if
desired, and may be removed when not required.
It will thus be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by means
of devices which are simple in construction and operation, and it will be apparent
that many changes in, and modifications of the construction herein described, may
be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, or sacrificing its
advantages.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat, of a head rest
supported therein and adapted to be moved so as to act as a support for the head,
substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination with the frame of a car seat, of a head rest pivotally
supported between the tops of suitable uprights, and adapted to be adjusted so as
to support the head, substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, of a head rest
pivotally supported therein, and suspended from the arm of the seat, by which said
head rest is adapted to be set, substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, of a head resti
pivotally supported therein, and adapted to be turned so as to act as a support for
the head, said head rest consisting of a frame which is suspended between the end
posts of the seat frame, and which is adapted to be turned upon its supports and to
be fixed in any desired position, and said frame being provided with a pillow or
cushion, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, of a head rest
pivotally supported therein, and adapted to be turned so as to act as a support for
the head, said head rest consisting of a frame which is suspended between the end
posts of the seat frame, and which is adapted to be turned upon its supports, and by
means of an arm or piece mounted upon said posts, and in operative connection with
said frame, to be locked in any desired position, and said frame being provided with
a pillow or cushion, and said pillow or cushion being adapted to be inflated with air,
substantially as shown and described.
6. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, provided with the
usual upright posts, of upright plates secured to the tops of said posts, a cross plate
mounted between said plates, and provided at each end with an upwardly directed
flange or head, said flanges or heads being bolted to the upright plates on the posts,
and a revoluble arm mounted between said upright flanges or heads, a head rest
frame mounted between the end posts of the seat, on trunnions supported by bolts
which connect the end plates on the posts, with said upright flanges or heads of the
cross plate, and said frame and said arm being in operative connection, and the
said frame being adapted to be turned on its supports, substantially as shown and
described.
7. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, provided with the
usual upright posts, of upright plates secured to the tops of said posts, a cross plate
mounted between said plates, and provided at each end with an upwardly directed
flange or head, said flanges or heads being bolted to the upright plates on the posts,
and a revoluble arm mounted between said upright flanges or heads, a head rest
frame mounted between the end posts of the seat, on trunnions supported by bolts
which connect the end plates on the posts, with said upright flanges or heads of the
cross plate, and said frame and said arm being in operative connection, and the said
frame being adapted to be turned on its supports, and means for locking said head
rest in any desired position with reference to the car scat, substantially as shown
and described.
8. The combination with the frame of the end of a car seat, provided with the
usual upright posts, of upright plates secured to the tops of said posts, a cross
plate mounted between said plates, and provided at each end with an upwardly
directed flange or head, said flanges or heads being bolted to the upright plates on
the posts, and a revoluble arm mounted between said upright flanges or heads, a
head rest frame mounted between the end posts of the seat, on trunnions supported
by bolts which connect the end plates on the posts with said upright flanges or
heads of the cross plate, and said head rest frame being adapted to be turned on
its supports, and said arm being in operative connection with toothed locking

page_text: disks, adapted to engage with corresponding teeth in said head rest frame and to
lock it in any desired position with reference to the car seat, and said head rest
frame being provided with a pillow or cushion, which is connected therewith, and
said pillow or cushion being adapted to be inflated, substantially as shown and
described.
9. The combination with the frame of a car seat, of a head rest consisting of
suitable side posts, trunnions or supports connected with said posts, a cross piece in
operative connection with said trunnions or supports and sustaining them in position,
a head rest frame pivotally supported by said trunnions or supports and adapted to
be turned about them, and means for locking said head rest frame in any desired
position. to said trunnions or supports, substantially as shown and described.
10. The combination with the frame of a car seat, of a head rest consisting of
adjustable side posts, means for locking said posts in one or more positions, trunnions
or supports connected with said posts, a cross piece in operative connection with said
trunnions or supports and sustaining them in position, a head rest frame pivotally
supported by said trunnions or supports, and adapted to be turned about them,
means for locking said head rest frame in any desired position to said trunnions or
supports, said head rest frame being provided with a suitable pillow or cushion, and
said pillow or cushion being provided with an auxiliary renewable covering,
substantially as shown and described.
11. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat provided with an
adjustable head rest, as herein described, of a supplemental head rest supported
within said frame, substantially as shown and described.
12. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat provided with a
head rest, of a supplemental head rest supported within said frame, said supplemental
head rest being adjustable, substantially as shown and described.
13. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat, of main supple-
mental head rests, said head rests being both separately and jointly adjustable, and
being connected with the end frame of the seat, substantially as shown and
described.
14. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat, of a head rest
consisting of movable side posts, movable supporting pieces connected therewith,
movable head rest frames attached to said supporting pieces, pillows detachably
connected with said head rest frames, and means for locking any and all of the
parts in position, independently or coincidently, substantially as showa and
described.
15. The combination with the frame of a car seat of one or more head rests
adjustably connected therewith, each adapted to be fixed in one or more positions,
and to serve as a support for the head, substantially as shown and described.
16. The combination with the end of the frame of a car seat of a head rest
supported within said frame in any convenient manner, so as to afford a yielding
support for the head, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
41 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.