IMPROVE. MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEATS OR CHAIRS SUITABLE FOR PRESERVING LIFE IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK, AND ALSO FOR BEING USED AS BATHING CHAIRS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Hodge Simpson, residing at No. 127, Milk
Street, Boston, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEATS OR CHAIRS SUITABLE FOR PRESERVING
LIFE IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK, AND ALSO FOR BEING USED AS BATHING CHAIRS."
Sealed the 24th April 1867, and dated the 11th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the säid Michael Hodge Simpson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th January 1867.
İ, MICHAEL HODGE SIMPSON, residing at No. 127, Milk Street, Boston,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEATS OR CHAIRS SUITABLE FOR
PRESERVING LIFE IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK, AND ALSO FOR BEING USED AS BATHING
CHAIRS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of a chair or seat capable
of floating in such manner that a person may be seated therein in the ordinary
sitting or in any other previously determined position without danger of being
submerged. Seats constructed according to the Invention are peculiarly
useful on board ship, as they may be used both as ordinary seats and also
in place of life-belts in case of shipwreck. The chairs are also peculiarly
suitable for being used by bathers, especially by ladies or infirm persons.

page_text: The Invention consists in constructing floating chairs with their principal
means of floatation placed at the arms of the chair in such manner that the
weight of the body of a person sitting in the chair may act as ballast.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows a side elevation and
Figure 2 a perspective view of a floating chair constructed according to my
Invention; this chair is constructed, as described in the Provisional Speci-
fication lodged by me on the 19th day of December 1866 (No. 3338),
in such manner as to prevent sea sickness. It is preferred that both the
arms B of the chair should be capable of being moved towards one another,
in order that the body of a person in the chair may always be retained in the
centre of the seat; the arms B are also formed in such manner as to give as
much support as possible to the body. To the exterior of the arm are
attached two hollow water-tight cylinders C, C, about 25 inches long and 6
inches in diameter. The cylinders may be of metal or of caoutchouc, sufficiently
protected to prevent them being pierced, or they may be of other material, or
the cylinders may be made solid of any material possessing the requisite
floating power. In order to counterbalance the weight of the upper part of
the body that is above water I attach to the back of the chair a third
cylinder D, about 21 inches long and 7 inches in diameter.
The cylinders at the sides of the chair are by preference formed to project
about 4 or 5 inches beyond the front edge of the seat, the amount they project
will, however, vary with the angle at which the back of the chair is set. The
person using the chair may have the power of raising or lowering the
cylinder D by means of a cord according as he desires to be in a more or less
recumbent position in the water:
I would state that the chair may be modified in various ways, and that the
power of floatation may be made adjustable or increased by the addition of
air cushions, by means of which the person using the chair may vary at
pleasure the line of floatation. The seat may also be provided with bags and
receptacles for holding fresh water and food in case of shipwreck, and also
with paddles to allow the persons using the seat to direct himself in the water.
a foot rest may also be added to the chair. Handles are fixed to the arms of
the chair, as shewn, so that a person seated therein may have a secure hold.
Instead of the chair being formed with feet, as shewn in the Drawing, it may
be supported on rollers, so that it may be rolled on the sand when used by
bathers at the sea shore, or the chair may be suitably constructed for being
placed on a truck, which may be drawn away from under it as soon as the
chair floats; in this case on coming out of the bath the chair will be drawn
on to the truck and the person-carried by it to a bathing machine or dressing

page_text: •
house. A chair constructed in a more simple manner than that shewn at
Figures 1 and 2 is shewn at Figure 3; the chair shewn in this Figure is
made from the staves of casks; the seat of the chair is formed of a cask
about 19 or 20 inches in diameter and of any suitable depth, say from 3 to
6 inches; the feet, as also the arms and the back, aro formed by prolongations
of the staves; by this means great strength is obtained. A hollow cylinder
similar to those above described about 6 inches in diameter and bent to a
horse-shoe form, as shewn, fixed at about the level of the arms gives the chief
floating power. To the front and back of the seat or to other parts of its
circumference are fixed two boards to prevent the chair acquiring any
horizontal rotating movement. The arms of the chair may be made moveable,
as in the chair first described; the legs may also be made capable of turning
upon hinge joints and of being retained against the sides or under the bottom
of the seat; handles may also be provided for the person using the seat to
hold; a belt for retaining the person into the chair may also be employed; the
power of floatation of this chair may also be made adjustable, and the chair may
otherwise be assimilated to the chair first described. The arrangement shewn
by Figure 8 only representing the manner of constructing the chair in a more
simple and rustic manner, at the same time that a portion of the floating
power is contained in the seat of the chair. I would, however, state that the
placing a portion of the floating power at the seat of the chair is not necessary
for my Invention, and I only look upon it as useful by reason of its giving
a means of obtaining greater strength in the construction of the chair.
Benches suitable for being placed on the deck of a vessel may be similarly
constructed.