Improvements in the Construction of Springs in the Backs of Chairs and other Furniture.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1889-Accepted. 10th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Springs in the Backs of Chairs
and other Furniture.
We SAMUEL FRANKLIN of 199 Strand in the county of Middlesex, Gentleman, and
WILLIAM HANDLEY of 81 Monson Road New Cross in the county of Surrey
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is to provide the backs of armchairs, chairs, sofas,
settees, and other furniture with easier and more pliant springs than by any method
now in use.
To effect this we cause the whole of the back of such armchair, chair sofa settee or
other piece of furniture to yield on pressure being applied by the weight of the person
sitting therein and leaning back.
In order to obtain this result we first of all construct the armchair sofa or settee
without a back the frame of the seat being made in the usual way and upholstered
with or without springs in the ordinary manner. We then employ as the skeleton of
the back a piece of steel or other suitable metal curved so as to take the desired shape
of the back of the chair. The ends of this piece of steel come forward sufficiently to
form the frame work of arms to the chair. We then form the ends of such steel
frame into strong spiral springs which springs take a vertical position so as to be flat
or parallel with the general substance of the arm of the chair when finished.
The centre of each spiral is then constructed so as to terminate in a strong square
eye which fits over a square pin forming part of a bracket affixed to the seat of the
chair. The play of spring is so adjusted as to form a stop when the bottom of the
back of the chair touches the hinder part of the seat. Or the spring may be so
adjusted as to form a stop in any intermediate position. The shape and depth of the
back may be either formed by properly shaped pieces of steel or other metal rivitted
to the steel skeleton of the back or may be constructed of wood as being lighter or of
any other suitable material. When the arm chair is required occasionally to be used
for purposes requiring a more rigid and stable support than the spring back affords
we construct a movable support attached to the frame work of the seat of the chair
in the centre of the back part of such chair seat and such support when raised
touches the.under part of the frame work of the back and prevents the spring acting
when the back is affected by the weight of the sitter. This support can either be
hinged so as to fold down when not in use and having a crutch or fork to engage the
lower part of the spring back or it can be made with a ratchet or pawl like a Dentist's
or Barber's chair or in any other more convenient manner.
In applying our invention to ordinary chairs or to settees or ottomans without arms
we can dispense with the steel skeleton or framework of the back and in lieu thereof
we cut through the supports of the back where they join the hinder legs of the chair
and then connect the back with the seat by means of hinges or joints. The attachment
of these springs to the back and legs of the chair may be either by means of screws,
rivets, sockets or any other method as may be most suitable to the design shape and
style of the chairs or ottomans. As a modification of our invention rubber springs
connected to back and seat of the chair and covered if desired with metal or other
tubing may be substituted for the spiral.
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
Invention Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Springs in the Backs of Chairs
and other Furniture.
We, SAMUEL FRANKLIN, of 199 Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
and WILLIAM HANDLEY of 81 Monson Road, New Cross, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to provide the backs of armchairs, chairs, sofas,
settees, ottomans and other furniture with easier and more pliant springs than by any
method now in use.
To effect this, we cause the whole of the back of such armchair, chair, sofa, settee
or other piece of furniture to yield on pressure being applied by the weight of the
person sitting therein and leaning back.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice, we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accom-
panying drawing in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an armchair constructed according to this inven-
tion Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of
an easy chair without arms.
We first of all construct the armchair, chair, sofa, settee, ottoman, or other
furniture without a back, the frame of the seat being made in the usual way and
upholstered with or without springs in the ordinary manner. We then employ, as
the skeleton of the back, a piece of steel or other suitable metal A curved so as to
take the desired shape of the back of the chair. The ends of this piece of steel or
other suitable metal come forward sufficiently to form the framework of arms to the
chair as shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
We then form the ends of such metal frame into strong spiral springs B which
springs take a vertical position so as to be flat or parallel with the general substance
of the arin of the chair when finished.
The centre of each spiral spring is then constructed so as to terminate in a strong
square eye which fits over a square pin forming part of the bracket C affixed to the
framework of the seat of the chair.
The play of the spring B is so adjusted as to form a stop when the bottom D of the
back of the chair touches the hinder part of the seat, or the spring B may be so
adjusted as to form a stop in any intermediate position.
The shape and depth of the back may be either formed by properly shaped pieces
of steel or other metal riveted to the steel skeleton on the back or may be constructed
of wood as being lighter, or of any other suitable material, and with any suitable
number of spiral springs E attached thereto.
When the armchair is required occasionally to be used for purposes requiring a
more rigid and stable support than the spring back affords, we construct a moveable
support attached to the frame work of the seat of the chair in the centre of the back
part of such chair seat and such support when raised touches the under part of the
framework of the back and prevents the spring acting when the back is affected by
the weight of the sitter. This support can either be hinged so as to fold down when
not in use and having a crutch or fork to engage the lower part of the spring back
or it can be made with a ratchet and pawl like a Dentist's or Barber's chair or in any
other more convenient manner.
In applying our invention to ordinary chairs or to settees or ottomans without
arms, we can dispense with the steel skeleton or framework of the back, and in lieu
thereof we cut through the supports of the back where they join 'the hinder
legs of the chair and then connect the back with the seat by means of hinges or
joints.

page_text: The attachment of these springs to the back and legs of the chair may be either
by means of screws, rivets, sockets, or any other method as may be most suitable to
the design shape and style of the chairs, settees, ottomans or the like articles of
furniture. In Figure 3, the two spiral springs B are attached to a T piece bolted or
rivetted to the back of the chair frame.
As a modification of our invention, rubber springs connected to back and seat of
the chair and covered if desired with metal or other tubing, may be substituted for
the spiral spring B.
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 :-
The construction of a spring back for chairs, sofas, settees, ottomans and the like,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.