Improvements in and relating to Infant's Chairs.
Year: 1890

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as allowed by the
decision of the Comptroller General of the 17th day of January 1898.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Infant's Chairs.
We, JOHN WALKER, WILLIAM SEATON MCLENNAN, and JOHN BOWMAN
LINDSAY, all of the firm of John Walker and Company, Chair Manufacturers, of
372 Scotland Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention to be as follows:
-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the construction
and action of the chair known as the "American or adjustable baby chair," in
which the chair and its frame are mounted on the upper ends of two swivelling
double feet on opposite sides fulcrumed to the saddle or lower part of the frame of
the chair proper and geared together by segmental wheels to oscillate simul-
taneously and with couplers on opposite sides so as to be locked and unlocked at
various heights on the feet, suitable for making the chair a high chair, a low chair,
a lower wheeling chair, and a rocking chair respectively; and the present improve-
ments comprise a new hand lever mechanism for actuating the lockers, either from
one or both sides of the chair from under the arms; and further in making the
chair an automatic spring raising chair which can be easily lowered to any of the
said positions and which will automatically raise itself from any postion by simply
pressing or releasing the said improved hand lever mechanism. The improvements
also comprise the making of it a silent rocking chair, and the adding of new hinge
and catch fittings to the front tray whereby this can be turned on a hinge at the
outer end of one arm to fold round and down at one side of the chair for the more
easy placing in and removing of the child from the chair, all of which improve-
ments will make these chairs more convenient and useful than they have been as
heretofore constructed.
The first improvement consists in the mounting of a long transverse vertical
Oscillating lever, having its one end fulcrumed on the inside of one arm of the
saddle below the seat part, and the other oscillating freely up and down at the
other side, preferably the right hand side of the chair directly under the right arm,
where a vertical reciprocating spindle with pulling cross arms at top is fitted to
reciprocate vertically in guide holes, through the arm and side rail of the seat, and
having its lower end directly connected to the lever to work it up and down, a
helical, blade, or other spring pressing or drawing this rod or lever down, while the
hand lifts it by the cross arms against the power of the spring when grasping the
arm of the chair. This lever is connected at the centre either by links or slotted
joints to the horizontal arms of two bellcranks fulcrumed preferably to the
transverse stay bar between the back stiles of the saddle frame, or it might be two
studs or brackets projecting from the saddle frame. While the vertical arms of

page_text: these bellcrank levers project down and are directly, connected to the inner kneed
ends of the ordinary locking bolts of the chair, which take into the different holes
in the segments of the coupling wheels of the oscillating legs to fix them in any of
the desired four positions of 'the chair, by the action of the said spring and new
lever arrangement. In this locking arrangement the action is as follows.-The
person goes behind the chair in which the baby may be seated or not, and grips
both arms and pulls up the said vertical spring cross rod and free end of the new
lever with his right hand against the power of the spring, so that the lever pulls up
the horizontal arms of the bellcranks, and the vertical arms pull out the locking
bars while lifting the chair and allows these locking bars to enter any of the holes
in the locking segments of the back legs of the chair, and fix them in any of the
said four positions by the power of the spring as before explained. By another
arrangement of this hand disengaging and locking mechanism, this cross lever might
be made to actuate the ordinary toggle links of the straight angled levers instead
of the new bellcrank levers described.
A further improvement consists in fitting on or between the cross stay bars of
the lower legs or lateral projections on the inside of the legs, one or two india-
rubber springs, or helical or other metallic springs, which would tend to draw the
feet close or to their highest position when the ordinary lockers were removed by
hand from holes in their securing segments, or one end of these springs might be
attached to a moving point in the limb or limbs of chair, and the other to a fixed
point on the saddle; and when two band india-rubber springs were thus used they
would preferably be fitted at the opposite sides under the central saddle part of the
chair, so that when the legs were stretched and the chair lowered to its rocking
position, these rubber springs would come up into grooves formed in the lower
rocking edges of the centre saddle part of the chair, and so form the silent rocking
part of the chair, and the saddle may be made a little wider at this part to give a
longer bearing to the rocking surface. But when spiral or other metal springs
were used for automatically raising the chair, the rubber band for giving the silent
rocking motion might be fixed on the lower rocking edges of the saddle and on the
under edges of the legs on which the chair rocked. In any of these arrangements
of springs they may be made adjustable by screws or otherwise to regulate the
tension on the springs, and make them act always to draw the legs of the chair to
their highest position, and the person actuating the chair by disengaging its catches
would press it down and expand the feet to the position in which it was desired to
lock it. A further improvement consists in strengthening the horizontal arms for
these fittings by mounting them in line with the back stiles of the frames and front
vertical arms over the side frame of the seat part of the chair, so that the vertical
spring sliding hand rods may work through holes bored vertically straight through
the arms and side rails of the seat and leave room on one or both sides for a
new lateral sliding drawer working under the seat for containing baby toys and the
like.
The improvements in reference to the tray in front of the chair, consist in
hinging the tray to the front end of one of the arms, say to the right arm, by a
double folding hinge, formed of three flanged parts, that is on a vertical axis at the
adjacent ends of the outer and central flanged part of the hinge, the outer flanged
part being screwed to the tray and the central part of the hinge being swivelled on
a horizontal axis, between the central flange part and the inner flanged part which
would be screwed on to the arm of the chair; thus the tray would swivel out.
horizontally to the side of the chair on the vertical hinge, and then fold down
vertically on the horizontal hinge, hanging close up out of the way to the right
hand side of the chair, leaving all free for putting the child in or taking it out of
the chair. The tray when folded up and round would rest on the front ends of the
arms of the chair, and be secured to the opposite or left arm by a check catch
inserted into a receiving socket or hasp with a spiral spring bolt fitted in a tube
outside the left hand arm of the chair, with an eye under the bottom of the chair
for disengaging the catch when the tray had to be folded out on its hinges as

page_text: '
described; or any of the usual spring catches heretofore used for securing these:
trays may be employed in combination with our improved hinged arrangements.
Dated the 22nd October 1890.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE DIECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and relating to Infant's Chairs.
*** i..
We, JOHN WALKER, WILLIAM --SEATON MCLENNAN, and JOHN BOWMAN
LINDSAY, all of the firm of John Walker and Company, Chair Manufacturers; 'of
372 Scotland Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly!
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference
being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, and to the letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
}
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the construction
and action of the chair, known as the American or adjustable baby chair" in
which the chair seat part A, and its carrying saddle side frames A', A¹, are all
formed in one and mounted on the upper ends of two swivelling double feet B, B1,
on opposite sides fulcrumed at B to the saddle part A¹ of the frame of the chair
proper, and geared together by. segmental toothed wheels B2, B3, to oscillate
simultaneously and with coupling pins 13 and segments B4 on the inner sides of:
the back feet B¹, B¹, so as to be locked and unlocked to rest at various heights of
the feet on the floor suitable for making the chair a high chair, a low chair, a
lower wheeling chair, and a rocking chair respectively; and the present improve-
ments comprise a new hand lever mechanism for actuating the lockers, either from
one or both sides of the chair from under the arms; and further in making the
chair an automatic spring raising chair which can be easily lowered to any of the.
said positions and which will automatically raise itself from any position by simply
pressing or releasing the said improved hand lever mechanism. The improvements
also comprise the making of it a silent rocking chair, and the adding of new hinge
and catch fittings to the front tray whereby.this can be turned on a hinge at the
outer end of one arm to fold round and down at one side of the chair for the more
easy placing in and removing of the child from the chair, all of which improve-
ments will make these chairs more convenient and useful than they have been as
heretofore constructed.
i
And in order: that our said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or, practice may be properly. understood we have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which
L
Figure 1 represents a front elevation partly in section, and Figure 2 a side
elevation, of an adjustable baby chair, as constructed in accordance with one
arrangement of our improvements.
**
Referring to these drawings:-The first improvement consists in the mounting of
a long transverse vertical oscillating lever a having its one end fulcrumed at a¹ on
the inside of one back arm of the saddle frame A below the seat part A and the
other end a, oscillating freely up and down at the other side; preferably the right
hand side of the chair directly under the right arm A" where a vertical recipro-
cating rod and spindle awith a pulling. head a³ or cross arms, at top is fitted to
reciprocate vertically in guide holes at a through the side rail of the seat A, and
it might be up through the arm A", and having its lower end directly connected
at all to the lever a to: work it up and down; a helical; blade; or other spring a
I

page_text: pressing or drawing this rod or lever a and handle down, while the hand lifts it by
the cross head a³ against the power of the spring when grasping the arms A
preferably while standing behind the chair. This lever a is connected at the
centre preferably by links b', but it might be by slotted joints, to the horizontal
arms 6 of two bellcranks 6, 62, fulcrumed at 63, to the inner edges of the back
stiles of the saddle frames A', A', but it might be secured to the transverse stay
bar A between the back stiles of the saddle frame, or it might be two studs or
brackets projecting from the saddle frame. While the lower or vertical arms b² of
these bellcrank levers 1, 2, project down and are directly connected to the inner
kneed ends of the ordinary locking pins or bolts 133 of the chair, which take into
the different holes B in the segments 14 of the back coupling wheels B² of the
oscillating legs B, B', to fix them in any of the four positions of the chair desired,
by the action of the said spring a³, and new lever arrangement a to 63. In this
locking arrangement the action is as follows:-The person goes behind the chair
in which the baby may be seated or not, and grips both arms A", A", and pulls up
the said vertical spring rod a², a³, and free end of the new lever a with his right
hand against the power of the spring a so that the lever pulls up the horizontal
arms of the hellcranks 2, and the vertical arms 62 pull out the locking
bars B3, while lifting the weight of the chair, and allows these locking bars B³ to
enter any of the holes B, in the locking segments B4 of the back legs B', 1', of
the chair, and fix them in any of the said four positions by the power of the
spring a, as before explained. By another arrangement of this hand disengaging
and locking mechanism, this cross lever a might be made to actuate the ordinary
toggle links of the straight angled levers instead of the new bellcrank levers
described for inserting or removing these locking bolts B³, B³.
A further improvement consists in fitting on or between the cross stay bars C, C,
which secure the lower legs B, B, and B B', together on opposite sides, or it
might be other lateral projections on the inside of these legs, one or two india-
rubber springs c, c, as shown dotted in, particularly in Figure 2 or it might be
helical or other metallic springs which would tend to draw the legs or feet 13, B',
close or to their highest position when the ordinary lockers 133, were disengaged by
hand from the holes in their securing segments as described; or one end of these
springs e might be attached to a moving point in the limb or limbs B, 131, of the
chair, and the other to a fixed point on the lower part of the saddle or saddles A';
and when two band india-rubber springs c were thus used they would preferably be
fitted at the opposite sides under the central saddle parts A of the chair, so that
when the legs B, B1, were stretched and the chair lowered to its rocking position,
these rubber springs c would come up into grooves formed in the lower rocking
edges at A of the centre saddle parts A¹ of the chair, and so form a silent
rocking. part of the chair under the saddles A', A¹, which may be made a little
wider at this part to give a longer bearing to the rocking surface. But when
spiral or other metal springs were used for automatically raising the chair, the
rubber bande for giving the silent rocking motion might be fixed on the lower
rocking edges of the saddle and on the under edges of the legs on which the
chair rocked. In any of these arrangements of springs they may be made
adjustable by screws or otherwise to regulate the tension on the springs, and make
them act always to draw the legs B B of the chair to their highest position, and
the person actuating the chair by disengaging its catches B3 as before described
would press it down and expand the legs or feet to the position in which it was
desired to lock them.
A further improvement consists in strengthening the horizontal arms A" for
these fittings by mounting them in line with the back stiles A and seat A of the
frames and front vertical arms over the side frame of the seat part of the chair, so
that the vertical spring sliding hand rods a² may work through holes bored
vertically straight through the arms and side rails at a' of the seat, and leave room
on one or both sides, preferably the left side, for a new lateral sliding drawer at A5
working under the seat A for containing baby toys and the like.

page_text: The improvements in reference to the ordinary front tray D in front of the
chair, consist in hinging the tray D to the front end of one of the arms A", say the
right arm, by a double folding hinge d, formed of three flanged parts d, d, ², that
is, on a vertical axis at the adjacent ends of the outer and central flanged
parts d,, of the hinge, the outer flanged part 2 being screwed to the tray D and
the central part of the hinge being swivelled on a horizontal axis at to the
inner flanged part d, which is screwed on to the arm A" of the chair; thus the
tray D would swivel out horizontally to the side of the chair from the position
shown in Figure 1 on the vertical hinge d, and then fold down vertically on the
horizontal hinge d from the dotted in position to the vertical position shown in
Figure 2, where a portion of the tray is broken away to show the spring draw
rod a³, a³, the tray D hanging close up out the way to the right hand side of the
chair, leaving all free for putting the child in or taking it out of the seat A of the
chair. The tray D when folded up and round would rest on the front ends of
the arms of the chair, and be secured to the opposite or left arm at D₁ by a check
catch inserted into a receiving socket or hasp with a spiral spring bolt fitted in a
tube outside the left hand arm of the chair, with an eye under the bottom of the
chair for disengaging the catch when the tray had to be folded out on its hinges as
described; or any of the usual spring catches heretofore used for securing these
trays may be employed in combination with our improved hinge arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of infants
chairs, with hand lever locking mechanism, and automatic spring raising, and silent.
rocking fittings, substantially as herein described, in reference to and indicated in
the accompanying drawings.
Second. In infants chairs, the fitting and use of a hand lever mechanism for
actuating the lockers, comprising bellcranks in combination with a horizontal
transverse lever or bar and vertical spring rod or rods, substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In infants chairs, the fitting and use of a horizontal transverse lever in
combination with a vertical spring rod or rods, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described in reference to and indicated in the accompanying
drawings.
.
T 1
1001