Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1886.
Complete Left, 30th Oct., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 1st Mar., 1887.
I WILLIAM BENDALL of 133 Vicarage Road Aston in the County of Warwick
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is applicable more particularly to music and such like stools and
consists in placing within the frame or stem a cylinder. Within this cylinder is
placed a piston which carries the seat. The piston is made to fit the cylinder & is
used at the bottom as an air cushion or a liquid may be used for the purpose of
retarding the downward thrust.
A helical or other suitable spring is placed at the bottom of the cylinder for the
same purpose. Up the sides of the cylinder are series of holes to receive a pin fixed
to the piston, this pin is taken in and out by means of a lever fixed on the seat.
To lower the seat the lever is raised and the pin passed into any one of the holes as
desired to regulate the height of the seat.
PAYNE & TALBOT,
Arcade Chambers, Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Methods of Raising and Lowering the Seats of Chairs
and Stools.
I WILLIAM BENDALL of 133 Vicarage Road Aston in the county of Warwick
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVED METHODS
OF RAISING & LOWERING THE SEATS OF CHAIRS & STOOLS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention is applicable more particularly to music and such like stools and
consists in placing within the frame or stem a case of a square tubular or other
desired section or the body of the stool may be made hollow to serve the same
purpose. Within this tube or case is placed a rod or bar acting as a piston the upper
end of which carries the seat the height of which is regulated in various ways. The
accompanying drawings will assist the description of the invention.
A helical or other suitable spring (b) Fig. 1. placed at the bottom of the tube (c)
bearing against the bottom of the piston (d) or at the top bearing against the seat
support (a) holds the seat up to its full required height. Up the sides of the tube
or casing are series of holes (e) to receive a pin (f) attached to the piston this pin
is taken in and out by means of a lever (g) fixed under the seat or the lever may be
actuated by the foot.
To lower the seat the lever is raised and the pin passed into any one of the holes
as desired to regulate the height of the seat.
The same result may be obtained by placing the pin on the case and the holes in
the piston. In this instance the lever would not be drawn up and down but would
be turned from right or left. Figs. 3 & 3ª illustrate the action (m) is a loose catch
with one arm (m¹) having a bearing upon the case and another short arm (m²) passing
into holes (n) in the piston (d). The rod (9) passing through the catch as shewn in
Fig. 34 and being pivotted out of centre at (9¹) will act as an eccentric and a half
turn of it will withdraw the catch the reverse action putting it back. Another mode
of forming a catch to regulate the height of the seat is to cut a continuous slot (h)
Fig. 2 down the side of the case leading into a rack (i) also cut out of the case, a
fixed pin () upon the piston will let into this rack and be kept in position by a
wedge (k) working in the slot (h). To allow of the pin passing down the rack in
lowering the seat the wedge is removed by a rod or lever (g) and the piston slightly
turned to allow the pin to enter the slot and pass down.
Another mode is to use a rack (p) and pinion wheel (g). The rack being placed
upon the rod and the pinion upon the case or frame of the stool a lever (g) actuating
a catch onto the pinion, as illustrated by. Figs. 5 & 54. Another mode of fixing
the seat at any required point is to connect with the piston (loosely by means of a pin)
a wedge (1) Fig. 4 which in its normal position wedges and holds the piston at any
required point. This wedge is released in order to allow of the raising or lowering of
the piston, as follows, through the wedge passes the lever (9) and upon the foot of the
piston is an inclined plane (r) upon which rests the base of the lever (g) so that
turning the lever causes it to rise upon the incline and bring the collar (9³) against

page_text: the wedge (1) causing it to tilt and be freed from the side of the case (c) the reverse
action allowing the wedge to fall back and impinge against the side of the case.
Another mode is to connect to the piston two tumbler catches (7) Fig. 6 one on each
side of the piston these are worked by means of the lever (9) which when lowered
releases the catches from the perforations (s) in the case by means of the collar (t)
pressing against the catch (2). On raising the lever (g) the catches (") are forced
by the collar (u) into the perforations (s).
Instead of the helical spring, springs may be placed upon the piston rod bearing
against the sides of the case or the springs may be on the case bearing against the
piston.
Or instead of using springs the bottom of the case may be formed into an air
cushion or may be filled with liquid and the piston working onto it will force the
air or liquid up and allow of the gradual fall of the seat. The act of raising the seat
will open a valve in the piston and allow of the air or the liquid to return.
The object of the above mentioned helical spring or the substitutes therefor is to
create a resistance to the sudden fall of the seat when released from any of the various
catching arrangements specified or their equivalents.
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 of an arrangement for raising & lowering the seats of chairs
and stools consisting of a rod or bar working within a tube or case and having
mechanical arrangements for fixing it at the desired heights substantially as herein set
forth and illustrated.
2. Using the lever (g) for the purpose of attaching & detaching the various
fastenings described or other similar fastenings.
3. The construction of the rod or bar as a piston working within the tube or case
and using as a resistance to the thrust of the piston a helical or other suitable
spring.
4. Forming a chamber at the bottom of the tube or case for the reception of air or
liquid to act as a resistance to the thrust of the piston.