Improvements in Folding Chairs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Chairs.
I HERMAN AUGUST JULIUS RIECKERT of 1484 First Avenue New York, in
the County and State of New York, United States of America, Designer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to folding chairs, and it has for its object to enable the
chair to be conveniently folded for storing and other purposes.
The improved folding chair consists mainly of two sides and a seat or top pivoted
or hinged on one side and adapted to be supported on the other side. The one side
is provided with two posts or legs front and rear connected with each other by a
middle bar, arm rest and foot bar. The other side is similarly arranged, being
provided with two posts front and rear connected with each other by a middle bar,
arm rest and foot bar.
The two rear posts are preferably semicircular and are hinged together so that
when the chair is in an open position, the two semi-circular posts form a complete
circular or round post, and by their contact with each other serve as a means for
limiting the outward movement of the sides.
The seat is attached on top of the one middle bar by hinges, the other side of
the said seat being adapted to rest on the other middle bar on the opposite side of
the chair. The arm rests are preferably curved while the middle bars are straight
so that the seat when folded or swung into an uppermost position permits of con-
veniently folding or closing the sides until the front posts are closed together with
the sent between the two sides.
•
For chairs with canvas or carpet seats the arm rests are omitted and the front
legs terminated at the level of the seat by hars to one of which a triangular
piece of canvas or carpet forming the seat is secured at one side, its other side
being secured to a bar adapted to rest, when the chair is in an open position
on top of one of the seat bars and connected at its rear end with a strip of
canvas extending across and attached to the opposite seat bar.
On the front of the bar is secured a cross piece connected by a hinge with a
horizontal lug projecting from the inside of the opposite seat bar, the hinge and
the canvas strip forming the hinge for the seat so that when the bar is lifted up
slightly and the sides are closed the seat frame can swing into a downward position
together with the bar. The horizontal lug projects over the seat frame when the
two sides are closed, so that the hinge permits the seat support, that is the bar
and the cross piece, to swing into the folded position.
One of the rear semicircular legs is extended upward, so as to form a back,
which also serves for conveniently moving the chair about.
To make a cane seated chair similar to the above, the seat is connected by hinges
to two lugs projecting from the inside of one of the side bars, which lugs, when the
sides are folded, pass through the notches formed in the top of the other side bar
so as to permit the seat to fold downward on its hinges on the outside of the
frame.
The opening of the side frames of the chair is limited by the rear semicircular
legs us the same close only until they form a round leg, as before explained.
To prevent accidental closing, the seat may be provided on the underside with
dowels or other means of engagement with the seat support when the sides are
open.
The upper end or back of the rear leg may be provided at the rear with a holder
either permanently or rearwardly attached thereto, having one or more sockets

page_text: adapted to receive a pin projecting from a music or book rest or from a table and
capable of being fastened by a set sorew.
The book or music rest is preferably made in two main parts, consisting of a
bracket arm carrying the pin and a desk removably fitted on the upper end of
said arm. This device is especially adapted for orchestra chairs.
The table attachment may be small so as not to overbalance the chair but for
supporting large tables I use three or more chairs and a corresponding number of
pins projecting from the table and engaging in the holders of the several chairs so
that the table is supported over its whole area.
Dated this 11th day of October 1892.
H. A. J. RIECKERT,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Chairs.
I, HERMAN AUGUST JULIUS RIECKERT, Designer, of 1484, First Avenne,
New York, in the County and State of New York, 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 and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to folding chairs and it has for its object to enable tho
chair to be conveniently folded for storing and other purposes.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,
as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement in au open position.
Figure 2 is a like view, folded or closed.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the same, in an open position.
Figure 4 is a like view of the same in a closed position.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the improvement arranged
for chairs with canvas or carpet seats, with the canvas removed.
Figure 6 is a like view of the same in a closed position..
Figure 7 is a plan view of the same in an open position.
Figure 8 is a plan view of the same in a closed position.
n
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the improvement, with the
Beat or top removed.
Figure 10 is a liko view of the same in a closed position.
Figure 11 is a plan view of the same in an open position.
Figure 12 is a plan view of the same in a closed position and with the seat
attached.
Figure 13 is a sectional side elevation of a holder attachment for the chair.
Figure 14 is a like view of a table attachment to the chair, and
Figure 15 is a rear elevation of the same.
The improved folding chair consists mainly of two sides A and B and a seat or
top C pivoted or hinged on one side and adapted to be supported on the other side.
As shown in the drawings, the side A is provided with two posts or legs D and D'
connected with each other by the bar E, the arm rest E, and the foot bar E³,
the bar being in the middle between the rest E and the bar E. The side B
is similarly arranged, being provided with the posts F F¹, connected with each
other by the bar G, the arm rest G and the foot bar G. The two rear posts D
and F are preferably semi-circular and are hinged together by hinges H so that
when the chair is in an open position the two semi-circular posts. D and F form a

page_text: complete circular or round post, and by their contact with each other sorve as a
means for limiting the outward movement of the sides, as is plainly illustrated in
Figure 3. The seat is attached on top of the bar E by hinges I, the other side
of the said sent being adapted to rest on the bar G of the side B.
The arm
rests E and Gare preferably curved, as is plainly indicated in Figures 3 and 4
while the bars E. and G are straight, so that the seat C when folded or swung into
an uppermost position, as indicated in Figures 2 and 4, permits of conveniently
folding or closing the sides A and B until the front posts D' and F¹ are closed
together with the seat C between the two sides, as shown.
For chairs with canvas or carpet seats the construction is preferably like that
illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, the arm rests E' and G being omitted and the
posts D and F¹ terminating at the bars E and G. A triangular piece of canvas
or carpet c forming the seat is secured at one side to the bar E and at its other
side to the bar J, as shown in Figure 7, said bar being adapted to rest on top of
the bar G when the chair is in an open position, as shewn in Figure 5. The bar J is
connected at its rear end with a strip of canvas J extending across and attached to
the bar E, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. On the front of the bar J is secured
a cross piece J' connected by a hinge Ja with a horizoutal lug E' projecting from
the inside of the bar E. The hinge J and the canvas strip J¹ form the hinge for
the seat so that when the har J is lifted up slightly and the sides A and B are
closed, the seat frame can swing into a downward position, as shewn in Figures 6
and 8, the bar J assuming a similar position. The lug projects over the bar G
when the two sides A and B are closed, so that the hinge J³ permits the seat
support, that is the bar J and the cross piece J³, to swing into the position illustrated
in Figures 6 and 8, that is folded on the outside of the side B.
One of the rear posts D or F is extended upward so as to form a back D'
which also serves for conveniently moving the chair about.
If it is desired to make a construction similar to the one shown in Figures 5 to 8
but having a cane seat, then the seat is connected by hinges K to two lugs E
projecting from the inside of the bar E. The two lugs E when the sides A and B
are folded, pass through the notches G³ formed in the top of the bar G so that the
hinges K permit the seat C to swing downward and the seat then folds on the
outside of the side B, see Figure 12.
It will be seen that the opening of the sides A and B is limited by the rear
posts D and F as the same close only until they form a round post, as shown in
Figures 3, 7, and 11. To prevent accidental closing, the seat C may be provided
on the under side with dowels or other means engaging the bar G when the
sides A and B are open. It will be seen that a chair constructed in this manner is
very simple and can be readily folded for storing or other purposes.
In Figures 13, 14, and 15, the upper end or back D' of the post D is provided
at the rear with a keeper N having one or more sockets O adapted to receive a
pin P projecting from a music or book holder Q or from a table R. The pin P
can be fastened in place by a set screw S. The keeper N may be permanently
secured on the back D, as shown in Figure 13, or may be arranged for convenient
removal, as illustrated in Figures 14 and 15. The holder is preferably made in
two main parts, the bracket Q' carrying the pin P and the desk Q held removably
on the upper end of the bracket, as shown. This device is especially adapted for
orchestra chairs. The table R may be small so as not to overbalance the chair,
but for supporting large tables I use three or more chairs and a corresponding
number of pins P projecting from the table and engaging the keepers of the several
chairs so that the table is supported all over..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A folding chair comprising two sides each formed of two legs connected
together by bars, the rear legs of each side being semi-circular and hinged together

page_text: at their front edges and a sent hinged to one of the bars of one side and resting on
one of the bars of the other side whereby when the chair is open the two semi-
circular legs form a round leg and serve as a limit to the outward movement of the
enid sides, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. A folding chair comprising two sides each formed of two legs connected by
bars, the rear legs being semi-circular and hinged togethor and one of the said legs
being extended to form a back and a seat hinged to the top bar of one side and
resting when open on the top bar of the other side, the said seat being adapted to
fold down on the outside of one side when the chair is folded, substantially as.
described.
:
3.. In a folding chair, the combination, with two sides each provided with a front
and a rear post and bars for connecting the same, one of the bars being provided
with lugs adapted to engage recesses in the other bar on the opposite side, of
hinges for connecting the rear posts with each other and a seat hinged on the said
lugs of one bar and adapted to rest on the opposite bar, substantially as shown and
described.
4. A chair provided with a keeper having a socket, and a pin engaging the said
Bocket and forming part of a music or book liolder, table or the like substantially
as shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of July 1893.
H. A. J. RIECKERT,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.