Improvements in Rotating Stools and Chairs.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd. Nov., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotating Stools and Chairs.
I EDWARD WARD COOPER of Primrose Cottage, Red Lane, Coventry in the County
of Warwick, Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to prevent the central screw or support of
music stools and other rotary seats from wearing rapidly by reason of their being
rotated while carrying the weight of the sitter. To provide against this, I arrange
that the seat shall be capable of rotation with its load independently of its supporting
screw, but that the turning of the screw to adjust the height of the seat shall be effected
only when the screw is relieved from the weight of its load.
The central supporting screw works in a nut carried by the pedestal of the stool, as
heretofore, but instead of the seat being fixed to the screw, as usual, it is fitted with a
plate which carries in its centre a tubular socket piece closed at its upper end, and
free to slide on the neck of the screw above the thread. The upper part of this socket
is open at its sides to receive an inverted flanged cup, which is fitted with a ball
bearing. On the top of the screw is a steel disc formed with an annular channel on
its face. Corresponding with this disc is a similar one contained in the flanged cup.
Between the two discs, antifriction balls are placed, and surrounding the cup is a coiled
spring, which, when in place, bears against the flange of the cup and the closed end of
the socket. On the bottom edge of the lateral opening in the socket, a notch is cut to
receive a cross pin carried by the neck of the supporting screw. This open part of
the socket has an opening provided to receive it in the frame of the seat, so that when
its plate is secured to the seat, the inserted cup and its fittings will be secured within
the socket.
On the upward pressure of the spring, the seat will rise, and maintain the notches
in contact with the cross pin, but by the downward pressure of the load or weight
of the sitter, which serves to compress the spring contained in the socket, the notchies

page_text: will disengage from the cross pin, leaving the seat free to turn without affecting the
supporting screw.
When the seat and the screw are locked together as above explained, the seat may
be raised or lowered to adjust its vertical position by simply turning the seat, as when
adjusting the ordinary music stool.-But when the stool is in use, the turning
about of the seat may then be effected without any movement being imparted to the
screw.
Instead of the antifriction balls, a hardened centre may be fitted to the screw neck,
and bear upon the flanged cup or other support of the coiled' spring; the free turning
f the seat will thus be secured.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1 EDWARD WARD COOPER of Primrose Cottage, Red Lane, Coventry, in the
County of Warwick, Machinist, 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 chief object of the present is to prevent the wearing of the thread of the central
supporting screw of music stools and other rotating seats, by reason of their being
rotated while carrying the weight of the sitter.
According to my invention, I render the seat capable of rotary movement inde-
pendently of the screw in its socket at such times as the weight of the sitter is upon
it. Thus the seat normally, without weight upon it, is locked to its screw, and may be
raised or lowered at will by rotating it. The effect, however, of sitting down upon
the seat is to disconnect it, and permit of its free rotation upon the upper part of the
screw while the latter remains at rest in its socket.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown the mode I prefer to employ in
carrying my invention into effect.
Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations of the music stool seat attachment, showing it
in the locked and unlocked positions.
Fig. 3 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the locked
position.
Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section.
A is the screw of a music stool working in a socket of the pedestal in the usual
manner.
A is the seat of the stool, which instead of being fixed to the screw head, as is
customary, is carried by a plate B screwed centrally thereto, and having at its centre
a tubular socket piece b, capable of sliding vertically, and, under certain circumstances
presently described, of rotating on the end of the screw A, which is not threaded.
The socket piece b, when in place, lies within a recess formed on the underside of
the seat, and has its upper end closed.-The sides near the upper end of the socket are
preferably cut away, leaving the end supported on a pair of pillars, as shown in the
drawing.
Within the socket is a flanged cap piece c, of a size to fit not too tightly the end
of the screw A. Between this cap piece and the screw are arranged antifriction
balls cl, and a flat disc c². Surrounding the cap piece c is a coiled spring D, which
takes its bearings upon the flange of the cap c, and on the end of the socket b, and
tends to lift the socket, and with it the plate B carrying the seat.
The screw A is provided with a transverse pin a, the ends of which take into notches
in the lower or solid part of the socket piece b, and check the upward pressure of the
spring D.
So long as the ends of the pin a are retained by the pressure of the spring in the
notches of the socket piece, the seat is locked to the screw, and the rotation of one is

page_text: accompanied by the rotation of the other, for the purpose of raising or lowering.
As soon however as the power of the spring is overcome by the weight of the sitter,
the notches are lowered clear of the pin a, and the seat can be rotated upon the screw
end, cap piece, and antifriction balls, without affecting the position of the screw in the
socket at all.
It will be observed that the socket is sufficiently wide at its upper part to clear the
ends of the pin a as the seat goes round, although the lower part, wherein the notches
are situate, closely fits the screw end.
The shoulder d on the screw, checks the too great compression of the spring D and
descent of the plate B.
I would here remark that it is evident that without departing from the principle of
my invention, the form and construction of the seat attachment may be somewhat
varied.
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 :-
Mounting the seats of music stools and other rotating seats in the manner above
described, so that the seat being normally locked to the supporting screw, is unlocked
and rendered capable of independent rotation when the weight of a person is placed
upon it, for the purpose set forth.
Cat 1000