IMPROVEMENTS IN CHILDRENS' CHAIRS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Janes, of West End Road, High Wycombe, in the
County of Buckingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHILDRENS'
CHAIRS."
Sealed the 20th September 1878, and dated the 26th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Janes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1878.
"6
ALBERT JANES, of West End Road, High Wycombe, in the County of Buckingham.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CHILDRENS' CHAIRS."
The improvements relate to means by which a childs' chair may be readily
transposable, so as at one time to be used as a "high chair" to enable the occupant
to sit to a table, and at another time the chair may be lowered so as to be used as a
low chair" with facility for its ready movement on wheels for amusement or
otherwise. For this purpose the hind legs are curved, and at their lower ends
come to the front, whilst the fore legs are curved at their lower ends and go to the
back. All the legs are also divided into two parts below the line of the foot board,
and the two parts of each are hinged together so that the lower parts may in part
turn on the upper parts.
A rod connects one of the pair of legs below the hinge joints thereto, and this
rod passes through slotted openings forned one in each of the other pair of legs,
so that when the respective lower parts of the legs are folded this connecting rod
of one pair may freely traverse in the slots of the other pair. A pair of arms are
applied to move at one of their ends on this connecting rod, whilst their opposite
ends are connected together by a handle, and are formed with hooks or catches to
hook or catch on to pins provided for the purpose in the opposite legs, by which
the parts of the legs are held in position as required, for the seat of the chair to be
raised for its use as a " table chair."
When it is required to lower the seat then the attendant releases these arms from

page_text: their pins, and then the lower parts of the legs will readily fold one pair to the
other pair, with cross bars of the upper parts resting on these lower parts, thus
lowering the scat, and when folded small wheels applied to these legs a short
distance above, their lower ends will then come to the ground or bearing surface
and admit of the chair being readily wheeled about. When the seat of the chair is
again required to be raised the attendant will lift the upper part of the chair until
the notches in the arms, above referred to, catch on to their pins.
The foot of the attendant may be used in aid of these operations by being rested
whilst effecting a change on a cross bar of the legs.
A play table is applied to arms hinged from the back and capable of resting on
stops in front, so as to be capable of being turned over the back of the chair, and
so as to be out of the way when it is not required to be used, and immediately
brought into use, as desired.
A top rail at the back of the chair serves as a handle to facilitate changes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Janes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th September
1878.
ALBERT JANES, of West End Road, High Wycombe, in the County of Buckingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CHILDRENS' CHAIRS."
The improvements relate to means by which a childs chair may be readily
transposable, so as at one time to be used as a "high chair" to enable the occupant
to sit to a table, and at another time the chair may be lowered so as to be used as
a "low chair" with facility for its ready movement on wheels for amusement or
otherwise. For this purpose the hind legs are curved, and at their lower ends come
to the front, whilst the fore legs are curved at their lower ends and go to the back.
All the legs are also divided into two parts below the line of the foot board, and
the two parts of each are hinged together so that the lower parts may in part turn
on the upper parts.
A rod connects one of the pair of legs below the hinge joints thereto, and this
rod passes through slotted openings formed one in each of the other pair of legs,
so that when tho respective lower parts of the legs are folded this connecting rod
of one pair may freely traverse in the slots of the other pair. A pair of arms are
applied to move at one of their ends on this connecting rod, whilst their opposite
ends are connected together by a handle and are formed with hooks or catches to
hook or catch on to pins provided for the purpose in the opposite legs by which
the parts of the legs are held in position, as required, for the seat of the chair to be
raised for its use as an" table chair."
When it is required to lower the seat, then the attendant releases these arms from
their pins, and then the lower parts of the legs will readily fold one pair to the

page_text: other pair, with cross bars of the upper parts resting on these lower parts, thus
lowering the seat, and when folded small wheels applied to these legs a short
distance above their lower ends will then come to the ground or bearing surface
and admit of the chair being readily wheeled about. When the seat of the chair
is again required to be raised the attendant will lift the upper part of the chair
until the notches in the arms, above referred to, catch on to their pins.
The foot of the attendant may be used in aid of these operations by being
rested whilst effecting a change of position of the parts on a cross bar of the
legs.
-
A play table is applied to arms hinged from the back, and capable of resting on
stops in front, so as to be capable of being turned over the back of the chair, and
so as to be out of the way when it is not required to be used, and immediately
brought into use as desired.
-44⭑
-
A top rail at the back of the chair serves as a handle to facilitate changes.
But that the Invention may be better understood I will, by the aid of the accom-
panying Drawings, proceed to describe means pursued by me in carrying the same
into effect.
Figure 1 represents one of the childrens chairs arranged according to my Invention,
with the parts in the position for its use as a high chair," so that the occupant of
it might sit to a table.
Figure 2 represents the same chair with parts of it in the same relative positions,
but with the play table brought over from the back, as in Fig. 1, to form a separate
table for the use of the occupant of the chair.
Figure 3 represents the same chair with the parts of it in the relative positions
for the use of the chair as a "low chair," with facility for its ready movement on
wheels.
In each of the Figures of the Drawings the same letters are employed to indicate
corresponding parts.
, a, represent the hind legs; and b, b, the fore legs. All these legs are formed
in two parts, and the respective parts are connected together at c, c, c, c, by hinge
joints.
& represents the back of the chair; e, the seat; and f, the "foot board;" g is a
rod passing through from the lower part of one of the legs b to a corresponding
part of the other of them, and it also passes through: so as to be capable of traversing
in a slot a forined in the lower part of each of the back legs a; g', g', are a pair of
arms, one of which is shewn separately at Figure 4. One end of each of these arms is
connected to the rod g, whilst the outer ends of them are connected together by
the rod g, which serves as a handle to aid in moving the rod g. These arms g¹, g¹,
are formed with hooks or catches at g³ to enable them to hold on to studs or pro-
jections on the upper portions of the parts a to aid in holding the parts of the legs
of the chair in the positions indicated by Figures 1 and 2.
i represents a play table with arms i¹, one on each side of the chair, capable of
turning on studs 22, so as to admit of the table i being turned over the back of the
chair to hang behind it out of the way of the occupant, as shown by Figure 1, or
when brought over to the front, as indicated by Figures 2 and 3; the front part of it
is supported by resting on pins j from the arms, or otherwise.
I is the top rail at the back of the chair to facilitate the making of the changes
referred to.
1, 1, are supporting wheels brought into use when the parts of the chair are in the
position indicated by Figure 3.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that what I do claim is, the improve-

page_text: ments in childrens chairs, whereby the same are rendered readily transposable by
the means stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Janes, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
-i
Witness,
ALFRED G. BROOKES,
37, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.
ALBERT JANES. (L.S.)