An Improved Folding Seat, specially adapted for Use in Shops and like Establishments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Folding Seat, specially adapted for Use in Shops and
like Establishments.
I, JOHN LLEWELLYN MORGAN, of 20, The Hayes, Cardiff, Draper, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention consists in an improved folding seat, designed mainly for use
by assistants in shops and like establishments. It is so designed and constructed
that, when not being sat upon, the seat is, either automatically or otherwise,
moved into a position by which space is economised. The principal feature which
characterizes the seat is that the seat-board is carried by an arm which, when the
seat is lowered into position for use, bears either indirectly or directly at one end
against an upright post or other support, which latter thus shares with the arm
the weight and strain exerted by the person seated upon the seat-board.
According to one method of construction, the arm which carries the seat-board
is hinged to an upright such as usually forms a part of a shop counter. The hinge
is acted upon by a spring so set that when the sitter rises from the seat-board
the arm is raised and thus the seat becomes folded against the upright. The seat
is lowered by simply pulling the arm down, and the end of the arm furthest from
the seat-board then bears firmly, either indirectly or directly, against the upright.
According to another arrangement, the spring is not employed, and the arm
works on a pin passed through a slot provided for it in the arm. When the seat
is in the raised or folded position, the pin is at the upper end of the slot and one
edge of the seat-board lies in a checked-out part of the bracket or shoe carrying
the pin. The seat-board is thus retained in the raised position. When it is re-
quired to lower the seat for sitting on, the seat-board is lifted by hand. vertically
or approximately so, out of the checked-out part of the shoe, and the arm carry-
ing the seat-board is tilted back so as to bring the end of the arm which is
furthest from the seat-board to bear against the upright or against the bracket or
shoe fixed on the upright.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side view of my
improved seat as constructed according to one arrangement. The seat is shown
in the folded or raised position.
fi
To the upright a, which is of a kind such as is commonly found in the con-
struction of shop and other counters, is secured the shoe carrying a pin passed
through the arm d which carries the seat-board c. A spiral spring f, hooked on
the stud g and secured to the pin c, is so set that it always returns the seat-board
to the position shown at Fig. 1 when the seat is not in use as such. In this
folded position it will be seen that the seat occupies comparatively small space
when not in use. A rubber cushion fixed to the upright acts as a buffer to
receive the impact of the seat-board. When it is required to sit on the seat the
arm d is tilted outwards and downwards until it assumes the position shown at
Fig. 2 which is a side view showing the seat-board lowered for use
as a seat.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 2. When the seat is in this position the arm & bears at
the end furthest from the seat-board e against the shoe b fixed to the upright a
which upright or post accordingly shares with the arm d the strain exerted by
the sitter sitting on the seat-board e. Thus a firm and strong seat is afforded.
The attachment of the bracket or shoe b may be made above the seat if desired.
At Fig. 4 is shown in side view a modification according to which a spring
for returning the seat to the folded or upright position is not employed. The
seat is shown in the folded or raised position. The arm d carrying the seat-board e
has a slot d¹ through which the pin c carried by the shoe b is loosely passed. The
shoe b is checked-out on each side as at c¹ and in the recess thus provided one edge
of the seat-board e is received when the seat is folded, as shown at Fig. 4. When
it is required to use the seat for sitting on, the seat-board is pulled up free of
the recess e¹ and the arm d is then tilted to the position shown at Fig. in which,
as in the arrangement first above described, the arm & bears firmly against the
shoe b fixed to the upright a. Fig. 6 is a plan of Fig. 5.
I do not confine myself to the methods above described of connection of the
seat-board arm to the upright. It can be made in a variety of ways, but the dis-
tinguishing feature of the seat which constitutes this invention is arranging that
when the seat is in the lowered position the end of the arm next the upright bears
against the face of the upright, or against a shoe fixed to it to carry the hinge
pin, and by binding against the shoe or the upright transmits to the upright part
of the strain exerted by a person sitting on the seat-board.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
A folding seat, consisting of an arm such as d carrying a seat-board and hinged
or pivotally connected to an upright or post such as a, or other suitable support,
the arrangement being such that, when the arm has been tilted down and the
seat thus brought to a fixed position for sitting on, the end of the arm furthest
from the seat-board takes a bearing either directly against the face of the upright
or against a shoe carrying the hinge pin and fixed to the upright, so that the arm
transmits to the upright part of the strain exerted by the sitter sitting on the
seat-board, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1899.