Improv
Year: 1897

page_text: Improv
спан аци 56405.
We, JOHANN REINOLD and PETER JOSEPH REINOLD, Manufacturers, of Cologne,
Rheinanstreet No. 5, in the Province of Rhineland, and Kingdom of Prussia, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improvement in benches, chairs etc., in which
the seat can be pushed back in such a manner as to leave more room in front of the
bench or chair e.g. in theatres, omnibusses etc. in order to allow persons to pass by,
furthermore in railway compartments. In the latter instance more especially in case
of a collision to prevent the frequent fractures of the tigh-bones which are caused by
persons being thrown against the seats and wedged in between them. As compared
with the foldings-seats hitherto in use there is the essential advantage connected with
this improvement, especially for theatres, that even when the seat is pushed back, it
still is of sufficient breadth for a person to be able to sit on it.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawing show the improvement as applied
to the seat of a compartiment of a railway carriage in cross-section with the seat
reaching as far as the passage through the carriage which is partly represented in
longitudinal section through the seat, partly in front view, while Figs. 2 and 3 show
a piece of the carriage in longitudinal section passage, the form in Fig. 2 being shown
with the seat drawn out in a front view as seen from the passage, in Fig. 3 with the
seat pushed back in a vertical section. Fig. 4 shows a theatre chair with the
improvement in a vertical section and in a view from above with cross-section through
the back of the chair. In Fig. 5 another form of the moveable front line of the seat
or chair is drawn. Fig. 6 shows a detail on an enlarged scale.
The essential part of the apparatus consists in the seat of the form or of the
chair consisting of two nearly equal parts of which the front part keeps its shape
in every position while the back part consists of several laths or strips moveably
connected to with each other by hinges.
These laths on the seat being pushed back are capable of sliding into a hollow
space formed between the back of the seat and the actual partition wall of the
compartment, the front legs at the same time being jointed in such manner below
with the floor and above with the fore-part of the seat that they can follow the
motion backwards taking a slanting position and becoming correspondingly
lengthened.
A represented the floor, B the side, C the back of the compartment while D the
actual back of the seat is curved corresponding to the shape of the back. D is
rigidly fastened above to C or to a piece which fills up the space between C and D
which is not necessary for the reception of the moveable part of the seat, and also
to the side B or (in the case of chairs) to the two side pieces; at the bottom however
it is free above the seat, so that the latter can pass under it.
The back D is borne and supported by strong similarly shaped iron rails E, which
are likewise fastened to the back C and the piece F.
The seat starting from the back to the front, consists of the laths a, a¹, a², a³

page_text: a, as, ao, a7 and the front lath as, of which a to a³ form the moveable laths
while a as represent the front part of the seat which cannot change its shape.
This front part is connected with the cross-pieces bearing the seat i.e. with their
front part H which slides of the ninder part J attached at the back to C and
encloses J being guided on it, but in such a manner that the two parts cannot
be drawn entirely asunder, and even when the seat is quite drawn out still over-
lap each other sufficiently to be able to support each other mutually. On the
front piece H. there is attached the flap K for connecting the upper end of
the front legs which are joined belows to flaps K'.
The front legs consist of two parts guided on each other which pernit of the
leg being lengthened when it is in an inclined position and of which the upper
is jointed to P at K at the lower P¹ to K. In the first three figures of the
drawing the legs are assumed to be of wood, the lower part O having at the top a
peg-shaped piece o, which moves into and is guided in a corresponding hole of the
upper part N.
In order to prevent the seat when it is drawn out from receding every time it is
inadvertently pushed the front legs have in this state a position somewhat inclined
forwards; besides which behind each leg there may be further a spring Q which
resists slight blows and knocks.
In order to prevent the seat from becoming jammed in against the sides of the
compartment there is a special guide provided in the seat, consisting of the guide-
rail M and one or more hook-shaped flaps L. catching into and sliding in it, which
are attached laterally to the front part of the cross pieces of the seat.
These flaps are attached laterally to the front part H of the seat cross-pieces.
In order that the seat may slide easily with its hinder roller-shutter like piece into
the corresponding free space between C and D, the lower corner between the back C
and the plane passing through the lower surface of the seat is filled up by corre-
sponding pieces F' and besides slide rollers may be provided, viz. either the rollers R¹
laterally at the head of the last lath a running against the side B, or the rollers R
running at the lower end of the rail E on the surface of the laths passing under it.
As is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 a cushion may be used with this arrange-
ment of the seat; it must however consist of two parts, U, and U', which are jointed
together at the centre and of which U₁ is moveably attached in the front of the
seat behind to the end of the back.
This makes it possible for the cushion to lie flat when the seat is drawn out, as
shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and, as shown in Fig. 3, when the seat is pushed
back, to rise up straight.
The theatre chair, Fig. 4, differs from the railway compartment seat solely in the
arrangement of the side-pieces B on both sides of the back and correspondingly
shaped and bent, in place of the side B of the compartment, the shape of the seat,
formed by the lateral curtailment of the moveable rods a to a³ both sides on and the
different form of the front legs, as shown in the drawing, which are supposed to be
of iron instead of wood and in such a manner that the flaps K and K¹ contain a rigid
pin S, while a flat iron S forming the leg has at the upper and at the lower end a
slit s which slides on the peg 8 in such a manner that when the seat is drawn out,
the iron S is supported on the pins s on both sides, while, when the seat is pushed
in, the pins & have moved into the extreme ends of the slits 8¹.
Fig. 5 shows another form of the legs, two irons which are moveably attached
at P and P¹ to K and K¹ being held together and guided like a bolt with bands u
and u³, and on the seat being drawn out rest against pins tand and are thereby
enabled to bear the seat, while, when the seat is pushed back the legs having then an
inclined position and being lengthened, the bands u and u¹ move away from the
pins t and t¹.
Fig. 6 shows on an enlarged scale the arrangement of the rollers R and R¹, which as
we have described above, serve to guide the seat.
That this arrangement of the seats of railway compartments fulfills its object of
protecting the knees and thigh bones from fractures and bruises is shown by a simple

page_text: calculation, the drawn out seat having a projection from the back to the front edge
of about 55 cm. and the seat when pushed in a projection of only about 30 cm., so
that there is a gain of a free space in front of the edge of the seat of 25 cm. as com-
pared with a bench having a rigid seat. Thus in a compartment having two seats
opposite to each other about half a metre more room would be joined than when the
seats are rigid and this in a whole carriage containing five compartments would
amount to 2 metres by which amount the carriage would have to be lengthened in
order to attain the same object.
1
We, JOHANN REINOLD and PETER JOSEPH REINOLD, Manufacturers, of Cologne,
Rheinanstreet No. 5, in the Province of Rhineland, and Kingdom of Prussia, 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 present invention relates to an improvement in chairs, benches and the like
in which the seat can be pushed back in such a manner as to leave more room in
front of the bench or chair for instance in theatres, omnibusses and the like in order
to allow persons to pass by furthermore in railway compartments.
In the latter instance more especially in case of a collision to prevent the frequent
fractures of the tigh-bones which are caused by persons being thrown against the
seats and wedged in between them.
As compared with the folding seats hitherto in use there is the essential advantage
connected with this improvement, especially for theatres, that even when the seat is
pushed back, it still is of sufficient breadth for a person to be able to sit on it.
The drawing filed with the Provisional Specification shows the improvement in
Fig. 1 as seat of a railway compartment, partly as a vertical section through the
seat, partly of a front view of the same.
Fig. 2 shows the seat in side view in the normal position.
Fig. 3 is a section to the line - of Fig. 1, and shows the seat in backwads
pushed position.
Fig. 4 shows a theatre chair with the improvement in a vertical section and in a
view from above with cross section through the back of the chair.
In Fig. 5 another form of the moveable pillar of the seat or chair is drawn.
Fig. 6 shows a detail on an enlarged scale.
The essential part of the apparatus consists in the seat of the form or of the chair
consisting of two nearly equal parts of which the front part keeps its shape in every
position while the back part consists of several laths or strips moveably connected
with each other by hinges.
These laths on the seat being pushed back are capable of sliding into a hollow
space formed between the back of the seat and the actual partition wall of the
compartment, the front legs at the same time being jointed in such manner below
with the floor and above with the fore-part of the seat that they can follow the
motion backwards taking a slanting position and becoming correspondingly
lengthened.

page_text: A represents the floor, B the side, C the back of the compartment while D the
actual back of the seat is curves corresponding to the shape of the back. D is rigidly
fastened above to C or to a piece F which fills up the space between C and D which
is not necessary for the reception of the moveable part of the seat, and also to the
side B or (in the case of chairs) to the two side pieces; at the bottom however it is
free above the seat, so that the latter can pass under it.
The back D is borne and supported by strong similarly shaped iron rails E, which
are likewise fastened to the back C and the piece F.
The seat starting from the back to the front, consists of the laths a, a¹, a², a³, aª a³¸
a, a7 and the front lath as, of which a to a form the moveable laths, while a³-
represent the front part of the seat which cannot change its shape. This front part is
connected with the cross-pieces bearing the seat id est with their front part H which
encloses the part J,-attached at the back to C,-when the seat is pushed back.
The front part H slides over the fixed part J and is guided by it in such a manner
that the two parts cannot be drawn entirely asunder, and even when the seat is quite
drawn out still overlap each other sufficiently to be able to support each other
mutually.
On the front piece H there are attached the flanges K for connecting the upper
end of the front legs which are joined below to flanges K¹.
The front legs consist of two parts guided on each other which permit of the leg
being lengthened when it is in an inclined position and of which the upper is jointed
to Pat K and the lower P¹ to K¹.
In the first three figures of the drawing the legs are assumed to be of wood, the
lower part O having at the top a peg-shaped piece o, which moves into and is guided
in a corresponding hole of the upper part N.
In order to prevent the seat when it is drawn out from receding every time it is
inadvertently pushed the front legs have in this state a position somewhat inclined
forwards; besides which behind each leg there may be further a spring Q which
resists slight blows and knocks.
In order to prevent the seat from becoming jammed in against the sides of the
compartment there is a special guide provided in the seat, consisting of the guide-
rail M and one or more hook-shaped flaps L catching into and sliding in it, which are
attached laterally to the front part of the cross-pieces of the seat.
In
These flaps are attached laterally to the front part H of the seat cross-pieces.
order that the seat may slide easily with its hinder roller-shutter like piece into the
corresponding free space between C and D, the lower corner between the back C and
the plane passing through the lower surface of the seat is filled up by corresponding
pieces F¹ and besides slide rollers R may be provided, either on the upper side of the
fath a either on the bottom of the leaning of the seat.
As is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. a cushion may be used with this arrange-
ment of the seat; it must however consist of two parts U and U₁ which are jointed
together at the centre and of which U¹ is moveably attached in the front of the seat
behind to the end of the back. This makes it possible for the cushion to lie flat
when the seat is drawn out, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and, as shown in
Fig. 3 when the seat is pushed back, to rise up straight.
The theatre chair, Fig. 4, differs from the railway compartment seat solely in the
arrangement of the side-pieces B on both sides of the back and correspondingly
shaped and bent, in place of the side B of the compartment, the shape of the seat,
formed by the lateral curtailment of the moveable rods a to a³ and the different form
of the front legs, as shown in the drawing, which are supposed to be of iron instead
of wood and in such a manner that the flaps K and K' contain a rigid pin 8, while a
flat iron S forming the leg has at the upper and lower end a slit s¹ which slides on
the pegs in such a manner that when the seat is drawn out, the iron S is supported
on the pins 8 on both sides, while, when the seat is pushed in, the pins s have moved
into the extreme ends of the slits 8¹.
Fig. 5 shows another form of the legs, two irons T and T¹ which are moveably
attached at P and P¹ to K and K¹ being held together and guided like a bolt with

page_text: bands u and u¹, and on the seat being drawn out rest against pins t and
and are
thereby enabled to bear the seat, while, when the seat is pushed back the legs having
then an inclined position and being lengthened, the bands u and u¹ move away from
the pins t and t.
Fig. 6 shows on an enlarged scale the arrangement of the rollers R and R¹, which,
as we have described above, serve to guide the seat.
That this arrangement of the seats of railway compartments fulfills its object of
protecting the knees and thigh bones from fractures and bruises is shown by a simple
calculation, the drawn out seat having a projection from the back to the front edge
of about 55 cm. and the seat when pushed in a projection of only about 30 cm.,
so that there is a gain of a free space in front of the edge of the seat of
25 cm. as compared with a bench having a rigid seat.
Thus in a compartment having two seats opposite to each other about half a
metre more room would be joined than when the seats are rigid and this in a whole
carriage containing five compartments would amount to 2 metres by which amount
the carriage would have to be lengthened in order to attain the same object.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
Bench, chair or the like with seat capable of being pushed back, thereby
characterized that the hinder part of the seat which is formed like a roller-shutter
can slide, on being pushed from in front, into a hollow space between the back C
of the compartment and the back D of the seat, the front legs being formed in such
a manner that they follow this backward motion with their upper end, take up a
position inclined towards the back and are lengthened out in proportion.
Dated this 17th day of February 1898.
For JOHANN REINOLD and
PETER JOSEPH REINOLD.
Bernhard Brockhues.