Improvements in Chairs, Stools, or Tables for use on Board Ships.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chairs, Stools, or Tables for use on Board Ships.
I, PAUL BEHREND, of No. 73, Flora Strasse, Pankow, near Berlin, in the German
Empire, Commercial Traveller, 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 improvements in chairs or stools for use on board
ships in which the scat does not partake of the rolling and pitching movement of
the ship, but always remains stationary in the horizontal plane. By this means
passengers are prevented from being sea-sick which would otherwise occur as a
result of the movements of the vessel during bad weather. This result is attained
by pivoting the seat of the chair to a universal joint and attaching a weight under-
neath similar to the gimbal joint as used with ships compasses.
The accompanying drawing shows a method of carrying out the present invention.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line of Fig. 1.
The chair or stool consists of a three or four legged frame (a), which may be
suitably constructed of metal and is attached by screws (b) to the deck or to the
floor of the cabin. On the top of the frame (a) is a solid metal ring (c) about 24 cm.
in diameter. The ring (c) is provided with two pivots (d) arranged opposite each
other, on which can turn an inner ring (e). The latter is also provided with two
pivots (f) at right angles with the pivots (). On these pivots (f) turns a disc (g)
in the middle of which a vertical rod () is fastened. To the lower part of this
rod (h) a heavy weight (i) is attached and secured in its position by means of a
screw nut (k), which is screwed on to the lower end of the rod (h), the latter having
been previously provided with a corresponding screw thread, or by any other suit-
able means. On the upper end of the rod (h) is attached a bracket (m) by a
clamping screw (n). This bracket (m) supports the seat (o) of the chair. The
centre of gravity of the rod and weighted seat must lie beneath the disc (g) to
which the rod () is fastened, so that the weight (2) plus the leverage of the length
of the rod counter-balances the weight of the person using the chair. As the
result of this, the rod (h) always remains vertical and the seat horizontal.
In order to reduce shocks spiral springs are attached at one end to the
rod (h) at (p) and at the other to the frame (a). The height and breadth of the
frame (a) and the amount of play between (ceg) is so chosen that a movement of
35° out of the vertical can take place. A larger movement than this is unusual
on board ships. For resting the feet a cord or rope (g) is provided which is passed
through eyes in the frame (a). Feet rests may also be hinged to the seat and
turned down, when required.
Small tables may also be arranged on this principle

page_text: 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
An improved chair or stool for use on board ships characterised by attaching the
seat (o) to a vertical rod (h) with a weight (i) attached to its bottom end and
carried by means of a universal joint on the frame (a), spiral springs attached
to the frame. and the rod being provided for reducing sudden shocks.
Dated this 9th day of August 1898
B. REICHHOLD,
24, Luisen Strasse, Berlin, N.W., Germany,
Agent for the Applicant.