AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING CHAIR
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING CHAIR."-
A communication from abroad by Benjamin Johns Hanson and James
Condie, both of New York City, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st December 1866, and dated the 12th July 1866
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th July 1866.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING
CHAIB," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of folding chair, which besides
being more firm and steady when in an open or extended position than folding
chairs generally, admits of being more compactly folded up for transportation.
The cross frames forming the four legs of the chair are connected together by
transverse bolts or pivots as usual. The cross bars of the one frame are

page_text: fixtures, but the cross bar to which the back edge of the flexible seat is
connected is pivoted to the legs which carry it, and constitutes the back seat
rail of the chair. The flexible seat is attached to the back seat rail at or
near the under or lower edge thereof and below the pivots of the rail. A
back is made to the chair formed of two posts or arms, the lower ends of
which are firmly fixed in the back seat rail near the ends thereof; these
arms are connected at the top by a suitable cross piece. The lowermost
portions of the arms project through and below the back seat rail, and
have fitted upon their extremities a transverse bar in such manner that
when the chair is opened out for use the ends of the bar will come in contact
with the rear or under sides of the legs which carry the back rail and act as
a brace to prevent the back of the chair from being tilted too far back;
this transverse bar also serves the purpose of a handle by which the chair
may be carried from place to place when in a folded or closed condition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfied
Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CON-
STRUCTION OF FOLDING CHAIR," being a communication to me from abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
bo performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
This Invention consists in a novel construction of a folding chair, whereby
the chair is rendered much more firm and steady when in an open or extended
position or condition, and capable of being carried about when in such position
or condition with much greater ease and convenience than the folding chairs
heretofore in use; and, furthermore, whereby it may be more compactly folded
up for transportation in large numbers, and also carried singly in the hand
when folded or closed with much greater facility than ordinary folding chans;
and, furthermore, whereby it is rendered very simple and capable of being
manufactured at a very moderate cost.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of the chan in an
extended position; Fig 2 is a side view of the same in a folded or closed
position; and Fig. 3 is a front view of the same in a folded position. Sumilar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A, A, represents two legs which are connected together near then lower
extremities by means of a transverse round or bat a, and at their upper ends
by another transverse bat b, which constitutes the front seat rail of the chau.
B, B, represent two other legs which are somewhat larger than the legs A, and
are placed upon the outer sides of the said legs A, and pivotted thereto at
C 15 a
the central parts thereof by means of transverse bolts or pivots c.
transverse bar, the ends of which are pivotted in the upper ends of the legs B,
as shown at e; this bar constitutes the back seat rail of the chair. D is the
flexible seat or bottom of the chair, which is made of cloth, carpet, or other
suitable phable material, and has its front edge secured by any appropriate
means to the front seat rail b, while its rearmost edge is attached to the back
seat rail C at or near the under or lower edge thereof, and below the axis or
pivots of the said back seat rail C, as shown at f, Fig. 1. The back of the
chair is formed of two posts or arms E, the lower ends of which are firmly
fixed in the back seat rail C, one of the said arms being situated at each e'd
of the said rail C, and at right angles to the length thereof, as more clearly
These aims E are connected at the top by a suitable
represented in Fig. 3

page_text: Closs piece F The lowermost portions of the arms E project through and
below the back seat rail C, as shown at g, and have fitted upon their
extremities a transverse bar G in such manner that when the chair is opened
out for use, as shown in Fig. 1, the ends of the said bar G will come in contact
with the rear or under sides of the legs B, and act as a brace to prevent the
back of the chan from being tilted too far back or render the pivotted back
self-sustaining; this transverse bar G may be made of cylindrical or other
suitable shape, and also serves the purpose of a handle by which the chair
may be carried from place to place when in a folded or closed condition, as
will be presently fully explained. In opening or expanding the chair for use
the two pairs of legs A and B are turned upon their pivots e, so as to stand
at an angle to each other, as shown in Fig. 1, the seat or bottom D is
thereby stretched out in a horizontal position. The back E, F, is then placed
in an upright position with the ends of the brace or bar G in contact with the
rear or und sides of the legs B, az berein-before explained, and the chair is
then ready for usc Now as the rear most edge of the seat or bottom Dis
attached to the under side of the back seat rail C, below the axis thereof, as
herein-before set forth, it follows that the weight of the occupant of the
chair upon the said bottom will cause it to draw the rail G towards and
hold it firmly against the legs B, and thus securely retain the back E, F,
in its proper upright position, while by grasping the back E, F, the chair
may be lifted up and carried about, the lower portions thereof being retained
in place by the supporting action of the brace or transverse bar G upon the
legs B.
When it is desired to fold the chair the two pairs of legs, A and B, arc
turned upon their pivots c, so that they are brought nearly parallel with each
other, the legs A being situated between the legs B, and the seat or bottom D
being doubled or folded at the rear most side of the chair, as shown in Fig. 2.
The back E, F, is then turned over forward upon the pivots e of the bar or
brace C until it is brought in front of and nearly parallel with the legs A
and B, as represented in Figures 2 and 3, thus bringing the several parts
compactly together, and inasmuch as the brace or bar C is brought uppermost
by thus tuning over or reversing the back E, F, the said bar may be used
as a handle, by which the chau, as thus folded up, may be carried from place.
to place.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of an improved con-
struction of folding chan, as communicated to me from abroad, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I

page_text: claim constructing folding chairs with a folding self-sustaining back, substantially
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfied Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)