Improvements in Adjustable Stop Mechanism for Chairs, Couches, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Stop Mechanism for Chairs, Couches,
and the like.
I, WALTER PARKER of 18 Southgate Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Upholsterer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed for that class of chairs, couches and the like in which
the position of one part can be adjusted in relation to another part or parts and is
particularly suitable for application to the arms of chairs or couches which move
with the back the stop serving to hold both arms and back in the selected
position.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to employ a divided or double rack which
may be secured for example to the underside of the arm of a chair with an
adjustable back. In this case the arm would be jointed to the back so that
whatever the position of the back the arm itself would always be more or less
approximately horizontal. Towards the front end of the horizontal arm I have an
upright support which has the appearance of being a rigid continuation of the
horizontal arm; this upright is securely fixed to the body or seat of the chair or
couch. Upon the top of the upright I fit a stop conveniently in the form of a
cap which may be screwed to the upright the stop being adapted to fit between the
teeth of the rack. From the centre of the stop projects a pin or rod which
passes through a longitudinal slot which divides the rack into two portions so that
it forms two independent racks connected together at the ends. Upon this pin
which may be of any convenient shape I place a helical spring confined between
the back of the rack and a nut collar or equivalent provided for the purpose and
screwed or otherwise secured to the end of the pin. A suitable slot or recess is
formed in the horizontal arm of the chair to allow for the passage of this pin and
spring. Any required washers collars pins or the like may be employed for the
control of the spring. The teeth of the rack and stop. may be straight or may be
curved or slanted in any desired manner according to the circumstances of the
case. One of these complete sets, rack stop and spring, appertains to each arm of
the chair.
In use the arms are lifted up against the pressure of the springs and moved
forward or back and the stop allowed to enter between any of the teeth of the
rack and are sufficiently held there by the springs so that the back may be firmly
held at any required position limited only by the length of the rack, the pin of the
stop serving to prevent the proper limits being over-stepped.
Although it is preferred to use the springs it will be understood that this is not
necessary as in many cases the weight of the arms might be sufficient to retain the
stop and rack in place; however generally speaking I prefer to employ the
springs.
For proper adjustment of the pressure it is preferable to have as above
described one of the stop apparatus to each arm of the chair, but it will be
understood that the chair could be made with one to one arm only. The rack is
preferred to be made as above described but it will be understood that a single
rack with a suitable modification of the stop to keep it in its proper position
relative to the rack could be employed. The arrangement however as above
described is a satisfactory and sufficient one.
Dated this 11th day of March 1892
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Stop Mechanism for Chairs, Couches,
and the like.
I, WALTER PARKER of 18 Southgate Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Upholsterer, 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 :-
This invention is designed for that class of chairs, couches and the like in
which the position of one part can be adjusted in relation to another part or parts
and is particularly suitable for application to the arms of chairs or couches which
move with the back the stop serving to hold both arms and back in the selected
position.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to employ a divided or double rack which
may be secured for example to the underside of the arm of a chair with an
adjustable back. In this case the arm would be jointed to the back so that
whatever the position of the back the arm itself would always be more or less
approximately horizontal. Towards the front end of the horizontal arm I have an
upright support which has the appearance of being a rigid continuation of the
horizontal arm; this upright is securely fixed to the body or seat of the chair or
couch. Upon the top of the upright I fit a stop conveniently in the form of a cap
which may be screwed to the upright the stop being adapted to fit between the
teeth of the rack. From the centre of the stop projects a pin or rod which passes
through a longitudinal slot which divides the rack into two portions so that it
forms two independent racks connected together at the ends.
Upon this pin which
may be of any convenient shape I place a helical spring confined between the back
of the rack and a nut collar or equivalent provided for the purpose and screwed or
otherwise secured to the end of the pin. A suitable slot or recess is formed in the
horizontal arm of the chair to allow for the passage of this pin and spring. Any
required washers collars pins or the like may be employed for the control of the
spring. The teeth of the rack and stop may be straight or may be curved or
slanted in any desired manner according to the circumstances of the case.
One of
these complete sets, rack stop and spring appertains to each arm of the chair.
In use the arms are lifted up against the pressure of the springs and moved
forward or back and the stop allowed to enter between any of the teeth of the
rack and are sufficiently held there by the springs so that the back may be firmly
held at any required position limited only by the length of the rack, the pin of the
stop serving to prevent the proper limits being over-stepped.
Although it is preferred to use the springs it will be understood that this is not
necessary as in many cases the weight of the arms might be sufficient to retain the
stop and rack in place; however generally speaking I prefer to employ the
springs.
For proper adjustment of the pressure it is preferable to have as above described
one of the stop apparatus to each arm of the chair, but it will be understood that
the chair could be made with one to one arm only. The rack is preferred to be
made as above described but it will be understood that a single rack with a
suitable modification of the stop to keep it in its proper position relative to the
rack could be employed. The arrangement however as above described is a
satisfactory and sufficient one.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation shewn partly in section of a chair fitted with my
improvement.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cap and attachment.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the rack.
Figure 4 is a plan of the underside of the mob

page_text: A is the chair back hinged to the seat at A'; B is one of the arms hinged to
the back of the chair at B. C is a metal plate preferably curved and provided
with a longitudinal slot D, it is also provided at its under surface, on each side of
the slot, with downwardly projecting teeth E which form two independent racks
joined together at their ends. care holes for securing the plate Con the under
part of the appropriate arm B. F is a cap or socket preferably of metal in which
fits the upper end of the arm support B2 and to which it is secured by one or
more screws passing into the wood through holes provided for the purpose.
On the upper portion of the cap are cast, mounted or otherwise formed two
stops G and pin or rod H the upper part H¹ of which is screw-threaded to receive
the nut I. The rod H passes through the slot D of the divided rack and into a
recess formed in the under portion of the arm B; the stops G enter between the
teeth of the racks and are held there by a helical spring K surrounding the rod H
and held in position between the washer L and the nut 1. In use the arms B are
lifted up against the pressure of the spring K thereby lifting the rack teeth E
clear of the stops G. If the back of the chair A is required to be brought into
an approximately perpendicular position the arms B while in the raised position
are brought forward as far as the slot D permits when the stops will enter
between the last teeth of the respective racks; on the other hand when the back
of the chair is required to be in a slanting or angular position the arms when in
their raised position are pushed back as far as possible and when released the
stops will engage with the necessary rack teeth and thus support the arms, and
back of the chair in the required position. It will be understood that a screw or
equivalent may be substituted for the cap or socket F.
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 :-
1. The combination with the arm of a chair or the like of a spring stop sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with the arm of a chair or the like of a rack and spring
stop such as G substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
WALTER PARKER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant."
WALTER PARKER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.