IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS, FOLDING BEDS, FOLDING ARM-CHAIR BEDS, FOLDING COUCH BEDS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, RECLINING, AND LYING UPON
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Lawford, of 31, Berners Street, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS,
FOLDING BEDS, FOLDING ARM-CHAIR BEDS, FOLDING COUCH BEDS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES FOR SITTING, RECLINING, AND LYING UPON."
Sealed the 17th December 1861, and dated the 20th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Lawford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
June 1861.
{
I, HENRY LAWFORD, of 31, Berners Street, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING
CHAIRS, FOLDING BEDS, FOLDING ARM-CHAIR BEDS, FOLDING COUCH BEDS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES FOR SITTING, RECLINING, AND LYING UPON," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to give the greatest amount of ease and
comfort when in use, and to form, join, and place the various component parts
in such a manner that it shall fold with ease into a more convenient form and
space for portability and stowage, which I propose to do in the following
manner: Join two pieces by a movement or as the ordinary cross stools, &c.
straight or shaped, arranging the lengths and axis according to the required
spread or base; attach to this a piece to support the front end of the arm, and
on the other upper branch join a suitable piece for one side of the back by
movements to admit of raising, lowering, and folding, and make a piece for
the arm with a channel, cut, or opening, with or without notches, and attach it
Prim Bd]

page_text: to the arm suport by a movement, and to the back at a measured distance by
a pin, or screw, or both, or other suitable catch or fastening fitted to the grove,
rack, or channel, to regulate the recline pitch, hold in check, and give a fixed-
ness in the required position; having completed one side make another to
match or pair with it. I join them together by cross movements or folding
stretchers, arranged in such a manner that as the sides are closed or shut up
parallel they close on each other, and the arms slide by the grove, channel, or
rack over the screw, pin, or fastening, and the whole pack together in a
bundle; the mattress, seating, or bottoming may be fixed on or made to
remove atconvenience. Au ottoman, stool, or leg rest made to fold in a similar
manner joined to or to take off at pleasure, gives a most complete arm-chair
bed. The same principle apply to other articles for sitting and lying and
reclining upon, by additions and variations, as the case may require.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Lawford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LAWFORD, of No. 31, Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County of Middle-
sex, Cabinet and Upholstrey Designer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our-Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Lawford, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Lawford, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Lawford, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING
CHAIRS, FOLDING BEDS, FOLDING ARM-CHAIR BEDS, FOLDING COUCH BEDS. AND
OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, RECLINING, AND LYING UPON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Lawford, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the

page_text: same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar inonths
next and immediately alter the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Lawford, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists in arrangements ofcomponaut parts, joints,andmove-
ments for reclining arm chairs, beds,and various articles of portable furniture,
so that the parts combine to give superior strength by a distribution of the
bearings and resistance generally, and asa whole, concentrated, and closes into
the most contracted space and compact form of a roll or bundle, the parts
packingthemselves together into nearly the same space asthoughunconnected,
but laid together parallel, in order to tie up or bundle. The same is readily
openedor expanded and put into any position for use, as herein-after described
and illustrated. Again, the mechanical principle employed in" my Invention
being of the strongest nature would give a greater solidity, lighter weight, and
perhaps about one-sixth the space of any reclining chair, bed, &c., &c., &c.
previously known.
The utility of this my Invention is furthered by converting and applying the
bedsteads and ottoman's into tables, or table stands, tray stands, trussels, &c.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
morefullythe manner ofperforming the same with the assistance of the accom-
panying Drawings, to which this Specification-las especial reference.
Figure 1, side view of my reclining arm-chair frame uncovered; that the
parts and movements may be better understood ; join A, D, to B,C, at E, with
a bolt, in the ordinary way of the cross movement folding chairs, &c; then
H, F, at G, by a pivot, stopped at F by the side or cross piece A, 'D, to fix the
arm from moving in a forward direction, and the stop at G to fix the
opposite movement at the most upright incline required; join'on the back AI
at A, with a stop joint cranked, to fold over the cross movement stretcher
1, 2, 3, 4; put the arm on with a pivot at E,and pass a bolt, having a broad
head through the channel rivetted firmly into the back, so as the back is
raised or lowered to slide in the groove or slot; pierce holes or cut notches iu
the arm, to fix and regulate the recline of the back by a pin or catch, as at X,
or a drop (as at X, Figure 2). Having completed one side, make another to
hand with it and join together by folding top rail, as I, K, and the cross move-
ments 1,2, 3, 4, aud 5, 6, 7, 8. The lengths for the sides for the cross move.
mentstretchers are determined by the required spread and width which being
decided, close A, B, and B, C, will lay over A, D; the other side being in like

page_text: position close to and parallel with the length from 5 to 8,or 7 to 6,is the greatest
length that can be used; allow for the thickness of material, one being outside
the other, centre them on a pivot, and fix the extremes on the sides at the
points 1,2,3,4, and 5,6,7,8, with movements shown to larger size at Figure O;
the stretchers to work on the pin e, the movement to work on a pivot fitted to
the sides at the several points above referred to, or, if preferred, the stretchers
may befitted with similar movements between the sides, or a jointed front rail,
or a jointed rail at the centre, or with a straight or shaped top and front rail to
remove at convenience for folding.
To close the chair (see Figures 1 & 2), the fastenings being relieved, raise
the chair from the ground by the front and back, and the parts will close one
upon the other,drawing the whole together, the arms sliding by the chaunels
and the back folding over the cross movement 1, 2, 3, 4, all close and parallel
with A, D, and B, C, and in one piece.
The above-described methodfor regulating the reclining,fixing theposition,
folding the arms, stopping the spread, and fixing the standard supports for the
front of the arm, can be applied to the ordinary folding chairs, chair beds,
couches, &c., and give the article that solidity they now require.
Figure 3, view of my chair folded without the seating, which would roll
round and thereby,cover the frame.
Figure 4, side view upholstered.
Figure 5, side view of my reclining chair bed having leg rest attached..
Figure 6, a view of my ottoman, the frames of which are applicable for tray-
stands, trussels, or tables; the reverse of the seat made ofstrips joined together
to roll, to form table top (see Fig. 11 and 13), or the tops may be seperate
and independant.
"
Figure 7,side view of a chair to pack into the small space of eighteen inches
long by two and a half inches in diameter, the back lowered level with the
seat, having another to match,joined by a catch or hook and eye will give a bed.
Figure 8,side view of my bedstead stopped in that position at all points by
the cross movement stretchers, and at or with the stop joints; both head and
foot fold from inward outward, to rest where stopped. The mattrass has
openings head and foot to slip over the frame, strapped on, buttoned or hooked,
as preferred, the stretcher at head and foot, to remove with the mattress at
pleasure.
Figure 9, side view of my couch bed showing the incline, regulated by an
ordinary rack,or the couch may be provided with a back, after the manner of
the arm of my reclining chair, and so regulate the head of the couch after that
mannerjee

page_text: Figure 10, view of my couch bedstead closed.
Figure 11, side view of the frame of my bedstead, which is convertable into
a table frame. A, B, is attached at B by a pivot and resting on the bearing
at the joint, and the end A resting in a clip bearing at or near that joint also.
The extreme end made to clip the rail at 1, and the other side at 2, which
gives a firm bearing against the stops shown in front of the clips 1 and 2. The
other stops 3 and 4 to give the frame table height. Bolts or screws may be
used with the stretcher to fix to any required height, or any ordinary stops.
Figure 12, view of my table bed and table top, on the reverse.
Figure 13, same as Figure 11, stopped at table height.
Figure 14, the same, showing folding top thereon.
Figure 15, view of my table bed rolled up for stowage or transport. This
bed may be made to fix at table height, stopped in the same manner as
Figure 8, without increasing the length or bulk of the package.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
the mechanical parts or instruments seperately; and the details above
described and the forms of the parts may be varied without departing from
my Invention, so long as the peculiar combination of the mechanical parts be
retained; what I claim is, the mode herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings (to which I have had occasion to refer,) of arranging
and combining mechanical parts in the manufacture of these several folding,
contracting, or concentrating articles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Lawford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY LAWFORD. (L.S.)