AN IMPROVED SEAT TO BE USED TO SAVE PERSONS FROM DROWNING, FOR USE ON BOARD STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Greenwood, of 55, Holborn Viaduct, and Edward
Groom, of 200, Great Portland St., both in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED SEAT TO BE USED TO SAVE PERSONS FROM
DROWNING, FOR USE ON BOARD STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS."
Sealed the 14th March 1879, and dated the 6th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Greenwood and
Edward Groom at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th
November 1878.
THOMAS GREENWOOD, of 55, Holborn Viaduct, and EDWARD GROOM, of 200, Great
Portland St., both in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED SEAT TO BE USED
TO SAVE PERSONS FROM DROWNING, FOR USE ON BOARD STEAM AND SAILING
VESSELS."
I
Our Invention has for its object the saving of life from drowning by the use of a
hollow air tight seat in one or more compartments, of sufficient capacity to support
one or more persons in the water.
For this purpose we make a folding seat of wood, metal, or other material, to be
used either as a flat seat and placed on the ordinary deck seats, or it can be used as
an ordinary camp stool.
In order that our Invention may be more clearly understood we will now procced
to describe our Invention more fully by the aid of the accompanying Drawings."
.
A; A, form the air tight chambers of wood, metal, or other material.
B, B, is a wooden box containing air tight chambers A, A, and forming the support
or inner legs of the seat.
B*, is a cross bar dividing B and forming it into two chambers.
C, C, is a wooden frame forming the outer legs.
C, screws passing through C into bar B*, and forming the pivots on which the
legs work.
D; wood frame forming back rest or lounge.
D*, screws running through D into C, and forming pivots on which the back
rest works.
1
E, E, rope handles fixed to D or C, as shewn.
F, crimson carpet or other material forming seat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said Thomas Greenwood and Edward Groom in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th May 1879.
THOMAS GREENWOOD, of 55, Holborn Viaduct, and EDWARD GROOM, of 200, Great
Portland Street, both in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED SEAT TO BE
USED TO SAVE PERSONS FROM DROWNING, FOR USE ON BOARD STEAM AND
SAILING VESSELS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in deck and other seats which
may be used when required for life saving, the seats being so designed and arranged
as to afford greatly increased facilities for folding or packing and carrying the saine,
and they are also rendered more readily available in cases of accidents to vessels or
otherwise, for affording a ready and efficient means for saving life from drowning,
and the Invention consists in the construction of a folding or closing seat with legs,
and with or without a back rail, rest, or lounge, provided with handles of rope, and
webbing or other material attached, as hereinafter described. The improved seat is
constructed of a square or oblong box of wood or other suitable material with a
partition in the centre and forming two chambers, each rendered air tight by means
of a lining made of metal or other suitable material, such box forming the inner
legs of the seat; the said air tight chambers give 'the box sufficient buoyancy for
sustaining two or more persons in the water; the partition dividing the box consists
of a strong cross bar of wood or other suitable material serving to strengthen it,
and to form a centre to which the outer legs are pivotted. The said outer legs
consist of a frame of wood or other suitable material, large enough to enclose the
oblong box, sufficient space being left between them to allow of the free motion of
the box or inner legs within the said frame or outer legs, which is or are screwed or
pivotted outside the oblong box to the cross bar or partition. To one end of the
oblong box is fastened one end of a piece of carpet, webbing, or other suitable
inaterial, the other end being fastened to the corresponding end of the outer frame,
thus forming a comfortable seat when opened out; the carpet, webbing, or other
suitable material is of such a width that it will fold casily within the outer frame
so as to allow of the seat being closed up and opened out readily. If a back rest
or lounge be required we provide a frame of wood or other suitable material large
enough to enclose the outer legs, but with a broad cross piece at the top fastened
to the outer edges of the frame; this back rest or lounge pivotted to the outer
legs, so that when opened any extra, strain is supported by the hereinbefore
described oblong box, and when closed the parts fold together into a compact form.
The rope handles are fastened by means of rings, or otherwise to the outside of the
outer legs, or when a back rest or lounge is used to the outside thereof, so that such
handles are available for carrying the seat and for supporting a person or persons
in the water.
But to make our Invention better understood we will proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a section
shewing the improved seat closed ready for carrying, or for immersion in the water;
Figure 2 is a perspective view shewing the seat open for use as a deck seat with back
rest or lounge; Figure 3 is a perspective view shewing the seat open for use as a
deck seat without back rest or lounge. Similar letters in all the Figures represent
similar parts.
A, A, are the air tight chambers of metal or other suitable material; B is the
wooden box enclosing the chambers A, A, and forming the inner legs of the seat;
F is the cross bar dividing the box B, and forming it into two chambers; C is the
wood frame forming the outer legs; S are the screws passing through the frame C
into the cross bar F, and forming the pivots on which the legs work; D is the wood
frame formning the back rest or lounge; K, K, are screws passing through the frame D
into the frame C, and forming pivots on which the back rest D works; M is a piece of

page_text: carpet or other suitable material forming the seat; E, E, are the rope handles fixed
to the frame D, as shewn. Any suitable fastening may be provided to hold the parts
in their closed position.
It will be understood that a folding seat of this construction may, when opened
out as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, be used in place of the ordinary camp stool or as
an ordinary deck seat; and when folded or closed up, as shewn in Figure 1, such
seats may be used as the ordinary seats round the bulwarks of the vessel. The
improved seats are light, strong, and portable, and may be packed in a small space.
Should an accident happen to the vessel each seat from its buoyancy
would be sufficient to support two or more persons in the water; such persons
holding on to the rope handles, and in the event of a person falling overboard one
or nore of the seats could be thrown into the water without requiring
any preparation and more readily than the usual life belt, and as the
chambers are independent of the other parts of the seat, the box would retain its
buoyancy even if other parts of the seat were broken or damaged by accident or
otherwise.
air
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we wish it to be understood we do not confine ourselves to the
precise details herein laid down and shewn in the accompanying Drawing, as the
same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention,
but that what we do claim is :-
Firstly. The construction and employment of the improved folding seat for use
on board ship, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. Forming folding seats for use on board ship with permanent independent
air-tight chambers whereby such seats are rendered buoyant and capable of supporting
persons in the water, thereby forming life saving apparatus, as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Greenwood, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Groom, have hereto set my hand and seal,
this Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.
THO³. GREENWOOD. (L.S.)