Year: 1895

page_text: I, DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL of 14 Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square,
London, Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has special reference to the seats used on tramcars and omnibusses,
but is applicable to many other purposes.
When seats are used out of doors, considerable discomfort is experienced on
rainy days, the seats getting wet. In the type of seat now usually employed on
tramcars and omnibusses the seat itself remains stationary causing inconvenience
when passengers wish to pass one another.
The object of my invention is to remedy these defects and to construct a seat so
that by one movement of the back the seat may be made to assume a vertical
position, giving space, or turn over, providing a dry side.
To accomplish this I construct the chair or bench of three parts.
1st) a framework or standard, 2nd) a swinging or rocking back, 3rd) a rocking
or turning seat.
These three parts give three points of attachment, and by pivoting two together,
the third being connected by means of lever, slot, cam or such like device, the
object can be attained.
For example:-
If the seat is provided with trunnions resting in bearings in the standards or
framework, it would of itself be free to revolve, and if the arms supporting the back
are pivoted to the base of the standard below the bearings that carry the seat, it
also would be free to rock to and fro. If one edge or corner of the seat be attached
to the arm of the back, the whole would be rigidly fixed; but in lieu of so attaching
it I put fixed pins in the back arms and slots in the seat (or vice versa), then when
the back is drawn forward the seat is lifted until back and seat assume a vertical
position. By continuing the movement the seat is turned right over and the back
reversed. The slots would be provided with suitable recesses to ensure the seat
being locked in either position so that it can only be turned by drawing forward
the back, any person or weight upon the seat would prevent such movement, safely
locking it in position.
It is obvious that the slot can be substituted by cam, levers, racks and pinions
and other devices.
Dated the 22nd day of July 1895.
I DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL of 14 Upper Bedford Place Russell Square
London in the County of Middlesex Merchant 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 has special reference to the seats used on tramcars and omnibusses
but is applicable to many other purposes.

page_text: Figs. 14 and 15 are modifications thereof.
Fig. 16 shows a reversible seat where a link is employed in lieu of a slot shown
all the previous figures.
Fig. 17 illustrates a folding chair with a reversible seat.
Fig. 18 shows a chair or bench with a turning seat and turning back the occupant
always facing the same way.
an
Figs. 19 & 20 are diagrams showing the movement of Fig. 18.
Fig. 21 is a closing seat specially intended for omnibusses.
Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate its movement.
Fig. 24 shows an arm chair specially intended for theatres or such like places,
Fig. 25 illustrates its movement.
When seats are used out of doors considerable discomfort is experienced on rainy
days the seat getting wet.
In the type of seat now usually employed on omnibusses and tramcars, though in
the latter the back is frequently made to move, the seat itself remains stationary,
not only retaining the moisture but also causing inconvenience when passengers
wish to pass one another.
The object of my invention is to remedy these defects and to so construct a seat
that by one movement of the back, or other determined part, the seat may be made
to assume a vertical position, giving space, or by continuing the movement turn
over providing a dry seat.
To accomplish this I construct the chair or bench of three parts. A framework
or standard A, a swinging or rocking back B, a rocking or turning seat C. These
three parts give three points of attachments, and by pivoting two of them together,
the third attachment being by means of a lever, slot, cam or such like device the
desired object can be attained.
For example in Fig. 1 if the seat C is provided with trunnions or pivots F
resting in bearings in the standard or framework, it would of itself, unless restrained,
be free to revolve, and if the side-bars H supporting and forming part of the
back B are attached near to the base of the frame or standard A by the pivot I
it also would be free to rock to and fro. If one edge or corner of the seat be
attached to the bar H of the back B the whole would be rigidly fixed; but in lieu
of so attaching it I put fixed pins K in the side frames of the back (see Figs. 1. 2
3. 18. 19. 20) and slots L in the sides of the seat, then when the back is drawn
forward the seat is lifted until back and seat assume a vertical position, and by
continuing the movement see arrows in Figs. 2 & 3 the seat is turned right over
and the back is reversed.
In order to prevent the seat from tipping should the occupier be sitting too near
the front edge, the end of the slot is provided with recesses M shown more clearly
in Fig. 6 the pin K in the side-frame of the back engages in these recesses M
which effectually lock the seat in position, whilst occupied, though in no way
hindering its movement when the back is drawn forward, and the seat is vacant.
In order to allow the pin K to freely pass the bearing which carries the pivot or
trunnion the radius I-K is made longer than the radius I-F.
Instead of the slots being placed in the seat and the pins in the side frame of

page_text: be back the order may be reverse'l the pins being in the seat and the slots T
ide frames of the back see Fig. 5 or the seat and back may both he pivoted
ogether the slot being in or near the base of the side frame Fig. 7 the details
Or the back and the
of the slot with its recesses M being fully shown in Fig. 8.
seat may be pivoted at 1' and by a slot L in the seat it may slide on the pin K
in the standard see Fig. 4.
The seat and back may also be pivoted together and the base of the side frame
of the back carry the pin K the slot being in the base of the standard as shown
in Fig. 9. For details of the form of slot to be used in this case see Fig. 10.
Or the seat may carry the pins working in slots at the top of the standards as
shown in Figs. 11 & 12.
In the previous figures the seat has the pivot or pin in or at the centre and
therefore the weight of person sitting on the front of the seat would tend to tilt
If however the seat is pivotted or pinned
it hence the necessity of the recesses M.
near its front edge the weight of the occupant or gravity alone will prevent it from
tilting and the recesses M are no longer required, this arrangement is shewn in
Figs. 13. 14. 15.
The part that the slots play in allowing freedom of movement is sufficiently
apparent from the foregoing description and figures. The same result may be
obtained by the employment of a lever or link Opivoted to the standard at I"
shewn in Fig. 16 this link being slightly longer than the distance from pivot I to
pivot F, permits the side frames of the back to be lifted allowing the seat to be.
swung over and turned as indicated by the dotted lines.
Advantage may be taken of the above movement to construct a folding chair as.
illustrated in Fig. 17 wherein the leg P takes the place of the standard and the
side frame of the back prolonged acts as the other leg being pivoted to P at R.
I am aware that a device somewhat similar to this in appearance is already in.
existance, but such chairs are not so arranged that when the seat is folded it can
be opened in either direction, as is possible with Fig. 17 thus providing the change
of seat from wet to dry side when required. By reference to the movements shown
in Figs. 1. 2. 3 it will be seen that they are equally operative for the folding chair-
Fig. 17.
The slot L or link O may be substituted by a cam, rack & pinion or other-
equivalent arrangement but I prefer the devices shown.
In all the previous figures when the seat is turned the occupant would face the
opposite way, with fixed seats this may at times be a disadvantage. In Fig. 18.
therefore is shewn a modification which secures the chair or bench always facing
the same way. The standard A the seat C the pivot I the pin K and the slot L.
are the same as in Fig. 1 the side frame H however is articulated at K the upper
O part being attached to a bracket T extending from the back B which is centrally
pivoted to an extension of the standard at N. The operation is fully shewn by the
diagrams Figs. 19 and 20.
Ön omnibusses and tramcars it would be a great convenience to passengers if the
seats could be readily made to fold and thus allow more space for passing, and be
15 more effectually protected from rain, than is possible with the type of seat now
generally in use. I accomplish this by slightly varying the relative positions and.
proportions of the standard, seat and back, as shewn in Fig. 21. The movement is.
graphically shewn in Figs. 22--23. It will be seen that the back moves forward
folding against the seat which lifts to meet it, the standard remaining stationary.
30
This order is reversed for chairs specially intended for theatres or other places
of public resort, as shewn in Fig. 24, where the back is a continuation of the
standard A and the side frames H are extended forming arms S. For freedom in
movement the slot L is here made of curved form, the seat C can be made to close
automatically by the position of the pivot I on the standard A or if required by
55 the addition of weight.
Fig. 25 shews the seat when closed.

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
1. Seats constructed substantially as herein illustrated and described.
2. Seats constructed of three fundamental parts coupled substantially as herein
described so that the seats may be reversed.
3. In reversing seats the recesses M in the slots L as and for the purpose
described.
•
4. Folding seats substantially as shewn in Figs. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.