IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING SEATS, FORMS, AND TABLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE.”
Year: 1880

page_text: ĻETTERS PATENT to Henry Kinsey, of the Town of Swansea, in the County
of Glamorgan, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FOLDING SEATS, FORMS, AND TABLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE.”
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Kinsey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1880.
HENRY KINSEY, of the Town of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING SEATS, FORMS, AND TABLES,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ΤΟ OTHER ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE."
The object of this Invention is to construct folding seats, forms, tables, and other
articles of furniture in such manner that they may be readily folded into a small
space when not required for use.
In applying this Invention to seats or forms having a "back" rail I make the seat,
legs, and "back" rail in separate parts, and secure the legs to the seat by hinges
in such a manner as will allow them to be folded to the underside of the seat when
required, and also of their being secured in a vertical position (or any other desired
angle) with the seat. I affix on each of the legs at the back of the seat a support
(preferably of iron) which is continued up to and carries the "back" rail; these
supports may either be hollow at their upper end to receive each a dowel pin,
which is affixed to the "back" rail, or the "back" rail may be affixed to the supports
by any other means which will secure the legs perfectly rigid, and enable them to
be readily fixed when the seat is required for use, or detached for folding. In some
cases I secure the legs in their required position for use by other means, as follows,
viz. -I affix to the legs at each end of the seat or form a stay carried at one end of
such stay by a hinge joint; the opposite end will (on the legs being brought to their
proper position) fall into a recess provided for that purpose underneath the
seat, where it may be secured by an automatic or other fastening; instead of the
aforesaid stay being hinged to the leg it may be hinged to the seat, and fall into a
7

page_text: ..
suitable recess in the leg or legs. When using the above stays the "back" rail
may be dispensed with if desired. When making folding seats with a "back" rail
which is reversible, in order to allow the persons using it to face either way, I place
the legs at the ends of the seats, and pivot the iron supports for "back" rail in
a pivot or swivel joint placed as low as convenient, and in the centre of the legs at
each end of the seat, such pivot having a hole or slot through it at right angles to
its axis for the purpose of allowing the "back" rail support to slide through it
when it is required to fold the seat or to open it for use; the support may be
secured in the slot of the pivot by a screw or otherwise. When applying this
Invention to folding tables I make the top of a suitable shape, and affix the legs
by hinges underneath in such a way as to allow their folding flat to the underside
of the said table; for the purpose of holding the legs in their required position
when the table is being used provide one or two double stays, which I carry
underneath the table top by hinges placed at right angles to the leg supporting
hinges, in such a way that they are easily attached to the legs, and retain them in
place when the table is in use, and will be flat with the legs when they are folded;
or the legs when fixed as above may be held firmly in position while in use by a
suitably shaped rail of wood or metal, connected with the legs and secured thereto
by screws and pins easily affixed for use or detachable for folding; or instead of the
double stays mentioned above I, in some cases, affix a single stay between each pair
of legs by hinges; or, in other cases I affix a single stay to each leg all by hinge
or pivot joints, so arranged as to allow of their being readily affixed or detached
from the legs or table top, as the case may be, to allow of their being easily folded
or fixed for use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Henry Kinsey in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th March 1881.
HENRY KINSEY, of the Town of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan,
Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING SEATS, FORMS, AND TABLES,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE."
The object of this Invention is to construct folding seats, forms, tables, and other
articles of furniture in such a manner that they may be readily folded in a sinall
space when not required for use. In applying this Invention to seats or forms
having a back rail I make the seat, legs, and "back" rail in separate parts, and
secure the legs to the seat by hinges in such a manner as will allow them to be
folded to the underside of the seat when required, and also of their being secured
I affix on each of
in a vertical position (or any other desired angle) with the seat.
the legs at the back of the seat a support (preferably of iron) which is continued up
to and carries the "back" rail; these supports may either be hollow at their upper
end to receive each a dowel pin, which is affixed to the "back" rail, or the "back"
rail may be affixed to the supports by any other means which will secure the legs
perfectly rigid and enable them to be readily fixed when the seat is required for use
or detached for folding. In some cases I secure the legs in their required position
for use by other means, as follows, viz. :-I affix to the legs at each end of the seat
or form a stay, carried at one end of such stay by a hinge joint; the opposite end
will (on the legs being brought to their proper position) fall into a recess provided
for that purpose underneath the seat, where it may be secured by an automatic or
other fastening; instead of the aforesaid stay being hinged to the leg it may be
hinged to the seat, and fall into a suitable recess in the leg or legs. When using
the above stays the "back" rail may be dispensed with if desired.
When making folding seats with a back rail which is reversible, in order to
enable the person using it to face either way, I place the legs at the ends of the
seats, and pivot the iron supports for "back" rail in a pivot or swivel joint placed
as low as convenient, and in the centre of the legs at each end of the seat, such
pivot having a hole or slot through it at right angles to its axis for the purpose of
allowing the "back" rail support to slide through it when it is required to fold the
seat or to open it for use; the support may be secured in the slot of the pivot by
a screw or otherwise.
When applying the Invention to folding tables I make the top of a suitable
shape, and affix the legs by hinges underneath in such a way as to allow of their
folding flat to the underside of the said table; for the purpose of holding the legs
in the required position when the table is being used I provide one or two double
stays, which I carry underneath the table top by hinges placed at right angles to
the leg supporting hinges, in such a way that they are easily attached to the legs,
and retain them in place when the table is in use, and will be flat with the legs
when they are folded; or the legs when fixed as above may be held firmly in
position while in use by a suitably shaped rail of wood or metal connected with
the legs, and secured thereto by screws and pins easily affixed for use or detachable
for folding; or instead of the double stays mentioned above I, in some cases, affix
a single stay between each pair of legs by hinges; or, in other cases, I affix a single
stay to each leg all by hinges or pivot joints, so arranged as to allow of their being
readily affixed or detached from the legs or table top, as the case may be, to allow
of their being folded or fixed for use.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a front view of the seat or bench when open; Fig. 2 is an end view
and Fig. 3 a back view of a portion of the seat; Fig. 4 is a view of the underside
of the seat when folded.
Fig. 5 is a front view of a seat having legs and arms fixed at the ends of the
seats; Fig. 6, an end view; Fig. 7, view of a portion of the seat, looking at the
back; Fig. 8 shews the same when folded.
Letters A in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, represent the seat; letters B, the legs or
supports hinged to the underside of seat at C, C; D, D, shew tubular supports
attached to the legs at E, and strengthened by straps F, F; these tubular supports
carry the back rail G, which is held in its place by two dowel pins (shewn on a
larger scale with a portion of the rail at Fig. 12); the said dowels are preferably
secured to the rail, and are of a suitable size to slide into the upper end of the
tubular supports D after the legs are moved to their required position. The rigidity
of the seat is further secured when open by resting against the blocks, one of
which is shewn in dotted lines at H', Fig. 1. When the seat is folded the
dowels D¹ enter holes in the back edge of the seat, and the back rail is thus secured
by small dowels D2 and thumb buttons D³. In Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, the legs, which may
be so shaped as to be continued up to the back rail and carried along so as to form
arm rests, have small tubular pieces fitted at their upper end at B2 to receive the
dowels or other attachments to secure the back rail, which also holds the seat rigid
for use, the said legs, combined rail, support, and arms being carried and secured to
the under side of the seat by radial hinges, shewn at C¹ on Figs. 6, 7, 8; when the
legs are folded, as shewn in Fig. 8, they are held in position by buttress D³.
Figs. 9, 10, 11 are views of a couch made according to this Invention. Fig. 9
is a front view; Fig. 10, an end view partly in section on the line A, B, of Fig. 9.
A is the seat or bed of the couch, a portion of which is shewn raised to a suitable
position for supporting the body when reclining in such position as at A¹, and is
pivotted to the main body, as shewn by dotted lines A². The raised portion is
held in its position by the back rail B by a pivot at B'; the said back rail is
carried by the tubular supports D which are secured to the legs C, the said legs C
being pivotted to the frame of the couch; the aforesaid back rail has dowels attached
in the same manner as the seats in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; the said dowels
entering the upper end of the tubular supports hold the couch rigidly when open
for use, but in some cases I affix by a hinge joint to the under side of the seat in
such a manner as to assist in securing the legs in their places.
Fig. 13 is a side view of a bedstead or table made according to this Invention.
A is the bed platform; B, the uprights or supports. The side rail of the platform
is supported on the legs B', and is further attached by radial hinges D, which are
secured to but free to move on pivots at E, the whole being held rigidly by the
upper hinged radius rods C, which are pivotted at C to the uprights, the other end
of the said hinged radius rods being slotted so as to allow of their booking on to a
pin at E; the rod C is on the outside, and the radial hinges D are on the inside of
the leg or support and the bar of the platform.
Fig. 14 shews one arrangement of a seat without a back rail; Fig. 15 is another
view of the same, partly in section, and Fig. 16 an end view. A, A, A, represent
the seat; B, the legs or supports secured to the seat by hinges at D; E are moveable
or hinged stays, one end of which is secured to the seat at F, the other falling into
an open catch plate at E¹, holding the seat rigidly when required for use. The
thrust blocks G, Fig. 19, shews a modification which may be used instead of the

page_text: stay shewn at H, and
Fig. 20 is an end view
falling hinged stays E. I sometimes provide the hinged
sometimes an extra stay to take the thrust, as shewn at H.
of Fig. 19; Fig. 17 shews the same seat when folded. A modification of this
mode of forming the seat is adapted for a table.
Fig. 18 shews an arrangement of seat with reversible back rail, to enable a
person to sit or face either way. A is the seat; B, the legs or support secured to
the seat by a hinge at A¹; C, the back rail carried by the tubular support D which
receives at its upper end the pivot which is fixed in the back rail C, the lower end
of the tubular support frame through the swivel joint E, in which it is secured by
the set screw E. By this means the back rail may be placed at any height, or
lowered so as not to project beyond the seat when the legs are folded.
Fig. 19a is a modification of the same as respects the hinge and back rail
support. A is the seat; B, the leg secured to the seat by the radial hinge B¹; D is
the back rail support which is pivotted to the leg at C.
Fig. 20 is a sectional view across a folding table made in accordance with iny
Invention. A is the table top; B, B, side rails; B', Fig. 21, end rail; C, legs
which are hinged to the top at D; D¹, cross timber to connect and secure together
the two legs; E, E, catch or stay secured to end rail B at B"; C, falling catch
pivotted to the cross piece at E"; when the falling catch is raised the legs can be
folded.
Fig. 22 represents a table top A. B, legs pivotted by a cross bar joining the
four legs at B. The legs are secured to the table top by radial hinges at C; the
top and legs are held secure for use by the small flat dowels entering recesses
underneath the table top at D.
A is the seat;
A modification of the arrangement shewn in Fig. 22 forms a chair.
Fig. 23 shews a folding chair made according to this Invention.
B, B, B, legs, two of which are carried up to support the back. The legs are
secured by a pivot joint to the seat at B₁, and by the dowel pin at C₁, which
dowel pin may be secured either to the seat or to the upper end of the legs, but
must be free on the other so as to allow the seat to be raised for the purpose of
folding the legs at the two sides of the chair, and are further secured by cross stays
at D.
Fig. 24 is a side view of a modification of Fig. 23. A, A, the seat; B, B, the
legs, which are carried up to support the back and arms; they are secured to
the seat at C. The seat is held in position by two falling stays A¹, which are
hinged underneath the seat at A¹¹. E is a support to prevent the legs moving
asunder. Fig. 25 shews front view of the same chair open, and Fig. 26 shews the
chair folded.
Fig. 27 represents an addition which may be made to any of the foregoing
arrangements of seats and forms. It consists of a metallic support fitting into a
socket at its lower end, the upper end supporting a table or desk, as shewn in the
Figure. The upper socket is attached to the table in such a manner that the table
may be placed at any convenient angle or slope by means of the set screw shewn
at z, in Fig. 27. The lower side of this table has a moveable ledge fitted thereto
by two pins or dowels, and by an india rubber ring at each end surrounding pins
in the ledge and desk, as shewn at y.
Having thus particularly ascertained and described the nature and object of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect,
I declare that what I claim and desire to be secured to me is,―
1. The respective general arrangements and combinations together respectively
forming my improvements in folding seats, forms, and tables, substantially as
herein before described and shewn on the Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
2. The adaptation and application of my said improvements, as shewn on

page_text: Drawings, to articles of furniture generally, substantially as herein before described,
or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Kinsey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY KINSEY. (L.S.)