IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Burke, of Liverpool, in the County of.
Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING
CHAIRS."
Sealed the 22nd December 1868, and dated the 26th June 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Burke, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the"
26th June 1868.
I, MICHAEL BURKE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS," to be as follows:-
The object of the first part of my Invention is to furnish chairs con-
structed with ordinary or convenient diagonal cross legs and flexible or
other seats with folding backs, each such back being free to be moved so.
as to serve at pleasure as a back rest on either of two sides of the seat.
For this purpose I make the said folding back of two side frame.
pieces and a transverse rail, and connect the former by pin or other:
joints to the two outer diagonal cross legs at points below the centres.
which connect the cross legs. The said folding back is made long,

page_text: enough to rise above the seat any desired distance, and it can as afore-
said be moved from one side to the other at will, stops on the sides of
the cross rails being provided to prevent it folding over too far and to
serve as a support. This chair is specially suitable for use on board
ship; it is also serviceable for general use.
The second part of my Invention relates to that class of folding chair
constructed with diagonal cross legs, a seat hinged to the back rail, and a
downwards and forwards folding back, and consists, as means for sup-
porting the back frame, and consequently strengthening the chair as a
whole, of a transverse stop piece affixed to the two back legs on or near
the top thereof at a point above the joints which connect the back
to the legs.
Chairs of this construction fold up in very small space
and by being strengthened as described are rendered serviceable and
durable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Michael Burke in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
BURKE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Michael Burke, Her special license that I,
the said Michael Burke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Michael Burke, 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," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Burke, my ex-
ecutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain

page_text: the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Burke, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
illustrative Drawings and to the figures and letters thereon, that is to
say-
The object of the first part of my Invention is to furnish chairs
constructed with ordinary or convenient diagonal cross legs and flexible
or other seats with folding backs, each such back being free to be moved
so as to serve at pleasure as a back rest on either of two sides of the seat.
For this purpose I make the said folding back of two side frame pieces
and a transverse rail, and connect the former by pin or other joints to
the two outer diagonal cross legs at points below the centres which
connect the cross legs. The said folding back is made long enough to
rise above the seat any desired distance, and it can as aforesaid be moved
from one side to the other at will, stops on the sides of the cross rails
being provided to prevent it folding over too far and to serve as a sup-
port. This chair is specially suitable for use on board ship; it is also
serviceable for general use.
The second part of my Invention relates to that class of folding chair
constructed with diagonal cross legs, a seat hinged to the back rail,
and a downwards and forwards folding back, and consists as means for
supporting the back frame, and consequently strengthening the chair
as a whole, of a transverse stop piece affixed to the two back legs or
near the top thereof at a point above the joints which connect the back
to the legs. Chairs of this construction fold up in very small space
and by being strengthened as described are rendered serviceable and
durable.
On the appended Sheet of Drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective
views of a chair constructed according to the first part of my Invention;
the former shows the chair open for use and the latter closed for stowing
away.
A are the jointed cross legs; B, flexible seat; C, folding back formed
of the side frame pieces c and transverse rail o'; the said side frame

page_text: pieces c are jointed to the cross legs A at ; D, stops to support C; the
dotted lines shew the position c occupies when folded to the other
side. In folding this chair there is movement on the joints of the cross
legs and at c².
The remaining views on the Drawings shew modifications of chairs
constructed according to the second part of my Invention.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a chair open, and Fig. 4 a like view of
the same chair closed.
a are the cross legs; b, seat hinged to the back cross rail c and formed
with hook or other catches to pass over the front cross rail d; e, the
back connected by joints at f to the cross legs a.
The ends of the
support the back
back cross rail c extend outwards at g so as to
in the position shewn. To fold this chair the cross legs are brought
parallel to each other, then the seat folded down on its hinge and the
back on f
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the chair shewn by Figs. 3 and 4
provided with arms h, jointed to the back at i, to the seat at j, and
together at k. The other parts are marked with the same letters as in
Figs. 3 and 4.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent a folding rocking chair; this consists of the
chair illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6, the same parts being marked with like
Figures fitted with the rockers jointed to the cross legs at m.
folded the arms are outside the seat and legs.
When
In Figs. 9 and 10 a suspensory folding rocking chair is delineated.
a', diagonal cross legs jointed at 6'; c', back supported by the extended
ends d² of the cross rail d'; e', jointed arms; f¹ side or seat rails jointed.
to a' at g', and formed with hook or other catches to pass over or into
the front cross rail h' or side or seat rails f¹; ", rockers preferably made
of angle iron fitted on the under side with wood or other suitable material
or of angle iron rounded on its bearing surface. The said rockers are
jointed to the legs a¹ at j', and are formed with recesses or stops at k¹.
to prevent the back legs from moving too far out; F, flexible suspensory
seat.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and par-
ticularized the same by various modifications, I would have it understood.
that I do not confine myself to any particular outline or class of chair so
long as the leading features of my improvements are retained, for instance,

page_text: the flexible suspensory seat could be dispensed with and a cane or other
seat and back fitted in its place, neither do I confine myself to making
chairs of any particular material or combination of materials. What I
claim is, -
First. Constructing folding chairs with movable backs, substantially
as herein described under the first part of my Invention, and delineated
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings by Figs. 1 and 2.
And, second. Constructing folding chairs with transverse stop pieces,
substantially as herein described under the second part of my Invention
and delineated on the Drawings by Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Burke, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
15 Witness,
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
MICHAEL BURKE. (L.S.)