IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorenzo Field at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1882.
LORENZO FIELD, of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Cabinet Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS'
"3
My invention has reference to folding chairs having rigid seats and consists in
constructing and arranging the parts of the same in the manner hereinafter
described.
The legs of the chair consist of two pairs, the legs of each pair crossing each
other at or near their middles and being jointed together at the crossing parts.
The back of the chair is jointed to the upper parts of those legs which when the
chair is opened out for use are at the back of the chair. The upper ends of the
two arms of the chair are jointed to the back near its top, the lower ends of
the arms being jointed to the tops of those legs which when the chair is opened
out are at the front of the chair.
The seat of the chair is jointed to the tops of the back legs the front of the seat
resting upon a cross bar. The front of the seat has on its underside, pins or
projections which in the open chair engage under the said cross bar. There is a
similar cross bar at the back of the chair on which the back of the seat rests so
that there is no strain on the joint on which the seat turns. The seat may either
be made of solid wood or laths or be stuffed or made of cane.
When it is wished to close the open chair, the upper ends of the legs are pressed
towards each other. The front of the seat is thereby disengaged from the cross
bar on which it rested. The continuation of the said motion brings the legs
parallel to one another, the back folding flat upon the outer legs. The arms are
also nearly parallel with the back and legs. The seat turning upon its joint lies
flat against the back and the whole occupies but a small space,

page_text: In order to open out the folded chair the legs are opened from the parallel
position until they cross each other at about a right angle.
The front of the seat is made to engage with the cross bar at front in the way
already described whereby the further opening out of the legs is prevented and
the parts are fixed rigidly in their open positions.
The chair is now ready for use.
Although I prefer to joint the seat to the back of the chair yet it may be jointed
to the front with the same effect.
The arms may be dispensed with in which case. the frame of the back of the
chair is made by a continuation of those legs the upper parts of which are at the
hack of the chair

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lorenzo Field in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd January
1888.
"
_LORENZO FIELD of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Cabinet Maker
#IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CHAIRS
"
My invention has reference to folding chairs having rigid seats and consists in
constructing and arranging the parts of the same in the manner hereinafter
described.
'
The legs of the chair consist of two pairs, the legs of each pair crossing each
other at or near their middles and being jointed together at their crossing parts.
The back of the chair is jointed to the upper parts of these legs which, when the
chair is opened out for use, are at the back of the chair: The upper ends of the
two arms of the chair are jointed to the back near its top, the lower ends of
the arms being jointed to the tops of those legs which when the chair is opened
out are at the front of the chair
-The seat of the chair is jointed to the tops of the back legs, the front of the seat
resting upon a cros bar. The front of the seat has on its underside pins,
projections or hooks which in the open chair engage with the said cross bar.
There is a similar cross bar at the back of the chair on which the back of the seat
rests so that there is no strain on the joint on which the seat turns. The seat may
either be made of solid wood or laths or be stuffed or made of cane.
When it is wished to close the open chair, the upper ends of the legs are pressed:
towards each other. The front of the seat is thereby disengaged from the cross bar
on which it rested. The continuation of the said motion brings the legs parallel
to one another, the back folding upon the outer legs. The arms are also nearly
parallel with the back and legs. The seat turning upon its. joint lies flat against
the back and the whole occupies but a small space.
In order to open out the folded chair, the legs are opened from the parallel:
position until they cross each other at about a right angle. The front of the seat
is made to engage with the cross bar at front in the way already. described
whereby the further opening out of the legs is prevented and the parts are fixed
rigidly in their open positions.
The chair is now ready for use.
Although I prefer to joint the seat to the back of the chair yet it may be jointed
to the front with the same effect.
The arms may be dispensed with in which case the frame of the back of the
chair is made by a continuation of those legs, the upper parts of which are at the
back of the chair.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation (partly in section) and Figure 2 in front
elevation, a folding chair open or expanded for use containing my improvements.
and Figure 3-represents a side elevation of the said chair folded or collapsed.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures-1.-2 and 3.
a, a³ and a, a³ are the two pairs of legs of the chair. The legs of each pair cross.
each other at or near their middle and are jointed together where they, cross by.
the joints or pins marked c, o; d is the back of the chair jointed at bottom by the
joint pins dď to near-the tops of the legs a, a² of the two pairs of legs, and
ee are the arms of the chair-jointed at bottom by the joint pins e, to the tops of

page_text: the legs a, a and jointed at top by the joint pins e, e to the back d of the chair;
fis the seat of the chair jointed or pivotted at its back to the tops of the back or
inner legs a³, a³ of the folding pairs of legs. One of the joint pins or pivots of the
seat fis marked g in Figure 1 but the manner in which the said seat is jointed or
pivotted to the inner_legs a³, a is best seen in the seat of the folding chair
represented in plan in Figure 6 and hereinafter described h is a cross bar joining
together the upper ends of the inner legs a², a². Upon this cross bar h the jointed
end of the seat. f bears so that there is no strain on the joint pins on which the,
said seat turns. The front of the seat frests upon and is supported by the cross
bar i joining the upper ends of the front or outer legs a, a; k, k are pins, projections
or hooks situated at the front and underside of the seat ƒ which pins, projections
or hooks when the chair is opened for use engage with or seat themselves against
the said cross bar i as represented in Figures 1 and 2. The seat f may either bo a
cane seat or a solid wooden or unperforated seat, or made of wooden laths, or the
seat may be stuffed and the back d may similarly be made and the arms may be,
provided with stuffed arm rests as in the ordinary easy chair
"In order to close or collapse the open chair Figures 1 and 2, the upper ends of
the front and back legs are pressed together the front cross bar is thereby
withdrawn from the seating pins, projections or hooks k k on the seat and the
said seat released which may now be folded flat against the back d.
As the folding up of the legs is continued the back d and arms e, e are brought
parallel to one another and the back d folded upon the outer legs a, a as shown in
the edge view of the folded or collapsed chair Figure 3.
To open the folded chair Figure 3 the pairs of legs are opened out into the
position Figure 1. As the pairs of legs are opened, the back d and arms e e resume
their normal positions and the seat f being turned down upon the supporting cross
bars hi, the pins, projections or hooks k, k of the said seat are made to engage with
the cross bar i as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The further opening of the legs
is thereby prevented and the parts are fixed rigidly in their open position and the
chair is ready for use.
•
"
Figure 4 represents in side elevation; Figure 5 in front elevation and Figure 6 in
plan another folding chair in its open position containing my improvements and
Figure 7 represents the chair folded up or collapsed.
In this folding chair the jointed back and jointed arms are omitted and the back
of the chair is formed by prolonging upwards at a³, a³ the inner folding legs a³, a³
and providing the prolonged parts with a cross piece a
The other parts of the chair are constructed in the manner described with
respect to the chair Figures 1. 2 and 3 and corresponding parts are marked with
the same letters of reference.
In folding this chair it is only necessary to press. together the upper ends of the
jointed legs a, a³, a a³ to release the seat f when the legs and back may be folded
parallel to one another, together with the seat, the seat turning on its joint pins
or pivots and being situated between the cross bar i and the back a³ as seen in the
folded or collapsed chair Figure 7. The jointed seat in this arrangement may
either be made of cane or strips of wood, or be made solid or be made stuffed.
The seat of the chair Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 may be jointed at the front of the
legs instead of at the back. In this case the seating pins projections or hooks k, k
are situated at the back edge of the seat and engage with the back cross bar.
Instead of using the seating pins, projections or hooks k k for engaging with the
cross bar, the ends of the front bar of the seat itself may be extended and be made,
when the chair is in its open position, to take a bearing against the front and near
the upper ends of the outer legs a, a of the chair. Or the front or back bar of the
jointed seat may be made of such a depth as to engage in front of the cross
supporting bar h or i in which case also the pins, projections or hooks k k may be
dispensed with..
The jointed seat fand the supporting cross bars h, i at the back and front of the
legs may be applied to folding chairs having mechanism for folding and supporting

page_text: the jointed arms constructing according to the invention described in the specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to me, dated November 23rd 1881; No 5121;
or the said jointed seat and supporting cross bars may be applied to other folding
chairs.
When the jointed seat and supporting cross bars are combined with the Patented
mechanism referred to, the seating pins, projections or hooks k, k or the deepened or
extended front bar of the seat are not necessary.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention of
Improvements in folding chairs having rigid seats:—
First The combination of the jointed or pivotted seat f with the back and
front supporting cross bars h, i on the legs of the chair or on the combined legs and
back of the chair, whether the said jointed or pivotted seat and supporting cross
bars be used with the kinds of folding chairs described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, or with other kinds of folding chairs.
Secondly-The combination with the jointed or pivotted seat f and supporting
cross bars h, i of the seating pins, projections or hooks k, ke on the back or front of
the jointed seat for engaging with the back or front supporting bar on the legs of
the chair for the purpose and substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. Also extending the ends of the front bar of the jointed or
pivotted seat f for fixing the seat by the said extended ends engaging with the
front of the upper ends of the outer legs of the chair; or making the front or back
bar of the jointed or pivotted seat of sufficient length to engage in front of the
cross supporting bar of the chair as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Lorenzo Field have hereunto set my hand and
seal this second day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight.
hundred and eighty threa
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT
37 Temple Street
-Birmingham
LORENZO FIELD (L.S.)