AN IMPROVED SKATING CHAIR
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SKATING CHAIR."-A communication from abroad by Frederick Ashley,
of the City of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 30th July 1861, and dated the 23rd March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd March 1861.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street; in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SKATING CHAIR," a communication from abroad by Frederick
Ashley, of the City of New York, in the United States of America, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of chair.
to be pushed along the ice after the manner of a sledge, and consists in con-
structing a chair with a folding frame and flexible back and seat, so that, the
whole may be closed up and made easily portable when being carried, and
may be opened out when required for use. At the bottom of each leg. or

page_text: support is fitted in any convenient manner a runner or skate iron, which
may be made to turn up parallel to the legs of the chair when packed for
transport.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
or 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED. SKATING CHAIR," a communication from abroad by
Frederick Ashley, of the City of New York, in the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of chair

page_text: to be pushed along the ice after the manner of a sledge, and consists in con-
structing a chair with a folding frame and flexible back and seat, so that the
whole may be closed up and made easily portable for being carried, and may
be opened out when required for use. At the bottom of each leg or support
5 is fitted in any convenient manner a runner or skate iron, which may be mado
to turn up parallel to the legs of the chair when packed for transport.
7
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a perspective view
of one form of skating chair constructed according to this Invention, and
expanded in its proper standing position ready for use; and Figure 2
represents the same closed in its portable form.
A, A, are the main side pieces which form the front legs and the supports
for the back; B, B, are the other side pieces, which, by being attached to the
pieces A, A, by bolts C, C, can be turned out to such an angle as to form the
back legs, and also to give a bearing to the arms D, D, which arms by being
properly hinged or secured by bolts E, E, can be brought to fit upon the
tenons F, F, on the cords of the pieces B, B; H, H, H, H, are cross braces
for connecting the sides A, A, and B, B; they are made with hinged joints at
I, I, I, I, so as to admit of the frame being closed laterally, as shewn in
Figure 2; L is the seat, made of webbing or other suitable material attached
to the arms D, D; M.is the back, composed of similar material, and attached
to the sides A, A; S, S, S, S, are the runners or skates, made to move loosely
on the pins which hold them in their places on the lower extremities of the
legs A, A, and B, B, so as to allow of their being turned longitudinally with
the legs when packed up, as. shown in Figure 2, and of having a sufficient
freedom or play when sliding over uneven surfaces on the ice, for which latter
purpose also they are curved or turned up slightly at each end. In closing
the chair when required to be carried any distance, the side pieces B, B, and
the arms D, D, are so turned on their centres or bolts as to bring them
parallel to the sides A, A, which are then closed laterally by folding up the
hinged cross braces H at the points I, until all the parts are brought together,
and so reduced to a convenient and portable size. When required for use
upon the ice, the chair is opened or expanded out, whereupon the flexible seat
and back will become properly adjusted.
Figure 3 represents a slightly modified form of skating chair. It folds up
similar to the first chair, but the upper parts A¹, A¹, of the pieces A, A, are
hinged to those pieces at a, a, and are retained in an easy inclined position
suitable for the back by the leather or other straps D', D', which are capable
of being lengthened or shortened, so as to alter the position of the back by
means of metal loops or buckles, as shewn at d, d. If desired, the straps D'

page_text: .
.may be dispensed with, and a hook, as shewn at e, may be fitted to each of
the pieces A', A', engaging into corresponding eyes on the ends of the
pieces, A, A. A plate is secured on to, the ends of the pieces A,, for the
purpose of strengthening those parts at the hinges a, a. The back M in lieu
of being made of flexible material, as in the first described chair, may be made
moveable, as shewn, being connected to the back and supports A, A, by means
of a stud and slot attachment. The manner, of folding the chair is obvious,
and need not, therefore, be further described. In some cases short runners or
skate irons may be fitted to the bottom of the legs or supports of chairs of the
ordinary construction, but the folding chairs will be found more convenient.
.
I have shewn no Drawing of the application of short runners or skate irons
.to, chairs of the ordinary construction, but the mode of employing them will be
readily understood from the above description.
Having now described, and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured; to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general constructions and arrangements of folding or portable
chairs to be used on the ice; as herein-before described.
Second, the combination of a folding frame with skates or runners, so as to
form a chair or seat to be used on the ice, as herein-before described.
Third, the application, of short runners or skate irons to chairs of the
ordinary construction, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-one.
J. HENKY JOHNSON. (L.S.)