Improvements in Reversible Seats.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reversible Seats.
DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL of 14 Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square, London,
in the county of Middlesex Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The invention has reference to certain developements of the invention for which
letters patent were granted to D. E. Hipwell under date July 22nd 1895 No. 13926
and to certain variations, combinations, and simplifications of the "three funda-
mental parts" in seats constructed under the same, some of which might possibly
be thought to be insufficiently indicated or set forth therein. As pointed out in
the figures 24 & 25 of that patent, in certain cases the "rocking back" (line 14
provisional specification) is modified into arms and the "Standard" (loco cit) is
continued to form the actual back of the chair. In certain cases where it is
desirable for the back to be rigid, and for the occupant always to face the same
way (as on a bus) by suitably combining the action of any of the seats shewn in
Figs 1 to 12 with the back shewn in Figs 24 & 25, the "rocking back" becoming
a mere lever or levers to reverse the turning seat", the seat bottom can be
reversed when desired. The back may be made of open wire work suitably curved,
or the like, so as to prevent the wet from lodging, and to make the back springy.
A short post or like device may be added to the back to give passengers getting
on or off the bus a better hold, and this may be made to lower when needed to
allow the vehicle to pass under a low archway. Again by substituting for the
prolongation of the standard an ordinary senarate rocking back (which may also
be of open wire work as above) the seat bottom may be reversed to provide a dry
seat, and at the same time the occupant can face in whichever direction is desired.
In this case any of the actions will serve from Figs 1 to 16. Again it is not
necessary for the "third point of attachment" (line 17 provisional specification)
to be actually connected. If for example the standard be made flat on the top
and as deep from front to back as the seat, the seat can lie on it, and being
attached by two corresponding corners to the levers substituting the rocking back,
if the opposite side of the seat be lifted up and the attached side pushed back,
or pulled forward as the case may be, the seat will be reversed. Or the mocking
back may be substituted by a horizontal slot on each side in the top of the standard,
pins being fixed in corresponding corners of the seat to work in these slots, and
the "third point of attachment" becoming pins in the other corners of the seat
and lodging on the flat top of the standard, the reversal may be effected as in
the last named instance.
Fixed open work arms attached to the standard will convert the seat into an arm
chair or seat, and at the same time will make the seat drop into its proper position
in either direction.
In seats constructed under the methods as shewn in Figs 1, 2, 3, 5, 14 & 17.
in which the relative positions of the back of the seat bottom, and the arms sup-
porting the back vary in turning the seat over, necessitating leaving the back open

page_text: in order to effect the reversal, the open space may be filled in with a flexible
material, or the like, joined at its upper edge to the under side of the actual
back, and at its lower edge to the back of the seat bottom. This will be useful
to prevent theft on tramcars, and the like.
Chairs (as illustrated in Fig 17) by having the pivot F placed near the front
edge and so coming under the system illustrated in Fig 14, may have the slot L
substituted by a ring or the like pivoted on to the seat and sliding up and down
the arms supporting the back. This is one particularly useful variant of the
method of construction, it will also be seen that it is applicable to other of the
actions described in the patent.
Footrests may also be added to any of the seats and these may be made of open
work and/or may be reversible. They may be attached in a suitable manner to
the action of the chair so that in reversing the seat the foot rest or rests may
also be partially or completely reversed; or they may be made to reverse separately
and by any of the actions applicable to the seats, or as may otherwise be found
convenient.
Again: It is clear that the reversal of the seat in many of the chairs may take
place not from front to back but from side to. side. For example as in those
indicated in the first part of this specification, the pivots and slots being in the
back and front of the seat and standards instead of in their sides and the lever
substituting the "rocking back" being also attached across their back or front
the reversal can be equally well effected.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896.
DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL.
I, DANIEL EDWARD HIPWELL, of 14 Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square, London,
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:-
The invention has reference to certain developments of the invention for which
letters patent were granted to me under date July 22nd 1895, No. 13926 and to
certain variations, combinations, and simplifications of the three fundamental
parts" in seats constructed under the same, some of which might possibly be
thought to be insufficiently indicated or set forth therein. As pointed out in the
figures 24 and 25 of that patent, in certain cases the "rocking back" is modified
into arms and the "standard" is continued to form the actual back of the chair.
In certain cases where it is desirable for the back to be rigid and for the occupant
always to face the same way (as on an omnibus) by suitably combining the action
of any of the seats shewn in Figs. 1 to 12 with the back shewn in Figs. 24 and 25,
the rocking back" becoming a mere lever or levers to reverse the "turning
seat", the seat bottom can be reversed when desired. The back may be made of
open wire work suitably curved, or the like, so as to prevent the wet from lodging,
and to make the back springy. A short post or like device may be added to the
back to give passengers getting on or off the omnibus a better hold, and this
may be made to lower when needed to allow the vehicle to pass under a low arch-
way. Again by substituting for the prolongation of the standard an ordinary
separate rocking back (which may also be of open wire work as above) the seat
bottom may be reversed to provide a dry seat, and at the same time the occupant
can face in whichever direction is desired. In this case any of the actions will

page_text: serve from Figs. 1 to 16. Again it is not necessary for the "third point of attach-
ment" to he actually connected. If for example the standard be made flat on the
top and as deep from front to back as the seat, the seat can lie on it, and being
attached by two corresponding corners to the levers substituting the rocking back,
if the opposite side of the seat be lifted up and the attached side pushed back or
pulled forward as the case may be, the seat will be reversed. Or the "rocking
back" may be substituted by a horizontal slot on each side in the top of the
standard, pins being fixed in corresponding corners of the seat to work in these
slots, and the "third point of attachment" becoming pins in the other corners of
the seat and lodging on the flat top of the standard, the reversal may be effected
as in the last named instance. Fixed open work arms attached to the standard
will convert the seat into an arm chair or seat, and at the same time will make
the seat drop into its proper position in either direction..
In seats constructed under the methods as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 14, & 17,
in which the relative positions of the back of the seat bottom, and the arms sup-
porting the hack vary in turning the seat over necessitating leaving the back open
in order to effect the reversal, the open space may be filled in with a flexible
material, or the like, joined at its upper edge to the under side of the actual
back and at its lower edge to the back of the seat bottom. This will be useful
to prevent theft on tramcars, and the like.
Chairs (as illustrated in Fig. 17) by having the pivot F placed near the front
edge and so coming under the system illustrated in Fig 14, may have the slot L
substituted by a ring, or the like, pivoted on to the seat and sliding up and down
the arms supporting the back. This is one particularly useful variant of the
method of construction, it will be also seen that it is applicable to other of the
actions described in the patent.
Footrests may also be added to any of the seats as for example in the manner
shown in Figs. 15 and 16. and these may be made of open work or may be
reversible.
I do not confine my Invention to the reversal from front to back, as it may
sometimes be convenient to effect the reversal sideways.
In order that this invention may be readily understood, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents the end elevation of a reversible seat or bench with fixed back.
Fig. 2 shews the movements of the several parts of same.
Fig. 3 is a modification of Fig. 1 with a separate rocking back.
Fig. 4 is a sectional front view of Fig. 3 showing how the rocking back allows
for the reversing action of the seat.
Fig. 5 is a simpler modification of the reversible seat with fixed back.
Fig. 6 shews its movement.
Fig. 7 shews a bench reversing both back and seat always facing the same way.
Figs. 8 and 9 show more clearly the method of connecting the right and left
ends respectively of the back and seat.
Fig. 10 shews a side view of the method of reversal, on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 11 shews an end view of the same.
Fig. 12 is a reversible seat with fixed back being a modification of Fig. 7.
Fig. 13 shews its movement.
Fig. 14 shews on an enlarged scale, an end. view of the same.
Fig. 15 shews a yet further modification of the reversible seat with fixed back.
Fig. 16 shews the movement of same.
Fig. 17 is a folding chair reversing the seat only.
Fig. 18 shews its movement.
Fig. 19 is a reversible seat shewing the back filled up with flexible material to
prevent theft.
Fig. 20 shews the movement of same.
Fig. 21 is a folding chair reversing both back and seat.
Fig. 22 shews its movement.

page_text: U
Fig. 23 shews some details of the construction of Fig. 21 on an enlarged scale.
In Figs. 1 and 2 A is a standard or support extending upwards into a fixed
back S. C is a reversing seat pivoted to A at F. H is a lever pivoted to A at I
and having attached to it a pin K which works along a slot L'in one end of C.
A guard prevents the pin from slipping out of the slot. A recess M in the end
of the slot L locks the seat while occupied: but when it is vacant, by pulling
over the lever H as indicated in Fig. 2 the seat first becomes vertical and then
completely reverses, the pin K at the end of the movement again engaging in
the recess M. This is a seat specially adapted for the tops of omnibuses, and V
is a short post attached to the top of the hack to give passengers a better hand-
hold whilst moving about. As some omnibuses have to pass under low archways
the post may be made to lower, as for instance shewn in Fig. 2 where it is pivoted
at its lower end to the back S, and a loose ring W used to slide over it and the
top of S to hold it firmly up when required. The back may also be filled in,
instead of the usual wood, by a panel of strong wire netting or the like. By
rolling this over as shewn at Y great strength can be obtained as well as a com-
fortable springiness.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the fixed back S is substituted by the ordinary rocking back Z
as at present in use on many tramcars. There is a further guard U¹ to keep the
hack in position. This seat is specially adapated for tramcars as it can be made
to face either way at will and yet a dry seat always obtained. Only one lever,
pin and slot need be used in the foregoing cases, but should it ever be found
desirable to use two then the pivot I at each end must be rigidly attached to the
lever H and the two pivots connected by a rigid rod so that by moving one lever
both are actuated.
In Figs. 5 and 6 the lever His pivoted to the seats C at I and the pin K ist
nof attached to the support A but is allowed to lie freely upon its upper surface
as shewn in Fig. 5. By lifting up the back of the seat C and drawing it forward
at the same time the reversal is effected, K once more dropping on the upper
surface of the support A, but now at the front instead of at the back. The arm 1
keeps the seat from falling out of position. In this seat there will be a lever and
a pin at each end.
In Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are shown examples of the method indicated in my
Provisional specification wherein I state it is not necessary for the "third point of
attachment" to he actually connected. The said Figs. are, indeed, a modification.
of the principles set forth in my former specification No. 13920 and therein.
illustrated by Figs. 18, 19, and 20. The back B is pivoted centrally to a pro-
longation of the support A at N. A bracket T projects from the centre of one
end of the back and a similar bracket T from the centre of the other end of the
These brackets are parallel to the seat and hack respectively. The back
and. seat are 'connected by two bent levers or connecting rods 5 and 51 (substitut-
ing the lever H in Fig. 5) which are pivoted to them at 1, 1, 14, 15. The dis-
tances 1, 13, 14, 15 N being all equal, and consequently the distances 13, 13, 14, 1,
heing equal to each other and also to the distance P N, it is clear that but for the
intervention of the pivots F and N, by revolving either seat or back the other
member would be revolved with it indefinitely 'in either direction. By bending
the levers 5 51 as shewn, the seat and back can move exactly a half revolution,
each lever in turn stopping the further movement by locking against one of the
pivots F and N as shewn at F in Fig. 9 and at N by the dotted lines in Fig. 8.
The seat may be locked or secured in either position by some such device as that
depicted, in which a short crank 3 with a weighted handle 4 is pivoted on the
pin K. When the crank is left free it naturally hangs downwards, so that when
the seat approaches either end of its semi-revolution the crank 3 will slip down
the guiding arm 1, and finally catch in the recesses M or M, whilst on lift-
ing the handle to reverse the seat the crank will turn partly round and so release
itself only to catch in the opposite recess when the reversal is completed. It is
clear that a slight modification will enable the crank to be, attached to the back

page_text: instead of the seat, or any other convenient device may be adopted to prevent the
seat turning over when in use.
Figs. 12, 13, 14 shew a simplified arrangement of Fig. 7, in which only the seat
reverses. In this case the pin K is kept from moving too far at either end of
the reversing movement by the stops 2 and 21, the construction of which is more
clearly shewn in Fig. 14.
In Figs. 15 and 16, in lieu of pivoting the seat C to levers as shewn at I' in
Figs. 5 and 6, for the pivot I' is substituted a pin 6 projecting through and
working in a slot 7 (which substitutes the lever H) in the top of the support.
There are of course a pin and a slot at each end of the seat and support respectively.
By lifting up and pulling forward the back of the seat the pins 6 can be readily
made to slip along the slots 7 and the reversal effected as in the case shewn in
Figs, 5 and 6.
At
In Figs. 17 and 18 are shown further modifications and examples of the method
indicated in my Provisional Specification wherein I state it is not necessary for
the "third point of attachment" to be actually connected. In these Figs. the
support takes the form of crossed legs P P¹ like a campstool, one of them (P¹)
being projected upwards to form a support for the back S. The seat C is in this
case pivoted to P at F. The pin K projects from the inner side of the leg P¹.
or near the front and back of the seat C are the V shaped slots L L with the
recesses M M¹. The legs P P¹ are pivoted together at R and connected by a chain
or other flexible arrangement 8 of such length that when fully extended and the
seat revolved the pin K strikes against the side of the slot L or L' as the case
may be, furthest from the pivot when, as the pivot R and chain 8 permit the
legs to draw together the pin K will readily snap into the recess M or M¹. To
unlock the seat the back is drawn slightly forward when the pin will move up
the opposite side of the slot and so disengage itself so that the seat can be reversed.
It is obvious that the arrangements of the slots, recesses and pins or their equiva-
lents may be variously modified, but at present I prefer that described.
In Figs. 19 and 20 are shewn the application of a flexible back to a reversible
seat such as described in the original patent.
A sheet of flexible material 9 is attached by its upper edge at 10 to the lower
edge of the back B and by its lower edge at 11 to the back of the seat C. This
permits the reversal of the seat whilst filling up the back to prevent theft on
tramcars or the like.
1
Figs. 21, 22, 23 show a folding chair reversing both seat and back. The seat C
is pivoted near its front edge to the leg P at F and the pin K is inserted in a hole
in the inner side of the ring or sleeve 12 sliding on the side arm H on which a
stop 13 prevents it slipping down too far. By drawing up the back of the seat
the chair first folds and then reverses.
This method of construction also obviously lends itself to many modifications.
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:-
Reversible seats constructed substantially as herein set forth and described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1897.
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent,
Monument Chambers, London, E.C.