Improvements in and connected with Foot Rests and Kneeling Mats.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
Improvements in and connected with Foot Rests and Kneeling Mats.
I, JOHN HENRY WILSON, of Newbury, in the County of Berks, Veterinary Sur-
geon, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to do away with the hassocks or kneeling mats
commonly used in churches, chapels, & other places, which hassocks or kneeling
mats when not in actual use are a great hindrance to persons entering & leaving
pews, & seats. Now according to this invention I form the footrest or mat of a
piece of board or other suitable material paddled & upholstered on the upper side
thereof in any suitable way.
To the underside of the front of the footrest or mat, I attach wheels or castors
and to the under side of the back of the footrest or mat I secure hinges having
guides forming a part thereof. The guides I prefer to use are metal rings or
cylinders moving up and down on vertical rods secured to the back of the pew
or seat at a convenient height from the floor.
I attach also to the back of the foot rest or mat a handle so that when not in
use the footrest or inat a handle so that when not in use the footrest or mat may
be drawn up again the back of the pew or seat so as to leave a free passage for
persons entering or leaving their seats.
Or instead of using vertical rods, I may use slotted guides in which move
knobs attached to the hinges or may make use of any other suitable device or
devices (such as D shaped runners moving in slotted guides suitable metal straps
or bearers furnished with hooks being attached to the underside of the footrest
or mat, the said hooks engaging with the aforesaid runners for example) by
means of which the footrest or mats may be either drawn up against the back of
the seat when not in use or drawn out and lowered when required to support the
feet or to kneel on.
The footrests or mats may if required form receptacles for books.
I, JOHN HENRY WILSON, of Newbury, in the County of Berks, Veterinary Sur-
geon, 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 object of this invention is to do away with the hassocks or kneeling mats

page_text: commonly used in churches, chapels and other places, which hassocks or kneeling
mats when not in actual use are a great hindrance to persons entering and leaving
pews, and seats.
Now according to this invention I form the foot rest or mat of a piece of board
or other suitable material padded and upholstered on the upper side thereof in
any suitable way.
To the underside of the front of the foot rest or mat I attach wheels or castors
and to the underside of the back of the footrest or mat I secure hinges having
guides forming, a part thereof. The guides I prefer to use are metal rings or
cylinders moving up and down on vertical rods secured to the back of the pew
or seat at a convenient height from the floor.
I attach also' to 'the back of the foot rest 'or. mat a handle so that when not in
use the foot rest or mat may be drawn up against the back of the pew or seat so
as to leave a free passage for persons entering or leaving their seats.
Or instead of using vertical rods I may use slotted guides in which move
knobs attached to the hinges or I may make use of any other suitable device or
devices (such as D shaped runners moving in slotted guides suitable metal straps
or bearer's furnished" with hooks attached to the underside of the foot' rest or mat
the said hooks engaging with the aforesaid runners for example,) by means of
which the foot rests or mats may be either drawn up against the back of the
seat when not in use or drawn out and lowered when required to support the feet
or to kneel on.
The foot rests or mats may if required form receptacles for books.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which:
Fig. 1 represents side view of foot rest and kneeling mat constructed according
to this invention ready for kneeling upon.
Fig. 2 represents same turned up out of the way when not in use.
Fig. 3 represents front view of same in use.
Fig. 4 represents front view of same when not in use.
Fig. 5 shews front view of a modified construction of foot rest and slide.
Fig. 6 is plan of same.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.
a is a piece of board or other suitable material padded and upholstered on the
upper side 6 in any suitable manner.
cc are brackets secured to the underside of the board a and carrying castor
wheels or rollers dd at or near the front of the foot-rest. The back of the
board a is hinged at f to rings or cylinders gg moving freely on guide rods or
tubes hh which are secured to the back of a pew or seat by means of
brackets jj at each end of the said rods or tubes k is a handle attached to the
board a by means of which the foot rest or kneeling mat may be drawn up into
the position shewn by Figs. 2 and 4 when not in use. Instead of the vertical rods
or tubes hh and rings or cylinders gg I may use square or oblong guides nn_as
shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 suitable blocks sliding in the said guides.
The
blocks have lugs mm thereon which project through slots o in the front of the
guides n.
To the underside of the board a are secured straps having jaws PP thereon
which engage with the lugs mm and are secured thereto by pins the whole form-
ing hinges to enable the foot rest to be drawn up when not in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Foot-rests and kneeling mats consisting of a piece of wood or other suitable
material, suitably padded and upholstered on the upper side thereof hinged to
guiding pieces or blocks which are constrained to move in a vertical direction only

page_text: and wheels or rollers to support the front of the foot-rest or mat substantially as
specified and for the purpose of enabling the foot rest or mat to be drawn up
against the back of a pew or seat when not in use.
2. The combination of a piece of wood or other suitable material a upholstered
and padded at rings or cylinders gg hinged at f to the piece a, guide rods or
tubes hh on which the rings or cylinders are free to move up and down,
brackets jj secured to the back of a pew or seat to support the rods or tubes hh,
wheels or rollers dd and brackets cc secured to the underside of the piece a to
support the wheels or rollers dd all substantially as specified and for the pur-
pose stated.
3. The combination of a foot rest or kneeling mat as specified with the modified
form of guide as shewn by Fig. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
4. Foot rests and kneeling mats constructed as shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Second day of December 1898.
T. E. HALFORD,
11, Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.