Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
I, JOSEPH JACKSON, of 102, Roe Green, Worsley, Manchester, Miner, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates chiefly to seats as used out of doors and exposed to all
weathers, such as tram-car, omnibus, char-a-banc and like vehicle seats, deck
and garden seats, and the object of my invention is to so construct such seats
that by a slight manipulation they may be reversed and a perfectly dry seat be
obtained in wet weather.
In carrying out my invention I utilise the laths forming the seat as at present
in use, but instead of rigidly fastening them to the seat frame I provide them
with pivots or trunnions, and mount them in suitable trunnion bearings in the
seat frame. To one edge of each lath I loosely connect a bar or link or set of
links common to all the other laths.
Each lath being free to rotate it will readily be seen that as any one of them
is rotated on its pivots all the other laths by reason of the bar will simul-
taneously rotate with it, and in making a half revolution completely reverse the
laths and cause the lower and dry faces of the laths to form the upper and dry
face of the seat. After use the laths may remain reversed or by their balance
or a spring be rotated back again.
To facilitate the manipulation of the laths I may provide a small winch or
lever handle, or any device suitable for rotating say the end laths, or raising or
lowering the link bar with means for holding the laths in the reversed position
when required. By preference both faces of the laths are alike, and will not
necessarily be required to be reversed in fine weather.
Dated this 6th day of June 1899.
JOSEPH JACKSON.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.
I, JOSEPH JACKSON, of 102, Roe Green, Worsley, Manchester, Miner, 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:-
:-
My invention relates to seats as used out of doors and exposed to all weathers,
such as tram-car, omnibus, char-a-banc, and like vehicle seats, deck and garden

page_text: seats, and the object of my invention is to so construct such seats that by a slight
manipulation they may be reversed and a perfectly dry seat be obtained in wet
weather.
*
In carrying out my invention I utilise the laths forming the seat as at present
in use; but instead of rigidly fastening them to the seat frame I provide them
with pivots or trunnions and mount them in suitable trunnion bearings in the
seat frame. To one edge of each lath I loosely connect a bar or link, or set of
links, common to all the other laths..
?
Each lath being free to rotate it will readily be seen that as any one of them
is rotated on its pivots all the other lathis by reason of the bar or link will simul-
taneously rotate with it, and in making a half revolution completely reverse the
laths and cause the lower and dryfaces of the laths to form the upper and dry
face of the seat. After use the faths may remain reversed or by their balance
or a spring or weight be rotated back. again..
To facilitate the manipulation of the laths I may provide a small winch or
lever handle, or any device suitable for rotating says the laths or raising or
lowering the link bar, with means for holding the laths in the reversed. position
when required.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 illustrates an out-door seat with my
invention applied thereto, and with one of the end supports, removed to 'shew
my invention more clearly. Fig. 2 illustrates a similar view and the difference
between the two views is that Fig. 1' 'shews the seat in its normal position for use
in fine weather, and Fig. 2 shews the seat reversed for use in wet weather.
Fig. 4 illustrates a part plan of a double or tram-car seat, and Fig. 4 illustrates
a front elevation of one end thereof. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate details, and
Fig. 8 illustrates a cross-section of the preferred form of lath used in the seat.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate other details.
(A), (A) are the end and centre supporting frames of the seat and (B) the
laths composing the seat. Each lath has a set of end caps (C), provided with
studs (D) which are adapted to take into holes in the end frames (A) and act as
trunnions for the laths upon which they may freely rotate. To each lath and
at or near one edge is a further stud (E) and from such studs a bar (F) hangs
which constitutes a "yoke" or link for coupling all the laths (13) to each other.
By the rotation of any one of the laths the same movement is transmitted, via
the bar (F) to all the other laths and thus as one lath is reversed all the other
laths are reversed.
To effect the reversal of the laths in a convenient manner I employ a lever
handle (G) which I mount upon an axis (H) in the end frame (A). Upon the
bar (F) I provide a stud (I) and in the end-frame (A) I form a slot (J) through
which the stud (I) projects as illustrated. With such stud the shorter and
slotted end of the lever (G) engages, and with the movements of such lever on
its fulcrum the bar (F) is caused to move to-and-fio and thereby reverse the
laths (B). Since the weight of the bar (F) would in the absence of lever (G)
tend to hold the laths edge-on" and it is necessary or desirable that they
should lie quite flat I make the lever (G) with a thickened part, which, whilst
constituting a handle for operating the laths, also constitutes a weight for
balancing the bar (F) and causing the laths to lie horizontal.
65
In Fig. 8 we show the cross-section of the preferred form of lath which is
rounded and plain on one side, but on the other side is under-cut or formed with
grooves which produce drip edges (B) so that with the plain side of the lath
uppermost any rain falling thereon and trickling down the sides or edges of the
laths will be prevented reaching the underside by reason of the said drip edges,
and consequently on a reversal of the laths as aforesaid the grooved side of the
laths will be quite dry and furnish a dry seat.
To allow of the laths being rotated back again automatically to their original
position after use I provide a coiled spring around the axle (H) which coils and
uneoils with the movements of lever (G) but I prefer a weight (K) suspended

page_text: from fulcrum (H) and so placed relatively to the stud (1) by which the bar (F)
is operated that when the lever (G) is first raised to reverse the seat and reaches
an almost vertical position the stud (I) meets the arm of the weight (K) and
with the further and downward movement of the lever (G) raises the weight (K)
to the position shewn in Fig. 2 at which point the laths are completely reversed.
Seating himself or herself on the laths so reversed the user will hold the laths
in the reversed position, but immediately the user rises the weight (K) falls
and resumes its vertical position and in so doing presses against the stud (I)
until the lever (G) has passed over its fulcrum when by reason of its own weight
the lever (G) falls and so completes the entire reversal of the laths. To allow
the weight (K) to lie directly under the seat and allow for the movements of
the bar (F) the latter is cut away as shewn.
If desired I may operate the stud (I) through a small pinion and thereby
reduce the movements of the handle (G). The laths (1) are sufficiently far apart
to prevent any possibility of fingers or garments being trapped and the caps (C)
are rounded for the same purpose as shewn in the dotted lines in Fig. 10.
The ends of the slot (J) limit the rotation of the laths. In a double seat as
commonly used on tram-cars I prefer to arrange reversing apparatus at the two
opposite ends, one for each seat, but I may arrange it at one end only.
In conclusion it will be seen that I provide a simple and inexpensive form of
out-door seat which does not require to be reversed or manipulated in dry
weather, is always ready to furnish a dry seat in wet weather and is self-righting
after the sitter rises.
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
In an out-door seat the combination of end frames, laths pivotally mounted
in such frames, a link or bar connected to the ends of such laths at, or near one
edge and means for operating the bar substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
2. In an out-door seat the combination of end-frames, laths pivotally mounted
in such frames, a link or bar connected to the ends of such laths at or near one
edge, and means for operating the bar and automatically rotating the laths back
to their original position substantially as set forth and illustrated on the accom-
panying drawings.
11
21
1000
JOSEPH JACKSON.
By John G. Wilson & Co., Fels.I.P.A.,
Patent Agents to the Applicant, 55, Market Street, Manchester.