AN IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Orth, of Althorne, in the County of
Essex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ARTICLE OF
FURNITURE."
Sealed the 24th March 1865, and dated the 27th September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Orth
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th September 1864.
I, WILLIAM HENRY ORTH, of Althorne, in the County of Essex, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ARTICLE
OF FURNITURE," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists of an improved article of furniture in which a seat is
combined with a receptacle or receptacles in such manner that a person
seated on the article of furniture may open and close the receptacles, and
insert articles therein or withdraw them therefrom without rising or removing
from the seat.
For this purpose the article is constructed like a chair, stool, or other seat,
except that the space below the seat, which is usually empty in ordinary chairs
or seats, is fitted with a receptacle or receptacles opened and closed by
arrangements, within ready reach of the seated person.
These receptacles may be arranged for a variety of purposes; and in order
to explain the Invention more fully, I suppose it, by way of example, to be
applied to a nursery chair, for which it is especially useful, as much incon-

page_text: venience to mothers or nurses and detriment and danger to babes arise from
persons having to remove from their chairs to get at wardrobes or other
separate articles of furniture or even different rooms when dressing or other-
wise attending children. On one side of the chair, below the seat, may be a
drawer opened by a spring, and divided to receive clothes and clean diapers,
with compartments for pins, powder, sponge, and soap.. On the opposite side
of the chair may be a closet or recess for receiving soiled diapers. Below
these may be a drawer or recess opened by a spring, and containing a bath or
a basket; rails and a footboard may also be attached. Of course the arrange-
ment, description, and contents of the receptacles may be varied. The seat
may be adapted in like manner for a work chair, suitable compartments
being provided to receive articles used in needle or other work; also
as a smoking chair, and for various other purposes of utility, comfort, and
luxury.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said William Henry Orth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, WILLIAM-
HENRY ORTH, of, Althorne, in the County of Essex, Gentleman, send'
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Henry Orth, Her special licence that I,
the said William Henry Orth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Henry Orth, my executors, administrators,
and 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 Invention for "AN IMPROVED ARTICLE OF FURNITURE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Henry Orth, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manuer the same was to be performed, and cause

page_text: the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
month's next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Orth, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of an improved article of furniture in which a seat is
combined with a receptacle or receptacles in such manner that a person seated
on the article of furniture may open and close' the receptacle or receptacles,
and insert articles therein or withdraw them therefrom without rising or
removing from the seat.
For this purpose the article is, constructed like a chair, stool, or other seat,
except that the space below the seat, which is usually empty or vacant in
ordinary chairs or seats, is fitted with a receptacle or receptacles opened and
closed by arrangements within ready reach of the seated person.
These receptacles may be arranged for a variety of purposes; and in order
to explain the Invention more fully I will describe it as applied, by way of
example, to a nursery chair, for which it is especially useful, as much incon-
venience to mothers and nurses and detriment and danger to babes arise from
persons having to remove from their chairs to get at wardrobes or other
separate articles of furniture or even different rooms while dressing or other
wise attending children. On one side of the chair, below the seat, may be a
drawer opened by a spring, and divided to receive clothes and clean diapers,"
with compartments for pins, powder, sponge, and soap. On the opposite
side of the chair may be a closet or recess for receiving soiled diapers. Below
these may be a drawer or recess opened by a spring, and containing a bath or
a basket; rails and a footboard may also be attached. Of course the internal
arrangements and contents of the receptacles may be varied. The seat may
be adapted in like manner for a work chair, suitable compartments being pro-
vided to receive articles used in needle or other work; also as a smoking
chair, and for various other purposes of utility, comfort, and luxury..
The accompanying Drawings exemplify the manner in which
may be carried into effect.
my Invention
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nursery chair constructed according to
my Invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the opposite side
of the chair. A is a box, chamber, frame, or receptacle secured to the frame-
work of the chair below the seat S, and occupying the space usually left
vacant between the legs. The receptacle A is shewn detached in Figures 3

page_text: and 4. B is a drawer, shewn. detached in Fig. 5, fitting into a recess in the
chamber A, and divided into any desirable number of compartments for con-.
taining articles required for, nursery use, such as sponge, soap, powder, puff,
pins, and the like. C is another drawer, shewn detached in Fig. 6, and
divided into compartments for containing clothes. This drawer also fits into
the receptacle A. These drawers are fitted with spring fastenings. D is a
recess in or portion of the receptacle A at the side opposite to the drawers
B, C, for receiving soiled diapers and wet towels. This recess is closed by a
hinged flap d fastened by a spring catch. The drawers B, C, and recess or
portion D may be opened and closed and articles placed therein or withdrawn
therefrom by a person seated on the chair without his or her having to rise or
remove from the seat.
I have shewn the chair applied as a nursery chair, but it may be applied to
various other purposes in like manner, of course varying the internal fittings
or arrangements of the receptacle A as desired, to suit the intended purpose
to which the chair is to be applied. Among such purposes I may mention
that the chair may be applied as a work chair, a reading chair, a smoking
chair, and for various other uses.
The Drawing shows the receptacles applied to a chair, but they may be
applied in like manner to other forms of seat.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim an article of furniture in
which a receptacle or receptacles is or are combined with a seat, so that a
person seated thereon may open and close the receptacle or receptacles and
insert articles therein and withdraw them therefrom without rising or removing
from the seat, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Orth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
HENRY MAWSON MILLIGAN,
WILLIAM HENRY ORTH. (L.S.)
Vicar of Althorne.--