IMPROVED SPRINGS FOR CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE, AND FOR DOORS, VEHICLES, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED SPRINGS FOR CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE, AND
FOR DOORS, VEHICLES, AND OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication from
abroad by William Toan Doremus, of the City, County, and State of
New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 9th June 1874, and dated the 22nd April 1874.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 22nd April 1874, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED SPRINGS
FOR CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE, AND FOR DOORS, VEHICLES, AND
OTHER PURPOSES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by William Toan Doremus, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
scal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object to furnish improved springs for
chairs, sofas, lounges, mattresses, and other articles of furniture, and for
doors, vehicles, and other purposes, to provide them with elastic seats
and backs, or to give them a rocking or oscillating movement.
The Invention consists in an improved spring formed by connecting 1
clastic blocks and rigid blocks with each other alternately by means of
flexible connections; in the combination of the elastic blocks, the rigid
blocks, the flexible connections, and the stops with each other; in the
combination of the elastic blocks, the U bar interposed between the said
clastic blocks, the U bar passing around both elastic blocks, the yoke or 2
plate, and the bolts or equivalent; in the combination of the bowed or
arched straps or plates with one or more bolts; and in the combination
of one or more plates with one or more elastic blocks and one or more
bolts; and in the combination of one or more plates with one or more
bolts, two or more elastic blocks, and the bowed or arched straps or 2
plates, as herein-after fully described..
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side view of a spring
illustrating this Invention, part being broken away.to show the con-
struction; Figure 2 is a cross section of the same taken through the
line x-x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a chair illustrating the Invention, the
upholstering being omitted; Figure 4 is a top view of the same.
Figure 5 is a side view of a modified form of the spring; Figure 6 is
a longitudinal section of the same taken through the line y-y, Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a side view of the same illustrating its operation.
Figure 8 is a view illustrating its application to a camp or folding
chair.
3
3

page_text: Figure 9 is a view iustrating its application to a chair back.
Figure 10 is a detail longitudinal section of a modification of the
spring shown as applied to the seat and pedestal of a chair; Figure 11
is a section of the same taken through the line z, z, Figure 10.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A arc rubber or other elastic blocks, which are interposed between
rigid blocks B of wood, metal, or other substance. The elastic blocks A
may be placed between the plane surfaces of the rigid blocks B, or they
may be placed in mortises or recesses formed in said blocks B. The
blocks A and B may be made rectangular, wedge-shaped, round, or of
other desired form, according to the use to which the spring is to be
applied. The elastic blocks A and the rigid blocks B are connected by
one or more wires, cords, or chains, or by hinges, lasting, straps of metal
or leather, or flexible connection of other suitable material.
The connections C are attached to or pass through the blocks B, and
through or along the side of the blocks A. The arrangement of the
connectors C with the blocks A and B depends upon the use to which
the spring is to be applied.
One or more sets of the springs A, B, C, may be arranged in con-
nection with each other as the purposes for which the springs are
intended may require. For instance, when the connection C passes
through the blocks A, B, or, by placing two of the springs back to back,
when the connection C passes along the sides of the blocks A, B, a double
spring will be produced suitable for a door swinging in both directions,
each part of the spring acting in turn, and both bringing the door
quickly and surely into a closed position.
In the Drawing the elastic and the rigid blocks are represented as
being connected by a metallic strap covered with lasting, which strap is
passed through the elastic blocks A, and inserted in slots in the rigid
blocks B, where they are secured in place by screws. This construction
forms a double spring equally elastic in both directions.
In the appli-
cation of this improved spring, represented in Figures 3 and 4, D repre-
sents the frame of a chair, which may be of any desired construction or
style. Upon the four sides of a central rigid block B, are placed four
elastic blocks A, upon the outer sides of which are placed other rigid
blocks B, and so on until the bars of the seat frame have been reached,

page_text: the elastic and rigid blocks alternating with each other. The elastic and
rigid blocks A, B, are kept in their proper relative positions by lasting
or other flexible connections C, attached to their upper sides or passed
through them.
The seat may also be provided with stops E, or equivalent stops, con-
nected with the chair frame D, and with the central rigid block B. The
desired arched or convex form may be given to the seat by regulating
the length of the series of alternate rigid and elastic blocks A, B, or by
giving a wedge shape to the rigid blocks B, or to both the rigid blocks B,
and the elastic blocks A.
The elastic back of the chair is formed of a series of rigid blocks B
and elastic blocks A, alternating with each other, and kept in their
proper relative positions by flexible connections C attached to the rear
side of said blocks A, B, and by lasting or other suitable stops E passed
over their forward sides, as shown in Figure 3. The series of alternate
rigid blocks B and elastic blocks A. may receive the desired curve by
adjusting the length of the series, or by making the rigid blocks B or
both the rigid blocks B and the elastic blocks A wedge shaped.
In the modification of the spring shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A are
two rubber or other elastic blocks, between which is placed the middle
part of a U shaped bar F. G is another U shaped bar, the middle part
of which is passed between the arms of the bar F, and which thus passes
around both the rubber blocks A, as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7. H is a
yoke or plate, which passes along the upper side of the upper
block A
between the arms of the bar G, and the ends of which are notched to
receive the said arms of the said bar G.
The various parts of the spring are connected and held in place by two
bolts I, which pass through the yoke H through notches in the ends
of the rubber blocks A, and through the middle part of the U bar G.
By this construction by tightening and loosening the nuts of the bolts I
the tension of the spring may be regulated as required.
The parts of the spring may be arranged in different ways without
departing from this Invention. The arms of the bar G may be made
short, and may have the bolts I formed upon them to pass through holes
in the yoke or plate H, and may be secured by nuts. In this case the
ends of the bar H may be extended for securing the spring in place,
and the separated bolts I may be omitted.. This construction adapts

page_text: the spring for use in connecting a chair seat to its pedestal; or the arms
of the bar G may be bent outward horizontally, or at any desired
angle, as the use to which the spring may be applied may require.
.
In Figure 8 the spring is shown as being applied to give elasticity to
a camp chair, and in Figure 9 it is shown as being applied to give
elasticity to the back of an ordinary chair. This modification of the
spring may also be employed with advantage in various other kinds of
chairs, in other articles of furniture, and for various other uses which it
is not necessary to enumerate.
In the modification of this improved spring, shown in Figures 10
and 11, the two straps or plates J, K, are made with a bow or arch in
their middle parts, and are designed to be attached to the seat and
pedestal of a chair, as shown in Figure 10, or to the parts of the other
article to which the spring is to be applied. A, A, A, are three blocks
made of rubber or other elastic material the central one of which is inter-
posed between the bows of the straps or plates J, K, and the two other
blocks A are placed respectively within the bows of the said plates or
straps J, K. Upon the outer sides of the outer blocks A are placed.
plates L, through the middle part of which and of the blocks A and the
bows of the plates J, K, is passed a bolt M. Across the ends of the
blocks A, through holes in the end parts of the plates L, and through
slots in the bends or bows of the straps J, K, are passed bolts N, as
shown in Figure 10.
By adjusting the nuts of the bolts M, N, the tension or strength of
the spring may be regulated at will, and by tightening some of said nuts
more that others the spring may be adjusted. to have more or less
elasticity in either direction. One, two, or three bolts M, N, may be
used, and one, two, or three of the elastic blocks A, as may be desired;
but I prefer to use the three blocks A, because it prevents the wrinkling
or buckling which is liable to occur when a single large block is used.
The straps or plates may be made of metal or wood, or some of them
may be made of metal and some of wood as may be desired.
The elastic blocks A made of any desired shape, and one or more
sets of springs may be used in constructing a chair, as may be desired.
A screw may also be connected with the lower plate or strap J, so as to
form a revolving or screw chair.

page_text: Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. An improved spring, formed by connecting clastic blocks A and
rigid blocks B with each other alternately by means of flexible or hinged
connections C, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. The combination of the elastic blocks A, the rigid blocks B, tho
flexible connections C, and the straps E with cach other, substantially
as herein shown and described.
3rd. The combination of the clastic blocks A, the U bar F interposed 1
between the said blocks A, the U bar G passing around both blocks A,
the yoke or plate H, and the bolts I or equivalent, substantially as
herein shown and described.
4th. The combination of the bowed or arched straps or plates J, K,
with one or more elastic blocks A, and one or more bolts M, N, sub- 1
stantially as herein shown and described.
5th. The combination of one or more plates L, with one or more
bolts M, N, two or more elastic blocks A, and the bowed or arched
straps or plates J, K, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have 2
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
HENRY W. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)