An Improved Folding Chair.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
потомAL
An Improved Folding Chair.
I, JOSEPH JOB MARTIN, of Eatoncroft, Newmarket Road, Norwich, in the County
of Norfolk, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to folding chairs and is designed to improve the construction
and increase the utility of the same.
An important object of my said invention is to provide a folding chair in which the
occupant can be wheeled about, or carried, as may be desirable, without being required.
to change his position therein."
near the
My improved folding chair is constructed of wood, metal or other suitable
material or combination of materials, the seat and back being preferably of carpet
supported from the frame of the chair, while the arms are of leather. The legs
on each side of the chair are connected by a short stud intermediate between
their extremities on which the said legs turn and can thus be folded together.
The front legs are connected together by cross pieces or ties at or
extremities thereof, as are also the rear legs, between the upper of which cross
pieces the seat is suspended. A bar or strut is provided which extends between
the upper extremities of the front and rear legs on the same side of the chair so
preventing the accidental folding thereof when in use, this bar being preferably
secured to one leg by a hinge or other suitable joint and adapted to enter a
recess in the front leg or in a projection thereon, and being held therein by a
hinged or folding piece secured to the said leg or projection, so that when the
said hinged piece is in its raised position the bar or strut is prevented from
leaving the recess.
A wheel is provided at the lower extremity of each of the legs; the rear wheels
being secured in a movable socket like a caster. The back of the chair can be
turned down and the legs or supports folded together as before stated so that the
whole closes together, suitable catches being provided on the frame which, when
the chair is folded up, engage with corresponding projections and prevent the
accidental opening of the same.
Suitable handles are also provided which are preferably secured to the frame by
pins or studs and can be folded up flush therewith; these handles enabling the chair
to be carried when necessary, without disturbing the occupant or requiring him to
change his position. The handles on the front of the chair are preferably placed at a
different level to those on the back to enable the same to be more easily carried
upstairs or on an incline.
The leather arms of the chair are preferably secured to the back thereof and extend
to the binged or folded pieces which lock the aforesaid bars or struts being attached to
projections or catches thereon and serving to retain the said pieces in an upright
position.
My improved chair can thus be readily folded into a small space and easily carried
from place to place.
It is obvious that the construction of my improved chair may be modified to a
certain extent, without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Dated this 31st day of December 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Folding Chair.
I, JOSEPH JOB MARTIN, of Eatoncroft, Newmarket Road, Norwich, in the County
of Norfolk 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 folding chairs and is designed to improve the construction
and increase the utility of the same.
An important object of my said invention is to provide a folding chair in which the:
occupant can be wheeled about or carried as may be desired without the necessity for
changing his or her position therein.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved folding chair showing the same in,
position for use.
Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the said chair in its folded or closed position.
Figures 4 and 5 show details of construction hereinafter referred to.
A, A are the legs of the chair. B is the back thereof. C, C are the wheels.
D, D are the arms. E is the seat. F F are the handles by which the chair may be
carried when necessary. G is a handle formed of cast iron or other suitable material
for use in pushing the chair. H, H are folding pieces hereinafter described.
Two legs or supports A placed transversely to one another are provided on each
side of the chair as shown in Figure 1 and connected by a pin or stud A' which'
serves as a pivot and allows of the said supports being closed or folded together.
Suitable ties A' are provided to limit the extent of opening of the said supports.
These ties are preferably formed of two portions secured together by a pivot or
hinge a and connected at each extremity to one of the supports A as shown so
that on the closing together of the said supports the portions of the ties will in a
corresponding manner hold together upon this pivot or hinge. Each of the
supports A is provided at its lower extremity with a wheel C, the wheels of the
front support being carried by forked pieces A³ formed on or attached to the said
supports while the rear wheels are carried by bent or bell-crank pieces C¹ capable of
turning freely in a bearing or socket C¹. The upper extremities of the front and of
the rear supports are connected together by cross-bars A³ between which the seat E
is suspended or stretched. Their lower extremities are connected respectively by a
cross-bar A at the rear of the chair and a foot-board A' at the front thereof, the latter
being preferably carried upon side pieces or cheeks attached to the inside of the
supports as shown, while suitable stays A* are connected cross-wise between the
upper and lower extremities of that pair of legs or supports to which the cross-bar A*
is attached, as shown in the drawings, for the purpose of adding to the rigidity of the
chair.
I provide on each side of the frame of my improved folding chair a suitable
strut E attached at one extremity to one of the supports A by means of a hinge E³
as shown in detail in Figure 5. Each of the struts E' is secured to its respective
hinge E by a pin or stud E³ upon which it can turn freely so that it can be moved
not only in a vertical direction by the motion of the hinge but also in a lateral
direction by being turned upon the stud E³. The other extremity of the strut E¹
enters a recess A formed in the front cross-bar A³ and is retained therein by the
folding piece H as more clearly shown in Figure 6, wherein the said folding piece is
represented as turned back to allow the strut E to enter the said recess in the cross-
piece A after which by raising the arm H into its vertical position (as in Figure 1)
the extremity of the strut E¹ engages therewith entering the recess H' and thereby
becoming securely locked until the piece H is agained turned down.
.
The back B of the chair consists of carpet canvas or the like supported in a frame
preferably rectangular in form composed of upright pieces B connected by cross

page_text: pieces B' as shown in Figure 2 and hinged or pivoted at B³ so that it can be turned
down in folding the chair. The back and seat may in some instances however be.
formed of wood instead of carpet. The arms D consist preferably of leather straps.
secured to the upright pieces 'B' of the back frame and extending to the aforesaid
folding pieces H to which they are connected by any suitable means as for instance by
the stud H entering a hole in the strap. The said arms thus serve to retain the
pieces H in their vertical position and prevent the same being accidentally turned
down.
The handles F, formed of wood or other suitable material, are secured to the chain
by pins or studs F¹ and can be folded up flush therewith, these handles enabling the
chair to be carried when necessary, without disturbing the occupant or requiring him
or her to change his or her position. The handles on the front of the chair are
preferably placed at a different level to those on the back to enable the same to be
more easily carried upstairs or on an incline.
Although I have shown two pairs of handles at the front of the chair one
immediately below the seat and the other near the foot-board, it is obvious that the
position of the pairs of handles may be varied, and that in certain cases one of the
pairs of handles may be dispensed with, only one pair, placed in any convenient.
position being employed.
The pieces I consist preferably of strips of flexible metal provided with, or having
formed thereon a tooth or projecting-piece and adapted to serve as catches to engage
with corresponding projections or engagement-pieces I¹ so that when the parts of the
framework are brought together the said catches I will engage with the pieces I' and
hold the same together.
In folding the chair, the arms D are disengaged from the folding pieces H which
are then turned back allowing the strut E' to be removed from the recesses A* in the
front cross bar A³. The extremities of the supports are then brought together, the
handles F are turned down upon the parts with which they are connected, and
the back of the chair is folded down against the said supports as shown in Figure 3,
the handle G in this position projecting between the said supports. The whole is thus
brought into a very convenient and compact form for transport from place to
place, while it is so light that it can be readily carried in the hand without
inconvenience.
The frame of my improved folding chair may be constructed of wood, metal, or
other suitable material or combination of materials the seat and back being preferably
of carpet supported or stretched upon the said frame while the arms of the chair are
preferably of leather.
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;-
First. A folding chair provided with wheels substantially as and for the purposes.
above specified.
Second. The improved folding chair, provided with wheels and handles, con tructed
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying dr. ings,
for the purposes specified.
Dated this 16th day of Anril 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.