Improvements in Easy Chairs.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Easy Chairs.
We, JOHN BINNEY GIBBS, of 4 Mulgrave Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Artist and Art Teacher, and WALTER FFRENCH GIBBS, of Crown Street,
Darlington, in the County of Durham, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to enable a short or a tall person to sit with
equal comfort in the same chair, having the thighs supported along their whole
length and the back also equally supported in its whole length in any position from
the perpendicular to an angle of 45° or more.
In carrying our invention into effect, we arrange the seat in the seat frame so that
it can be pushed back within the frame, or drawn out to some distance beyond the
frame, in order to suit the length of leg.
We construct the back wholly independent of the seat and attach it to the top of
the back legs of the chair, which are brought up to a suitable height by pivots and
slides so fixed that the movement of the body when seated, causes the back to adjust
itself to any required angle.
The chair may be made with or without arms and of any size or material.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Easy Chairs.
JOHN BINNEY GIBBS of 4 Mulgrave Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Artist and Art Teacher and WALTER FFRENCH GIBBS, of Crown
Street Darlington in the County of Durham Cabinet Maker, 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:—
The object of the present invention is to enable a short or a tall person to sit
with equal comfort in the same chair, having the thighs supported along their whole
length and the back also equally supported in its whole length in any position from
the perpendicular to an angle of 45° or more.
In carrying our invention into effect we arrange the seat in the chair frame so
that it can be pushed back within the frame, or drawn out to some distance beyond
the frame in order to suit the length of leg.
We construct the back wholly independent of the seat and attach it to the top of
the back legs of the chair, which are brought up to a suitable height, by pivots and
slides so fixed that the movement of the body when seated causes the back to adjust
itself to any required angle.
The chair may be made with or without arms and of any size or material.
And in order that our said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an arm chair made according to our invention and
having a straight seat and back.
Fig. 2 shows the same chair with the seat pushed forward and with the back
inclined more than in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is another side elevation showing the seat pushed as far back as
possible to accommodate a short person. In this view the back is shown in a
perpendicular position.
Fig. 4 is a back view and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the slides
and parts connected therewith for attaching the back of the chair to the top of the
back legs.
Fig. 6 is a section drawn on the line 1, 2, of Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section of portions of the chair shown in
Figure 1 and Fig. 8 is a section drawn on the line 3, 4, of Fig. 2.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11, are side elevations of a chair made according to our invention
in which the back and seat are curved. In these views the seat and back are
arranged in various positions.
Fig. 12 is a section on the line 5, 6, of Fig. 10.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. 10 and Fig 14 is a section on
the line 7, 8, of Fig. 13.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, are all drawn to the same scale.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, & 14, are all drawn to a larger scale than the other
figures.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a, is the back, b, is the seat, c, is one of the back legs, and c' is one of the front
legs, d is the rail to connect the chair rails together in lieu of the ordinary front rail
e is the chair rail, f is a guide rail, and are the arms.
Referring to the chair shown at Figures 1 to 8, the back, a, is provided with a
groove, a', in which moves a slide a² which is pivotted at in the tops of the back
legs, c, as shown.
The lower part of the back a, is provided with studs a as shown more clearly in
Figs. 7 and 8 which fit and can be moved in the grooves f1 formed in the guide
rails, f. By this means the back is prevented from coming into contact with the seat
and can be placed in any position either perpendicular or more or less inclined as
may be desired.
For securing the easy movement of the seat, b, we attach to each side of
the seat frame, slips of wood or other material 6', which slide in grooves el
made in the inner sides of the chair rails e as shown more clearly in Figs. 7
and 8.
When the chair is made of a curved pattern as represented at Figs. 9 to 14 we
employ the following means for adjusting the back and seat.
In this case the back a, is provided with grooves a', and the back legs c have
fixed on the inner sides of their upper ends, studs or pins c³ which fit into the said
grooves a. These latter are made in such curves as to render the adjustment of
the back to various angles perfectly easy.
The lower part of the back is guided by pins or studs a working in slots f
in the guide rails f in a similar manner to that previously described with
reference to chairs provided with straight backs and seats and shown in Figs. 7
and 8, except that the guide rails f, and consequently the grooves f¹ therein are
curved.
The following is the method we adopt for sliding the curved seat backwards
and forwards. In this case the seat frame b is provided with two pins or
studs 62, on each side which fit into and move in grooves e formed in the chair
rail e.

page_text: By the constructions of chair herein shown and described, the back thereof can
be readily caused to assume any desired angle and the seat can be moved forward
or backward as may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is-
1. The improved constructions of easy chair by which the angle of the back and
the position of the seat either forward or backward can he readily adjusted, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
2. In easy chairs, the method of mounting the back to permit adjustment of the
angle thereof, that is to say, by forming guide grooves in the back of each upright
of the back frame, by fitting in each of such grooves a slide which is pivotted
to the extended upper ends of the back legs, and by fitting the lower ends of the
uprights of the back frame with pins or studs to run in grooves formed on the inner
sides of guide rails, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In easy chairs, the method of mounting the back to permit adjustment of the
angle thereof, that is to say, by forming grooves in the outer sides of the uprights
of the back frame, by fitting into such grooves pins or studs carried by the extended
upper ends of the back legs and by fitting the lower ends of the uprights of the
back frame with pins or studs to run in grooves formed on the inner sides of guide
rails, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In easy chairs the method of mounting the seat whereby it may be moved
forward or backward as may be desired, that is to say, by fitting the seat rails with
slips or studs on their outer faces to work in grooves on the inner sides of the chair
rails substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of A1 1901
JOHN BINNEY GIBBS.
WALTER FFRENCH GIBBS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.