Improvements in Folding-seats, Chiefly Designed for Use in Theatres and the like
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding-seats, Chiefly Designed for Use in Theatres
and the like,
I, EDUARD SCHLOSSER, of Drholetz, near Freiberg, Moravia, in the Empire of
Austria, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The folding seat constructed according to this invention has for its object to provide
for obtaining a free passage by the automatic folding of the parts constituting the seat
proper, and back.
This seat which is principally designed for theatres is to enable the public to leave
rapidly in case of danger or after the play. To effect this object the seat is made in
such a manner that in order to fold it for obtaining the free passage, the back as
well as the seat proper, will be turned into the plane of a side standard and placed
one above the other, the back turning upon a vertical spindle in the standard and
the seat proper at the same time upon a horizontal spindle in the standard.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side view of the improved seat, part of
the same being shown in section. Figure 2 is a front view, and Figure 3 an upper
view of two folding seats placed side by side, one of them being turned down and
the other turned up.
Each seat comprises a standard A which supports on one side a folding seat
proper a and a¹ and a folding back b and b', and forms on the other side a support B
for the seat proper and back of the adjoining seat.
In the said standard are arranged a horizontal and a vertical shaft or spindle c and d
which are coupled by two bevel wheels c', d', of exactly the same size.
To the horizontal shaft or spindle is firmly fixed the leaf a¹ of the seat proper which
is made of two parts a and a¹ and the leaf 61 of the back which also consists of two
parts and b¹ is secured to the vertical shaft or spindle d.
Two powerful helical springs e are so fixed upon the vertical shaft or spindle d that
they will keep the seat proper and the back in the position for affording a free passage,
the springs acting in the opposite direction to that of the rotary movement of the
said shaft or spindle d, which is necessary for opening or unfolding the seat
and back.
The front part a of the seat proper is connected with the rear part a¹ of the same
by a hinge fand is held by a helical spring g in this hinge upon the said rear part a¹
when the seat is not used.
When the seat is to be used the front part a is turned through 180 degrees and is
kept in this position only by the weight of the body of the person who occupies the
seat.
As soon as the person leaves the seat, the helical spring g which has been compressed
in the previous turning movement, effects the automatic return movement of the
front part a.
A similar arrangement is used for the back, the part 6 which is connected
by a hinge h with the part 6' being pressed upon the part 6' by a spring in the hinge
when the seat is not in use.
For fixing the parts of the seat proper and back in position when they are folded
up for the free passage, a stop i has been provided. The latter consists of a rod which
is arranged in the part 6' of the back and snaps into a hole in the standard when the
proper position is obtained.
If the seat is to be opened for use, the part a' is turned from the vertical to the
horizontal position that is to say through 90 degrees; simultaneously with this
the part 6 of the back turns upon the shaft or spindle d, the latter being caused to
turn by the bevel wheels c¹. d¹.

page_text: As soon as the part a¹ of the seat proper bears upon the support B of the next
standard, a snapping device comes into action and fixes it. The part 6 of the back
is then opened and is likewise fixed by a snapping device as soon as it touches the
next standard A.
For a person to sit down it is then only necessary to let down the part a by turning
it upon the hinge f.
The two stopping devices for the seat proper and back are connected in the known
manner by rods and levers with a knob k and are arranged to be disengaged by
pulling the latter.
As soon as the disengagement of the stopping devices has been effected, the helical
springs compressed by the turning movement of the parts of the seat proper and
back through 90 degrees, come in action and provide for the free passage between the
standards A, A, by the automatic return of the parts of the seat proper and back to
the plane of the standard A. The part a of the seat proper is turned down upon the
part a¹ by the spring a when the person rises; the part 6 of the back is turned upon
the part 6 of the back in the turning movement of the same.
In order to prevent the disengagement of the stopping device by the person
occupying the adjoining seat, the said device as long as the seat proper is in use, is
automatically fixed by the bar m.
An opening can be provided below the seat proper in every standard for receiving
a hat or the like.
To obviate mistakes the seat proper and back are provided with any necessary
instructions or directions. All the parts of this automatic folding seat can be made
of iron with a view to ensure safety from fire, and each standard can be fixed by
means of screws upon the floor independently from the other standards, and can
therefore be readily exchanged when required.
Dated this 14th day of Sentember 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding-seats, Chiefly Designed for Use in Theatres
and the like.
I, EDUARD SCHLOSSER, of Drholetz, near Freiberg, Moravia, in the Empire of
Austria, 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 folding seat constructed according to this invention has for its object to
provide for obtaining a free passage by the automatic folding of the parts constituting
the seat proper and back. This seat which is principally designed for theatres, is to
enable the public to leave rapidly in case of danger or after the play. To effect this
object the seat is made in such a manner that in order to fold it for obtaining the free
passage, the back as well as the seat proper will be turned into the plane of a side
standard and placed one above the other the back turning upon a vertical spindle in
the standard and the seat proper at the same time upon a horizontal spindle in the
standard.
In the drawings left with the provisional specification,
Figure 1 is a side view of the improved seat, parts of the same being shown in
section.
Figure 2 is a front view, and
Figure 3 a plan of two folding seats placed side by side, one of them being turned
down and the other turned up.
Each seat comprises a standard A which supports on one side a folding seat
proper a and a¹ and a folding back b and b¹ and forms on the other side a support B
for the seat proper and back of the adjoining seat.

page_text: In the said standard is arranged a horizontal shaft or spindle c and a vertical
shaft or spindle d which are coupled by two bevel wheels c¹, d¹ of exactly the
same size.
To the horizontal shaft or spindle is firmly fixed the leaf a¹ of the seat proper which
is made of two parts a and a¹, and the leaf 6 of the back which also consists of two
parts b and b¹ is secured to the vertical shaft or spindle d.
Two powerful helical springs e are so fixed upon the vertical shaft or spindle d
that they will keep the seat proper and the back in the position for affording a free
passage, the springs acting in the opposite direction to that of the rotary movement
of the said shaft or spindle d, which is necessary for opening or unfolding the seat
and back.
.
The front part a of the seat proper is connected with the rear part a¹ of the same
by a hinge and is held by a helical spring 9 in this hinge upon the said rear part a¹
when the seat is not used.
When the seat is to be used the front part a is turned through 180 degrees, and
is kept in this position only by the weight of the body of the person who occupies
the seat.
As soon as the person leaves the seat, the helical spring 9 which has been
compressed in the previous turning movement, effects the automatic return movement
of the front part a. A similar arrangement is used for the back, the part b which
is connected by a hinge h with the part 6', being pressed upon the part 6' by a spring
in the hinge when the seat is not in use.
For fixing the parts of the seat proper and back in position when they are folded
up for the free passage a stop i has been provided. The latter consists of a rod
which is arranged in the part 6 of the back and snaps into a hole in the standard
when the proper position is obtained.
If the seat is to be opened for use, the part a¹ is turned from the vertical to the
horizontal position that is to say, through 90 degrees; simultaneously with this the
part 6 of the back turns upon the shaft or spindle d, the latter being caused to turn
by the bevel wheels c', d¹.
As soon as the part a¹ of the seat proper bears upon the support B of the next
standard, a snapping device comes into action and fixes it. The part 6 of the back is
then opened and is likewise fixed by a snapping device as soon as it touches the next
standard A.
it
For a person to sit down it is then only necessary to let down the part a by turning
upon the hinge f.
The two stopping devices for the seat proper and back are connected in the known
manner by rods and levers with a knob k, and are arranged to be disengaged by
pulling the latter.
As soon as the disengagement of the stopping devices has been effected, the helical
springs e, compressed by the turning movement of the parts of the seat proper and
back through 90 degrees, come in action and provide for the free passage between
the standards A A by the automatic return of the parts of the seat proper and back
to the plane of the standard A. The part a of the seat proper is turned down upon
the part a¹ by the spring when the person rises, the part 6 of the back is turned
upon the part b¹ of the back in the turning movement of the same.
g
b
In order to prevent the disengagement of the stopping device by the person
occupying the adjoining seat, the said device, as long as the seat proper is in use, is
automatically fixed by the bar m.
In order to prevent an accidental folding of the chair while in use the knob k is
locked in position while the part a of the seat is depressed or spread out. This is
effected by a rod carrying at its lower end a projection and at its upper end the
overhanging bar m. Now when the part a of the seat is depressed it strikes against
the said projection thereby drawing down the said rod. The overhanging bar m at
top of the rod then comes in front of a lateral projection on the stem of the knob k
thus making it impossible to pull out the knob k and to unlock the folding seat and
back of the chair. But when the person occupying the chair rises the aforesaid rod

page_text: carrying the bar m is raised by a spring secured to the standard A and the knob k
may then be pulled out to fold the chair.
An opening can be provided below the seat proper in every standard for receiving
a hat or the like.
To obviate mistakes the seat proper and hack are provided with any necessary
instructions or directions. All the parts of this automatic folding seat can be made
of iron with a view to ensure safety from fire, and each standard can be fixed by
means of screws upon the floor independently from the other standards, and can
therefore be readily exchanged when required.
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 seat so constructed that after turning the seat proper and back
into the plane of its side standard permits of a free passage between the side
standards A.
Second. A folding seat, whose seat proper can be turned upon a horizontal
spindle c,
and the back upon a vertical spindle d so that both can be turned into the
plane of the standard A, both spindles being arranged in the standard and coupled
so that the seat proper and back will turn simultaneously.
Third. In combination with the pivoted seat proper and the pivoted back of a
folding seat and the spindles c, d of the same, the bevel wheels ¹, d¹ upon the said
spindies, and the springe upon one of the spindles, which automatically effects the
folding of the back and seat as soon as they are left free.
Fourth. The construction of the seat proper and back of two parts a a¹ and b b¹
respectively which are connected by the hinge fand respectively which have a
spring as above described.
Fifth. The stopping device i for fixing the back and seat proper in the folded state
in combination with the folding seat substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination of the pivoted seat proper and the pivoted back with a
standard A which carries both when they are folded together, and forms at the same
time on the other side the support for the seat proper and back of the next seat.
Dated this 15th day of June 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.