Improvements in Portable Footstools, Tables, Benches, and other Articles of the like kind.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
COMUNTE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Footstools, Tables, Benches, and other
Articles of the like kind.
I, ALBERT EPSTEIN, of Gartenstrasse, 324, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :—
Folding footstools as heretofore ordinarily used are subject more or less to the
great objection that on the one hand when folded into their closed position for the
convenience of carriage they occupy too much room, whilst on the other hand they
do not offer sufficient safety when in use.
The object of the present invention is to make a folding footstool, which not-
withstanding the relatively little space which it occupies when folded together,
nevertheless provides absolute safety when in use.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of a footstool constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 1 shews a side view of the footstool opened out for use.
Figure 2 shews a view from below of the same with the feet removed.
Figure 3 shews two of the feet fitted into one another, and
Figure 4 a vertical section of the footstool folded together.
The body or upper part of the footstool itself consists of two parts a and b,.
which are connected together by two side hinges c, c, and a central hinge d, the
hinges being so arranged that the two parts a and b can be folded together only in
one direction, their lower sides coming together. On each side of the parts of the
stool which so come together when closed, recesses e are provided, which in the
closed position of the stool form two hollow spaces of such size and position as to
contain the four hollow feet g, two of which are fitted into one another, as shewn
in Figure 3, so as to fill the space provided for them, as shewn in Figure 4.
When the footstool is opened out, the projecting ends of the feet g fit into holes f
in the bottom of the stool, the projections being provided with slits g¹ giving them.
a certain amount of elasticity.
In addition to the advantages already pointed out, the improved footstool is very
light, both on account of the hollow feet and the large recesses on the lower side.
of the folding parts, and the metal parts may be made of aluminium for the sake
of greater lightness.
The principle of the improved folding footstool may be applied to other articles,.
such for example as tables, benches, or ordinary stools, and the like.
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 :-
The folding portable footstool or other article of the like kind, the uper part of
which folds together and is provided with recesses which in its folded position.
form spaces to receive the moveable feet, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 12th day of January 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.