IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS, SOFAS, CHAIRS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE, TO RENDER THEM MORE SUITABLE FOR TRAVELLING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BROWN, of the Minories, in the Liberty of the Tower of London, Upholsterer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at.
Westminster, the Eighth day of September, in the second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Brown, Her special licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said Joseph Brown, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I;.
the said Joseph Brown, my exors, adñiors,.or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term.
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS, SOFAS, CHAIRS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
OF FURNITURE, TO RENDER THEM MORE SUITABLE FOR TRAVELLING AND OTHER
PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the
said Joseph Brown, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,.
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso,. I, the said Joseph
Brown, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: one at each end, for it will be seen that the framing of the sofa constituting
the ends and seat part is separate from the frame c, and can swing therein
from front to back, and by this means the weight of the seat part will retain
its horizontal position, notwithstanding any unevenness of keel of the ship or
vessel, and consequently of the floor on which the sofa is placed; h, h, are
weights, which may be removed to either end of the frame c, in order to pre-
serve the equilibrium when but one person is sitting on the sofa.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a front and end view of another arrangement of sofa,
but is only arranged for moving in one direction, that is, from front to back or
back to front; the same letters of reference being used to indicate similar parts.
The nature of this arrangement will readily be understood, and consists
simply of suspending the seat part of a sofa on axes in a suitable framing a, a.
Figure 5 shews a side view of a chair which is suspended on axes at a point
above the seat, and consequently above the centre of gravity; this arrangement
is similar to Figures 3 and 4, excepting in one case it is a chair, and in the
other case a sofa, that is suspended. Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 shew a chair
suspended in such manner as to move from side to side as well as from back
to front and from front to back; the various parts are similar in most respects
to those described at Figures 1 and 2 for giving like motions to a sofa, and I
have marked the parts with the same letters of reference; they will therefore
be readily traced, and the description above given of Figures 1 and 2 will for
the most part apply to these Figures.
power of
Figure 10 shews a mode of constructing and arranging berths or cots
on board ship so that there may be two or more placed one above the other,
and yet have the power of movement and retain a horizontal position. h, h,
are uprights; i, i, are cots, one above the other, which arrangement allows of
getting a larger number of berths in a given space,
and yet have the
swinging; i, j, are the axes on which they move.
Figures 11 and 12 shew an arrangement of a child's cot; a is the framing;
b is the bed, which is of a circular form on the under side, and swings
in the circular part a' of the frame a. c, c, are flaps, which are hung on
hinges at d, d, and retained in the position shewn in the Drawing by finger
screws e, e. f, f, are pins or pegs, which are screwed into the flap c', in order
to support the head curtains. When the bed is not being used, the pins f
may be taken out, and the flaps c, c, allowed to, fall, first the flap c, and then
the flap c', in order to form a table.
Figure 13 shews a front view; Figure 14, a section; and Figure 15, a plan
of another cot, which may be used also as a seat; the same letters of reference
will serve for this as for Figure 1. c', c, is a cord attached to the frame cat i,

page_text: and passing over the pulleys j, j, and attached to the spindle k at the other end
of the frame c. The spindle k has a small handle, as shewn in the Drawing,
by turning which the cord c¹ may be tightened. 7 is a pin passing through the
spindle h, to retain it when wound up. Figure 18 shews a section, and Figure
19 a plan, of a table, a portion of which is hung on gimbles similarly to
Figures 16 and 17.
Figures 16 and 17 shew a mode of hanging a wash-hand basin on gimbles,
in order to its retaining its horizontal condition notwithstanding the varying
condition of the ship or vessel. k, k, is the framing; 1, 1, are the axes which
allow of movement to and fro in one direction; and m, m, are the axes which
allow of movement to and fro in the other direction.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark that I lay no claim to
any of the parts which may have been heretofore used in the construction of
such description of furniture; and I would remark that I am aware, that some
attempts have been before made to suspend chairs, sofas and beds, furniture on
axes, but I believe without any advantage, owing to the axes being below the
centre of gravity; and I would have it understood that what I claim as my
Invention is,
First, the mode of suspending sofas, chairs, and beds, cots, or berths, as
above described.
And, secondly, I claim the suspending wash-hand basins or stands on
gimbles or axes, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Brown, have hereunto set my hand
March One
red and
thirty-nine.
JOSEPH (L.S.) BROWN.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1839, the aforesaid Joseph Brown came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand