Improvements in Seats or Stools.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1895-Accepted 6th June, 1896
Improvements in Seats or Stools.
We, JOHN FRIEDERICH HEINERICH EVERS and HERMANN WOERNER, both
of 416 East 120th Street, in the City, County and State of New York, United
States of America, Inventors 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 :—
This invention relates to chairs, and particularly to that class known as camp
chairs or stools, and the object thereof is to provide a chair of this description
which is capable of being folded into the smallest possible space, and which is also
strong and substantial, and at the same time light and comparatively inexpensive,
aud with this and other objects in view; the invention consists in a chair constructed
as hereinafter described and claimed.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following Specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of our improved chair, as extended and ready for use;
Fig. 2, a similar view, showing the chair folded;
Fig. 3, an inside view of one of the legs of the chair with its connected
devices;
Fig. 4, a side view thereof;
Fig. 5, is a bottom plan view of the top of the chair the legs being shown in
section; and,
Fig. 6, a section on the line 6, 6, of Fig. 3, a spring which is connected with the
leg at this point being omitted.
In the practice of our invention we provide legs A, which are preferably four in
number, and each are also preferably segmental in cross section with the convex
side thereof directed outward, and at the upper ends of each leg on the inner
surface thereof are formed or secured loops or rings B, as shown in Fig. 5, to
which are pivotally secured or hinged thin elastic metal straps C, each of which is
secured to a ring D, by means of a loop and rivet d, the connection of said metal
straps C, with the loops B, being similarly made by means of pins or rivets b.
Each of the legs of the chair is provided on the inner lower portion thereof
with a rod E, which is secured to the leg at e and e', and on each of which is a
sliding head F, provided with an inwardly directed shoulder G, and, pivotally
secured at the upper end of each of the legs and to each side thereof are cross
bars H, said cross bars being secured to the upper ends of the legs by means of
plates h, and said cross bars at each side are crossed and pivotally connected at K,
and the lower ends thereof are pivotally connected with the sliding heads F,
mounted on the rods E.
As thus constructed it will be seen that the rods H, at each of the four sides of
the chair constitute a pair of lazy tongs or toggle levers and by means of the
pivotal connection thereof with the upper ends of the legs of the chair as shown in
Fig. 3, and with the sliding heads F, on the rods E, said legs may be folded or
drawn together as shown in Fig. 2, or expanded as shown in Fig. 1.
Secured to the inner side of each of the legs immediately above the upper ends
of the rods E, are springs L, which are extended outwardly and downwardly and
provided at their lower ends with rings M, and on their inner sides with inwardly
directed shoulders or projections N, and the object of these shoulders or projections
is to catch under the heads F, or the shoulders G, formed thereon and to hold said.

page_text: heads in their uppermost or highest position, which will be the position assumed
by said heads when the legs of the chair are extended and said chair is ready for
use, as shown in Fig. 1.
Connected with each of the rings M, is a cord O, only two of which are shown
in Fig. 1, but four of which are employed, one for each of the springs L, these
cords are carried upward and passed through the ring D, and through the flexible
bottom R, of the chair and connected with a head or disk P, as clearly shown in
Fig. 1.
The seat, or bottom R, of the chair is composed of any desired flexible material,
such as fine leather, or textile material, and said seat is secured to the tops of the
legs of the chair by means of pins, nails or screws S, or in any desired manner.
The thin flexible metal straps C, are designed to form a support for the seat, to
prevent the over extension of the legs and the spreading of the chair, and the
operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in
connection with the accompanying drawing.
In Fig. 2, the flexible metal strips C, and the bottom or seat R, of the chair are
not shown said figures being intended to show the form of the chair when the legs
are folded together. Whenever it is desired to expand the chair for use as shown
in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to expand the legs thereof drawing them into the
position shown in said figure and when fully expanded in this manner, this shoulders
or projections N, on the springs L, will catch under the shoulders G, on the heads F,
and securely hold the parts in a position for use.
Whenever it is desired to contract the chair or fold the legs thereof together as
shown in Fig. 2, it is only necessary to grasp the head or disk P, at the upper ends
of the cords O, and to pull upward thereon by which operation the springs L, will
be released from contact with the heads F, and the legs of the chair may be folded
together as shown in Fig. 2.
In this position the flexible seat R, and the flexible metal straps C, are also
folded within the cylindrical body formed by the legs A, as will be readily under-
stood and it will thus be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by
means of a device which is simple in construction and operation and one which is
comparatively inexpensive.
The legs A, may be formed of any desired material, but we prefer to form them
of wood and our improved chair may be made as strong as desired, and at the
same time very light, so that it may be easily carried by means of a strap or other
device.
Our improved chair will be found to be of great use to many classes of people
such as excursionists, travelers and other and our invention is not limited to the
exact form, construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; and we
therefore reserve the right to make all such alterations therein and modifications
thereof, as fairly come within the scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A folding chair, the legs of which are united by means of cross bars which
are pivotally connected with the upper ends thereof, said cross bars being pivotally
connected, and also pivotally connected at their lower ends with a head or heads,
adapted to slide on a vertical rod secured to the inner surfaces of said legs,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A folding chair, comprising legs with the tops of which are pivotally connected,
at each side thereof, cross bars which are pivotally connected at their intersections,
and the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with sliding heads which are
mounted on vertical rods secured to the inner sides of the legs, and a spring
connected with the inner side of each of said legs and adapted to operation in
connection with said heads, and the top of each leg being also provided with
a flexible metal band or strap which is pivotally connected therewith and each

page_text: of which is pivotally connected with a central ring, substantially as shown and
described.
3. A folding chair, comprising legs with the tops of which are pivotally connected,
at each side thereof, cross bars which are pivotally connected at their intersections,
and the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with sliding heads which are
mounted on vertical rods secured to the inner sides of the legs, and a spring
connected with the inner side of each of said legs and adapted to operate in
connection with said heads and the top of each leg being also provided with a
flexible metal band or strap which is pivotally connected therewith and each
of which is pivotally connected with a central ring, substantially as shown and
described.
4. A folding chair, comprising legs with the tops of which are pivotally connected
at each side thereof, cross bars which are pivotally connected at their intersections,
and the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with sliding heads which are
mounted on vertical rods secured to the inner sides of the legs, and a spring
connected with the inner side of each of said legs and adapted to operate in
connection with said heads, and the top of each leg being also provided with a
flexible metal band or strap which is pivotally connected therewith, and each of
which is pivotally connected with a central ring, and cords or similar devices
connected with the lower end of said springs and passed upwardly and through
said central ring and through the bottom or seat of the chair, substantially as
shown and described.
5. A folding chair, comprising legs with the tops of which are pivotally connected,
at each side thereof, cross bars which are pivotally connected at their intersections,
and the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with sliding heads which are
mounted on vertical rods secured to the inner sides of the legs, and a spring
connected with the inner side of each of said legs and adapted to operate in
connection with said heads, and the top of each leg being also provided with a
flexible metal band or strap which is pivotally connected therewith and each of
which is pivotally connected with the lower end of said springs and passed
upwardly through said central ring and through the bottom or seat of the chair,
said bottom or seat being composed of flexible material, secured to the legs,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of November 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.