Improvements in Reversible Seats for Tramcars, Omnibuses, and other Vehicles, and for Parks, Gardens, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Reversible Seats for Tramcars, Omnibuses, and
other Vehicles, and for Parks, Gardens, and the like.
I, JOHN HAMILTON HUNTER, of Brooklawn, Blackrock, Dublin, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
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The object of these improvements is to provide convenient and readily rever-
sible seats for tramcars, and other vehicles and for parks and other places so that
the dry or clean side may be secured in a quick and convenient manner. For this
purpose provide an axial pivot at each end of the seat, said pivots being applied
tc movable side frames in such manner that the frames and seat can be raised or
thrown forward so far that the seat can be reversed, and then brought into the
normal position wherein it is held by suitable pegs and notches or the like.
In one form I provide at each end of the seat and applied to or combined with
the side standards a movable side frame in the form of lazy tongs the lower
pivots of which rest in the side standards or other fixed part, and the upper pivots
of which are the seat pivots. The two intermediate pivots of the lazy tongs are
guided in curved slois in the standards to suitably guide the rising and falling
movements. At the end of each seat I provide pegs which when the seat is in
the normal position rest in notches in the standards. In order to reverse the
seat it is lifted with its lazyiongs frames sufficiently for the aforesaid pegs to
clear the standards the seat is then reversed in a half revolution and then with
the lazytongs frames pressed down into the normal position.
In another form I provide at each end of the seat a movable frame in the form
of a lever having its fulcrum in the standards, and having the seat pivots mounted
in the ends. By throwing this swinging seat and frames forward to clear the
pegs of the notches in the standards I am enabled to reverse the seat which can
then be swung back into the normal position. Double notches are provided
in each side standard for the pegs to take their places in alternately according
to which side of the seat is at the time uppermost.
The seats may be constructed in sections each affording a seat for one person
and working independently of the other.
The seats may be provided with grooves or channels and perforations for
draining off any moisture.
My improvements are applicable to seats with fixed or reversible backs or to
such without.
Dated this Fifteenth day of May 1800

page_text: Improvements in Reversible Seats for Tramcars, Omnibuses, and
other Vehicles, and for Parks, Gardens, and the like.
I, JOHN HAMILTON HUNTER, of Brooklawn, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Merchant,
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 an improved seat for omnibuses, tramcars and like
vehicles and for gardens or outdoor use generally, and it consists in so mounting
the bottom or seat proper that it can be easily and readily reversed and auto-
matically locked in position, the object being to provide a seat the bottom or
seat proper of which can be easily reversed so as to bring the under side upper-
inost in case the upper side is wet or damp, and further to provide a bottom for
a seat that will allow water to readily drain off and thus become more readily
dry.
I attain this end by providing an axial pivot or pivotting pin in the centre of
each side of the seat proper, said pivots are not fixed to standards but movable
with the seat proper and can be either raised vertically or drawn or swung
forward, as hereinafter more particularly described.
Figures 1 and 2 are views in side elevation of one form my invention may
assume.
Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a modification thereof.
Figure 4 is a broken view in plan of the bottom of the seat, and
Figure 5 is a view in transverse section of the bottom of the seat.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, the bottom or seat
proper A which may be of wood or any other suitable material and of any
desired length according to the use to which it is to be applied and to the number
of people it is intended to seat is provided at its sides at or about the centre of
its depth with pivotal pins a, a, which pass through or form the pivots of
movable side frame. In the present case the two upper links F, F, of a lazy
tongs or other suitable device for lifting the axial pivots with seat proper to
the required height and pins f. f, by which the upper links F, F, are pivotted
to the lower links F, F, are extended or otherwise adapted to engage curved
slots in the side frames B which are carried by or formed on suitable legs or
supports such as C. At the ends of the bottom or seat A on each side of the
points of pivot are pins a, a, or their equivalents adapted to engage notches or
slots in the side frames B or preferably shoulders thereon as shown to retain
the bottom A in a horizontal position when in use. To reverse the bottom A it
is lifted until the lazy tongs device or movable side frames F, F, F1, F¹, is fully
extended. It is then turned half round-that is through half a revolution-
and pressed down again into its normal position.
In the form referred to in Figure 3. I provide at each end of the bottom of
seat or seat proper, movable bars or frames in the form of levers F, F, fixed
preferably at the back of the sides or standards with their fulcrums G, G, and
having the axial pivots or pivotal pins a, a, passing through the central slots b, b,
in side standards and through-holes of suitable size in said levers F, F, secured
by washers or collars at back, to assist in keeping the side frames from spreading.
On each side of the bottom or seat A at a convenient distance from the pivotal
pins,
are formed
or fixed projecting pins or studs a¹, a¹, which
are adapted to engage with curved or other suitably shaped slots
or notches b', 6', in the undersides of the side frames B, B, so as to cause

page_text: ocking pins or studs a¹, a', to remain securely at the ends of the curved (or
other) slots or notches with which they engage in the positions in which they
are placed, and bear the necessary strain and weight while the seat is occupied.
To reverse the bottom or seat proper it is first moved horizontally, which action
causes the levers to guide and swing the pivotal pins a, a, over the curved central
slots b, b, from one side to the other. By this movement the locking pins or
studs a', a', are clear of the horizontal parts of the slots 61, 61, when it is turned
on its pivot in the direction of the arrow until its other side is uppermost and it
will then move no further. It is then moved horizontally in the reverse direction
the levers swinging the pivotal pins a, a, back over the curved central slots b, b,
to the original position, and the locking pins or studs a', a¹, to the closed ends
of the horizontal parts of the slots or notches b1, 61, thereby making the seat
secure and able to bear the required weight and strain when occupied.
In addition to this I sometimes form studs b on the side frames B, B, as shown
in Figure 3 to further assist in supporting the bottom A. Double notches are
provided in each side standard for the projecting pins to engage alternately
according to which side of the seat is at the time uppermost.
Although the bottom or seat proper A may be of any suitable shape I prefer
to make it with one or more shallow longitudinally arranged depressions a³, a³, in
each face thereof, and at the bottom of each of the said depressions to form a
longitudinal channel a intersecting any convenient number of holes a which
pass through the bottom, the said longitudinal channels being undulating
that it is deepest at the points where they intersect the holes a" and highest at
points equidistant between the said holes so that the tendency of any water
falling on the bottom of the seat is to flow or gravitate towards the holes through
which it will pass and running along the channels at on the then underside of the
bottom drip off at the then lowest point i.e., the shallowest parts of the said
channels.
I am aware that it is not broadly new to make the bottoms of seats reversible
and I do not therefore claim such broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: —
(1) A reversible seat for outdoor use consisting essentially of side frames
carried by suitable supports, such as a pair of lazy-tongs pivotted to the said
supports, or a bottom or seat proper pivotted to the lazy-tongs the arrangement
being such that the movements of the lazy-tongs or other rising device are guided
by the side frames and that the bottom or seat proper is in engagement with the
side frames when the lazy-tongs are compressed and capable of being reversed
when they are extended, as and for the purpose set forth.
(2) A seat for outdoor use consisting essentially of side frames such as B
carried by suitably shaped supports such as C, of a bottom or seat proper such
as A carrying pivotal pins such as a, a, operating in curved slots such as band
mounted in levers such as F, F, pivotted at G to the side frames B, of locking
studs such as a¹, a¹, carried by the bottom or seat proper A and adapted to engage
one or other of a pair of curved or other suitably shaped slots or notches such
as b₁, b, in the side frames B and opening to the underside thereof, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figure 3.
(3) A reversible seat for outdoor use characterised by the pins by which the
reversible bottom or seat proper is pivotted to the supporting frame or frames
engage slots whereby the said bottom or seat proper has a limited amount of
independent longitudinal movement, and by locking devices operated by the
aforesaid longitudinal movement whereby the bottom or seat proper is securely
fixed to the frame with either face uppermost, as and for the purpose set forth.
(4) In a reversible seat, the combination of a bottom or seat proper carrying
pivotting pins, of side frames carried by legs or supports and having longitu-

page_text: dinally arranged slots to receive the pivotting pins so that the points of pivot
can be shifted longitudinally, and of a locking device to fix the reversible bottom
to the side frames with either face uppermost consisting of one or more pins or
studs on the bottom or seat proper engaging suitably shaped slots or notches in
the side frames or vice versa, as set forth.
(5) A reversible seat, consisting of a bottom or seat proper A having one or
more longitudinally arranged shallow depressions such as a³ and a similar number
of longitudinal channels such as a intersecting holes such as a through its
thickness, of pivotting pins such as a fixed to the sides of the bottom or seat.
proper A, of side frames such as B carried by suitable legs or supports C and
having slots such as b to receive the pivotting pins a so that the points of pivot
can be shifted longitudinally with respect to the said side frames, and of a locking
device to fix tlie reversible bottom or seat proper to the side frames with either
face uppermost consisting of one or more pins or studs such as a¹ on the bottom
or seat proper A engaging slots or notches such as in the side frames B, as and
for the purpose set forth.
(6) In improvements in reversible seats as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
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1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C
Agent for the Applicant.