In- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF METALLIC AND OTHER CHAIRS OR SEATS, PART OF SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF METALLIC AND OTHER CHAIRS OR SEATS,
PART OF SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Guillaume Lichtenfelder, of Paris,
France.
Sealed the 20th January 1874, and dated the 2nd August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Olark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd August 1878.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF METALLIC AND OTHER CHAIRS OR SEATS,
PART OF BAID 'IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of metallic
and other chairs or seats, illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,

page_text: Figure 1 of which shows the construction of the framing (in shape
resembling an easel) consisting of a rigid rod A, B, D, E, bent of the
form shown and attached at C to the central rod F, G, forming the main
back support. The ends A, E, form the two front legs, the feet being
formed with knobs or claws, the back leg F, G, being also similarly 5
terminated. The side frames are held apart by a rigid rod B, D, at the
level of the seat proper, while a second rod A³, E³, serves to brace the
legs, and also forms a rail for the feet of the sitter.
The outline of the frame A, B, D, may of course be varied so as to
give the seat a more or less elegant appearance, but in order to obtain 1
sufficient steadiness the frame should be bent inwards at points B, D,
and the legs bent outwards at A, E. Figures 2 and 3 show clearly the
form of the back support O, F, G.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 show sections of the framing on an enlarged scale,
although their section may be modified according to whether strength or 1
lightness is desired, and the frame may either be made solid or hollow.
The back of the seat is filled in either with scroll work or in other
manner, according to whether the seat be made of metal (for which it
is more especially adapted) or other material.
i
One special feature of improvement consists in the mode of uniting
the various parts of the framing by means of rings, loops, bosses, or
sockets (so as to dispense with pins, tongues, and rivets) as illustrated in
Figures 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 11', whereby the several parts of the seat
may be put together and taken to pieces with the greatest facility. The
scat proper F, B, D, M, Figure 1, is composed of a series of resilient
strips radiating from the centre M, and secured to the seat framing.
These strips may either be made triangular, rectangular, or of trapezoidal
form, or formed as shown in Figure 12. These strips are so curved as to
give the seat bottom the form of a more or less flattened ellipsoid. The
strips may, instead of being united at the centre of the seat, be continued
straight across and unite with the frame, as shown in Figure 17. The
following is the mode of attaching the strips together and also to the
seat frame:-The strip M is first lapped at one end round the frame so
as to become hooked thereto, but without being permanently attached,
and the other end is then freely attached in a similar manner to a disc
forming the centre of the seat. In this manner the use of rivets is
entirely dispensed with as well as the fitting of the strips in the seat, by

page_text: both of which modes they are liable to become broken. By thus freely
attaching the strip at both ends the pressure is distributed over its whole
surface without straining any point, and there is less liability of its
getting out of shape.
The strips may be strengthened by the addition of ribs N, R, Figure 12,
which may also serve to receive a stiffening, as seen in Figure 15.
-
The above method of attaching the strips is also applicable to
mattresses and seats generally.
In Figure 12 the frame of the seat proper is circular, but it may be
elliptical, square, or of other form, and the frame may be in section
round, pear shaped, or made of double or single angle iron; as seen in
Figures 14, 15, 16, and 17, according to the material employed.
The seat bottom may also be stamped out of sheet metal, as shown in
Figure 18, the edges being lapped round the edges of the frame, or it
may be otherwise applied.
The chairs or seats may be made to fold or not, the frame A, B, C, D, E,
being in the latter case fixed at points B, D, and also to the back support
at point F, Figure 7, and the framing A, B, C, D, E, F, G, may be
further stiffened by a strut F, Figure 8, attached at the centre of bar
A³, E³.
When the chair or seat is made to fold the cross bar B, D, by which
the frame is braced is provided with pivots turning in sockets, Figures
9 and 10, fixed on the front legs of the seat, and the frame carries a
catch fitting in a part F, Figures 11 and 11ª, and fixed by a spring pin
to the back leg C, F, G, which pivots on point O, Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 19 shows the method of connecting the parts when wood is
omnloved
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHỌM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
. Agent, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of August in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Clark, Her special licence
that I, the said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Clark, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF METALLIC AND OTHER CHAIRS OR SEATS, PART OF SAID
IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USES," a communication to me
from abroad by Guillaume Lichtenfelder, of Paris, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
.say) :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of metallic
and other chairs or seats. The improvements relate both to the frame
(which in shape resembles an easel) and back, and also to the bottom or
seat properly so called.
.
The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 of which shows the framing as consisting of a stiff rod
A, B, D, E, bent of a symmetrical form to form the side frames, and of
a central rod F, G, forming the main back support, to which rod
A, B, D, E, is attached at C. The ends A, E, form the two front legs,

page_text: whose ends terminate in flat, round, curved, or other shaped feet to
prevent sinking into the ground. The side frames are held apart by a
rigid rod or stretcher B, D, just beneath the seat, and by a second rod or
stretcher A¹, E³, which also serves as a foot rail for the sitter.
The outline of the frame A, B, D, may of course be varied so as to
give the seat a more or less elegant appearance, but in order to obtain
sufficient steadiness the frame should be bent inwards at points B, D,
and the legs splayed outwards at A, E. O, F, G, is a rod forming the
back frame, the upper half O, F, being the back support, and the lower
half T, G, the third or back leg. The bottom end G is terminated by a
knob or enlargement similar to those of the front legs, or is made scroll
shaped, as shown in the Figure. - Figures 2 and 3 show clearly the form
of the back support C, F, G.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 show cross sections of the framing on an enlarged
scale. It will be readily understood that the form in section may be
modified according to the degree of strength or lightness required, and
the frame may either be made solid or hollow. The back of the seat is
filled in either with scroll work or in other manner according to whether
the seat be made of metal (for which it is more especially adapted) or
other material.
One special feature of improvement consists in the mode of uniting
the various parts of the framing.
The chief cause of seats failing to long withstand rough or even
ordinary usage is, that the joints of the various parts, which are usually
subjected to the greater part of the strain, are still further weakened by
the holes, mortises, or grooves made therein for the dowels, tenons, or
rivets, which serve to connect the several parts.
In the improved mode of construction of this Invention all these are
entirely dispensed with, the various parts of the framing being united
by means of rings, loops, bosses, or sockets, which ensure the most
perfect connection of the parts without weakening those most liable to
strains. It is unnecessary to remark that the several parts when con-
nected in this manner may be put together or taken to pieces with the
greatest facility, and any part of the frame may be replaced when
required. Figures 7, 71, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 11', show some of the
connections which may be employed, although I do not limit myself
exactly to these examples.

page_text: The seat proper F, B, D, M, Figure 1, is composed of a series of
resilient or elastic strips radiating from the centre M, and secured to the
seat framing as shown. Any suitable number of these spring strips may
be used, but it is generally an even number, so that the strips are
diametrically opposite to one another. These strips may either be made
triangular, rectangular, or in trapezoidal form, or formed as shown in
Figure 12. The strips are so curved as to give the seat bottom the form.
of a more or less flattened ellipsoid. The strips, instead of being united
at the centre of the seat, may in some cases be continued straight across
and unite with the frame, as shown in Figure 17, according to the shape
of same.
43
The following is the mode of attaching the strips together, and also
to the seat frame, which mode forms an essential feature of the Inven-
tion: The strip M is first lapped at one end round the frame so as to
become hooked thereto, but without being permanently attached, and
the other end is then similarly attached to a ring centre as shown, the
opening of the ring being afterwards filled up with a name plate. In
this manner the use of rivets is entirely dispensed with, as well as the
fitting the strips into the seat, by both of which modes they are liable to
become broken. By thus freely attaching the strip at both ends the
pressure is distributed over its whole length without undue strain at any
point, and there is less liability of its being put out of shape. The strips
may be strengthened by corrugations or ribs N, R, Figure 12, either
along the centre or at the edges, which may also serve to receive a
stiffening piece, as seen in Figure 15.
The above method of attaching and stiffening the strips is also
applicable to mattresses and seats generally.
In Figure 12 the frame of the seat proper is circular, but it may be
elliptical, square, or of other form, and the frame be in section round,
oval, or made of double or single angle iron, as seen in Figures
14, 15, 16, and 17, according to whether iron, wood, or other material be
employed.
The seat bottom may also be stamped out of sheet metal, as shown in
Figure 18, the edges being lapped round the frame, or it may be other-
wise fixed between two metal or wood rings, as in seating rush bottomed
chairs for instance. This mode of attaching the seat proper to the frame
will also permit of the chairs or seats being made to fold or not as

page_text: desired, the frame A, B, C, D, E, being in the latter case fixed at points
B, D, and also to the back support at point F, Figure 7, and the framing
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, may be further stiffened by a strut Fª, Figure 3,
attached at the centre of bar A¹, E¹.
When the chair or seat is made to fold the cross bar B, D, by which
the frame is braced, is provided with pivots turning in sockets, Figures
9 and 10, fixed on the front legs of the seat, and the frame carries a
catch fitting in a socket F, Figures 11 and 11, and fixed by a spring pin
to the back leg C, F, G, which pivots on point O, Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 19 shows the method of connecting the parts when wood is
employed for making the chairs or seats.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
improvements in chairs or seats herein shown and described, and con-
sisting chiefly in the general arrangement and method of fitting together
the various parts composing the chair frame, and also the method of
fixing the seat to the frame, whether such seat consists of perforated or
stamped sheet metal or flexible metallic strips, all substantially as herein
specified.