IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID AND CHILDREN'S CHAIRS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Torry Hester, of Oxford, Surgeon, f
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID AND CHILDREN'S CHAIRS."
Sealed the 12th January 1856, and dated the 6th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Torry Hester at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th October 1855.
I, JAMES TORRY HESTER, of Oxford, Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID AND CHILDREN'S CHAIRS " to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of invalid
and children's chairs, and consists of a peculiar combination of the parts em-
ployed, by which invalid and children's chairs may be made more extensively
useful. For this purpose, a chair is arranged to move on four wheels, one on
either side and two at the back, all of which are connected to an axle or frame
composed of two sides and a back, made in one piece or framed together. The
two side wheels turn on necks or axles fixed to or forming part of the three-
frame sided frame or axle. The two hinder wheels are castor wheels, which
by their vertical axles can turn in any direction. The seat is attached or
hinged to the back part of the three-sided frame or axle; the arms of the chair
are also fixed thereto. The object of having the three-sided frame or axle
open in front is, that the person using the same may enter between the two
side wheels. Each of the sides of the chair is provided with a crutch, which

page_text: may be made to fold and be adjustable in its length. In some cases a narrow
adjustable seat is provided, such as will enter between the legs of the person
using the chair, and give more or less support, and yet admit of using the legs
in order to walk, and thereby propel the chair. The parts are so arranged
and combined, that when the seat is down the chair may be used as an ordinary
invalid chair, and be propelled by the two side wheels, the use, however, of the
two hinder castor wheels rendering the chair more safe than when one only is
used. There is attached a folding foot-rest to the seat of the chair.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Torry Hester in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
TORRY HESTER, of Oxford, Surgeon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Torry Hester, Her special licence that I, the said James
Torry Hester, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others 'as I,
the said James Torry Hester, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN INVALID AND CHILDREN'S CHAIRS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Torry Hester, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 James Torry Hester, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of invalid

page_text: and children's chairs, and consists of a peculiar combination of the parts em-
ployed, by which invalid and children's chairs may be made more extensively
useful. For this purpose, a chair is arranged to move on four wheels, one' on
either side and two at the back, all of which are connected to the axle or
frame, composed of two sides and a back, made in one piece or framed together.
The two side wheels turn on necks or axles fixed to or forming part of the
three-sided frame or axles. The two hinder wheels are castor wheels, which
by their vertical axles can turn in any direction. The seat is attached or
hinged to the back part of the three-sided frame or axle; the arms of the chair
are also fixed thereto. The object of having the three-sided frame or axle
open in front is, that the person using the same may enter between the two
side wheels. Each of the sides of the chair is provided with a crutch, which
may be made to fold, and be adjustable in its length. In some cases a narrow
adjustable seat is provided, such as will enter between the legs of the person
using the chair, and give more or less support, and yet admit of using the legs
in order to walk, and thereby propel the chair. The parts are so arranged
and combined, that when the seat is down the chair may be used as an ordinary
invalid chair, and be propelled by the two side wheels, the use, however, of the
two hinder castor wheels rendering the chair more safe than when one only is
used. There is attached a folding foot-rest to the seat of the chair.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to explain the same, and refer to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a front elevation, Figure 3 a longi-
tudinal section, and Figure 4 an under side plan, of an invalid chair constructed
in accordance with my Invention; Figure 5 shews the frame C separately.
It moves on four wheels, having a large one A on either side, and two smaller
ones B, B, at the back, which are castor wheels. The wheels A, A, are con-
nected to the axle or frame C, which consists of two sides and a back in one
piece, or framed together, so as to form for the axles of the wheels. The two
side wheels A, A, turn on necks or axles C¹, C¹, fixed to or forming part of the
frame C. The two hinder wheels B, B, are castor wheels, carried by vertical
axes B', B', which are capable of turning in any direction. The metal frame C
is screwed or otherwise firmly affixed to the three-sided wood frame D, D, to
which the seat E is hinged at E', E'. The arms F, F, and back G are also
affixed to the frame D, D. By forming the frames C, D, of a chair in this
manner, an opening is left in front, so that a person using the chair may enter

page_text: between the two side wheels A, A, and be supported by the arms or by the
crutches when walking. Each side of the frame C, D, of the chair is provided
with a socket H, to receive a crutch I. The sockets H, HI, are connected to
the frame D, D, by hinges or otherwise, in such manner as to allow of their
turning on the centres H, H¹. The sockets H, H, are also provided with set
screws H2, H2, by which the crutches I, I, may be adjusted in height to suit
the person. The sockets H, when not required, are turned upon their centres
and rest within the supports H3, H³, carried by the framing C, D. If desired,
a narrow adjustable seat or support K may be used (placed as shown in red
lines), which enters between the legs of the person using the chair, and gives
more or less support, and at the same time allows of movement of the legs to
walk, and thereby to propel the chair. These parts are so arranged, that when
the seat E is down the chair may be used as an ordinary invalid chair, and
may be propelled either by the two side wheels or by a person pushing the
chair from behind. The use of the two hinder or castor wheels B, B, render
the chair more safe than when only one is used.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 show, respectively, a side view, a plan, and a section of
another form of chair, more particularly adapted for the use of children. In
this arrangement, the seat E, instead of being hinged at the back portion
of the frame D, is hinged at the front part thereof, the frame being in this
arrangement a rectangular frame. The seat F by being raised admits of
the child standing within the frame, and to derive support from the seat.
A further support, however, is provided, composed of suitable straps and a
(collar-L, stuffed-to-present a soft substance to the neek of the child. Suitably
band L, stuffed to present a soft substance to pass under the arms, and to be
formed-straps My M, are carried by the collar to receive the arms. The
buckled round the waist of the child. Suitably formed straps M, M, are
eollar L-and-arin straps are connected by studs O, O, in the seat E, by
carried by the band to pass under the legs. The band L and leg straps are
straps and buckles T, T, and to the back G of the chair to studs P by straps
connected by studs 0, 0, to the seat E by straps and buckles T, T, and to
and buckles R, R, so that a child having been lifted into the space within the
the back G of the chair to studs P by straps and buckles R, R, so
frame D, D, occasioned by the raising of the seat F, rests first-on-the-straps
that a child having been lifted into the space within the frame D, D,
for the arms, and then the collar is buckled around the neek and the strape
occasioned by raising the seat E, rests first on the band round the waist,
connecting the same with the studs of the seat E and back G being properly
and then, if necessary, on the straps under the legs, the whole being so

page_text: adjusted as to length, the child will thereby be prevented from sinking to
the ground through weakness or otherwise.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the precise details; but what
I claim is, the mode of combining the frame C, D, with the side wheels A and
the hind wheels B; also the applying the seat and other parts (shown in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,) to such combination, in order that the chair may be
used in the various conditions herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Torry Hester, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JAMES TORRY HESTER. (L.S.)
Vitness to the signing and sealing by the said
James Torry Hester (the alterations contained
in the twelfth and seven following lines of the
third page, [Line 24, &c., page 4,] opposite
to which I have put my initials, having been
JAMES TORRY HESTER. (L.S.)
Vitness to the signing and sealing by the said
James Torry Hester (the alterations contained
in the twelfth and seven following lines of the
third page, [Line 24, &c., page 4,] opposite
to which I have put my initials, having been
first made.)
EDWARD W. HAZEL,
Sol, Oxford.