Improvements in Body Supports for Use in Railway Carriages and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Body Supports for Use in Railway Carriages and
similar Vehicles.
I, GEORGE CASTLEDEN, of Dennington Rectory, Framlingham, in the County
of Suffolk, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare, the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide means for increasing the comfort
of railway and other passengers.
According to the invention I provide a series of pockets of a suitable material,
such as canvas, and adapted to be suspended from a suitable part of the railway
carriage or other vehicle, for example from the luggage rack, and to be secured
at its lower part to the seat thereof, and I furnish each of the said pockets with
a cushion, the arrangement being such that each cushion can be inflated sepa-
rately or that all the cushions can be inflated simultaneously. I also advan-
tageously provide what I may term side flaps or cushions which may be made
to fold up if necessary and which are designed to form a lateral support for the
head of the passenger who reclines against the inflated pockets.
To give support for the legs I may employ a foot-rest which is suitably sus-
pended from the apparatus which may also be furnished with straps or supports
for the arms.
The whole apparatus when not required for use can be folded up.
. Improvements in Body Supports for Use in Railway Carriages and
similar Vehicles.
I, GEORGE CASTLEDEN, of Dennington Rectory, Framlingham, in the County
of Suffolk, Clerk in Holy Orders, 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 has for its object to provide means for increasing the comfort
of railway and other passengers.
According to the invention I provide a connected series of pockets of a suitable
material, such as canvas, and adapted to be suspended from a suitable part of the
.railway carriage or other vehicle, for example from the luggage rack, and to be
Price 17
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page_text: secured at its lower part to the seat thereof, and I furnish each of the said pockets
with a cushion, the arrangement being such that each cushion can be inflated sepa-
rately or that all the cushions can be inflated simultaneously.. I also advan-
tageously provide what I may term side flaps or cushions which may be made
to fold up if necessary and which are designed to form a lateral support for the
head of the passenger who reclines against the inflated pockets.
To give support for the legs I may employ a rest which is suitably sus-
pended from the apparatus which may also be furnished with straps or supports
for the arms.
The whole apparatus when not required for use can be folded up.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawing, in which:.
--
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a body support made according to the
invention:
Figure 2 is a front view thereof; and
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 2:
Figures 4 and 5 are a side elevation and plan respectively of a modified con-
struction of leg rest.
a is the back rest made of suitable material such as canvas, and formed with a
number of pockets bb arranged to receive ordinary cushions or air cushions
which can be inflated. Each of the air cushions can, as above mentioned, be
inflated separately or means can be provided whereby they can all be inflated
simultaneously. c, c are straps whereby the support can be fixed in position; in
the drawing I have shewn the straps fastened to the luggage rack of a railway
carriage although the support can be fixed in position in any other suitable way.
d, d are the side flaps which are hinged to a front piece e, the said flaps and
the piece being provided with pockets f, f containing ordinary or.air cushions.
These flaps d, and the piece e are designed, as above mentioned, to form a sup-
port for the head of the passenger who reclines in the support.
y is the leg rest which is also shewn provided with an ordinary or air cushion h
for the legs and which is suspended to the lower end of the body support a
by means of the hooks i, i. jare hooks whereby the back rest a can be
secured at its lower part to the carriage and k, kare straps secured to the back
rest for supporting the arms. The hooks j,j, are not absolutely necessary and
in some cases I dispense, with them as the support can be maintained in posi-
tion by the body of the occupier.
The leg rest shewn in Figures 4 and 5 comprises the frame which is adapted
to be suspended to the back rest a similarly to the rest g, and the frame m
hinged to the lower end of the frame and carrying at its upper part the
pocket of canvas or other suitable material for the feet. When not required
for use the frame m is folded back against the frame but when a support is
desired for the feet the said frame is swung out into the position shewn, being
held in this position by the straps o, connecting the two frames. These straps
can be made adjustable if desired.
When not required for use the cushions can be removed or deflated, the side
flaps can be turned down on to the front piece and the whole folded up so as to
occupy a small space.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I déclare that what
I claim is
1. A folding body support for use in railway carriages and similar vehicles
comprising a connected series of pockets, canvas or like material and forming a
back rest and seat, a head rest and means for suspending the support in position,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A body support for use in railway carriages and similar vehicles comprising
a back rest and seat having pockets adapted to contain cushions, a head rest con-

page_text: sisting of a centre piece and side flaps and means for suspending the support in
position, substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination with a support of the kind described in Claim 1 of a leg
rest, substantially as herein before described.
4. In a body support of the kind described in Claim 1 the use of the leg rests
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
5. The body support for use in railway carriages and similar vehicles herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Datad the 28th dor of November 1900
2
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.