IMPROVE- MENTS IN FOLDING OR PORTABLE CHAIRS, SEATS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Joseph Everickx, of Hornsey, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOLDING OR PORTABLE CHAIRS, SEATS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS
ARTICLES.
"
Sealed the 3rd March 1874, and dated the 12th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Joseph
Everickx at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th September 1873.
I, CHARLES Joseph Everickx, of Hornsey, in the County of Middle-
sex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING OR PORTABLE CHAIRS, SEATS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS
ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct folding or portable chairs
in such a manner that when expanded and in use they will be stronger
and more rigid than the existing folding chairs, while at the same time
they will be simple and cheap in construction, and will fold up into a

page_text: smaller space, so that they may be easily stowed away when not in
use.
In folding or portable chairs or seats of the ordinary construction the
back and front legs usually cross each other, and form an × at the
sides, the two parts being connected together (at the point where they
cross) by means of a pin joint, stud, or hinge. The back and front
frames of the chair are also connected to the cross legs by pin joints or
hinges. This construction of parts makes the article cumbrous when
closed or collapsed, and rickety when expanded for use.
Instead of this arrangement of parts I break the connection of the leg
levers at the point of intersection, and I connect the front and back legs
by means of a short jointed lever or arm, and the upper end of the hind
legs is made to rest in a notch made in the back of the levers, which
constitute the fore legs, the connecting lever which binds the two parts
together being so arranged that it will cover up and conceal the joint
thus formed, and at the same time will prevent any lateral play, thus
giving greater rigidity to these parts.
As a modification the upper ends of the hind legs may be made to
hook on to a cross bar, which connects the two front legs together, and
will thus form a rigid strut. The front and hind legs of the chair are
connected together by jointed rods as in the former instance.
The particular form of the parts may be varied ad infinitum, according
to the kind of chair to which the Invention is to be applied, but in all
cases the permanent joint at the intersection of the × is dispensed with,
and the pairs of legs are made to act as struts to each other instead of
being simply jointed as heretofore. This gives a rigidity and strength
which is almost equal to that of a well made rigid chair.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Joseph Everickx in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
JOSEPH EVERICKX, of Hornsey, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of September, 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 Charles Joseph Everickx, Her
special licence that I, the said Charles Joseph Everickx, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Joseph
Everickx, 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 FOLDING OR PORTABLE CHAIRS, SEATS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS
ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Joseph Everickx, 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 Charles Joseph Everickx, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of my Invention is to construct folding or portable chairs
in such a manner that when expanded and in use they will be stronger
and more rigid than the existing folding chairs, while at the same time
they will be simple and cheap in construction; and will fold up into a
smaller space, so that they may be easily stowed away when not in
use.
In folding or portable chairs or seats of the ordinary construction the
back and front legs usually cross each other, and form an X at the
sides, the two parts being connected together (at the point where they
cross) by means of a pin joint, stud, or hinge. The back and front
frames of the chair are also connected to the cross legs by pin joints or

page_text: hinges. This construction of parts makes the article cumbrous when
closed or collapsed, and rickety when expanded for use.
Instead of this arrangement of parts I break the connection of the leg
levers at the point of intersection, and I connect the front and back legs
by means of a short jointed lever or arm, and the upper end of the hind
legs is made to rest in a notch made in the back of the levers, which
constitute the fore legs, the connecting lever which binds the two parts
together being so arranged that it will cover up and conceal the joint
thus formed, and at the same time will prevent any lateral play, thus
giving great rigidity to these parts.
As a modification the upper ends of the hind legs may be made to
hook on to a cross bar, which connects the two front legs together, and
will thus form a rigid strut. The front and hind legs of the chair are
connected together by jointed rods as in the former instance.
The particular form of the parts may be varied ad infinitum, according
to the kind of chair to which the Invention is to be applied, but in all
cases the permanent joint at the intersection of the cross is dispensed
with, and the pairs of legs are made to act as struts to each other,
instead of being simply jointed as heretofore. This gives a rigidity and
strength which is almost equal to that of a well made rigid chair.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn various views of different
forms of chair constructed according to my Invention.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an arm chair constructed on the
improved plan; Fig. 2 represents the same chair folded up, ready for
packing or for transportation.
The seat a is jointed at b to the back of the chair, the back itself
being pivoted at d to the hind legs f, f. The fore legs g, g, are jointed
at h to the seat, and they carry the two short levers i, i, which guide the
upper ends of the hinder legs finto the notches j made for this purpose
at the back of the upper part of the front legs g. These latter are
extended upwards in order to receive the arms k of the chair, which are
jointed to the upper ends of the fore legs, while the back ends of the
arms are connected by pin joints 1, 1, to the back c of the chair. It will
be evident therefore that the whole combination will be very strong, for
the abutment of the hinder legs in the notches j, j, renders these parts
very rigid, and effectually prevents the parts from shifting.

page_text: The folding up of the chair, as shewn at Fig. 2, is effected by drawing
up the seat a against the back c, and in so doing it draws up with it the
front feet or legs g and the arms k. The hinder legs are drawn back
into a line with the back, as shewn in the Drawing.
At Fig. 3 I have shewn a folding cane chair with a flexible scat, and
constructed according to the improved plan.
The seat a, the back c, the front legs g, and the hinder legs fare jointed
or connected together in a similar manner to that already described, but
the front legs instead of being extended upwards are cut short at the
seat, to which they are connected.
Instead of the levers i of Fig. 1 metal links m, n, are employed, and
these latter act not only as guides but also assist in stiffering the
structure. A cross bar o, which connects the upper ends of the two
hinder legs, extends a little beyond these latter, so that these projecting
ends can be dropped into notches p, p, cut in the back of the fore legs,
as seen best at Fig. 4, so that as in the former instance a perfectly rigid
and strong framing will be produced.
Fig. 4 represents the chair collapsed or folded, which is effected in the
same manner as in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 represents a cane seated chair constructed according to the
Invention. The joints and pivots are arranged in the same manner as
in the previous Figure, except that the hinder legs f,f, of the chair are
connected to the front legs g, g, by the upper links m, m³, which for this
purpose act as hooks, so that they may adapt themselves automatically
to the cross bar q of the two front legs. It will be seen that in this
Figure the links m, m³, are not both arranged in the same manner. One
of them m is placed under the seat a, and the other m' in front. This
alternative arrangement is shewn in order to indicate that either plan
can be adopted.
Fig. 6 represents another mode of fastening or securing the parts
together. In this case the hinder legs f,f, are themselves provided with
notches, which hook over the cross bar q of the front legs, and thus
connect the parts rigidly and securely together.
Fig. 7 is an arm chair, which is a modification of that just described.
It will be seen that the joints are very similar to the arrangements
already described, and consequently similar letters are put upon corre-

page_text: sponding parts. The strut or stiffening lever m is connected at its lower
end to the upper end of the front legs g, and by its opposite end to the
upper end of the hinder legs f,f. The arms of the chair are formed of
the straps k, k.
By the foregoing description it will be easily understood. that the
improved system of constructing folding or collapsible chairs is clearly
distinguishable from those plans heretofore adopted, inasmuch as the
devices for fixing and rigidly securing the parts of the chair when
opened act of themselves when the chair is opened or unfolded. This
obviates the inconvenience of having to arrange any struts subsequently
to unfolding the chair, and bringing the parts into position, as is now
the case with other constructions of folding chairs..
Moreover by the arrangement and construction of parts above described,
lightness and great convenience is obtained, and any kind of rigid or
flexible fittings for seat and back may be employed.
The Invention is applicable to chairs constructed in wood or iron,
so that it may be employed for chairs either for indoor or outdoor use.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Folding or
Portable Chairs, Seats, and other Analogous Articles," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the s
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the mode or
modes herein set forth of connecting the several parts of folding or
portable chairs, particularly the hinder legs to the front legs, so that
the whole structure or frame of the chair when in use may be stronger
and more rigid than folding or portable chairs of the ordinary 2
construction.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Joseph Everickx, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-