Year: 1886

page_text: 5332
We, WILLIAM FISHER of Paradise Street West Bromwich in the County of
Stafford, Manufacturer, and FREDERICK HARRISON FISHER also of Paradise Street
West Bromwich aforesaid, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
:-
The object of our invention is to construct a combined seat and rest or support
for the body when the person is required to stand for any length of time, to
be used principally by school teachers and class demonstrators; which said com-
bined seat and back rest can be made convertible and adjustable at the will of
the user.
Teachers' seats and rests now in common use are constructed separately, so that
a teacher in instructing or demonstrating, has either to constantly sit down or to
stand or incline towards a back support which is commonly called a rest, without
being able to change the seat or rest so as to sit down or stand up as the teacher
may be disposed.
It is admitted by those who have scientifically studied the hygiene of school
teachers, that it is detrimental to health, for a person to sit or stand too long -in
one position, therefore it is most essential and conductive to health that a person
should be able to change from a sitting to a standing or leaning posture; the
requirements of teaching also (according to the lessons given, necessitating such
a change; moreover, it has been found very injurious to health, especially in the
case of female teachers, for them to be compelled to maintain a standing position
so many hours in the day without some support for the body.
The combined seat and rest is constructed especially as follows.
Mounted upon the summit of two vertical uprights or standards, is an angular
frame, carrying at the one part a seat, and at the other part a back rail. The
underside of the seat constitutes a back rest for standing when the said underside
of seat is placed in a vertical or nearly vertical position-The side frames are
provided with trunnion centres which take into holes near the upper ends of the
standards, and upon these trunnion centres, the seat and rest is made convertible;
that is, the combined seat and rest is made up of two angular or L shaped side
frames with a widened out part at the angle or junction of each, and which forms
the boss or middle part carrying the trunnion centres which take and work within
vertical holes or bearings, to admit of the frame being raised, when the seat is
wished to be changed into a rest or vice versa.
The underside of the broadened out parts of the side frames are provided with
taper notched or recessed parts which engage with a tooth or taper snug disposed
on the inside face and near the top of each standard; that is, the underside of the

page_text: middle of each side frame is provided with two notched parts, (the seat notch, and
the rest notch) which respectively engage with one of the taper fixed snugs on
the frame.
Extending between the two side frames of the one part, a seat is situated, being
slightly curved or shaped upon its top, while its bottom or underside is also curved
with a shaped ledge at the back part resembling the figure
+
The other or back part of the frame is provided with a rail extending from the
terminal ends of the sides; this forms the back to the seat.
The frame upon which the combined rest and seat is mounted, slides teles-
copically within two lower hollow standards having flanged feet which stand or
rest upon an elevated platform running upon rollers or wheels-This platform has
a foot rest at front, while the standards are situated at the back-The frame has
rack teeth disposed on the two sides wherein counterpoised pawls carried by an
axis or rod, engage-This rod has a handle or lifter for the disengaging of the
pawls with the teeth-Thus the frame carrying the seat or rest is made adjustable
and affixed in any desired position by the rack.
The affixing of the sliding parts of the frame after having been adjusted to the
proper height, can be carried out in various ways, such as for example, by means.
of a cross cotter or side cam engaging with rack like teeth or holes disposed in the
manner described, or by a screw pin.
When used as a seat, the curvilinear top of the slab is presented uttermost in
a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane, with the back rail in a vertical position,
while the ledge on the underside of the seat, depends or hangs downwards.
To convert the seat into a rest for standing position, raise vertically the seat
and its frame so as to remove the seat notches from the taper snugs within which
they engage, then partially rotate back wards the seat until the rest notches on the.
two sides of the frame come over and opposite the taper snugs, when by the weight
of the frame and wood-work, it falls and fixes itself in position, by the notches or
depressions engaging with the snugs-When in this position, the seat which was
formerly horizontal or nearly so, is now practically vertical, with the underside
presented to the front, and the upper side presented to the back. The front side
constitutes a rest against which a teacher may lean in delivering out lessons to a
class when in a standing or nearly standing position.
The ledge part of the rest which was previously at the underside is now pre-
sented at the bottom edge, thus affording an extended part whereon a teacher may
rest when standing.
The adjustable frame may be used in connection with a fixed back rest or a
fixed seat, instead of convertible back rest and seat.
The adjustment of the seat or rest to varying heights of teachers is effected by
simply drawing upwards the top frame which is automatically locked in its fixed
position by the pawls engaging with the rack teeth.
WILLIAM FISHER.
FREDERICK HARRISON FISHER.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham,
Agent to the Applicants.

page_text: A New or Improved Combined Seat and Rest for Teachers.
We WILLIAM FISHER of Paradise Street West Bromwich in the County of
Stafford, Manufacturer, and FREDERICK HARRISON FISHER also of Paradise Street
West Bromwich aforesaid, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED COMBINED SEAT AND REST FOR TEACHERS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
The object of our invention is to construct a combined seat and rest or support
for the body when the person is required to stand for any length of time, to be
used principally by school teachers and class demonstrators, which said combined
seat and back rest can be made convertible and adjustable at the will of the user.
Teachers' seats and rests now in common use are constructed separately, so that
a teacher in instructing or demonstrating, has either to constantly sit down or to
stand or incline towards a back support which is commonly called a rest, without
being able to change the seat or seat so as to sit down or stand up as the teacher
may be disposed.
It is admitted. by those who have scientifically studied the hygiene of school
teachers that is detrimental to health for a person to sit or stand too long in one
position, therefore it is most essential and conductive to health that a person should
be able to change from a sitting to a standing or leaning posture; the requirements
of teaching also (according to the lessons given) necessitating such a change.
Moreover it has been found very injurious to health, especially in the case of female
teachers, for them to be compelled to maintain a standing position so many hours
in the day without some support for the body.
The combined seat and rest is constructed essentially as follows.
Mounted upon the summit of two vertical uprights or standards is an angular
frame carrying at the one part a seat, and at the other part a back rail. The
underside of the seat constitutes a back rest for standing when the said underside of
seat is placed in a vertical or nearly vertical position. The side frames are provided
with trunnion centres which take into holes near the upper ends of the standards,
and upon these trunnion centres, the seat and rest is made convertible; that is, the
combined seat and rest is made up of two angular or L shaped side frames, with
a widened out part at the angle or junction of each, and which forms the boss or
middle part carrying the trunnion centres, which take and work within vertical.
holes or bearings, to admit of the frame being raised, when the seat is wished to
be changed into a rest or vice-versa.
The undersides of the broadened out parts of the side frames, are provided with
taper notched or recessed parts which engage with a tooth or taper snug disposed
on the inside face and near the top of each standard; that is, the underside of the
middle of each side frame is provided with two notched parts, (the seat notch, and
the rest notch) which respectively engage with one of the taper fixed snugs on the
Frame.

page_text: Extending between the two side frames of the one part, a seat is situated, being
slightly curved or shaped upon its top, while its bottom or underside is also
curved with a shaped ledge at the back part resembling the figure
The other or back part of the frame is provided with a rail extending from the
terminal ends of the sides; this forms the back to the seat.
The frame upon which the combined rest and seat is mounted, slides telescopically
within two lower hollow standards having flanged feet which stand or rest upon
an elevated platform running upon rollers or wheels-This platform has a foot rest
at front, while the standards are situated at the back-The frame has rack teeth
disposed on the two sides wherein counterpoised pawls carried by an axis or rod,
engage This rod has a handle or lifter for the disengaging of the pawls with the
teeth-Thus the frame carrying the seat or rest is made adjustable and affixed in
any desired position by the rack.
The affixing of the sliding parts of the frame after having been adjusted to the
proper height, can be carried out in various ways, such as for example, by means
of a cross cotter or side cam engaging with rack like teeth or holes disposed in the
manner described, or by a screw pin,
When used as a seat, the curvilinear top of the slab is presented uppermost in
a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane, with the back rail in a vertical position,
while the ledge on the underside of the seat, depends or hangs downwards.
To convert the seat into a rest for standing position, raise vertically the seat and
its frame so as to remove the seat notches from the taper snugs within which they
engage; then partially rotate backwards the seat until the rest notches on the two
sides of the frame come over and opposite the taper snugs, when by the weight of
the frame and woodwork, it falls and fixes itself in position by the notches
or depressions engaging with the snugs-When in this position, the seat which
was formerly horizontal or nearly so, is now practically vertical, with underside
presented to the front, and the upper side presented to the back-The front side
constitutes a rest against which a teacher may lean in delivering out lessons
to a class when in a standing or nearly standing position.
The ledge part of the rest which was previously at the underside is now presented
at the bottom edge, thus affording an extended part, whereon a teacher may rest
when standing.
The adjustable frame may be used in connection with a back rest, or a fixed seat,
instead of convertible back rest and seat.
The adjustment of the seat or rest to varying heights of teachers is effected by
simply drawing upwards the top frame which is automatically locked in its fixed
position by the pawls engaging with the rack teeth.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
the manner in which the same is to be performed―
Figure 1 represents partly in vertical section, and partly in elevation, a combined
seat and rest (which is both convertible and adjustable) constructed according to
our invention, and in the position which it assumes, when used as a rest-
Figure 2 shows the same as a seat-Figure 3 is a back elevation of figure 2, and
figure 4 is a plan of figure 1, partly in section; (and which said view shows the
broad seat) Figure 5 is a portion of the upper part of one of the standards,
showing the elongated bearing, wherein the pivot centres of the combined seat and
rest work, to admit of the same being converted, from a seat to a rest, or vice-
versa Figure 6 shows a section (upon an enlarged scale) on the dotted lines A B
figure 3 of one of the standards, and the framing wherein it works.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the Drawings.
aa are standards or uprights, and bb are angular framings, carrying at the ends
of one part, a seat c, and at the ends of the other part, a back rail d-The under.
side c¹ of the said seat, constitutes or forms a back rest, for a person to lean or rest

page_text: against, when requiring to be in a semi-standing position as represented - in
figure 1, while the front or top side c³, constitutes a seat, as represented at figure 2.
The frames bare provided or carry at their two opposite sides, trunnion
centres 663 which work within elongated bearing holes a², so as to thereby admit
of the trunnion centres, and frame carrying thein, being raised and refixed, when
the seat is required to be converted into a rest, or the rest changed into a seat
bs b are notched or recessed parts, which engage with a tooth or taper snug a³
disposed on the inside opposite faces of the standards a; that is, near the tops of
the standards, and upon the inside faces thereof, taper teeth or snugs a³ are
disposed, and upon which, like depressions or notches 63, 64, respectively engage,
for securing the said rest or seat in position-Thus 63 is the seat notch, and b
is the rest notch, so that when a person requires to change a rest for a seat,
or vice-versa, the frames carrying the parts, have simply to be raised vertically,
when one or other of the catch notches or depressions are disengaged. from the
teeth or snugs a³, which allow the frame to be turned upon the pivot or trunnion
centres; and on one or other of the notches coming opposite, or above the teeth,
they are made to engage therewith, by the frames and parts carried by them,
falling into position by their own weight, which thereby fixes the said combined
seat and rest, in either one or other of the positions as represented in figures 1
and 2.
The uprights or standards a slide.vertically and telescopically within two lower
hollow standards e, having flanged feet e³, which stand upon or are secured upon
an elevated platform f, and the latter preferably running upon rollers or wheels.
The upper standards a are provided with rack teeth a', with which pawls or
catches g² engage, and these said pawls, which are carried at the end of a spindle g,
are operated or taken out of position, by an arm g³; so that when the upper
framing, or the parts carried by the framing, require to be elevated or adjusted,
it is only necessary to remove the pawls from the teeth of the racks, when such
adjustment can be effected, and again the framing reaffixed in position by the
pawls re-engaging with the rack teeth aforesaid.
The aforesaid means of adjustment can be applied to rests and seats, which are
not convertible.
The combined seat and rest, and back-rail instead of being formed in one piece,
the back-rail portion may be made a fixture, while the combined seat and rest may
be made to turn upwards or downwards upon a hinged or other like joint, as
represented at figure 7-The said view shows the apparatus when used as a seat,
while the dotted lines represent it when applied as a rest.
Instead of that portion which constitutes the combined seat and rest, turning
upon a hinge joint, it may have a sliding motion, by having within the fixed back-
rail part, inclined slots, wherein pins on the movable part, travel-Thus when a
seat is required, the movable portion is drawn down, and secured by a catch;
and when the said seat is required to be converted into a rest, that which was the
seat, is simply pushed upwards, when the top side is made to present an incline,
against which a person can lean or rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,
First. A combined reversible seat and rest, or a seat and rest combined together
in one part, or in one apparatus, which on being reversed, turned round, or
changed in position, is converted from one to the other, substantially as and for
the purpose herein described and illustrated.
Secondly. The construction, mounting and affixing in position of the combined
seat and rest, hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of
the Drawings; that is to say, making the combined seat and rest, and the framing
and framings thereof independent of the supporting uprights, and mounting the
said framing or framings upon opposite pivot or trunnion like centres, which work

page_text: within elongated bearing holes, to admit of a raising and falling motion on change
of position. The combined framing and seat and rest, is or are secured in position,
by catch depressions on the undersides of the framing, engaging with or taking
upon fixed teeth or snugs, carried at or near the tops of the standards, substantially
as and for the purpose as set forth.
Thirdly Adjusting the height of seats and rests, combined or separate, by
making the upper or movable framing a slide telescopically within the lower
framing e, and which said upper framing is affixed in position by a pawl or pawls g³,
engaging with rack teeth a carried by the lower part of the said framing; and
which pawl or pawls are taken out of position, by an arm upon a connecting axis,
substantially as described and illustrated in figures 1, 2 and 3.