IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO SIT OR RECLINE UPON
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Barnard, of the Firm of Barnard, Bishop,
and Barnards, Norfolk Iron Works, Norwich, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO SIT
OR RECLINE UPON."
Sealed' the 28th July 1868, and dated the 20th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Barnard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th May 1868.
I, CHARLES BARNARD, of the Firm of Barnard, Bishop,. and Barnards,.
Norfolk Iron Works, Norwich, do hereby declare the nature of the.
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND. OTHER ARTICLES OF.
FURNITURE TO SIT OR RECLINE UPON," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in chairs and other
articles of furniture to sit or recline upon..
In forming the seat of a chair or other article of furniture I make-
an outer frame or hoop, by preference circular, and I fix to it at
distances apart around the circumference steel or other clastic wires

page_text: or rods. These wires or rods pass inwards from the circumference
to the centre of the frame or hoop in a spiral course and extending
over, say three-quarters of a circle, but this may be considerably varied.
At the centre of the frame or hoop the wires or rods are all connected
together by preference by a boss of metal cast on to their ends. The
wires or rods are by preference fixed to the outer frame or hoop by
boring holes through the frame or hoop vertically, into which holes
the ends of the wires or rods are inserted and fixed immediately above
the frame or hoop; the wires or rods are bent down till they become
horizontal or nearly so.
The backs of chairs and other articles of furniture may be similarly
constructed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Barnard in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BARNARD, of the Firm of Barnard, Bishop, and Barnards, Norfolk Iron
Works, Norwich, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Barnard, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Barnard, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Barnard, 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 CHAIRS AND
OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE TO SIT OR RECLINE UPON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Barnard, 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

page_text: 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 Barnard, 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 chairs and other
articles of furniture to sit or recline upon.
In forming the scat of a chair or other article of furniture I make
an outer frame or hoop by preference circular, and I fix to it at
distances apart around the circumference steel or other elastic wires
or rods. These wires or rods pass inwards from the circumference to
the centre of the frame or hoop in a spiral course, and extending over
say three-quarters of a circle, but this may be considerably varied. At
the centre of the frame or hoop the wires or rods are all connected
together by preference by a boss of metal cast on to their ends. The
wires or rods are by preference fixed to the outer frame or hoop by
boring holes through the frame or hoop vertically, into which holes
the ends of the wires or rods are inserted and fixed. Immediately
above the frame or hoop the wires or rods are bent down till they
become horizontal or nearly so.
The backs of chairs and other articles of furniture may be similarly
constructed.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I have in the Drawings hereunto annexed
shown a garden chair constructed according to my Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view; and Figure 2 a front view of the chair;
Figure 3 shows a plan view of the seat of the chair separately.
In these Figures a is the outer frame of the seat of the chair; into
this holes are bored down vertically to receive the ends of helically
curved steel wires b, b, and the wires are secured therein by being
turned over or rivetted. Each of the wires is curved, as shown, so
as to pass inwards from the circumference to the centre of the frame,
and the inner ends of the wires are there connected together by a

page_text: boss of metal c cast on to them; the inner ends of the wires are for
this purpose by preference laid into a metal mould or chill which
confines them in their places, whilst metal which may be brass, iron,
or other metal is poured in upon them; the inner ends of the wires
are thus securely connected together. The wires at their outer ends
are bent so that they incline upwards from the frame a in such
manner as to give the seat the form and appearance of a cushion;
the inner ends of the wires are on the contrary inclined somewhat
downwards, so that the top of the metal boss c may be somewhat
below the general level of the seat. The frame a in the seat shown
in the Drawing is a circular frame, but it might be square or of other
form; the wires 6 might also in place of being of steel be of brass or
other metal. The frame a of the seat may also be supported by
legs in any suitable manner, the arrangement shown in the Drawing
is however a very convenient one for a garden chair, but for other
chairs or articles of furniture the frame of the seat may be otherwise
supported; the back of the chair in the arrangement shown in the
Drawing is also made in a similar manner to the seat of the chair, as
is clearly shown by the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Barnard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.