Improvements in Chairs or Seats.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
Improvements in Chairs or Seats.
1 HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., Patent
Agents of 18 Buckingham Street, Strand W.C. London, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by
Frank F. Fortney, of Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio, United States of America,
Manufacturer, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to improvements in chairs or seats, and the object is to
improve the means for tying together and bracing apart the bars of the seat-
supporting-frame.
With this object in view, the invention consists in certain features of con-
struction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a top plan of the seat-frame and the improved means for tying
together and bracing apart said bars, the spiral springs for cushioning the seat
and the straps for supporting the springs.
Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the corner braces that ties together and braces
apart two adjacent bars of the seat-frame, and shows, also, the adjacent portion of
the connected spring-supporting strap..
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 2.
Referring to the drawings, B represents the bars that connect together the
upper ends of the legs of a chair and form a quadrangular seat-frame. Adjacent
bars B are shown tied together and braced apart by a sheet metal plate c that, at
each end is provided with downwardly-projecting teeth c¹.
The teeth at one end of each plate care embedded in the upper side of one of
the engaging seat-frame bars, and the teeth at the opposite end of the plate are
embedded in the upper side of the other engaging seat-frame bar.
Plates in the case illustrated are provided respectively, with three teeth at
each end. If the teeth at the end of a plate c were arranged in line, the bar
into which they are driven or embedded in the application of the plate, would be
very liable to be split along the grain running longitudinally of the bar. To
avoid such splitting of the bar the teeth are formed to enter said bar out of line
as shown very clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.
More definitely described each plate c rests upon and is arranged diagonally
between adjacent ends of two adjacent-seat-frame-bars, and, at each end, is
provided with vertical teeth projecting downwardly into the engaging bar and
arranged in close succession or contiguity, lengthwise of the bar but out of line
with each other. The teeth at each end of plate c. are essentially out of line and
vertical to facilitate the application of the plate and to avoid chipping or muti-
lating the seat-frame in the embedment of the teeth. The plates of each pair of
bracing plates arranged at diagonally opposite corners of the seat-frame, are
connected together by a spring-supporting sheet-metal strap D and the two
straps DD cross each other centrally between the four corners of the seat-frame.
Each strap D at each end is suitably bent to form hook D¹ that hooks over or
engages a tongue or cross-bar c³ formed by slotting the bracing plate longitudinally
at two points located a short distance apart. Each strap D bears any suitable
number of suitably constructed seat-cushioning springs E.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is..
1. The combination with two of the adjacent bars of the seat-frame of a
metallic plate e resting upon and arranged diagonally between adjacent ends of
said bars, and provided, at each end, with vertical teeth projecting downwardly
into the engaging bar and arranged in contiguity lengthwise of said bar but out
of line, substantially as shown for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with the quadrangular seat-frame and metallic corner-braces
resting upon and tying together adjacent bars of said frame at each of said frame's
corners and having teeth at each end embedded in the engaging seat-frame-bar,
and slotted to form a tongue or member 2 of two crossed spring-supporting straps
arranged between diagonally opposite corner-braces and bent around or hooked
to members of said braces, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of August 1896.
H. J. HADDAN.