IMPROVEMENTR MANUFACTURE OF FOLDING METALLIC CHAIRS, BEDSTEADS, AND SOPAS. AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, LYING. OR RECLINING UPON, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OF METALLIC FURNI- TURE."TURE OF , OF MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OFLIC
Year: 1861

page_text: 117
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LETTERS PATENT to Michael Burke, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster. Cabinet Maker for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTR
MANUFACTURE OF FOLDING METALLIC CHAIRS, BEDSTEADS, AND SOPAS. AND
OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, LYING. OR RECLINING UPON, A PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OF METALLIC FURNI-
TURE."
MANUFACTURE OF FOLDING METALLIC CHAIRS, BEDSTEADS, AND SOFAS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, LYING, OR RECLINING UPON, A PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OF METALLIC FURNI-
TURE."
Sealed the 30th July 1861, and daied the 1st June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Burke, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st June 1861.
I. MICHAEL BURKE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Cabinet
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FOLDING METALLIC CHAIRS. BEDSTEADS, AND SUPAS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES FOR SITTING, LYING. OR RECLINING UPON, A PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OF METALLIC FURNITURE,'
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in making the framing of folding metallic chairs,
bedsteads, sofas, and such like articles of angle iron, the pieces of the said angle
iron being jointed together in the way herein-after explained.
In making a folding chair according to my Invention, I joint the legs, and
[Price &d.1

page_text: back and arms to the bottom or seat, and make joints in the middle as well
as at the ends of each arm, so that the several parts may lie flat when the
chair is folded up.
In making a bedstead or sofa according to iny Invention, I construct the
horizontal frame with one, two, or more sets of joints, so that it can be folded
to any size required; the legs are jointed to the frame; at the end is an
ordinary folding head-piece. In addition to the ordinary head-piece is a
double-action head-piece, which may lie flat to complete the bed frame when
the article is used for a bed, but when it is required to be used as a bed rest
or invalid chair, the double-acting head-piece is raised and supported at about
one-third the length of the horizontal frame...
These improvements may be applied to other articles for sitting. lying, or
reclining upon. The joints of the angle iron are made in the following
manner: When one of the pieces is required to open only to a right angle
with the other, I cut a slot in one of the pieces near the junction of its two
sides, and inserting one of the sides of the other piece therein. I connect.
them by a screw or rivet. When the two pieces jointed together are to open
out into the same line, I cut a slot in the end of one of the pieces, and cut
away one of the sides of the other piece for a length equal to the said slot,
The remaining side of the second piece is inserted in the slot, and the two
pieces are secured together by a screw or rivet, or I cut off one side of the
end of one piece of angle iron, and place the remaining side outside one of
the sides of the other piece, so that the ends of the other sides are presented to
one another, end to end; I then joint the overlapping sides by a screw or rivel.
These joints may be used for articles of metallic furniture in general where
joints are required. and will be found useful for metallic washstands, and
luggage frames or stands.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Palent, filed
by the said Michael Burke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
November 1961.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. MICHAEL
BURKE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Cabinet Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of June. in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Michael Burke, Her special licence that I, the said Michael Burke,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Michael
Burke, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF FOLDING METALLIC CHAIRS, BEDSTEADS, AND SOFAS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES FOR SITTING, LYING, OR RECLINING UPON, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER ARTICLES OF METALLIC FURNITURE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Burke, my executors
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.
or
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Michael Burke, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
My Invention consists in making the framing of folding metallic chairs,
bedsteads, sofas, and other articles for sitting. lying, or reclining upon of angle
iron, the pieces of the said angle iron being jointed together and arranged in
the manner herein-after particularly explained and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing.
In making a folding chair according to one of my improvements, 1 joint the
legs and back and arms to the bottom or seat, and make joints in the middle,
as well as at the end of each arm, so that the several parts may lie flat when
the chair is folded up; or the chair may be without arms.
Figure 1 of the Drawing represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in front
elevation, a folding chair made according to my Invention, the said chair
being without arms.
a is the seat or bottom of the chair made oi angle iron: b, 2. are the legs
of the chair, also made of angle iron turning on joints on the seat a at c; d is
the back of the chair, consisting of a rectangular frame made of angle iron,
provided with metallic laths e, the said back d turning on joints at / on opposite.
sides of the seat or bottom a. The seat or bottom a is provided with laths

page_text: similar to the back d. In folding up the chair the front legs are folded
underneath the seat a, and the back legs bare next folded and lie upon the
front legs underneath the said seat a; the back d is folded upon the top of
the seat a.
When the chair is required to possess arms, the said arms may be made and
jointed to the back and seat of the chair, in the manner herein-after described
with respect to the combined bedstead, or sofa, and chair..
In making a combined bedstead, or sofa and chair according to my Invention,
I construct the horizontal frame with one, two, or more sets of joints, so that
it can be folded to any size required.
Figure 3 represents, in side elevation, a bedstead made according to my
Invention; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same; Figure 5 is a plan of
the same; Figure 6 represents the said bedstead converted into a chair; and,
Figure 7 represents the bedstead when the double-action head-piece herein-
after-described-is-raised-to-form-a-bed-rest-to-the-bedstead. The framing-of
is
the bedstead is made of angle iron, and in three parts g, h, i; the part
jointed to the part hat h, and the part is jointed to the part i at . The said
parts h, i, are folded upon one another, and upon the part g, in order to pack
the bedstead or to form a chair in the manner herein-after described; k, k, are
the legs of the bedstead turning on joints on the framing, as represented. At
the end of the bedstead is an ordinary folding head-piece marked . Near the
end, and on either side of the bedstead, arms formed of three pieces or
bars m², mm, are situated, the said pieces being jointed to each other and
to the head-piece and frame g. The said bars m², m³, and m', when the
article is used as a bedstead or couch, are placed in the position represented
in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 7; but when the article is converted into a chair, the
said bars m, m³, and m', are raised into the position represented in Figure 6,
and form arms to the said chair.
In addition to the ordinary head-piece the bedstead or couch is provided
with a double-action head-piece marked o, which said head-piece may lie flat,
to complete the bed sacking, as in Figures 3, 4, and 5. when the article is
used for a bed, but when a bed rest is required to the bed, the part o is raised
and supported at about one-third the length of the horizontal frame, as
illustrated in Figure 7. When it is required to form a high back to the chair.
the said double head-piece is raised in an opposite direction, and supported
against the ordinary head-piece as illustrated in Figure 6. The said double-
action head-piece is constructed and used as follows:-The said head-piece or
rest o of the bedstead has at two of its sides strips or bars p, p, the said strips
turning on centres at. q. q. on the frame of the part g, and the head-piece or

page_text: rest o turns on centres at r, r, in the strips or bars p. p. In order to form the
bed rest, the rest o and strips p, p, are raised into the position represented in
Figure 7. the said strips p. p. turning on the centres q, q. When raised, the
rest and strips p. p. are supported by a frame s. the pointed ends of which
frame engage with the rest o, and thereby support it in its raised position.
The ends of the frame s turn upon the fixed rod t. To convert the bedstead
or couch with its raised bed rest, as in Figure 7, into the chair, Figure 6, the
arms m, m, and m', are raised into the position represented in the said
Figure 6. The supporting frames is depressed, and the rest or part o and
bars p. p. made to lie horizontally. The part or rest of the double-action
head-piece is now raised alone, turning on the centres r, r, in the bars p, p,
into the position represented in Figure 6, the said part o resting against the
head-piece, and forming a high back to the chair. When the part is
raised alone, the bars p, p, remain in the position represented in Figure 5, that
is, parallel to the frame of the bedstead. The part i is now folded upon the
part h, and the parts and i are folded into the place which had been pre-
viously occupied by the part or rest o, which now forms the back of the chair.
The seat of the chair is thus formed by the folded parts h, i, as illustrated in
Figure 6. The bedstead, Figures 3, 4, and 5, may be used as a sofa or
couch.
.
The improvements herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing may be applied to metallic articles in general for sitting,
lying, or reclining upon. by whatever name they are designated.
My Invention consists further in the methods herein-after described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing of making the joints for the folding
metallic furniture herein-before described, and for folding metallic furniture
in general, and for metallic washstands, and for other articles to which they
may be applicable.
When one of the pieces of angle iron forming the framing of the article is
required to open only to a right angle with the other piece. I make the point in
the manner represented in Figures 8, 9. and 10 of the Drawing: Figure 8
represents the end of one piece of angle iron having a slot cut near the
junction of its two sides: the said piece of angle iron is marked r. In the
slot u of the angle iron insert one of the sides of the other piece of angle
iron. as illustrated in Figure 9, in which Figure the piece of angle iron
inserted into the slot u is marked in. The two pieces r, we, are afterwards
connected together by a rivet z, or by a screw. Figure 10 represents a front
elevation of the two pieces of angle iron, r. jointed together. By an
examination of Figure 10 it will be seen that the edge of the angle iron w

page_text: bearing against the bottom of the slot u, shewn in dotted lines. prevents the
angle iron turning upon the joint in the direction of the arrow beyond the
position represented. By moving the angle iron in an opposite direction to
that of the arrow; the horizontal sides of the angle irons . . can be folded
upon and lie parallel to one another.
When the two pieces of angle iron jointed together are required to open
out into the same line, 1 construct the joint in the ways represented in
Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Drawing, that is to say, I cut a slot y
in one end of one of the pieces of angle iron, as represented in Figure 11, and
cut away one of the sides of the other piece of angle iron for a length equal
to that of the slot y, as represented in Figure 12, the uncut portion of the
angle iron being marked z. The said part z of the augle iron, Figure 12, is
inserted into the slot-y; and-the-two-pieces are secured together by a rivet 1,
or by a screw, as seen in Figures 13 and 14, which represent in plan and
side elevation respectively the two pieces of the angle iron jointed together.
When-the-two. pieces of angle iron are brought into a line with one another,
as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14, the further motion of either of them in an
upward direction so as to alter the plane of the said pieces, is prevented by
the ends 7, 8, of the pieces of angle iron abutting against each other. One or
other of the pieces of angle iron can be turned on its joint by depressing it,
and may be placed at a right angle to the other, or they may be folded upon
each other.
I modify the last described joint in the manner represented in Figures 15
and 16, that is to say, I cut off one side of the end of one of the pieces of
angle iron 2 to be jointed together, and make a slot 3 in the said side, and
place the remaining side 4 outside one of the sides of the other piece of angle
iron 5, so that when the end of the angle iron 5 is inserted into the slot 3, the
ends of the same sides of the angle irons 2, 5, are presented to one another.
The overlapping sides are then jointed together by the rivet 6, or by a screw.
When the side 5, Figure 16, of the angle iron is raised into a horizontal
position, the ends 5 and 5 are made to bear against the ends 2, 2, respec-
tively of the side 2, and prevent the said side 5 from rising above a horizontal
position.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented in the accom
panying Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in the manufacture of folding metallic chairs,

page_text: bedsteads, sofas, and other articles for sitting. lying. or reclining upon, herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is io say.
making the framing of the said articles of angle iron, and jointing the moving
parts of the said framing to the fixed parts, essentially in the manner herein-
before explained and illustrated.
Secondly, the double-action head-piece herein-before described and illustrated
in Figures 5, 6. and 7 of the accompanying Drawing, to be used with folding
metallic bedsteads, sofas, or couches, or other like articles for forming a head
rest to the said articles, and for forming the back of the chair when the
bedstead. sofa. conch, or other article is converted into a chair.
Thirdly, the improvements in the construction of joints for folding metallic
bedsteads. chairs, sofas. and other articles of folding metallic furniture, and
for washstands, luggage frames or stands, and for such other like purposes as
the said joints are or may be applicable to, herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 8 to 16. both inclusive, of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof. 1. the said Michael Burke, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November. in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness.
HENRY E. BRIGHT,
No. 1, North John Street,
Liverpool.
MICHAEL BURKE. (L.S.)