Improvements in Self-adjusting Reclining Chairs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1897- Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
Improvements in Self-adjusting Reclining Chairs.
We, HIRAM FULFORD RANKIN, Pattern-maker, and THOMAS WILLIAM ALBERT
LINDSAY, Merchant, both of the City of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, in the
Dominion of Canada, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained,
in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object to provide a comfortable sitting self-adjusting
reclining chair, which shall be readily constructed, the parts detachable for com-
pact stowage or transportation, and capable of being put together without the
employment of skilled labor.
Our invention consists of a reclining chair having crossed legs at the sides,
arm-rests connected thereto, the back and seat hinged together and the back
pivoted to the sides to tilt independently of the arm-rests, so that the seat will
bear and slide upon the top of the rear legs and move with the inclination of the
back when suiting the adjustment desired by the occupant, and to make a bed
or couch.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of our improved chair, in a normal position or
when unoccupied.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, and
Fig. 3, is a side elevation showing the back and seat in the position for reclining,
or in alignment.
The sides of the chair consist of crossed legs a, a¹, each pair connected at the
intersection by a bolt or other means, and both sides connected by stretcher
bars h, i. The downwardly inclined rear legs a, cross the legs a', on the inside
face, so that the end of said legs a, will be a hearing to support the seat hereinafter
referred to. j, is an upright strut bolted to the front end of leg a, and supports
the outer end of the arm-rest c, to which it is riveted or otherwise secured, and the
other end of the arm-rest is secured to the rear end of leg a¹.
e, is a vertical strut footed to leg a, and extends slightly above the arm-rest, and
coincides with the end of leg a¹, and said leg and strut are pivoted by a pin g
through the side rails b, respectively, of the back, to permit the back to tilt to
a desired inclination to suit the occupant of the chair, and said back may be
suitably upholstered or finished.
The seat d, is hinged at the rear to the lower end of the back b, and rests upon
the top end of the legs a, and slides loosely thereon when the back moves to a
greater or less recumbent position. The hinge has a stop joint so that when the
back raises the seat, the seat will not fall below the alignment of the back and both
form a bed or couch of sufficient length.
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:
1. A reclining chair, having crossed legged sides and a back pivoted thereto, a

page_text: seat hinged to said back and bearing upon the ends of two cross legs and sliding
thereon when the back tilts, as set forth.
2. A reclining chair having crossed legs at opposite sides connected by bars or
stretchers, arm-rests and vertical struts secured to said legs, a back and seat hinged
together, the back pivoted to the sides of the chair and the seat resting on the end
of the legs or other suitable bearing, substantially as set forth.
3. A chair having crossed legs sides, a back pivoted thereto a seat hinged to the
back and arm-rests connected to the legs, the back and seat tilting to alignment to
form a bed or couch, as set forth.
4. A reclining chair, having a tilting back pivoted to the sides and composed
of crossed legs and struts, a seat hinged to the back and bearing on a support at
the front of said sides, said seat and back having simultaneous adjustment,
substantially as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.