Improvements in and connected with Chairs,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
Improvements in and connected with Chairs,
I, ALEXANDER FERRIER HOGAN, M.A., of Saint Teilo's Vicarage, Abergavenny,
in the County of Monmouth, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to chairs used in churches chapels mission halls and
similar places where people kneel as well as sit, and the object thereof is to
enable persons to kneel more comfortably than can be done with the chairs at
present in use owing to the backward rake of the chair back which rake
although it does not interfere with the comfort of persons while sitting, as
the back of any chair is practically parallel to the back of the chair behind
it, very greatly cramps the space available for kneeling.
Now according to this invention I hinge the back of the chair to the seat portion
thereof or to any other convenient part of the frame and to the chair back I
attach metal or other suitable arms or levers the lower ends of which are pivotted
to a kneeling board or hassock which is pushed out from under the seat of the
chair when the chair is used for kneeling at and drawn under the seat of the
chair when being sat upon.
The kneeling board or hassock may be supported at its free end by a roller
or rollers or wheels or it may be supported on guides to reduce friction,
a suitable stop may be provided to prevent the kneeling board from being drawn
too far under the chair seat.
When the chair is used for kneeling purposes the back is pushed forwards
and the movement of the back is transmitted through the arms or levers to the
kneeling board which is pushed out from under the chair seat into a position
suitable for kneeling upon.
When a person sitting on a chair leans back the movement thereof draws
the kneeling board under the chair seat out of the way.
Dated this Sth day of August 1898.
T. E. HALFORD,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C., Agent for Applicant,

page_text: of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to chairs used in churches chapels mission halls and
similar places where people kneel as well as sit and the object thereof is to
enable persons to kneel more comfortably than can be done with the chairs at
present in use owing to the backward rake of the chair back which rake
although it does not interfere with the comfort of persons while sitting, as
the back of any chair is practically parallel to the back of the chair
behind it very greatly cramps the space available for kneeling. Now accord-
ing to this invention I hinge the back of the chair to the seat portion thereof
or to any other convenient part of the frame and to the chair back I
attach metal or other suitable arms or levers the lower ends of which are pivotted
to a kneeling board or hassock which is pushed out from under the seat of the
chair when the chair is used for kneeling at and drawn under the seat of the
chair while the chair is being sat upon.
:
The kneeling board or hassock may be supported at its free end by a roller,
rollers or wheels or it may be supported on guides, to reduce friction.
A suitable stop may be provided to prevent the kneeling board or hassock from
being drawn too far under the chair seat.
When the chair is used for kneeling purposes the back thereof is pushed for-
wards and the movement of the chair back is transmitted through the arms or
levers to the kneeling board or hassock which is pushed out from under the
chair seat into a position suitable for kneeling upon.
When a person sitting on the chair leans against the back the movement
thereof draws the kneeling board or hassock under the chair seat out of the way.
To prevent the kneeling board from being pushed out when persons are going
to and from their seats and accidentally push the chair backs I provide a light
catch which may be raised by the foot when a person desires to kneel.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed
to explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in
which
Fig. 1, represents perspective view of a chair constructed according to this
invention ready for sitting upon.
Fig. 2, is perspective view of same with the back tilted forward and the
kneeling board or hassock pushed out ready for use.
Fig. 3, is section of chair as used for sitting upon the kneeling board or hassock
being drawn under the seat of the chair.
Fig. 4, is section through chair when kneeling board or hassock is pushed out
ready for use.
Fig. 5, is section shewing my invention applied to an ordinary chair with an
immovable back the kneeling board or hassock being pushed under the seat.
of the chair.
Fig. 6, is section of same chair with the kneeling board or hassock drawn out
ready for use.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.:.
a is the seat of the chair.
bb the front legs thereof.
ce the back legs thereof.
dd the back uprights.
ee the cross rails.
f the top ledge.
9 9 tie rails
hh are arms or levers of metal wood or other suitable material secured to the
uprights d d at one end and pivotted at ; to the side pieces ii carrying the
kneeling board k. The free ends of the side pieces jj may be provided with
wheels or rollers as shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 to diminish friction or they may be
plain and rounded on the bottom as shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6,

page_text: The uprights d d as shewn plainly by Figs. 3 and 4 are hinged at m to the
seat of the chair or to the legs c c if desired so that when a person sits on the
chair and leans back the chair back assumes the normal position shewn by Figs. 1
and 3 and the kneeling board k is drawn under the seat a.
When however the person sitting in the chair behind desires to kneel he or
she tilts forward the back of the chair and thereby causes the kneeling board k
to be protruded from under the chair seat ready for kneeling upon see Figs. 2.
and 4.
The kneeling board may be padded and upholstered on the upper side if
desired. A suitable stop may be used to limit the movement of the kneeling
board inwards and a catch may also be provided to prevent the said board
from being accidentally pushed outwards when persons are going to and from
their seats.
Chairs constructed as hereinbefore described having the space between the
back legs unimpeded by rails may have a hook or other device two light rails rr
for example underneath the seat for supporting a hat s which hat is quite out of
the way and secure from damage.
In some cases if the hinged back is objected to I may use my invention in
connection with chairs of the ordinary construction by removing the back rails
and hinging the levers h h to the back legs below the seat a see Figs. 5 and 6.
The said levers may also be secured at their upper ends to a receptacle o for
books and other articles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1
1. A chair for use in places of worship halls and other places having the back
thereof hinged to the seat or to a suitable portion of the frame thereof the said
back being connected by suitable arms or levers to a kneeling board or hassock
in such a manner that when the chair back is in its normal position the kneeling
board or hassock is drawn under the chair seat and when the chair back is tilted
forward the said kneeling board or hassock is pushed out to enable the person
sitting in the chair behind to kneel upon it all substantially as hereinbefore
specified.
2. In a chair for use in places of worship halls and other places the combina-
tion of a seat a front legs back legs e a back hinged at m to the seat a or to
any other convenient part of the chair and levers h h attached to the portions d d
of the chair back at one end and pivotted at the other end to pieces i to which
is attached a kneeling board or hassock k all substantially as hereinbefore specified
and for the purpose stated.
3. The modified form of this invention shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 in which the
levers hh are pivotted to the back legs cc instead of being secured to the back d.
4. The constructions of chairs to be used for sitting upon and kneeling at
shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eighth day of May 1899.