US300617A - Folding chair - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. S. MAGKAYE FOLDING CHAIR. No. 300,617. Patented June 17, 1884.

WI TN ESSES (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2:.

J. S. MAGKAYE.

. FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 800,617. Patented June 1'], 1884.

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(N0 Model.) J. Z MAG 4 SheetsSheet 3.

v FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented June 17, 1884.

WITNESSES @M? Ma! r I 6202 7% HIM NITED STATES A'IENT OFFICE.

JAMES STEELEMACKAYE, OF NENV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE BRENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE- PORT, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,617, dated June 17, 1884-.

Application filed October 30, 1883.

(No model.)

Be it known that I, JAMEs STEELE MAC- KAYE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and'use the same.

This invention relates to chairs more especially designed for use in theaters, public halls, and other places where large audiences or congregations of people assemble.

My invention consists of certain structural peculiarities, set forth in the claims at the close of this specification, which not only greatly enhance the comforts and conveniences of such chairs, but render their use in theaters and public halls an advantage rather than an obstruction to commodious and safe ingress and egress.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated in the annexed drawings, and will proceed to describe, the best form thereof at present known to me.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of my improved chairs, showing one with the seat unfolded and the other turned at an angle of ninety degrees to the first, with its seat folded. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of said pair of chairs, the one with the folded seat having been turned so as to face the same way as the other. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the chairs. Figs. 4 to 9 illustrate various details,.some of which are drawn on a larger scale than the residue.

The same letters of reference indicate identical parts in all the figures.

My newly-invented chair is a swinging one, constructed with a folding seat, and one of its characteristic features is the arrangement of.

the supporting-stand at a point which forms or is adjacent to one of the rear corners of the unfolded chair, said stand being of post-like or columnar configuration, in order that, it may occupy the least practicable space and offer no obstruction to the formation of broad aisles when the chair is folded up, either parallel with the stage or at' right oroblique angles thereto.

I prefer to embody my invention in the form of a duplex chair, one stand serving to support two otherwise independent chairs; and this form I have illustrated, and will proceed to describe in detail, premising, however, that I do not confine myself to this particular form of my invention, but that I propose to construct single chairs, each supported on a separate standard,whenever circumstances require such a construction, and that some of my claims at the Close of this specification are I intended to apply to and cover both forms.

For the sake of lightness and strength I make the stand in the form of a hollow semi- 6 column, A, formed taperingly, and with a suitable flange at the base for obtaining a broad bearing on thefloor, to which it is to be screwed or bolted. The concave side of this hollow columnar stand faces in the direction of the front of the chairs when they are in seating position. The head A'of the columnar stand is constructed with four rearwardlyprojecting parallel perforated lugs, a, which form the stationary leaves of the main hinge on which the chair swings. The two chairs having said columnar stand for a common support are of like construction, with the exception of only a few such differences as necessarily result from hinging one at its righthand rear corner to the stand and the other at its lefthand rear corner.

I have marked corresponding parts of the two members of this duplex chair with similar letters of reference, so that the description of one member will apply to both. The seat B, composed of the usual frame and bottom, is hinged to the horizontal bar of the main chair-bracket O by a couple of bars, I) 1), projecting from the rear edge of the seat, the said 0 bars being so formed and pivoted to the chairbracket that the seat may fold close up against the back D. The chair-bracket Oisprovided with perforated lugs d, which enter between the perforated lugs a of the columnar standA, 9 5 and are pivoted thereto by the vertical pintle (t. The chair-bracket is constructedwithuprights c, to the upper ends of which theback D is pivoted. Thearms E E are also pivoted at one end to the uprights c, and the other end of each arm is connected by alink, E, to the seat, all in such a manner that the arms and links readily fold or unfold in folding or unfolding the seat. Vhen the seat is folded up,the arms will stand about vertically and about in line with the back, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to offer no obstruction to persons passing by the chair. The arms may be suitably marked on the outside to designate the row and the number of the chair, so that 1: 5 an occupant may have these designations right under his eye. The seat is provided with a leg, F, which Iprefer to make in the form of a rectangular frame, and to so bend it that for the greater part of its length it may conform approximately to the curvature of the seat. The leg is pivoted to the seat-frame at the front end, and connected by a link, F,,to a fixed lug, c, on the chair-bracket O in such a manner that it will fold or unfold as the seat is folded or unfolded. This frame-like leg is fitted between the side bars of the seat-frame, so that it may fold close against the upholstered or cane bottom thereof and offer no practical obstruction to a person passing by the seat. I prefer to provide the chair with a frame-like leg, not only because it is light and strong, but also because the clothing of a passing person cannot be caught on it. A hat-holder, G, is fixed to the under side of the seat. It is a light casting of horseshoe shape, having slottedlcgs. It is secured to the rear bar of the seat-frame, and its legs project under the bottom, conforming approximately to the curvature thereof.

In order that the seat may fold automatically,

I apply a spiralsprin g, H, to the chair-bracket,

spring will draw and hold the hook-pawl be 5 tween the surface 0 and ratchet-whcel H, on-

gaging the teeth ol' the latter. In adjusting the tension of the spring asuitable spanner is applied to the ratchet-wheel to turn it back so as to release the hook-pawl, which may then be shifted to engage a different tooth of the ratchet-wheel. The back]) is pii'oted at about its midheight to the chairbracket, and provided at its lower end with bars D D, which project downwardly sufficientl y to strike the horizontal bar of the chair-bracket in front, and thus check the motion of the back. These bars D also serve as ing to this end formed in said bracket on each side and'adjacent to the stand, which socket is entered by an anti-friction roller, b. on the bar I) of the seat when the seat is turned down.

In order to stop the rearward swing of the chairs at the proper point, so that they may 8 5 form barriers between the aisles opened thereby and prevent the people from crowding one another, I apply a stop, 1, to the ring-like bracket I. I also provide for the adjustment of the stop on the bracket, in order that the 0 chairs may be stopped at any angle, so that in an auditorium supplied with these chairs aisles may be formed, when the chairs are swung back, running in various directions, guiding and directing the audience in proper divisions to the respective exits.

The chair-bracket is provided with a foot rest, L. As shown, it is an angle-iron, the upright bar of which is pivoted at its upper end to the chair-bracket, while the end of the horizontal bar or foot-rest proper is pivoted to the stand A. It also serves as a brace to the chair-bracket, and its upright bar may be fixed thereto, instead of pivoted.

The back is pivoted to the chair-bracket in the manner shown and described, in order that it may readily accommodate itself to the occupant, whatever position he may assume.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A swinging chair embodying the following devices, namely: first, a columnar stand; second, a chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand; third, a back attached to the chairbracket; fourth, a folding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket; fifth, a folding leg II 5 pivoted to said seat.

2. A duplex swinging chair embodying the combination of the following devices, namely: first, a single columnar stand; second, two chair-l.)rackets hinged vertically to said stand; third, two backs attached one to each chairbracket; fourth, two folding seats hinged one to the front of each chair-bracket; fifth, two folding legs pivoted one to each seat.

3. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the folding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket, the pivoted leg, and the back pivoted to said chair-bracket and independent of the seat, as described, so that such back may turn freely to accommodate itself to the position of the occupant.

1-. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the folding seat hinged to the front of said chair-bracket, the pivoted leg, and the back pivoted to said chair-bracket, as described, so that being independent of the seat it may turn freely to accommodate itself to the position of the occupant, and the folding arms.

5. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the seat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, the leg pivoted to said seat, and the link connecting the leg with the chair-bracket.

6. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the seat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, the frame-like leg pivoted to the seat and formed as described, so that it may fold close against the bottom of the seat between the side bars of the seat-frame, and the link connecting the leg with the chair-bracket.

7. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the seat and back attached to said chain bracket, substantially as described, and the rearwardly-projecting ring-l ikc bracket on the said stand.

8. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically to said stand, the seat hinged to the front of said chairbracket, and provided 011 its under side with an anti-friction roller, and the rearwardlyprojecting ring-like bracket provided with a socket adjacent to the stand for receiving the anti-friction roller when the seat is turned down, so that the chair is then prevented from Swinging.

9. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the columnar stand, the swinging chair-bracket hinged vertically tosaid stand, the seat and back attached to said chairbracket, substantially as described, and the ringlike bracket provided with means, substantially as set forth, for checking the rearward swing of the chair at any desired point.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES STEELE lVitnesses:

S. VAN ZANDT, SOLOMON K. OSBORN.

MAOKAYE.

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