US402469A - Court-house - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. W. MESSMORE'.

CONVERTIBLE HAMMOOK AND CHAIR.

No. 402,469. Patented Apr. 30., 1889.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

RIENZI W. MESSMORE, OF WASHINGTON COURT-HOUSE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JNO. F. DENNIS, OF SAME-PLACE.

I CONVERTIBLE HAMMOCK AND CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,469, dated April 30, 1889.

Application filed August 22, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIENZI W. MESSMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington Court-House, in the county of Fayette and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Hammocks and 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.

The object of the invention is to provide a hammock that can be adjusted and adapted for use as a chair, swinging cradle, or swing, and to secure these several uses in a simplified construction, which shall be secure and firm, easy of adjustment, cheap in construction, and light and compact in form; and the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 is a detail representing a modification. Fig. 3 is a perspective view on a smaller scale, showing the device adjusted to be used as a seat; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modifi; cation.

The numeral 1 indicates a frame, represented as rectangular in the present instance, and 2 denotes an open-work fabric such as is ordinarily used in hammocks. Any flexible material of sufficient tenacity would operate; but that indicated is especially suitable. The netting or other fabric is secured to the end piecesof the frame by means of some stout fabric, 3, wrapped about these pieces, to which fabric the netting is firmly attached by sewing orin any convenient manner. It can be fastened to thelside bars of the frame in similar manner, or preferably by overlaying the edge with a strip, 4., of strong material and tacking this strip and the underlying edge of the netting to the side bars on the inner side.

In some cases it is intended to extend the fabric which surrounds each'cross-bar toward the transverse center of the frame, as indicated at 15. This will provide a close support for the feet in reclining, or constitute a seat when the device is adjusted to be used as a chair, and at the opposite end such an ex- Serial No. 283}4='74. (No model.)

tension, if used, will receive the head or a pillow when desired. As the main function of the frame is to keep the netting extended, it can, if desired, be made of small rods of light Wood, cane, or similar material, in which case it might not be desirable to connect the side and end bars by framing them together, as represented. They could, however, be lashed together by the cords, substantially as indicated, special care being takento make the connection secure. If such light rods are used for either side bar, they will preferably be entirely enveloped by the netting or fabric to which the netting is secured,'which will render the device as safe as an ordinary hammock, even though one or more of the rods were accidentally broken.

For convenience in transportation, the frame may be made easily separable at the corners, so that the whole device can be securely and compactly tied in a bundle. Made separable,

the end pieces can be slipped out of the fabric envelope 3, which should not embrace the end pieces so closely as to prevent their ready removal and reintroduction.

The end bars can be inserted in a hem of the fabric, and, if desired, can be slipped through the holes in the side bars. They will thus be readily removable, and the extensions 14 of the front bar can be made to support the foot-rest ropes in its operative posit-ion. The side bars may be prevented from slipping too far onto the end bar by any well-known means. Through this loop is passed a cord, 7, each end of which is attached to the frame by tying or otherwise. Preferably they are tied about both the side and end bars, as represented, in order to support and strengthen the joint or connection between theseparts. A shorter cord, 8, is attached to the opposite end of the frame in a similar manner. This cord is provided with a hook, 9, and around this hook' and cord 8, at the middle of the latter, where it receives the eye of the hook, is wound a cord, 10, which holds the hook in place on cord 8 and prevents the opening or spreading of the body of the hook when made of bent wire. Cord 10 is passed through the loop 6, and is made sufficiently long that its free end may extend below the hook, and it is provided with loops or rings considerable friction.

11 in any convenient number for engaging the hook, as indicated.

The device, being suspended by the cord 5 in a position represented in full lines, is in position for use as a hammock or cradle. When desired, it can be raised to an inclined position by drawing cord 10 through ring 6 and connecting an upper loop, 11, with the hook. \Vhen raised so that the frame makes an angle with the horizontal plane of about forty-live degrees or more, the article can be used as a chair.

A foot-rest is indicated at 12, supported by cords 13, attached to cords 7, as shown. When the device is used as a hammock: or cradle, this foot-rest can be suspended belowand out of the way, as represented in full lines; but when it is needed to support the feet of the occupant, as may happen when it is adjusted for use as a chair, the cords 13 are passed over and supported upon the extensions 14 of the end cross-pieces; or these cords may be placed within the side pieces and rest upon the body of said end pieces.

The foot-rcst is not essential under all circumstances, as the device may be suspended sufiiciently near the earth or near a floor or other support to permit the feet of one reclining or sitting in it to rest upon the same.

In Fi 2 is represented a modification which provides a pulley for cord 10 to pass over. In operation the pulley would obviate The construction is such that the occupant of the hammock can adjust it readily without leaving it.

It is obvious that either ropes or chains can be used, and that metallic or other rings can be substituted for loops (3 or 11, and that the cords or other suspending devices can be secured to the frame and to the foot-rest by eyebolts or similar means; but it is preferred to dispense with metallic connections so far as practicable, and that is one object of the improvements, as thereby economy in manufacture, security in use, freedom from corrosion, and greater levity are attained.

It will be understood that the device can be used as a swing in any position to which it may be adjusted, and that it permits a rotary as well as oscillatory motion, which lat- -ter may be sidewise, if desired, and all of which can, if desired, be controlledby pulling guide-cords. (Not shown.)

It may be also noted that the frame-work obviates the collapsing of the netting upon an occupant, which is a disagreeable feature in the use of the ordinary hammock, and at the same time the frame allows the use of the flexible open-work netting so desirable in devices of this general character. All unnecessary and cumbersome joints and hinges and devices for adjusting or extending rigid parts are avoided, the various adjustments of positions being effected by the use of the hook and loop described and by varying the lengths of the ropes by suitably tying the same.

The single suspending-hook rope will be found convenient in many situations where the double suspension of an ordinary hammock cannot easily be provided, and this allows the occupant to readily face in any desired direction.

The device can be arranged for storage or transportation in compact form by simply placing all the ropes and the foot-rest (when used) on the netting, and if the frame is made separable at the corners it can be taken apart and the frame-bars and netting can be rolled together and secured in a compact bundle.

It is obvious that the netting can be secured to the frame in other well-known ways, and also that either end of the frame, when suspended, can be raised by winding the suspending-cords about the frame at the point of their connection to the same.

Heretofore hammocks have been adjustably suspended by cords from two points, and they have also been provided with jointed frames to which a flexible fabric was secured at the ends, and adjustable foot-rests have also been used, and such matters are not of my invention. My hammock-frame is made rigid and has a flexible fabric secured at both the ends and sides,which would be impracticable in connection with a jointed frame; and, further, the hammock isadjustably suspended by these cords from a single support,which cords also support a foot-rest, which can be placed in position to support the feet by arranging its supporting-cords over one end of the frame, or dropped entirely out of the way,

the whole construction being very simple,

while securing many of the advantages of prior devices and others which are entirely new.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. The convertible hammock and chair, consisting of the rigid frame-work, the netting secured to the same at. both the ends and sides, the suspending-ropes secured to each end of the frame, one of which ropes is provided with loops 11 and with a ring or loop, 9, for adjusting the inclination of the 11ammock, and a ring or loop, 6, through which the suspending-ropes are passed, substantially as specified.

2. In a hammock, the rigid frame, the netting attached thereto, suspending-cords fastened around the frame-work connections at the corners of the frame, one of which is provided with a hook and loops or rings 11, and a supporting-rope, 5, substantially as specified, whereby the cords that suspend the frame serve to strengthen it at its corners, and whereby the hammock is made adjustable and suspended from a single point.

3. In a hammock, the rigid frame having the ends of the front end bar projecting from the sides thereof, the suspending cords or ropes secured to the frame at the front, the

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cord attached to the opposite end of the frame, provided with a hook and rings, a suspending loop or ring, and the foot-rest supported by cords attached to the front suspendingropes and adapted to hang outside the hammock-frame, all combined substantially as specified, whereby the-foot-rest may be ar ranged to hang over and rest upon an end bar of the frame, or may be dropped beneath it and be suspended directly from the main suspendingcords by simply manipulating said foot-rest-supporting cords.

4. In a convertible hammock and chair having a rigid framehavingthe ends of the front end bar projecting from the sides thereof, a single support, as cord 5,the several suspending-cords, and the foot-rest supported by cords attached to two of said suspending-cords at a point above the frame, all combined substantially as specified,whereby the foot-rest cords can be made to depend either from the framebars, so as to conveniently receive the feet of an occupant, or directly from the points of suspension above the frame, so as to hang beneath the hammock, substantially as specified. v

5. In a convertible hammock and chair, the several suspending-cords and the supporting loop or ring 6, in combination with an adjustable suspending-cord, 10, provided with loops or rings 11, and a hook, 9, said hook being secured to a transverse suspending-cord, as 8, and to an end of the adjustable cord having the rings by a part of said cord, substantially as specified.

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

RIENZI W. MESSMORE.

\Vitnesses:

ORVILLE D. SMITH, J12, FRANK A. GHAFFIN.

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