US499798A - Sixteenths to george w - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

Patented June 20, 1893.

M H fl KN W 00 D DM UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FRANK. D. OKEEFE, OF PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN- SIXTEENTHS TO GEORGE W. ROBERTS, OF SAME PLACE.

.KNOCKDIOWN CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,798, dated June 20, 1893. Application fi led February 9, 1893. Serial No. 461.606. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK. D. OKEEFE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding or Knockdown Chairs; and I do 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to chairs in which reed and the like is employed to form the seat and back portions, and my object is to construct chairs of this description so that they can be folded into small compass for the purpose of economizing space, in, storage and transportation.

To this end and to suchothers as the invention may pertain, the same consistsin the chair having the construction hereinafter specified and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of one form of chair to which myinvention is applicable, the same being shown as arranged for use. Fig. 2, is a side view when folded, and Fig. 3, is a detail view in section.

The chair that I have selected to illustrate the practice of my invention, is a rocking chair of the common type, whose frame comprises the two front legs A, A, the two rear legs 13, B extended upward to a suitable height to form the back frame, rungs or rounds connecting the front-legs to each other, rungs connecting the two hind legs, and those connecting the front 'and hind legs. Three rungs a, or connect the front legs together, and two rungs b, I) connect each front leg with the hind leg upon the same side of the chair. To this frame are attached a seat 0, and back 0 consisting of a continuous fabric of woven reed, fastened at its lower seat end to the middle rung a and at its upper their sockets in the legs A and B.

'the rungs b and the front legs.

end to a rung connecting the upper ends of the extensions of the legs B, B. On each side of the chair the fabric is wound tightly around each upper rung b, and around the extended part of each hind leg B for a short distance, being carried from the rung to said extended part,over a curved arm D attached to said rung and part near where they are united. The arm D is not continuous, but is severed, and upon each part thereof is placed a flanged ferrule or collar d whose function it is to prevent the unwinding, or rather the slipping off of the reed from the severed. portions of the arm D. Arm rests or arms E and rockers F of ordinary construction are shown.

When constructing a chair for storage or for shipment, the lower rungs b, I), connecting the front and hind legs and the arms E and rockers F are not put in place, and the ends of the upper rungs b, b, are left out of This leaves the latter connected simply by the flexible reed fabric which can yield at two points, viz:at the back and front edges of the seat portion, the former being possible because of the separation of the rungs b and the back legs and-the severance of the curved arms D, and the latter being due to the separation of In view of this condition of the chair the seat can be turned upward and placed fiat against the back, and the connected front legs turned flat against the seat, thus very considerably reducing the bulk of the chair.

When the chair is to be used, it is simply necessary to arrange the parts in their normal positions, fastening the rungs, arms and rockers in place by glue or otherwise.

My treatment of the chair in no degree impairs its strength or otherwise injures it. The severance of the arms D does not in the least weaken the frame, as the function of said arm is simply to enable the reed fabric to be carried from the seat to the back, and properly held in place.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A chair having a seat and back portion of woven reed, the rungs b, b, the extended legs B and the severed arms D, D between the rungs and legs, said reed being wound around said rungs, legs and arms, substantially as described.

2. A chair having a seat and back portion of woven reed, the rungs b, b, the extended legs B, B, the severed arms D,D between the rungsand legs, said reed being wound around said rungs, legs and arms, and the flanges on the severed portions of said arms, substanl0 tially as described.

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

FRANK. D. OKEEFE.

Witnesses:

EUGENE GROAT, B. W. RICHARDSON.

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