US123412A - Improvement in folding chairs - Google Patents

Description

a. F. MiTCHE LL' & A.'A. SHEAFE,

Improvement in Folding Chairs.

; I Pate nted Feb. 6,1872.

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GEORGE F. MITCHELL AND ALBERT A. SHEAFE, OF SOUTH BOSTON, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,412, dated February 6, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE F. MITCHELL and ALBERT A. SHEAFE, of South Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Folding Chair; and we do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification, is a description of our invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

Our invention relates to that class of chairs in which the parts of each chair-frame are hinged together, so that they may be folded to bring the chair into compact space for packing, or for storing, or any other purpose. In most of said chairs the frame is composed of two parts, which cross each other in Xshape and are pivoted together, the parts being substantially alike, except that one is extended up more than the other, to form the back. In chairs thus made the shape is arbitrary, and the weight of an occupant of such a chair always exerts a strain upon the crossed parts, tending to unduly spread them. Moreover the tipping or folding seat cannot be arranged with much regard to comfort. In our improved chair we do not cross the legs, but make a front frame composed of two vertical posts or legs connected by suitable stretchers (which legs extend up to a height sufficient to attach to their tops arm-forming straps) and a sea-t and back-leg frame, composed of two curved legs, the upper end of each of which is a horizontal bar, the two connected bars forming the frame for the seat, the front legs being hinged to the front ends of these two bars, and two curved and upwardly-extending bars being hinged to the two seat and rear-leg pieces at the points where the horizontal part of each runs into the curved part thereof. The straps extend from the tops of the front legs or posts to the back frame, and serve not only as arm-rests but as ties to aid in sustaining the back in position. The parts being so formed and hinged together, the back may be folded down upon the seat, and the front leg or post-frame turned so as to bring the lower ends of the legs under and against the seat. It is in this construction of a folding chair that our invention consists.

The drawing represents a chair embodying the invention.

A shows a perspective elevation of the open chair. B is a side view of it. C is a view of the closed or folded chair. a to denote the two front posts connected by a stretcher or rung, I), and forming therewith a rigid frame. To these posts are hinged the front ends of the two horizontal seat-bars c, the rear end of each being curved and extended rearward and downward to form the rear legs (I, the two opposite seat and leg pieces 0 (I being connected by rungs or stretchers, e. To the leg and seat frame the backbarsfarc hinged, as seen at g, the bars f extending upward and the two being connected by the straps h h with the upper ends of the posts a a. The hinge 0, that connects each part a with the adjacent bar 0, is under said bar, so that the lower ends of the posts fold inward against the bars, while the bars f are hinged to the tops of the bars 0, so that they fold over against or toward the seat, the upper ends of the posts and the upper ends of the back-frame being brought together when folded.

This arrangement and method of connecting the parts forms a vet-5 strong chair, and one that is very comfortable to recline in, and also forms a graceful article of furniture. By making the strap longer or shorter the inclination of the back may be varied, as will be readily understood. 7/

WVe claim- A folding chair, having the vertical posts a a and the back-bars f hinged tothe bar and rear-leg pieces 0 (I, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE F. MITCHELL. ALBERT A. SHEAFE. Witnesses:

FRANCIS GOULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM.

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