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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

DANIEL S. JAMES, OF NEW MARKET, VIRGINIA.

INVALID-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,878, dated May 13, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL S. JAMES, of New Market, in the county of Shenandoah and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Invalid-Chairs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, forming part of this specification, in which --

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair when adapted to rocking. Fig. 2 is a side elevation when in position for reclining. Fig. 3 is a side elevation when converted into a bed.

Similar characters of reference in the several figures denote the same part of the chair.

The nature of my invention consists in combining with a chair loosely jointed, a curved brace running from the joints of the rockers and front of the chair, and constituting a secondary back piece for giving the requisite stiffness to the chair when in position for rocking, and also acting as a brace when the chair is converted into a couch; the details of construction and operation being as follows.

In the drawing a is the side of the chair; b, the back piece; c, the rocker, and d the front piece; these several parts being jointed at e e' e" e'" so as to be capable of moving freely. Jointed with the rockers and the front of the chair at e, is the curved brace or secondary back piece f, having the position (when the chair is designed as a rocker) shown in Fig. 1; the head i resting upon the cross piece g of the back. In this position the piece f, effectually braces the several parts of the chair and renders the joints as stiff as if they were rigid, and the chair incapable of adaptation to other purposes.

The arms h extend backward to the rockers. as shown in Fig. 1, and when head i of brace f, is withdrawn from bar g, and the back permitted to fall, these arm extensions will reach the ground and become the rear supports of a reclining chair. The front supports are provided by swinging out the piece l. Further movement of the joints is prevented by braces m on each side. The ends of arm extensions and of piece I may be provided with rollers.

By removing braces m and allowing the back to fall and the front to rise; and turning out the head piece n, a couch is formed, supported by pieces I and n, and stiffened by brace f in contact with bar p running through joint e', its head piece i pressing against bar q of chair back.

What I claim as new and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is --

The construction of invalid chairs of a loosely jointed frame in combination with a brace f operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL S. JAMES.

Witnesses:
GEO. PATTEN,
A. B. SMITH.