Untitled record

Application filed August 25, 1885. Serial No. 175,289. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, George B. Hook, a citizen of the United States, residi ng at Brewer, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, 5 have invented a new and useful Hammock Chair; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skiliedin the art to which it appertains to make and use ro the same.

My.invention relates to an improved hammock-chair or swinging seat, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a top view or pattern of one of the 15 two pieces which form the seat of my chair.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my seat and foot-rest. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my seat and foot-rest with awning attachment.

Similar letters refer to corresponding parts 20 throughout the figures.

The object of my invention is to provide a suspended swinging seat, the body of which shall be capable of adjustment at various angles, and furnished with a foot-rest so attached 25 as to be capable of adjustment longitudinally and at any desired angle’ with reference to the seat proper.

My invention consists of a peculiarly formed and constructed seat, A, in the method of 30 suspending the seat, in the attachment of the apron B, and in the arrangement of the footrest G and awning E. My method of suspension is, however,applicable to chairs and hammocks of various kinds.

The back and bottom of my seat A is preferably made of duck or any strong textile or pliable fabric. It is formed in two pieces, shaped as shown in Fig. 1, long enough to extend from slightly above the head to the 40 bend of the knee when the person for whom the seat is designed is in a sitting posture. Each piece is cut in the following manner: The outer edge, w, is slightly concaved or hollowed inward and the inner edge, x, is sharp45 ly curved outward at the lower end, which is to become a part of the bottom of the seat. Extending upward from the convexity named the curve of the inner edge diminishes gradually toward the head. The head y and foot z of each piece are cut off on a bias from the end of the inner edge toward the middle of the outer edge, the bias at the foot being greater than at the top. The relative proportions of the curves and biases are not absolute, and may be· varied as desired. The inner edges, 55 x, of the two pieces formed as described, are then sewed together or otherwise united, and the outer edges, w, nailed or lapped over and sewed around or otherwise secured to two arms or ribs, 11, of wood or any stiff or rigid 60 material, curved sharply at their lower ends at somewhat less than a right angle and of a length equal to the outer edges, w, of the seat. The bends of the arms may be re-enforced and stiffened with metal straps bent to the 65 curve of the arms. No cross pieces orbraces are used to preserve the spread of the arms, and the seat thus formed when suspended, as hereinafter shown, and occupied,will, like a hammock, partially envelope and to a great 70 extent adapt itself to the form of the occupant, whose hips rest in the sag of the seat formed by the convexities of the pieces of which the seat is made.

The object of cutting bias the ends of the 75 pieces of which the seat is made is to give straight edges at top and bottom where the pieces are united. The head, sides, back, and legs as far down as the knees of the occupant are thus supported and protected, and, when 80 desired,the lower part of the legs also by the apron B, as hereinafter shown.

The seat is suspended in the following manner: Near the ends of each of the arms t1, at f hf h', I attach the suspending-lines a a' a a', 85 and at convenient points near the centers of such lines I secure the eyes or rings b V b V, or as many more of such rings as may be desired. These eyes are adapted to engage with hooks c c, fixed in any rigid supports, from 90 whence the whole device is suspended. The object of the several eyes b V at different positions upon the lines a a' a al is to alter the inclination of the seat proper, A. When used in a nearly-perpendicular position, the seat 95 should be suspended by the eyes b b, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When a partially-reclining position is desired, the seat is suspended from the eyes b' b', or from other eyes still farther downward upon the parts a'a' of the suspend- ico ing-lines, the effect being to lower the top and raise the bottom of the seat A.

The foot-rest C is preferably made of wood or some rigid substance, and is attached to the

330,705 parts a' a^r of the suspending-lines by the lines g g' g g'. The ends of the parts g g of these lines are attached to a' a' at convenient points, o o, and running through grommets d d, which 5 encircle these lines, and the parts a' a! of the suspending-lines downward through apertures η n in the foot-rest G, pass under the bottom of the foot-rest, and thence upward through apertures m m in the foot-rest, are secured to io the parts a' a' of the suspending-lines at convenient points,pp, first passing through the grommets e e, encircling these lines and the parts a' a' of the suspending-lines.

As the lines g g' g g' render and work freely 15 in the apertures mn mn, the foot-rest 0, when occupied by the feet, will, by a slight pressure, assume a position at any convenient inclinanation. If the foot-rest 0 is found to be too far removed from the seat to accommodate the 20 occupant, one pair or both of the grommets d dee may be slid down to the positions shown in the drawings or even farther, the lines g g' ///rendering through the apertures in the foot-rest. If it is desired to lengthep the lines 25 9 (f 9 <f and carry the foot-rest C farther from the seat A, one pair or both of the grommets are slid upward.

I also provide an apron, B, either permanent or detachable, extending from the lower 30 end of the seat A to the foot-rest 0. This apron forms a protection for the backs of the legs when the seat is used in an upright position, and when the seat is tilted back to a. reclining position forms, substantially, an ex35 tension of the body of the seat.

I have further provided, as an attachment to my seat, the awning E, applied as shown in Fig. 3, which I suspend by rings or loops from the hooks 0 c in such a manner as to admit pf 40 its tilting forward and backward. Through rings or eyes at convenient points upon the arms of the seat A, I pass loosely the lines i i' i i', the ends of which I make fast to convenient points upon the front and back of the 45 awning-frame. If the sun is front, the parts i i of the lines are pulled down and the awning is tilted forward, and if the sun is behind the parts i! i' of the lines are pulled down and the awning is tilted backward, the bights of 50 the lines being pulled out and knotted to any convenient point, and the position of the awning thus secured.

My suspension device may be used upon variously-formed seats and either with or with55 out the foot-rest attachment, and by varying the curve and length of the arms and the bag of my seat different requirements may be accommodated.