CERMATE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITE CARRIAGES FOR FUNERAL AND OTHER PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Ridges, Coach Builder, of Wolver-
hampton, in the County of, Stafford, and James Barker, Coach Body
Maker, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of
"CERMATE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITE CARRIAGES FOR FUNERAL AND OTHER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Ridges.
and James Barker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 5th September 1861...
We, JOHN EDWARD RIDGES, Coach Builder, of Wolverhampton, in the
County of Stafford, and JAMES BARKER, Coach Body Maker, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITE CARRIAGES FOR FUNERAL AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists in so constructing hearses that a compartment shall
be formed in front for receiving the coffin, and at or near the centre of this
compartment a strong vertical axis, projecting upward from the top and down-
ward from the bottom, is placed, over which strong straps or arms formed of

page_text: wood, iron, or other material are placed, connected with the body of a carriage
for receiving the mourners usually attending funerals. This body is mounted on
n pair of wheels, with springs, in the ordinary way, and arranged and fitted with
a door at the back or side, as may be considered most convenient, and the hori-
zontal axis of the front wheels is attached to the compartment for receiving the
coffin, and to which compartment the driving box and shafts or pole is fixed,
the wholo working on the top and bottom axis projecting upward and down-
ward from the top and bottom of the hearse or front compartment, and forms
what is technically termed the action in four-wheeled carriages, to permit the
front wheels to work independent of the back wheels, necessary in turning
curves or street corners. And we take advantage of this construction of
funeral composite carriage, that in drawing up or stopping in front of a house,
the hind wheels shall be parallel to the curb or footway, while the front wheels
are so placed that the horse or horses shall stand obliquely across the road,
thereby exposing the back end of the hearse and permitting the coffin to be
placed in through the now exposed back end, and which end may be fitted with
ŉ door or doors or not as may be desirable; but the moment the horses are
placed in a position of straight draught or move forward, the hinder end of
the hearse will be closed by its passing in front of the back carriage or com-
partment, which, following the direction or line of draught of the front wheels,
will form a graceful continuation or combination: In some cases the vacant
part between the driving box and the back carriage or compartment for the
mourners, over the hearse or receptacle for the coffin, we propose fitting up
with a portable roof and accommodation for bearers. And this same construc-
tion of carriage we intend applying to other purposes than funeral composito
.carriages where it would be found useful, shortening or altering tho compart-
ment that in a funeral composite carriage, would receive the coffin to the size,
Lougth or other pronations raquinad
-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the. Letters! Patent; filed
by the said John Edward-Ridges and James. Barker in the Great Seal
Patent Oflice on the 5th March.1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,, wo, JOHN
EDWARD RIDGES, Coach, Builder, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
and JAMES BARKER, Coach Body Maker, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Edward Ridges and James Barker, Her special license that we, the
said John Edward Ridges and James Barker, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Edward Ridges and James;
Barker, our executors, administrators; and assigns; should at any time agree.
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereaftor during
the term therein expressed; should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS.
IN COMPOSITE CARRIAGES FOR FUNERAL AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Edward Ridges and James Barker,.
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner.
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Edward Ridges and James
Barker, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Our Invention consists in so constructing hearses that a compartment.sball
be formed in front for receiving the coffin, and at or near the centre of this
compartment a strong vertical axis projecting upward from the top, and also,
if required, downward from the bottom, is placed, the same being secured
firmly to the material forming this compartment, over which strong straps or
arms formed of wood, iron, or other material are placed at top and bottom,
also when a lower centre is applied, connected with the body of, a carriage for
receiving the mourners usually attending funerals. This body is mounted on
a pair of wheels, with springs, in the ordinary way, and arranged and fitted
with a door at the back or side, as may be considered most convenient, and
the horizontal axis of the front wheels is attached to the compartment for
receiving the coffin, and to which compartment the driving box and pole or
shafts are also fixed, the whole working on the axis projecting upward and
downward, if preferred, from the top and bottom of the hearse or front com-
partment, as before described, and forms what is technically termed the action

page_text: or lock in four-wheeled carriages, to permit the front wheels to work inde
pendent of the back wlieels, necessary in turning curves or street corners.
And we take advantage of this construction of funeral composite carriages,
that in drawing up or stopping in front of a house, the hind wheels may be
parallel to the curb or footway, while the front wheels are so placed that the
horse shall stand obliquely across the road, thereby exposing the back end of
the hearse and permitting the coffin to be placed in the end now.exposed; and
which end may be fitted with a door or doors or not, as may be desirable;
but the moment the horse or horses are placed in a position of straight draught
or moving forward, the hinder end of the hearse will be closed by its passing
in front of the back carriage or compartment, which, following the direction'
or line of draught of the front wheels; will form a graceful continuation or
combination. In some cases the vacant part between the driving box and the
back carriage or compartment for the mourners, over the hearse or receptaclo
for the coffin, we purpose fitting up with a portable roof and accommodation
for bearers. And this sano construction of carriage we intend applying to
other purposes than funeral composite carriages where it would be found
useful, shortening or altering the compartment that in a funeral composite
carriage would receive the coffin to tho size, length, or other proportions
required.
But in order that we may be well understood as to the true nature and
object of our Invention, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed, reference being made to the figures and letters marked thereon,
observing that in all cases where the same parts occur in the different views
they will be found marked with the same letter of reference. '
"
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a complete side view of a composite carriage designed for a hearse
or compartment for receiving a coffin and a compartment for taking four or
more mourners, and this part rests upon the hind wheels, which may be sprung,
as here represented, or otherwise, as desired, and we have designed this com-
partiment to be fitted with a door at the back, as indicated, by the step A.
From the front end of this part a strong wood or other suitable lower roof
extends, marked B, B, and partly beneath this the hearse or compartment for
receiving the coffin is placed, marked D, supported on the front wheels; this
compartment is fitted in the front for two horses; or for receiving shafts for
one horse, if so preferred, and, also a double seat for the driver and attendant,
marked C. From the top and centre of the hearse, or near the centre; a

page_text: strong axis or perch bolt is placed, and between the lower part of the side B
and the top of the hearse transom wheels are placed, shown separate, double
size, at Figs. 4 and 5, marked E and F, the perch bolt being concentric with
them and secured to the lower one, which transom wheels and other attendant.
parts will be hereafter referred to. Fig. 2 is a top view of Figure 1, showing
the top transom wheel, marked E, partly in dotted lines, the centre of which
wheel indicates the centre of what is technically called the action or lock of
the carriage; and we will suppose that it is desirable to place this composite.
carriage in position for receiving a, coffin; the hearse and front wheels are.
turned around in the position indicated by the dotted lines by the horses being
placed in an oblique direction to the after compartment, which exposes the
back end of the hearse, marked a, a, and which end may be fitted with self-
acting apparatus for opening simultaneously or not, as desired, a pair of folding
doors, also shown in dotted lines, marked 6, 6; and the hearse and back com- .
partment, when in this angular position, may be secured by a bolt, to guard
against the uncertain movements or restlessness of the horse or horses attached
to such carriages during the time of the coffin, being placed in or removed
from such carriages, after which the stop or lock bolt may be withdrawn and
the straight line of draught assumed by the moving forward of the horses;
from this it will be seen that the horses in all their movements will be:
direct in front of the driver, which is an important feature in our improve-
ments.
Fig. 3 is a top view of the hearse, double the size than is exhibited in
Figures 1 and 2, showing the lower transom wheel F in position; although, as
before stated, we prefer placing this action 'slightly out of the centre or nearer
the hind part, for the purpose of slightly reducing the weight behind; and to.
counteract this we apply the segment G, G, shown detached in Fig. 7, in the
position here shown; and on the under side of the roof B, and directly over
this segment, we place the semicircular top bearing, shown at Fig. 6; the two
being made of iron and finished smooth on their working surfaces greatly con-
duces to improve the action or lock, and to prevent undue wear on the surfaces
of the transom wheels. Fig. 8 represents à transverse section of the hearse or
compartment D, and also the top and bottom transom wheels with the perch.
bolt, which is shown detached at Fig. 9, secured to the centre of the lower
transum wheel by its having a broad shoulder formed at its bottom end,
marked c, c, and extending shank, which passes through the transom wheel,
and is there secured by a strong nut, marked d; d. The top transom wheel is
formed with a strong vertical bush, formed with and connected to the trans-

page_text: 2
verse bar of this wheel, and which bush passes through a strengthening bar of:
wood, marked II, II, which bar is framed with or connected with the plume-
roof B, B, hore. shown in section, partly broken away for convenience, and
placed at right angles with: the hearse below. This bush we prefer to project
beyond the roof about two inches, and tapped on the outside, for the purpose
hereafter to be referred to; above this we secure the perch bolt with a strong
nut and cotter, marked e, e, and e, o; f,f, aro sockets, shown also at Figure 2.
marked with the same letter, for receiving the plumes, shown in Figure 1;
notwithstanding any number of plumes may be added, or they may be arranged
in any way that tasto may desire. Individuals accustomed to four-wheeled
carriages are aware of the trouble of separating the surfaces of the action or
lock for the purpose of cleaning and greasing, and we purpose effecting this
by the apparatus exhibited in section at Fig. 10, which apparatus we use in
the following way; first supporting cach end of the hearse and scotching the
hind wheels, we remove the nut e from the perch bolt, and over the screwed
part g, g, wo screw the apparatus until its baso k, k, is in contact with the top
of the roof. B, B, and then, by screwing down the screw h, which is pointed
for the purpose of slightly entering a corresponding hole or cavity in the top
of the perch bolt, which may be fitted with a round head, as here shown, or a
winch handle or otherwise, if desired, the roof will be elevated so as to separate
the transom wheels, as may be found necessary, for cleaning and greasing,
when, by reversing the screw, the wheels will be again brought in contact, and
the apparatus may be removed.
Having now given a general description of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, wo wish it understood that we
.do not purpose limiting our Invention to the exact details and general con-
struction as exhibited in the Drawings, as the same may be considerably
diversified and altered without departing from the spirit of our Invention, as,
for instance, we may in some cases use a double perch bolt, one below and
one above; and instead of using the part B, which we have here termed the
plume roof, for that purpose, it may form an intermediate floor for the accom-
modation of bearers when required for country funerals; or this description of
carriage may be usefully applied for other purposes; and again, by extending
the diameter of the transom wheels, as shown separate at Figures 4 and 5,
drawn to an enlarged scale, we may dispense with the segments, as exhibited
in Figures, 3, 6, and 7, and in dotted lines in Figure 2, but omitted altogether
in Figure 1; but what we claim and wish protected by these our in part
recited Letters Patent is, the mode of locking composite carriages, as herein.
1

page_text: described and exhibited, by which means the front compartment with the
driver always stands in the line of draught.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Edward Ridges and James Barker,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
JOHN EDWARD RIDGES. (L.S.)
JAMES BARKER.
Birmingham.
(L.S.)