Improved Carriage Door Opener.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Carriage Door Opener.
I, THOMAS PRICE, of 77 Stanley Buildings, St. Pancras Road, Kings Cross,
London, Hackney Carriage Driver do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable the drivers of carriages, cabs and
like vehicles to open, close, fasten and unfasten the doors thereof without leaving
their seats.
Now according to this invention I attach to the top of each door a bar having
an eye therein at or near the middle, pivoted to this eye is a curved bar, the outer
end of which is pivoted to a rod passing through the front of the vehicle and
connected (by suitable linkwork when necessary) to a crank attached to a spindle
on which slides a handle, the handle and spindle being secured to each other in
such a manner as to rotate together. When the handle is turned the spindle
which is carried in suitable bearings is rotated and the crank pulls or pushes
the rod forward or backward and so opens or closes the door.
To enable the driver to fasten and unfasten the doors I attach to each door a
sliding catch or bolt which is kept in engagement with the striking plate or socket
by means of a spring. To each catch or bolt I secure a flexible cord and lead the
same over suitably placed guide pulleys to the handle by which the doors are
opened and closed.
This handle slides on the spindle and when the door is closed and fastened the
said handle is in its highest position.
When the driver desires to open the door he depresses the handle which action
draws the catch or bolt out of engagement with the striking plate or socket and
then still keeping the handle depressed turns it and opens the door.
When the door is closed the spring automatically locks the door.
The cord may be attached to a catch handle, as cycle brakes, locomotive
reversing levers and the like.
The apparatus may be actuated by the foot of the driver instead of his hand the
rod and cord being connected to suitable pedals.
Dated this 15th day of August 1892.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Carriage Door Opener.
I, THOMAS PRICE, of 77 Stanley Buildings, St. Pancras Road, Kings Cross,
London, Hackney Carriage Driver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to enable the drivers of carriages, cabs, and like
vehicles, to open, close, fasten and unfasten the doors thereof without leaving their
seats.
Now according to this invention I attach to the top of each door a bar having an
eye thereon at or near the middle, pivoted to this eye is a curved bar the outer end
of which is pivotted to a rod passing through the front of the vehicle and connected
(by suitable linkwork when necessary) to a crank attached to a spindle on which

page_text: slides a handle, the handle and spindle being secured to each other in such a
manner as to rotate together.
When the handle is turned the spindle which is carried in suitable bearings is
rotated and the crank pulls or pushes the rod forward or backward and so opens or
closes the door.
To enable the driver to fasten and unfasten the doors I attach to each door a
sliding catch or bolt which is kept in engagement with the striking plate or socket
by means of a spring. To each catch or bolt I secure a flexible cord and lead the
same over suitably placed guide pulleys to the handle by which the doors are
opened and closed."
This handle slides on the spindle and when the door is closed and fastened the
said handle is it its highest position. When the driver desires to open the door he
depresses the handle which action draws the catch or bolt out of engagement with
the striking plate or socket and then still keeping the handle depressed turns
it and opens the door. When the door is closed the spring automatically locks
the door.
The cord may be attached to a catch handle as cycle brakes, locomotive
reversing levers and the like.
The apparatus may be actuated by the foot of the driver instead of his hand, the
rod and cord being connected to suitable pedals.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which :-
Figure 1 represents my invention applied to a cab.
Figure 2 plan of the same.
Figure 3 is plan and Figure 4 is elevation of a portion of the same to an
enlarged scale.
Figure 5 is view of handle.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.
a is the cab, the door thereof to which is attached the rod c having an eye d
thereon to which is pivoted the curved bar e shewn in dotted lines Figure 2 the
other end of the said bar is pivoted to the rod f passing along the roof of the cab
underneath the lining thereof. Sliding on the rod is a handle g the travel of
which is limited by suitable stops hi. k is a spring to keep the handle g in the
normal position shewn at Figures 1 and 2.
In practice I have found it preferable to make the curved bar e and the rod c in
one piece as shewn in full lines Figures 1 and 2 and to a larger scale in Figures 3
and 4.
Attached to the handle g is a wire terminating in an eye m to which is secured
the cord n which after passing over guide pulleys o p q is fastened to an eye at the
end of the catch s.
It will be understood that the whole of the mechanism herein described is hidden
from view by the lining of the carriage.
When the driver wishes to open the door he pulls the handle g and compresses
the spring thus drawing the catch s out of contact with the striking plate on
pulling the handle still further the rod fis drawn forward and the door opened.
To close the door the handle g is pushed towards the body of the vehicle when
the door is shut and fastened the catch s being actuated by a spring in the lock as
usual.
I wish it to be understood that although I have shewn the apparatus attached to
the top of the door inside the vehicle the said apparatus may be attached to the
door outside the vehicle and to the top or bottom thereof as is most convenient
either inside or outside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a carriage door opener the combination of a rod c and curved bar e with a

page_text: rod f on which slides a handle g having connected thereto a cord n for withdrawing
the catch s out of engagement with the striking plate all substantially as described
and shewn and operating in the manner specified.
Dated this 21st day of March 1893.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.