A NEW DRAG. OR SKID TO. BE, APPLIED TO THE WHEELS OF CARRIAGES OF DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS
Year: 1811

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS, SHALL COME,. I, EDWARD
SILVESTER, of Rochester, in the County of Kent, Millwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third in,and
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing:
date- at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of September now. last past, for.
himself, his heirs and successors, did give and grant unto me the said Edward
Silvester, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that. I,.
the said Edward Silvester, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or. such
others as I, the said Edward Silvester my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from. time to time,
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A NEW DRAG. OR SKID TO. BE,
APPLIED TO THE WHEELS OF CARRIAGES OF DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me. the said!
Edward Silvester, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months

page_text: next, and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the said
Edward Silvester, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained by the Plan or Drawing hereunto annexed, and as follows,
that is to say:-
Drawing No. 1, from A to B, the sides of the skid three feet three inches
long. From C to D, the jaws to carry the catch over the fellie, one foot long.
E, two small jaws six inches long, which clasp each side of the fellie. F, the
catch, the length to be regulated according to the width of the wheels, from
two to twelve inches. From G to H, the pan which goes under the wheel
one foot long from the joint at H to the heel at G. From H to I, a turn in
the pan, four inches long, which bears against the side of the skid to prevent
the pan from opening wider. The pan is flat, one inch thick, and lined with
steel at the bottom. K, a rivet which fastens the catch on the side it swings.
L, a mortice which the catch goes in, and is there fastened by a small spring
on the side of the catch, which spring fixes itself in a small groove in the
side of the mortice; from M to N, cast iron, with a bird's mouth for the edge
of the wheel to join in, which fastens the skid together with bolts. O, a bolt near
the point to strengthen it. P, a square piece of iron fixed to the point of the
skid for a swivel to work in which carries it. The swivel has two jaws which
span the small wheel to carry the center; they are made crooked to give the
swivel the greater effect; a small spring key goes through the top of the
swivel to fasten it. The small wheel is cast iron, from six inches diameter
to any size which may be required. The skids are made strong in proportion
to the load intended, for from a gig to a carriage of any burthen whatever..
They may be made of wrought or cast iron, brass, or steel, or of
any other
metal or material, or mixture of metals as the purchaser may wish, but I
prefer those I have above named.
Drawing No. 2 shews the opposite side of the skid, from No. 1, and No. 3,.
inverting the same. No. 4 shews the skid in action affixed to a wheel when
descending a hill.
By the application of my new invented skid the horse is enabled to take a
load down the steepest hill without inconvenience, as instead of being obliged
to hang back in the breeching, he draws the same when descending a hill as
he does on level ground, and by means of the swivel can turn with ease in
any direction without danger; another advantage obtained is that the skid
which I have invented is equally applicable to two-wheel carriages as to those.

page_text: having more wheels than two, without bringing the weight upon the horse
when the wheel is skidded.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Silvester, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eleven.
Sworn at the Public Office, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, the Sixth
day of November One thousand eight
hundred and eleven, before me,
R. STEELE.
F. ABBOTT.
Tall C
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