A Portable Combination Seat-cover and Apron, and other Apparatus for Protecting Tram Cars, Omnibusses, and other Vehicles from the Weather.
Year: 1886

page_text: A Portable Combination Seat-cover and Apron, and other
Apparatus for Protecting Tram Cars, Omnibusses, and other
Vehicles from the Weather.
I, WILLIAM HUSSEY of 3 Kenilworth Place, Francis Road Edgbaston, in the
Borough of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Secretary do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
First. On the foot board side-board, or other portion of vehicles opposite the seat
or seats I affix a series of spring rollers each roller occupying about the same space
in width as that usually allotted to one passenger as seat-room. Second. I have
invented a method that each alternate roller is affixed higher or lower as the case
may require than the one immediately preceeding and each roller will project a short
space under or over the roller immediately preceeding. To each roller I affix a
waterproof fabric or material which may be rolled on or off each respective roller
separately when affixed and by the arrangement of rollers as described above
viz that of every alternate roller being affixed heigher or lower than the one next
preceeding, as the case may require, and by each higher roller being so operated that
the waterproof fabric or material shall unroll off the underside of such roller, and
by each lower-roller being so operated that the waterproof fabric shall unroll from
off the roller from the over, or top side of the roller, an effect is thereby produced
whereby the said fabric attached to the said rollers shall when unrolled overlap at
the side, and lie immediately on a portion of the other next adjoining. The effect
of this is that the rain is thereby prevented from making its way on to the seats
when unused, or when occupied on to the knees or extremities of persons occupying
seats of vehicles so covered or protected.
Another feature of the said invention is that the said rollers are affixed at such
an angle that when the covering is unrolled and drawn over the seats of the said
vehicles, or the knees of persons occupying the same, the rain must run off the said
covering into a channel made of zinc, or other material, which I affix immediately
underneath the said rollers which channel will carry off the water falling falling
therein and which channel I also claim as a part of this invention, when affixed as
described herein. Further, attached to the said chanuel, or forming a part of it at
one or both ends of the same, I make and affix a tube, with an elbow, and to the
tube I attach a piece of india-rubber tubing of sufficient length to carry off down

page_text: the front, end, or side, of any of the aforesaid vehicles from the said channel, any
water accumulating therein. Further I so construct the said channel that by a spring
joint, or hinge, at each end it may be used as a covering or protector for the rollers
when not required otherwise.
Furthermore my invention provides that the waterproof fabric on each roller
shall be of sufficient length to cover the seats and back-rail, or rest, on Tramcars,
Omnibusses, and other Vehicles, to which back-rail or rest each roller-width of the
said waterproof fabric can be separately attached, by means of eyelet-holes, in
the fabric, on each side of the cover placed within two inches of the top, and made
to affix to corresponding buttons or pegs, affixed to the aforesaid back rail or rest.
I claim for the said invention described herein, the merit or feature of original
construction or arrangment whereby seats of Tramcars Omnibusses and other
vehicles are most effectually protected from rain, and wet, and whereby persons
riding thereon are more fully protected. I further claim that this invention discovers
by the apparatus described herein, the method of effectually protecting each seat
and each passenger riding thereon, separately and respectively, and further as
producing a seat-protector and apron for passengers combined and also as an effectual
means by the construction and arrangment of the channel described herein of
preventing rain or water from accumulating on the top of tramcars or omnibusses
to which this invention may be applied.
WILLIAM HUSSEY,
3, Kenilworth Place, Francis Road,
Edgbaston, Birmingham.

page_text: A Portable Combination Seat-cover and Apron, and other
Apparatus for Protecting Tramcars, Omnibusses, and other
Vehicles from the Weather.
I WILLIAM HUSSEY, Secretary, of 3 Kenilworth Place Francis Road Edgbaston
in the Borough of Birmingham within the County of Warwick do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for A COMBINED SEAT AND KNEE COVER FOR TRAMOARS
OMNIBUSSES, & OTHER VEHICLES FOR THE PROTECTION OF SEATS & PASSENGERS
FROM THE WEATHER and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The following is a complete specification describing the aforesaid invention the
object of which is named above, and for which I hereby duly apply for a Patent in
conformity with the provisions of the Patents &c Act 1883.
Description. First-On the foot board side-board or other portion of vehicles
opposite the seat, or seats, or on a separate board, sheet iron or other material,
suitable to be affixed to any of the said vehicles i.e. Tramcars Omnibusses or other
Vehicles opposite the seat or seats, I affix a series of spring rollers, each roller
occupying about the same space in width, as that usually allotted to one passenger
My invention comprises among other features a method of so affixing the rollers
described above, that each alternate roller is affixed higher or lower as the case may
require, than the first roller affixed, or the one immediately preceeding, and each
roller is so affixed, that the end of each roller projects, the one over or beyond the
end of the other for the space of about two inches or more. To each roller I affix
a waterproof fabric which may be rolled on or off each respective roller seperately.
When so affixed and by the method of affixing the rollers, as described above,
and by providing that each higher roller can be so operated that the waterproof
fabric shall unroll off the under side of the roller, and that each lower roller can be
so operated that the waterproof fabric shall unroll from the over, or top, or higher
or reverse-action, of the roller, an effect is thus produced by this invention whereby
the said fabric, when affixed to the said rollers, shall when unrolled overlap and lie
one immediately on the top of the other next adjoining. The effect of this method
is that the rain is thereby prevented from making its way on to the seats when
unused or covered, or when occupied by passengers the rain is thereby (i.e. by the
method described above) prevented from falling on the knees or extremities of the
passengers occupying seats of vehicles so protected.
Another feature of the invention is that the rollers are affixed at such an angle,
that when the fabric, or covering, affixed to the rollers is unrolled, and drawn over
the seats in the manner hereafter described, or over the knees of the passengers
occupying the same, the rain must run off the said fabric or covering into a channel
which may be affixed immediately underneath the rollers.
Furthermore my invention provides that the waterproof fabric on each roller
shall be of sufficient length to amply cover both the seat and back rail or rest
on Tramcars Omnibusses or other Vehicles to which each width of the said fabric

page_text: affixed to each roller can be separately attached, by means of eyelet holes on each
side of the seat cover at a suitable position and made to affix to a corresponding
button or peg affixed to the said back rail or rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
An invention providing an effectual seat and knee-cover for use on vehicles,
named, in combination,- -as may be alternatively required, for protection from
the weather.
I further claim that the said invention, herein described, discovers the method of
effectually protecting each seat on the said vehicles, and each passenger, separately
and respectively, and as providing a seat protector or an apron for protecting
knees of passengers combined, and as an effectual method of preventing rain from
falling on or accumulating on the seats, or tops of vehicles, to which it may be
applied.