IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF FOLDING STEPS TO CARRIAGES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Newnham and Benjamin Thomas
Newnham, both of the City of Bath, Carriage Builders, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF FOLDING STEPS TO
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 14th May 1869, and dated the 23rd November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Newnham
and Benjamin Thomas Newnham at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 23rd November 1868..
We, BENJAMIN NEWNHAM and BENJAMIN THOMAS NEWNHAM, both
of the City of Bath, Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF FOLDING STEPS
TO CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
The object of the improvements is to facilitate the application of folding
steps to carriages, particularly in cases where their simply folding or
unfolding or sliding in a horizontal direction into or out of position when.
folded would be inconvenient by applying such folding steps, so that in.
drawing the folded steps out for. use they may rise into a position.

page_text: higher than that which they occupied when slided out of position and
out of use, by which the steps in being brought into use may rise up
and pass over a side wheel of a carriage or other outside carriage fitting..
For this purpose the sides or connecting parts of the folding steps are
formed with lugs or projections which may have rollers to slide in slots
or grooves formed for them and applied to the under side or other suitable
part of the carriage, one on each side of the steps, and which slots or
grooves are for some distance at their inner ends continued in a horizontal
direction, whilst at their front or outer ends they are curved upwards to
the side of the carriage where they have recesses adapted to receive and
retain the studs from the sides or connecting parts of the steps and
aided by prolongations of these sides or connecting parts acting against
parts of the frame in which the steps slide, serve to hold the steps
correctly in position for use when drawn out and unfolded. When again
folded by a slight tilt to free the studs of the recesses in which they rest
and a push backwards they are readily slided back into their frame.
If desired self-acting apparatus, such as is now used, may be applied to
bring the steps into and take them back out of position. A hinged
tread next the carriage may be employed to cover the rising part of
the frame and for ordinary use when the folding steps are not required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Newnham and Benjamin Thomas
Newnham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BENJAMIN
NEWNHAM and BENJAMIN THOMAS NEWNHAM, both of the City of Bath,
Carriage Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most, Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Benjamin Newnham and Benjamin
Thomas Newnham, Her special licence that we, the said Benjamin
Newnham and Benjamin Thomas Newnham, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Benjamin Newnham

page_text: and Benjamin Thomas Newnham, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, cxcrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION
OF FOLDING STEPS TO CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Benjamin Newnham and Benjamin Thomas Newnham,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Benjamin Thomas Newnham
on behalf of myself and the said Benjamin Newnham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and, by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of the improvements is to facilitate the application of
folding steps to carriages particularly in cases where their simply
folding or unfolding or sliding in a horizontal direction into or out of
position when folded would be inconvenient. And our improvements
consist in applying such folding steps so that in drawing the folded
steps out for use they may rise into a position higher than that which
they occupied when slided out of position and out of use, by which the
steps in being brought into use may rise up and pass over a side wheel
of a carriage or other outside carriage fitting. For this purpose the
sides or connecting parts of the folding steps are formed with lugs
or projections which may have rollers to slide in slots or grooves
formed for them and applied to the under side or other suitable part of
the carriage, one on each side of the steps, and which slots or grooves
are for some distance at their inner ends continued in a horizontal
direction, whilst at their front or outer ends they are curved upwards to
the side of the carriage where they have recesses adapted to receive and
retain the studs from the sides or connecting parts of the steps, and aided
by prolongations of these sides or connecting parts acting against parts of
the frame in which the steps slide serve to hold the steps correctly in

page_text: position for use when drawn out and unfolded. When again folded by
a slight tilt to free the studs of the recesses in which they rest and a
push backwards they are readily slided back into their frame.
But that the Invention may be fully understood we will, by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe means pursued by us in
carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF TILE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a front view and Figure 2 a side view of a portion of a
phaeton with folding steps applied thereto according to our Invention.
Figure 3 shows a section of parts shown by Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a
similar view with the steps folded up and slided out of the way as when
not in use; Figures 5 and 6 show separate views of the frame to support
the folding steps separately. In each of these views the same letters
indicate coresponding parts.
a, a, a, are the steps, and b, 61, 62, 63, the parts of the folding frame
thereof, all which are similar to other folding steps of carriages; c, c,
are lugs or projections, one on each side of the frame b to pass through
and be capable of sliding in the slots d formed for them in the frame d,
which is capable of being secured to the carriage by means of the lugs d²
or by other suitable means. These slots or they may be grooves d¹ are
for some distance at their inner ends continued in a horizontal direction,
whilst at their front or outer ends as they are curved upwards to the
sides of the carriage, and at their upper part these recesses are formed
with the recesses d' adapted to receive and retain the studs c, c, and
aided by the prolongations 6* of the sides 6 which then rest with their
outer ends against the stops d³ to hold the upper portion of the frame of
the steps correctly in position for the use of the series of steps when
they are unfolded and drawn out as shown. When the steps are required
to be out of the way they are first folded in the usual way, and the outer
end of the folded steps is tilted upwards so as to lift the lugs c, c, out
of the recesses d' and on to the curved parts d³, when they may be simply
pushed backwards and their fore ends will rest on the studs e, e, which
we prefer to be covered with india-rubber to prevent noise. fis another
stud or roller (which we also prefer to be covered with india-rubber)
applied to a spring f¹ to press on the upper part of the folded steps to
aid in holding the steps steadily and prevent vibration and noise. If
desired self-acting apparatus, such as is now used, may be applied to
bring the steps into and take them back out of position. g is a hinged

page_text: tread applied next the carriage to cover the rising part of the frame d
aud adapted for ordinary use when the folding steps are not required.
By these means the steps shown are capable of rising as drawn out from
under the carriage over the wheel so as to admit of larger wheels at that
part being used.
Having thus described our Invention, and means which we adopt in
carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that what
we claim is, the adaptation or combination of means whereby folding
steps may be capable of rising into a position for use, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Thomas Newnham, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
ninc.
BENJAMIN THOMAS NEWNHAM.
(L.S.)
BENJAMIN THOMAS NEWNHAM. (L.S.)