Improved Convertible Mail Cart and Bassinette perambulator
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan, 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
An Improved Convertible Mail Cart and Bassinette perambulator
I JOHN HARROI of 55 Tib Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
The object of this invention is to construct a single-seated mail cart for one
child, which can be converted into a double cart for two children sitting face to
face, or into a bassinette, and firmly secured in either position, without the
necessity for any detachable part>
The body of the single cart is made with closed sides and back, and an open
front, the sides of the body projecting about four or five inches in front of the
seat The body is permanently attached to the shafts and may be fitted with
hood or not as desned
To the front part of the sides is attached by hinges or pivots a "boot made
complete with footboard, back and sides
This "boot
22
is made slightly narrower than the sides so that it can hang down
between the shafts when the vehicle is to be used as a single mail cart The
hinges or pivots upon which the "boot' hangs are so situated that when the
" boot is lifted up the back thereof is raised up on a level with the seat so as to
form a second seat facing the other, and the footboard and sides form, as it were,
a continuation for wards of the body so as to convert it into a double seated cart or
perambulator
15
In this position there would be an open space or gap in the floor between the
two seats, to avoid which I hinge a box or well to the back of the hinged "boot," and
the other side of this box or well is provided with a rod the ends of which slide
horizontally in or through slots, made in the shafts, so that as the "boot"
raised to form the double cart it draws the box forward so as to form a "well"
for the childiens feet, and as the boot is lowered to form the single cart the box
slides under the main seat, in which position it can be utilized for carrying small
parcels or other articles
At the centre of the sliding rod is fixed a spring catch which takes into the
teeth of a rack fixed to the bottom of the cart, so as to retain the box in any
position to which it may be drawn forward The end of the 1od projects beyond
the shaft and is flattened or otherwise formed so that it can be partially turned
to withdraw the catch from the rack when it is desired to pu h the box back and
to lower the boot
Dated this 20th day of Anul 1905
GEO DAVIES & SON,
4, St Anns Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
An Improved Convertible Mail Cart and Bassinette perambulator
I JOHN HARROI of 55 Tib Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, 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 construct a single seated mail cait for one
child, which can be converted into a double cart for two children sitting face to
face, or into a bassinette, and firmly secured in either position without the
necessity for any detachable parts
The invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings of which
Figs 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections and
Fig 3 a side view of the body of a mail cart made according to my invention,
the hood wheels &c not being shewn
Each view shews the mail cart differently fixed
The body of my improved cart is made with closed sides a and back band an
open front, the sides a of the body projecting about four or five inches in front of
the seat c as shown The body is permanently attached to the shafts & and may
be fitted with a hood or not as desired
To the front part of the sides is attached by hinges or pivots e+ a "boot 'made
complete with footboard e, back e¹ and sides e²
This boot is made slightly narrower than the sides a so that it can hang down
between the shafts das seen at Fig 3 when the vehicle is to be used as a single
mail cart The hinges or pivots e+ upon which the "boot hangs are so situated
that when the "boot is lifted up the back e¹ thereof is raised up on a level with
the seat c so as to form a second seat fiuing the other, as seen at Figs 1 and 2,
and the footboard e and sides &² form, a it were, a continuation forwards of the
body so as to convert it into a double seated cart or perambulator
In this position there would be an open space or gap in the floor between the two
seats c and e', to avoid which 1 hinge a box or well to the back e' of the hinged
"boot" and the other side of this box or well is provided with a rod g the ends
of which slide horizontally in or through slots d' made in the shafts d, so that as
the "boot 1s raised to form the double cart it draws the box f forward so as to
"well" for the childrens feet (see Fig 2) and as the boot is lowered to
form the single cait (see Fig 3) the box slides under the main seat c in which
position it can be utilized for carrying the cushions e³ h¹ small parcels or other
articles
form a
The vehicle is of course provided with a flap h hinged to the seat c or with
other equivalent known means for covering the well f and converting the cart into
a bassinette
2
At the centre of the sliding rod g is fixed a spring catch which takes into the
teeth of a rack k fixed to the bottom of the cart, so as to retain the box in any
position to which it may be drawn forward The end of the rod projects beyond
the shaft and is flattened or otherwise formed or provided with a knob o a
lever g or other device, so that it can be partially turned to withdraw the catch
from the rack when it is desired to push the box f back and to lower the
boot e e¹ e²
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
-
1 The combination with a single mail cart body and seat fixed upon its shafts

page_text: of a hinged adjustable part serving as an extra seat or as a boot the said
adjustable part being pivotted or hinged to the fixed sides of the cart and also to
a box or well capable of sliding between and supported by the aforesaid shafts,
the whole forming a convertible mail cart and basinette perambulator substantially
as hereinbefore described
2 The combination with the single mail cart body fixed to its shafts of the
part hinged to the sides of the said body and to the sliding well or box supported
in slots between the shafts, the said well or box being provided with a spring
catch and a knob or hand lever or its equivalent, and the bottom of the fixed
body being provided with a rack or its equivalent for adjusting and fixing the
aforesaid hinged part in any desired position substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the annexed drawings
Dated this 28th day of January 1896
GEO DAVIES & SON,
4, St Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant