IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS, BATH CHAIRS, AND SIMILAR VEHICLES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO HANSOM CABS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Watterworth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th January 1881.
JOHN WATTERWORTH, of Hull, in the County of York, Perambulator Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS, BATH CHAIRS, AND SIMILAR VEHICLES,
PARTLY APPLICABLE TO HANSOM CABS."
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of the bodies
of perambulators, bath chairs, and similar vehicles, and consists partly in making
the same in the general form of a hansom cab body, which is provided or not at
the sides as required with vertically sliding glass lights, descending into hollow
side panels when wholly or partially opened or let down, and secured in their
closed position by a leather tongue piece perforated in one or more places, so as to
catch onto a stud or pin in the side of the top of the vehicle; or if preferred any
other convenient arrangement of catch worked by a spring or otherwise may be
employed for maintaining the side lights elevated or closed. The front part of the
upper body of the vehicle carrying a portion of the roof, & provided or not with
side lights, is hinged below at its two sides to the lower or fixed part of the body,
and the rear part of the upper body carrying the rear portion of the roof, which
may be hinged thereto, is also hinged below to the lower body, so that the vehicle
can be completely opened, and free access to the interior thus obtained from above
by turning down in a forward direction the front hinged part of the upper body,
and turning down in a backward direction the rear hinged portion. These parts
when closed in their normal position are held together by any suitable and well
known catch or fastening in the roof, or by leather tongues and studs. To the
back of the rear hinged portion and lower fixed body there is attached a leather
folding hood, kept distended when the vehicle is closed, so as to form a portion of
the roof and back thereof, by any convenient or well known arrangement of
stretchers. The lower front portion of the vehicle, which serves as the apron
or protector for the feet and legs of the occupant, is hinged, as is well understood,
at its lower edge to the front part of the floor of the vehicle, but in lieu of consisting
only of a single hinged flap it is made double, having a second and outer flap
hinged at its lower or front edge to the inner flap, and capable of being turned
back either along with the inner flap or independently thereof. In a cavity
formed between these two hinged flaps there is concealed a front glass light, which
n

page_text: consists of a glazed frame hinged at its upper edge to the upper edge of the inner
flap, which frame is capable of being turned up on its hinge, so as to shut against
the front of the vehicle, and effectually close the same, either wholly or partially, a
button or other catch being provided for securing the glass in its closed position.
When out of use the glass lies between the two flaps, and is consequently concealed
thereby, and completely protected from accidental injury. The said frame carrying
the front light or glass may either be made in one piece or in two or more parts
hinged together, if preferred, for the sake of greater compactness.
arrangement of double hinged apron and hinged light folding down between the
two flaps when not in use is obviously applicable to bath chairs, and to hansom
cabs.
This
The body of the vehicle when intended to be propelled by hand is provided with
the usual handle behind, and mounted on three or more wheels and springs in the
usual manner.