Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elijah Freeman Prentiss, of Birkenhead, in the
County of Chester, Carriage Manufacturer, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER FOUR-WHEELED
VEHICLES."
Sealed the 30th December 1862, and dated the 1st July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elijah Freeman Prentiss
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st July 1862.
I; ELIJAH FREEMAN PRENTISS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
Carriage Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER FOUR-WHEELED
VEHICLES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement and mode of applying the
running gear to four-wheeled carriages to facilitate their turning, and that
they may be drawn either end foremost. And in a peculiar construction of
light body for passenger carriages which it is proposed to call the "skeleton
or "spider chariot."
The first part of these improvements consists in

page_text: constructing and fitting both the front and hinder axletrees of four-wheeled
vehicles in such a way that they will both turn horizontally round on their
vertical axle pins a given distance, and in connecting the two axletrees
together by two crossed connecting rods, one of which rods is jointed to the
front axletree near the nave of the near wheel and carried across to the
binder axletree and jointed thereto near the inuer side of the off wheel, and
the other rod is jointed to the front axle near the off wheel, and also
extends across to the hinder axle, to which it is jointed in like manner
near the inner side of the near wheel. By this arrangement it will be readily
seen that if the leading wheels are turned toward the left, the two wheels
on the left side of the carriage will be brought towards and at an angle to
each other, and the two wheels on the right side of the carriage will be
proportionately separated from each other when the carriage can be readily
turned towards the left, and by turning the leading axle towards the right
the reverse motion will take place in the wheels and the carriage can then
be turned in the opposite direction. The advantage of this arrangement is
that a four-wheeled carriage can be constructed capable of being readily turned
in any required direction when driven either end foremost, and in the case
of omnibuses and other like carriages, a portion of the upper parts of the
wheels may revolve within recesses in the carriage body below the seats,
thereby obtaining the advantage of a low vehicle.
The second part of this Invention relates to the construction of light
carriage bodies for open passenger vehicles, and consists in a light parallel-
ogramical frame of wood, angle iron, or other suitable material, between
and from the longitudinal sides of which spring a number of light arched
spanners of wood fitted with metal tie rods, or they may be constructed
entirely of metal. From the crown of the arched spanners springs a vertical
longitudinal railed or other suitably shaped back for longitudinal seats fitted
on each side thereof. The seats it is preferred should be cane-seated frames
fitted with loose cushions. The foot rests and the stages at each end of
the body it is proposed to form of light open grating framework and to
surround the whole with a light rail, or light open or closed pannel-work,
except at the openings left for ingress and egress. It is further proposed to
construct two or more standards above the centre back rail for supporting
a suitable double hood which can be let down at both or either side of the
carriage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Elijah Freeman Prentiss in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIJAH
FREEMAN PRENTISS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Carriage
Manufacturer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Elijah Freeman Prentiss, Her special licence that I, the said Elijah
Freeman Prentiss, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Elijah Freeman Prentiss, my 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND
OTHER FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Elijah Freeman Prentiss, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, 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 Elijah Freeman Prentiss, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
-
This my said Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement and mode of:
applying the running gear to four-wheeled carriages to facilitate their
turning, and that they may be driven either end foremost; and in a peculiar
construction of light body for passenger carriages which it is proposed to call
the "skeleton" or "spider chariot."
The first part of these my said improvements consist in in constructing and:
fitting both the front and hinder axletrees of four-wheeled vehicles in such a
way that they will both turn horizontally round on their vertical axle pins (or

page_text: <<
perch bolts") a given distance, and in connecting the two axletrees together
by two crossed connecting rods, one of which rods I joint to the front axletree
near the nave of the near wheel, and carry it across to the hinder axletree, and
joint it thereto near the inner side of the off wheel, and the other rod I joint to
the front axle near the off wheel and which I also extend across to the hinder
axle, to which I joint it in like manner near the inner side of the near wheel.
By this arrangement it will be readily seen that if the leading wheels are turned
toward the left, the two wheels on the left side of the carriage will be brought
towards and at an angle to each other, and that the two wheels on the right
side of the carriage will be proportionately seperated from each other, when
the carriage can be readily turned toward the left; and by turning the leading
axle toward the right, the reverse motion will take place in the wheels and
the carriage can then be turned in the opposite direction. The advantage of
this arrangement is that a four-wheeled carriage can be constructed capable
of being readily turned in any required direction when driven either end
foremost; and in the case of omnibuses and other like carriages, a portion
of the upper parts of the wheels may revolve within recesses in the carriage
body below the seats, thereby obtaining the advantage of a broad and low.
vehicle.
The second part of this my said Invention relates to the construction of
light carriage bodies for open passenger vehicles, and consists in a light
parallelogramical frame of wood, angle iron, or other suitable material, between
and from the longitudinal sides of which spring a number of light arched.
spanners of wood fitted with metal tie rods, or they may be constructed
entirely of metal. On the crown of the arched spanners I construct a vertical
longitudinal railed or other suitably shaped back for longitudinal seats fitted
on each side thereof. The seats I prefer should be cane-seated frames fitted
with loose cushions. The foot rests and the stages at each end of the body
I propose to form of light open grating framework, and to surround the
whole with a light rail or light open frames or closed pannel-work except at
the openings left for ingress and egress. I further propose to erect two or
moré standards extending above the centre back rail for supporting a suitable
double hood which can be let down at both, or either side of the carriage.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto. annexed Drawings illustrating one modification of my
improvements. Like letters and figures marked thereon being used to denote
similar parts. Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my improved "spider
or "skeleton " 'carriages, mounted with my improved running gear, which
enables it to be turned within a small radius, and is capable of being drawn
"

page_text: either end foremost; and Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, but having
the hood removed; Figure 3 is a transverse section of the body frame and
seat of the carriage; Figure 4 is an enlarged plan of the running gear, in
which the draw bars, for convenience, are shown broken off at one end; and
Figure 5 is a front view of the swivelling draw gear.
A is the parallelogramical frame of the carriage body, which in this
modification is constructed of wood, but which may be made of angle, T;
or other suitably shaped iron or steel, and which may be braced together
by thin horizontal, transverse, and diagonal tie-rods. B are two inverted
segments of timber or other suitable material, upon the apex of which
rests the centre of C, a double seat, or a longitudinal stringer piece may
be used to connect the several springers together, in which case a seat is
fitted on each side. D, tension rod supported in the centre by the lower
end of E, standard for F, back rail of double seat (C); G, scroll arms at
the ends of double seat; H, running wheels mounted on I; and 1', transverse
swivelling axles; K and K', diagonal link rods, connecting the two axles of
the carriage, to which they are connected by a vertical pin joint; L, L', L²;
and L³, draw bars extending from the transverse axle to M, the swivelling
lock frames of the carriage, which it will be observed are made of an unusual
length to enable the running wheels to be placed well under the body of
the carriage, or to admit of a platform being formed at the front or back
of the vehicle, or at both ends; N, an open trellis framework forming the
longitudinal side of the carriage body, and upon the top of which is mounted
P, a light rail; Q, step to be used by the passengers entering the vehicle;
R, an awning or light roof, which it is preferred to support by standards
springing from the longitudinal centre of the vehicle; but in this modification
a light roof is shown supported on standards. I would here remark that
the inverted springers (B), upon which the seats are supported, may be
formed with an arched top or other suitable form, made of wood, iron, steel,
or other suitable material where lightness and strength can be obtained.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details, relative dimensions, or proportions, as it will be readily seen that the
same may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention; but
what I claim as my Invention is,-
First, the peculiar construction of carriage body for light passenger vehicles
as herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification of
the same.

page_text: Secondly, the peculiar construction and arrangement of the running gear
for four-wheeled vehicles, so that they may be drawn either end foremost and
caused to turn within a small radius, as herein-before described and set forth,
or any mere modification of the same.
And, lastly, the general arrangement and combination of the various parts
when applied to the construction of light open passenger carriages, as herein-
before described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elijah Freeman Prentiss, have hereunto
set my hand, and affixed my seal, this Thirty-first day of' December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
ELIJAH FREEMAN (L.s.) PRENTISS.
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.