IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dawson at. the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1883.
WILLIAM DAWSON of Leeds in the County of York, "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PERAMBULATORS "
Firstly. The object of my invention is so to construct the perambulator that it
can be moved along with greater facility than hitherto.
Secondly. To prevent by an automatic arrangement of brake the vehicle moving
unless pushed or pulled by the attendant.
For the purpose of moving the perambulator more readily I provide two large
wheels in the centre thereof and one small wheel at each end. The two smaller
wheels are placed so that they do not touch the ground when the vehicle is
balanced on the centre wheels. The attendant therefore can run the perambulator
on the two centre wheels only, or on the two centre wheels and one or other of the
outer wheels as may be preferred. The object of the two outer wheels more
particularly is for supporting the vehicle when the hand of the attendant has been
released therefrom.
I provide a brake arrangement in connection with the handle or handles, so that
as soon as the hand of the attendant is released from such bandle or handles the
brake immediately comes in contact with the large centre wheels and so arrests
any further motion of the vehicle until the attendant by a slight pressure on the
handle relieves the brake from its contact with such wheel or wheels. :

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Dawson in the Patent Office on the 28th May 1884.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
WILLIAM DAWSON of Leeds in the County of York
PERAMBULATORS
"
Firstly. The object of my Invention is to so construct the perambulator that it
can be moved along with greater facility than hitherto.
Secondly. To prevent by an automatic arrangement of brake the vehicle moving
unless pushed or pulled by the attendant.
For the purpose of moving the perambulator more readily I provide two large
wheels in the centre thereof, and one small wheel at each end. The two smaller
wheels are so placed that they do not touch the ground when the vehicle is
balanced on the centre wheels. The attendant therefore can run the perambulator
on the two centre wheels only, or on the two centre wheels and one of the outer
wheels.
The object of the two outer wheels more particularly is for supporting the
vehicle when the hand of the attendant has been released therefrom,
Further I provide a brake in connection with the handle or handles so
constructed that as soon as the hand of the attendant is released from such handle
the brake immediately comes in contact with the large centre wheels and so
arrests any further motion of the vehicle, until the attendant by a slight pressure
on the handle relieves the brake from its contact with such wheel or wheels.
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood reference is
given to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING'S
Fig 1 is a side elevation and Fig 2 a cross Section of a perambulator constructed
in accordance with my improvements. Fig 3 is a side elevation and Fig
elevation Shewing another arrangement of part of my improvements.
an end
For the purpose of moving the perambulator with greater facility I provide the
two large wheels a. a. in the centre thereof, so that the perambulator can be
readily balanced upon them. I also provide the Smaller wheels b. b. one at each
end, but they are so placed that they do not either of them touch the ground when
When thus
the perambulator is balanced on the two large centre wheels a. a.
balanced the attendant can run the same on the two large centre wheels a. a. only; or
by raising or depressing the handle c it may be run on the two centre wheels a. a.
and one or other of the Smaller wheels b. b.
.
The object of the two outer wheels b b more particularly is for supporting the
carriage when the hand of the attendant has been released therefrom.
For the purpose of preventing the perambulator moving unless pushed or pulled
by the attendant I provide the following brake arrangement.
On or to the boss of each of the large wheels I cast or attach the brake drum
or disc d provided with notches on its periphery into which the Short ends of the
hinged levers e. e pass when sufficiently depressed. The longer ends of these
levers are attached to the short link f connected to one end of the hinged lever g.
The opposite end of this lever is connected by means of the rod h and chain k to
the handle of the carriage. On the lower end of the rod h I provide the light
Spring which depresses the rod h and also the Short ends of the levers e. e. by
means of the link f and the lever g.
When it is desired to set the carriage in motion the attendant gives a turn or
twist to the handle o of the carriage pulling up the chain k and rod h (at the same

page_text: time compressing the spring i) and raising the short ends of the levers e e clear of
the notches in the brake drums or discs d when the carriage is free to move.
Immediately the handle c is released, the Spring i forces down the rod h and the
Short ends of the levers e. e. into the notches in the drums or discs & arresting
thereby the motion of the carriage.
Instead of placing the Spring i at the lower end of the rod h when preferred I
place it beneath the link ƒ as shewn in Figs 3 and 4.
The above arrangements are applicable to ordinary perambulators as well as
double perambulators known as bassinets.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and shewn with the
aid of drawings how the same may be carried into practice I would have it
understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details or configuration of
the parts I have described and shewn as the same may be varied or modified
without departing from the nature of my said Invention; what I do claim is :-
1° The application of the two large wheels a. a and Small wheels b. b
arranged as and for purposes herein set forth.
2° The combination and application of the various parts forming the brake
arrangement substantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said William Dawson have hereunto set
my hand and Seal this third day of April in the year of Our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
.