IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Offord, of 79, Wells Street, 28, Brook Street, and
92, Gloucester Road, in the County of Middlesex, Carriage Builder, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND
SIMILAR VEHICLES,”
Sealed the 25th February 1879, and dated the 2nd September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Offord at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd September 1878.
JOSEPH OFFORD, of 79, Wells Street, 28, Brook Street, and 92, Gloucester Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Carriage Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in omnibuses and similar vehicles
employed for public or private conveyance of passengers, and is designed to render
such vehicles more convenient and comfortable for the passengers than heretofore.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the combination in an omnibus or similar
vehicle of the various improvements herein-after specified.
In omnibuses as ordinarily constructed for the use of the public the entrance
and exit of the passengers is attended with inconvenience and danger. The interior
of the vehicle is so narrow as to render movement from one end to the other
exceedingly difficult, and in leaving the vehicle great care has to be exercised to
avoid tripping over the feet of the occupants of the seats, and also to avoid falling
in case of any sudden or unexpected movement of the vehicle. And with regard
to the outside seats, the difficulty and danger incurred in obtaining access to and
descending from them are still greater. The means provided for ascending and
descending to and from the roof of the vehicle are of the rudest character; no space
is provided as a landing on the roof or top, and both in ascending and descending,
also in moving along the roof, the passenger has to use the greatest care to avoid

page_text: falling. And both inside and outside of the vehicle the movement of one passenger
is impossible without greatly incommoding the others.
To obviate these inconvenient and dangerous features I have devised my improved
vehicles, which I will now proceed to describe.
One important part of my Invention relates to means for affording safe and con-
venient entrance and exit to and from the interior of such vehicles. For this
purpose I make the body of the vehicle of such width as to leave sufficient space
for a central passage from the doorway at the rear end of the vehicle to, or nearly
to the front of the same for the entrance and exit of the passengers. This central
longitudinal passage is sunk below the side portions of the floor of the vehicle,
which side portions are wide enough to allow the feet of the passengers occupying
the seats to rest comfortably thereon. The floor of this central passage is of such a
height from the ground as to permit the passengers to step into and from the same
without any intermediate step, and I therefore obviate the necessity of the ordinary
steps used in entering and leaving the vehicle. The rear axle must be cranked or
bent downward sufficiently to permit this novel construction of the floor.
Another part of my Invention relates to the arrangement of the wheels and
springs to avoid unnecessary and inconvenient width between the same. For this
purpose the said wheels are placed below the seats, and do not project beyond the
sides of the omnibus. And the axles are provided with flaps, which project upward
and over the hubs or bosses of the wheels to receive the springs. This arrange-
ment of the said flaps, in combination with the wheels under the seats, as above
described, affords the greatest practicable space between the springs, and greatly
adds to the steadiness and stability of the vehicle. I prefer to use semi-elliptic
springs of the ordinary construction for these rear axles.
Another very important feature of my Invention is the provision of convenient
and safe means for ascending to and descending from the roof or top of an omnibus.
This object is accomplished by the employment of stairs or ladders extending from
the conductor's footboard to the roof. The said footboard extends entirely across
the back of the vehicle, its outer edges being within or flush with the sides of the
same. The said stairs or ladders are inclined from these outer edges of the said
footboard, that is to say, from the sides of the omnibus to, or slightly beyond, the
sides of the entrance or doorway, or to such a point as will leave convenient space
between them for the entrance and exit of the passengers. The said stairs are
constructed with flat steps of convenient width, which are enclosed at the sides and
bottom of the stairs, and are provided with suitable hand rails, so that a lady or
child may ascend or descend with comfort and safety.
The raised central portion of the roof, which is utilized for the seats, is not con-
tinued to the rear end of the roof as in ordinary omnibuses, so that the portion of
the roof at the top of the stairs is level and forms a commodious landing for the
passengers, and greatly facilitates their movements, and prevents any danger of
their falling in entering or leaving the vehicle.
Great inconvenience is experienced by outside passengers in omnibuses in wet
weather by the lack of any adequate provision for keeping the seats dry. But in
my improved vehicles I obviate this difficulty by providing the seats with hinged
covers of wood or other suitable material, which effectually prevent the access of
rain to the seats. These covers when raised form comfortable backs. And I prefer
that the box seats should be without the ordinary fixed backs, so that access to the
same from the roof may be entirely unobstructed. The occupants of such seats
can raise the hinged covers or leave them down and sit upon them, as they may
prefer.
I prefer that my improved omnibus should not have a door; the doorway being
enclosed by the stairs at the sides and top, thus forming a portico, will be thereby
sufficiently protected against rain and wind, and the absence of the door will
facilitate the entrance and exit of the passengers, and will assist greatly in the
ventilation,

page_text: I provide efficient means for ventilating the interior of the omnibus by
employing lantern or louver lights at each end of the raised central portion of the
roof.
Instead of constructing the inside seats with backs in the usual manner I pro-
vide rails or bars extending from end to end of the vehicles across the windows.
These rails or bars may be stuffed and covered on the front side with any suitable
material, and their backs, which will be seen through the windows, may be
utilized for exhibiting the names of places in the route of the omnibus, or for
advertisements.
I
propose to provide an awning over the roof supported by uprights, which fit
into sockets in the centre of the seats and on the outside rails, the said awning
being arranged to project over the front seat.
I also provide stands for wet umbrellas at both sides of the portico under the
stairs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said Joseph Offord in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st March
1879.
"
JOSEPH OFFORD, of 79, Wells Street, 28, Brook Street, and 92, Gloucester Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Carriage Builder. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in omnibuses and similar vehicles
employed for public or private conveyance of passengers, and is designed to render.
such vehicles more convenient and comfortable for the passengers than those here-
tofore constructed.
The said Invention consists chiefly in the combination in an omnibus or similar
'vehicle of the various improvements herein-after specified.
In omnibuses as ordinarily constructed for the use of the public the entrance and
exit of the passengers are attended with inconvenience and danger. The interior
of the vehicle is so narrow as to render movement from one end to the other
exceedingly difficult, and in leaving the vehicle great care has to be exercised to
avoid tripping over the feet of the occupants of the seats, and also to avoid falling
in case of any sudden or unexpected movement of the horses. And with regard
to the outside seats, the difficulty and danger incurred in obtaining access to and
descending from them are still greater. The means provided for ascending and
descending to and from the roof of the vehicle are of the rudest character; no space
is provided as a landing on the roof or top, and both in ascending and descending
and in moving along the roof the passenger has to use the greatest care to avoid
falling. And both inside and outside of the vehicle the movement of one passenger
is impossible without greatly incommoding the others.
To obviate these inconvenient and dangerous features I have devised my improved
vehicles, which I will now proceed to describe by the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an omnibus constructed according to my Inven-
tion; Figure 2 is a rear or back elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse
vertical section on the line a, a, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of a portion of the roof of the said omnibus.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
One important part of my Invention relates to means for affording safe and con-
venient entrance and exit to and from the interior of such vehicles. For this
purpose I make the body A of the vehicle of such a width as to leave sufficient
space for a central passage a from the doorway at the rear end of the vehicle to,
or nearly to, the front of the same for the entrance and exit of the passengers. This
central longitudinal passage a is sunk below the side portion 6 of the floor of the
vehicle, as clearly shewn in Figure 3. The said side portions are wide enough to
allow the feet of the passengers occupying the seats to rest comfortably thereon.
The floor of this central passage a is of such a height from the ground as to permit
the passengers to step into and from the same without any intermediate step, and
I therefore obviate the necessity for ordinary steps outside the doorway of such
vehicles. The rear axle c must be cranked or bent downward, as shewn, sufficiently
to permit this novel construction of the floor of the said vehicle.
Another part of my Invention relates to the arrangement of the wheels and
springs in such a manner as to avoid unnecessary and inconvenient width between
the wheels. For this purpose the wheels are placed, as shown at d, e, below the
seats, and therefore the axles do not project beyond the sides of the omnibus, while
there will be a clear space below the part b above the rear or hind wheels d to
allow for the movement of the vehicle on its springs. I prefer that the sides of the
omnibus should be constructed with strips or pieces a¹, which form a continuation
of the sides and overlap the wheels d. The axle c is provided with flaps c¹, which

page_text: project upward and over the hubs or bosses of the wheels to receive the springs J.
This arrangement of the said flaps, in combination with the wheels under the seats,
as above described, affords the greatest practicable space between the springs, and
greatly adds to the steadiness and stability of the vehicle. I prefer to use soini-
elliptic springs of the ordinary construction for the rear axle.
Another very important feature of my Invention is the provision of convenient
and safe means for ascending to and descending from the roof or top of an omnibus.
This object is accomplished by the employment of stairs or ladders g extending
from the conductor's footboard h to the roof. The said footboard extends entirely
across the back of the vehicle, its outer edges h being within or flush with the
sides of the same. The said stairs or ladders are inclined from these outer edges of
the said footboard, that is to say, from the sides of the omnibus to or slightly within
the sides i of the entrance or doorway, or to such a point as will leave convenient
space between the inner edges g' of the said ladders for the entrance and exit of
the passengers, as clearly shewn in Figuro 2. The said stairs or ladders are con-
structed with flat steps g of convenient width, which are enclosed at the sides g³
and back or inner edge g' of the stairs, and are provided with suitable hand rails g',
so that ladies and children may ascend or descend with comfort and safety, and the
said stairs protect the doorway at the top and side, and prevent the entrance of
rain into the omnibus.
The raised central portion j of the roof, which is utilized for the outside seats, is
not continued to the rear end of the roof as in ordinary omnibuses, but the portion ¹
of the roof at the top of the said stairs is level with the top stair, and forms a
commodious and spacious landing for the passengers which greally facilitates their
movements, and prevents danger of their falling in passing to or leaving the roof of
the vehicle.
Great inconvenience is experienced by outside passengers in ordinary omnibuses
in wet weather by the lack of any adequate provision for keeping the seats dry.
But in my improved vehicles I obviate this difficulty, as shewn in Figure 4, by
providing the seats with hinged covers k¹ of wood or other suitable material,
which have flanges k³ at the sides, and effectually prevent the access of rain to the
seats. These covers when raised form comfortable backs. And I prefer that tho
box seats should be fitted with these covers, and without the ordinary fixed backs,
so that access to the same from the roof may be entirely unobstructed. The
occupants of such seats can raise the hinged covers or leave them down and sit upon
them as they may prefer.
I propose to provide an awning over the roof supported by uprights, which aro
fitted in sockets in the central space between the seats k, the said awning being
arranged to project over the front or box seats.
I prefer that my improved omnibus should not have a door, as the said stairs or
ladders enclose the doorway at the sides and top, thus serving as a portico, and
affording sufficient protection against the entrance of rain and wind, and the
absence of the door will facilitate the entrance and exit of the passengers, and
ensure the proper ventilation of the vehicle.
I provide racks or stands for umbrellas under the stairs at both sides of the
portico, as shewn at g*, Figure 2.
I further provide for ventilating the interior of the omnibus by employing lantern
or louvre lights at each end of the raised central portion ; of the roof.
Instead of constructing the inside seats m with backs in the usual manner I
provide rails or bars n extending from end to end of the vehicle across the windows,
as clearly shewn in Figure 1. These rails or bars n may be stuffed and covered on
the front side with any suitable material, and their backs, which will be seen
through the windows may be utilized for exhibiting the names of places in the
route of the omnibuses or for advertisements.
I prefer to extend the footboard o under the seat to form a receptacle for a lamp,
as shewn in Figure 1.

page_text: Having thus fully described my said Invention and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood that I
claim,―
In an omnibus or similar vehicle, the novel construction of the body of the
vehicle, consisting in the central passage sunk below the side portions of the floor,
and extending from the doorway to, or nearly to, the end of the vehicle.
And, in combination with this novel construction of the body of the vehicle, the
arrangement of the springs and wheels under the seats in such a manner that there
is no projection of any part beyond the sides of the vehicle.
And the improvements relating to the arrangement of the stairs or ladders to
form a portico outside of the doorway, the construction of the roof with a central
raised portion and a landing space, and the arrangements for protecting the seats
and for ventilation, and the other novel features, as shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, all as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Offord, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.