A Mechanical Rest for Supporting the Front of a Hansom Cab while on Rank or otherwise.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1890-Accepted. 27th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Mechanical Rest for Supporting the Front of a Hansom Cab
while on Rank or otherwise.
I, ROBERT ALFRED EDWARDS, of 19 Southampton Road, Haverstock Hill, Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of novel or mechanical rests for
supporting the front of Hansom cabs, or like vehicles while on the rank and the
driver dismounted, or when the cab is standing alone, or when it is desired to move
the cab, the invention also facilitates the shafts being in proper position when
taking the horse out of the shafts, as well as when putting the horse in.
With Hansom cabs, the preponderance of weight is greatly in advance of the axle
and when the horse is in the shafts and standing much injury is done to it,
particularly to the spine, unless the front rest be fixed in position.
The present kind of front rest is only a rod of iron hung from under the foot
board, and to get it into position after releasing the pull cord, the shafts have to
be lifted for the rest to become vertical and firmly bear upon the ground to support
the weight.
It is obvious, that any motion of the horse, even in shifting the position of its
feet will cause its body to sway and so move-the cab, this instantly shifts the position
of the prop, or rest and the weight again falls upon the back of the horse.
Now the object of my invention is to obviate this by making a rest that will
partake of and remain in a vortical position when released by the pull cord, so that
the weight of the cab front is instantly borne by my rest, and the horse can move,
or the cab be moved in any direction, even to being turned round without inter-
fering with the position of the rest until lifted by the pull cord.
For the purpose of my invention, 1 hinge or pivot one or more bars or rods to
the under front of a Hausom cab, and I attach or make the same at the lower end
with eyes or lugs, within which a rod of a castor wheel fits, another part of the har
or rod has a lever jointed to it, said lever being extended and working in a guide
strap provided with a bolt or cross pin, over which a notch of the lever can lodge
when the pull cord is released this stiffening the position of the rest when down,
or 1 pivot. the lever at the rear and notch the front end of it to drop over a stud
or plate, and I attach the pull cord to a kicker, which when the cord is first pulled,
shifts the lever and then by the continued pull of the cord the castor wheel is lifted.
Dated this 21st day of November 1889.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Robert Alfred Edwards.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Mechanical Rest for Supporting the Front of a Hansom Cab
while on Rank or otherwise.
I ROBERT ALFRED EDWARDS of 19 Southampton Road, Haverstock Hill Middlesex,
Engineer, 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 :---
This invention relates to the construction of novel or mechanical rests for supporting
the fronts of Hansom cabs or like vehicles while on the rank and the driver dis-
mounted, or when the cab is standing alone, or when it is desired to-move the cab,
the invention also facilitates the shafts being in proper position when taking the horse
out of the shafts as well as when putting the horse in.

page_text: With Hansom cabs the preponderance of weight greatly in advance of the axle
and when the horse is in the shafts and standing much injury is done to it
particularly to the spine, unless the front rest be fixed in position.
The present kind of front rest is only a rod of iron, hung from under the foot board,
and to get it into position after releasing the pull cord, the shafts have to be lifted for
the rest to become vertical and firmly bear upon the ground to support the weight.
It is obvious that any motion of the horse, even in shifting the position of its feet,
will cause its body to sway, and so move the cab, this instantly shifts the position of
the prop or rest and the weight again falls upon the back of the horse.
Now the object of my invention is to obviate this by making a rest that will partake
of, and remain in, a vertical position when released by the pull cord, so that the weight
of the cab front is instantly borne by my rest and the horse can move or the cab be
moved in any direction even to being turned round without interfering with the
position of the rest until lifted by the pull cord.
For the purpose of my invention which I show at Figure 1 of the annexed drawings
I hinge or pivot one or more bars A or rods to the under front of a Hansom cab and
I attach or make the same at the lower end with eyes or lugs B B within which a
rod C of a castor wheel 1 fits; another part of the bar or bars A A has a lever
jointed to it, said lever E being extended and working in a guide strap F provided
with a bolt or cross pin. I pivot a lever G at the rear, and notch the front end of it
to drop over the guide stud or plate F and 1 attach the pull cord H to the lower end of
a kicker I which when the cord is first pulled cants and throws the upper or forked
end J against the lever G and lifts it from the plate F and then by a continued pull of
the cord H the castor wheel D is lifted into the position shown in dotted lines.
K, K, are guide rollers for the strap-H.
Figures 2 and 3 represent a modified form of cab rest provided to act in a similar
manner; and in two positions up and down.
In this arrangement the kicker is dispensed with and I hinge the lever G directly
to-the-castor wheel D and provide the lever G with the notch at the back end to drop
over a bolt in the guide strap F.
The guide rollers K, K, for the pull strap may be arranged for operation by the
driver in any desired manner.
Hansom cabs or a cab of similar shape provided with two main wheels-and-with my
mechanical rest can be kept in position for putting a horse in, or for taking a horse
out, for moving the cab for washing purposes, for wheeling it into or from a coach
house and in the case of asphalte, wood or other slippery roadway the cab may be run
upon three wheels vis. the castor wheel and the two main wheels which will prevent
the horse falling.
Having now particularly described -and-ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The mechanical rest for supporting the forward weight of a Hansom cab while on
the rank, in a stable yard or other place and for enabling such a cab to be moved
about on more than the two ordinary wheels whether the horse be in the shafts or
not, as described and as exemplified by Figures 1 and 3 of the annexed drawings.
2. A notched lever G and castor wheel D on prop A, in combination with the
fixing appliance F, and constituting a temporarily yet positive bearing or rest to
support the forward part of a Hansom or like cab as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of August 1890.
H. GARDNER,
.Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said R. A. Edwards.